Accenture CEO urges staff to postpone vacations as firm seeks stronger quarter-end performance

Julie Sweet, chief executive of Accenture, sent a company-wide message urging employees to hold off on vacation plans and concentrate on delivering revenue in the final stretch of the fiscal year. To support the request, Accenture announced a one-time change permitting staff to carry forward any remaining vacation days into the next financial year, a departure from the usual requirement to use them before the period ends.

Sweet emphasized that every employee can help meet shareholder expectations by finding new ways to serve clients and originate sales of all sizes. The memo came after the consulting firm reported a 2% decline in new bookings and projected fourth-quarter revenue below analysts' forecasts, prompting a roughly 20% drop in its stock price. Analysts also noted lingering uncertainty about how artificial intelligence might affect the consulting sector, despite Sweet describing AI as a growth catalyst. The temporary vacation policy aims to balance employee flexibility with the need for a stronger sales push.