Work-Life Balance as an Accountant

In any aspect of business, a work-life balance mix is highly recommended. When working in the accounting field, it can almost be considered a necessity. The world of accounting is one full of hard deadlines, long work hours, intense busy seasons, meticulous detailing, and so much more. Burnout is a very real threat that can be easily mediated with a healthy blend between personal and work lives.

Tax Season

One of the most notably grueling parts of an accountant’s work year is tax season. This time of the year is notorious for being stressful, especially for those working in the accounting field. Burnout can hit quickly during this time, so it’s especially important that a balance is intentional and well maintained. Teal discusses some common examples, such as:

• Setting Specific Work Hours: Give clients and/or the team a planned schedule for the season and make sure it is clear what times will and will not be available.
• Make Time for Oneself: This season takes up a lot of brain power, so make sure to dedicate some time to more personal things to keep both mental and physical health up.
• Plan Ahead: During the time leading up to the season, make an action plan. Figure out what can be automated or delegated to another member of the team to free up time. Also consider possibly bringing on a seasonal worker if needed.

Another similar time for accountants, where these methods could be useful, would be during fiscal year-end. This is another tedious and strenuous time for accountants that need to handle all the financial reporting that comes along with this time.

Benefits

Not only do individuals benefit from effective work-life balance plans, but the firm does, as well. The CPA Journal discusses how employee turnover has long been an issue in the accounting field with business literature dating back to 1973 discussing the topic and ways to best improve. One of the most effective changes is to increase job satisfaction and improve employee wellbeing – a step in the right direction. As employees begin to feel more supported by their employer in managing their work-life balance, the more satisfied they will be with their work.

While bettering mental and physical health, improving a healthy balance will also result in other benefits, like better productivity, more detailed work, feeling more motivated, and so many more.

How To Help Employees

Firms and managers play critical roles when helping their employees establish a work-life balance. When Indeed discussed this topic, they had a couple helpful recommendations:

• Encourage Time Off: Make sure employees know that they are free to take time off when needed.
• Allow for Flexible Working Schedules: Give employees the freedom to manage their own schedules. Not only does this display a level of trust, but it also allows them to forge a schedule that will benefit them.

Summary

A work-life balance is a crucial part of any accountant’s life, whether they work strictly in the tax department, or provide general ledger or back-office accounting support. Employees should be working on improving their personal balances and managers should be encouraging them, as well as working on their own. With everyone in a firm sporting healthy work-life mixes, the employees, firm, and clients will all be reaping the benefits.

For more information from or about our EAS team and their services, please contact David Blain or Lindsay Young.

This article was written by EAS intern Emily Zeger under supervision of Partner Lindsay Young during McKonly & Asbury’s Internship Program.

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