One accountant who loves his laid back boss recentlysharedon Reddit how drama ensued in his office after his firm merged with another whose boss kept them on a tight leash. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies amused readers left.
After two accounting firms merged, this employee immediately picked up on hostility from his new colleagues
Image credits:DNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
So he decided to dangle some bait in front of them, and it didn’t take long for the office drama to ensue
Image credits:Cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
Image credits:Andrew Neel (not the actual photo)
Image credits:u/StaffAccountantDude
Being an accountant is a notoriously stressful job
Image credits:Dan Dimmock (not the actual photo)
Accountants are known for having extremely stressful jobs. According to a2022 study, 55% of accountants admit to suffering from stress and burnout, and they’re often required to work long hours week after week. During tax season, it’s not unusual for accountants to work50-80 hourseach week, and this can last for months.One thirdof accountants even say that they’re stressed at work every day, and a third also admit that they check their emails while on holiday or sick leave. The two main reasons that accountants cite for their high levels of stress are being overworked and dealing with office politics. Unfortunately, however, many also report that they’re too busy to seek mental health support.
According toBenjamin Wann, CPA, there are a variety of reasons why accountants decide to move on to a different career path, including dissatisfaction with pay and benefits, seeking a change of pace, being tired of the repetitive work, being automated out of their jobs, having a lack of career advancement opportunities, feeling burned out from the profession, and more. When it comes to being burned out, Benjamin says, “As an accountant, it’s easy to feel stuck in a rut. The day-to-day grind of bookkeeping and financial reporting can be tedious and repetitive. And because the profession is so detail-oriented, it can be easy to lose sight of the big picture. This can lead to feelings of burnout and disillusionment. As a result, many accountants choose to leave the profession altogether.”
But there are ways employers and staff members can mitigate stress
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To ensure that accountants don’t burn out too quickly or become overwhelmed with stress, it’s important for employers to prioritize making their staff feel valued and provide them resources to take care of their mental health. The accountant in this story noted that he loves his boss because he doesn’t worry about unnecessary issues such as a dress code and exact timekeeping. These may seem like small things, but when you’re already working a stressful job, having to be concerned about what you wear and being perfectly on time every day can contribute to daily stress levels. When employees are allowed to simply focus on producing great work, everyone is happier.
One2017 studyon supervisor behavior even found that there is no evidence to support the idea that a tough boss is more likely to get results. Not to mention the fact that stress in the workplace gives employees anincreased riskof anxiety, burnout, depression, and substance abuse disorders. Stressed out workers are also more likely to reach for unhealthy coping mechanisms such as cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, and eating an unhealthy diet. Unhappy employees are also more likely to leave, of course, and no boss wants to have to deal with high turnover rates. But unfortunately, stress can spread like a wildfire in an office, Annie McKee writes forHarvard Business Review, so it’s best to know how to combat it and keep your stressed out boss from impacting your health too.
It’s important for employees to prioritize taking care of themselves
Image credits:Adrian Swancar (not the actual photo)
Some readers were skeptical of the story and unimpressed with the accountant’s actions
However, some in payroll shared similar stories
And others shared their thoughts on the saga
Justinas Keturka
Gabija Saveiskyte
Dominyka
Work & Money
