It is a universal problem that comes with the territory. Yes, all accountants experience stress. Hopefully this gives you hope that you are not alone. Although this fact of universal stress is known, the common causes might be less known and a bit more subtle. To manage stress well, it is important to know specifically where it originates from first. Only then can those factors be dealt with effectively because they can be addressed individually. It is much more meaningful and productive to deal with individual stressors instead of simply seeing stress at a collective level and therefore be overwhelmed by it all. Beck and Company Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors know all about accountant stress that impacts all of us and can assist you with this and with your specific accounting needs that may be one of the factors causing you worry.
What are the factors causing accountant stress in the workplace, and how can they be dealt with?
- Role Ambiguity
This stress is created because an individual does not clearly understand what is expected on the job. It might be worth a conversation to get this sorted out or to ask for a list of responsibilities complete with deadlines and explanations of each.
- Role Conflict
This stress is created because an individual is presented with conflicting demands or an unclear chain of command. Most organizations likely have organizational charts detailing who reports to who and who should be doing what. Ask for this document for clarification purposes or find a time to meet and clarify things with the co-workers who may be requiring opposing responsibilities without even realizing it.
- Overload—Quantitative
This stress is created by the perception of too great a volume of work to accomplish in the allocated time or the job scope and depth. Figure out what your focus should be and prioritize tasks accordingly. Set time frames and parameters for yourself so you don’t get bogged down by menial tasks instead of essential ones.
- Overload—Qualitative
This stress is created by job requirements which exceed the individual’s ability or skill level. Albeit awkward, have a conversation with your boss if you feel some of the expectations put in front of you are not correlated well to your expertise. You likely won’t be able to hand off all of that work to someone else, but you can educate your boss on your skills so future assignments are more aligned to your skills.
- Career Progress
This stress is created by not having enough perceived opportunities to advance or learn new skills and techniques. Just like educating your boss on what skills don’t suit you, also inform him or her about your interests and ways you would like to grow as an accountant.
- Time Pressures
This stress is caused by the perception of unreasonable deadlines and time demands. Although some of this is just the nature of accounting work, see if any work can be shared or if there is a way to spread tasks out more evenly. Consider ways to organize yourself better so deadlines don’t sneak up on you.
- Personnel Tensions
Stress resulting from lack of trust in co-workers or dealing with challenging differences in opinion and/or work style. For more information on this and to help in developing strategies for coping with difficult staff member situations, visit here. The article details how to establish trust in the workplace, tips for communicating with others, recommendations on avoiding the troublemakers, and the importance of verifying rumors.
Take a look back through the list, and do a quick personal assessment of what the top accountant stress factors are for you personally. Take small steps in trying to alleviate what you can. Stay tuned over the next few weeks to discover or refresh yourself on some important stress management tips that go beyond the workplace. In the meantime, if you have realized there is one or more factors from above that you could use some help in addressing or for more assistance with your accounting practices, Beck and Company CPAs can help. Please contact us for a free consultation to find out how we can help you address your accounting needs.