According to a report from Robert Half, accounting was ranked the third-least stressful industry, after the IT industry and administration.
The most stressful industries were the healthcare industries, manufacturing and human resources, the survey said.
The research also found that the most stressed Australians were those aged 18 to 34, followed by professionals aged 35 to 54.
Workers aged 55 and over were the least stressed, with the report suggesting experience plays a part in managing stress levels.
Further, those on an annual income of $50,000 to $74,999 were the least stressed in the workplace compared to those earning $150,000 or more.
Director of Robert Half Australia, Andrew Morris, said stress can lead to ‘burn out’, which in turn can contribute to high employee turnover, absenteeism and lost productivity.
“The most successful companies have systems in place to effectively monitor and manage stress levels, whether in the form of seeking regular employee feedback or increasing temporary staff headcount to help manage high workloads,” Mr Morris said.
“Other company initiatives include offering employees increased sick leave, sabbaticals, or encouraging more social activities with staff outside the office.”
Sky Accountants chief executive Jamie Johns told Public Accountant about the importance of partners and owners frequently catching up with their employees in maintaining overall happiness within their firms.
He suggested they should catch up with a one-on-one monthly meeting around how they’re feeling about their job, their career and their future.
“The days where you have the annual performance appraisal are pretty much dead. The modern firm, or the partner or manager, will make time once a month just solely dedicated for at least half-an hour to catch up with each of their direct reports and find out how they’re feeling and where they’re at mentally,” Mr Johns said.
