5 Ways Work-Life Balance Boost Accountants’ Productivity

Is your accounting team constantly struggling to find a balance between work and personal life?

If you answered yes, then maybe it's time to reassess your leadership strategy and start helping them achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

Recognizing the Importance of Work-Life Balance 

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is so important for every professional, including accountants, not only for their own well-being but also for their productivity at work. As we all know, our profession can be a bit taxing, especially during the busiest time of the year. During this period, we often need to work for extended hours, which can sometimes compromise our personal time with our family, friends, and ourselves. 

Whenever things get overwhelming at work, I constantly remind myself of Dolly Parton’s words, "Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life". This quote straight up resonated with me on a deeper level. I remember my humble beginnings, the time when I began my career as an auditor and extending my working hours was considered the norm.

However, there was a specific incident that stands out in my memory when working overtime made me feel bad. It happened on a Friday, a day when I had made plans to meet my friends for a movie after office hours. During that time, I was extremely careful with the work I was doing, ensuring that I would be able to finish it on time. However, close to 5 PM, my manager at that time asked me to update a report I was preparing due to a new transaction becoming available. 

At that moment, I felt powerless and torn between my personal life and my superior's demands. It is an inner conflict I didn't enjoy personally, and I didn't want others including my team to go through it as well. From that day forward, I made a conscious effort to become better at managing my time and setting realistic expectations to balance work with personal life.  

Hence, in this article, I’ll discuss more about the measures that we have in place and how we see the importance of work-life balance here in D&V Philippines. 

5 Ways to Nurture Your Team’s Work-Life Balance  

Here are (5) five steps that I found to be the most effective in protecting my team’s work-life balance while making sure that they are still meeting what their respective jobs entail: 

1. Provide Clear Expectation 

Provide clear expectations right from the start so they know what is required from them. It's also important to give them feedback to help your team know where they stand and identify any areas for improvement. 

 2. Provide your Team the Right Resources 

To make the job easier and help them more productive, it is recommended to support and give your team access to the necessary tools and certifications to help them do their job. 

Read: Cultivating A Support System in Your Organization 

3. Encourage your team to take breaks 

Emphasize the importance of work-life balance and create an environment that doesn't make your team feel guilty about taking breaks. In addition, you can encourage them to recharge and refresh their minds. Doing this can boost productivity in the long run. 

4. Try to Build a Camaraderie in Informal Settings

Catch up with your team in informal settings so they will be more comfortable sharing their thoughts. Doing this will provide an avenue to observe them and gain insights on how else you can help and support them better. 

5. Respect the Welfare of your Team 

Respect is everything and it goes both ways. As the saying goes, ‘Respect is earned not given’, which stays true even in your organization. If you wish to be respected, then set a positive example first and earn their respect in return.  

4 Key Reasons why Work-Life Balance Matters

Work-life balance is important for several reasons, including: 

1. It Promotes Better Mental and Physical Well-Being 

When your accounting team has a good balance between personal and professional lives, it only signifies that they can perform well and be more productive at work. 

2. It Reduces the Turnover Rate 

As mentioned above, our industry can sometimes be overwhelming, especially with the demands of the organization and clients. But as leaders, we have to do something and encourage our team to embrace the importance of work-life balance. By doing this, your team of accountants will be more likely to stay with the company, leading to lower turnover rates and a more stable workforce. 

3. It enhances collaboration and teamwork 

Let's be real, having a harmonious workforce will make the job easier and good to have with. On the contrary, if your team is overly stressed or burdened by excessive workloads, they won't probably have the energy to connect with their colleagues and exchange ideas. So as leaders, we have the responsibility to implement the importance work-life balance within our organization. 

Read Next: 6 Strategies for Building a Competitive Team for 2024 

4. It Boosts Overall Productivity 

Lastly, we have to see that the value of productivity does not solely depend on the number of hours your accountants render. Rather it’s more about the trust that you give them that allows them to work more effectively without micromanaging them. A friendly reminder that we leaders should keep in mind that working excessively can lead to burnout and a decline in the overall effectiveness of the team.  

In my case, the perfect example of avoiding burnout is personally when I'm on vacation, I make sure that every work is properly delegated so there will be no reason for anyone to reach out to me while I'm parasailing in Boracay. In addition, I try not to reach out to anyone outside of office hours (I probably only did this once or twice in my whole career).  

Doing this is more like respecting yourself and your time but also giving allowances to those moments when it will give you more peace of mind to finish the job even on extended hours.   

The Bottom Line 

As leaders, it’s important to maintain a work-life balance and ensure a holistic experience within the team. Remember, when professionals know they are valued within the organization they are most likely more motivated, engaged and productive to do their job effectively. This positive energy translates into a better work environment, fostering collaboration and enhancing the team's overall performance. 

Work with a well-rounded team 

Are you looking for a competitive and well-rounded team of accountants who can assist you with your accounting duties?  

Consider D&V Philippines. We believe that a healthy work-life balance is important for optimal performance in the accounting industry. Schedule a free consultation with us today to explore the ways we support our employees so they can provide exceptional services to you. 

You may also download our primer Employees to Partners to know how we invest in our people’s development. 

— 'In collaboration of Angelica Freal Garcia, a content specialist at D&V Philippines'