5 ways an accountant can boost mental wellbeing in the workplace

A traditional view of a chartered accountant within the workplace may be that they are contributing solely to the financial side of a company. However, like other management roles in the business, they can play a huge part in the mental wellbeing of their workforce and are vital to team morale. From my experience, too many workplaces dismiss the potential difference that a good chartered accountant could have for a workplace.

This article will guide you through 5 ways a chartered accountant can boost mental well-being in a workplace- although there are many many more!

An accountant's role goes far beyond just taking care of books and handling taxes. An accountant's professional status and financial knowledge provide a sense of stability and reassurance in a company - having an accountant to hand is a way of letting your employees know that you have the business's money situation under control.

Professional insight

It is likely that your employees will feel anxious or worried about their own financial situation every once in a while. Having procedures and processes in place, so that they know where to turn can be invaluable in helping them get through a tight spot financially. Having a professional on-site that can offer practical and reassuring advice can make a massive difference to their mental health.Having a chartered accountant as part of your team will ensure that they always have a knowledgeable person to turn to in times of personal financial worry.

Setting an example

As chartered accountants hold authority and responsibility in a workplace, they have huge potential to set an example to other employees. Chartered accountants who get involved with mental health initiatives and practice healthy working habits will inspire other members of your team to do the same and will in turn develop a healthy working culture. If your workplace does not already have a mental health initiative, I would recommend researching different companies that may be able to help you with this. At Nurture Company Health, our founder Michelle is a trained mental health first aider and is able to use her vast knowledge to help business owners and their employees at different stages on their journey to deal with mental health issues.

Right people for the job

Because a chartered accountant has a unique 360 viewpoint of a business, they are able to suggest areas that may require more financial input such as increasing staff levels in a department to ease employee stress whilst at the same time improving productivity. 

Having a chartered accountant as part of your team means that they can take care of the financial tasks instead of them falling into the remit of unqualified members of staff. Not only could this extra responsibility cause them stress but it also takes away time from their actual job role. 

Create a friendly environment

Accountants have a lot of authority in the workplace which means that they have the power to make changes to the working environment. The best kind of workplace for mental wellbeing is one in which employees feel comfortable talking openly about mental health and seeking help if they need it. This kind of positive work culture doesn't happen overnight, however, taking steps towards making the workplace a friendlier space for all staff is important to make this a reality.

Improving language

For employees who do not have much financial know-how, sorting out taxes and reading payslips can be incredibly daunting. What makes this even worse is when an employee goes to the company accountant for clarity but is met with the same financial jargon that they simply do not understand. Being left in the dark around their financial situation can lead to employees feeling high amounts of stress and worry. A chartered accountant can make sure that all employees feel confident around their own financial situation, as well as the company's. A good accountant will take out the financial jargon and answer queries in simple terms. This will help to ease employees nerves and create a better workplace environment.

At Nurture Company Health, we know how important accountants can be for mental wellbeing. If you would like to learn about the services that we offer and how they could work for you and your business, book a discovery call with us today for a complimentary 60-minute meeting.