More than half of UK-based chartered accountants deem their workplace to be toxic, according to a survey conducted on behalf of CABA, the chartered accountants’ wellbeing charity, Communication issues (18%), working unrealistic hours (17%) and cliquey colleagues (15%) are creating toxic environments, according to the survey of some 250 chartered accountants.
Alongside working unrealistic hours and cliquey colleagues, jealous or competitive peers (13%), people sabotaging one another (12%) and a lack of accountability (12%) were among the reasons cited by respondents.
When asked if work had negatively affected the respondents in the last 12 months, 76% agreed with this statement.
Interestingly, the younger generation (18-34) feel this more than any other; 80% claim they work in a toxic environment, with over 1-in-4 of these respondents believing it was due to people sabotaging one another. This compares to 60% of 35-44-year olds, 35% of 45-54-year olds and 29% of those aged 55+ who think they work in a toxic environment.
CABA services director Kelly Feehan said: “The issue of the ‘toxic workplace’ is certainly not confined to the accountancy profession, but it’s worrying to hear that so many chartered accountants feel as though they work in such an unhealthy environment. It’s recognised that this type of culture can take its toll on employees’ mental health, leading to an unproductive and unmotivated workforce.”
