Why "Work-Life Balance" is Failing Your Firm

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In her eye-opening article in Accounting Today, Amy Vetter argues that chasing work-life balance sets firms up to fail. The better goal? Work-life harmony, a rhythm that recognises accounting's peak seasons and plans for recovery, not burnout.

Staff burnout = loosing talent

The accounting profession is at a tipping point globally, not just about tax deadlines or technical talent. It’s about losing your best people to burnout.

Firms that bake in rest (like no-meeting Fridays and mandatory leave after crunch time) are seeing better retention, happier teams, and stronger profits. The numbers don’t lie: 89% of firms that implement time-management strategies report boosts in both wellbeing and productivity. Burnout is costing your firm more than just morale, it’s eating into your bottom line.

What can you do in your practice

The message is clear, prioritising team wellbeing is no longer a "nice to have" it’s your competitive edge.

Time to rethink your model? Try team coverage systems, communication boundaries, and scheduled renewal periods. Because the future of accounting belongs to firms that value harmony over hustle.