Calculating work-life conflict

Accountants may think they have one of the most challenging jobs out there when it comes to managing work-life stress — particularly coming off of April’s tax deadline. But that may not be the case, according to recent research that examined the behaviours required to perform 126 different occupations.

The study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, found more work-life conflict is associated with roles that require a high level of interdependence or interaction with others in the workplace, as well as those with increased responsibility for the work quality, output, health and safety of coworkers.

“For example, if a therapist is drained from helping people with their problems and can’t be there for his family at the end of the day, his home life suffers,” says the study’s co-author Erich Dierdorff, assistant professor of management at DePaul University in Chicago.

And while Dierdorff acknowledges increased work hours at tax time can certainly increase one’s work-life stress, the study found accountants and auditors actually experience an average level of conflict. “Compare yourself to a police detective of homicides or a firefighter,” he says. “It’s all relative.”