Foreword:
Dee France, Chair of CAW’s Global Wellbeing Taskforce and Lead of Chartered Accountants Ireland Wellbeing Support, Thrive.
Shining a spotlight on Global Wellbeing Week
Monday (24 Jun) marked the beginning of Global Wellbeing Week which celebrates the many aspects of wellbeing – financial, physical, mental and emotional health, social resilience, purposeful work and care for the community and environment.
In its simplest form, wellbeing is defined as the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. It encompasses having good mental health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning or purpose and being able to manage stress.
From our work in CAW, we are only too aware of the wellbeing challenges facing the accountancy profession. Accountants hold an integral and esteemed position in our global society and economy and because of this the profession’s collective wellbeing is of paramount importance.
Research conducted by Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association (CABA) in the UK found 55% of accountants were suffering from stress and burnout (compared with 41% of employees in other industries). Four-in-five (79%) accountants believe that stress and poor mental health are a problem within the industry.
Such findings are invaluable to get the pulse of how the accountancy profession is feeling and the challenges and concerns that are impacting their wellbeing.
At CAW’s Global Wellbeing Taskforce, our purpose is to address issues around wellbeing that are impacting the profession now and in the future, ensure that individual members and students are supported throughout their careers and to help create a happy and resilient global profession that attracts, progresses and retains talent at all career levels.
To help achieve this, we have delivered a number of initiatives this year. The taskforce recently launched its first-ever global resilience survey, designed to gain insight on the wellbeing of accountancy profession, to help address challenges, identify supports and enhance the resilience of Chartered Accountants worldwide.
If you would like to participate, you can do so on the following link https://resilience.guide/start/2024GRSCAW & enter 2024GRSCAW.
In January, we produced our revamped wellbeing toolkit for managers. This toolkit stands as a comprehensive guide, arming managers with crucial insights, strategies, and best practices to cultivate a thriving and dynamic team. Above all, it emphasises the critical need to build resilience and purpose within the workplace, contributing to a more productive, rewarding, and compassionate work environment.
View our wellbeing toolkit for managers
Alongside these important initiatives, we have a dedicated hub on the CAW website that celebrates the importance of wellbeing in the workplace. The hub is populated with articles, on-demand webinars, podcasts and other helpful content that accountants across the world can access to help enhance and prioritise their wellbeing.
View our CAW wellbeing hub.
So this week, I encourage you to do something positive for your wellbeing. Let’s pave the way towards a brighter future for the Chartered Accountancy profession by prioritising mental health and fostering a culture of holistic wellbeing.
Articles:
https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/thrive-wellbeing-hub/help-and-guides/emotional-health/what-is-mental-wellbeing
https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/thrive-wellbeing-hub/help-and-guides/physical-health/five-ways-to-wellbeing
https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/thrive-wellbeing-hub/help-and-guides/emotional-health/instant-ways-to-boost-your-mood-and-spirit
