By Ben Dutcher, Senior Consultant, Kelly Benefits Strategies.
Behind the spreadsheets, filings, and budgets lies a growing concern in the accounting and tax industry: burnout is real and it’s on the rise.
According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 300,000 U.S. accountants and auditors have left their jobs in recent years. Among those who remain, data from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants shows that 51% of accounting and finance team leaders report symptoms of professional burnout.
Client expectations, heavy workloads, the intense pressure of tax season, and tight deadlines are just a few of the factors contributing to burnout and mental health challenges in these industries.
Mental health in the workplace has become a top priority for employers across all industries and company sizes—including those in the accounting and tax profession. However, there is often a disconnect between how employers perceive their mental health offerings and how employees experience them. For example, while 86% of employers believe they foster a culture that supports mental well-being, only 52% of U.S. workers agree.
Investing in comprehensive mental health benefits in accounting and tax organizations can yield significant returns, including reduced healthcare claims costs, lower absenteeism, and increased productivity and performance. With 92% of workers indicating that they want expanded mental health support, these offerings can also boost employee engagement and retention within the industry.
A well-rounded mental health benefits program focuses on three critical areas: prevention, early intervention and access, and treatment and recovery.
Prevention: Building Resilience & Encouraging Proactive Care
Preventive mental health care is key to addressing challenges before they escalate, helping to reduce absenteeism, enhance productivity, and lower long-term costs.
In fact, for every $1 invested in mental health support, employers are seeing a $4 return. Programs such as resilience training, stress management workshops, and mindfulness initiatives are examples of preventive strategies that are helping organizations lower healthcare costs, improve employee satisfaction, and build a stronger, more resilient workforce.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have long been a preventive tool for employers. These workplace-based intervention programs help employees address personal challenges, mental health concerns, and work-related stress that may affect their job performance. However, despite their availability and low cost, traditional EAPs often experience low utilization rates among employees, highlighting a gap in access and engagement.
Prevention Strategies to Consider:
- Enhanced EAPs: Modern EAPs incorporate proactive wellness initiatives to address an entire employee population. Monitor utilization rates to understand how employees are using your current EAP and to identify potential barriers, such as a lack of resources or in-network providers.
- Education and Awareness: Launch campaigns during key periods, such as Mental Health Awareness Month, to encourage open dialogue and reduce stigma around mental health.
- Technology Tools: Provide access to mental health apps, such as Headspace and Calm, to empower employees to practice self-care.
- Supportive Policies and Culture: Reevaluate policies on PTO, mental health days, caregiving support, and remote or flexible work schedules to better support employee well-being.
Early Intervention & Access: Training & Tools to Identify Signs of Distress
Timely intervention is critical in preventing mental health challenges from escalating into long-term disability claims and extended workplace absences. Early detection significantly improves recovery rates, helping employees return to productivity quicker while reducing healthcare and insurance costs.
By using workplace analytics, digital screening tools, and manager training, companies can identify signs of distress early and provide immediate support.
Early Detection Strategies to Consider:
- Analytics & Pulse Surveys: Leverage workplace analytics and regular pulse surveys to track trends in absenteeism, reduced productivity, and overall employee well-being. This data can pinpoint areas of concern and guide intervention strategies.
- Digital Screening Tools: Partner with mental health solutions like Lyra, Spring Health, Modern Health or Headspace. These platforms offer digital tools to assess employee mental health in real time, helping to identify early signs of anxiety, depression or burnout. When a need for care is identified, these solutions can also provide quick and convenient access to care through their provider networks.
- Specialized Support for At-Risk Groups: Develop targeted initiatives to provide appropriate care to groups more susceptible to mental health challenges, including:
- Employees in high-stress roles, such as managers
- Caregivers and working parents
- Neurodiverse employees
- Employees experiencing financial stress
- Manager Training: Equip managers with the skills to recognize behavioral changes or signs of distress, such as withdrawal or irritability, and provide guidance for initiating supportive conversations with employees.
Treatment & Recovery: Ensuring Seamless Access to Care
With the growing availability of virtual health services, accessing mental health care has become increasingly convenient. Telehealth services are frequently offered in today’s workplaces, with 91% of employers providing them in some capacity.
Virtual mental health services offer greater convenience and flexibility, helping to remove barriers to care and encouraging more widespread use by employees while reducing costs to the employer and time away from work.
Treatment & Recovery Strategies to Consider:
- Telehealth Services: Expand access to virtual mental health services, including therapy, psychiatry, medication management, support groups, addiction counseling and screenings.
- Integrated Platforms: Partner with providers offering in-person and virtual holistic care solutions for proactive mental health needs.
- Resource Simplification: Create a centralized hub for mental health resources to make access easier and less intimidating for employees.
Leadership’s Role in Supporting Mental Health
Leaders in the accounting and tax industry play a crucial role in fostering a workplace environment that prioritizes mental health and seeks to reduce stress, not add to it. According to a survey from the American Psychological Association, 43% of employees worry about negative consequences if they disclose mental health conditions to their employer.
Accounting and tax leaders must actively demonstrate their support for mental health in the workplace, not only through communication but also through action. Train leaders to create environments where employees feel safe discussing challenges and encourage them to model transparency, participate in mental health initiatives, and champion workplace policies that promote employee well-being.
Proactively addressing workplace mental health can position accounting and tax organizations as leaders in employee well-being. By integrating prevention, early detection and intervention, and robust treatment options into their strategy, employers can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism, lower costs, and foster a positive organizational culture. These efforts benefit not only employees but also deliver sustainable business outcomes that drive long-term success.
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Ben Dutcher is a senior consultant at Kelly Benefits Strategies. In this role, he provides expert guidance and shapes the benefits strategy for his client base, which includes large self-funded employer groups across the country
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