Episode description

Episode 78. In today's interview, "Mental Wellbeing for Accountants with Richard Hattersley."

You can also watch this on youtube here: https://youtu.be/eLDXUN8Val8

Richard Hattersley is a journalist and broadcaster. He is the editor of AccountingWEB, the UK's leading community for accounting professionals. He took the reins of the site in January 2020 and oversaw record levels of traffic and hosted a weekly Coronavirus Q&A webinar as AccountingWEB became a lifeline to accountants during the Covid pandemic. He manages an in-house editorial team and commissioning quality content.

In April 2020, he became host of AccountingWEB Live’s flagship digital show Any Answers Live. In December 2021, AccountingWEB launched its first exhibition and as editor, Richard had a hand in devising the content programme to engage and educate the exhibition attendees. He also hosts interactive panels and ‘how to’ discussions for the accounting and fintech world.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

✓ how mental health and wellbeing has emerged as a disruptive trend in the accounting profession

✓ the number one thing most accountants do when they start and end their day in an 'always on' world

✓ the many competing pressures on accountants that increase stress, overwhelm, gloom and anxiety in work

✓ the move by many accounting firms to employ mental health and well being 'first aiders' to handle stress in working environments

✓ shout out previous episode "Depression & Mental Health In the World of Accountancy" with Andy Salkeld https://accountinginfluencers.captivate.fm/episode/podcast-andy-salkeld-rob-brown

✓ how isolation and pressures from the covid pandemic has brought mental health into the open for accountants

✓ the importance of speaking openly about mental health and wellbeing in the accountancy profession

✓ addressing the stigma surrounding mental health in the accountant's job where there is no room for error or mistakes

✓ research citing 79% of accountants believe stress and poor mental health is engrained in the accounting profession

✓ why many accounting professionals are failing to take advantage of the support available for work and stress related problems

✓ the added pressures on accountants to help their own clients emotionally and psychologically in pandemic times

✓ the consequences for accounting firms who get mental health wrong or don't take it seriously with their staff

✓ the impact for accountancy practices of not taking care of staff in terms of recruitment and retention of talent

✓ what best practice looks like in accounting firms who safeguard the mental wellbeing of their staff

✓ using employee satisfaction surveys in accounting practices to stay ahead of mental health issues and staff happiness

✓ advice for accounting firm leaders to help and support their staff with good culture and practices around mental health

✓ shoutout to Lucy Cohen on the importance of accounting firm leaders to be vulnerable and open on mental health issues to inspire their staff

When he is not reporting on the latest news in business and accounting, you can find Richard running, taking long walks along the south coast or hidden in the corner of a coffee shop with a book.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-hattersley-71731515

https://www.accountingweb.co.uk

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