Job satisfaction higher in large accountancy firms

A report from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has shown that job satisfaction is higher in large accountancy firms, with 48 per cent of young finance professionals working in a large company saying that they are happy in their job role.

The report, entitled Generation Next: managing talent in large accountancy firms, surveyed 19,000 ACCA members and students aged 16 to 36, with particular focus on young finance professionals working for a large accountancy firm globally, such as one of the Big Four firms or a mid-tier company.

High

The report found that job satisfaction is high amongst those working in a large accountancy firm, with 60 per cent of respondents working for a Big Four firm saying that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their job.

The report also looked at the challenges that young finance professionals face, with 43 per cent of respondents saying that they have a poor work-life balance and 48 per cent believing that their workload is too heavy.

However, respondents acknowledged the benefits of working in finance, with 43 per cent of those working across all sectors saying that they were most attracted to a career in finance because of the long-term career prospects that are offered.

The opportunity to develop a broad range of skills was also found to be a main driver for choosing a career in finance, with this being cited by 31 per cent of Big Four employees, 28 per cent of those working for a mid-tier firm and 36 per cent of respondents across all sectors.

Senior

Respondents also revealed their aspirations, with 80 per cent of Big Four firm respondents saying that they will be looking to work in a more senior role for their next job, whilst 75 per cent of those working for a top accountancy firm are planning to change roles within the next five years.