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What is the most stressful thing about working in a office?
I have an interest in the financial field, like financial planning or accounting. #finance
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12 answers
Updated
Evelyn’s Answer
Hello Lily!
Working in the office definitely has its perks and challenges - it depends on what you do, what you find stressful / hard / challenging, and what types of environments you work better in.
A personal anecdote for me is that I am someone who is very outgoing and loves interacting with people. The most stressful part of my job is prioritizing my time and balancing out my workload. It's because my job requires me to interact with many candidates, managing their applications, and making sure I have good relationships with people in the office. I feel like I spend a lot of my time talking to people vs. actually doing my work. I am someone that thrives in working in the office and sometimes I need to make a boundary for myself so that I can actually get my work done!
If you're someone in the finance / accounting field, I would assume that working in the office would require you to interact with people. I understand with COVID going on, that might be a challenge. Maybe sitting at your desk and having your manager manage you in-person might be hard or even maybe working in the office and seeing your coworkers stressed might be a bit overwhelming.
A few things to note if working in the office is stressful are:
*What part of my job will stress me out?
*What type of environment or atmosphere do I thrive most out of in terms of work?
*What part of working in the office is positive to me and vice-versa?
*Working in the office will require me to interact with people - how much time should I spend on this? How do I prioritize time?
Working in the office definitely has its perks and challenges - it depends on what you do, what you find stressful / hard / challenging, and what types of environments you work better in.
A personal anecdote for me is that I am someone who is very outgoing and loves interacting with people. The most stressful part of my job is prioritizing my time and balancing out my workload. It's because my job requires me to interact with many candidates, managing their applications, and making sure I have good relationships with people in the office. I feel like I spend a lot of my time talking to people vs. actually doing my work. I am someone that thrives in working in the office and sometimes I need to make a boundary for myself so that I can actually get my work done!
If you're someone in the finance / accounting field, I would assume that working in the office would require you to interact with people. I understand with COVID going on, that might be a challenge. Maybe sitting at your desk and having your manager manage you in-person might be hard or even maybe working in the office and seeing your coworkers stressed might be a bit overwhelming.
A few things to note if working in the office is stressful are:
*What part of my job will stress me out?
*What type of environment or atmosphere do I thrive most out of in terms of work?
*What part of working in the office is positive to me and vice-versa?
*Working in the office will require me to interact with people - how much time should I spend on this? How do I prioritize time?
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
Considering people experience stress in different ways, this is a very subjective question. Personally, I've on very few occasions found myself under stress in the office when working closely with a verbal bully. For the most part however, I find working in the office to be a fun experience, and I look forward to going back once lockdown is lifted.
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Ryan’s Answer
Thanks Lily for your question. I think that the most important thing about working in an office in finance is to realize that everyone has a strength in their field of expertise, and it is important to consider all views when making decisions in the office. Being able to step back and listen to what people are saying with this in mind will take away any angst one might be feeling when conflicting points of view are presented. Instead, trying to understand how the information fits together and assimilating the different points of view will allow the best decisions to be made in a collegial environment.
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Gina’s Answer
The "stress" from working in an office can vary from person to person - you really have to have an understanding of what your "triggers" might be. For example, if you are someone who needs to re-energize alone, in a quiet space, after a really long meeting - this could be challenging in an office setting.
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Chanyce’s Answer
Hi Lily! Great question. I'd echo the answers of people above and say that stress can vary by person, and what might stress or not stress you out in an office setting can depend on your personality. The most stressful part of my day when working in an office was the commute--I live in an urban area where we get very cold and snowy winters. I would get really stressed if I underestimated the traffic or icy road conditions that day and needed to drive slower than expected.
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Queen’s Answer
I have worked as a financial auditor/accountant for over 4 years prior to moving into an internal audit role. Prior to the covid pandemic I was working out of an office on a daily basis, as the previous commenter has mentioned stress varies from person to person and also depends on your role. In a position where people have to report directly to you, you may face stress by deadlines, questions being asked by staff, having a lot of meetings on your calendar. If you work best alone, working in an office and having to be around others all of the time may be challenging. Some of these things may be stressful, but working in an office is enjoyable because you get to build relationships with the people you are working with on a daily basis. Especially in a field like accounting/finance the interaction with your team can make the work more enjoyable.
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Sherman’s Answer
Hi Lily,
The most stressful thing about working in any office is the politics and dealing with negative people. I've learned it's best to stay away from both those things because they don't benefit you as a person. I've seen many people do the opposite which has helped them in their careers so it's up to you. Being confident, aware and strong with a positive attitude will help you navigate any office environment. One of the first business self-help books I read was "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" written by Stephen R. Covey. It made me who I'm today and I sill practice the habits professionally and personally.
Good luck.
Sherman
The most stressful thing about working in any office is the politics and dealing with negative people. I've learned it's best to stay away from both those things because they don't benefit you as a person. I've seen many people do the opposite which has helped them in their careers so it's up to you. Being confident, aware and strong with a positive attitude will help you navigate any office environment. One of the first business self-help books I read was "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" written by Stephen R. Covey. It made me who I'm today and I sill practice the habits professionally and personally.
Good luck.
Sherman
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Alexandra’s Answer
If you find the right fit, working in an office really won't be too stressful. You'll get used to the commute and spending time with the people around you. I have made some of my best friends working in an office, and at the end of the day, everyone is there to learn and grow in their careers.
The office culture is definitely shifting, especially post pandemic, so the rigid schedules and dress codes (which I considered most stressful in previous roles) are slowly becoming less common.
The office culture is definitely shifting, especially post pandemic, so the rigid schedules and dress codes (which I considered most stressful in previous roles) are slowly becoming less common.
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Laurie’s Answer
The hardest part of working in an office is the office personalities and politics. The best advice I have for you is to keep your head down and complete your work to the best of your ability.
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Mohd’s Answer
Every work environment will have some stresses and not all of these are negative. On many occasions you tend to learn a lot about yourself from stressful work situations such as meeting deadlines and multitasking or learning to do new tasks. The key thing is to learn from these stresses and be better prepared for future assignments and excel in your career. Negative stresses could relate to fellow workers or your manager. If you have a certain issue with your colleague you need to talk to them and figure out what is bothering you and make sure the yare aware. Keeping the lines of communication open is essential to managing stress and excelling in your career. The same goes for your manager as well with whom you need to have frequent conversations about your goals, aspirations and how you will get there.
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Vijay’s Answer
I have worked 18 years for an Investment Bank and I find I have less stress in the office vs. working while on business travel and working remotely. The most stressful part for me is the commute in and out. Offices have become quite flexible, post Covid, in allowing people to avoid the commute a day or two a week. I do find the benefits of being in the office to outweigh the stresses. You are closer to your colleagues so communicating and collaborating is easier. The IT, phone and printing set up is much better in the office. You will also be more visible to your supervisors which I think always helps when it comes to pay and performance ratings.
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Katherine’s Answer
This is an interesting question as the world is evaluating the validity of the office during this pandemic period.
The office environment can be an engaging and stimulating environment, especially for extraverts that need to engage with others. It can be overwhelming to those that identify as an introvert as there may not be the downtime to recharge the energy.
The company culture will also impact the office environment. Some cultures are more open and fun, while others are more buttoned down and serious.
This will also vary depending on the size of the firm you are planning to work at and also the region. For example, working for a large firm in a major metro, especially if it the HQ, could be a very busy and stimulating environment. However, the same firm many have a small satellite office which will have a very different energy depending on the number of people at the office. And lastly, many organizations are allowing employees to work from home and this will most likely be an option if preferred. All apply to financial planning and accounting.
Determine what you are looking for: large bustling environment, small office, or work from home
Identify options in your preferred geography
ask people for informational interviews of those in roles and locations you think would be a good fit.
Develop a list of open ended questions to ask during your informational interviews
The office environment can be an engaging and stimulating environment, especially for extraverts that need to engage with others. It can be overwhelming to those that identify as an introvert as there may not be the downtime to recharge the energy.
The company culture will also impact the office environment. Some cultures are more open and fun, while others are more buttoned down and serious.
This will also vary depending on the size of the firm you are planning to work at and also the region. For example, working for a large firm in a major metro, especially if it the HQ, could be a very busy and stimulating environment. However, the same firm many have a small satellite office which will have a very different energy depending on the number of people at the office. And lastly, many organizations are allowing employees to work from home and this will most likely be an option if preferred. All apply to financial planning and accounting.
Katherine recommends the following next steps: