Job Burnout in Public Accounting: Understanding Gender Differences
Publication Date
Winter 2012
Description
Job burnout is linked to job outcomes in public accounting professionals (Fogarty et al., 2000; Jones et al., 2010; Jones et al., 2012). Although women and men have entered the profession in relatively equal numbers, there is a significantly lower percentage of women partners (AICPA, 2011). Extant research has not sufficiently explored how burnout may affect the genders distinctly and whether these differences may lend insight as to women’s choices to exit. A large participant group with a similar proportion of women (n=836) and men (n=845) allowed examination of the burnout construct on a more profound level than extant studies. The three dimensions of job burnout in women and men public accountants were analyzed, not only in total, but also by functional area and position level. Overall findings are that women report higher levels of reduced personal accomplishment and men report higher levels of depersonalization. In light of these findings, suggestions are made for firm and individual actions that may mitigate the intensity of burnout experienced by both women and men public accountants.
Journal
Journal of Managerial Issues
Volume
24
Issue
4
First Page
390
Last Page
411
Department
Accounting and Financial Management
Recommended Citation
Guthrie, Cynthia P. and Jones, Ambrose III. "Job Burnout in Public Accounting: Understanding Gender Differences." Journal of Managerial Issues (2012) : 390-411.