No matter how smoothly your department usually runs, working in Accounting requires the ability to thrive under pressure. But is dealing with the constant stress the hardest part of your job — or the best?

The common myth that a “stressed out” workplace negatively impacts employee performance seems drastically overstated, according to the latest survey by Towers Perrin. In fact, 68% of respondents said they were energized by on-the-job stress — at least certain kinds.

What’s that translate to for Accounting pros? It means you’re not just dealing with the problems that come up on a daily basis — you’re actually using them as a springboard to perform even better. The more challenging work is, the more focused and interested people are in it throughout their daily routines.

That’s not the only myth busted by the survey. Ever feel like you’re buried under spreadsheets or a slave to e-mail? The common perception of technology as a “virtual prison” doesn’t apply to Accounting pros — 86% of them feel technology actually helps draw a clearer line between their personal and professional lives.

Their reasoning? It’s not a matter of how much time is spent using technology, but how much work gets done with it. People are becoming more realistic about business demands, and technology’s helping to get more work done in the same number of hours.

Which brings us to the survey’s last finding: How much are people working? Odds are good you’ve seen your fair share of 50+ hour work weeks — especially during year-end closings — but 45 hours per week is still the average across all industries.

What’s more important is why people are working. Just because you’re a pro doesn’t mean Accounting is your whole life, and almost three-quarters of respondents (72%) agree with that sentiment. The majority of people still work to live, with only 9% putting Accounting before anything else in their lives.

How do you feel about your work in Accounting? Are these workplace myths really smashed, or do you disagree with the survey’s results? Sound off and let us know below in the comments section.

Tags: Morale, Performance, Technology, Workplace stress