What can accountants learn from teachers?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
In this episode, we step outside the accountancy profession and hear directly from Emma, a primary school teacher, about the increasing demands being placed on teachers – from academic teaching and social skills to supporting children affected by COVID, dealing with stretched resources and trying to keep everyone safe.
And there are some striking parallels with the world of accountancy.
Perfectionism. Pressure. Overwhelm. Constantly increasing demands. Not enough time, resources or support – and the feeling that no matter how hard you work, it is never quite enough.
Emma talks honestly about the impact this can have on her own life and family, including getting home with very little energy or “brain space” left. It is a feeling that many accountants and bookkeepers will recognise.
The conversation then becomes much bigger. Are we trying to fix outdated systems by simply adding more technology, more processes and more demands? Or do we sometimes need to step back and ask a much more fundamental question:
“If we were starting again today, what would we design?”
Richard explores why this matters not only in education and accountancy, but across many areas of society. Rather than continually tweaking systems that no longer work, perhaps we need to step back, look at the bigger picture and create a clear vision of where we actually want to get to – then work out how to move from where we are today to that future.
There is also an important message about trusting professionals, recognising the human beings behind the roles, and remembering that technology and AI may help, but they cannot solve everything.
And perhaps the biggest lesson is this:
You are not the only one struggling.
Whether you are a teacher, accountant, business owner or professional in another sector, many of us are experiencing the same pressures in different forms. Talking to people outside our usual circles can help us see our own challenges differently, realise we're not alone, and sometimes discover new ways of thinking.
This is a conversation about work, wellbeing, purpose, change and what happens when people who care deeply about doing a good job are asked to carry too much for too long.
And, as Emma reminds us at the end, she really does love her job. The problem isn't the work – it's the pressures surrounding it.
That feels like the heart of the episode: people don't necessarily want to leave the professions they love. They want to be given the opportunity to do the work they love well.
