Being Bullied at Work

You may have rejoiced the day you graduated from high school, elated at the thought of never having to deal with bullies again. Little did you know that bullying still goes on in the adult world, especially in the workplace. A recent study conducted by CareerBuilder reports that 27% of 5,600 full-time workers surveyed have felt bullied at work. I was surprised that the figure was only roughly a quarter of the survey respondents, because I saw a lot of bullying during my four year tenure in public accounting alone. In my experience, victims of bullying seemed most often to be nontraditional experienced hires who found themselves working with inexperienced campus hires. Given the age, maturity, and experience differentials between the two groups, it often seemed to me that the experienced hires found themselves intentionally isolated from the rest of the audit team. Their job performance also seemed to be held to a higher standard than their colleagues who were recent college graduates. 37% of the survey respondents who had reported being bullied felt that their work was judged by a different measure than their colleagues.

Another form of bullying I have seen is when a person's input in a meeting or among team members is completely dismissed. This was the most common form of bullying reported by the CareerBuilder report. I recall a meeting with more than a dozen audit team members at all levels sitting around the conference room table. The discussion was dominated by two senior managers who were personally attacking each others' ideas as if they were brothers in the backseat of the family car. They completely disregarded others in the room, and in the end, the more senior person turned his back to his opponent, told him no one was going to accept his approach, and changed the subject, effectively closing the book on further discussion. From that point on, everyone was afraid to challenge this person, no matter the size of the issue, for fear of being publicly humiliated themselves. Anonymous upward feedback is a useful tool to combat such behaviors. Most large public accounting firms use such procedures to evaluate anyone in a supervisory role. By reporting consistently stubborn and insensitive behavior on the part of your supervisors, you can make them aware that their attitude causes more harm than good to both the firm and their own potential for promotion.

27% of survey respondents claiming to have been bullied said that their coworkers gossiped about them. I suspect such incidents are even more common than reported, since not everyone is aware when they are the subject of gossip.  I find this to be the most harmful of all professional bullying, because it is often baseless and the victim is ignorant of it. I once worked on an audit team that "roasted" teammates on their off days when they weren't around to hear what their coworkers really thought of them. I tried to combat this type of venomous talk by challenging my colleagues to put themselves in the other person's shoes, defending the person who was being attacked, or just telling the culprits to back off. I'm sure it didn't stop them from gossiping, but at least they refrained from doing it while I was around, so that I would not be considered a part of it.

As an auditor, you have probably already realized that it takes some thick skin just to stand your ground with clients, but you may not have expected how much harder it is to withstand an affront from an office bully within your firm. If you are being bullied by your immediate supervisor, talk to your performance adviser or mentor about it. You don't want to risk looking petty and tattling on someone every time you hear gossip, but sticking up for what you know is right. Also, refraining from joining in can help you win a small battle in the big war against workplace bullies.

AICPA Launches IFRS Certificate Program

Accounting students or professionals looking to build their technical expertise and enhance their value to potential employers should consider enrolling in the AICPA’s IFRS Certificate Program.  With the SEC set to announce their decision regarding the convergence of U.S. GAAP and IFRS later this year, accounting professionals with a working knowledge of IFRS have an enormous professional advantage. The AICPA notes that “current and potential clients and employers will look to the certificate as a measurable standard of IFRS competence.”  

You do not need to be a CPA to enroll in this 42 credit hour curriculum, but you do need to have at least an undergraduate accounting degree or obtain relevant work experience that requires the practical application of accounting principles and concepts. Non-CPAs and non-CAs completing the program will receive an IFRS Award of Educational Achievement.  All courses are presented via a self-study webcast and are available on-demand, covering specific topics such as inventories, PP&E, investment property, intangible assets, revenue recognition, EPS, and the IASB’s governance and conceptual framework.  To learn more about the AICPA’s IFRS Certificate Program, visit http://www.ifrs.com/certificate/index.html.

Career Advice from the Capital Markets

In the Summer 2011 issue of the Pennsylvania CPA Journal, a regular contributor takes an interesting approach to building a professional life. Author David Maturo addresses the disconnect between accounting professionals relying on their technical knowledge to advance their career, when they really need to build their careers as one would think about building a company. In The Company of You: Building Your Professional Life, Maturo observes that the corporation provides a model for successfully functioning in the capitalist markets, and can provide us with a similar form for structuring a satisfying career. In summary, our career path should have the following aspects of a corporation:

• Board and Direction - You need a mission statement and goals to "channel your efforts and focus on an achievable target." You also need a board of investors, bosses, mentors, colleagues who invest in you. Surround yourself with mentors who work outside of your industry or firm, and who aren't afraid to give you constructive criticism or alternative suggestions for your career. Reach out to supervisors and colleagues that are willing to invest in you, by providing you with an opportunity to work on a new client, acquire a new skill, or campaign for your promotion.
• The Revenue Line -Apart from serving external clients in public accounting, we also have internal clients we must answer to, such as partners, managers, and staff. Building good relationships with those we work with on an ongoing basis can support our career progress. We also need to have a strong sales and marketing department, promoting ourselves with a solid resume, professional network, online presence, and self-confidence. Your personal brand is your own PR department. The way you interact with others, dress, communicate via email or over the phone, and deal with mistakes, make up your professional presentation. All these subtle daily behaviors are used by other to judge your competence and potential for leadership. So be careful what your actions say about you.
• The Expense Line - Managing your Finance Department is key to alleviating stress and avoiding being forced to make professional decisions based on salary alone. Effectively managing your personal finances will enable you to focus your attention on more important career decisions other than the size of your paycheck. It's also important for you to invest in yourself to keep up on the latest trends in information technology that can help you stay ahead of the professional curve. I have a friend who is a clinical cardiologist and researcher. He is one of the youngest doctors in his practice, and the only one who has effectively managed his use of IT to the point that it saves him countless hours a week. He has synced his iPad, iPhone, and work computer so that all notes taken during exams, conferences, and meetings are immediately filed on his computer, and can be accessed anywhere from his phone or iPad. He uses his electronic calendar to organize files, reminders, and schedules. IT should be a priority if it can save you many wasted hours on non-value added activities. It's also key for you to have a system of self audit and controls to ensure the quality of your work is consistently good. Lastly, a wellness program for managing your own mental and physical health will keep your work life balance in check, giving you time with family, as well as a chance to relax and creatively think about your future.

You may not be in a position to significantly influence your present organization or profession just yet, but you are the CEO of the Company of You. Taking the same approach to your career as a CEO takes to managing their company, you will be able to manage your professional ambitions and appropriately develop your skills along the way.