Accountants Job Description, Duties & Salary

Work Environment

Many accountants work standard 40-hour workweeks. Some accountants work more than 40 hours a week. Technology is increasingly allowing accountants to work anywhere and anytime—as long as they have a computing device (computer, smartphone, tablet, laptop) and an Internet connection. This development is allowing much more flexibility in regard to work schedules and work locations, and many accountants now work from home at least some of the time.

Public accountants experience considerable pressure during the tax period, which runs from January 1 to April 15, and they may have to work long hours. There is potential for stress aside from tax season, as accountants can be responsible for managing the finances of multimillion-dollar companies. Self-employed accountants and those working for small firms can expect to work longer hours.

In smaller firms, most of the public accountant's work is performed in the client's office. A considerable amount of travel is often necessary to service a wide variety of businesses. In a larger firm, however, an accountant may have very little client contact, spending more time interacting with the accounting team.

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