Abstract
This conceptual paper examines the growing prevalence of resilience among accountants and auditors through the perspective of the Job Demands–Resources model. These professions are often linked with heavy workloads, long hours, role ambiguity and limited social support, which can increase psychological stress and lead to serious mental health issues. These factors affect not only individual well-being and job satisfaction but can also undermine the organisation’s performance and damage its reputation. Based on existing literature, this paper develops a framework that charts the relationship between excessive job demands and negative impact at individual and organisational levels, with burnout and mental health strain as the primary determinants of harm. Ultimately, it emphasises the organization's role in implementing flexible work arrangements, providing training and role clarity, establishing effective reward and recognition systems, and fostering supportive leadership to mitigate the risk. Institutions also have a role in addressing the issue through their regulatory guidelines, corporate culture reform and curriculum reform. This framework highlights the important role of both institutional and organisational responses in enhancing professional resilience, improving audit quality, and safeguarding the sustainability of the profession. This paper also discusses the practical implications and future research suggestions, focusing on embedding mental health awareness into accounting education and professional standards.
Keywords
- Job Demands–Resources Model Search this journal for Job Demands–Resources Model (opens in a new tab)
- Stress Search this journal for Stress (opens in a new tab)
- Burnout Search this journal for Burnout (opens in a new tab)
- Mental Health Search this journal for Mental Health (opens in a new tab)
- Accounting Profession Search this journal for Accounting Profession (opens in a new tab)
- Auditing Profession Search this journal for Auditing Profession (opens in a new tab)
References
- Abu Hassan, M. R., & Abeyasinghe, R. (2024). Transforming Workplaces: The Crucial Push for Mental Health Inclusivity in Malaysia. WHO. https://www.who.int/malaysia/news/commentaries/detail/transforming-workplaces--the-crucialpush-for-mental-health-inclusivity-in-malaysia
- Almer, E. D., & Kaplan, S. E. (2002). The Effects of Flexible Work Arrangements on Stressors, Burnout, and Behavioral Job Outcomes in Public Accounting. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 14(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2308/bria.2002.14.1.1
- Annelin, A., & Svanström, T. (2022). The triggers and consequences of audit team stress: Qualitative evidence from engagement teams. International Journal of Auditing, 26(2), 113–133. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijau.12254
- Aoife, J., Tawiah, V., McGroary, C., & Osei-Tutu, F. (2025). Burnout in audit professionals: a job demand-resource perspective in the COVID-19 era. Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, August. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAOC-09-2023-0158
- Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2648
- Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands-resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
- Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method. Qualitative Research Journals, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/1992.2039
- Branicki, L., Brammer, S., Linnenluecke, M., & Houghton, D. (2023). Accounting for resilience: the role of the accounting professions in promoting resilience. Accounting and Business Research, 53(5), 508–536. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2023.2219148
- Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2006). Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework. In The Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series (Revised Ed). Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint.
- Charoensukmongkol, P., Moqbel, M., & Gutierrez-Wirsching, S. (2016). The role of co-worker and supervisor support on job burnout and job satisfaction. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 13(1), 4–22.
- Corrigan, P. W., Diwan, S., Campion, J., & Rashid, F. (2003). Transformational Leadership and the Mental Health Team. Administrative and Policy in Mental Health, 30(2), 97–108.
- Demerouti, E., Nachreiner, F., Bakker, A. B., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The job demands-resources model of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 499–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499
- Dóra, K., Péter, R., Péter, S. Z., & Andrea, C. (2019). The Effect of Organizational Culture on Employee Well-Being: Work-Related Stress, Employee Identification, Turnover Intention. Journal of International Cooperation and Development, 2(2), 19. https://doi.org/10.36941/jicd-2019-0010
- Drageset, J. (2021). Social Support. In Health Promotion in Health Care - Vital Theories and Research (pp. 137–144). https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2022.2129669
- Fogarty, T. J., Singh, J., Rhoads, G. K., & Moore, R. K. (2000). Antecedents and Consequences of Burnout in Accounting: Beyond the Role Stress Model. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 12(August), 31–67. http://ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=3034424&site=ehost-live&scope=site
- Ganster, D. C., & Rosen, C. C. (2013). Work Stress and Employee Health: A Multidisciplinary Review. Journal of Management, 39(5), 1085–1122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313475815
- Hameli, K., Çollaku, L., & Ukaj, L. (2024). The impact of job burnout on job satisfaction and intention to change occupation among accountants: the mediating role of psychological well-being. Industrial and Commercial Training, 56(1), 24–40. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICT-06-2023-0040
- Hegazy, M., El-Deeb, M. S., Hamdy, H. I., & Halim, Y. T. (2023). Effects of organizational climate, role clarity, turnover intention, and workplace burnout on audit quality and performance. Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, 19(5), 765–789. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAOC-12-2021-0192
- Herawati, H., Setyadi, D., Michael, M., & Hidayati, T. (2023). The Effect of Workload, Supervisor, and Coworker Supports on Job Performance through Job Satisfaction. International Journal of Finance, Economics and Business, 2(1), 13–33. https://doi.org/10.56225/ijfeb.v2i1.168
- Herbohn, K. (2004). Informal mentoring relationships and the career processes of public accountants. British Accounting Review, 36(4), 369–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2004.05.002
- Herda, D. N., & Lavelle, J. J. (2012). The auditor-audit firm relationship and its effect on burnout and turnover intention. Accounting Horizons, 26(4), 707–723. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-50181
- Institute for Public Health. (2024). National Health & Morbidity Survey 2023: Non-Communicable Disease and Healthcare Demand - Key Findings.
- Jo, H., & Shin, D. (2025). The impact of recognition, fairness, and leadership on employee outcomes: A large-scale multi-group analysis. PLoS ONE, 20(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312951
- Johnson, C., & Jasarevic, T. (2021). Long working hours increase deaths from heart disease and stroke: WHO, ILO. WHO. https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2021-long-working-hours-increasing-deathsfrom-heart-disease-and-stroke-who-ilo
- Liston, C., McEwen, B. S., & Casey, B. J. (2009). Psychosocial stress reversibly disrupts prefrontal processing and attentional control. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(3), 912–917. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0807041106
- Love, P. E. D., Irani, Z., Standing, C., & Themistocleous, M. (2007). Influence of job demands, job control and social support on information systems professionals’ psychological well-being. International Journal of Manpower, 28(6), 513–528. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437720710820026
- Mahanta, V. (2024). Sudden impact: Big 4 audit firms set new terms of engagement after EY worker’s death. The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/consultancy-/-audit/sudden-impact-big-4-set-new-terms-of-engagement-after-ey-workersdeath/articleshow/113714751.cms?
- Marenus, M. W., Marzec, M., & Chen, W. (2022). Association of Workplace Culture of Health and Employee Emotional Well-being. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912318
- Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20311
- McCann, D. (2024). 71% of Big 4 Auditors Worry About Mental Health. CFO. https://www.cfo.com/news/71-of-big-4-auditors-worry-about-mental-health/712063/
- Meredith, J. (1993). Theory Building through Conceptual Methods. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 13(5), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579310028120
- Merino, M. D., & Privado, J. (2015). Does Employee Recognition Affect Positive Psychological Functioning and Well-Being? The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 18, E64. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2015.67
- Micallef, M., Mifsud, C., Ellul, L., Peter, & Grima, S. (2023). The Skill Set Required in the Accounting Workplace: Perspectives of Accounting Graduates and Warrant Holders. International Journal of Economics and Business Administration, XI(Issue 4), 117–145. https://doi.org/10.35808/ijeba/828
- Monteiro, E., & Joseph, J. (2023). A Review on the Impact of Workplace Culture on Employee Mental Health and Well-Being. International Journal of Case Studies in Business, IT, and Education, 7(2), 291–317. https://doi.org/10.47992/ijcsbe.2581.6942.0274
- Park, S. K., Rhee, M.-K., & Lee, S. W. (2021). The effects of job demands and resources on turnover intention: The mediating roles of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 70(1), 301–309.
- Patel, S. (2024). Probe into EY Indian employee’s death finds office lacked labour welfare permit. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/probe-into-ey-indias-office-after-workers-death-finds-itlacked-labour-welfare-2024-09-24/
- Pega, F., Náfrádi, B., Momen, N. C., Ujita, Y., Streicher, K. N., Prüss-Üstün, A. M., Descatha, A., Driscoll, T., Fischer, F. M., Godderis, L., Kiiver, H. M., Li, J., Magnusson Hanson, L. L., Rugulies, R., Sørensen, K., & Woodruff, T. J. (2021). Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000–2016: A systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. Environment International, 154(December 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106595
- Renger, D., Miché, M., & Casini, A. (2020). Professional Recognition at Work: The Protective Role of Esteem, Respect, and Care for Burnout among Employees. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 62(3), 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001782
- Reward Gateway. (2022). New Research Points to Reward and Recognition as a Powerful Antidote to Employee Burnout. The 2023 Employee Engagement Trends Report. https://www.rewardgateway.com/pressreleases/new-research-shows-reward-and-recognition-help-reduce-employee-burnout
- Salvagioni, D. A. J., Melanda, F. N., Mesas, A. E., González, A. D., Gabani, F. L., & De Andrade, S. M. (2017). Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PLoS ONE, 12(10), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185781
- Samagaio, A., Morais Francisco, P., & Felício, T. (2024). The relationship between soft skills, stress and reduced audit quality practices. Review of Accounting and Finance, 23(3), 353–374. https://doi.org/10.1108/RAF-06-2023-0186
- Schaufeli, W. B. (2017). Applying the Job Demands-Resources model: A ‘how to’ guide to measuring and tackling work engagement and burnout. Organizational Dynamics, 46(2), 120–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.04.008
- Sweeney, B., & Pierce, B. (2004). Management control in audit firms: A qualitative examination. In Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal (Vol. 17, Issue 5). https://doi.org/10.1108/09513570410567818
- Sweeney, J. T., & Summers, S. L. (2002). The effect of the busy season workload on public accountants’ job burnout. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 14(1), 223–245.
- Winoto, C. O., & Harindahyani, S. (2021). The Effect of Auditor’s Work Stress on Audit Quality of Listed Companies in Indonesia. Journal of Economics, Business, & Accountancy Ventura, 23(3), 361–374. https://doi.org/10.14414/jebav.v23i3.2416
- World Health Organization. (2022). Mental Disorders. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/factsheets/detail/mental-disorders
- Yeung, R. (2024). Cultivating resilience. Accounting and Business (AB) Magazine, ACCA Global. https://abmagazine.accaglobal.com/global/articles/2024/aug/careers/cultivating-resilience.html
Downloads
No downloads have been recorded for this article yet. Figures appear here once readers begin downloading the full text.
How to Cite
Share this article
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Noor Hasniza Haron, Nurshamimi Sabli, Nurhaiyyu Abdull Hamid, Mazurina Mohd Ali, Siti Nurul Afiqah Binti Kamal Anuar (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Author (s) should affirm that the material has not been published previously. It has not been submitted and it is not under consideration by any other journal. At the same time author (s) need to execute a publication permission agreement to assume the responsibility of the submitted content and any omissions and errors therein. After submission of revised paper in the light of suggestions of the reviewers, the editorial team edits and formats manuscripts to bring uniformity and standardization in published material.
This work will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) and under condition of the license, users are free to read, copy, remix, transform, redistribute, download, print, search or link to the full texts of articles and even build upon their work as long as they credit the author for the original work. Moreover, as per journal policy author (s) hold and retain copyrights without any restrictions.
Keywords
- Job Demands–Resources Model Search this journal for Job Demands–Resources Model (opens in a new tab)
- Stress Search this journal for Stress (opens in a new tab)
- Burnout Search this journal for Burnout (opens in a new tab)
- Mental Health Search this journal for Mental Health (opens in a new tab)
- Accounting Profession Search this journal for Accounting Profession (opens in a new tab)
- Auditing Profession Search this journal for Auditing Profession (opens in a new tab)
Section
Published in
Vol. 17 No. 3(I)S (2025)
Digital Leadership, AI-Assisted Learning & Inclusive Workforce
View issue contents
Published
Submissions
Have research to publish? Information Management and Business Review welcomes submissions.
Make a Submission