Post by Dianne Samonte, CPA

In light of the recent news of a young professional's passing due to work stress is heartbreaking. It made me reflect on my own experience at a Big 4 firm during the pandemic, when stress felt overwhelming. When the pandemic hit, I was in my first busy season as an associate at a Big 4 firm. Manila is like a ghost town. Lockdowns were in place • Internet access was a challenge since we don’t install wifi in the apartment • My phone was just snatched the night before the lockdown news, and • Even getting food became a challenge. All of this while with the rising threat of the coronavirus. Yet, amidst all these real-life worries, the calls I received from work went something like, “How’s the testing for this account going?”🙃 You don’t know if you’ll breakdown first or open your laptop.🫠 I’ve been to different team (toxic & non-toxic) but there's no denying that work stress is all too common, especially in auditing firms. When new board passers ask me for an advice if they will work at Big 4, I can’t give them a straightforward answer. Big 4 firms surely offer incredible learning opportunities but at the end of the day it depends on what you're aiming for. Also, which team are you in and engagement you’re handling. We need to rethink how we approach work, especially in industries that are known for their high-pressure environments. Work should be fulfilling, not life-threatening.