In an article published December 5, by smartpros.com, PricewaterhouseCoopers characterized the results of a recent survey as validating the work schedule requirements of the firm. Seventy-five percent of the respondents to the survey, (some 2793 entry level professionals offered positions by PwC), indicated they expected to work a ‘normal work week’. The survey further indicated that on average each graduate expected to have between 2 and 5 employers in their lifetime. The article and related link to the PwC survey are at http://accounting.smartpros.com/x60006.xml.
Interestingly, neither the article or the survey defined ‘normal work week’. Typically, the normal work week in the United States is considered to be 40 to 45 hours (move to France if you think 30 to 35 is more reasonable and want the government to pay for it). What PwC failed to advise their survey respondents of was that the company typically considers 50 to 60 hours as being ‘normal’, and of course there is no additional compensation over and above the base salary for hours in excess of 40. Once they realized they have been at worst ‘lied to’, or at best ‘intentionally mislead’ by their new employer, is it any surprise that they’ll move on to employer number 2 of 5?
While it is commendable and encouraging that this global professional accounting titan recognizes that “future business models will need to anticipate change and address how they will attract, retain and motivate the people they will need in the future” it is unconscionable that they continue, as does our entire profession, to employ management tenets that were fomented in a different age and are completely and totally unresponsive to the business and social environment of today, simultaneously ignoring the needs of those very same people they will need in the future.
It’s not just PwC. Until we as a profession, make professional accounting attractive as a career opportunity rather than the job that it currently is for most entering it, the exodus of young professionals to industry will continue. What is it going to take? Let us know your thoughts.
