Survey on Busy Seasons at Accounting Firms
REX ADVISERS surveyed 740 accounting firm workers. Over 1/3 log 60+ overtime hours during busy seasons, and 70%+ experience late-night work. Major complaints include lack of flex-time and operational inefficiency.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 4, 2026 at 10:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 4, 2026 at 10:34 (34 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 6, 2026 at 23:38 (61h 4m after Collected)
A survey by REX ADVISERS on busy seasons at accounting firms and tax accountant corporations gathered 740 responses (524 managers, 216 staff). Key findings show widespread overtime, with over one-third of respondents logging 60 or more extra hours, and about 10% exceeding 80 hours. Additionally, more than half of the workers reported an increase of over 40 hours compared to regular seasons. Late-night work is common, with 70% of respondents working past 10 PM and 10% working past midnight. Consequently, 70% average less than 5 hours of sleep, while 30% get under 4 hours. The most frequent complaints regarding the busy season include the lack of a flextime system (33%), clients whose compensation does not match the workload (32%), and general operational inefficiency (26%). Although only 5% actively start job hunting, nearly 80% consider changing jobs at some point, indicating that improvements in firm management and work environment could alleviate these issues. The survey was conducted via PRISMA's panel from May 20-24, 2026.
FAQ
Who conducted this survey?
REX Advisors Co., Ltd. conducted it using the survey panel of PRISMA Co., Ltd.
What is the content of the survey?
It is a fact-finding survey of 740 people working at accounting firms and tax accountant corporations regarding overtime hours, sleep time, and dissatisfaction during the busy season.
When was the survey conducted?
It was conducted from May 20 to May 24, 2026.
Where are the survey respondents located?
They are people working at accounting firms and tax accountant corporations nationwide in Japan.
Why is this survey important?
It revealed the normalization of long overtime hours and dissatisfactions (such as lack of flextime and business inefficiency) during the busy season, suggesting they can be improved through the firms' efforts.