For the past couple of years, the accounting line has experienced reversions by its employees due to various systemic and operational challenges that have severely impacted their job satisfaction, growth, and financial well-being. The main reasons for such reversions are as follows:
1. Lack of Appropriate Importance and Support:
The accounting staff feels that their roles are not accorded the respect and value they deserve. Despite the importance of the work done, there is a lack of staff support, leading to neglect and undervaluation.
2. User-Unfriendly Technology:
The technology used for accounting tasks is often outdated or inefficient. Employees struggle with systems that are not user-friendly, making their work more difficult and time-consuming.
3. Absence of Genuine Networking Systems:
There is no strong and effective networking system. Communication and collaboration across departments is hindered, and there are operational inefficiencies besides isolating the accounts team from other essential areas of the organization.
4. Inadequate Promotional Opportunities:
There is a lack of a clear and fair promotional pathway within the accounting line. Executives in other lines are promoted regularly and enjoy benefits, while accounting staff are often bypassed for advancement, especially after passing rigorous departmental quality tests.
5. Double Standards and Repetitive Work:
Accounting staff experience a double standard in terms of accountability because they have to be answerable to non-accounting-related matters or issues, especially in terms of transactions from other departments. This means that such tasks are redundant and involve lots of repetition without any added value or benefits.
6. No Overtime or Added Benefits:User-Unfriendly Technology:
Although accounting work requires long hours to finish the work, overtime allowance or other extra pay privileges are not received by employees under the accounting line. However, those under other categories are privileged with these.
7. Unequal Accountability:
Accounting staff are often victimized of issues related to non-accounting transactions as well as those outside the purview of accounting employees, hence creating a situation of injustice and frustration. It reduces prestige and intellectual satisfaction.
In the past, accounting work was considered intellectually challenging and prestigious with pride in the work done. However, the nature of the work has shifted over time, where accounting is now more closely related to business targets rather than intellectual fulfillment, which lowers job satisfaction.
8. Effect on Personal Life:
The work in accounting is demanding, and less support from the system also creates much stress to employees. The long office hours and pressure affect their personal lives, which creates increased stress and unrest and hence impacts their family life.
9. Differences in Financial Benefits:
The main difference is that accountants at the field level have no benefits in terms of money. Executives are privileged with various allowances, whereas accountants at the field level bear the brunt of work pressures without being paid on the same scale.
10. Challenges in Compliance
This leaves the accounting line with a lot of problems in filing GST and Service Tax court cases and in dealing with inspections, for example, BPC. This is a burden on the accountants, especially at a time when they are already struggling with their primary responsibilities.
11. Double Workload with No Compensation:
Quality personnel in the accounting line are often given double the workload, but with no additional compensation. Meanwhile, other staff members are allowed to carry out their duties with fewer responsibilities, leading to a sense of inequality and unfair treatment.
12. Shortage of Qualified Personnel:
Some Head Post Offices suffer from a lack of qualified staff in the accounts department, and hence, general line staff are drafted for accounting work. In most cases, this misallocates resources and adds more burden to the already existing accounting staff.
13. Withdrawing Special Allowances:
The DOP has withdrawn special allowances for accountants, which were part and parcel of their pay packets. Though the accountants handle complex accounting tasks, accountants no longer receive allowances, further demotivating workers.
14. Limited Career Growth:
Recent restructuring has reduced the scope for upward movement in the accounting line. LSG, HSG-II, and HSG-I posts, which used to be more common in the accounting line, are nowadays mainly offered in the general line, thus reducing career opportunities for accounting staff.
15.Higher Job Stress and Low Morale:
The combined effect of all these issues has brought about huge dissatisfaction in the accounting staff. Lack of support, lack of recognition, fair compensation, and lack of career growth has seen the morale levels erode with qualified accountants opting out to join other lines that are believed to have a better chance.
In the light of these problems, it is important that the grievances of accounting staff within the Department of Posts are addressed. The establishment of a national association for accountants could be an important channel through which grievances can be expressed and improvements in terms of working conditions, remuneration, career progression, and job satisfaction in general can be sought. Unless this is done, the accounts line will continue to bleed talent and qualified manpower, and the problems already identified will become even more critical.
Ultimately, it is essential that the DOP and other authorities recognize the importance of accounting staff and create a more supportive, fair, and rewarding environment for them. Only then can we hope to retain skilled accountants who are currently facing severe challenges in their roles.