Work-life balance top-of-mind for accountants: CA ANZ

Yasmine Raso

Senior Journalist, Financial Newswire

5 February 2026

Work-life balance has crept up the ranks in terms of what is essential for employers to retain accounting talent, according to the results of the latest Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) Remuneration Survey.

The 2025 survey of more than 4,100 CA ANZ members based in Australia and New Zealand found that while fair remuneration remained the “most popular work benefit”, other non-financial benefits such as flexibility, a manageable workload and working from home have proven “essential” for employers to attract and retain top talent.

Approximately one third of respondents said they preferred work-life balance over receiving a fair salary, while the latter only appeared in the top three popular benefits for 55 per cent of women and 60 per cent of men.

“At CA ANZ, we are proud of the work we do to unearth the data required to have those important conversations, to make accounting one of the most attractive professions on the planet,” CA ANZ Chief Executive Officer, Ainslie van Onselen, said.

“Through this survey our members gain an understanding of remuneration across a number of geographic locations and sectors, as well as uncovering the non-financial benefits of employment that our members value most.

“As this year’s results show, pay is not the only thing that matters to respondents.

“Although the survey didn’t ask respondents about the factors that are prompting them to seek work elsewhere, the top drivers for employee retention among respondents were fair compensation, strong leadership, and organisational pride.

“When remuneration is perceived as fair, there is no gender difference in respondents’ likelihood of leaving their current employer in the next twelve months.”

For 2025, Australia’s not-for-profit (NFP) sector reported the largest jump in median remuneration at eight per cent, while New Zealand’s corporate sector saw its largest at six per cent.

While Australia’s gender pay gap has improved to 14 per cent and New Zealand’s stands at 24 per cent, the survey indicated women were more likely to prioritise flexible working options, including working from home, flexible start and finish times and manageable workloads.

Men were likely to prioritise meaningful work and career progression as more important.

The survey found 23 per cent of respondents reported workplaces introducing policies to reduce work from home hours, showcasing a “potential disconnect” between employers and their employees’ preferences.

“While women prioritise flexible work options more than men, the data suggests that increasing access to flexible work arrangements for men could have broader societal benefit, enabling more equitable sharing of caregiving responsibilities and reducing the flexibility burden often shouldered by women,” van Onselen said.

“For employers, this new data reaffirms the finding from previous years, that workplace benefits and culture can be just as important as pay.”