Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic : Understanding the Disrupted Work Environment for Audit Professionals

As companies attempt to rebound from the significant interruption to workplace modalities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have developed preferences for more flexibility. Facing concerns about attracting and retaining talent, the auditing practice of public accounting firms has an additional reason to reimagine the pre-pandemic work environment as they attempt to overcome long-held perceptions of employee burnout and turnover. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 audit professionals of various levels at several public accounting firms to explore how the pandemic has disrupted the work environment of the auditing profession. Our findings are mainly positive and reveal a shift in perceptions of the audit work environment regarding flexibility, work-life balance, mental and physical health, and retention. Yet firm leadership should keep a pulse on professional development, work quality, and maintaining a culture of camaraderie due to the shift in the work environment