Influenza : An Exogenous Shock to Auditor Health and Audit Outcomes

This study examines whether influenza (flu), a potential threat to the conduct of public company audits in the U.S., is associated with audit outcomes. Because the peak months of flu season overlap with audit busy season, audit offices most impacted by the flu may be adversely affected. The demanding nature of audit busy season and the culture of audit firms may compel employees to go to work sick, a phenomenon known as presenteeism. When sick auditors go to work, the influence of the flu on their cognitive functioning and performance is not readily observable in the workplace, leading to adverse outcomes. Using data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) we find that the filing of audit reports is delayed and audit quality suffers in audit offices most impacted by the flu. The observed effects of health impairments on company outputs have broad implications for both the audit profession and workplaces as a whole