2016B01 – The loss of talent – A threat for audit quality (Prof. dr. Moers)

What?

Understanding the drivers of potential talent loss across experience years and its consequences in terms of audit quality – in order for the firms to be better able to retain talent over the years (and thus better capitalize on their investment in learning and development). Focus is on the effectiveness and potential improvements of the firms’ Performance Management Systems (being one of the most influential conditions in the work environment under control of the firms), taking the firm’s business models into account.

Why?

Firms invest many resources in new professionals to build up their human capital to achieve quality audits, only to see many with talent leave (too early) over the years. Talent loss is very costly for audit firms that rely on knowledge workers – especially as the main loss of talent seems to be just after the firms have incurred the major parts of the training costs – hence, not only jeopardizing audit quality but also generating high replacement costs.