The internal audit profession is facing a major turning point. The traditional model of internal audit—one that has long been grounded in checklists, financial controls, and compliance—is rapidly evolving. Today’s internal auditors are expected to bring not just expertise in accounting and risk, but also fluency in technology, data analytics, cybersecurity, and a wide range of emerging risks.
This shift has triggered a significant talent management crisis. CAEs and audit leaders across industries are finding it harder than ever to attract and retain the kind of multi-skilled, tech-savvy talent needed for modern internal audit. On top of that, remote and hybrid work models, burnout, and increased competition for skilled professionals are complicating the landscape even further.
So what can audit leaders do to transform their teams, retain their best people, and prepare the workforce for the future? This article breaks down the challenges and offers practical steps to evolve talent management strategies within internal audit functions.
The core competencies of successful internal auditors have changed. Where once it was enough to understand financial reporting and compliance frameworks, audit now calls for:
However, many audit departments are still staffed with professionals who were trained for a different era—excellent in traditional audit methods but not necessarily prepared to deal with today’s fast-moving risk landscape.
Compounding this is the fact that people with the in-demand skills (e.g., data analysts, IT auditors, risk specialists) often have many options—and internal audit isn’t always at the top of their list. It’s not uncommon to hear, “We just can’t find the right people,” or “We’re regularly losing talent to tech firms and consulting agencies.”
Universities and entry-level programs have not kept pace with the profession’s needs. Fewer students are pursuing audit or accounting degrees, and even fewer are interested in careers in internal audit, which is often viewed as less glamorous than roles in finance, strategy, or tech. Meanwhile, the seasoned auditors nearing retirement are taking decades of institutional knowledge with them.
This talent shortage isn’t going away—and internal audit needs to get creative to survive and thrive.
Here are some actionable strategies to address the talent gap and future-proof your internal audit team.
The first step is to stop thinking about talent in traditional silos. Instead of only hiring CPAs or people with audit experience, broaden your scope. Build interdisciplinary teams that include professionals from:
This creates a more dynamic audit team that can think in new ways and respond to a broader set of risks.
Best practice: Create role profiles based on capabilities, not job titles. For example, instead of hiring “Senior Auditor,” hire a “Data-Driven Risk Analyst” or “Cyber Risk Specialist.”
Before you look outside, invest in your current people. Many auditors are eager to learn new skills—they just need the opportunity.
Best practice: Make upskilling part of everyone’s individual development plan. Tie training goals to performance reviews to keep it a priority.
The rise of remote work has been a blessing and a challenge. On the one hand, it opens access to talent beyond your local geography. On the other, it can lead to disengagement, communication breakdowns, and burnout.
Here’s how to make hybrid work work for internal audit:
Best practice: Re-onboard remote team members annually. Review goals, roles, relationships, and team dynamics to ensure alignment.
Internal audit can be a tough sell compared to jobs in tech or consulting—but that doesn’t mean it can’t be meaningful.
Help your team understand the why behind the work. Show how their audits prevent fraud, protect the company’s reputation, improve operations, or support better decision-making.
Engaged employees stay longer. To boost engagement:
Best practice: Run periodic engagement surveys within your audit team—and act on the results.
Audit work can be high-pressure and cyclical. With reduced staff and increased complexity, burnout is a real threat.
Telltale signs include declining work quality, absenteeism, lack of enthusiasm, and interpersonal conflict.
To combat this:
Best practice: Rotate assignments and provide “recovery” periods after high-intensity audits.
If you want to attract top talent, you need to look like a modern employer. Candidates will Google you. They’ll scan your careers page. They’ll read Glassdoor reviews.
Make sure your brand reflects innovation, flexibility, purpose, and growth opportunities. Highlight stories of auditors who have progressed, contributed to important projects, or learned new skills.
Best practice: Co-create recruitment materials with your team. Ask them what made them join or stay—and showcase that.
Too often, internal audit works in isolation from talent acquisition and workforce planning teams. Don’t go it alone.
Best practice: Establish a “People and Skills” working group within audit leadership to drive strategy and accountability.
People leave when they don’t see a future. Internal audit can’t be a “dead-end” role and has to be thought more as a launchpad.
Offer paths for progression, specialization, and even secondments to other departments. Make it clear that audit experience is a valuable stepping-stone to other leadership roles.
Best practice: Build a “career lattice” instead of a ladder—showing multiple directions for professional growth.
Internal audit is at a crossroads. The pressure to provide insights, adapt quickly, and stay ahead of risk is only increasing. But with the right talent strategy, audit leaders can turn today’s workforce challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.
By rethinking how we hire, train, engage, and grow our people, we can create internal audit functions that are not just relevant—but essential—to the future of business.