Understanding Auditors’ Voluntary Turnover Through the Lens of Job Satisfaction

Abstract

In the public accounting industry, the increasing trend of auditors leaving their jobs has become a serious concern, as it can negatively affect audit firms’ performance and client retention. A study by Knechel et al. (2021) found that audit firms are likely to lose clients when auditors resign. Consequently, understanding the reasons behind auditors’ voluntary turnover has attracted growing attention from researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers. This paper presents a narrative literature review examining how job satisfaction influences voluntary turnover among auditors. Fifty (50) peer-reviewed studies were systematically identified from databases such as Web of Science, Emerald Insight, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate and Google Scholars. Three major themes emerged from the synthesis: perceptions of the profession, work conditions, and work environment. The findings highlight that perceptions of the profession, work conditions, and work environment affect job satisfaction, hence auditor turnover. A conceptual framework is proposed to illustrate the relationship between these factors, job satisfaction, and voluntary turnover. The review concludes by suggesting practical recommendations for audit firms and future research directions to address turnover in the auditing profession.