Why continuity matters when choosing an accounting partner

Strong business partnerships take time to build. Yet, even with all the time in the world, the process becomes significantly more challenging if there is a lack of continuity in the people involved.

That’s why, if your organisation is looking for a new accounting, auditing or advisory partner, it’s important to scrutinise their staff turnover. After all, if there’s a high level of churn within that service provider’s workforce then the people you’re working with are also likely to change regularly, which can prove highly disruptive.

Even with the most thorough handovers and diligent onboarding processes designed to mitigate the risks associated with high turnover, every change in adviser increases the likelihood that you will have to explain the nuances of your business again, rebuild personal relationships, and re-establish ways of working.

Time and knowledge leak out, and this can have a material impact on service quality.

The link between staff churn and service quality

Those involved in services businesses, either as a client or a provider, will know how significant this issue can be. There has been recent academic research that provides insight into the impact of churn on service quality, such as a 2025 study by The University of Buffalo’s School of Management.

Based on analysis of US accounting firms, it found that constant staffing changes posed a major threat to audit quality, as well as inflating costs and destabilising the client-auditor relationship. As one of the study authors put it: “[Employee} Turnover can disrupt operations and result in loss of accumulated knowledge and talent, which may damage performance outcomes and weaken firm reputations.”

As accountants, auditors and advisors, we invest time in developing an incredibly detailed picture of our clients, including a deep understanding of:

• Past financial decisions and the reasoning behind them

• The personalities of shareholders

• Financing arrangements and reporting demands

• Past discussions with other internal and external stakeholders

• The board’s appetite for risk

Retaining that knowledge relies, in large part, on retaining staff, which at HLB is something we pride ourselves on. It’s why recognition and accolades such as having been named a ‘Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplace’ in recent years matter to us.

Accounting firms without strong staff retention risk having valuable knowledge seep out, which in turn risks damaging your client experience and business outcomes.

Churn is inevitable, but continuity must be prioritised

Of course, every organisation and every sector experiences personnel changes. Data shows that accounting firms experienced average staff turnover rates of between 15% and 22% annually in 2025.

But staff turnover can vary significantly from firm to firm, not just because of their culture or pay prospects, but also the make-up of their teams. For example, when you look at the data for first-year accountants, the turnover rates rise notably by 25-35%. This means that firms with a particularly high intake of less experienced professionals – for instance those that rely heavily on graduate recruitment scheme or who build staffing models with lots of junior employees to account for high levels of turnover – are likely to see the highest volume of leavers.

This matters for your business. You would be understandably uncomfortable if you are regularly having to deal with a new person or team from key service providers and partners, especially in areas like accounting and advisory work where trust is critical.

How can HLB help deliver continuity?

At HLB, we take the time to build a trusting relationship with each client, bolstered by the fact that we can introduce a local HLB client team to help companies navigate growth and cross-border expansion, while also tackling any immediate organisational challenges.

Your day-to-day relationship remains with this dedicated local team, supported by specialists from across HLB's global network whenever additional expertise is needed.

Across our network, we know that the best advisory relationships are built over time, with greater value coming as that relationship matures; as your advisers build deep knowledge of your organisation, conversations move beyond compliance towards strategy, growth and long-term value creation.

Continuity is at the heart of how we achieve this goal. Combining technical expertise with institutional memory, we ensure time is not wasted covering past discussions, but in breaking new ground.

Contact HLB today to find out how we can support your organisation.