Most conversations about AI revolve around the time and money it can save, but in accountancy, I’m starting to wonder whether we’re paying enough attention to what we might lose along the way.

Having recruited for accountancy practices for more than 20 years, I've seen the profession change considerably. While I'm all for technology making life easier, advances in AI raise some interesting questions about the people firms will need in the future.

Typically, recruitment starts with an email you didn’t want to receive. Cue internal meetings, a scramble to work out who can cover the workload, what the impact on clients will be, and how quickly you can replace them with someone good. Having recruited for accountancy practices for more than 20 years, I hear that last question a lot. But if recruitment challenges keep recurring, it’s also worth considering whether retention might be part of the picture.

The first morning back after a summer holiday isn’t anyone’s favourite. Your inbox is bursting, your pre-holiday to-do list is still there, and the idea of swapping shorts and flip-flops for “suitable workwear” is unlikely to fill anyone with enthusiasm. But that doesn’t mean you need a new job.

If you know what to look for, you can spot most resignations long before the letter. Choosing to leave a job isn’t a decision people take lightly. By the time someone formally hands in their notice, it’s been building for some time.