Accounting firms are losing talent fast. This is not because the work is too hard but because the model is outdated. Long hours, flat pay, and leadership bottlenecks drive people out of the profession.

Most firms haven’t adapted. They throw perks at the problem but ignore the important parts, and that disconnect costs them dearly.

The Model Is the Problem

The profession is still built around a structure that assumes loyalty means burnout, and advancement means endurance. Firms are asking for 55-hour weeks while doing little to modernize how people grow in their roles.

The result is predictable; people are leaving the industry at an alarming rate because they are simply not getting the support they need for a work-life balance. The stats say it best, 34% of working mothers in accounting leave because of childcare challenges, compared to 20% of men. That’s future leadership walking out the door, it’s not just attrition.

What Needs to Change

The fix isn’t complicated.

• End the mandatory 55-hour grind
• Pay people what they’re worth
• Stop spending time on underperformers who drain partners
• Invest in the top talent and give them room to lead

This is about making the entire model more profitable, not just retaining your top talent. When firms run lean and smart, they get more value from every hour, every team member, and every client relationship.

Why This Is Urgent

The profession is facing a shrinking pipeline. Fewer people are becoming CPAs. Too many are leaving before they even hit manager level, and even more are retiring, with 75% of current CPAs retiring within the next 15 years.

There’s no leadership pipeline if you don’t build one. That starts with creating a workplace where people want to stay, not where they feel stuck.

Offload the Work That’s Holding Your Team Back

There’s a reason more firms are embracing global talent models. When done right, offshoring and outsourcing let firms reduce the noise. Repeatable, deadline-driven work gets handled with precision and scale without burning out internal teams.

Makosi makes that possible. We match firms with qualified professionals, on demand, so your teams can stop chasing checklists and start focusing on what drives the business.

Firms that support work-life balance, allow flexibility, and invest more time in their top performers naturally reduce attrition. They create a stronger culture and a healthier pipeline of future partners. The key is taking the busy out of busy season and giving accountants room to take on work that’s more interesting, more strategic, and more valuable.

Build a Firm Where People Want to Be

The firms that figure this out will pull ahead. They’ll retain the best, attract top talent, and develop the next generation of leaders while others scramble to fill seats.

Perks won’t fix a broken model, the structure needs to change, and quickly.

Makosi is helping firms do just that. Want the full picture?

Read The Firm of the Future and see what modern accounting leadership really looks like, then let’s talk.