In their recent study published in „AUDITING: A Journal of Practice & Theory,“ Ghio, Moulang, and Gendron delve into the experiences of women auditors during the COVID-19 pandemic. They identify that the pandemic, far from leveling the playing field, instead further highlighted and intensified existing gender norms and disparities in the audit profession. Women auditors found themselves grappling with intensified roles both at work and at home, bringing to the forefront the longstanding tensions between their “work” habitus and “home” habitus.
The study underscores that despite some efforts made towards fostering gender equality in audit firms, these measures were insufficient against the firms‘ economic drives and the resurgence of patriarchal roles. In essence, while COVID-19 disrupted many industries and professions, it only served to further emphasize the fragile position of women in the audit field, especially when navigating the dual pressures of work and home.
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