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cybersecurity threats. Internal auditors must
pay closer attention to IT controls and data
protection measures
4. Communication and Collaboration
Challenges
• Remote Communication: Conducting audits
remotely requires effective communication
channels. Internal auditors must navigate the
challenges of virtual meetings and ensure clear,
consistent communication with stakeholders.
• Audit Dynamics: Some audit tasks may be more • Team Dynamics: Hybrid models can
challenging to complete out of the office, e.g., significantly impact team dynamics and
publishing audit reports and dealing with complex collaboration. Auditors must foster effective
or sensitive issues, which must be managed teamwork and facilitate information sharing,
accordingly. even in the face of physical distance.
• Consistent Evaluation: Is there consistency in 5. Changes in Internal Controls
assessing risks and key judgement calls?
• Control Environment: Remote work can
• Cultural Dynamics: How do you promote a impact internal controls, particularly financial
strong ‘cultural cohesion’ or drive cultural change; reporting and compliance. Auditors need to
is there a risk of creating ‘sub-cultures’? Are there evaluate the effectiveness of remote controls
longer-term risks to an organisation’s culture? and make necessary adjustments.
• Engagement Strategies: Are any staff members • Monitoring and Supervision: Supervising
reluctant to spend time in the office, and what can remote employees and ensuring adherence
be done to address this, e.g., planned activities or to controls can be more challenging. Internal
team days? auditors must assess the robustness of remote
supervision mechanisms.
• Retention Metrics: To what extent does flexibility
help attract and retain staff? Does staff recruitment Necessary Adjustments for Internal Audit
and exit process feedback indicate that the balance Processes
is right?
1. Enhancing Technology and Data Analytics
• Flexibility Dynamics: Are there differences in
attitudes to flexibility, e.g., between teams or at • Leverage Technology: Invest in advanced
different levels of seniority? How are these being audit software and data analytics tools to
addressed? facilitate remote audits. Tools like virtual
data rooms and secure cloud storage can help
3. Increased Dependence on Technology manage and access audit data more efficiently.
• Digital Tools and Platforms: With increased • Remote Audit Tools: Implement and optimise
reliance on digital tools,internal auditors must remote audit tools to conduct virtual interviews,
become proficient in using various collaboration review electronic documents, and perform
platforms, data analytics tools, and virtual remote observations.
communication methods.
2. Revising Audit Methodologies
• Cybersecurity Risks: With more employees
working remotely, there is a heightened risk of • Adapt Audit Plans: Modify audit plans to
account for the remote work environment. This
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