New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- Retention is the keyword for audit and advisory firms this year.

They rolled out neat 10-15% increments this year, apart from bonuses, special monetary rewards and promotions. While the raises are in line with what the firms offered last year, top performers in some cases received hikes of 25-28%.

The increments come as firms try to retain employees and expand their teams to prepare for the next round of mandatory audit rotations. The firms are also getting the workforce to rework their skill sets as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an integral tool, noting that going ahead, billing and compensation will be linked to how employees use AI tools.

"If firms are rolling out a 25%-plus increase in salaries, then th...