In some ways, the public perception of the audit industry is suffering right now. The charges brought against Ernst & Young by the New York AG for its Lehman Brothers work was the culmination of a lot of bad press since examiner Anton Valukas released a scathing 2,200-page report in March about the firm's shoddy audit practices.

But not unlike the big-name investment banks, the big four audit firms are still seen as attractive employment destinations. I doubt they will have any trouble recruiting.

One reason may be the progressive policies they have embraced regarding the ever-important work-life balance that so many seek these days. "When it comes to respecting the work-life balance of employees, the accounting industry far outshines the rest of corporate America, workplace experts say," the New York Times notes.

"Some firms allow employees to take off the entire summer to devote to their children; some let employees work just three days a week during non-peak months. The big accounting firms generally give 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, with fathers often receiving six weeks--and that is on top of the 12 weeks of unpaid leave provided to parents under federal law."

This is a workplace lesson that many companies bent on hiring the best and brightest have learned--Microsoft and Google among them. But there really are two kinds of employees. Take care of them and some will take care of the company, which is what you want. Others might get the entitlement bug.

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