Which activity is essential for minimizing the risk associated with short-term employees in an IS audit department?

The activity that is essential for minimizing the risk associated with short-term employees in an information systems audit department is succession planning. This practice involves preparing for potential changes in personnel by identifying and developing internal candidates to fill key positions. In the context of short-term employees, succession planning ensures that there is a structured approach to transition and knowledge transfer, thereby reducing the risk of disruption in the audit process.

By proactively establishing a plan, the department can mitigate the potential impact of losing institutional knowledge when short-term employees leave. This includes preparing other employees to take over responsibilities, ensuring that there is continuity in operations, and maintaining the integrity of the audit functions. As a result, succession planning helps foster a stable environment even in the presence of employees with limited tenure.

While other activities, such as documenting procedures, cross-training, and employee award programs, carry their own benefits, they do not address the specific risks associated with the turnover of short-term employees as comprehensively as succession planning does. Documenting procedures helps in providing a framework for operations, cross-training prepares employees to handle multiple roles, and employee awards can foster motivation and retention; however, none directly focus on preparing for personnel changes as succession planning does.