You’re probably struggling if you’re hiring for finance roles right now. It’s not just the ongoing “skill shortage” (lamented by 83% of financial leaders) that’s causing problems. Few people are actually applying for roles, and even fewer are accepting the first offer they get.
Right now, filling talent gaps takes a lot more than most companies realise. Salary is still important, particularly in a difficult economic climate. But in conversations happening behind closed doors, other things keep coming up: time, flexibility, purpose, space to grow, and the culture behind the logo.
That’s where the gap often is. Businesses are focused on salary bands and job specs, while candidates consider how a job might feel after three months.
This disconnect is causing a serious problem as more organisations step into their recruitment phase (52% of hiring managers plan to expand their permanent headcount).
If you’re serious about UK finance talent attraction, it helps to know what people are really looking for in this market. Here’s what will really make your offers stand out in 2025.
The Current UK Finance Talent Landscape
The phrase “candidate-driven market” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s an accurate description in finance. There’s no shortage of demand in the finance sector right now, particularly in the UK. Financial Services sits in the top ten list for the sectors with the most vacancies nationwide.
Employers are struggling to fill roles not because candidates don’t exist, but because they either can’t find people with the right mix of skills or because they can’t attract those rare candidates to their roles. Many professionals already working in financial services are reluctant to move.
They’re sitting still because they’re worried about the impact a shift will have on their lives and financial well-being, or because they’re waiting for an upgrade that feels like more than just a sideways step. That hesitation makes sense.
After a few years of economic unpredictability, return-to-office policies in flux, and burnout across teams, 51% of finance professionals now say they feel professionally stuck. It’s not necessarily about dissatisfaction or not being sure that change would be any better.
They want any changes they make to feel real and impactful, which means employers need to offer much more than just a competitive income. As a result, hiring times are extending (most roles now take between 4 and 6 weeks to fill). The longer companies take to hire, the more the costs of talent gaps continue to compound.
Five Key Non-Salary Attraction Factors to Focus On
So if salary alone doesn’t close the deal, what does?
It’s not one big thing. It’s a combination of smaller, deeply felt factors that shape how people experience their work day to day. The kind of things that tell a candidate, this place might actually work for me. These are the five areas that we’ve seen come up repeatedly in interviews, exit surveys, and in the roles people say yes to.
Factor 1: Flexible Working Arrangements
This one probably won’t be surprising. Flexible roles in finance have been growing in popularity for a few years now. Professionals don’t want to compromise on work-life logistics anymore. They want more autonomy, more freedom, and more time for their personal lives.
Up to 95% of working professionals say they want some type of remote work, and 63% say remote work is the most important aspect of their job, more important than salary.
If working from home, even part-time, isn’t an option, candidates expect employers to explore other alternatives, like adjustable schedules or a four-day work week. If they don’t, many employees are more than happy to go elsewhere. That makes flexible working crucial not just to attracting talent but also to financial talent retention.
For employers, the question isn’t whether to offer flexibility; it’s whether the offer holds up in reality. Saying “hybrid” in a job ad means little if people are still expected to be in the office five days a week, or if flexible hours come with side glances and slower promotions.
If you’re trying to make your approach meaningful, a few things help:
- Be specific: Say so if your standard is three remote days a week. If it varies by role, explain why.
- Encourage managers to model it: Flexibility doesn’t land if senior staff are always in the office.
- Build trust by focusing on outcomes, not hours: People want to be measured on impact, not presence.
- Keep checking in: What worked last year might not suit your team now.
Some of the most effective policies are surprisingly straightforward. UK Finance’s own approach is a good example: remote work is encouraged “where reasonable and practicable.” That framing works, it’s clear, considered, and puts trust at the centre.
Factor 2: Professional Development and Career Growth
Most people in finance aren’t looking for hand-holding, but they do want to feel like they’re moving forward. When that’s missing, everything else starts to crumble, no matter how good the salary. That’s particularly true for younger workers.
Up to 74% of millennials and Gen Z employees have considered leaving a role specifically due to a lack of development. They know they can’t afford to sit still anymore. Their responsibilities with AI, automation, and new regulations are changing, and they need to be prepared.
People want to stay employable and grow, so they’re paying attention to which employers make that possible. What people respond to most right now is visibility, a clear path to progression, and options to stretch and expand.
A few practical ways to start:
- Encourage managers to have development conversations that aren’t tied to status reports or yearly reviews. Check in regularly.
- Offer relevant learning. Finance professionals are more likely to engage with training in areas like FP&A, AI integration, or tax strategy if they can actually use it.
- Let people shadow or support on cross-functional projects. Exposure often teaches more than courses.
- Support mentoring. Platforms like GrowCFO have formal programmes, but even internal pairings can offer valuable perspective.
- If you’re offering training or study support, make it visible. Too many people don’t realise it’s there until they’re on the way out.
Make sure people have time to invest in their own training, too. In a tight market, finance professional retention often hinges on whether someone believes they have a future with you. If they can’t see one, they’ll start picturing it somewhere else.
Factor 3: Company Culture and Values Alignment
Most employees can almost instantly tell whether a company’s culture matches the story it told during the interview process. That gap between brand and reality is where many good people usually decide not to stay.
Around 9 in 10 Gen Z and millennial employees say they would leave a job to work for an organisation that shares their values. People want to feel part of something that aligns with who they are, not just what they can do.
The best employers don’t talk about culture, they build it into the way decisions are made, how people are treated, and what’s rewarded.
Some practical steps that go further than a mission statement:
- Share real stories from real employees, not just the polished testimonials. What’s working? What needs work?
- Train leaders in emotional intelligence and inclusive leadership. Culture filters down.
- Ask people (and listen properly) about what makes them stay, or what’s making them think about leaving.
- Make space for difference. A sense of belonging doesn’t come from being told to “fit in.” Remember cultural add over culture fit.
Remember to prioritise authentic employer branding. Real-world insights from real people will make a bigger difference to potential candidates than all the employer marketing in the world. Even setting up a referral strategy can be a great way to show potential employees that your existing staff is willing to advocate for your business.
Factor 4: Financial Wellbeing and Benefits Beyond Base Salary
Money might not be the only reason people change jobs, but how they feel about money shapes almost every part of their working life.
Right now, many people are feeling the strain. 66% of employees say financial stress is affecting their performance, and across the UK, over four million workdays are lost each year due to poor financial well-being, costing employers around £626 million in productivity.
Despite this, only 18% of organisations have a financial well-being policy in place. This is a clear gap—and one that doesn’t need to cost the earth to close.
Finance professionals tend to have unique pressures: They understand risk, often manage work budgets, and are usually expected to keep it all together. But they’re not immune to cost-of-living anxiety, mortgage stress, and sudden cost-of-living issues.
Offering practical support matters. That might mean:
- Giving people access to financial coaching or planning tools.
- Helping them understand pensions, share schemes, or flexible benefits.
- Providing access to emergency savings platforms or salary advance options.
- Reviewing your benefits package regularly. Dental cover, PMI, and agreed bonuses are increasingly valued by finance professionals.
When people feel they have more room to breathe financially, they perform better in their roles and are less distracted by stress.
Factor 5: Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing Support
This one doesn’t need much explaining. Most finance professionals work hard. That’s part of the deal. But working hard shouldn’t mean constantly fighting off burnout. Financial professionals want to do well but don’t want to excel at the cost of their health or relationships.
Long hours and tight deadlines might come with the territory. But they don’t have to be constant and shouldn’t be invisible. The organisations that excel acknowledge that finance can be demanding, and they give people the tools to manage that load with more care.
That can mean:
- Encouraging people to actually use their annual leave, and not sending “just a quick one” emails when they do.
- Offering mental health days or conducting wellbeing check-ups.
- Subsidising therapy apps or private counselling for those who need it.
- Training managers to spot burnout early and respond with empathy, not pressure.
These seemingly small things tell your team that well-being isn’t their problem to sort out alone. It’s something the business takes seriously. In a sector known for resilience and output, work-life balance might feel like a soft priority, but it could also be the main reason your people stay.
Actionable Implementation Framework
If you’re hiring in finance right now, it’s easy to feel like you’re chasing a moving target. But most of what people want hasn’t changed; it’s just become harder to ignore.
Salary and clarity matter, but your offer can’t end there. You need a more compelling value proposition to get ahead. Here’s how to get started:
- Audit what you offer: Ask your team what they An anonymous survey can highlight which benefits are being used and which ones need rethinking.
- Be specific about flexibility. If you offer hybrid work, define what that means in practice. Let’s make this clear in job ads, interviews, and onboarding strategies.
- Make development visible; Support mentoring, project-based learning, or time for CPD. Even a few hours a month can change how people see their trajectory.
- Reframe benefits as support, not perks: Help people understand what’s available. PMI, savings tools, and wellbeing programmes mean more when explained clearly.
- Normalise wellbeing: Set the tone from the top. If people see leadership protecting their own boundaries, they’ll feel more able to do the same.
Above all, stay agile, adaptable, and open to listening to what your existing employees and future candidates need.
Refining UK Finance Talent Attraction in 2025
When people say they’re looking for “more than just salary,” they’re not asking for everything. They’re asking for somewhere they can work hard and still feel like a person, a role they can grow in, and an employer who respects their time, skills, and well-being.
If you want to attract and retain more talent, you need to start showing people that you’re building the kind of workplace they’d want to work in.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start with a conversation. Ask your current team what’s working and what isn’t. They’ll usually tell you. Speak to a recruitment expert and ask about the trends that are shaping the market right now. Get ready to make some changes. There might be some experimenting, but you’ll be stronger on the other side.
Thanks
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, ranging from various organisations, including SMEs, to large PLCs.
We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we understand employer and employee needs and match them perfectly.
To learn more, contact one of our team members today or call us at 01282 930930.
