Future-proofing your finance function is today’s topic. Most finance teams carry more weight than they used to. Some of it is familiar, like reporting deadlines, audit cycles, and end-of-month pressures that don’t go away. The rest is newer: AI systems, changing regulations, talent gaps, and transformation programmes that keep evolving.
In the UK, the challenge is growing. Currently, the financial services sector has the highest proportion of the total workforce “in demand” (69.4%), with around 994,000 employees needed to fill the gap. That shortage has consequences: projects stall, institutional knowledge disappears, and clients start shopping around.
The pressure is showing up in the numbers. The average time to hire in finance has stretched to 5.9 weeks, compared to 4.9 weeks across other industries. That delay alone can shift deadlines, pressure remaining staff, and slow down decisions that should be moving faster. While new hires may eventually arrive, many teams find that the most pressing gaps, adaptability, digital capability, and strategic input, remain stubbornly unfilled.
There’s no shortage of effort. Most finance leaders are already doing more than they were five years ago. The problem is that the model many teams use to recruit, retain, and build capability hasn’t kept pace with how much the role of finance has changed.
That’s where futureproofing starts, with a closer look at how the work has shifted, and what kind of people are needed to carry it forward.
The New Finance Landscape: Understanding What’s Changed
Finance roles used to follow a more predictable pattern. The job descriptions didn’t change much, and the qualifications were clear. Most teams hired people for experience and expected them to settle in for the long haul. That’s not the reality anymore.
The structure of the work has changed. In many teams, finance no longer supports the business; it helps shape the direction. Forecasts are expected to be faster. Reports are expected to come with commentary.
Data is expected to be analysed, interpreted, and turned into something the rest of the business can use. That shift means the people in those roles need to work differently and sometimes come from different backgrounds.
Skills are changing, too—not just technical ones, though those matter. Roles that involve tax, audit, FP&A, and ESG reporting are still essential. However, communication, critical thinking, and the ability to adapt to change are harder to hire for now. According to several reports, soft skills now make up the largest skills gap in finance, ahead of technical ones.
Technology has moved quickly, with AI adoption in finance jumping to 75% in the UK. That means companies need employees who can work with cutting-edge tools but also deliver human skills that cannot be replicated by machines.
There’s also the issue of supply. Since Brexit, fewer candidates have come through traditional migration routes, especially in roles that used to attract EU-qualified professionals. In London, hiring still takes longer than in regions like Yorkshire, but in many parts of the country, the problem is less about time and more about depth. The right person for the job might not be local. They might not even be in the industry yet.
All these points point to the same issue: finance hiring can’t rely on the same assumptions it used to. The landscape has moved, the roles have changed, and the strategy to build strong, resilient teams needs to change with it.
Strategic Recruitment Approaches for Uncertain Times
Hiring in uncertain markets isn’t just about filling gaps. It’s about building capability that holds up when things shift, whether that’s budgets tightening, systems changing, or teams working under pressure. The most resilient finance teams tend to have more than the right technical skill set.
They’ve been shaped by a hiring approach that considers how people think, how they adapt, and how they’ll contribute over time.
Hiring for Adaptability, Not Just Experience
There’s a clear difference between someone who’s done the job before and someone who can do the job when the conditions change. That difference shows in how candidates talk about failure, approach a new system, or respond when priorities move.
That’s why many finance leaders are shifting from hiring only for specific experience to hiring for mindset. They’re looking for people who can take initiative, think across departments, and grow into complexity rather than shy away.
Simple changes can help this happen:
- Build behavioural interview questions into every stage of the process
- Look at patterns of growth and learning in previous roles
- Involve more than one department in final-stage interviews to test cross-functional alignment
Experience still matters. But in today’s finance environment, adaptability often counts for more in the long run.
Widening the Talent Pool
Traditional recruitment paths, such as university pipelines, industry job boards, and standard applications, are useful but limited. Many finance teams are finding that the best hires come from places they hadn’t thought to look.
That might mean:
- Setting up apprenticeships or entry-level programmes for school leavers
- Creating pathways for career changers with transferable skills
- Offering re-entry programmes for professionals returning from a career break
- Encouraging internal candidates to step into finance-adjacent roles
Not every team can do all of this at once. However, even small steps, like trialling a second career pathway or promoting from within before hiring externally, can lead to stronger retention and better cultural alignment.
Making the Most of the Right Channels and Support
It’s worth reviewing which recruitment methods work.
- Recruitment consultants are considered effective by 70% of finance leaders
- Internal referrals account for 66% of successful hires
- Niche job boards focused on finance still play a role, with 58% finding them useful
Tracking these channels over time, not just in terms of volume but quality and retention, can help avoid wasted effort and improve hiring decisions under pressure.
Technology can also be helpful. AI-based screening can help reduce bias from early-stage filtering and accelerate decision-making processes. The right tools can also make it easier to track crucial metrics throughout the hiring journey, like time to hire or cost-per-hire.
Upskilling for Digital Transformation
Hiring alone won’t close the talent gap, not with how quickly finance is changing or how often new systems, responsibilities, and expectations are arriving ahead of schedule.
According to IBM, nearly 40% of the global workforce will need reskilling within the next three years. Many leaders in the finance sector are getting ahead of the shift, with tailored training plans that allow them to make the most of the talent they already have.
There’s no single strategy for where teams should focus first. Most must consider a blend of upskilling initiatives, covering technical and human skills.
On the technical side, there’s value in strengthening areas like:
- Data visualisation and dashboard tools
- Automation and workflow design
- Financial modelling with AI-supported platforms
- ESG reporting and compliance frameworks
- Cybersecurity awareness, especially where sensitive data is involved
On the human side, the focus shifts toward:
- Strategic communication
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Leading through change
- Making decisions under uncertainty
- Adaptability and resilience
The right balance will look different from team to team. But most benefit from having both the systems knowledge to deliver accurately and the soft skills to share, interpret, and drive action.
How those skills are developed will also vary. Most companies will start with a simple skills audit and then experiment with individual learning pathways, peer mentoring, shadowing, and project pairing. For some, micro-credential courses and hands-on experimentation programs that allow users to practice with new tools will be particularly helpful.
Where this works, learning feels normal. It is not urgent or reactive; it is just part of the rhythm of the team’s growth.
Creating Flexible Workforce Models
Not every role needs to be full-time, permanent, and on-site. For years, finance hiring followed a traditional model: recruit, onboard, embed. That model still has its place, especially for core roles. But it’s no longer the only way to build a capable team.
Flexible workforce models are gaining ground because they make sense in a world where priorities shift quickly, projects change scope, and skilled people want more control over their work.
The most common approach starts with a simple principle: keep your essential functions in-house, and bring in extra capability. This might look like a full-time controller supported by a contract specialist during audit season, or a finance analyst backed by a short-term project hire during a system implementation.
This “core-flex” structure allows teams to stay lean while meeting demand. It also helps reduce the risk of over-hiring during periods of uncertainty.
In some cases, companies use contract roles as a trial period to assess fit before committing. That works well for both sides. It gives candidates a chance to experience the role, and employers a clearer sense of how someone operates under real conditions.
Technology and Structure Make It Easier
None of this would work without the right infrastructure. Remote and hybrid teams can function well if systems support collaboration, visibility, and accountability.
That includes:
- Cloud-based finance systems that allow real-time access
- Communication tools that support clear handovers
- Outcome-based performance tracking, rather than hours on the clock
Structure is important, too. Cross-training helps ensure continuity when someone leaves, and succession planning creates breathing room when a senior leader moves on. Even if rarely used, emergency workforce protocols give peace of mind in uncertain times.
From Reactive Hiring to Strategic Capability
Finance teams are under pressure from shifting technology, rising expectations, and the unpredictable turns of the economy. The response can’t just be to hire faster or train harder. What’s needed now is a longer view.
The teams that will emerge stronger aren’t the ones with the most people or the best tech. They’re the ones that treat capability as a shared, ongoing responsibility, know when to bring in new talent and when to grow it, and build flexibility without losing focus.
The good news is that it doesn’t take dramatic shifts to change direction. A clear audit, a thoughtful hire, a well-timed learning opportunity—all these things build on each other and, over time, create teams that can thrive.
For businesses ready to take that next step, now is the moment to move. Map out your capability. Focus on where your people can grow. Make hiring smarter and learning part of the rhythm.
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.
