In a market which is continuing to be candidate driven, it is important for employers to be able to retain existing staff and attract the best talent in the market, however is money always the answer?
Justin Barber, Director of Accountancy Practice Recruitment Specialists, Barber McLelland says “most individuals who we represent are considering new opportunities due to such things as work life balance, job satisfaction, career development, commuting time or job security, very few actually move purely based on the financials”
It is becoming increasingly common for individuals seeking a new opportunity to look at areas such as the working hours, holidays and pension which are being provided by a firm and not just the salary which is being offered.
As a Nation, the way work has changed, the 9 to 5 routine is slowly being replaced by the growing trends of remote working, flexitime and job sharing. This of course is not necessarily something which all firms can adopt, however is there the potential to introduce one or two of these trends into accountancy firms?
Flexible working or flexi hours is certainly a great attraction to many employees and is an area which some firms are now addressing, however within the local region this is still the minority.
In a recent survey by the CIPD the use of flexible working has a big impact on employees’ attitudes to work–life balance, with 65% of flexible workers satisfied or very satisfied with their work–life balance compared with 47% of employees who don’t work flexibly. There is also indication that businesses have seen efficiencies and productivity increase after the introduction of flexible working.
Introducing flexible working is not something which can be easily done overnight, however considering this way of working as an organisation has so many benefits including staff morale, staff retention, improved business efficiencies as well as the ability to attract new employees, surely this is time for more employers to consider this route??
For more information regarding the regions accountancy profession market, please do not hesitate in contacting Justin Barber at Barber McLelland Ltd on 0114 279 2843 or email justin@bmrecruitment.co.uk