Hiring Finance Leaders Becomes Harder When Flexible Working isn't Offered, says FD Recruit

Phil Scott, Managing Director

FD Recruit warns that Finance Directors rejecting flexible working face a shrinking talent pool and salary premiums of up to £13,200.

Their concerns are real. But there is a difference between managing risk and refusing flexibility altogether. Those who say no to flexibility will keep saying no to the best people too.”

— Phil Scott, Managing Director, FD Recruit

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, March 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Finance Directors who are refusing flexible working are recruiting from a shrinking talent pool, and are paying more to do it, says Phil Scott, Managing Director of FD Recruit. While 61% of employers recognise flexible working as essential for attracting talent, according to the CIPD's Flexible and Hybrid Working Practices in 2025, many Finance Directors continue to resist it.

Until recently only 31% of UK job advertisements offered any form of it, which is a stark gap between recognition and practice. Candidates who accept inflexible terms often demand higher pay. This mismatch comes at a cost, as nearly 42% of London office workers would demand a pay rise for full-time office attendance with no flexibility, with 37% seeking 11% or more, adding up to £13,200 on top of a typical £120,000 Finance Director salary.

“The UK finance sector was already carrying a skills shortage into the pandemic,” reveals Phil Scott. The Financial Services Skills Taskforce warned as early as January 2020 that the sector faced an “existential skills crisis,” and that was before candidate expectations around working location had changed. At that point, the ONS recorded that only 27% of UK workers did any work from home in a given week, meaning around 73% still attended a workplace in person. Although Finance Directors were competing for a thin pool of senior talent, that pool was still accessible.

The ONS now records that 28% of UK workers follow a hybrid working pattern, and the expectation is strongest among the senior finance professionals Finance Directors need to attract most. “Before COVID, a business could write a strong brief, offer a competitive salary and broadly meet what candidates expected in terms of how they worked. They were already chasing a small talent pool, but had most of it to go at,” Phil explains. “Now add five days in the office and you have halved what was already a difficult search.” Many Finance Directors also rule out professionals who work remotely and would consider relocating, or those willing to travel two to three days a week for the right hybrid role, narrowing the search.

Phil, who works with senior finance leaders, says he understands why Finance Directors are cautious. The UK Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 found that 43% of UK businesses identified at least one cyber security breach or attack in the past 12 months. “Their concerns are real,” Phil says. “But there is a difference between managing risk and refusing flexibility altogether.” In his experience, finance leaders who invest in proper cybersecurity protocols and strong governance frameworks can maintain the oversight they need. “Those who say no to flexibility will keep saying no to the best people too,” he added.

ABOUT FD RECRUIT
FD Recruit specialises in placing Finance Directors and CFOs across the UK. Founded by Phil Scott, the firm focuses on senior finance leadership recruitment, offering full-time, part-time and interim placements for businesses ranging from £5 million-turnover startups to £100 million-plus enterprises, including PE-backed companies, non-profits and public sector organisations. FD Recruit interviews over 5,000 executive-level finance candidates annually and has a 98% retention rate at 12 months. FD Recruit is part of Exec Recruit Group. Visit www.fdrecruit.co.uk for more information.
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