Salary and flexibility increasingly important to finance professionals during pandemic
A new study from the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library, reveals that salary (66.7%), location (53.3%) and flexible working hours (31.1%) are the most important factors that finance professionals are looking for in a new job right now.
The study surveyed 1,100 professionals and asked them which of the following factors did they value the most when considering a new job. It reveals that the ability to work from home is also important to finance professionals. The full list includes:
- Salary – 66.7%
- Location – 53.3%
- Flexible working hours – 31.1%
- Ability to work from home – 26.7%
- The company’s culture – 24.4%
- Benefits package – 20%
- Job security – 17.8%
- Development opportunities – 17.8%
- Job title – 13.3%
- The company’s brand – 4.4%
Interestingly, professionals in the industry appear more concerned about working from home than the average Brit. In fact, only 12.3% of respondents overall said this was important, compared to 24.4% of workers in the industry. Alongside this, while 73.8% of Brits felt salary was important, this number dropped to 66.7% amongst finance professionals.
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “Everyone has their own agenda when it comes to work or looking for a new job, but it’s interesting to see what professionals are finding the most important right now. Especially as more people are recognising the importance of working from home during the pandemic. The fact that the figures shift quite significantly in the industry is something employers should pay attention to, especially when it comes to attracting, recruiting and retaining top talent.”
The findings reveal that the industries where professionals are most concerned with job security include property (50%), public sector (37%), manufacturing (36.1%), construction (31.6%), administration (32.8%), engineering (30.5%), education (21.7%), social care (21.2%), hospitality (20.7%) and finance (17.8%).
Biggins continues: “Although the market is shifting and there’s less pressure on employers to target passive candidates, it’s still important to understand what professionals want from their next role. These sorts of factor should absolutely be mentioned in your job adverts to make them as appealing as possible and to encourage the right people to apply.”