Appeal of flexibile working grows for accountants
Flexible working is almost as effective as a pay rise when it comes to retaining staff, a new study shows.
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An emphatic 84% of professionals, including accountants, would leave their job for one with more flexible hours – almost as many as the 88% who would leave for better pay, according to a survey by Woodhurst, a recruitment consultancy.
Geraint Evans, managing consultant at Woodhurst, said: ‘Achieving a better work-life balance appears to be a higher priority for professionals and managers than some of the factors employers typically expect will lead to staff turnover.
‘This survey reveals that the margin between the appeal of flexible working and more money is a lot narrower than many employers assume. The message is clear: offering your staff more flexibility in how they work, can be as effective a retention strategy as throwing money at the problem.’
Evans warned employers to rethink their retention strategies to focus more on addressing the work-life balance.
Woodhurst interviewed UK-based management consultants, accountants and lawyers working an average of 49 hours a week.