Finance Under Pressure: How Recruitment Partners Are Closing the Gaps

As tax season wraps in many markets, finance leaders get a rare window to pause, assess, and plan for the next cycle. In some regions, teams are finally exhaling after months of relentless pressure. Others are heading straight into their peak quarter. Some teams held strong; others were stretched too thin. Others flexed, bringing in support from agencies or colleagues from other regions. That’s the strength of a truly flexible talent strategy: whether you’re facing tax season, year-end, or another critical crunch point, you’ve got options. 

 

No matter where your team sits, there is one thing we can all agree on: the pressure on finance, accounting, controlling and analytics is intensifying. Talent gaps are widening, digitalisation is accelerating, and workloads are surging. Leaders are left asking: How can we have the right people in the right place to keep up with change, and manage when peak or unexpected turnover hit?  

 

Now is the time to take stock. 

Traditional hiring approaches aren’t keeping pace with today’s volatility.  

 

To stay ahead, finance leaders need more than headcount. They need flexibility, speed, and a sharper view of talent risk. New leadership research from the World Employment Confederation (WEC)- co-sponsored by our parent company, Gi Group Holding, and conducted by FT Longitude - sheds light on how organisations are rethinking their workforce strategies amid rapid change. The findings reveal clear signals as to why more finance leaders are turning to recruitment firms to stay agile, close skills gaps, and prepare for what’s next. 

Drawing on these insights and our own experience in the market, we’ve identified four trends shaping how finance teams are planning, hiring, and building resilience. 

 

1. The finance talent crunch is deepening 

The profession is shrinking fast. A staggering 83% of financial leaders reported experiencing a talent shortage. In the UK, 34% of accountants say they plan to leave within the next five years, and in the US, 75% of CPAs are expected to retire by 2038.  

 

Against this backdrop, it’s no surprise that 45% of leaders surveyed in the WEC report say they plan to increase their use of agency workers.  

 

This isn’t just a temporary squeeze. In many markets, the idea of “growing your own” finance talent is no longer a given. Future capacity may depend on building an entirely different kind of talent supply chain. 

 

2. AI is raising the bar - and widening the skills gap 

The WEF ranks ‘AI & Machine Learning Specialist’ as the world’s fastest-growing job title. Unsurprisingly, the world’s 10 biggest banks grew their AI headcount by 13% in the last six months.  

 

It’s not just hiring headlines. In finance, AI is actively reshaping the day-to-day. Processes like invoice handling, expense reporting, and data entry are being absorbed by automation, freeing up time, yes, but also raising expectations. Value is shifting to people who can interpret data, master systems, think critically, and advise empathetically. As one Financial Times survey put it: 100% of finance leaders report using AI to cut costs and boost productivity. Yet many finance teams are still built around outdated skill sets.  

 

This disconnect is driving a shift in hiring logic: 41% of leaders the WEC spoke to are moving toward a skills-based approach, prioritising capability over credentials, and increasingly using assessments to validate it. In this context, agency workers are more than stopgaps; they’re accelerators: 85% of leaders said agency talent brings fresh perspectives that drive innovation. In other words, they don’t just fill gaps; they level up whole teams. 

 

So instead of asking, do they have the right degree?, maybe the better question is: can they do the work that matters now? 

 

 

3. Finance talent is going global - whether teams are ready or not. 

Local pipelines are under strain, and business leaders are adapting. A Reuters report found that US banks like Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo are expanding their operations in India, and not just for cost efficiency. They’re turning to deep, credentialed talent pools abroad to stabilise core finance functions. This isn’t just an American trend. Across Europe and Asia, organisations are quietly broadening their reach, blending contract and offshore models, and building capability across borders. 

 

But there’s a problem. Most internal hiring infrastructures still operate locally. Many teams don’t have the reach or relationships to source talent in unfamiliar markets. 

 

This is where the right agency partner matters not just for sourcing talent, but for unlocking capability in places you don’t yet have a footprint. In the WEC survey, 38% of leaders said agency talent increases workforce agility, and 36% said it gives them access to better-quality talent than permanent hiring. 

 

For finance functions under pressure to deliver globally, that kind of reach is becoming a strategic asset. 

 

 

4. Financial pressure is driving sharper resourcing choices. 

For many finance leaders, market instability has put hiring plans on hold. Backlogs are building, budgets are tightening, and the pressure to deliver hasn’t gone away. That’s why so many are turning to agency talent: to bridge last-minute gaps (38%), reduce staffing costs (30%), and keep projects moving during recruitment freezes (29%). It’s a way to add capability without adding headcount, buying time and flexibility when it matters most. 

 

Demand is especially high in sectors where delivery can’t pause, compliance is non-negotiable, and internal teams are already stretched, like real estate and construction (35%), professional services (34%), telecommunications (33%), hospitality (33%), manufacturing (32%), and financial services (28%). These industries aren’t just facing short-term spikes; many are in the middle of long-term transformation, navigating regulatory change, digitisation, or structural cost pressure. For them, the ability to bring in highly skilled finance talent at pace isn’t tactical. It’s essential. 

 

 

The finance function is evolving. So must your resourcing strategy. 
The demands are higher. The skills are shifting. And the old hiring playbook isn’t built for this level of complexity or speed. Whether you’re planning for the next cycle or futureproofing for the years ahead, the right agency talent can help you stay agile, build capability, and respond to whatever comes next. 

 

But in a volatile market, filling roles is not enough: employers must aim at getting the right people, in the right shape, at the right time. That means more than technical skills. It means culture fit, adaptability, and the judgement to land well in high-pressure environments. And that’s where the right partner makes all the difference. 

 

If you're ready to unlock the full potential of your finance team, get in touch. 
We’ll help you find the right expertise, exactly when - and where - you need it.