UK Financial Services looking for career development

- Over a third of financial services workers in the UK are actively seeking new jobs

- Career development potential rated more highly than pay increases

- One in two are dissatisfied with their current salary and benefits package

Research released today by specialist recruitment agency Robert Half Financial Services Group reveals that more than one in three (36 per cent) UK workers are actively searching for a new job. Over half (51 per cent) of finance workers cite opportunities to further their careers as the reason for seeking a new role while only 19 per cent are looking for a pay increase.

The Robert Half FSG Salary Survey shows that finance staff in London West End companies (38 per cent) top the list of those looking for new jobs, followed by London City (37 per cent) and Edinburgh (31 per cent). Finance workers in Edinburgh (80 per cent) top the list of workers in the UK searching for new jobs due to better career development opportunities followed by the West End (50 per cent), Docklands (50 per cent) and the City (43 per cent).

Neil Owen, Regional Director, Robert Half Financial Services Group, said:

ìIn todayís job market, workers are seeking positions that will keep them continuously stimulated. Companies need to take into consideration employeesí ambitions and provide training and mentoring schemes that will allow employees opportunities to develop their careers, otherwise they may seek more enticing prospects elsewhere.î

One in two (49 per cent) finance workers in the UK are unhappy with the salary and benefits package they currently receive. Workers in Edinburgh (50 per cent) are the most satisfied with their current remuneration more so than finance staff in the West End (39 per cent) and the City (37 per cent).

The survey also indicates that though companies are beginning to recognise the importance of offering a tailored benefits package to individual employees, traditional benefits such as bonuses (55 per cent), healthcare (51 per cent) and pensions (51 per cent) remain the top incentives currently offered to employees.

In contrast, the benefits most desired by finance workers are extra holidays (26 per cent), working from home (25 per cent), gym facilities (23 per cent), flexi-time (22 per cent) and share options (22 per cent) while mortgage relief (21 per cent) and company cars (18 per cent) are lower on the list.

Neil Owen, Regional Director, Robert Half Financial Services Group, said:

ìThe difference between what employees want and what employers are offering is still marked and companies will need to offer a diverse range of benefits to attract and retain staff. As the war for skilled talent continues, softer benefits such as career development opportunities, extra holidays and working from home are some of the ways in which companies can stand out from the competition.î

One in four (25%) of West End workers prefer to work from home, whilst workers in Edinburgh (38%) favour extra holidays and City workers are spilt between mortgage relief (26%) and flexi-time (26%).

The majority of women (42 per cent) would prefer to work from home whilst men are evenly split between working from home (23 per cent) and receiving share options (23 per cent).