Could Your Best Next Hire Live Outside Your Region

Over the last couple of years we have seen an interesting shift across Surrey, the Southeast and the wider Accountancy and Tax marketplace. Whilst many firms continue to recruit within relatively traditional geographical boundaries, some particularly successful appointments we have supported have come from candidates living outside of a firm’s immediate region.

Flexible and remote working have changed how some experienced Accountancy and Tax professionals assess career opportunities and equally how some firms approach recruitment strategies.

For employers facing talent shortages or increasingly competitive hiring conditions, remaining open-minded around geography can create access to highly experienced talent which may otherwise have been overlooked.

The Senior Talent Pool is Evolving

Whilst salary naturally remains important, many experienced professionals are making career decisions based on a much broader range of considerations including flexibility, reduced commuting, family commitments, work-life balance and longer-term lifestyle priorities.

We are increasingly seeing highly experienced individuals move away from long-hours, city-centred careers in favour of positions which better align with personal circumstances as well as their career ambitions.

Importantly, this should not be mistaken for reduced ambition or capability. In many cases firms are gaining access to exceptionally experienced professionals who simply value different priorities at this stage in their careers.

Remote and hybrid working have widened the available talent pool considerably. Firms are no longer restricted to candidates within daily commuting distance, creating opportunities to engage with experienced returners, relocated professionals, part-time senior candidates and individuals seeking greater flexibility around how and where they work.

For some firms this can create access to candidates who may never have entered their recruitment process and as such their talent is welcomed.

What Firms May Be Missing

One of the more interesting shifts we are seeing is that not every senior candidate is solely focused on achieving the highest possible salary.

Career decisions are becoming increasingly personal and individual rather than simply driven by headline remuneration. Flexibility, autonomy, meaningful work, reduced travel and working arrangements which genuinely support lifestyle priorities are all influencing how experienced professionals assess opportunities.

This is not about undervaluing experienced individuals. It is about creating arrangements which genuinely work for both sides.

In certain circumstances, firms may gain access to highly experienced professionals at salary levels which previously may have appeared difficult to achieve, particularly where the wider opportunity aligns closely with a candidate’s priorities and preferred way of working.

Remote Hiring Will Not Suit Every Role

Naturally, remote hiring will not suit every firm or every position. Some businesses remain highly office-led in their culture and approach, and there will always be roles where physical presence is important.

However many senior professionals are highly autonomous, self-managed and experienced in maintaining strong client relationships whilst working independently.

Culture and team connection can still be developed through regular communication, planned collaboration, clear expectations and occasional travel where appropriate.

The key consideration is often assessing suitability on a role-by-role basis rather than dismissing flexible hiring approaches entirely.

A More Flexible Approach to Hiring

The most successful hiring outcomes are increasingly built around alignment rather than simply benchmarking salaries against traditional market expectations.

Firms willing to “think” more broadly around flexibility and geography are often creating access to experienced talent which may otherwise remain outside their reach.

Every hire is different however some of the strongest outcomes we are seeing are coming from firms wishing to have wider conversations around how senior roles can work successfully in today’s evolving market.

If you are considering a senior hire and would like insight into how flexibility and changing working patterns are influencing the Accountancy and Tax market, the Fletcher George team would be delighted to arrange a confidential conversation.

Lisa Wintrip, Director