Finance bosses report ‘high’ stress levels
The vast majority of finance bosses in Scotland say they feel highly stressed, while there will be a probable pickup in the hiring of temporary workers in the next 12 months, a new survey has found.
imultiply, the finance and accountancy search specialist with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast, has published the results of a survey, conducted in April, of 60 finance leaders north of the Border about the impact of Covid-19.
Respondents were from a wide range of sectors including energy and utilities, construction, manufacturing, education, retail, technology, transport and the public and third sectors.
When asked whether government support initiatives were adequate, 57 per cent agreed, 20 per cent disagreed, and the rest were unsure. The study also found that 88 per cent of Scottish finance leaders are experiencing greater demands on their time, while more than 80 per cent identified feeling high levels of stress. Major challenges cited include communication and collaboration within teams – while cash-management and forecasting are current top priorities.
Additionally, in what imultiply said will be a boost for recruitment, over the next 12 months a third of those surveyed said they will need more support, most likely in the form of temporary workers.
Kirsty Mackenzie, chief executive of imultiply, said: “Planning must start now for the ‘new normal’ and it must be a race to the top, not the bottom, with people and their needs at its heart.”