Flexible Working

The industry-wide push toward increased office attendance over the past couple of years is now reaching an equilibrium in 2026. Flexible hours have declined slightly from last year, and while more while more respondents now say they have some form of remote flexibility, the number of days has widely been compressed toward one or two days rather than three or more.

For employers, the specifics matter. Reducing remote arrangements without good rationale or offsetting with other benefits will only generate attrition among professionals who built their working lives around a different expectation.

QUESTION 15

Are your working hours flexible in your current role?

Yes

No

QUESTION 16

Do you have flexibility to work remotely in your current role? If yes, how many days per week can you work remotely on average?

0%

No

0%

1 day a week

0%

2 days a week

0%

3 days a week

0%

4 days a week

0%

My role is fully remote

“The data tells us that people have fewer remote days than they did last year, and that matches what we’re seeing on the ground. Companies are requiring more in-person time, and the market has adjusted around that. But the expectation for some level of flexibility is still there, and employers who take it away entirely without a compelling reason will feel it in their pipeline.”

Ryan Mazza, Managing Director - Selby Jennings USA

Remote working levels were significantly lower in large finance hubs like New York, where only 14% of respondents said they worked fully remotely, and 59% said they could work remotely either 1 or 2 days a week.

Sector insights: Insurance & actuarial respondents were most likely to have flexible working hours (74%), and were most likely to have fully remote roles (51%), while those working in risk management, quants, sales & trading, and accounting & finance most reported having little to no workplace flexibility.

Flexible Working Expectations & Motivations

Flexible working is almost universally important among financial services professionals - and 7% fewer respondents are willing to accept a fully office-based role than last year. While the majority said they would not take a pay cut for better flexibility, that does not mean they are indifferent to it - it means they expect it to come with the package, not be traded against it.

QUESTION 17

How important is flexible working when considering a new opportunity?

0%

Very important

0%

Important

0%

Unimportant

0%

Very unimportant

QUESTION 18

Would you accept a new job offer if the role required you to come into the office/on-site full-time?

Yes

No

QUESTION 19

Would you accept a lower salary for better flexible working options?

Yes

No

“Our advice to employers is to be flexible. If you can offer some form of flexible working, you should be offering it. Candidates are not expecting to work from home five days a week, but they are expecting that the conversation happens and that there is genuine give in the arrangement. Firms that are rigid across the board are going to find the talent pool narrowing faster than they realize.”