49% of United Kingdom finance staff would seek new jobs over RTO mandates

Finance RTO mandates harden across UK and Ireland

UK and Irish finance employers have tightened return-to-office rules through firm-level policies rather than legislation, with three days in the office now the dominant model in Irish financial services, reported by 32% of employees and 38% of employers.

Worker resistance has hardened in parallel. A King's College London study found only 42% of UK workers would comply with a five-day office mandate; 49% would look for another job and 9% would quit immediately. Between early 2022 and mid-2024, the share who said they would quit straight away doubled from 5% to 10%.

In Irish financial services, 51% of employees are dissatisfied with current attendance requirements and 62% said increased office time has raised their desire to leave, per Morgan McKinley research. Some 70% said they need higher pay to cover commuting costs and 64% linked office requirements to stress or burnout.

Who feels the squeeze

Front-office, middle-office and support staff are all covered by the Irish data, not just junior hires. Women in financial services report higher burnout tied to in-office work, at 69% versus 58% of men.

Senior managers aren't exempt either. Global surveys of financial-services executives show a large majority who currently work hybrid would consider leaving if pushed to five days on-site.

Expats in London, Dublin and other high-cost finance hubs face the sharpest commuting math, though the underlying surveys don't break out foreign-born workers separately. A broader Morgan McKinley poll found 92% of Irish professionals prefer hybrid or remote and 56% of those already onsite five days a week are actively job hunting.

Options for those exiting

The UK's Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 gives every employee the right to request a remote arrangement, though not the right to receive one. Requests must go through the formal employer process.

Finance professionals considering a jump to freelance or contract work should price in commuting costs against current salary before negotiating. A UK CV Genius survey found more than half of workers would trade pay or progression for remote flexibility, so leverage exists in retention conversations.

For broader context on remote-work pathways, see our nomad news feed.

Read our full United Kingdom guide for the complete picture.