EMPLOYING PART TIME MEMBERS OF STAFF

Attracting Top Finance Talent in South Yorkshire in 2026: Employer Strategies That Stand Out

Historically, the best finance professionals have not only been in high demand but have also had increasingly high expectations — and in today’s competitive South Yorkshire finance market, that reality is truer than ever. For over 33 years, Sharp Consultancy has been working closely with businesses across Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Barnsley. In that time, we’ve witnessed firsthand how the landscape of finance recruitment has evolved. When it comes to attracting and securing top-tier finance talent, we know what works — and, perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t. Local Reputation Matters More Than Ever In South Yorkshire especially, local reputation counts. Candidates talk, and businesses talk. The region’s finance community is tightly knit, and news travels fast — both good and bad. Employers who invest in building a strong, authentic brand that reflects real employee experiences tend to win out. That means it’s not enough to simply advertise a competitive salary or an attractive job title. Modern candidates want to understand what life inside your business looks like — the day-to-day culture, the leadership style, and the opportunities for growth. Visibility through employee stories, community engagement, and transparent communication all help to create a reputation that draws people in rather than pushes them away. What Candidates Want in Today’s Market In 2026, the expectations of finance professionals have broadened significantly, particularly at the qualified level. While salary remains important, it’s no longer the sole deciding factor. In fact, some of the best offers we see accepted each year aren’t the highest in monetary terms — they’re the most considered and holistic. Top candidates want to join businesses that offer purpose, balance, and progression. They look for roles that align with their values and allow them to contribute meaningfully, while still developing their technical and commercial skillsets. If you want to attract the best, you must clearly articulate what sets your company apart — your Employer Value Proposition (EVP). Ask yourself: What makes working with you different? Is it access to senior leadership, commercial exposure, or involvement in exciting transformation projects? What development or training support do you offer? Are there structured pathways, mentoring programmes, or professional study sponsorships? How flexible are you? Can employees work hybrid schedules, compressed hours, or part-time to suit their lifestyles? What additional perks or benefits do you provide — from wellness initiatives to social impact days or volunteering opportunities? The most successful employers communicate these points clearly, consistently, and confidently — both during recruitment and throughout the employee lifecycle. The Need for Speed and Agility Another critical factor in attracting top talent is speed. In a fast-moving market, long or disjointed hiring processes can easily result in losing outstanding candidates. Strong finance professionals are rarely on the market for long, and delays at the offer or feedback stage can make the difference between securing or losing your preferred hire. Where possible, streamline your recruitment process. Ensure hiring managers are aligned on the role requirements, keep communication clear, and aim to deliver feedback promptly. Demonstrating decisiveness reflects positively on your business and reinforces the message that you value candidates’ time and enthusiasm. Transparency Builds Trust We’ve seen a notable shift in what candidates are asking during interviews. Increasingly, they want to know why a role is vacant. Is it due to growth, internal promotion, or turnover? A vague answer or a history of short-lived hires can quickly raise red flags. Conversely, when a company can confidently articulate its purpose, culture, and long-term vision, candidates engage more readily — and are more likely to accept offers. Our clients who have invested in defining and communicating these messages attract stronger pipelines of finance professionals, often before roles even go live. A clear, honest narrative about your organisation not only draws in talent but helps retain it too. Partner with a True Specialist If you’re looking to recruit the best talent in the market, the right partnership can make all the difference. Working with a true specialist who understands your business, your sector, and the nuances of the South Yorkshire market will save time and boost your hiring outcomes. At Sharp Consultancy, our clients benefit from: Pre-qualified shortlists of candidates who are thoroughly vetted for skills, culture fit, and long-term potential. Access to passive candidates, many of whom we’ve nurtured relationships with over years and who may not be actively searching. Honest feedback on your employer brand and market perception — so you can make informed improvements that strengthen future recruitment efforts. Because of our deep local networks, we often know when an outstanding finance professional is about to enter the market. That insight gives our clients a competitive edge in securing the very best talent before others are even aware they’re available. Going Beyond Recruitment Our role extends well beyond active recruitment. We pride ourselves on offering genuine consultative advice, including: Salary benchmarking and market insights Case studies from recent successful hires Ongoing check-ins and relationship management — not just when you have a live vacancy This proactive approach means that when you are ready to hire, we already understand your business, your values, and the type of people who will thrive in your environment. Contact Jack to Discuss Our Services-- Attracting the best finance talent in South Yorkshire takes more than a strong job spec and a competitive package. It’s about authenticity, agility, and alignment — knowing who you are as a business, what you stand for, and who you want to work alongside. After more than 30 years supporting companies across the region, Sharp Consultancy continues to help employers build finance teams that not only perform — but stay, grow, and make a real impact.

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There are approximate 8.4 million part time workers in the UK. For businesses of all sizes there are a huge range of advantages to employing members of staff on a part time basis – but there are also several challenges which must be taken into consideration.

Advantages and disadvantages to employing part time members of staff:

Keeping costs down. Employing somebody on a part time basis can be an effective way to reduce staff costs in roles where there isn’t necessarily a need for someone on a full time basis.

Attracting the best talent. Having the option of part time work can help both with recruitment and staff retention; part time work can be attractive to parents with young families or those approaching the later years in their careers and are looking to reduce their hours. These people can offer a wealth of skills and experience and offering flexible and/or family friendly working arrangements can lead to improvements in staff retention.

Flexibility. Part time employees can enable a company to ensure that it has the right number of people in the right roles during times when business demands are greater. Roles and working hours can be determined around a variety of scenarios and may be fixed with an individual working fewer hours each day or working set days or alternatively a part time employee may work shifts which could vary on a week to week basis. There are also options around employing members of staff on term-time contacts or on a job share basis.

Staff morale and productivity. It’s not just part time employees themselves who can benefit; they can alleviate the pressure of workloads on full time members of staff – particularly if a business is relying upon overtime to keep up with demand – and therefore help reduce stress and combat low levels of staff morale in the workplace.

Additional costs. Part time workers can impact on costs and businesses need to consider that employing individuals on a part time basis can lead to additional expense – for example with benefits and training.

Recruiting part time employees:

As an employer, you will need to determine whether a particular role would be suited to a part time working arrangement. To do this you will need to take into account:

Objectives and outcomes. Establish what you want the employee to achieve and consider what time is needed to do each aspect of the role. Also think about the particular skills and personal attributes that will be needed and include these in a detailed specification.

Working hours. Think about whether there are elements of the job which have to be done on certain days or at certain times – this will help you understand how much flexibility there is in the hours you would require the successful candidate to work. Also consider whether the role is to be created on a part time only or job share basis.

Recruitment process and interviews. Make the process as convenient to those looking to work part time as possible to attract the best candidates; part time opportunities can open up the recruitment pool to applicants who may not have considered the position if it was on a full time basis. Try and schedule interviews at times which suit the part time hours being offered i.e. on the relevant days.

Managing part time employees:

It is important to consider how part time employees will fit into your existing team structure and to also give thought to how you will effectively communicate and manage those who are not working full time hours.

Communications. You must make sure that all part time workers receive all staff communications; you may need to contact them by phone, email or text message if they are not at work on a day when you make an important announcement or send out a message for the first time. For staff meetings and company briefings, try to find a time when all team members will be available or if this is not possible, hold additional sessions which will give every employee an opportunity to attend.

Flexibility. Establish whether your part time workers can work additional hours on major projects or attend meetings which fall outside their normal working hours. Are they happy to be contacted by you on days that they are not at work?

Training. Part time employees should have access to the same training courses which you offer to full time members of the team; consider if you need to make adjustments to how these are delivered i.e. inclusion of home study time and condensing particular elements of the course.

Employing part time members of staff:

Part time workers must be treated equally to comparable full-time employees who work for the same company and perform similar roles under the same type of employment contract. This includes:

Salary / rates of pay
Access to occupational pension scheme
Training, career development opportunities and consideration for promotion
Right to receive enhanced sick, maternity, paternity, adoption leave and pay as well as parental leave and dependents leave
Pro rata contractual benefits such as paid annual leave and staff discounts

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to speak to a member of our team about your recruitment needs.