For years, most employers worked on the assumption that a one-month notice period was standard. Fast forward to 2025, and that reality has changed — especially in senior finance and accountancy roles. Today, three-month notice periods are the new norm.
This shift has a big impact on how businesses plan their hiring strategy for 2026. If you want finance professionals in place for January, you need to understand how notice periods reshape the hiring timeline.
The Trend: Longer Notice Periods Across Senior Finance Roles
Finance recruitment trends show that:
- Mid-to-senior roles (£40k+ salaries) typically carry three-month notice periods.
- Senior leadership and finance controller positions can stretch even longer.
- Candidates themselves expect more measured, strategic hiring processes.
This means that the old approach — waiting until Q4 to hire for a January start — is no longer workable.
Why This Matters for January 2026 Hiring
Let’s run the maths:
- September interviews → October offers → January start.
- Delay until November → Your preferred candidate is already off the market.
The risk isn’t just missing out on one candidate. It’s losing the entire top tier of talent to competitors who planned earlier.
Hiring Advice: Building Around Notice Periods
If you’re mapping out your 2026 workforce, here are three practical steps:
- Work backwards. Fix your January start date, then set September as your target interview window.
- Engage recruiters now. Finance recruitment agencies with deep pipelines can introduce candidates already considering a move.
- Plan for notice + onboarding. A three-month notice period isn’t just a delay; it’s also time to prepare induction, training, and team alignment.
Notice periods aren’t a barrier — they’re a planning signal. The firms who adjust now will start 2026 with the talent they need in place. Those who don’t will be playing catch-up well into Q1.
