Looking for a New Generation of Finance Pros: Data Shows It Won’t Be Easy

If you’re looking for a new generation of finance professionals — or just trying to hire one or a handful — you’re likely at a disadvantage.

According to BambooHR’s latest report on talent in the finance industry:

• Entry-level positions are being replaced by AI
• New hires quit within the first year
• The finance industry’s growth has significantly slowed, and
• The finance workforce is aging and dissatisfied.

“This is a wake-up call for senior finance leaders who need to pay closer attention to their talent strategy before the market forces their hand,” says Justin Judd, Chief Financial Officer at BambooHR.

New Generation Crunch

The numbers reveal a relatively fragile finance talent model — and leaders might be to blame for it.

“The 3-to-1 senior-to-entry hiring ratio could be the new operating model for efficiency in the AI era, but the finance organizations that adopt this structure without a clear career growth plan risk losing the trust of their tenured people,” says Judd. “The costly pinch will come from experienced talent who leave for better opportunities when the market thaws, and a junior pipeline that no longer sees the benefit of a finance career.”

Let’s take a closer look at the numbers. In the finance industry:

• Net growth is flat, with the hiring-turnover gap at just 0.4 percentage points — with a 6% hiring proportion rate and turnover at 5.6%
• The ratio of senior-to-entry roles is now 3-to-1
• Same goes for hiring: For every entry-level role posted, there are three senior roles posted
• Finance pros with 3+ years of experience make up 54% of the workforce — and they’re the least satisfied, with an employee Net Promoter Score of 34 (the overall eNPS is 40), and
• A third of all new hires quit within the first year and same-month exits doubled since 2020 to 60%.

What Does the Finance Industry Do Now?

“Every finance organization must decide: Are we using this moment to make permanent structural changes and redefine our talent strategy, or are we just deferring maintenance on a broken pipeline?” asks Judd. “Leaders must be transparent with their experienced employees about the path forward, or they will decide their own path with the competition.”

BambooHR experts suggest three strategies to move talent strategy in the right direction:

1. Rebuild the Entry-Level Pipeline

Using AI to replace entry-level employees and routine tasks may sound tempting because of cost savings, but it’ll likely leave you with bigger talent gaps down the line — for instance, a weakened or non-existent leadership pool.

BambooHR recommends leaders “commit to a minimum ratio of early-career hires as a percentage of total headcount, and treat it like a strategic investment, not a cost center.”

Some ways: Create structured rotational programs, apprenticeships or new roles that pair — not replace — junior talent with AI tools. The goal isn’t to hire junior people to do repetitive tasks; AI can do that. It’s to prepare them to become senior talent you’ll need down the road.

2. Revamp the Early Days

A third of the new generation of finance pros walk out within 90 days of starting the job. That could be an onboarding issue.

BambooHR’s advice: “Audit your onboarding experience with the same rigor you’d apply to a financial audit.”

The biggest issue is usually the expectation gap: New employees are told how the job will play out, and the experience isn’t that reality.

Try dedicated onboarding partners. Execute 30/60/90-day check-ins with real feedback.

3. Re-engage Veteran Employees

Veteran employees aren’t likely going anywhere fast, but they aren’t necessarily happy where they are.

“Tenured employees aren’t staying because they’re loyal. They’re staying because they’re stuck,” BambooHR researchers pointed out.

How so? Nearly 70% said financial stability was the main reason they’re staying in their jobs. But they’d consider leaving because of:

• Lack of growth opportunities (53%), and
• Burnout (49%).

Start with stay interviews. Don’t rely on annual reviews or surveys to find out “how things are going.”

Also, create visible career progression paths that keep employees with you and happy to be with you.