Research
Our ongoing research supports our core work, helps to shape the debate on skills and influence policy for the UK Financial Services sector.
If you would like to collaborate with us on a research project please contact us.
Future Skills Report 2023
27 April 2023
This report highlights increasing demand for 13 future skills, including data analytics, cyber security, software development and coaching, identified by FS firms over the last 12 months as critical for the sector’s sustainable growth. Despite organisations’ increasing their focus on skills forecasting and upskilling, demand for these future skills is approximately 20% short of supply, further widening the industry’s existing skills gaps. Findings from the report show data analytics skills are most in demand, with 1 in 8 job roles in financial services now technology centric – double the proportion of the wider economy. Furthermore, firms believe that the ongoing skills shortages are increasing operating costs and existing staff workloads, impeding opportunities for innovation and growth across the industry.
Menopause in the Workplace: Progress and Priorities' April 2024
24/04/2023
This summary report produced in partnership with Standard Chartered, outlines the action undertaken by Financial Services Skills Commission members and wider industry on addressing the many barriers facing menopausal women in the workplace, which were highlighted in our initial research published in October 2021. The report outlines progress is being made by firms through the delivery of education and training initiatives and the menopause is now a Boardroom priority. This will ultimately help the industry retain and progress talent and build more inclusive working environments.
Inclusion Measurement Guide (Updated from July 2021)
14 July 2022
Our Inclusion Measurement Guide enables organisations to measure inclusion in three priority areas: analyse the behaviours and actions of employees, measure inclusion for the first time, as well as assist firms who are already using inclusion metrics to develop their existing data and analysis. This Guide is updated one year on from its original launch based on learnings from the pilot survey ran in partnership with Financial Services Culture Board (FSCB) in October 2021. We have revised the survey questionnaire based on FSCB’s cognitive testing insights and added a question on stereotyping as well as an updated list of demographic characteristics which firms can use to strengthen their internal metrics. Firms will be able to gain a more in-depth picture of inclusion across their workforce, identifying areas for development and improvement.
Mind the gaps – Skills for the future of financial services 2022
24 March 2022
Our Future Skills report consolidates our member firms' insight on future skills and best practice in skills forecasting. Based on data from our Skills Gap Survey, our Member Survey, interviews and workshops, we have identified a set of five skills - three technical skills and two behaviours - which are crucial to future business success.
Inclusion across financial services: piloting a common approach to measurement
23 February 2022
This report represents the largest sector survey in the UK on inclusion to date with over 3,000 employee responses. The findings showed that, while the majority of employees surveyed felt their managers promoted an inclusive environment at work, individual experiences differed by (for example) disability, ethnicity, tenure and leadership responsibility. This was particularly the case when it came to concerns relating to being stereotyped, speaking up about issues, and the perceived fairness of workplace processes.
Skills for future success: How financial, professional, and business services can address skills challenges to deliver recovery and growth in UK regions and nations
28 June 2021
The ‘Skills for Future Success’ report sets out how financial, professional and business services can address skills challenges to deliver recovery and growth in UK regions and nations.
Financial Services Skills Commission Marketing Guidelines
May 2021
The FSSC Marketing Guidelines set out key benefits to working in the FS sector which we recommend highlighting in career marketing materials and job applications to improve the attractiveness of the sector. Through a collaborative approach, consistent messaging from multiple firms should begin to change opinions of working in FS.
Diversity Data: The challenges of data collection and developing a culture of self-reporting
October 2020
Improved diversity and inclusion leads to better diversity of thought and therefore better business outcomes. Having the data available to analyse diversity is the crucial first step to being able to target improvements in workforce diversity and inclusion. Here we explore some of the barriers to collecting diversity data and how these can be addressed, highlighting examples of best practice.
The Future of Work: Lessons from a pandemic
October 2020
COVID-19 has profoundly shifted how financial services workers want to do their jobs in the future. The sector has been able to successfully transition to a remote working model, with 78% of financial services workers surveyed saying they’ve been able to work effectively from home during this period. But the skills needs of those workers have changed, and what they want from their employers in future has shifted. Read our new research, conducted with KPMG, on the lessons from the pandemic.
Sixth Floor, Fitzwilliam House,
St. Mary Axe,
London
EC3A 8BF
Copyright Financial Skills Services Commission Limited 2023 | Built by Bravand
