The generational divide on work ethos is a top challenge for many mid-tier accountancy firms, according to new research from the ICAEW.
Some 58% of firms identified contrasting attitudes to work between staff as one of the top three talent challenges.
ICAEW’s report said that while generational diversity can enhance creativity and understanding within teams, it also introduces varying expectations regarding communication styles and work-life balance.
And, these can be difficult to reconcile.
The study also found mid-tier firms find recruiting trainees ‘less of a challenge’. Just 3% of firms ranked this among their top three concerns (compared to 10% in 2024).
Interestingly, some 47% of these firms expect to increase their annual trainee intake over the next three years, with another 36% keeping intake numbers steady.
Firms do seem to have moved their focus onto school leavers rather than graduates, although the changes to apprenticeship funding might change that!
ICAEW’s Will Holt said the announcement on funding restrictions for those starting Level 7 apprenticeships aged 22 and over was disappointing. The unintended consequences of this decision will undoubtedly impact many firms and the skills pipeline, he ventured.
For more see: ICAEW report, Evolution of Mid-Tier Accountancy Firms 2025
