Introduction
After several years of widespread flexibility, banks and insurance companies are beginning to shift course: a gradual return to the office.
BNY Mellon, Barclays, HSBC, and the Royal Bank of Canada have all announced mandatory on-site attendance of at least 3 to 4 days per week.
In France, more and more players in the financial sector are following this trend, at the risk of weakening their appeal to talent.
For recruiters specializing in banking, insurance, and asset management, this shift poses a real challenge: how can they convince candidates to join companies that are cutting back on remote work?
1. The big return to on-site work
The arguments put forward by management are clear:
- strengthen corporate culture,
- stimulate collaboration and innovation,
- improve training for young employees
- and maintain supervision in line with regulatory requirements.
Financial institutions emphasize that performance and data security are easier to ensure in a controlled physical environment.
As a result, in 2025, North American banks require an average on-site presence of 4.2 days per week, compared to 3.4 days for their European counterparts (source: GuruFocus, April 2025).
However, this policy, seen by many employees as a step backward, is disrupting the balance of the job market.
2. A direct impact on employer attractiveness
➠Do you work in niche areas such as actuarial science, quantitative finance, risk, or compliance?
For over 15 years, we have collaborated with leading financial institutions and insurance firms. As market leaders in France, we are entering a phase of acceleration, with ambitious projects planned over the next three years. Our goal is to solidify our presence in France while expanding primarily into Germany and Luxembourg to strengthen our position across Europe. Explore our open positions or contact us if you are currently recruiting in our niches.
3. What recruiters can do
In this context of rising tension, the role of specialized recruitment firms has become crucial.
On the employer side, we help companies rethink their messaging:
– highlight team culture, training, and internal career growth;
– explain the reasons behind the return (security, client proximity, knowledge transfer);
– and maintain genuine flexibility (fixed days, adjusted hours, partial remote work).
On the candidates’ side, we focus on transparency:
– clarify the exact on-site requirements;
– contextualize the benefits of the role (projects, stability, international environment);
– and, when possible, negotiate tailored flexibility.
In several recent assignments, we’ve seen hiring processes unblocked through a compromise: three days in the office and two days remote, combined with enhanced onboarding and close managerial support when relevant.
4. Conclusion: toward a new trust contract
Remote work isn’t disappearing, it’s being redefined.
Banks and insurers must recognize that flexibility has now become a key lever for HR competitiveness. Those who succeed in combining company culture, performance, and agility will maintain an advantage in the recruitment market. For their part, professionals need to take into account the specific constraints and priorities of these institutions, which may at times outweigh their personal preferences.
➠ Discover the career opportunities available with our prestigious clients.
Visit our job page where you will find our permanent job offers and our external service missions.
Auteur : Emerique Opou
Founder and CEO of Emérique & Partners
London, United Kingdom
Named to Staffing Industry Analysts‘ Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list in 2022, Emérique has over 15 years’ expertise in recruiting niche profiles in banking and insurance.
Its rich pan-European experience has enabled it to build a solid network of professionals in the banking and insurance sectors, including actuaries, quantitative finance experts, risk managers and audit and compliance experts.
In 2024, Emérique & Partners was a finalist in the Recruitment industry, entrepreneur of the year category at the Recruiter Awards in London.
In 2024, she was also a finalist in the SME national business awards in the ‘business woman of the year’ category in the United Kingdom. Every quarter, Emérique analyses the major trends in the French and European banking and insurance markets.
His rich pan-European experience has enabled him to build a solid network of professionals in the banking and insurance sectors, notably with actuaries, quantitative finance experts, risk managers, and compliance experts.
Emérique & Partners recruits exclusively at executive and senior management levels.
Every month, Emerique deciphers the major trends in the French and European banking and insurance market.
Are you an expert in the banking or insurance sector? Check out our latest opportunities.
