According to research from CV-Library, 56% of finance professionals believe that working from nine to five is the most outdated working tradition, with having to work in the office everyday coming a close second (50%).

Around 44% are against long meetings, 31% hate having to call in when they are sick rather than email or text and a quarter of professionals want to see professional dress codes and annual performance reviews banished.

Other outdated traditions which finance professionals want to see abandoned include signing birthday cards for every employee (22%), set workspaces (19%), set lunch hours (10%) and employee of the month schemes (6%).

Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library said: ‘It’s no surprise that the 9-5 working day is viewed as the most outdated tradition. Flexible working in lieu of these traditional working hours is a particularly hot topic right now and is something that candidates should seriously consider when searching for work.

Although 17% of finance professionals believe that it is up to businesses to decide if they want to hold onto traditions, the majority (78%) agree that businesses need to reconsider outdated traditions in the office. If companies fail to update the way they run their workplace, nearly half (49%) of workers in the industry said they would leave to join a more modern company. 

Biggins said: ‘In an increasingly candidate-driven market, employees should be aware of their power to influence change in the workspace. Stuffy office traditions can have a strong impact on morale and if you do not feel as if your employer acknowledges this, it could be worth exploring employment with a company that’s more receptive to your needs.

‘However, you should not be put off by companies that do not offer exactly what you are looking for. It is great to know what you want from your workplace, but sometimes finding a happy medium is the best option.’

Report by Amy Austin