Confidence Rises as Finance Leaders Look to Hire Again

Nearly Two Thirds (63%) of Finance Chiefs Hope to Attract Talent by Boosting Salaries

LONDON, March 15, 2010 - There are positive signs the UK job market is set to improve this year,
according to the latest 'Robert Half CFO Confidence Index'. Nearly half (47%)
of chief financial officers (CFOs) and finance directors said they felt more
or slightly more confident at the economic prospects facing their companies
in the next six months. This is a significant change from this time last
year, when 84% of finance leaders were pessimistic about their companies'
prospects.

In the bi-annual index by Robert Half, the specialist recruitment firm,
nearly one in five (17%) of the UK's CFOs said their companies would be
looking to hire permanent accounting and finance staff over the next six
months. This is a dramatic improvement from the 1% of CFOs who had plans to
add accounting and finance staff this time last year.

CFOs based in London were the most optimistic, with nearly a third (29%)
saying they resume hiring in the next six months. Rising workloads were cited
as the primary reason for increasing personnel levels (65%), with business
growth (55%) as another driver.

According to the survey, the majority of finance leaders who hope to
recruit over the next six months will be filling new graduate roles (17%) and
more junior positions (27%), which is good news for those about to set out on
their careers.

The index also revealed that two thirds (67%) of CFOs intend to maintain
their current accounting and finance staff levels in the next six months.

Commenting on the findings, Phil Sheridan, Managing Director of Robert
Half UK said:

"Our index shows that finance leaders anticipate an eventual upturn in
the UK market and are planning their hiring strategies accordingly. The
increase in confidence currently being felt by finance chiefs is promising
for job seekers looking for either permanent or temporary positions.

However, our findings also show that half of CFOs are concerned about
losing their top performers to other job opportunities. It is, therefore,
even more important that workers feel valued by employers and are given
access to training, skills development and career progression within their
firms. Salary progression is also being taken seriously, with our findings
showing that nearly two thirds (63%) of finance chiefs will be looking to
attract talent by boosting salaries."

Temporary and interim workers

The demand for interim workers also remains strong, with 63% of finance
directors indicating they would continue to use the same number of interims,
and 17% of those questioned replying they would be increasing the number of
interim workers at their company, up from the 13% of those who said the same
six months ago.

The most common reason for increasing the number of interim workers is
rising workloads (48%), nearly triple the figure from six months ago (17%),
followed by keeping labour costs flexible (42%).

Phil Sheridan continued: "While the outlook for the UK job market is
improving, some employers clearly remain cautious, and want to keep their
organisations lean and efficient. Employing temporary workers is a
cost-effective solution for managing fluctuating workloads and accessing
skilled talent."

Other findings included:

    - Large (24%) and publicly listed (30%) firms are more likely
      to hire new permanent staff over the next twelve months

    - Two thirds of finance leaders believe that the profession
      has been damaged in the past year, with CFOs saying that the public now
      view those employed in finance as untrustworthy (46%) or very
      untrustworthy (20%)

    - More than two thirds (71%) of finance chiefs feel there is
      sufficient talent on their teams to take advantage of an eventual
      upturn in the economy

The Robert Half CFO Confidence Index was compiled following a survey
conducted by independent research firm Illuminus of 180 Chief Finance
Officers from across the UK, comprising small, medium and large firms, both
private and publicly listed and across all major industry sectors. The
research was conducted in February 2010.

About Robert Half

Robert Half pioneered specialised staffing services and today is the
world's leader in the field. Founded in 1948, the company is traded on the
New York Stock Exchange (symbol: RHI) and operates four separate divisions in
the UK, each serving distinct markets. They include: Robert Half Finance &
Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and
project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance;
OfficeTeam, for highly skilled temporary administrative support and Robert
Half Financial Services Group, for high-calibre finance and banking
professionals.

There are more than 360 Robert Half locations in North America, South
America Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information about Robert
Half please visit: www.roberthalf.co.uk

    For further information, please contact:

    Alex Perry
    Burson-Marsteller
    alex.perry@bm.com
    +44(0)20-7300-6416

    Katherine Patch
    Burson-Marsteller
    katherine.patch@bm.com
    +44(0)20-7300-6106

For further information, please contact: Alex Perry, Burson-Marsteller, alex.perry at bm.com, +44(0)20-7300-6416. Katherine Patch, Burson-Marsteller, katherine.patch at bm.com, +44(0)20-7300-6106