Most finance and accounts hiring decisions get delayed for the same reason: nobody’s quite sure whether the gap is temporary or structural, so nothing happens until the pressure forces a decision.
By then, you’re hiring under time pressure rather than making the right call calmly.
How do you tell the difference?
A temporary gap usually has a clear end point — someone’s on leave, a project has a defined finish, or a busy period will pass. A structural gap doesn’t. If the workload was already stretching the team before anyone left, and it’ll still be stretching them after everyone’s back, that’s not a temporary problem. Bringing in short-term cover for a structural gap just delays the real decision by a few months.
Does that mean temporary staff are a lower standard?
No, and treating them that way is where most of the risk creeps in. Whether you’re bringing someone in for six weeks or hiring permanently, the screening should be identical: verified experience, proper referencing, and a clear match to what the role actually needs. The contract length doesn’t change how much you’re trusting someone with your numbers.
What does each option actually cost?
- Temporary cover: fast to start, flexible to end, but ongoing cost for as long as you need it
- Permanent hire: slower process, but a long-term fix if the gap is structural
- Delaying the decision: the option that costs the most, because the backlog keeps growing while you wait
The businesses that get this right usually run temporary cover while they search properly for a permanent hire — rather than choosing one or the other. It means the gap’s covered from day one, and the permanent search isn’t rushed just because the desk is empty.
What to do next
If you’re not sure which side of that line your current gap sits on, that’s a conversation worth having before you commit either way. Find staff today — temporary or permanent, we’ll help you work out which one actually fixes the problem.
