ASK THE EXPERT - HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN JOB OFFERS

Economic Outlook Roundtable: What Yorkshire’s Finance Leaders Are Saying About Growth, Hiring and the Road Ahead

Senior finance professionals from across Yorkshire recently joined Sharp Consultancy for an exclusive roundtable discussion featuring an economic update from Paul Mount, Economist and Deputy Agent at the Bank of England. The session provided a timely, in-depth look at the UK’s economic landscape — followed by a candid conversation about what businesses are experiencing on the ground.The picture that emerged was one of cautious realism. While official forecasts point to easing inflation and a gradual return to stability, many organisations across the region continue to navigate weak demand, rising labour costs, tightening legislation and stalled investment projects. Yet despite these pressures, there remains a strong sense of resilience and adaptability — qualities that have long defined the Yorkshire business community. At Sharp Consultancy, our specialist finance and accountancy teams speak daily to employers and professionals across commerce, industry, public practice and the not-for-profit sector. What we heard in this session closely aligns with the insight we gather from clients and candidates across the region. Below, we explore the key themes shaping business confidence, recruitment activity and the outlook for 2026. Inflation Is Easing, but Confidence Has Yet to Follow The Bank of England outlined its latest central forecast: Inflation expected to gradually return toward the 2% target. GDP growth set to remain modest but stable through 2026. Interest rates anticipated to settle around 3.5% based on market expectations. Unemployment projected to hold near 5%. However, the sentiment in the room was clear: despite improving headline numbers, confidence across most sectors remains fragile. Many organisations described the environment as “flat” — not contracting, but unable to capitalise fully on opportunities due to economic uncertainty. Sharp Consultancy continues to see this play out: businesses are stabilising rather than expanding, focusing on cash management, operational efficiency and carefully controlled hiring. Labour Costs Continue to Reshape Workforce Strategies Wage pressures were a recurring theme throughout the discussion. Employers highlighted: Significant increases to the National Living Wage. Higher employer National Insurance contributions. Expected future changes to minimum wage equalisation for younger workers. Rising cost and complexity associated with apprenticeships. These factors are pushing up costs at every level of the workforce and reshaping recruitment behaviours. Across Sharp Consultancy’s accountancy and finance divisions, we are seeing: Strong demand for replacement hires where roles are business critical. Lower volumes of growth hires, particularly in commercial and project-focused appointments. Clients increasingly prioritising candidates who bring breadth, adaptability and long-term value. Construction & Infrastructure: Capacity Under Pressure Leaders from the construction sector painted a challenging picture — one mirrored by many Sharp Consultancy clients operating across the wider built environment. Key themes included: Planning delays of 9–10 months, particularly related to the Building Safety Act. Businesses holding on to workforce capacity despite reduced margins — a strategy that may not be sustainable in 2026. Difficulty justifying new capital expenditure under IFRS when future cashflows are uncertain. Concerns that smaller subcontractors may not withstand prolonged delays or reduced demand.Yet, attendees also highlighted that construction could become a catalyst for economic recovery — provided policy reform and planning improvements unlock stalled projects. Manufacturing: Rising Costs and Shifting OperationsLeaders representing manufacturing shared concerns around: Rising energy and operational costs. Increased frequency of site closures and offshoring. Significant challenges in attracting engineering and technical talent. Early signs of contraction in several sub-sectors, with aerospace a notable exception. These pressures reinforce the growing importance of finance leaders who can model scenarios, manage volatility and guide long-term planning — roles Sharp Consultancy continues to support across the manufacturing landscape. Charity & Public Sector Organisations Facing Acute Strain For organisations reliant on local authority funding, the challenges are particularly stark. Attendees reported: Government and council funding caps. Rising NI, wage costs and VAT changes adding millions to annual budgets. Increasingly complex consultation requirements under forthcoming employment legislation. The likelihood of significant cuts to the frontline services in the months ahead.Sharp Consultancy’s continues to work closely with organisations navigating these pressures, supporting clients through restructuring, recruitment challenges and financial planning needs. Recruitment Outlook: Stability Over Expansion Across sectors, the message was consistent: 2026 is expected to be cautious, steady and focused on maintaining capability rather than expanding headcount. Attendees forecast: Workforce levels remaining broadly flat. Hiring driven by essential replacement roles. Transformation, M&A and large-scale project hiring likely to remain subdued. Improved recruitment confidence only once interest rates and policy direction stabilise. For employers, this means sharper competition for high-quality finance talent — an area where Sharp Consultancy’s specialist teams continue to provide targeted, market-led support. What Comes Next? A Slow but Steady Rebuild Despite the challenges discussed, the roundtable ended on a constructive note. Many leaders believe that once interest rates settle and stalled investment begins to move, the region could see a more meaningful upturn — potentially from 2026 onwards. Yorkshire businesses have proven time and again that they are resourceful, resilient and ready to adapt. Sharp Consultancy remains committed to supporting them through every stage — whether stabilising teams, recruiting future leaders, or navigating the next phase of growth. If you’d like to understand what these economic trends mean for your business or team, speak to our specialist consultants for a confidential market discussion. Contacts Us

Read article

I’ve been lucky enough to have been offered two jobs – what should I be looking at to make my decision about which one to accept?

First of all, congratulations! What a great result. For many this would be an enviable position to be in, but it is understandable that this can be a difficult decision to make – and it’s not one that you should feel rushed into making.

Let’s start off with what you shouldn’t do in this situation – don’t try to play each company off against each other. Whilst they have both selected you as their preferred candidate, if they sense that you are not genuine about wanting to come on board they could rethink their offer; and if both companies get that sense you could find yourself in a very tricky situation!

That is not to say that there shouldn’t be room for negotiation, however the sensible approach is to only negotiate with one company and in order to work out which is your preferred offer, there are a number of things that you need to take into consideration.

Don’t immediately assume that the offer that comes with the highest salary is automatically the ‘best’. There are many other factors which contribute to a strong job offer and you should weigh each of these up and apply the ‘benefit’ to where you are in your career and what you want to get out of the move.

Ask yourself:

What are the opportunities for progression?

A company might be offering a high salary now, but what opportunities can they offer for further growth and progression? Consider what you wanted to achieve career-wise from this move – does one company come closer to enabling you achieve your goals? Weigh up any differences in the role that you will be doing – are there aspects which interest you more than others? Do either offer further training opportunities? It can be easy to overlook some of these factors when presented with a more attractive salary but do not underestimate the value of job satisfaction and future opportunities.

Can you achieve a better work life balance?

Your reasons for looking for a new role might not be purely motivated by a desire to gain a promotion or undertake additional opportunities. If you are looking to achieve a better work life balance, then it is important to take into account each company’s approach to flexible working.

The last 12 months have made almost every company reconsider its homeworking policy so it’s important that you ask for clarity as to how they foresee these arrangements continuing in the short, medium and long term. You should also try to look ahead to a time when you may be more office based – does one company have a longer commute? Are there costs associated with parking or taking public transport that you need to account for?

Do they have a good reputation as an employer?

Whilst there are lots of areas that can be open to negotiation, the one element that you will not be able to change is the culture and values held by the organisation itself. What reputation do they have in the industry? Try to find out what you can from current or previous employees or see what their customers and clients are saying about what it is like to work with them. Also consider what your gut instinct told you in the interviews – did you get a good feeling from the interviewer? How did they sell the role and what is the company like to work for?

Making your choice

Take time to weigh up the pros and cons of each opportunity – and be honest with each company. A good company will understand that you need a little time to make your decision and shouldn’t try to rush you. However, bear in mind that they will have other candidates that they need to get back to so agree a timeframe and stick to it. Good luck!

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today for expert advice on your next career move.