As organisations continue to compete for experienced finance talent, many have adopted longer notice periods in an effort to protect business continuity and retain key employees. Three-month notice periods have become particularly common across finance, accounting and senior professional roles.
While these extended notice periods can provide valuable continuity, they can also introduce operational challenges that are worth planning for. For finance leaders responsible for maintaining performance, supporting teams and delivering strategic initiatives, understanding these considerations can help ensure smoother transitions when employees move on.
The Productivity Shift During a Notice Period
When a finance professional hands in their resignation, their focus naturally begins to shift towards their next opportunity.
Even highly committed employees will often redirect some of their time and energy as they prepare for their next role. Long-term projects may become less relevant, priorities change and levels of engagement can naturally evolve during this period.
For finance leaders, this may result in:
Reduced productivity during critical reporting periods
Delayed project delivery
Slower decision-making
Reduced stakeholder engagement
Loss of momentum on transformation initiatives
While a longer notice period can provide additional time for planning, organisations may also notice a gradual shift in focus as employees prepare for their next role.
Knowledge Transfer and Recruitment Timing
A three-month notice period is often viewed as providing sufficient time for a comprehensive handover.
However, if recruitment does not begin promptly, that additional time may not always be fully utilised.
Many organisations only begin recruiting once notice has been received. Depending on the role and market conditions, identifying the right finance professional can take time, particularly for specialist or senior positions.
The result can often look like this:
Employee resigns
Recruitment begins
Candidate search takes several weeks
New hire serves their own notice period
The original employee leaves before a full handover can take place
Without early recruitment planning, organisations may still experience a gap between one employee leaving and another becoming fully established.
Supporting Existing Finance Teams
When key finance professionals resign, remaining team members often absorb additional responsibilities while waiting for a replacement.
This can place additional demands on teams that are already managing:
Month-end reporting
Budget cycles
Audits
Compliance requirements
Business partnering activities
Longer recruitment and onboarding timelines can increase the likelihood of heavier workloads, making it important for finance leaders to monitor team wellbeing and maintain engagement throughout the transition.
Considering the Value of Interim Support
When a permanent replacement cannot be secured quickly enough, organisations may choose to bring in interim or contract professionals to maintain business continuity, which can be supported through Matrix Pulse.
Interim professionals can provide immediate expertise, help maintain momentum on key projects and support teams during periods of transition. They can also offer valuable flexibility while organisations take the time to secure the right permanent hire.
When used strategically, interim support can help minimise disruption, maintain productivity and ensure critical finance activities continue without interruption.
Business Transformation Doesn't Pause
Many finance functions are currently delivering significant business initiatives, including:
ERP implementations
Digital transformation projects
Automation initiatives
Data and analytics programmes
Process improvement projects
When key employees are serving lengthy notice periods, organisations may decide to delay decisions or adjust project timelines while replacements are secured.
This can create opportunity costs if strategic initiatives are postponed during periods of transition.
Strategies Finance Leaders Can Use to Reduce Risk
While notice periods are often contractually agreed, there are proactive steps organisations can take to minimise disruption.
Build Strong Succession Plans
Identify critical roles and ensure knowledge is shared across the wider team rather than residing with a single individual.
Start Recruitment Early
The best time to build talent pipelines is before vacancies arise. Maintaining relationships with specialist finance recruiters, like Matrix Recruitment, can significantly reduce time-to-hire.
Strengthen Documentation
Processes, controls and reporting procedures should be documented and regularly updated to reduce reliance on individual employees.
Consider Flexible Exit Arrangements
In some situations, negotiated handovers, garden leave arrangements or phased exits may provide a better outcome than requiring a full notice period.
Invest in Employee Engagement
Retention strategies are most effective when they focus on creating an environment where people want to stay, supported by career development, strong leadership and meaningful opportunities for growth.
Long notice periods can play an important role in workforce planning, but they are most effective when supported by proactive succession planning and a trusted recruitment partner. For finance leaders, successful workforce planning extends beyond contractual notice periods. It requires building strong talent pipelines, preparing succession plans and having access to specialist recruitment expertise when critical hiring needs arise.
At Matrix Recruitment Group, we work in partnership with organisations to help them plan ahead, identify top finance talent and build resilient teams that can adapt to change. By combining market insight with a consultative approach, we help businesses reduce hiring risks and secure the talent they need to support long-term success.
The most resilient finance functions combine appropriate notice periods with robust succession plans, strong talent pipelines and strategic recruitment partnerships.
As competition for finance talent continues, finance leaders should ask themselves an important question:
Is your current approach to workforce planning preparing your business for the future, and do you have the right recruitment partner to help you achieve it?
Looking to Strengthen Your Finance Workforce Planning?
If you’re currently reviewing notice periods, succession planning, or team capacity, having access to the right talent at the right time can make all the difference.
At Matrix Recruitment, we partner with finance leaders across Ireland to support both permanent and contract hiring needs — helping organisations stay agile, maintain continuity, and secure the talent needed to deliver key business priorities.
If you’d like to discuss your current hiring plans or upcoming requirements, get in touch with our specialist finance team.