More than a third (35%) of resigning accountants are being offered a pay rise to stay, according to research from financial services recruiter Marks Sattin.

This number is up from just 12.5% last year with accountants being offered 15% more pay by their employers to stay put.

Dave Way, managing director of Marks Sattin, says: “The resurgence of the counter-offer is proof not only of the economic recovery but also a result of corporate restructuring and greater banking regulation that is driving demand for middle managers. 

“Many employers did not increase salaries for their current staff proactively over the last couple of years and they are now reacting to changing market conditions. It leaves employees feeling very frustrated and relying on a counter-offer strategy in this type of market is ultimately very costly.”