Mike Richards discusses how remote work is reshaping treasury careers, sharing salary survey data and insights into the post-pandemic workplace. The conversation covers what's changing for treasury professionals as offices reopen and work becomes more flexible.
Whilst it was previously seen as a benefit, you know, people working from home, it's now a new norm in some ways that people are doing that. And I think there's had a positive effect in some ways that people have been seen to sort of perform very well in certain situations. I think there is a negative effect. And, you know, certainly from talking to some of the UK operational level staff, you know, very much ops, people have said about use of technology and stuff like, it's less about that, it's more the interaction. You know, people have said about, oh, but we have a zoom call where we have a beer every Friday with all of the team and stuff like that. That's all right, but that's not sitting across a table and looking the person in the eyes. If a Treasury analyst has a problem, you know, they go, oh, who do I look to? Hang on. Oh, they look to their right and there's a brick wall. Same to the left. Oh, how do I call? You know, do I call my boss? Do I call my boss's boss? I think it's still. That working from home piece still has to be worked out, I think, as we return. And that's what I'm seeing. And a lot of the talk is about coming back in September and as everyone returns post, you know, post vacation season, I think it will improve, but I think it's a bit more of a balance. It's a salary survey and typically you might expect. Oh, it's about the money. It's about the money. On a scale of the 10 factors, money usually is number seven, if not eight. Every time that the people that are bothered about, it's about, you know, your boss being nice to you, it's about learning things, it's about. It's all the other factors rather than, you know, it's, work doesn't make it. I've got poor boss, manager, work, life balance, you've got all those. And then, you know, why do people. Happy, good work, life, balance, good boss, manager. You know, people are actually people. It's the other factors. It's not just the paycheck at the end of the month. Even though we assess people's paychecks at the end of the month, that's what we do. I find that dichotomy really interesting every time that it's never changed. When I first ever did it, 15 years ago, started the salary survey, I thought it was going to say, oh, everyone's annoyed about their money and that's why they're registered. It never was. It's about every other factor, and, you know, they want to be paid fairly, but the other factors are the things that push them or drag them in the door or push them out the door. I think, you know, all these treasury, the treasury people we talk to, treasury dudes, you know, this. Let's go back to the beginning. This is what treasury professionals were born to do, you know, planning, getting through a financial crisis, and I'm seeing everybody recovering from it now, and it's, you know, how we've come out of it. It's. Yeah, it's a different world, you know, with different kind of working patterns and everything else. I think at the end of the day, everyone should be proud of what they've done so far. And, yeah, I'm very hopeful for the rest of the year. It's going to be different, but, you know, it's. It's still got their strengths. And I think treasury professional. I can't wait to see people start to see each other next year and have that networking, and I can't wait to see more treasury people and, you know, get together again. SAM.
