A new Controllers Council survey of more than 300 finance and accounting leaders finds that the profession is settling into steadier footing: most organizations plan to hold headcount, keep hybrid work as the default, and tighten compensation growth compared with recent years. 

Staffing plans skew toward stability. Seventy-one  percent expect to maintain team size over the next 12 months, 24 percent plan to hire, and 5 percent anticipate reductions, continuing a three-year trend away from expansion. 

Hybrid remains the prevailing work model with 53 percent reporting a mix of onsite and remote work, one-third being fully onside, and 10 percent being remote. Controllers and assistant controllers are again the toughest roles to fill (34 percent), followed by bookkeeping/financial reporting (27 percent).

Shortage pressures eased for many respondents. A majority, 53 percent, report no shortages; 33 percent report minor shortages; and 10 percent report significant gaps.

The survey found that what attracts and keeps talent is consistent: comprehensive benefits and competitive salary were at the top of the list, followed by culture and engagement, hybrid and remote options, training and development, and flexible schedules. 

On the other hand, the top reason employees leave is limited advancement, at 43 percent, which lies ahead of compensation (24 percent) and burnout (20 percent), signaling that clear growth paths might matter just as much as pay in the year ahead.