The jobs outlook is the brightest it has been for three years in the finance sector, new figures suggest.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, based on responses from 2,102 UK employers, asks whether employers intend to hire additional workers or reduce the size of their workforce in the coming quarter.

At +13%, the jobs outlook is at its joint highest since Q4 2012, the report said, adding that the regular survey has been used as a statistic by the Bank of England and the government.

Karen De-Merist, ManpowerGroup solutions operations director, said: “The jobs market within finance and banking has seen some big improvements over 2015. We’re seeing more and more professional roles across both temp and perm. What’s also encouraging is that these are not just being created in London, there are some great opportunities across the UK.”

He said: “Approaches to customer service within the industry are changing, with many companies expecting their customer-facing staff to offer a more consultative service. This move away from transactional, sales-driven practices is requiring a higher calibre of employee.

“Employer hiring has become less skills and experience led, instead we’re hearing intellect, diplomacy and loyalty topping their wish lists. This is welcome news for those starting out in the workforce who may not be able to demonstrate previous experience.”

Competition for candidates is heating up too, she said.

She said: “With the referendum on Brexit on the horizon and government plans to reduce the number of non-EU workers admitted on visas, there is a deep concern about where tomorrow’s finance and banking talent is going to come from. Add to that competition from other sectors for some of the most in-demand skills, such as IT security, and it becomes apparent that employers need to ensure they have plans in place for employee attraction and retention.”