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We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

We'd love your input! Working in the finance sector

Community_Scope

We’re exploring the barriers that disabled people face when it comes to employment, especially within the finance sector, where disabled people remain under-represented.

We’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts on the following:

Have you ever considered a job or career in the finance sector?
What barriers do you think you might face when looking for work in finance?
What’s put you off, or encouraged you, to consider working in this sector?
Would you be more likely to apply for a role if those barriers were removed?

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Comments

Rachel_Scope

I've personally worked in finance and struggled with anxiety and depression at the time. I had always wanted to work in finance and was optimistic that this would be my new career.

Unfortunately, they did not understand mental health issues and were not accommodating at all. I was threatened with being sacked and made to feel incredibly uncomfortable. They took away small responsibilities from me over time and essentially pushed me out. I've never considered going into finance again due to my experiences, as it appears to be a very 'ableist' sector.

I may have been unlucky, and hopefully that's the case, as we should be able to work in whatever sector we wish.

WhatThe

My daughter is currently appealing her redundancy from a new role in the financial sector. She switched from the charity sector and wanted a less-peopley job but this hasn't worked out either.

Unfortunately, when she began this new job, she was still negotiating a settlement from her previous employers and was under enormous strain. I know she is fighting this claim on behalf of all neurodivergent employees.

Requests for reasonable adjustments were not recognised, accepted or actioned for my daughter when she needed them. Barriers are in place for a reason. Being a woman in a man's world is hard enough but trying to prove yourself in a neuro-typical world can crush the life out of us. I don't know what the answer is.

dhoni4455

I have considered roles in finance before, but the biggest barriers seem to be accessibility and flexibility. Many finance jobs still assume full-time office presence, fast-paced environments, and long hours — which can be difficult if you have a disability that affects mobility, energy levels, or sensory needs. Recruitment processes also aren’t always designed with accessibility in mind, which can be discouraging.Clear accommodations, flexible working options, and transparent support from employers would definitely make the sector feel more welcoming. If those barriers were removed, I think a lot more disabled candidates would feel confident applying.

Trevor_PIP

From my experience, since covid, some finance jobs can be working from home most of the week. A family member is not in the company full time.

66Mustang

I'm following this thread with some interest

Finance/money is something I do naturally – I guess if I had to choose one (not sure how I feel about the term) it's my "autistic superpower". I traded on the stock market as a teenager & recently have been delegated the job of managing a relative's estate which has involved working with lawyers (one of whom commented I seem to know more than her!) & financial institutions in Westminster

As alluded to above the work is quite simple to me - numbers are just numbers, however long they are they all work the same - it's the culture that I struggle with. There's a lot of cut-throat behaviour, office politics, promotion leapfrogging etc. I'd just want to do the work!

Someone who wants to "just work" would be accepted, because aspirational managers could exploit their hard work knowing the person isn't a competitive threat (I have a relative who has experienced this). However it's unfair that in most organisations those who "play the game" and know how to get noticed do well, and those who do the best work - but stay quiet about it - struggle for acknowledgement

rubin16

Money isn't natural, there is nothing natural when it comes to money. It corrupts the human soul, causes wars, greed and basically destroys humanity. We can never fully develop as a species while we have the current corrupt monetary system in place. Money is nothing more than debt owed to the central banks and is keeping everyone enslaved.

How can you honestly believe in a system whereby people have 400+ Billion and are now making an adverage of 100+ billion per year. Yet we have people who can't afford the basic resources to survive. And all these people want is more and more. We are all fed lies about overpopulation, when in reality theres more than enough resources on the planet for everyone plus much more.

Money is pure evil set on keeping everyone enslaved.

I would never work in anything to do with finance if my life depended on it, nor do I ever want to own anything or have money. If anything it makes me sick and one of the many reasons i'm ashamed to be human.

WhatThe

I like numbers! They are logical, artistic and so much easier than people.

rebel11

Money is actually a 'person' made invention.

Before money people use to 'barter', example I'd make a 'pot' and exchange it for an 'axe'. The 'bargain' became 'uneven', I'd exchange my 'pot' for a 'horse', clearly not on.

I'd exchange my 'pot' plus some precious metal for the 'horse'.

Thus, money was 'invented'. A lot of 'bartering' does still goes on, it might not be 'obvious'.

westpest

I worked in finance until I had to give up work due to ill health. Someone above said numbers are just numbers, which to be honest was my attitude for a long long time. I was responsible for vat returns for a public limited Company. For a long time everything was fine but all of a sudden I started making stupid mistakes. I was unable to explain how or why I had made the mistake. Once this was brought to my attention, I felt incredibly stupid and guilty. I then felt that every piece of work that I produced was being scrutinised. Which to be honest it probably was. As time went on I became withdrawn and constantly frightened of more mistakes being made. My Doctors told me I was too ill to work. I was off for months at a time. It all came to a head when I was told that I had no option but to do the job I was taken on for. There were no reasonable adjustments available. I was also sent to occupational health, the doctor there was I was unfit to work and she recommended I remain off sick until she had seen me again and given me the all clear. The company refused to accept this and asked me to return to work and would not allow me to visit occupational health again. I became a shadow of myself, constantly exhausted and very frightened. Now a few years later and if anything goes slightly wrong, I just cannot handle it. I lose my temper and panic. I am in constant pain but that’s through stenosis of my spine and arthritis. So where I used to be confident and highly motivated with finance, I now tremble at the very thought of it. Finance can be cut throat but it can be very rewarding. So having worked in finance for over 40 years, the thing that I loved has basically been to end of me, or the me before the illness.