MORE than one quarter of employers in the Scottish financial industry plan to increase their full-time staff within six months.

And 37% of Scottish employers will boost workers' pay by an average of 3.5% during the first half of 2007.

A Robert Half Finance & Accounting poll based on almost 200 finance professionals in Edinburgh and Glasgow, reports that the main reason for the extra recruitment is due to business expansion.

Other factors included workload (29%) and mergers and acquisitions (3%). Just 10% of respondents expect to hire new employees because of staff turnover.

Phil Sheridan, managing director of Robert Half Finance & Accounting, said: "Our latest survey demonstrates that, on the whole, Scottish employers are very optimistic about 2007 and are prepared to invest in their people."

Other key findings from the Scottish Employment Index include the fact that in the last six months 15% of Scottish employers have introduced flexible working hours while 54% of Scottish employers now offer a flexible benefits package.

Almost a third (31%) of all Scottish employers offer monthly in-work training and development support.