Retaining Top Tax Talent: What High‑Performing Teams Get Right

In a tight tax recruitment market, hiring well is only half the challenge. The other half is keeping the people you’ve worked so hard to bring in. In 2026, retention is just as critical as attraction – especially for senior tax and trade compliance professionals.

This article looks at what high‑performing teams do differently to retain top tax talent, and what employers can learn from them.

Why retention matters so much in tax

Losing a strong tax professional isn’t just inconvenient. It can mean:

• Loss of critical knowledge about your structures, systems and stakeholders

• Increased risk during audits, transactions or regulatory change

• Delays to key projects and transformation work

• The cost and disruption of another recruitment process

In a market where experienced tax professionals have options, retention needs to be a deliberate strategy, not an afterthought.

What top performers value most

While every individual is different, we see consistent themes in what high‑calibre tax professionals look for when deciding whether to stay or leave:

• Scope and challenge – Work that is stretching but realistic, with room to grow.

• Influence – A genuine voice with decision‑makers, not just a sign‑off role at the end.

• Progression – A clear sense of what comes next and how to get there.

• Flexibility – Hybrid working and trust around how and where work gets done.

• Recognition and reward – Competitive pay, but also recognition of their impact.

When these elements are missing, even well‑paid professionals start to look elsewhere.

Designing roles that grow with the business

One of the most effective retention tools is role design. High‑performing teams:

• Review roles regularly – Adjusting responsibilities as the business and tax landscape change.

• Avoid “role creep” – Being honest about workload and not quietly adding more and more without support.

• Create room for development – Giving people space to lead projects, mentor others or deepen expertise.

A role that evolves thoughtfully is far more likely to keep a strong performer engaged than one that stays static or becomes overloaded.

Giving tax a real seat at the table

Retention improves dramatically when tax is seen – and treated – as a strategic partner. That means:

• Involving tax early in major decisions (deals, restructurings, new markets, supply chain changes)

• Ensuring tax leaders have access to senior management and the board where appropriate

• Encouraging cross‑functional collaboration with finance, legal, operations and commercial teams

When tax professionals feel their expertise is valued and used, they’re far more likely to stay.

Supporting progression and career paths

Top tax professionals think in years, not months. They want to understand:

• What success looks like in their current role

• What realistic next steps exist (broader remit, international exposure, leadership)

• How you’ll support them to get there (training, mentoring, stretch projects)

High‑performing teams:

• Have honest conversations about progression, including constraints

• Offer visibility of potential paths, even if timelines aren’t fixed

• Use development plans that are practical, not just paperwork

Silence or vague promises around progression are a common trigger for people to take external calls more seriously.

Culture, workload and sustainability

In tax and trade compliance, peak periods and pressure are part of the job. What matters is how they’re managed.

Teams that retain well tend to:

• Plan realistically – Aligning headcount and expectations with actual workload.

• Share pressure fairly – Avoiding a situation where the same people carry the heaviest load every time.

• Model healthy behaviour from the top – Leaders who set boundaries and respect others’ time.

When people feel that intense periods are recognised, managed and followed by recovery, they’re more willing to stay for the long term.

Using market data to stay competitive

Retention isn’t only about money – but compensation does matter. In a fast‑moving market, relying on outdated salary bands is risky.

High‑performing employers:

• Use real‑time market data to review pay and titles regularly

• Sense‑check internal ranges against what similar roles are paying

• Address clear gaps proactively, rather than waiting for a resignation

This doesn’t mean matching every external offer. It does mean making sure your strongest people don’t feel significantly undervalued.

How a specialist recruiter can support retention

It might sound counter‑intuitive, but a specialist recruiter isn’t just there when someone leaves. They can also help you keep the people you have by:

• Sharing live insight on what the market is offering for similar roles

• Stress‑testing your structure and titles against current expectations

• Helping you identify roles at higher risk of turnover

• Advising on how to reposition or redesign roles before issues arise

At Taylor Curcio, we use real‑time data from tax and trade compliance searches across the UK, EU and US to help clients understand where they stand – not just in hiring, but in retention too.

Final thoughts

Retaining top tax talent in 2026 comes down to a simple idea: make it genuinely attractive for your best people to stay.

Employers who:

• Design roles that evolve with the business

• Give tax a real voice in decision‑making

• Offer clear, honest progression paths

• Manage workload and flexibility thoughtfully

• Use market data to stay competitive

are the ones who build stable, high‑performing tax and trade compliance teams.

If you’re concerned about retention in your tax function, now is the time to review your structure, roles and offer against what the market – and your own people – are telling you.