Our new research shows that junior bankers spend a disproportionate amount of time, up to 40% of their week, on manual tasks. Given the competitive market with rising client expectations, tighter margins, and increased deal flow, that inefficiency is a vulnerability for banks.
The purpose of this article is to explore this productivity challenge, share actionable insight from our research, and show how technology can unlock time for investment banking teams to create more strategic value for clients.
Identifying Roadblocks in Strategic Execution
Our research indicates that 60% of senior bankers report junior staff spend substantial time on data gathering and administrative activities rather than revenue-generating analysis. Junior bankers also note the difficulty of balancing multiple projects, citing inefficient processes and disconnected tools as barriers.
These inefficiencies translate into lost opportunities. Time spent manually formatting pitchbooks or reconciling information in siloed systems could instead be used to further strengthen analyses, uncover new deals, or deepen client relationships.
Quantifying the Case for Change
The drive to modernize workflows is about redirecting valuable hours and strategic focus to the business. Research indicates that optimal technology solutions could enable junior bankers to reclaim up to10 hours each week. This time can be redirected for bottom-line growth.
When asked how they would use this extra time, junior bankers pinpointed three areas for improvement:
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57% would invest in building more detailed and customized client presentations.
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50% would focus on identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.
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49% would dedicate more attention to strengthening relationships through increased client communication.
This underscores the potential impact of technology investment: Shifting from administrative support toward strategic work that directly influences deal outcomes and client satisfaction.
Where Could Forward-Looking Firms Invest?
Based on our research and sector experience, here are three critical capabilities that form the foundation of a modern, strategic tech stack.
- AI-driven insights and analytics. AI tools can analyze market sentiment, predict deal success probabilities, and identify potential acquisition targets, giving bankers a significant analytical edge with greater efficiency.
- Intelligent workflow automation. Automating repetitive processes such as formatting slides and updating charts in pitchbooks frees junior bankers to focus on strategic analysis and client recommendations. This elevates the quality of client-facing materials.
- Seamless systems integration. Eliminating silos across key workflow tools—Microsoft Excel, CRM systems, and proprietary applications, for example—enables bankers to operate from a single, unified source of truth. The integration provides a holistic view, enhances quality data, and streamlines collaboration.
Strengthening the Talent Value Proposition
Data shows that 63% of senior bankers believe their firm’s technology stack is instrumental to attract and retain top junior staff. A modern tech environment that reduces time-consuming manual work and enables high-value, strategic work is a clear indicator that a firm is forward thinking and values its employees' on-the-job experience and professional growth.
Empowered and engaged bankers can deliver higher-quality outcomes and stronger client relationships. In that sense, technology becomes central to internal productivity and the firm's overall market position.
Next Steps for Looking Ahead
In the years ahead, industry leaders will likely be those who treat technology modernization as a strategic priority. By investing in AI, automation, and integrated systems, firms can build resilience, unlock value, and position themselves for long-term growth.
These findings are drawn from our broader research on junior banker productivity and the vital role of technology. For a deeper review of this exclusive research and a practical roadmap to achieving strategic transformation within your organization, download the full research.
This blog post is for informational purposes only. The information contained in this blog post is not legal, tax, or investment advice. FactSet does not endorse or recommend any investments and assumes no liability for any consequence relating directly or indirectly to any action or inaction taken based on the information contained in this article.
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