“No question it’s had an impact”
Mark Dale, Commercial Director, Stripe OLT
Growth credentials:
Stripe OLT ranked 13th in the recent Oxygen Fast-Growth 50 2025 after more than trebling average monthly headcount between its fiscal 2021 and 2024.
Will the national insurance hike have any bearing on your recruitment plans?
There’s no question the increase to Employer’s National Insurance has had an impact.
Our department heads have strict gross margin targets, and Employer NI contributions are a key factor within those calculations. That means, in practical terms, we either need to increase revenue to absorb the additional cost or we have to scale back our hiring plans. It’s not just affecting our internal strategy either – like many service providers, we’ve had to factor this into our decisions around annual price increases. For businesses like us, it adds pressure across both commercial and operational planning.
That’s why we’re doubling down on efficiency. We’re continuing to invest in growth, but we’re also focused on helping organisations do more with less, using technology. Whether that’s streamlining IT operations, introducing smarter workflows, or enhancing security and service delivery through AI, our solutions are built to reduce overheads and maximise output. In a high-growth environment, these levers become essential – especially when headcount alone isn’t the answer.
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