A report from SmartRecruiters has suggested that inefficient talent acquisition strategies are hindering business growth. The survey of 500 companies across the UK, North America and Australia reveals that 60 per cent of business leaders are concerned they’ve hired the wrong person despite increased costs and time being spent on talent acquisition.
In fact, 45 per cent of business leaders report spending more than half their working hours on talent acquisition tasks, diverting crucial resources away from core business operations. This inefficiency is not only driving up costs but also impacting brand reputation, profitability, and overall business growth.
The negative impacts of ineffective hiring include slower business growth (28 per cent), damaged brand reputation (30 per cent), reduced service quality (28 per cent), and weaker sales performance (29 per cent). 62 per cent of business leaders agree that their businesses would be more profitable if their talent acquisition strategies were more effective.
The survey also reveals a lack of confidence in hiring outcomes. Six months post-hire, 60 per cent of business leaders have confidence in less than half of their hires. Furthermore, 34 per cent of respondents said they are unsure if they’ve made the right hiring decision, exposing flaws in current talent acquisition processes.
As the global workforce becomes more distributed, hiring is becoming increasingly difficult. The survey finds that 56 per cent of business leaders believe talent acquisition has grown more complex in recent years. The rapid rise of digital nomads, remote workers, and international employees is reshaping the way companies approach recruitment, with business leaders expecting these professionals to become more important within their talent acquisition strategies over the next 2 years.
“Our research highlights the need for businesses to rethink their talent acquisition strategies. In a rapidly evolving, distributed workforce, traditional hiring processes are no longer sufficient,” said Rebecca Carr, CEO of SmartRecruiters.
“Leveraging advanced technologies like AI can revolutionise the way companies identify and engage top talent. AI-driven platforms not only streamline recruitment but also provide data-driven insights that help businesses make smarter, faster hiring decisions. These technologies allow companies to adapt to the complexities of remote work, digital nomads, and global teams – ultimately improving the quality of hires and driving better business outcomes in an increasingly competitive market.”
