Hiring in 2025: How a Consultancy Can Help You Mitigate Risk

Hiring a new employee is a significant step for any firm, however, it often isn’t the cost of new equipment, software and or training that adds up but poor recruitment and onboarding processes. When analysing how firms can manage and mitigate these costs, most conversations lead back to effective planning, having the correct resources in play,  recruiting strategically and then retaining them.

Hiring the right employees is critical for business success, but many firms underestimate the cost of poor recruitment and onboarding. New industry research shows, these costs have more than doubled since 2021 due to slow hiring processes, poor planning, high job board fees, and increased candidate competition.

So, why should you consider partnering with a recruitment agency?

Access to top candidates

Access to passive candidates’ consultancies have extensive networks and relationships that allow them to reach passive candidates who are not actively looking for jobs but may be open to new opportunities if the right one comes along. These candidates are often high calibre talent that competitors (including internal HR departments) could not easily access. Reducing time to hire by leveraging their networks, databases, and recruitment technology. They handle the initial stages of the recruitment process, which speeds up the overall hiring timeline, allowing companies to focus on their core business activities. Standout candidates are not on the market long; so, having a solid idea of the market and being able to move quickly helps!

Expertise and market knowledge both help companies make informed decisions about their recruitment strategies and stay ahead of industry trends.

Reduced hiring risks

Hiring the wrong candidate can be costly in terms of time, money, and morale. Recruitment agencies can help mitigate the risks associated with hiring by conducting thorough background checks, reference checks, and skills assessments. This reduces the likelihood of bad hires and ensures that candidates are a good fit for the company’s needs and culture. Most agencies will also offer a placement guarantee, meaning if for any reason the new hire doesn’t work out within the guarantee period, the agency will run the process again to find another suitable candidate at no additional cost to the organisation.

Confidentiality around sensitive positions or high-profile roles, is crucial. Recruitment agencies can conduct discreet searches to protect the privacy of both the employer and potential candidates, ensuring that the recruitment process does not disrupt the company’s operations or reputation.

Employer branding

A recruitment agency acts as an ambassador for the company, promoting its values and culture to potential candidates. This representation can enhance the employer’s brand, making it more attractive to top talent. Incorporating a recruitment agency into your hiring strategy offers numerous advantages, from saving time and reducing hiring risks to accessing a broader talent pool and benefiting from expert market knowledge. By leveraging the specialised skills and resources of a recruitment agency, businesses can enhance their recruitment efforts, ensuring they attract and retain the best talent in the industry.

Key recommendations include:

• Align hiring managers and leadership on recruitment needs to act quickly when a good candidate appears.
• Create a unique employer value proposition to stand out in a tight talent market. What makes your organization stand out from the rest and appeal to that unique individual?
• Consider using recruitment agencies for advantages like access to passive candidates, reduced time-to-hire, market expertise, diversity support, reduced hiring risks, flexibility, confidentiality, and stronger employer branding.

Looking ahead in 2025:

1. Balanced flexibility: Employers are reassessing remote work expectations, aiming for tailored flexibility rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.
2. Personalised compensation: Beyond salary, benefits should be meaningful and aligned with individual employee needs to boost retention.
3. Skills-based hiring: Many organisations are moving away from traditional degree requirements and focusing on practical skills and real-world experience.

Happy to discuss if you are considering making changes to your team! Send us a message below.