2023 Recruitment Challenges & Metrics Report

by | Jun 16, 2023

Introducing TalentNest’s highly anticipated “2023 Recruitment Challenges & Metrics Report,” a comprehensive resource providing valuable insights into hiring metrics and nationwide business challenges. This report is invaluable for HR professionals and organizations seeking to navigate the ever-evolving recruitment landscape with data-driven strategies and informed decision-making.

This report offers an in-depth analysis of significant hiring challenges and provides effective solutions to overcome them. The key topics covered include:

  1. Insufficient Candidate Volume:
    • Attracting suitable candidates is the greatest challenge for 76% of hiring managers (Glassdoor).
  2. Candidate Ghosting:
    • Employers have experienced ghosting, with 76% reporting instances in the past year and 57% noting an increase in frequency (Forbes).
  3. Hiring Team Burnout:
    • Burnout is prevalent among HR professionals, with 98% experiencing it within the past six months (Workvivo).
  4. Exorbitant Cost per Hire:
  5. Cost of Bad Hires:
    • Within the first 45 days, 20% of employees leave, and companies report an average loss of $14,900 per bad hire (CareerBuilder).

By addressing these challenges head-on and implementing the recommended strategies, organizations can optimize their hiring processes and minimize the associated risks and costs.

Insufficient Candidate Volume

Attracting suitable candidates remains a major challenge for 76% percent of hiring managers, primarily due to factors such as the labor shortage and skills gap. In an increasingly competitive talent market, companies are faced with the need to overcome barriers that limit their candidate pool. These barriers include:

  1. Insufficient Talent Sourcing: Many companies rely on a limited number of generic job boards, neglecting the potential benefits of utilizing diverse platforms, recruiters, and referral systems. Expanding talent sourcing scope can lead to fewer missed opportunities and more candidates.
  2. Not Refreshing Job Listings: Job listings initially receive priority placement on job search platforms but gradually get pushed back, making them less visible to potential candidates. As a result, fewer candidates become aware of these listings, reducing the volume of applications.
  3. Complicated Application Process: Long and complex online job applications deter approximately 60% of job seekers quit online job applications mid-way. Requesting duplicate resume information or completing extensive surveys and assessments can be discouraging. Simplifying the application process helps prevent candidates from dropping out.

To improve candidate volume, companies can implement the following strategies:

  1. Create a Robust Job Marketing Strategy: Develop a comprehensive job marketing strategy beyond generic job boards. Utilize industry-specific, job-specific, local/university job boards, targeted email campaigns, and employee referrals to attract high-quality candidates.
  2. Use Hiring Software & Automation: Leverage hiring software and automation tools like TalentNest to streamline tasks and increase efficiency. These tools simultaneously enable the effortless distribution of job listings across multiple platforms and provide features such as one-click listing renewals, saving time and effort.
  3. Remove Application Barriers: Enhance pre-application by eliminating obstacles such as extensive form-filling or pre-screening assessments. Keep the application process concise and straightforward, saving longer assessments for candidates who have successfully passed the initial stages.

By implementing these strategies, companies can enhance their recruitment efforts, attract more candidates, and increase their chances of securing top talent.

Candidate Ghosting

According to an extensive survey conducted by Indeed, which involved 4,000 job seekers and 900 employers, it was revealed that a significant percentage of job seekers “vanished” from the recruitment process. This data sheds light on the prevalence of ghosting in the job market, where candidates abruptly disengage from the hiring process without any communication or explanation. The survey breakdown highlights the extent of ghosting among job seekers:

  • 50% of candidates failed to attend scheduled interviews.
  • 46% of candidates stopped responding to inquiries from recruiters and hiring managers.
  • 22% of candidates accepted a job offer but didn’t attend on their first work day.
  • Surprisingly, 75% of recruiters reported instances where candidates changed their minds after signing an offer letter.

Factors contributing to ghosting are:

  • Slow employer response and lack of communication during the application process,
  • Unclear information about the hiring process,
  • Negative interview experiences, disorganized scheduling, and lengthy waiting times,
  • Poor company reputation reflected in online reviews and ratings.

To address the issue of job seeker ghosting and prevent its occurrence, companies can adopt the following strategies:

  1. Streamline the application screening process: Ensuring a faster response and engagement with top candidates is crucial. Utilizing Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) enables hiring managers to efficiently monitor incoming applications, track their progress, and manage candidate communication in an organized and seamless manner.
  2. Improve candidate experience and communication: It is essential to provide regular updates about candidates’ progress in the recruiting process and offer clear information about interviews, skills testing, and other requirements. Automating tasks such as requesting information, scheduling interviews, and managing essential communication. Automation ensures consistent and timely updates, minimizing the risk of candidates feeling ignored.
  3. Utilize multiple communication channels: Instead of relying solely on email and job board messaging, incorporating SMS communication can significantly improve response rates and address issues caused by technical glitches or missed emails. Research has shown that incorporating SMS messaging can boost response rates by 80%.
  4. Cultivate a positive company image and actively manage online reputation: Candidates value company culture when evaluating job opportunities. A positive culture boosts retention and job satisfaction, making your company attractive. Managing online reputation is vital. Address negative reviews, engage with feedback, resolve issues, and share positive testimonials to shape perceptions, reduce concerns, and avoid being ignored.
  5. Maintain open communication: To minimize ghosting and enhance the candidate experience, foster open communication. Respectfully treat candidates and keep them informed throughout the recruitment process. Set clear expectations, provide timely updates, and engage actively to build trust. 

In conclusion, job seeker ghosting is a growing concern in recruitment and hiring. However, by creating a positive candidate experience, employers can reduce the incidence of ghosting, enhance their reputation, attract top talent, and build a strong and engaged workforce.

Hiring Team Burnout

In recent months, the burnout rate among HR professionals has reached an alarming 98%, with an astonishing 78% seriously considering leaving their jobs. HR professionals attribute this burnout epidemic to overwhelming workloads and a lack of process optimization within hiring teams across the industry. 

Image by jcomp on Freepik

The hiring process encompasses several stages, each presenting its own set of difficulties:

  1. Attracting Candidates: To attract applications in volume, hiring teams often manage 12-30 job listings across various sources, including company career pages, social media, recruitment agencies, and numerous job boards. This time-consuming task takes hours to complete and requires frequent manual updates if not automated.
  2. Screening & Pre-Selection (Resume Review): With an average of 250 resumes received per job offer, screening and comparing applicants from different sources becomes challenging, resulting in delays and potential candidate ghosting. Reviewing these resumes can be particularly difficult when they come from various platforms, increasing the risk of human error in the selection process.
  3. Interviews and Assessments: Managing numerous candidates, scheduling assessments and interviews, and ensuring effective communication becomes daunting without software and automation. Additionally, incorporating assessments, reference checks, and background screenings adds significant administrative work. Without proper tools, managing hundreds of candidates throughout the hiring process becomes stressful and expensive.
  4. Onboarding and Retention: Extending a job offer is just the beginning. HR professionals must ensure effective communication, engagement, and a seamless onboarding process to prevent candidates from disappearing after accepting an offer. Surprisingly, 22% of candidates fail to show up on their first day of work, and 75% of recruiters have experienced candidates changing their minds after signing an offer letter. Keeping candidates engaged during the onboarding phase is crucial to avoid HR burnout and the need to restart the entire hiring process.

Organizations can implement the following strategies to alleviate stress and address recruitment challenges:

  1. Job Listing Automation: Automating the distribution of job listings across multiple platforms streamlines the process and eliminates manual effort. Job listing automation saves the organization valuable time and reduces the burden on HR professionals.
  2. Applicant Tracking Software (ATS): Implementing an ATS allows HR professionals to track candidates, manage hiring stages, and efficiently review qualifications. This software provides a centralized system for candidate management, simplifying the process and reducing errors.
  3. Autoresponders: Setting up automated responses helps engage candidates throughout the hiring process, reducing communication lag and drop-off rates. Automating candidate updates ensures timely communication and helps maintain their interest in the job.
  4. Centralized Communication: Simplify candidate tracking and contact by centralizing all communication within an ATS. By connecting the ATS to job boards and other candidate sources, HR professionals can streamline candidate communication and ensure efficient and effective correspondence.
  5. Resume Grading & Review Tools: Embracing AI-based resume grading tools and quick review platforms connected to job boards and candidate sources enables HR professionals to swiftly assess applications in one centralized place, eliminating the need to compare resumes across separate platforms.

To combat HR burnout and recruitment fatigue, organizations must cultivate a recruiting culture that prioritizes hiring as a strategic and ongoing process rather than an ad hoc task. Organizations should invest in streamlined procedures, automation, and applicant-tracking software, recognizing that a business’s growth directly links to its team’s growth. It is crucial to actively seek top talent and view hiring as a competitive process without participation awards.

Approximately 80% of recruitment tasks can be automated, meaning HR professionals can accomplish their tasks faster and more effectively with just 1/5th of their current energy spent.

Exorbitant Cost per Hire

According to SHRM’s findings, the hiring process incurs considerable costs, with an average cost per hire of $4,600 and executives bearing a substantial expense of $28,000. These figures highlight the financial investment required, especially considering that it takes an average of 42 days to fill a position. However, the cost-per-hire calculation should not overlook additional expenses such as onboarding and training costs. Employers lose $18,700 on average for every poor recruit, highlighting how important it is to make the right choices.

The cost per hire includes various components:

Internal Costs:

  • HR Salaries: Calculate the hiring manager’s hourly salary and multiply it by the hours spent on each hire.
  • Infrastructure Cost: Accounting for the space and tools used during the hiring process.
  • Employees Referral Bonuses.
  • Employee Signing Bonus & Relocation Cost.

External Costs:

  • Agency Fees & Recruiter Commissions.
  • Advertisement Cost.
  • Career Fairs / On-Campus Events / Conventions, etc.
  • Assessment Services.
  • Background Check Services.

Labor costs typically constitute over 70% of the total cost per hire. Optimizing procedures and utilizing automation tools to increase HR team efficiency is crucial to reduce costs. 

The cost of training and onboarding is often omitted when calculating the cost per hire, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. According to Jobvite, 33% of new employees quit within the first 90 days, highlighting the importance of effective onboarding. 

Companies dedicate around 33 hours of training time per new hire, costing about $1,800 which includes training expenses, salary of the trainer, salary of the new hire, onboarding documents, administrative labor, and equipment costs.

Glassdoor research suggests that robust onboarding processes improve new hire retention by over 80% and productivity by more than 70%. To establish an effective onboarding process, consider the following guidelines:

  1. Have a detailed plan for the initial week or more, tailored to the new employee’s readiness, with meaningful tasks and responsibilities assigned.
  2. Extend the onboarding process beyond the initial settling-in phase, maintaining a program for the first 90 days and scheduling regular training sessions throughout the first year.
  3. Implement a buddy system, assigning a buddy to check in regularly with the new employee, fostering a sense of belonging and familiarity through activities like lunches and coffee meetings.

Investing in effective onboarding practices and optimizing the hiring process enhances talent retention, productivity, and overall employee satisfaction. These measures minimize the cost of bad hires and create a positive employee experience.

Cost of Bad Hires

Organizations face significant pressure to swiftly fill positions, often resulting in HR burnout and hasty hiring decisions. 20% of employees leave within the first 45 days, and CareerBuilder reports that 74% of companies experience an average loss of $18,700 per bad hire. Companies must address these challenges and optimize hiring processes to mitigate these costly outcomes.

According to a study by Brandon Hall Group, 95% of organizations make bad hires annually, leading to substantial financial losses. Companies need effective strategies to improve hiring decisions and minimize costs.

Calculating the cost of a bad hire requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors involved. While the initial hiring costs may range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, the expenses associated with a bad hire can quickly escalate. For instance, Zappos discovered that it had spent $100 million on bad hires and now offers dissatisfied employees a $3,000 separation bonus within the first few months.

To accurately determine the direct cost of a bad hire, organizations should consider the following contributors:

  • Compensation: The salary associated with the job position.
  • Training: Expenses related to new-hire training and ongoing employee development.
  • Cost to Hire: Recruitment costs.
  • Termination Cost: Administrative and legal costs, along with potential compensation.

Consider the following scenario to understand the potential cost of a bad hire who departs at the end of the 90-day probationary period:

Job Level Median Monthly Compensation Cost of Hire Training Cost Probation Compensation Termination Cost Total Cost
Executives $12,000 $28,000 $2,500 $36,000 0 $66,500
Individual  Contributor $3,800 $4,600 $1,800 $11,400 0 $17,800

Additional variables should also be considered, including:

  1. Equipment and Benefits: Each business incurs different costs for providing equipment and benefits to employees.
  2. Termination Cost: Administrative, legal, and severance fees associated with terminating an employee should be considered.
  3. Missed Business Opportunities: Vacancies, loss of productivity, or poor performance can result in missed revenue opportunities for the organization.
  4. Team Performance: The impact on team performance and the completion of projects should be considered when evaluating the cost of a bad hire.
  5. Loss of Customers: In sales and customer service roles, the loss of customers due to issues with an employee can have a significant financial impact.

How can organizations optimize their hiring process and reduce bad hires?

Mistakes Solutions
Poor interview process Standardize the interview process.
Weak employer brand Lead with the company culture.
Negative candidate experience Cultivate recruiting culture
Poor onboarding process Extend the new hire experience.
Lack of data Assess candidates often

 

  • Insufficient Interview Process: In our study, 69% of companies acknowledged that a flawed interview process significantly impacts the quality of their hires. Moreover, organizations lacking a standardized interview approach are five times more likely to make poor hiring decisions.

Establishing a consistent interview strategy that outlines the key areas to cover at each stage to address this challenge is crucial, from initial screenings to final interviews. Equipping hiring managers with the necessary resources and support ensures effective candidate evaluation and reduces the risk of bad hires. Implementing these measures establishes a standardized interview process, minimizing ad hoc decisions and enhancing overall hiring success.

  • Weak Employer Brand and Negative Candidate Experience: For 46% of job seekers, company culture plays a vital role in their decision-making process. As mentioned earlier in the candidate ghosting section, a weak employer brand and negative candidate experience are major obstacles to attracting top candidates.

Negative reviews from previous employees and customers significantly impact candidates’ perceptions of a company. Creating a positive candidate experience is crucial to avoid filtering out top talent. Strengthening the employer brand and ensuring a positive candidate experience can significantly improve the quality of candidate applications.

  • Inadequate Onboarding Process: A poorly designed onboarding and training process can leave new employees feeling disoriented and unsupported. Extending the onboarding process beyond the initial phase, ideally for the first 90 days of employment, helps new hires integrate smoothly into the organization.

Organizations that prioritize a positive candidate experience witness a remarkable 70% improvement in the quality of their hires. Conversely, a negative onboarding experience often leads to increased employee turnover.

  • Insufficient Predictive Analytics: Predictors of Performance (POP) assessments have become increasingly accurate through the advancement of AI and machine learning. Leveraging POP assessments can help organizations identify suitable candidates or make informed decisions when selecting among top contenders. Safeguarding against bad hires through assessment compared to millions of past assessments and data points. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the recruitment landscape of 2023 presents opportunities and challenges for organizations striving to attract and retain top talent. By acknowledging the importance of staying informed about the latest challenges and metrics; recruiters can proactively navigate the complexities of talent acquisition.

To achieve recruitment success, organizations must embrace innovative strategies beyond traditional methods; this includes implementing standardized interview processes to improve hiring quality and prevent bad hires. Additionally, companies should prioritize strengthening their employer brand and creating positive candidate experiences to attract and retain top candidates.

In the coming years, recruiters who embrace these principles and build robust recruitment processes will position their organizations for sustainable growth and success. Organizations can gain a competitive edge and thrive in the dynamic business landscape by attracting and retaining top talent.

By remaining vigilant, adaptable, and proactive, recruiters can transform recruitment challenges into opportunities and shape a workforce that drives organizational excellence in the years ahead.