A recent Robert Half Canada survey of over 1,800 hiring managers reveals a double challenge: 90% report difficulty finding qualified candidates, and regrettable hires are on the rise. Compared to Q4 2022, the number of managers admitting to a bad hiring decision in the last year has jumped from 17% to 41%. In today's competitive talent market, these findings underscore the importance of making strategic hiring decisions.Hiring mistakes can be disruptive to your business. They can sap workforce productivity and bring down team morale. And if your hiring misstep is serious enough, it could make your top performers think about heading for the exit door.Time is another thing that a bad hire can cost you. Our research shows that it takes about seven weeks to let a bad hire go — and then another five to staff the open position. That means you’re looking at almost three months of not running at full capacity, plus spending valuable resources to secure a new hire for the same role, again.Learn more about how you can combat hiring challenges in 2024
1. Don’t skimp on salariesNearly half (46 per cent) of the managers we surveyed told us that meeting candidates’ salary expectations will be their greatest hiring challenges during the first half of 2024. In other words, you get what you pay for. The latest Salary Guide From Robert Half reports that 40 per cent of companies are boosting starting salaries this year to secure top talent.Do your homework on current salary trends before you even post a job ad. Making clear to potential hires from the outset that your business is prepared to offer competitive compensation gives you a fighting chance to attract in-demand professionals. Use our Robert Half Canada Salary Guide Calculator to stay competitive2. Don’t overlook the value of soft skillsWith the pace at which the economy and workplace are changing, the skills required of job candidates needs to remain flex. Fifty-nine per cent of companies are willing to bend on years of experience, while 17 per cent of companies are loosening educational and technical skill requirements in order to attract talent. A bad hire can be attributed to focusing too much on technical skills when evaluating candidates, and not enough on soft skills. It’s understandable — technical skills are easy to find on a resume and measure in the hiring process. But soft skills like empathy and emotional intelligence are even more vital in today’s workplaces because they are inherently human qualities that advanced tools like artificial intelligence can’t replicate.It might be trickier to assess a candidate’s soft skills, but it’s vital to do so. Asking behavioral or hypothetical questions during the interview can help you gauge a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, creativity and critical-thinking skills.3. Tap into remote talentExpanding your search to include remote candidates isn’t just a fashionable move. It’s a strategy that can significantly improve your hiring outcomes. Our research shows that fully on-site job postings have dropped by 21 percentage points since the start of last year – as hybrid and remote options have increased. In 2024, restricting your search to local talent contributes to making a bad hire – putting a limit to the potential candidates you have access too automatically. It’s a cautionary tale in a world where hybrid work has become priority for many professionals and a critical staffing strategy for many leading employers.From the same survey above, 47 per cent of hiring managers lost out on a strong job candidate due to not meeting their remote work expectations. When you consider remote candidates in your hiring process, it keeps you in tune with modern workforce expectations — and expands your access to in-demand talent beyond your local market.Not sure how or where to start? A talent solutions firm like Robert Half can help you navigate the ins and outs of bringing on remote talent. Find out more.4. Leverage your existing talent baseThe ideal candidate for a role you need to staff may already be on your team. Current employees know your work environment inside and out. That’s a significant plus, given that 49 per cent of employers we surveyed from across Canada said finding candidates who match the company culture will be a top hiring challenge in 2024. Invest in your own people by offering meaningful opportunities for growth. Hands-on training, cross-skilling and career development programs are all great options. Succession planning also helps employees visualize their future within your organization and prepare for the next step up.Tapping your current employee base when hiring can also boost retention. When your workers see you’re committed to helping them grow, they’ll be more inclined to stick around.5. Move quickly — but confidentlyRobert Half Canada’s latest demand for skilled talent research shows that a slow hiring process can lead to employers missing out on quality candidates. More than half (51 per cent) of the managers who made a regrettable hire in the last year, told us that they lost out on their top candidate after taking too long to make an offer. If you interview a candidate who meets most of your hiring criteria and you believe can get up to speed quickly with minimal training, don’t hold out for a "flawless" candidate. Take swift action to make an offer to this high-potential candidate, provided other critical steps like reference and background checks have been completed. When you move fast to hire an employee, you want to do so with confidence.6. Lean on a talent solutions firm for helpRecruiters can play a critical role in helping you hire the employees your business needs — and prevent hiring mistakes. They can also save you time, effort and a great deal of stress in the hiring process by managing everything from posting job opportunities to reviewing resumes to handling reference checks.The best recruiters to work with are those who have knowledge and experience of your industry, plus an understanding of your business and the nuances of the employment market. The recruiters at Robert Half Canada, for example, have built long-standing relationships with industry professionals, including active job seekers and passive job seekers who might consider changing roles to work for you.Robert Half Canada also maintains a deep and broad network of vetted professionals with in-demand skills and relevant experience, including millions of candidates who can work remotely. So, we can quickly find one person or an entire team, depending on your needs.Ready to get started? Learn more about our services.
