Everyone’s talking about how tough the market is right now. The Global Risks Report is also getting referenced a lot in recent conversations.
However, that’s not what’s making hiring difficult.
From where I sit, working with HR leaders across the UK and Wales, the issue is much more basic.
Most businesses don’t really know what they need when they start hiring.
Roles are signed off quickly, job specs get written, agencies are briefed but the thinking behind the hire isn’t fully there. Where the role sits, what it’s there to fix, how much change the business is actually ready for… that part is often rushed or unclear and it shows.
Processes drag out, expectations change halfway through and candidates get mixed messages. By the time someone is hired, the role can look very different to what it was at the start.
At a senior level, that’s a big problem.
The HR leaders should be slowing this part down. They need to be asking better questions upfront and pushing for alignment before anything goes to market.
There’s also a lot of talk about skills-based hiring, which makes sense in theory but in practice, many businesses aren’t set up for it. If you don’t have a clear view of what good looks like in your organisation, moving away from titles and experience just creates more confusion, not less.
The other thing I’m seeing more of is misalignment at leadership level being handed to HR to fix.
Culture issues, retention, engagement…these things keep coming up, but they’re often symptoms. If the leadership team isn’t aligned on priorities, direction or what success looks like, HR ends up trying to solve something that sits higher up.
You can’t hire someone to fix that.
The HR market has changed and there’s less margin for error now.
Which means the basics matter more.
- Be clear on why you’re hiring.
- Be honest about what needs fixing.
- Don’t assume the right person will work it out for you once they’re in.
This is coming up in most of my conversations with HR leaders right now.
If you’re in a similar position, I’d be happy to share what’s working.
As always, thanks for reading 🙂
Warm regards, Liz
