News Recruitment
Most managers say hiring time has increased in the last two years

As companies strive to stay nimble and deliver on critical business initiatives, new research shows that hiring is becoming increasingly time-consuming. In a survey of more than 1,500 hiring managers across Canada, 94 per cent said the hiring process takes longer than it did just two years ago.

When asked which parts of the hiring process are taking longer, respondents to Robert Half’s latest survey pointed to:

• Evaluating candidates’ applications and determining who to interview (53 per cent)
• Thorough reference checking (48 per cent)
• Scheduling and conducting interviews (40 per cent)

“In the current hiring landscape, companies need to take a streamlined and strategic approach to hiring to find the right talent for business-critical needs,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director of Robert Half, Canada. “The hiring process can be overwhelming, but businesses that prioritize thoroughness and clarity, without compromising efficiency, will be best positioned to hire top talent and to avoid the long-term consequences of making the wrong hire.”

Hiring mistakes prove costly

Eighty-eight per cent of hiring managers report that it remains difficult to find the talent they need, and even when they do, nearly one-quarter (24 per cent) admit to making a hiring mistake in the past two years. These are proving costly; managers say it took four weeks on average to recognize the mistake, and more than 15 wasted hours of productivity per week across teams due to performance issues caused by the bad hire not meeting expectations. In addition, 56 per cent say the bad hire led to turnover on their team.

The most common factors that led to hiring mistakes were:

• Failure to consider soft skills and company cultural fit (50 per cent)
• Not properly assessing technical skills and qualifications (49 per cent)
• Failure to communicate clear job descriptions and role duties to the candidate (33 per cent)

The data is from a survey developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm in April 2025. The survey contains responses from more than 1,500 hiring managers at companies with 10 or more employees across Canada.