Stop the Clock: How to Reduce Time to Hire in Today's Market

Demand for skilled talent is at an all-time high, and speed has become a critical factor in recruitment success. Long hiring processes don’t just cost companies valuable resources; they also result in missed opportunities to secure the best talent. Implementing strategies to reduce time to hire is critical for businesses aiming to attract and retain top talent.

At Eleven, we understand the importance of a streamlined recruitment process and work closely with our clients in the energy, commodities, and technology sectors to reduce time to hire without sacrificing candidate quality. In this article, we’ll explore key strategies to help you hire more efficiently and highlight how we can support you in speeding up your recruitment process.

The Importance of Reducing Time to Hire

Time to hire impacts everything from a company’s bottom line, productivity, and team morale. When the hiring process drags on, you risk losing prime candidates who may accept offers from faster-moving competitors. The power, energy and commodities industries have some of the longest average times to hire - it can take upwards of 67 days to fill roles in these sectors. To put that in perspective the average UK hiring time is around 36-44 days. Yet the best candidates can be off the market in as little as 10 days.

For companies in sectors like energy and technology, prolonged hiring timelines can lead to costly delays in project execution and missed opportunities to gain a competitive advantage. That’s not to say that working to reduce time to hire means rushing through hiring decisions. Instead, it’s about creating a recruitment process that’s efficient, focused, and strategically aligned with your business goals.

The Impact of a Reduced Time to Hire

When you reduce time to hire, the benefits extend far beyond simply getting a new employee in the door faster. A shorter hiring process leads to:

• Improved Candidate Experience

  Candidates appreciate a streamlined process and are more likely to accept offers from companies that make decisive hiring decisions.
  
  

• Reduced Recruitment Costs

  Every day that a position remains vacant costs companies in terms of lost productivity and revenue. By filling roles more efficiently, you minimise these costs.
  
  

• Increased Team Productivity and Morale

  Filling vacancies quickly means less strain on existing employees, improving team morale and overall productivity.
  
  

Strategies to Reduce Time to Hire

Below, we outline actionable steps to help you reduce time to hire while ensuring you still engage the best possible candidates.

1. Streamline Your Recruitment Process

A common cause of long hiring timelines is a fragmented recruitment process with too many steps. To reduce time to hire, it’s essential to review and streamline each stage of the process.  Map out each stage from job posting to onboarding and identify any bottlenecks. Simplifying or removing redundant steps can significantly reduce your time to hire average.

Define a clear interview structure that applies to all candidates. Standardisation reduces scheduling time and helps you quickly assess candidates based on predetermined criteria. Automated pre-screening tools can help eliminate unqualified candidates early in the process, ensuring that only the most suitable applicants reach the interview stage.

2. Build a Talent Pipeline

One of the most effective ways to reduce time to hire is by building and maintaining a talent pipeline. A talent pipeline allows you to engage with potential candidates long before a position opens, cutting down the time needed to search for and vet new hires.

Proactively identify and nurture potential candidates who have the skills your business needs. Keep track of their career progress and maintain regular contact to keep them engaged. By leveraging tools like talent mapping, you can monitor and analyse potential candidates in key roles and prepare for future hiring needs, shortening time to hire.

3. Use Technology for Increased Efficiency

The recruitment landscape has evolved, and digital tools have become essential in reducing time to hire. Here are some tech solutions to consider:

• Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) platforms help streamline application screening, track candidate status, and manage communications. An ATS can also store candidate information, allowing you to revisit past applicants when new roles open.
  
  
• Coordinating schedules can be a significant time sink. Automated scheduling software can help reduce back-and-forth communications, ensuring interviews are set up quickly.
  
  
• AI tools can analyse resumes and predict candidate success based on skills, experience, and company fit. This can significantly speed up the process of shortlisting qualified candidates.

4. Prioritise Effective Communication

Communication breakdowns between hiring managers, recruiters, and candidates can severely delay hiring processes. To reduce time to hire, ensure that communication is open, clear, and timely at every stage of recruitment. Frequent check-ins between recruiters and hiring managers ensure internal alignment on candidate selection criteria and decision-making timelines, minimising unnecessary delays.

From the beginning, inform candidates about each stage of the recruitment process, including timelines for feedback and decisions. This reduces the likelihood of candidates disengaging due to uncertainty. Delays in giving candidates feedback can result in lost interest or offers from competitors. Make it a priority to provide constructive feedback as promptly as possible.

5. Implement Structured Onboarding

The hiring process doesn’t end with a job offer. Effective onboarding helps new hires become productive more quickly, allowing businesses to make the most of their hiring efforts. Start the onboarding process early by providing necessary paperwork and introductions, before the employee’s first day. This speeds up the transition from offer acceptance to active contribution. Use onboarding checklists to ensure that new hires receive consistent, organised training and reduce the time needed to get them up to speed.

How Eleven Helps Clients Reduce Time to Hire

At Eleven, we recognise the need for fast yet effective recruitment processes. Through our deep industry expertise, specialised tools, and extensive networks, we have helped numerous clients streamline their recruitment processes and achieve better hiring outcomes. Our approach to reducing time to hire includes:

• Customised Talent Pipelines

  Our consultants work with you to build customised talent pipelines, reducing the time needed to fill roles by ensuring that pre-qualified candidates are readily available.
  
  

• Efficient Screening and Selection

  We use advanced tools and best practices to quickly assess candidate qualifications, ensuring that only the most suitable individuals advance in the hiring process.
  
  

• Targeted Recruitment Strategies

  By tailoring our strategies to your specific needs, we reduce time to hire average by focusing on high-impact, targeted recruitment efforts.
  
  

Discover how we have streamlined recruitment processes for our clients and reduced time to hire.

Partner with Eleven Associates for Faster, Smarter Hiring

When time is of the essence, our specialised recruitment expertise can give you a significant advantage. Our services are designed to reduce time to hire while maintaining a high standard of candidate quality. With Eleven as your recruitment partner, you’ll gain access to a network of top talent, proven recruitment strategies, and technology-driven tools to streamline your hiring process.

Ready to speed up your recruitment and bring top talent on board faster? Contact us today.