Reactive Hiring Is Holding Many Organizations Back - New Research by HR.com Research Institute

Despite talent acquisition being a top HR priority, half (51%) of organizations still depend on reactive, just-in-time hiring—missing opportunities to strategically attract and secure top talent. The newly released HR.com’s Future of Talent Acquisition 2025 research report reveals this critical disconnect in how organizations approach recruitment.

Only 5% of organizations rate their talent acquisition (TA) function as world-class, exposing a significant gap between aspiration and execution. So, what’s the secret to success? The data points to top-performing TA teams—those who are 13X more likely to use advanced recruiting tech like CRMs—as models of strategic hiring.

TA continues to be a critical focus for HR teams, with 46% of organizations ranking it among their top three HR priorities. As the competition for talent intensifies, many employers are shifting their attention toward long-term, strategic recruitment efforts.

Among the top goals for 2025 are:

• Building a strong talent pipeline (63%)

• Improving employer branding (55%)

However, significant challenges persist. A lack of skilled candidates (53%) remains the most common barrier to effective hiring, followed closely by reactive hiring practices (51%) that limit an organization’s ability to plan ahead. Budget constraints compound these issues, with only 30% of organizations planning to increase their TA budget in the near future.

Looking ahead, organizations are betting on technology to help bridge the gap between TA goals and outcomes. Over the next two years, HR leaders expect major advancements in:

• Talent intelligence and predictive analytics (44%)

• AI & machine learning (38%)

• CRM platforms (35%)

These tools have the potential to shift TA from reactive to proactive, enabling smarter sourcing, better candidate experiences, and more informed decision-making.

“Talent acquisition can no longer be just about filling roles quickly—it must be a strategic priority focused on building a future-ready workforce,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO at HR.com. “Employers need to elevate TA on their agenda and invest in the right technology, strategy, and employer branding to stay competitive and attract top talent.”

REPORT DOWNLOAD

The recording of the research webcast presentation, Rethinking Talent Acquisition in the Fast-Moving Age of AI, is available for viewing 24/7 on demand.

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