Hiring delays leave Aussie businesses dreaming of a speedy Christmas miracle

In 2025, Australian employers are taking an average of five weeks to complete the recruitment process for new permanent staff
11% hire in two weeks or less, 22% in four weeks or less, and 31% take six weeks or more
60% report difficulties attracting candidates, while 56% say screening resumes and shortlisting candidates is challenging
92% experience negative impacts from a delay in hiring, such as an increased workload for existing staff (44%) and delayed project timelines (32%)

Sydney, 16 December 2025 – New independent research by specialised recruiter Robert Half finds employers take an average of five weeks to hire permanent staff, from the moment they craft the job description to a candidate accepting a job offer. Their efforts to find the right staff may also be creating pressure on their existing teams and overall performance.

Almost a third (31%) of employers are taking six weeks or more to hire new permanent employees, compared to 11% who are taking two weeks or less. In comparison, in 2017, a survey among 1,000 workers revealed more than two-thirds (70%) of employees reported it took four weeks or less to be offered a job, indicating hiring managers are taking longer to hire permanent staff.

Length of hiring period for permanent staff	Proportion of employers in 2025
2 weeks or less	11%
3 weeks	16%
4 weeks	22%
5 weeks	19%
6 weeks or more	31%

Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 500 employers in Australia

“The length of today’s hiring process reflects how cautious and considered businesses are being before committing to a permanent hire,” says Nicole Gorton, Director at Robert Half. “Employers are balancing the need to move quickly with the pressure to make the right long-term hire, often creating a tension between speed and precision.”

“Even in a candidate-rich market, top talent remains in short supply. Companies are increasingly seeking candidates who meet both the ’need-to-have’ and ‘nice-to-have’ skillsets, and when they find them, speed is everything. The strongest candidates attract multiple offers quickly, so employers who hesitate risk losing them to the competition.”

The challenges of hiring top talent

When asked what they find the most challenging when it comes to hiring for a permanent role, employers most commonly reported talent attraction ahead of all other facets of the recruitment process. Only 2% of employers stated they don’t have any challenges when hiring permanent staff.

Most common recruitment challenges:

Attracting candidates 60%

Screening resumes and shortlisting candidates 56%

Scheduling and conducting interviews 40%

Decision making 40%

Defining the role and/or writing the job description 37%

Checking references or conducting background checks 28%

“The bottlenecks in hiring aren’t just administrative, which highlights how complex the talent market has become in recent times,” Gorton says. “In a market with high candidate availability, AI tools can help streamline parts of the process, but they also increase the need for thorough screening to distinguish genuine capability from surface-level signals. Companies are not only competing for talent but also working harder to identify the right mix of skills and cultural fit in a hiring landscape shaped by shifting priorities and growing pressure to get decisions right.”

The knock-on effects of hiring hesitancy

A delayed or extended hiring period has led to a range of negative impacts according to 92% of businesses, with employers reporting that the added pressure is being felt by their existing staff.

Increased workload on existing staff 44%

Delayed project timelines 32%

Increased turnover of existing staff 30%

Reduced team morale 29%

Decline in service quality 26%

Lost revenue and/or business opportunities 22%

“Every week lost in the hiring process has a ripple effect across the organisation, whether it is overworked teams, missed deadlines, and in some cases, lost revenue. The cost of hiring slowly is not always visible on the balance sheet, but it can be deeply felt in morale and productivity.

“These trends point to a structural shift in how businesses approach talent acquisition. Success is no longer measured by simply filling a vacancy, but by how effectively an organisation can balance fit, speed, rigour, and employee wellbeing in the recruitment process,” concludes Gorton.

RobertHalf_timetohirein2025_December.pdf

Notes to editors

About the research

The study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in July 2025, by an independent research company of 500 hiring managers in finance and accounting, IT and technology, and human resources. Respondents are drawn from a sample of SMEs as well as large private, publicly-listed and public sector organisations across Australia. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management, and trends in the workplace.

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the global, specialised talent solutions provider that helps employers find their next great hire and jobseekers uncover their next opportunity. Robert Half offers both contract and permanent placement services, and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm. Robert Half Australia has offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Melbourne South East, Perth, and Sydney. More information on roberthalf.com/au.          

For more information    

Courtney Fletcher

PR Manager

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+61 421 209 304