If your business is struggling to compete for top talent in today’s market, you’re not alone. Organizations across industries faced a tight labor market in 2025, and the landscape looks similar in early 2026.According to Robert Half’s research, more than half (58%) of business leaders say it’s more difficult to locate skilled talent available for hire than it was a year ago. Traditional recruitment approaches are also becoming less effective, complicated by changing workforce preferences and the growing volume of AI-generated applications, which can make it harder for hiring managers to verify resumes and confirm candidates’ credentials and experience.Despite these challenges, our research found that leaders across several top professions are feeling confident about their organization’s business outlook in 2026. So much so that many are planning to step up hiring, with 60% of company leaders looking to increase permanent headcount in the first half of the year, and 55% reporting that they expect to bring in more contract talent.That means the hiring market is about to get even more competitive—and it’s happening just as more professionals are considering launching new job searches. In this environment, securing in-demand talent for your business requires more than just a job offer—it takes a compelling mix of competitive pay, enticing perks and benefits, and an efficient hiring process. It may also require you to think more creatively, and flexibly, about how you staff certain initiatives.These 5 strategies can help you align the skilled resources your business needs to succeed this year.
Compensation remains one of the most decisive factors in whether candidates accept a job offer. Employers that lead with below-market pay or rely on outdated assumptions about what today’s professionals value most will struggle to attract (and retain) skilled talent in today’s competitive hiring environment. That’s why a strong hiring strategy starts with a clear view of total compensation, including salary, benefits, flexibility and long-term value.Salary is still foundational. Candidates expect pay that aligns with market benchmarks, skills and scope of responsibility. But perks and benefits increasingly influence how candidates compare offer.Robert Half’s research shows that health insurance, paid time off and retirement savings plans remain valued benefits, while offerings like wellness-related perks are also priorities for many workers. Many employer are also finding that signing bonuses, expanded work flexibility, including remote and hybrid arrangements, and enhanced benefits packages are also becoming more important to solving the issue of how to compete for top talent in a tight labor market.Use the compensation data in Robert Half’s 2026 Salary Guide to help ensure your offers are competitive.
2. Streamline your talent recruitment process
Top candidates typically fall into two categories: candidates actively looking in today’s job market and passive candidates currently employed. Either way, you have your work cut out for you. You’ll need to offer in-demand professionals a better deal than they have at their current employer or may be offered by a competitor of yours.How can you up the ante? Start by digging into the data. Workers say the benefits that are most important to them are health insurance, PTO and retirement savings plans, according to Robert Half research. They also say the perks they value most are flexible schedules, remote work options and wellness perks. When you know what matters most to employees today, you can craft offers that stand out.Also, consider what your competitors are up to. What are other companies that seem to be snapping up talent offering new hires? Signing bonuses? Innovative employment benefits on par with Silicon Valley startups? A four-day workweek?Talk to contacts in your network and read the business press to see what you can learn about benefit offerings that are working for other firms. A recruiting agency can also provide valuable insights because they are in constant communication with job seekers and employers.
3. Be flexible about criteria—and consider adjacent skills
Read the reportIn today’s market, holding out for a candidate who checks every box can stall hiring longer than most teams can afford. A better approach is to decide from the outset what skills and experience are truly required for the role versus the nice-to-haves. Many high-potential candidates won’t mirror your job description perfectly. However, they may have the core capabilities to succeed—and the ability to build the rest quickly with the right onboarding and training.One practical way to expand your talent pool is to look for skill adjacencies. Adjacent skills are closely related capabilities that transfer well from one role, industry or tool set to another. For example, a candidate who has managed complex scheduling and stakeholder communication may ramp quickly into a coordinator role, or someone with strong analytical reporting experience may be able to pick up new systems faster than a candidate with narrower experience.Want more insight into the latest hiring trends? Explore Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report.
4. Lean into a scalable staffing approach
When candidate searches stretch on, workloads can pile up—and the pressure on core teams rises. By adopting a scalable staffing model, you can reduce the risk of employee burnout, keep operations and projects on track, and give yourself the breathing room to make solid permanent hiring decisions.A flexible staffing approach lets you secure specialized skills exactly when and for as long as you need them. In some cases, bringing in contract or project-based support can help reduce the need to make permanent hires, especially when a staffing need is time-bound or temporary. These arrangements can also result in full-time hires.This strategy isn’t just for large organizations. Small businesses can benefit from a scalable staffing model, too. It allows them to access skilled talent quickly while controlling costs and giving their employees exposure to new tools and ways of working.Running a small business? See this page for more insight on how to compete for top talent.
5. Partner proactively with specialized recruiters
As hiring becomes more complex, many employers are realizing they don’t have to navigate it alone. Robert Half’s research shows that a growing share of leaders are reaching out proactively to recruiting partners this year—not just to staff open roles, but also to help validate skills, move faster and adapt their staffing strategies as conditions change.Specialized recruiters can provide real-time insight into the talent market, including which skills are in short supply, where compensation expectations are trending and how candidates are evaluating offers. That perspective can help you refine job descriptions and benchmark pay more accurately.Recruiting partners also have an important role to play in screening and skills validation, especially as application volume rises and AI-generated resumes become more common. By assessing candidates beyond what’s on paper—through interviews, testing and reference checks—recruiters can help employers make confident hiring decisions faster. In a recent Robert Half survey, a majority (89%) of employers said staffing firms have been effective in helping them overcome AI-related hiring challengesWorking with a recruiting partner can also help you execute a scalable staffing strategy. The same relationship that helps you hire permanent talent can also give you access to contract professionals, interim leaders and project-based support when workloads spike or priorities shift. That continuity makes it easier to scale up or down without disrupting teams or rushing long-term hires.The best recruiting partners act as strategic collaborators in helping businesses understand how to compete for top talent in today’s market. They can help you identify the right talent solutions that will allow you to build a highly skilled team that is resilient, adaptable and ready to perform.Learn how Robert Half can work together with your business.
Stay informed about the latest labor market trends—with Robert Half
View Labor Market OverviewWant data and insights on how the U.S. hiring environment is evolving in 2026? Visit Robert Half’s Labor Market Overview page to get a snapshot view of current hiring trends and access our expanded coverage on industries hiring, remote work statistics and trends and more.
