New hiring benchmark data from Employ Inc.’s 2026 Hiring Benchmarks Report analyzing over 6,600 companies (Employ Inc. customers) highlights key shifts in how organizations attract, evaluate, and secure talent.
Key takeaways:
- Speed is improving across the board: Companies are screening candidates 13% faster and filling roles 4 days quicker than last year, raising the bar for staffing agencies to maintain their speed advantage.
- Quality screening remains challenging: Despite higher applicant volumes (up 24%), fewer candidates are advancing past initial screens, highlighting the importance of precise matching capabilities.
- Personalization drives acceptance: Mid-market companies with more personalized approaches see 8% higher offer acceptance rates than enterprises, showing that high-touch service still wins.
The speed game has new rules
Employers are hiring faster. Time to screen dropped to 7.2 days (from 8.3), and time to fill improved to 63.5 days (from 67.7). For staffing agencies whose value proposition often centers on speed-to-placement, this acceleration means the gap between direct hiring and agency placement timelines is narrowing.
The data shows enterprises move particularly fast, with time to hire at just 35.4 days compared to 56.4 days for small businesses. This may be because larger organizations have invested in automation and process improvements that staffing firms have traditionally leveraged as their advantage. Smart agencies should consider how to differentiate beyond just speed, whether through specialized expertise, harder-to-reach talent pools, or value-added screening services.
Volume up, quality screening down
Applications per job jumped 24% to 257.5, yet the qualified applicant rate barely moved (11.5% vs 11.6%). And screen-to-interview conversion rates dropped from 38.9% to 34.9%. This disconnect between quantity and quality could be an opportunity for staffing agencies to showcase their screening expertise.
Industries like software and tech see the highest application volumes (369.1 per role) but among the lowest qualified rates (5.0%). Hospitality faces the opposite challenge of moderate volumes but higher qualification rates. Staffing firms specializing in these sectors can position themselves as the solution to these industry-specific screening challenges, offering pre-vetted talent pools that bypass the noise.
The human touch matters more
Despite all the automation, candidate experience scores remain mediocre at 2.9 out of 5, with enterprises scoring even lower at 2.7. Mid-market companies achieve 89.8% offer acceptance versus 81.5% for enterprises, a gap that correlates with their higher candidate experience ratings.
While employers struggle to balance volume with personalization, staffing firms can emphasize their ability to provide white-glove candidate care throughout the process. The data shows that industries built on relationships (hospitality and business services) achieve the highest experience scores at 4.0, a model staffing firms already understand.
Engagement calls for new strategies
Engagement rates for recruitment marketing emails fell to 0.8% from 1.2% last year, with only enterprises maintaining reasonable rates at 1.5%. Yet the retail industry saw engagement surge to 7.4%, suggesting that targeted, relevant messaging still works when done right.
For staffing agencies managing talent pools, this decline in engagement requires rethinking communication strategies. Generic blast emails are less effective; more impactful strategies include segmenting databases more precisely, personalizing at scale, and leveraging multiple touchpoints beyond email.
Action steps for staffing leaders
- Redefine your speed advantage. With employers moving faster, agencies need to articulate value beyond just filling roles quickly. Consider guaranteeing specific timeframes for specialized roles or offering rapid deployment for project-based needs where your pre-screened pools provide instant solutions.
- Invest in matching precision. As companies struggle with screening efficiency despite higher volumes, staffing firms that can demonstrate superior qualification rates will stand out. Track and promote your screen-to-placement ratios compared to industry benchmarks.
- Double down on candidate relationships. With direct employer experience scores stagnating and engagement rates falling, agencies that maintain strong candidate relationships have an advantage. The goal is to be responsive, transparent, and maintain engagement even between placements.
While employers are hiring faster and attracting more applicants, the fundamental challenges of finding quality matches and delivering positive experiences remain. Staffing agencies aiming to become irreplaceable strategic partners will have to solve these persistent problems (not just promise speed).
See Employ Inc.’s full report for more hiring insights and benchmarking data.
