Recruitment is expensive. And not just because of recruiter fees or job ad costs. Every time you lose a good employee, you’re not just filling a gap—you’re losing productivity, team morale, and probably some credibility as an employer too. And if you’re growing fast, you need to scale efficiently, not chaotically.

The real cost of a bad hire? At least 30% of their annual salary. And if someone leaves within the first 90 days, you’re right back to square one. Sound familiar?

So how do you cut down recruitment costs without cutting corners? It starts way before you’re even thinking about hiring.

Here are 10 ways to hire smarter, keep your best people, and stop throwing money at a broken system.

Info graphic showing it is an average of £30k to replace a member of staff - incorporating more than just recruitment
  • 1. Stop blaming recruitment—fix retention first

    If your best employees keep leaving, recruitment isn’t the issue—retention is. A constant hiring cycle is a symptom of a deeper problem. People stay when they feel valued, see a future in the company, and actually enjoy coming to work. If they don’t, they leave—and you pay the price. Of course, some employees move on to bigger and better things, and that’s a win. But if you’re constantly losing people you wish you could keep, it’s time to look inwards.

💡Tip: Reduce regrettable leavers by focusing on career development, employee wellbeing & experience, and building a culture & environment where people want to stay.

  • 2. Define, live, and shout about what makes you a great employer

    What makes your company stand out? Salary? Flexibility? Purpose? If you don’t know, neither do candidates. And if you’re not living up to your promises, people will walk. This is your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)—but it’s not just for show. If you promise flexibility but managers micromanage, people will leave. If you talk about career progression but offer none, people will get frustrated. Your EVP needs to be real, not just recruitment fluff.

💡Tip: Be clear, honest and consistent about what you offer—and make sure employees actually experience it. Take action to strengthen your EVP, improve workplace culture, and become an employer of choice.

  • 3. Stop writing boring job ads—and clean up your employer brand

    If your job ads sound like every other ‘dynamic workplace offering competitive salary,’ you’re already losing good candidates. People don’t apply for a list of responsibilities—they apply for a job that excites them. But the job ad is just the start—candidates Google you before applying. If your employer reviews are bad, your careers page is outdated, and your social media is silent, you’re making hiring harder for yourself.

💡Tip: Write clear, compelling job ads that sell the role, and make sure your employer brand backs it up.

  • 4. Promote from within—stop losing talent to your competitors

    Hiring externally costs more than developing the people you already have. If employees don’t see career growth, they’ll leave—and you’ll be forced to replace them. Want to cut recruitment costs? Start promoting people.

💡Tip: Offer training, mentorship, and clear career pathways so people can grow with the business instead of outgrowing it.

  • 5. Be honest about salaries and stop wasting everyone’s time

    Leaving salary as ‘competitive’ or blank is a red flag to candidates. It either means the pay is low, or you don’t know what the role is worth. Either way, it wastes time for everyone.

💡Tip: List a salary range upfront. It filters out poor-fit candidates early on in the recruitment process and sets clear expectations.

  • 6. Stop fishing in the same talent pool—find better candidates

    If you always look in the same places, you’ll get the same candidates. Relying only on job boards means you’re missing out on referrals, industry networks, and alternative talent pools.

Network meeting that could be used for recruitment

💡Tip: Look beyond the usual hiring channels—employee referrals, industry events, alumni networks, and untapped talent pools can bring in stronger candidates, faster

  • 7. Work with a recruiter who actually gets it

    Recruiters aren’t just for filling roles—they should be strategic partners who understand your culture and long-term hiring needs. If your recruiter is just throwing CVs at you, you’re paying for bad matches and wasted interviews.

💡Tip: Work with recruiters such as Redmore Recruitment who prioritise long-term fit, not just quick placements. A cheap hire that leaves in six months isn’t saving you money.

  • 8. Hire for skills and potential—not just who feels familiar

    If you only hire people who ‘fit in’ or who you’d go for a drink with, you’re building an echo chamber. Worse still, you’re limiting fresh ideas and innovation.

💡Tip: Focus your recruitment on skills, values alignment, and culture add—not just culture fit. Look beyond traditional experience and consider transferable skills.

  • 9. Stop relying on one-size-fits-all hiring processes

    Not every role needs a traditional interview. If you’re still hiring based on generic Q&A sessions, you’re missing out on top talent who could shine in a different format.

💡Tip: Focus on skills, values alignment, and culture add—not just culture fit. Look beyond traditional experience and consider transferable skills.

  • 10. Onboarding isn’t just day one—it’s your retention plan

    One in ten employees leave within the first three months due to poor onboarding—a costly mistake that puts you straight back into hiring mode.

💡Tip: Onboarding should last at least as long as the probation period (30 days to 12 months), ensuring new hires feel supported. Make sure responsibilities are clear, expectations are set, and everyone involved in onboarding knows their role.

Recruitment shouldn’t be a revolving door

If you’re always hiring replacements, something isn’t working. And if you’re scaling, hiring without the right structure will cost you more in the long run. The best way to cut recruitment costs? Hire smarter, build strong teams, and keep your best people longer.

Which of these do you need to fix first?

Need help building a talent strategy that actually works?

Check out KUDU People Strategy Navigation to get expert guidance on attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent.

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#employee retention #talent attraction #talent retention

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