In new research released today, it was revealed that 44% of new recruits are falling short of employer expectations.

The opinions of more than 2,000 employers and employees were gathered by recruitment specialist Hudson for its annual 20:20 research series which aims to shed light on current recruitment trends, and shortcomings.

The data gathered during the research identified deficiencies in current recruitment practices, which appear to be out-dated and misfiring at unsuitable talent, according to survey respondents.

Despite human resource shortages, the research showed that recruiters remain focused on ‘traditional’ recruitment practices when making hiring decisions, resulting in substantial financial and productivity losses.

Simon Moylan, executive general manager, Hudson Talent Management, said that there are three key factors which need to be considered in modern recruitment practices.

He said that recruiters need to assess a candidate’s attitude, motivation and cultural fit with the workplace environment, when hiring new staff. Doing so will more accurately predict a candidate’s ability to perform the job at a high level.

He added, “These are difficult areas to measure and our research shows that only a tiny minority of employers [6%] evaluate these factors. However, when formal procedures are used for this, 91% of [new recruits] were regarded as excellent or good.”

Moylan said there was no question that by finding an employee who is the right ‘fit’ for an organisation made for a happier and more engaged staff member, and would ultimately result in “increased productivity and profitability”.

According to the research, businesses are continually failing to make the right recruitment decisions, with nearly half being unsuitable.

Survey respondents said there is still far too little focus on investing in the right process to ensure a new recruit is right for an organisation and a specific role.

The research showed that 62% of employers’ current hiring practices focus on traditional recruitment methods, and respondents called for businesses to adopt more innovative strategies.

Hudson’s research shows that organisations are currently evaluating the wrong attributes when selecting candidates and are too focused on the cost ofrecruitment rather than the quality of new recruits.

Moylan said that it was critical for employers to change the traditional evaluation methods when finding new staff.