The Most Common Mistakes Companies Make When Hiring for HR Roles
Insights-Driven Hiring Backed by Cultural Alignment
Hiring the right HR talent can be the difference between a thriving, engaged workforce — and a costly culture misstep. Yet according to multiple industry reports, many organisations still treat HR recruitment as an administrative task rather than a strategic investment.
A 2024 CIPD survey found that 42% of HR hires leave within the first 18 months, with culture misalignment cited as a key driver. The cost of a failed hire at mid-to-senior HR level can exceed £60,000 once you factor in productivity loss, recruitment spend, and reputational impact.
So, what’s going wrong? And how can you fix it?
1. Mistake: Prioritising Experience Over Impact
Many employers over-index on years of experience or specific HR systems (e.g. Workday, SuccessFactors), assuming these are indicators of readiness. But experience alone doesn’t guarantee the ability to influence, coach, or lead through complexity.
Research by McKinsey shows that HR professionals with strong stakeholder influence and emotional intelligence drive 2.5x greater organisational engagement than those who focus primarily on compliance and process.
Our Take: We screen for value alignment and relational impact, not just technical background. Our Culture Fit Programme includes behavioural assessments and influence profiling — giving you insight into how a candidate will operate, not just what they’ve done.
2. Mistake: Hiring in Reaction Mode
Urgency leads to compromise. In our own analysis of 100+ failed HR placements (from clients who came to us after a mismatch), the most common thread was a rushed, reactive recruitment process.
Companies that take a strategic, forward-planned approach to HR hiring are 58% more likely to report high People function performance, according to a 2023 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report.
Our Take: We work with employers to map future needs, not just current vacancies. Whether you’re scaling or transforming, we help define roles around outcomes, not just job specs — reducing long-term hiring risk.
3. Mistake: Ignoring Culture Fit
Culture misalignment remains one of the biggest hidden costs in HR recruitment. A candidate might look perfect on paper but fail to thrive if their values or working style clash with your organisation.
According to Harvard Business Review, poor culture fit accounts for 89% of hiring failures, particularly in leadership and HR roles.
Our Take: Our Culture Fit Guarantee is built on a structured process. We use diagnostic tools to map your company’s culture and assess candidates across dimensions like decision-making style, leadership preferences, and value alignment — before they reach your shortlist.
4. Mistake: Assuming Senior HR Hires Don’t Need Support
Many organisations expect mid-to-senior HR professionals to self-navigate onboarding. But even the most experienced hires benefit from structured integration — especially when navigating stakeholder dynamics or legacy challenges.
Companies with formal onboarding programmes for HR hires report 70% faster ramp-up and 33% higher retention at 12 months, according to SHRM data.
Our Take: We provide post-placement coaching as standard. Our HR experts stay engaged to support transition, build early wins, and reduce the risk of early attrition.
5. Mistake: Treating All HR Roles as Interchangeable
HR Business Partners. Talent Leads. Heads of People. Each comes with a different focus — strategic vs operational, systems vs people, policy vs culture. Misalignment between the role’s scope and the candidate’s strengths is a recipe for poor performance.
A Korn Ferry study found that misalignment between role expectations and individual capability is the top driver of early HR attrition (cited by 64% of HR leaders).
Our Take: We’ve worked in HR ourselves — so we know the difference. We advise clients on role clarity, reporting lines, and realistic expectations, then match candidates who can deliver impact in context.
Reducing Risk and Maximising Retention with Culture-Led HR Recruitment
HR recruitment shouldn’t be about ticking boxes — it should be about building capability and shaping culture. When you hire HR talent aligned with your mission, values, and ways of working, the return on investment multiplies across the entire organisation.
How We De-Risk Your HR Hiring Process:
Culture-Fit Guarantee: We’ll re-recruit within 3 months, free of charge, if it’s not a fit
Culture Fit Programme: Diagnostic tools and values screening for every hire
HR-Led Search Team: We’ve sat in HR seats ourselves — we speak your language
Post-Placement Coaching: Ensures smooth transition and early impact
Transparent Retained Model: Commitment from both sides, always
Ready to build a resilient, high-performing HR team?
Let’s talk — and get it right the first time.Contact The HR Recruiters
