The holiday season is upon us, and while the elves are busy in the North Pole, the world of recruitment is just as bustling! To bring some festive cheer to your talent acquisition strategy, we’ve paired 20 insightful recruitment statistics with some holiday-themed jokes that will keep your spirits high during this hiring season. Let's unwrap some data!
(Editor's note. We've done this every year since 2021 and we were really scraping the bottom of the barrel this year. Our usual jokes guy will be back in 2025!)
1. 67% of UK employers are planning to recruit new staff in 2024.
Joke: Looks like Santa will have plenty of extra helpers in the new year—he can finally take a break after all those Christmas deliveries!
2. 28% of companies believe improving company culture is key to solving the talent shortage.
Joke: Even the elves know that a positive workplace is important—you can’t build toys with a grumpy Grinch at your side!
3. A bad hire at the manager level costs businesses £132,000.
Joke: That’s enough to cover Santa’s entire reindeer treat budget for the next ten Christmases! Better choose wisely!
4. 43% of recruiters say attracting the right talent is their biggest challenge.
Joke: Maybe they should borrow Santa’s naughty-or-nice list—it’s pretty good at filtering out the wrong candidates.
5. 9% of employees leave within the first 90 days due to bad onboarding.
Joke: Sounds like some people are jumping ship faster than Santa after getting stuck in a chimney.
6. 82% of public sector employers are planning to hire in 2024.
Joke: Santa might have to start outsourcing some elves—there’s going to be fierce competition for talent this year.
7. The average time to fill a vacancy in the UK is 42 days.
Joke: That’s almost as long as Santa takes to recover after delivering presents around the world in one night.
8. 29% of employers expect significant hiring problems in 2024.
Joke: Even Santa has his struggles—there’s only so many elves to go around during the holiday rush
9. 36% of early-career candidates are most attracted to company culture.
Joke: Makes sense—who wouldn’t want to work at the North Pole, where the motto is "be jolly and spread cheer.
10. The average cost to hire an employee in the UK is £6,125 - before salary!
Joke: That’s more than Santa spends on candy canes to keep the elves motivated all year long.
11. 37% of UK employers say they have “hard-to-fill” vacancies.
Joke: Maybe they need to follow Santa’s lead—after all, he always fills the most important role at the North Pole.
12. 73% of job applicants aren’t qualified for the positions they apply for.
Joke: Guess a few people are shooting for the stars—or should we say, the sleigh.
13. 67% of employees want pay transparency from their employers.
Joke: Santa doesn’t keep secrets—everyone knows the real reward is getting off the naughty list
14. 22% of employees would leave for a job with better upskilling opportunities.
Joke: Even the elves want to learn new skills—rumour has it, they’re taking sleigh-driving lessons in case Rudolph needs backup
15. Nearly 50% of employees would switch jobs if offered reskilling programmes.
Joke: Sounds like even the elves are tired of making toys—they’re ready to start coding apps for Santa
16. 21% of workers in the UK experience high turnover annually.
Joke: Hopefully, Santa’s workforce is a little more stable—losing elves right before Christmas would be a disaster
17. 94% of employees say they’d stay longer at a company that invests in their learning and development.
Joke: It’s like working for Santa—everyone sticks around because they’re always learning something new… like how to wrap presents faster.
18. The skills gap is expected to cost the UK £6.6 billion per year.
Joke: Maybe Santa should open a skills academy—after all, he’s a pro at managing logistics, teamwork, and sleigh repairs.
19. 70% of enterprise companies use ATS software to screen CVs.
Joke: Santa’s list might be magical, but even he needs some automation to manage the millions of wish lists he receives.
20. 43% of companies are using AI to interview potential hires.
Joke: Santa’s interviews are simple: "Have you been naughty or nice?" But AI might help him track who’s fibbing.
Wrapping it all up
As we head into 2024, the world of recruitment continues to evolve, with skills gaps, company culture, and employee development taking centre stage. While these statistics provide key insights, adding a bit of holiday humour can keep spirits bright even during the busiest hiring seasons.
So, whether you're trying to attract top talent or hold onto your best employees, remember that a little bit of Christmas magic—and a good sense of humour—can go a long way.
Happy hiring, and Merry Christmas!