Recruitment Metrics That Matter (HR + Ops): Time-to-Fill, Quality, Cost

Recruitment metrics only help if they change decisions.

The goal isn’t “more reporting”. The goal is to fill roles faster (without increasing risk), improve retention and performance, and give leaders visibility into what’s working and what isn’t.

Running a multi-supplier contingent workforce program? Start with the pillar guide: What Is an MSP for Workforce Solutions?

Key takeaways

• Use a balanced KPI set across time, quality, cost, and compliance.
• Standardise definitions first (otherwise teams measure different things).
• Segment by role family, site, and supplier to find what’s actually driving outcomes.
• Attach an action to each KPI (so it changes behaviour, not just reporting).

The starter KPI set (10 metrics you can actually use)

1. Time-to-fill — Definition: days from approved request to accepted offer/start (pick one and stick to it). Why it matters: vacancy cost is real.
2. Fill rate — Definition: positions filled / positions requested. Why it matters: shows whether your sourcing engine is keeping up.
3. Submission-to-start conversion — Definition: starts / submissions. Why it matters: highlights screening quality and decision friction.
4. Early attrition (first week / first month) — Why it matters: poor fit and poor onboarding show up fast.
5. 90-day retention — Why it matters: a practical proxy for “quality” beyond interview scores.
6. Hiring manager satisfaction (simple pulse) — Ask: “Was the shortlist relevant?” “Would you hire again?” (1–5 scale).
7. Cost-to-fill / cost-of-hire — Include recruiter time, advertising, agency fees, and onboarding costs if possible. Why it matters: supports trade-offs and prioritisation.
8. Overtime hours — Not a recruitment KPI on its own, but it signals workforce stress (fatigue + cost).
9. Compliance pass rate — Definition: % of starts that meet documented requirements (tickets, right-to-work, inductions, medicals if required). Why it matters: reduces risk and rework.
10. Onboarding cycle time — Definition: approved request → site-ready. Why it matters: onboarding bottlenecks can destroy time-to-fill.

Recruitment metric definitions (use these consistently)

Time-to-fill vs time-to-hire

• Time-to-fill: from requisition approval to accepted offer/start.
• Time-to-hire: from candidate application/first contact to accepted offer.

Quality of hire (QoH)

QoH varies by organisation. A practical approach is to combine:

• 90-day retention (yes/no)
• Performance check-in score at 60–90 days
• Hiring manager satisfaction

Cost of hire (CoH)

Even an estimate is better than zero visibility. A simple model:

(Advertising + agency fees + internal recruiter cost + assessment costs) / hires

What to do with the data (so it matters)

1. Segment your metrics by role family (trade, operator, supervisor, admin), site/location, employment type (permanent vs contingent), and supplier (if applicable).
2. Set targets that reflect reality. If time-to-fill is 28 days today, a target of 7 days won’t drive improvement. Start with incremental reductions by role family.
3. Tie actions to each KPI. Examples below.

• Low fill rate → expand sourcing channels, simplify approvals, adjust requirements.
• High early attrition → improve onboarding, set expectations, improve supervisor coverage.
• Low compliance pass rate → standardise checklist, pre-qualify talent pools, clarify ownership.
• Slow onboarding cycle time → remove bottlenecks (induction capacity, medical booking lead times, document verification).

How MSP helps (for multi-supplier programs)

If you have many suppliers, sites, and contingent roles, an MSP can help standardise intake and approvals, supplier performance reporting, compliance workflows, and spend visibility/governance.

Learn more: MSP and People Solutions

Related services and resources

• Staffing Services
• Permanent Recruitment
• Technology solutions
• Workforce planning
• Workforce Planning Template (90 Days)

FAQ

What’s the single best recruitment metric?

There isn’t one. A small balanced set (time, quality, cost, compliance) is the most useful.

How often should we review recruitment KPIs?

Weekly for operational KPIs (time-to-fill, onboarding cycle time), and monthly for broader trends (quality of hire, cost, supplier performance).

Should we measure “time to submit” for suppliers?

If contingent labour is significant, yes. It helps you identify which suppliers respond quickly with quality candidates.

General information only: this article provides general information and is not legal advice.