A recent survey across businesses with less than 25 employees has found that the cost of recruitment is the most important factor when selecting a recruitment partner.

With more small businesses hiring than at any other point in the last decade, the market is certainly in a strong, perhaps buoyant position. In a fast-pace environment small business owners are proving particularly savvy when reducing their recruitment budgets. With the continued growth of online recruitment many are moving away from traditional agencies and bringing the process inhouse.

ThatRecruit.com, which specialises in helping small businesses recruit directly for £139 or less, says the results of the survey are of no surprise. Account Manager David Hope says, ‘The recruitment market has changed demonstrably over the last five to ten years. Owners of SMEs are always savvy and more and more of them no longer see the value in paying thousands of pounds for every hire.

‘By having the same access to the market that recruitment consultants do, most small business owners are more than comfortable conducting an efficient hiring process – particularly in a strong economic climate.’

Opus Energy recently surveyed over 500 SME decision makers as part of its Brighter Business Report, revealing that 61 per cent of SMEs are predicting strong income growth, and feeling more confident after the Brexit decision. The ONS has also recently confirmed the unemployment level in the UK is at its lowest point for 11 years.