Hiring Is Getting Harder. Here’s a Smarter (and Cheaper) Way Forward
Recruitment in Australia is shifting, and fast
With rising wage costs, ongoing skills shortages, and a patchy economy, putting pressure on operating budgets, it’s no surprise that businesses are being pushed to rethink the way they hire. According to the ABS, job vacancies remain 58.1% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Yet SEEK reports show application rates are dropping, and many employers are struggling to fill even the most business-critical roles.
Hiring is getting harder but that doesn’t mean it needs to get more expensive. At Harrison McMillan, we’ve always believed in a smarter, more transparent approach. And we’ve refined our flat-fee model within our Talent Solutions business to make it even more flexible, cost-effective, and easier to scale without sacrificing quality.
A different approach to recruitment
Rather than charging percentage based fees or locking you into rigid contracts, our flat-fee model works on a simple monthly retainer (starting from $8,000 a month). That gives you access to a full recruitment function without unpredictable costs or admin overload.
We use an outcome-based structure that aligns with the type of roles you're hiring for whether that’s high-volume, transactional, or more specialised positions. You’re not paying for a full in house function. And you're not locked into any one way of working.
This approach is built to support both everyday roles and hard-to-fill positions. It gives your team the ability to surge, pause, or pivot based on hiring demand without having to renegotiate contracts every time.
And because our model is based on outcomes not commissions, you can see exactly where your recruitment investment is going.
What’s included
When we say “full recruitment function”, we mean it. Clients get access to a dedicated team including two recruiters (blending volume and specialist capability), a recruitment administrator, and strategic oversight from our Director of Talent Solutions.
We plug directly into your systems or you can use ours. You can choose to have us operate under your brand, and we’ll take care of everything from advertising and candidate engagement through to onboarding and reporting.
There’s no fluff, no layers of handoff, and no confusion. Just a highly functional, embedded recruitment engine that flexes with your business.
Why it works
It’s structured, transparent, and scalable. It gives hiring teams the support they need without the overheads. You know exactly what you’re spending, what you’re getting, and where you’re headed.
And for many of our clients, this model brings the average cost-per-hire below $2,000 for volume role something few traditional agency approaches or in house teams can offer, particularly with end-to-end delivery included.
A smarter approach for today’s hiring climate
Right now, the recruitment landscape in Australia is marked by cautious hiring, longer decision-making cycles, and greater scrutiny over spend. The latest data from Jobs and Skills Australia shows key industries like healthcare, construction, and education are under ongoing pressure, with skills shortages continuing to bite.
Recruitment needs to deliver faster outcomes and better value without compromising quality.
That’s exactly what our flat-fee model is built to do and now it’s even better.
If your team’s looking for more value, more flexibility, and far less recruitment admin, this could be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.
