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Are Too Many Stakeholders Sabotaging Your Hiring Goals?

Writer: Ben SwantonBen Swanton
Feb 154 min read

Updated: Feb 19

The competition for top talent is fierce in the fast-moving broadcast, media, and sports production industries. Yet, despite recognising the need for skilled professionals, many businesses find themselves entangled in overly complex hiring processes that mirror the bureaucratic red tape of public service RFPs.


These drawn-out procedures, laden with too many stakeholders, a lack of accountability, and inefficiencies harm the candidate experience and can tarnish a company’s reputation.


As a recruitment and talent acquisition thought leader, I’ve witnessed how such pitfalls can hinder companies from securing the talent they desperately need. Let’s delve into the common challenges posed by overly convoluted hiring processes and explore how organisations can streamline their approach to attracting and retaining top talent.


The Pitfalls of Too Many Stakeholders


Bringing key decision-makers into the hiring process is essential for alignment and confident decision-making. But there’s a balance to strike. When too many stakeholders get involved, what should be a focused, efficient process can become complicated and drawn out. Here’s how that can impact your ability to secure top talent: 


  1. Slower Progress, Higher Risk: Involving the right stakeholders strengthens hiring decisions. But when too many voices are part of the process, it can create unnecessary delays. In a fast-paced talent market, timing is critical - waiting too long to make a decision can mean losing exceptional candidates to quicker-moving competitors.

  2. Diverging Priorities: Different leaders will naturally have different perspectives on what makes a candidate the right fit. While these insights are valuable, too many competing views can create confusion and slow momentum, making it harder to move forward with clarity and confidence.

  3. The Candidate Experience Matters: For candidates, an overly complex hiring process can signal indecision. Long interview rounds with multiple stakeholders can leave them feeling unclear about the role - or even disengaged. This increases the risk of them losing interest or choosing another offer before a decision is made.


Lack of Accountability Among Hiring Managers


Another critical issue in modern hiring processes is the lack of accountability. Hiring managers often defer decisions or shift responsibility to HR or to a “joint collaborative hiring decision”, resulting in:


  • Indecisiveness: Without a clear owner for the hiring decision, the process can drag on, causing companies to lose candidates to more decisive competitors.

  • Poor Communication: Candidates frequently experience long periods of silence due to disorganised workflows, eroding their trust and interest in the company.

  • Missed Opportunities: Top talent won’t wait around for a company to get its act together. A lack of urgency signals disinterest and can drive candidates to competitors.


The Slow Process and Its Ripple Effects


A sluggish hiring process doesn’t just frustrate candidates; it actively damages a company’s reputation. Here are the key consequences:


  • Negative Candidate Experience: In today’s digital age, candidates share their experiences online. Slow or poorly managed processes often result in bad reviews on platforms like Glassdoor, deterring future applicants.

  • Brand Perception: Companies known for inefficient hiring practices risk being perceived as disorganised or indifferent, which can hurt their standing in the industry.

  • Lost Talent: The best candidates are typically off the market quickly. Delays mean losing out on top-tier professionals who could have made a significant impact.


How to Fix the Hiring Process


Streamlining your hiring process is essential to attracting and retaining the best talent. Here’s how:


  1. Limit Stakeholder Involvement: Identify the key decision-makers and keep the group small and focused. Clear role definitions and decision-making authority can drastically improve efficiency.

  2. Empower Hiring Managers: Hold hiring managers accountable for moving the process forward. Provide them with the tools and support they need to make informed decisions swiftly.

  3. Optimise Candidate Experience: Communicate transparently and consistently with candidates. Provide timelines, updates, and constructive feedback to keep them engaged.

  4. Set Clear Timelines: Establish firm deadlines for each stage of the hiring process. This not only keeps the process on track but also signals to candidates that your organisation values their time.

  5. Leverage Technology: Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other recruitment tools to automate routine tasks and provide visibility into the process for all stakeholders.


Moving Forward


We all know how the broadcast, media, and sports production industries thrive on agility, creativity, and precision - it makes sense for your hiring processes to embody these same qualities. By cutting through unnecessary complexity, empowering the right decision-makers, and putting the candidate experience front and centre, your organisation can attract top talent while strengthening its market reputation.


The goal isn’t to limit valuable input - it’s to ensure the process stays focused, decisive, and respectful of everyone’s time, particularly the candidates. A drawn-out, unclear process sends a message about how your organisation operates.

Challenge outdated practices. Simplify decision-making. Deliver a hiring experience that stands out for all the right reasons. Because in a competitive industry, how you hire reflects who you are - and first impressions matter.


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