Hiring activity always increases in January. But when new hires don’t walk through the door until March or April, how likely is it that they will help you hit your 2026 targets? For C-Suite leaders, delayed hiring isn’t just a HR issue, it can impact business growth through missed revenue targets and stalled projects.
With notice periods often stretching from four weeks to three months, depending on seniority, role type, and contract terms, January recruitment runs the risk of starting Q1 behind schedule. The good news is, it’s entirely avoidable.
In this blog, we’ll explore why waiting until January sets hiring timelines back, and what forward planning could look like, starting now.
Why January Recruitment Often Misses Q1 Targets
Notice periods in Ireland and the UK typically run from one to three months. That means a candidate secured in January might not start before March or April. This lag collides with business planning. Annual targets, budgets and projects launch in January, but the people needed to deliver them are still weeks away.
January is typically one of the busiest months for candidate movement, as professionals return from the holidays ready to explore new opportunities. As January 2025 approached, Totaljobs research noted that 11% of UK workers were already looking for a new job— up from 8% two years earlier.
Professionals return from the holidays ready to explore new opportunities, but employer demand peaks at the same time. Top candidates field multiple offers, counteroffers become common, and decision times lengthen.
Scenario 1: Sales team gap
Your commercial team plans to hit ambitious Q1 revenue targets. You open a senior sales manager role at the beginning of January. With high competition for talent, and a 6-week notice period, the new hire starts in April. That’s one quarter of lost pipeline and delayed targets.
Scenario 2: Technology project slip
A new IT project is due to launch in January. You begin recruiting for a project lead after the holiday break. Interviews, multiple offers and onboarding push the start date to late March. Key milestones slip, and internal staff need to cover the shortfall.
Ensuring a steady talent pipeline is one of the biggest challenges facing Irish businesses making talent pooling and earlier engagement more critical than ever.
The Operational Risk of Delay
Hiring delays can create operational risks for businesses. When Q1 begins without the right people in place, the knock-on effects can be felt immediately.
Revenue impact: Sales teams starting the year under-resourced may miss quarterly targets, creating a ripple effect on annual performance.
Project delivery risks: Critical initiatives scheduled for January or February can stall without key hires, leading to missed deadlines and strained client relationships.
Team morale: Existing staff often shoulder extra responsibilities to cover gaps. This can increase stress, reduce productivity, and heighten the risk of attrition.
Competitive disadvantage: Delayed hiring compromises the opportunity to secure top talent, as competition for candidates climbs in early January.
Onboarding adds another layer. Even after contracts are signed, it takes weeks for a new employee to fully integrate and deliver value. Starting the hiring process in January can mean that your team isn’t running at full capacity until Q2, potentially delaying the execution of your annual plans.
Planning Ahead to Avoid Q1 Hiring Gaps
To avoid Q1 delays, an effective approach is to work backwards from the desired start date. Waiting until budget sign-off in January to begin recruitment can make it difficult to have new hires in place during Q1.
Aim to launch recruitment campaigns as early as possible, ideally by November. That way, interviews and offers are already underway before January.
Alongside early campaigns, several strategies strengthen planning and reduce delays:
Build talent pools in advance: Work with a recruitment partner to identify and pre-screen candidates before roles go live.
Streamline the hiring process: Clear role requirements, decisive panels, and swift feedback cut weeks from time-to-hire.
Consider temporary or contract hires: They provide continuity while permanent hires serve notice.
Engage passive candidates early: Building relationships in Q4 means top talent is identified when roles open.
Hire Early to Arrive Ready, Not Rushed
Hiring ahead of January does more than avoid notice period delays. It gives new hires time to settle in and start contributing when it counts.
Why early onboarding matters:
Sharper alignment: Early starters can connect with projects, KPIs, and team goals before deadlines and delivery targets build up.
Stronger integration: Onboarding before the new year helps leaders and teams build relationships and understand expectations.
Retention and performance: Research shows that effective onboarding can improve retention by up to 82% and boost productivity by as much as 62% . Structured onboarding also makes new hires 58%more likely to stay for at least three years and 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied at work.
For HR and leadership teams, November hiring is about stability, not speed, and sets the business up for a stronger start in the year ahead.
Secure Your Q1 Success
Delaying hiring until January can result in a slow start to the year — with pressure mounting on existing teams as the months go by. In Ireland, a CIPD survey report found that 90% of respondents had faced an increase in competition for experienced staff.
Proactive hiring is no longer just a best practice — it’s a necessity in today’s competitive market. By initiating recruitment efforts before the January surge, you gain a critical advantage in securing top talent ahead of your competitors. Early planning not only ensures smoother onboarding but also helps your teams hit the ground running, setting the stage for a productive and successful start to the year.
Contact our specialist recruiters at Cpl
Start conversations now and set your organisation up for success in 2026. Get in touch with the team here.