Play 2: Prepare While Others Wait

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Play 2: Prepare While Others Wait

Looking Back

In Play 1, we revealed the hidden costs of hiring: the vacancy, turnover, and inefficiency that quietly drain millions from the business. We showed how Procurement can uncover those leaks and deliver measurable savings. Now, in Play 2, we shift from cutting costs to preparing for the future.

Prepare While Others Wait

Economic slowdowns often cause businesses to hit pause on Talent Acquisition improvements. Hiring plans freeze, budgets tighten, and leaders assume “we will fix it later.” But waiting carries its own cost. When demand returns, the organizations that paused will scramble to catch up, competing for talent with outdated processes and inflexible models.This is where Procurement can change the game. While others wait, Procurement can use this time to build smarter, leaner, and more agile recruiting infrastructure. The companies that prepare now will rebound faster and stronger, with a talent advantage that competitors cannot match.

Procurement’s Role in Building Readiness

Procurement leaders have the mandate and the tools to prepare the business before the next wave of demand:

Renegotiate contracts to better align with current volumes while securing scalable terms for future surges.
Consolidate providers into accountable partnerships that can flex capacity when hiring ramps back up.
Right-size technology by auditing the TA stack, eliminating duplicate spend, and investing in tools that scale with the business.
Develop RPO partnerships on a hybrid or project basis to add bench strength without long-term commitments.
Integrate workforce planning with Finance and HR to anticipate future needs and avoid costly delays when growth returns.

Why Procurement Leaders Should Care

Slow markets are not just a challenge; they are an opportunity. CFOs see the financial risk of waiting, but Procurement leaders have the mandate to act. By preparing now, Procurement ensures the business is not only ready to hire again but ready to hire smarter, faster, and more cost-effectively than the competition. This is how Procurement turns downturns into strategic advantage.

The Bottom Line

Waiting costs more. Procurement can use this moment to reduce risk, control spend, and strengthen the infrastructure that will power the next growth cycle. When hiring demand rebounds, Procurement-led companies will not be scrambling. They will be ready to win.

Schedule your complimentary Talent Acquisition Cost & Risk Assessment

Ready to cut costs, reduce risk, and future-ready your TA strategy? Contact us to request your complimentary assessment today.

Look Ahead

This article is part of Procurement’s Playbook for the New Talent Economy. Next up: Play 3: Consolidate to Win the Vendor Game. We will examine how Procurement can streamline fragmented recruiting vendors into accountable partners that cut waste, enforce compliance, and deliver better results.

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