By Adrian Thomas, Global Talent Acquisition Director
For more than two decades, I’ve been making the same argument, sometimes to nods, often to resistance: Talent Acquisition must get more comfortable with numbers. If asked to sum up what the future of TA needs most, my answer has remained unchanged: maths.
This isn’t about turning recruiters into statisticians. It’s about evolving our profession into one that is fluent in the language of business—data. Because that’s what it takes to earn a seat at the table, to be taken seriously as a strategic partner, and to build recruitment functions that are fit for the future.
Let me be clear: the world has changed, and Talent Acquisition has to catch up. We can’t continue to rely on gut feel or anecdotal success stories when the business is asking us to demonstrate impact, efficiency, and value. Here are seven very real, very practical reasons why mathematical competence, whether embedded in the TA leader or their team, is now non-negotiable.
First, alignment to business measures. If we don’t understand how the wider business is performing and how success is measured, how can we align our hiring strategy to it? Understanding metrics like productivity, revenue per head, or cost of sales per hire helps ensure our goals aren’t running in a parallel universe.
Second, we need better Talent Acquisition measures. Vanity metrics like time-to-fill or number of hires made are not enough. What’s the quality of those hires? What’s the long-term retention? How much do they contribute to the bottom line? Without sharper measures, we’re not really managing anything—we’re just reporting activity.
Third, we must interpret and use data, not just collect it. Reporting dashboards are everywhere, but insight is rare. The value isn’t in the numbers alone; it’s in understanding the story they tell and what actions to take next. Recruiters need to be able to produce meaningful reports that lead to better decisions.
Fourth, we must respond to ROI and value-for-money challenges. Every function is under scrutiny, and TA is no exception. Leaders who can’t demonstrate clear return on investment risk being seen as a cost centre rather than a value generator.
Fifth, we need to understand the source and supply of candidates. That means analysing internal and external data, understanding funnel conversion rates, and identifying bottlenecks. It’s not about looking busy; it’s about knowing whether your hiring engine is working.
Sixth, we must be able to report on trend analysis where demand is growing or declining, which skills are becoming scarce, and how internal mobility patterns are shifting. And seventh, we need to understand the labour market, not just locally, but globally where relevant. Knowing where to look is half the battle in sourcing talent.
And finally, looking ahead, understanding and effectively implementing AI and other emerging tools will require a foundation of mathematical thinking. Whether you hold that expertise yourself or ensure your team does, it’s the only way to keep pace with the digital transformation of hiring.
In short, the future of TA isn’t just human, it’s numerical. And the time to get comfortable with that is now.
