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RESEARCH INVOLVING 2,000+ ORGANISATIONS
Referral Recruitment Benchmark
Since 2019, more than 2,000 organisations across the Netherlands and Belgium have participated in our Referral Recruitment Benchmark.
The research reveals how organisations manage referral recruitment in practice, where programmes fall short and what leading organisations do differently.
Referral recruitment is everywhere. Consistent results are still far from common.
Almost every organisation uses referral recruitment in some form. Yet most achieve fewer than 10% of hires through referrals, while only a small group consistently recruits more than 30% of new employees through their networks.
Source: Referral Recruitment Benchmark – The Referral Specialist, based on research involving 2,000+ organisations in the Netherlands and Belgium.
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WHAT LEADING ORGANISATIONS DO DIFFERENTLY
Four characteristics that set successful referral employee programmes apart
The benchmark shows that successful referral recruitment does not depend on a single initiative. Organisations that consistently attract a high proportion of hires through referrals take a broader approach and continue to invest in it.
1. Organisation
Referral recruitment is not owned solely by recruitment or HR, but has broader ownership across the organisation.
2. Activation
Employees are not asked to share vacancies just once; they remain engaged and understand how they can contribute.
3. Leadership & culture
Management support, internal visibility and role modelling help make referral recruitment part of everyday practice.
4. Continuous learning
Results and behaviour are monitored and used to further improve communication, activation and processes.
What can you discover in
the Referral Recruitment Benchmark?
In the white paper, you will discover:
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Why many referral programmes remain limited to an HR or recruitment initiative;
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Which decisions determine whether employees contribute once or on an ongoing basis;
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The role of leadership, culture, communication and activation;
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Why a higher referral bonus does not automatically lead to more sustained participation;
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What organisations that consistently recruit through referrals organise differently;
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Which lessons you can apply directly to your own referral programme.
Download the full Referral
Recruitment Benchmark
Receive the research findings, insights and practical recommendations directly by email.
FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
What does this mean for your referral programme?
De benchmark laat zien dat referral recruitment meer vraagt dan een bonus of een losse campagne. Medewerkers moeten weten hoe ze kunnen bijdragen, aanbevelingen moeten goed worden opgevolgd en de organisatie moet blijven leren van wat werkt.
Dat sluit aan bij onze bredere kijk op Sociale Netwerkstrategie: medewerkers beschikken al over relevante professionele en persoonlijke netwerken. De vraag is hoe je die relaties op een geloofwaardige en goed georganiseerde manier benut.
