Your 2026 Hiring Playbook: The 7 Things Every Business Must Get Right to Reduce Churn
How to attract, hire and retain exceptional EA, PA and Business Support talent in a competitive market
Employee retention is no longer a “nice to have” - it is a strategic advantage. With 1 in 3 new hires leaving within 12 months and replacement costs hitting 50–200% of salary, businesses cannot afford misaligned recruitment or weak onboarding frameworks. As we move into 2026, the companies that win the talent race will be those who bring clarity, culture and consistency to their hiring processes.
At C&C Search, we partner with leading organisations across financial services, investment management, private equity, property and professional services to help them hire and retain high-performing EA, PA and Business Support professionals. Based on our HR roundtables, peer-group insights and thousands of placements, here is your 2026 Hiring Playbook - the seven things your business must get right to reduce churn.
Create Clear, Outcome-Focused Job Descriptions
Traditional job descriptions are outdated. Long lists of duties don’t attract high performers — clear impact statements do. Candidates want to know what success looks like, not just what tasks they’ll complete.
Outcome-based JDs improve performance, alignment and retention.
Examples include:
“Within 90 days, streamline diary processes to increase executive availability by 15%.”
“Within 6 months, deliver a new onboarding framework that reduces time-to-productivity.”
A clear JD creates clarity for both sides - which reduces early-stage mismatches and prevents the “this role wasn’t what I expected” churn point.
Use a Structured, Consistent Hiring Process
Unstructured interviews are one of the biggest causes of poor hiring decisions. A standardised process, including values-based questions, practical assessments and clear scoring criteria, dramatically improves hiring accuracy.
Inconsistent processes damage candidate experience, reduce diversity, and create bias. A structured approach, by contrast, enhances fairness, increases engagement and allows you to genuinely compare talent.
Businesses with structured hiring processes also report higher retention, better culture alignment and faster onboarding.
Refine & Communicate a Clear EVP (Employee Value Proposition)
More than 64% of candidates choose values alignment over salary, which means your EVP matters more than ever.
Your EVP should clearly articulate:
What it feels like to work in your organisation
What you value in people
How you support wellbeing
How you develop talent
How you lead, recognise and reward your teams
Candidates, especially in EA, HR and Business Support functions, want belonging and purpose. If you can articulate your EVP with clarity, you will win the war for talent far more consistently.
Make Onboarding a 3–6 Month Strategy, Not a One-Week Task
Our research shows that the most successful organisations treat onboarding as a minimum three-month journey.
The proof is powerful:
Better loyalty
Higher engagement
Faster time-to-productivity
Stronger relationships with managers
This is why C&C Search created the Manager Onboarding Conversation Guide, featuring 40 curated questions for Weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12. When leaders have the right questions, they create the right retention environment.
A well-executed onboarding process is the single biggest predictor of whether a new EA, PA or Business Support hire will stay long-term.
Elevate Candidate Experience at Every Touchpoint
Top talent has options. The way your organisation communicates, schedules, updates and interviews is a direct expression of your culture.
The best companies:
Communicate quickly
Provide clear timelines
Give transparent expectations
Respect candidates’ time
Keep momentum in the hiring process
A positive candidate experience builds trust and trust directly impacts acceptance rates and long-term loyalty.
Hire for Culture Alignment, Not Just Capability
Skills can be taught. Values and behaviour cannot. When hiring EAs, PAs and HR/People talent, culture alignment is often the strongest predictor of long-term success.
That means screening for:
Emotional intelligence
Curiosity
Ownership and accountability
Adaptability
Communication style
Expectations around leadership
A strong culture match means stronger relationships, smoother onboarding and significantly higher retention.
Provide Long-Term Support Through C&C Search and C&C Academy
What happens after the hire matters just as much as the hiring itself.
Every candidate placed through C&C Search receives 12 months of complimentary access to C&C Academy, the award-winning development platform for Executive Assistants, PAs and Business Support professionals.
This includes:
CPD-accredited learning
Coaching sessions
Skills development workshops
Community support
Confidence-building tools
Businesses that partner with us benefit from enhanced retention, improved performance, and highly engaged hires who feel supported from day one.
Final Thought: Hiring Smarter = Retaining Longer
2026 will reward businesses with clarity, consistency and human-centred leadership. When your hiring and onboarding strategies are aligned, your people stay longer, perform better and contribute more meaningfully.
If you want to reduce churn, elevate culture and build a team that grows with you, we’d love to support you.
Let’s talk hiring strategy: lucy@candcsearch.co.uk
Or speak to our specialist teams in: EA/PA & Business Support, HR, People & Talent, Marketing & Comms
