SHRM Talent 2026 to Highlight How Quality of Hire Links to Business Performance
Quality of hire is becoming one of the most important — yet often misunderstood — metrics in talent acquisition, as organizations increasingly demand clear evidence that hiring decisions contribute to business performance. This topic will take center stage at SHRM Talent 2026, where Shiran Danoch, CEO and founder of Informed Decisions, will present a structured framework for measuring quality of hire on April 21. The session will be available to both in-person attendees in Dallas and virtual participants.
Defining quality of hire in business terms
According to Danoch, one of the biggest challenges organizations face is the lack of alignment on what “quality of hire” actually means. She explained that the issue often begins at the start of the hiring process, when stakeholders fail to agree on what defines a successful hire before recruitment begins.
She defined quality of hire as the immediate and long-term value a new employee brings to the organization, measured through job performance and long-term retention. To make this measurable and aligned with business outcomes, organizations should track metrics such as performance ratings at six and 12 months, time-to-productivity, retention rates, and hiring manager satisfaction.
Danoch emphasized that these metrics should be tailored to the role and business goals. For example, sales roles may focus on revenue or quota achievement, while technical roles may be measured by project delivery, innovation, or problem-solving outcomes.
Using data to improve hiring decisions
Danoch also highlighted the importance of connecting interview data with employee performance and retention to create a continuous feedback loop that improves hiring decisions over time.
By analyzing interview scores alongside on-the-job performance, organizations can identify which skills actually predict success, which interviewers are most effective at identifying top performers, and which interview stages may be unnecessary. This data-driven approach helps companies refine their hiring process and make more accurate hiring decisions in the future.
She explained that this approach transforms hiring from a subjective process into a more scientific, data-driven strategy where each hiring cycle improves the next.
What attendees will learn
During the SHRM Talent 2026 session, attendees will gain a practical framework for measuring and improving quality of hire within their organizations. The session will cover how to define quality of hire using performance and retention data, how to create shared accountability between talent acquisition teams and business leaders, and how to assess their organization’s current hiring maturity level.
Attendees will also learn how leading organizations use interview data, performance evaluations, and employee feedback to build continuous improvement loops that increase hiring accuracy and demonstrate the business impact of recruitment.
The session aims to help HR and talent acquisition leaders clearly connect recruiting outcomes with real business performance and present hiring as a measurable business function rather than just an administrative process.
