Tailored Talent Acquisition Solutions To Meet Your Hiring Needs

December 8, 2025

Tokyo, Japan – October 27, 2025 – Envision Co., Ltd. today announced that it has been recognized as a Major Contender in the Everest Group Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025 – Asia Pacific. This marks the first time Envision has been featured in Everest Group’s influential assessment of RPO providers across the region. The PEAK Matrix® is one of the industry’s most trusted frameworks for evaluating service providers based on their market impact and vision and capability. Each year, Everest Group assesses RPO providers across key dimensions such as delivery footprint, client portfolio, innovation, and value delivered. “We are honored to be recognized as a Major Contender in this year’s PEAK Matrix® Assessment,” said Naoyuki Sekiguchi, Representative Director of Envision Co., Ltd. “Our focus has always been on Japan—one of the world’s most complex and competitive talent markets. Being recognized in an Asia Pacific–wide evaluation highlights the impact of our Japan-specialized RPO model and the dedication of our team in delivering high-quality, localized recruitment solutions for global clients.” Founded in 2014, Envision RPO provides recruitment process outsourcing solutions that combine the agility of a boutique firm with enterprise-grade delivery capability. With deep expertise in Japan’s recruitment landscape, Envision supports multinational clients across technology, consulting, and consumer sectors to design and execute tailored talent acquisition programs. The Everest Group PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025 – Asia Pacific evaluates leading RPO providers to help enterprises make informed sourcing decisions based on objective, data-driven insights. To learn more about the report, please visit the Everest Group report page. About Envision RPO Envision Co., Ltd. (Envision RPO) is a Japan-based Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) firm helping global organizations hire exceptional talent across the Asia Pacific region. With a primary focus on Japan and a deep understanding of its unique market dynamics, Envision empowers companies to build strong, diverse teams that drive sustainable growth. Learn more at www.envisionrpo.com. Citation Everest Group (2025). “Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025 – Asia Pacific.”

November 25, 2025

The hiring landscape in 2026 will feel both familiar and changed for HR professionals. Many talent acquisition (TA) trends are extensions of the challenges talent teams have managed for years, while others introduce fresh complications that require strategic upgrades.  This article explores the top talent acquisition challenges organizations will face in 2026 and offers practical approaches to translate strategy into results. Challenge #1: The Hiring Process Is Taking Too Long In 2026, candidates are more discerning as they weigh their options, resulting in extended hiring cycles. With multiple offers at play, unnecessary additional steps are a friction point, increasing the likelihood of top candidates accepting jobs elsewhere. For TA functions, this presents a clear opportunity: Simplify and sharpen the pathway to hire, starting with process design. Implementation steps may include:  Removing redundant interviews and approvals. Standardizing interview scorecards. Consolidating key decisions to advance hiring predictably.  At the same time, preserve human input for high-value interactions, such as cultural fit conversations, stakeholder alignment, and structured negotiations. Leveraging AI innovation can fast-track processes like sourcing, initial screening, scheduling, and basic assessments, enabling recruiters to focus on candidate relationships and more complex decision-making. Gartner research reflects this shift, predicting that as high-volume recruiting goes AI-first in the year ahead, recruiter skills will also transform.  HR professionals will fill the shoes of talent advisors, focusing on talent strategy and role design. By automating admin bottlenecks, organizations can shorten lead times, improve the candidate experience, and act decisively in a competitive market, ultimately lowering recruiting cost-per-hire.  Use metrics such as time-to-offer, interview-to-offer conversion rates, and candidate drop rate to identify delays. Challenge #2: Skills Gaps in Emerging Industries The market is not short on people so much as it is short on specific, emergent skills. This widespread trend is a natural consequence of fast-growing industries and the corresponding technical competencies required to drive growth. While Hayes found that technical skills have the most severe deficit (57%), they’re closely followed by critical thinking (50%), leadership (47%), and communication (41%).  Emerging industries are not the only culprits: Ageing populations, STEM education gaps, and shifts in global trade are contributing to the demand surges. In Australia, Hayes reports that 85% of hiring managers face critical skills gaps. Organizations that treat skills-based hiring and internal upskilling as strategic workforce planning will create a more sustainable path to resilience.  Adopt Skills-First Hiring Define applicant qualifications by their demonstrable skill sets rather than exaggerated credentials. While assessing competence will still be a challenge, sourcing relevant work samples and scenario-based exercises can demonstrate proficiency quickly. It can also reduce the uncertainty that stems from resume screening alone. According to the above report, 86% of Australian hiring managers are using this strategy, and 74% find that new hires meet or exceed requirements. Invest in Upskilling and Internal Mobility Forging partnerships with government agencies and higher education establishments to provide structured learning pathways and apprenticeships can convert existing talent into priority hires. Upskilling reduces external search pressure and improves retention by demonstrating an employer’s commitment to professional development. Challenge #3: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Is Becoming Essential Diversity programs are still headlining, but the emphasis has shifted. Inclusion and belonging now carry greater weight in driving performance gains and reducing turnover. A Catalyst report found that more than three out of four employees (76%) say they’re more likely to remain with an employer that supports DEIB long-term. This challenge pushes employers to look beyond headcount targets. To make DEIB operational, businesses can embed equity into the hiring process through replicable interviews, diverse candidate lineups, and blind screening. Use data from offer rates, promotion volumes, and retention to surface HR trends within the business and course-correct where necessary.  Another angle is rethinking early-career pipelines. Apprenticeship and mentorship programs increase access for underrepresented groups and build long-term talent development. When organizations attach KPIs to DEIB outcomes, including equitable promotion rates, balanced representation at all levels, and retention by demographic cohort, it becomes an operational reality. It also carries clear benefits.  According to the above report, 84% of C-suite leaders and 83% of legal leaders say their organizations have seen a positive correlation between their DEIB programs and employee attraction and retention.  Challenge #4: Employees Demand Balance Well-being and fulfillment have matured from a perk into an expectation: Candidates are scouring for roles that support work-life balance (45%) and better working conditions (39%), both of which contribute to a more positive employee experience. For employers, the implication is that flexibility is key, and it must be both purposeful and functional. In 2026, it will extend beyond remote work, too. Businesses might include schedule autonomy, compressed workweeks, output-focused goals, and benefits tailored to life stages — for instance, flexibility around studying, parental responsibilities, or elderly care. To offer employees greater independence while supporting broader business goals, organizations can prioritize results over presence and define expectations around collaborative and asynchronous work. Once again, measurement matters. Track participation in flexible programs, performance benchmarks across work modes, and promotion rates to make sure flexibility supports different employee groups as well as business priorities. Companies that manage this effectively widen the candidate pool and reduce voluntary turnover — especially among groups for whom rigid schedules create barriers, such as caregivers and geographically dispersed talent.  Bring Mental Health Into the Equation The World Health Organization (WHO) has quantified the risks to mental health in the workplace — and the resulting U.S. $1 trillion annual loss in productivity. Beyond catering  for “mental health days,” the WHO found that the factors contributing to mental health risks include, and are not limited to:  Under-utilizing skills or being under-skilled for the job.  Over or under promotion. Long, unsocial, or inflexible work hours.  Unclear job role. Lack of control over job design or workload.  Job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor professional development opportunities.  Conflicting home/work demands. When the working environment does not directly reinforce mentally healthy employees, or when employers don’t emphasize mental health support, performance and productivity are the first to take a hit. These are all elements that human resource and talent leaders can factor into the employee value proposition (EVP) to enhance talent attraction and retention.  Challenge #5: There’s Too Much Noise in the Market The talent market is crowded, making it increasingly difficult for employers to: a) Stand out against the competition, and  b) Attract and retain the talent they genuinely need to meet industry demands.  Exacerbating the challenge is talent leaders using similar language (like culture, growth, and flexibility) to attract candidates, which forces them to rely on demonstrable signals to confirm the message. That makes authenticity an asset. A strong employer brand and credible EVP must be coherent across narrative and practice. In 2026, employer branding should clearly demonstrate three main aspects: development pathways, measurable inclusion, and transparent work models. Employers should back up claims with evidence, such as retention data, promotion rates, and examples of human–AI collaboration, to ensure their message genuinely resonates. EVP refreshes should focus on lived experience, and a widespread leap in AI hybrid roles is just one cog in the wheel for talent leaders. Early evidence shows that among AI-enabled roles, workers are experiencing reduced human collaboration (49%) and fewer opportunities to learn on the job (39%).  In these cases, it’s challenging to realize AI’s potential without accounting for its impact on the human experience. Organizations should reflect these shifts in their EVPs. However, the disparity between companies that recognize the importance of an updated EVP that reflects human-machine collaborations (69%) and those making meaningful progress (6%) is an order of magnitude.  As employers face increasingly nuanced challenges, data and analytics are instrumental in identifying strategic gaps and uncovering viable pathways forward. The Role of Data-Driven Recruiting and Analytics in 2026 Data separates tactics from strategic impact, and analytics reveal hitches in the recruitment strategy and which operations drive risk. In practice, TA teams should data-enable the hiring process end-to-end, including funnel conversion, time-to-offer, quality-of-hire, early tenure, cohort progression, and retention. Predictive models can help identify candidates more likely to accept offers, groups at risk of attrition, and future roles that will be the hardest to fill. But they only deliver meaningful insight when supported by standardized metrics and processes. Where internal capability is constrained, external partners can augment talent acquisition strategies.  Recruitment process outsourcing and consulting deliver analytics, process redesign, and operational scale quickly. For example, Envision’s data-led TA consulting services leverage analytics to operationalize effective talent strategies, helping organizations address gaps more quickly. For many businesses, partnering with specialists accelerates value while building internal skill. Stay Ahead of Recruitment Challenges in 2026 The year ahead will reward clarity in a complex environment. Talent acquisition challenges in 2026 will present both new and emerging bumps in the road, and analytics is increasingly key to transforming these bumps into measurable investments. Prioritize interventions that address the most prominent challenges in the hiring funnel, quantify outcomes, and scale what works. For organizations seeking to build a data-led, scalable talent function, expert partners can accelerate change. If you want to explore tailored solutions on a process-wide or project-by-project basis to convert 2026’s challenges into an advantage in the talent market, talk to the experts at Envision RPO.

November 25, 2025

The state of tech talent in 2026 reflects the pervasive and foundational role of artificial intelligence (AI), which is accelerating innovation across all industries. This movement is creating significantly higher demand for computing capacity, driving new challenges in infrastructure and scale. As a consequence, the need for tech talent is highly specialized — and growing.  On the other side of the fence, talent, in general, wants more than just compensation. For talent acquisition functions, flexibility, developmental pathways, and employee engagement will be instrumental in balancing the nuances of tech talent demands with what skilled workers actually value in 2026 and beyond. This article examines strategies for attracting and retaining tech talent in the evolving technological landscape.  The Gap Problem: What’s Behind the Tech Skills Shortage? Three intersecting macro trends are driving the high demand for tech talent: accelerating technological evolution, demographic shifts limiting supply, and increasing geopolitical friction. Let’s break them down: AI Skills Demand and Technological Change AI is a core catalyst of global business, requiring a widespread wave of upskilling and specialization. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), AI and big data make up the fastest-growing skills demands, followed closely by networks, cybersecurity, and technological literacy. This significant technical gap coexists with a need for human-centric aptitudes; Australian employers also expect 94% growth in creative thinking skills by 2030. Demographic Pressures Aging populations and declining working-age demographics have been transforming Japan’s labor markets for a long time, placing severe pressure on talent supply. Regionally, countries like New Zealand also face declining immigration and increased emigration, further reducing labor availability. The WEF reports that 79% of impacted firms are leveraging automation to mitigate these shortages.  Geoeconomic Fragmentation Global competition, coupled with increasing trade restrictions, requires organizations to secure new strategic technologies — and the talent needed to deploy them. As a result, we’re seeing an increased need for fresh, region-specific skill sets in areas such as cybersecurity and operations. While these challenges are reshaping the economic and tech landscape across industries, they’re hitting organizations hardest in-house, where securing the right tech talent is becoming critical to business continuity. Below, we explore how to attract top tech talent in 2026 — and retain it — to secure the roles necessary for operating, governing, and scaling new technologies. How To Attract Top Tech Talent in 2026 As organizations navigate between technological acceleration and talent scarcity, the ability to attract and retain high-performing professionals is a competitive advantage as much as a survival mechanism. The next stage of talent attraction will require authenticity, adaptability, and precision. Employer Branding in the Age of Transparency Building an employer brand in 2026 requires companies to let go of performative marketing and enhance the credibility of their offerings. Deloitte reports that while 89% of executives believe their organization is advancing human sustainability in some way, only 41% of employees agree. The rise of tech networks and employer review platforms means companies should not only be thinking about products, but also how they build, test, and scale them — and who’s getting a seat at the table. A credible employer brand must genuinely reflect technical integrity, meaningful innovation, and a visible commitment to employee growth. With less than half (43%) of workers saying their organizations have left them better off than when they began, employer branding should focus on demonstrating, rather than declaring, value. Flexibility and the Global Talent Exchange The geographical boundaries that once hindered tech hiring are falling aside as remote and hybrid work models reach higher demand. In fact, recruiters report that higher compensation and flexible work options are equally appealing to candidates. According to the WEF, nearly half of Australian businesses plan to offer cross-border remote work options, which is almost double the global average. Tech companies that leverage this talent strategy offer prospects not only greater flexibility but also recalibrate their own access to much-needed skills. However, in 2026, flexibility is no longer limited to location. Recruiters might also offer latitude in work hours, time off, dress codes, and compensation benefits to sweeten the deal. Those prepared to come to the table will create opportunities to expand recruitment beyond national borders while attracting tech professionals who thrive on collaboration. Development Pathways and Continuous Learning Career development has evolved from an employee benefit to a strategic initiative. With shorter tech cycles comes a need for deeper specialization, so employers should be thinking about programs that enable talent to evolve alongside innovation. This is particularly notable in a time when internal mobility and professional development create opportunities for diversified skills and retention.  Still, 44% of HR leaders believe their organizations do not offer compelling career paths. With development opportunities driving organizational resilience, structured learning pathways, mentorship, and exposure to emerging technologies are primary motivators for engagement and retention. Company Culture as an Innovation Driver The modern tech workforce values environments where experimentation is rewarded and failure is treated as data. In that sense, psychological safety holds the keys to unlocking creativity. Employees want to contribute to meaningful work without navigating office politics or rigid hierarchies. Flexible benefits like mental health programs and asynchronous work environments enable innovation. At the same time, they clearly value autonomy, transparency, and accountability. In 2026, companies that integrate empathy with execution create environments where skilled IT professionals feel both challenged and supported. Recruiting Through Communities and Events Many companies are turning to tech communities and events as a recruitment strategy to secure top talent. Hackathons, meet-ups, and industry forums provide direct access to engaged, skilled professionals, while also giving candidates a window into organizational culture and challenges.  Tapping into employee networks with referral incentives amplifies this reach, connecting businesses with aligned and trusted candidates. Building a successful talent pipeline through communities relies on combining human connections with meaningful engagement — showing up consistently, contributing value, and making organizational priorities and benefits visible where tech talent already gathers. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives DEI initiatives in 2026 will focus on capability and performance, rather than compliance. Backing that, McKinsey reports that gender and ethnically diverse teams financially outperform non-diverse ones by around 30%. Creating pathways for underrepresented talent — through education partnerships, apprenticeships, and return-to-work initiatives — helps close both the equity and the skill gap.  When employers embed inclusion into their recruitment architecture, they simultaneously expand their talent pool and enhance their organizational adaptability. But inclusion is moving well beyond fairness and non-discrimination. With five generations working side by side, businesses must develop communication styles, career pathways, and retention strategies to cater to age-diverse employees if they want to attract and retain the skills they need to thrive.  The convergence of these approaches reflects a wider truth: Attracting top tech talent in 2026 requires alignment between what the industry needs and what talent values. Organizations that combine technological advancement with human-centered design — in both their products and their workplaces — will be the ones that build, retain, and elevate the next generation of innovators. How Does RPO Impact Tech Talent Recruitment? Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a strategic partnership that embeds talent acquisition expertise directly into an organization’s HR function. In an environment where specialized tech skills are scarce and competition for qualified candidates is growing, RPO provides a pathway for companies to attract, engage, and retain the talent they need. Envision RPO is a leading global RPO specialist, helping organizations sharpen their tech recruitment strategy by combining industry knowledge, human-centered design, and scalable processes.  Envision’s custom solutions are tailored to meet the needs of modern talent acquisition: Project and on-demand RPO: Flexible support for short-term or high-volume hiring needs, enabling teams to fill tech roles fast without stretching internal resources. End-to-end RPO: Comprehensive management of the recruitment lifecycle, from sourcing and screening to onboarding. This ensures a consistent and efficient candidate experience while freeing internal teams to focus on strategic initiatives. Consulting services: Expertise-driven insights into an organization’s talent acquisition strategy, including workforce planning, skills gap analysis, and process optimization, helping organizations future-proof their tech hiring. Partnering with Envision allows companies to tap into proactive tech recruitment. By accessing a deeper pool of qualified candidates, fresh skilled talent pipelines, and data-driven insights, organizations can secure top tech talent for sustained innovation in 2026 and beyond.  Sharpen Your Tech Talent Recruitment in 2026 Attracting top tech talent in 2026 means aligning what organizations need with what skilled professionals value: credibility, flexibility, growth, and inclusion. With intersecting macroeconomic trends and increasingly complex technological demands, RPO solutions help organizations overcome skill scarcity to attract, engage, and retain the qualified candidates they need. Envision RPO supports organizations in building proactive tech recruitment processes and accessing scalable talent pipelines that can innovate and adapt in 2026. For a collaborative partner to secure skilled IT professionals and drive long-term innovation, talk to an expert today.