Small Businesses Optimistic About Hiring Despite Challenges
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 13 2026
0mins
Source: PRnewswire
- Optimistic Hiring Outlook: A survey by Robert Half reveals that 76% of small business leaders are confident about their hiring outlook for the coming year, even as 47% find it harder to locate suitable talent, indicating a resilient yet challenging recruitment environment for small enterprises.
- Intensifying Skills Gaps: The survey indicates that 56% of small business leaders report significant skills gaps within their teams, with 58% noting an increase over the past year, highlighting the urgent need for businesses to adapt their hiring strategies to remain competitive in a tightening labor market.
- AI's Impact on Hiring: More than half of small business leaders (54%) state that AI-generated applications complicate the hiring process due to an influx of homogeneous applications that are difficult to authenticate, leading 56% of small businesses to seek partnerships with staffing firms to navigate these challenges effectively.
- Strong Demand from Small Businesses: Despite these hurdles, Robert Half's data shows that small businesses continue to drive job openings in the U.S., particularly in legal, administrative support, and marketing fields, underscoring their critical role in the employment landscape.
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Analyst Views on RHI
Wall Street analysts forecast RHI stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
4 Hold
3 Sell
Hold
Current: 27.180
Low
22.00
Averages
29.29
High
36.00
Current: 27.180
Low
22.00
Averages
29.29
High
36.00
About RHI
Robert Half Inc. provides specialized talent solutions and business consulting services through the Robert Half and Protiviti company names. The Company operates through three segments: contract talent solutions, permanent placement talent solutions, and Protiviti. The contract talent solutions and permanent placement talent solutions segments provide engagement professionals and full-time personnel, respectively, for finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative, and customer support roles. The Protiviti segment provides internal audit, risk, business, and technology consulting solutions. The Company and its subsidiaries own various trademarks and service marks, including Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Accountemps, OfficeTeam, Robert Half Technology, Robert Half Management Resources, Robert Half Legal, and The Creative Group. The Company operates in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Robert Half (RHI) Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript
See More
Small Businesses Optimistic About Hiring Despite Challenges
- Optimistic Hiring Outlook: A survey by Robert Half reveals that 76% of small business leaders are confident about their hiring outlook for the coming year, even as 47% find it harder to locate suitable talent, indicating a resilient yet challenging recruitment environment for small enterprises.
- Intensifying Skills Gaps: The survey indicates that 56% of small business leaders report significant skills gaps within their teams, with 58% noting an increase over the past year, highlighting the urgent need for businesses to adapt their hiring strategies to remain competitive in a tightening labor market.
- AI's Impact on Hiring: More than half of small business leaders (54%) state that AI-generated applications complicate the hiring process due to an influx of homogeneous applications that are difficult to authenticate, leading 56% of small businesses to seek partnerships with staffing firms to navigate these challenges effectively.
- Strong Demand from Small Businesses: Despite these hurdles, Robert Half's data shows that small businesses continue to drive job openings in the U.S., particularly in legal, administrative support, and marketing fields, underscoring their critical role in the employment landscape.
See More
AI Blind Spots Increasing Cybersecurity Risks
- Lack of AI Governance: According to Protiviti's survey, nearly 47% of large organizations lack full visibility into employee AI tool usage, leading to increasing cybersecurity, governance, and operational risks, as decision-makers often operate with incomplete information.
- Disconnect in Risk Assessment: The survey reveals that IT teams are more likely to identify AI-related risk blind spots, including third-party platforms and embedded AI tools, while executive leadership often fails to grasp these issues in a timely manner, delaying responses to emerging threats.
- Importance of Governance Frameworks: As AI becomes more embedded in business processes, establishing scalable governance and monitoring mechanisms is crucial; Protiviti emphasizes that organizations investing early in transparency and accountability will be better positioned to scale AI securely.
- Survey Methodology: The Protiviti AI Pulse Survey was conducted in February 2026, involving 345 C-suite executives, board members, and IT leaders, aimed at assessing how businesses are addressing AI-related cybersecurity and governance challenges.
See More
Robert Half Wins Two Stevie Awards for AI Innovation and Leadership
- Award for AI Solution: Robert Half received the Best Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution award for its AI-powered insights engine, which has significantly transformed how market intelligence is gathered and integrated, thereby enhancing the company's leadership position in the industry.
- Recognition of Women in Leadership: Danti Chen, Ph.D., senior vice president, was honored as a Woman in AI Leadership, highlighting her outstanding contributions to advancing AI innovation at Robert Half, which further elevates the company's reputation in the technology sector.
- Building Data Science Organization: Under Chen's leadership, Robert Half has established a world-class data science organization that launched advanced capabilities like AI Recommended Client (ARC), leveraging predictive analytics to enhance sales strategies and drive business growth.
- Industry Recognition and Innovation: Robert Half has been named one of Fortune's 2026 America's Most Innovative Companies and a winner of the 2025 CIO 100 Award, indicating its ongoing innovation and influence within the industry.
See More
Robert Half Wins Two Stevie Awards for AI Innovation and Leadership
- Award for AI Solution: Robert Half received the Best Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution award for its AI-powered insights engine, which has transformed market intelligence gathering and integration, thereby enhancing the company's leadership position in the industry.
- Recognition of Women in Leadership: Danti Chen, Ph.D., senior vice president, was honored as a leader in AI, highlighting the company's commitment to gender equality and diversity, which further enhances its brand image.
- Data Science Team Development: Under Chen's leadership, Robert Half has built a world-class data science organization that launched advanced capabilities like the AI Recommended Client (ARC), optimizing sales strategies and significantly improving business efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Industry Recognition and Innovation: Robert Half was named one of Fortune's 2026 America's Most Innovative Companies and won the 2025 CIO 100 Award, indicating its growing innovation capacity and market influence within the industry.
See More
AI Adoption Lacks Transparency, Increasing Risks
- Lack of AI Governance: According to Protiviti's survey, 47% of large organizations lack full visibility into employee AI tool usage, leading to increasing challenges in cybersecurity and operational risks, which may adversely affect long-term business growth due to inadequate AI governance.
- Shadow AI Issues: 65% of respondents reported challenges with 'shadow AI,' where systems are used without proper oversight, which not only increases security vulnerabilities but also potentially leads to resource wastage and decision-making delays, impacting operational efficiency.
- Disconnect Between Executives and IT: The survey reveals that 45% of IT leaders believe AI has significantly increased cyber risk, while only 30% of executives and board members share this view, indicating a cognitive gap that may slow organizational responses to AI-driven threats.
- Importance of Governance and Monitoring: As AI becomes more embedded in business processes, organizations must strengthen governance, transparency, and accountability to ensure secure scaling of AI applications and effectively respond to potential threats, thereby preserving long-term value.
See More
Robert Half (RHI) Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript
See More
Small Businesses Optimistic About Hiring Despite Challenges
- Optimistic Hiring Outlook: A survey by Robert Half reveals that 76% of small business leaders are confident about their hiring outlook for the coming year, even as 47% find it harder to locate suitable talent, indicating a resilient yet challenging recruitment environment for small enterprises.
- Intensifying Skills Gaps: The survey indicates that 56% of small business leaders report significant skills gaps within their teams, with 58% noting an increase over the past year, highlighting the urgent need for businesses to adapt their hiring strategies to remain competitive in a tightening labor market.
- AI's Impact on Hiring: More than half of small business leaders (54%) state that AI-generated applications complicate the hiring process due to an influx of homogeneous applications that are difficult to authenticate, leading 56% of small businesses to seek partnerships with staffing firms to navigate these challenges effectively.
- Strong Demand from Small Businesses: Despite these hurdles, Robert Half's data shows that small businesses continue to drive job openings in the U.S., particularly in legal, administrative support, and marketing fields, underscoring their critical role in the employment landscape.
See More
AI Blind Spots Increasing Cybersecurity Risks
- Lack of AI Governance: According to Protiviti's survey, nearly 47% of large organizations lack full visibility into employee AI tool usage, leading to increasing cybersecurity, governance, and operational risks, as decision-makers often operate with incomplete information.
- Disconnect in Risk Assessment: The survey reveals that IT teams are more likely to identify AI-related risk blind spots, including third-party platforms and embedded AI tools, while executive leadership often fails to grasp these issues in a timely manner, delaying responses to emerging threats.
- Importance of Governance Frameworks: As AI becomes more embedded in business processes, establishing scalable governance and monitoring mechanisms is crucial; Protiviti emphasizes that organizations investing early in transparency and accountability will be better positioned to scale AI securely.
- Survey Methodology: The Protiviti AI Pulse Survey was conducted in February 2026, involving 345 C-suite executives, board members, and IT leaders, aimed at assessing how businesses are addressing AI-related cybersecurity and governance challenges.
See More
Robert Half Wins Two Stevie Awards for AI Innovation and Leadership
- Award for AI Solution: Robert Half received the Best Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution award for its AI-powered insights engine, which has significantly transformed how market intelligence is gathered and integrated, thereby enhancing the company's leadership position in the industry.
- Recognition of Women in Leadership: Danti Chen, Ph.D., senior vice president, was honored as a Woman in AI Leadership, highlighting her outstanding contributions to advancing AI innovation at Robert Half, which further elevates the company's reputation in the technology sector.
- Building Data Science Organization: Under Chen's leadership, Robert Half has established a world-class data science organization that launched advanced capabilities like AI Recommended Client (ARC), leveraging predictive analytics to enhance sales strategies and drive business growth.
- Industry Recognition and Innovation: Robert Half has been named one of Fortune's 2026 America's Most Innovative Companies and a winner of the 2025 CIO 100 Award, indicating its ongoing innovation and influence within the industry.
See More
Robert Half Wins Two Stevie Awards for AI Innovation and Leadership
- Award for AI Solution: Robert Half received the Best Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution award for its AI-powered insights engine, which has transformed market intelligence gathering and integration, thereby enhancing the company's leadership position in the industry.
- Recognition of Women in Leadership: Danti Chen, Ph.D., senior vice president, was honored as a leader in AI, highlighting the company's commitment to gender equality and diversity, which further enhances its brand image.
- Data Science Team Development: Under Chen's leadership, Robert Half has built a world-class data science organization that launched advanced capabilities like the AI Recommended Client (ARC), optimizing sales strategies and significantly improving business efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Industry Recognition and Innovation: Robert Half was named one of Fortune's 2026 America's Most Innovative Companies and won the 2025 CIO 100 Award, indicating its growing innovation capacity and market influence within the industry.
See More
AI Adoption Lacks Transparency, Increasing Risks
- Lack of AI Governance: According to Protiviti's survey, 47% of large organizations lack full visibility into employee AI tool usage, leading to increasing challenges in cybersecurity and operational risks, which may adversely affect long-term business growth due to inadequate AI governance.
- Shadow AI Issues: 65% of respondents reported challenges with 'shadow AI,' where systems are used without proper oversight, which not only increases security vulnerabilities but also potentially leads to resource wastage and decision-making delays, impacting operational efficiency.
- Disconnect Between Executives and IT: The survey reveals that 45% of IT leaders believe AI has significantly increased cyber risk, while only 30% of executives and board members share this view, indicating a cognitive gap that may slow organizational responses to AI-driven threats.
- Importance of Governance and Monitoring: As AI becomes more embedded in business processes, organizations must strengthen governance, transparency, and accountability to ensure secure scaling of AI applications and effectively respond to potential threats, thereby preserving long-term value.
See More
