When the Hiring Process Is Too Long, Here’s What It’s Really Costing Your Finance and IT Teams

In 2026, most organizations aren’t struggling to find applicants. They’re struggling to make decisions.

Across accounting, finance, and IT, hiring processes have become longer and more layered. More stakeholders. More rounds. More benchmarking. On paper, that sounds thorough. In reality, it often creates operational drag that shows up in places leaders don’t immediately measure.

This isn’t about rushing hiring decisions. It’s about understanding the hidden cost of waiting.

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The Hidden Cost of Delayed Finance Hiring

When an accounting manager, controller, or technical accounting role stays open, the workload doesn’t pause.

Month-end close still happens. Audit timelines stay fixed. Financial reporting expectations don’t move.

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What we typically see during extended finance hiring cycles:

Senior leaders stepping back into tactical work
Strong contributors absorbing extra responsibilities
ERP or process improvement initiatives getting delayed
Increased burnout risk on lean teams

Gallup research continues to highlight the connection between employee burnout and decreased productivity. In accounting and finance teams operating with limited headcount, even one prolonged vacancy can shift a department from strategic to reactive.

The longer the gap, the harder it becomes to regain momentum.

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The Business Impact of Slow IT Hiring

IT hiring delays create a different type of pressure, one that often shows up in project timelines.

ERP implementations stall. System integrations take longer. Cybersecurity initiatives lose speed.

According to workforce reports from LinkedIn Talent Solutions and Robert Half, specialized technology roles consistently rank among the most difficult and time-intensive to fill.

While organizations search for the right IT hire, internal teams are balancing daily support with long-term transformation work. Innovation slows. Technical debt grows. Strategic initiatives shift into maintenance mode.

The cost is rarely immediate, but it compounds quickly.

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Why Hiring Is Taking Longer in 2026

Several factors are influencing extended hiring timelines:

Highly niche skill requirements
Market-based compensation adjustments
Increased executive involvement in final decisions
Hybrid and in-office policy alignment
Risk-averse decision-making

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None of these are unreasonable on their own. But together, they lengthen time-to-fill for both finance and IT roles.

And time-to-fill has operational consequences.

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Interim Consulting vs Permanent Hiring: A Strategic Approach

Organizations navigating finance hiring and IT hiring effectively in 2026 are not necessarily rushing decisions. They are protecting coverage.

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That often means implementing a blended talent strategy that includes:

Interim Accounting and Finance Consulting
Temporary controllers, senior accountants, or technical specialists who stabilize reporting, support audit, or assist with ERP transitions.

IT Project-Based Consulting
ERP consultants, cybersecurity professionals, system integration specialists, or infrastructure experts who keep implementation timelines intact.

Parallel Permanent Hiring
Continuing a thoughtful permanent search without placing operational strain on internal teams.

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Consulting is not a replacement for permanent hiring. It is a strategic tool that protects performance while long-term decisions are made.

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The Real Question to Ask

Instead of asking, “Can we wait to hire?”

The more strategic question is, “What is waiting costing us?”

Because while salary is visible on a budget line, operational slowdown is harder to measure.

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It appears in:

Delayed financial reporting improvements
Slower ERP implementations
Overextended finance and IT teams
Leadership time redirected into tactical work

In many cases, short-term consulting support costs less than the cumulative impact of stalled execution.

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Protecting Momentum in 2026

Finance and IT teams are under increased pressure to deliver precision, efficiency, and measurable performance. Talent strategy directly impacts that outcome.

If your organization is evaluating whether to continue a prolonged hiring process or introduce interim consulting support, a strategic conversation can clarify which approach best protects your business objectives.

Hiring decisions should be thoughtful. But they should also protect momentum.

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