Navigating Change: How recruitment agencies master technology adoption

by Claire Owen Apr. 8th, 2025

Change is inevitable, but what sets successful recruitment agencies apart is their ability to navigate it effectively—especially when it comes to adopting new technology.

At Engage Sydney 2025, our Navigating Change session featured an insightful discussion with Lee Whitaker, co-founder of Hyper Automate Consulting Services; Marianna Mood, Managing Director of The Onset; and Saffron Stevens, Director of People & Operations at Keegan Adams Recruitment. Each of these recruitment industry powerhouses has been through multiple change cycles and shared their experiences with the audience. The discussion was facilitated by Bullhorn’s Regional Vice President  Aaron McIntosh, who led the conversation, uncovering key strategies and practical examples of how agencies can successfully embrace change.

Leadership-driven change

The discussion opened with a question: What role does leadership play in fostering a culture that embraces change? Whitaker shared her unique perspective, having partnered with countless agency leaders to ensure their tech adoption is as smooth as possible. “If you’re a leader in a business, you need to know how to empower your people, what problems you’re bringing the technology on to solve, and how you’re going to get there. Then you have to champion that the whole way through, not just at the start when it’s exciting. …You have to be really there, championing it and linking it back to your people strategy, to your business strategy, to your culture, and [talk about] how it makes you unique as a recruitment agency,” Whitaker said.

The panelists agreed that change has to start from the top down. Leaders need to be at the forefront of change; while change is often uncomfortable, strong leadership ensures a smoother transition.

Leadership must not only endorse the change but also embody the change to drive adoption. As Mood pointed out, leaders must “take people on the change journey and keep them engaged throughout.”

A common theme arose throughout the discussion of leadership’s role in change management – the power of a positive outlook and setting an example as a leader with a positive mindset. Mood emphasised, “Change is leader-led. You have to demonstrate from the front.” Leaders who demonstrate adaptability and enthusiasm for new technology help ease the resistance among their teams.

Managing resistance and adoption by using key players in your team

When it came to the key players who make successful change a possibility, the panel pointed out that these key players are not just business leaders, but are also high performers and productivity drivers within the team. A striking stat shared with the group revealed that 70% of digital transformations fail due to change resistance within the team.

Addressing the challenge of resistance requires a proactive approach, and the advice shared was to foster a culture of improvement post-implementation. It’s not a “set and forget” approach, as McIntosh put it, but rather, companies need to loop back to ensure the team is on track. Change leaders have to communicate why the change is happening and how it affects and benefits different members of the team. “You need to keep communicating, and you need to be specific,” advised Stevens.

Mood also advised that naysayers are “the ones whose input is so valuable. It’s understanding what their resistance is. Once you understand that resistance, I think that’s a gift. You work towards that with them.”

Stevens also highlighted that it’s important to “monitor user engagement [of new technologies] and call out those comfort behaviors from the start” to help stop the bad habits from forming and increase user adoption. She  advised cutting off access to previous platforms that are no longer standard practice, as well as holding regular meetings to understand how different players are reacting to change.

Clear and continuous communication is key

Effective communication emerged as a central theme throughout the session. Valuable pieces of advice included speaking to people who have been through change, empowering your team with information, and recognising that different teams and individuals experience change in unique ways—whether it’s front-office staff, 360 recruiters, or new hires who weren’t part of the initial transition. “I think people forget that sometimes all support roles in your business are also impacted by the new technology. You also have to think about the new person we hire tomorrow that didn’t come on that journey,” Whitaker pointed out. People learn differently, which makes it crucial to cater to various learning styles and continuously re-engage employees as they join your business.

Additionally, technology adoption should never be about implementing tools just for the sake of it. Leaders need to understand the purpose behind the change—what it will do for the business, how it will benefit employees, and what problem it will solve. Simply adding new tech without a clear strategy leads to fatigue and disengagement.

Stevens shared an example from her experience: “When we moved from JobAdder to Bullhorn at Keegan Adams, my Managing Director and I sat down and talked about what we wanted to achieve in the business.” Stevens went on to emphasise the importance of data accuracy and user engagement: “ A great way to monitor that is with Bullhorn itself and its Analytics. So that’s my new best friend.”

Navigating change successfully, as described by the panel of experts, requires leadership, strategic communication, and a strong focus on team engagement. By taking a structured approach—aligning change with business goals, addressing resistance strategically, and fostering continuous learning—recruitment agencies can ensure that technology adoption is not only smooth but also a driver of growth and efficiency.

Empower your team with information, stay committed to the change journey, and remember that successful change is not about technology alone—it’s about people.

Find more insights from Engage Sydney 2025, watch the opening keynote.