Recruiter Robert Walters has announced plans to ramp up cost-cutting measures after reporting a loss of £19.6 million in 2025, a significant decline from a profit of £500,000 in 2024.
This downturn coincided with a 15% decrease in net fees, which totalled £274.2 million.
To address these challenges, the company has reduced its global workforce by around 15%, with the UK being the most affected region, where fee-earning roles were cut by a quarter.
The firm is now aiming for annual cost savings of at least £12 million by 2027, an increase from its previous target of £10 million.
Robert Walters has warned that 2026 will remain difficult due to continued volatility in the hiring market and cautious attitudes among both clients and candidates. Analysts anticipate that net fees will drop by a further 3% to £265.4 million this year.
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Additionally, the company has underscored the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) and ongoing economic uncertainty, which are contributing to companies’ reluctance to make permanent hires and candidates’ hesitation to change jobs.
The group has emphasised its commitment to implementing further “meaningful” cost reductions as it navigates a challenging global job market.
Toby Fowlston, chief executive of Robert Walters, said last year was “a third challenging year for global hiring markets, with client and candidate sentiment still cautious given the considerable macro and geopolitical volatility of the first half of the 2020s”.
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