For many employers, summer has traditionally been seen as a quieter period for recruitment, with annual leave, school holidays and reduced business activity often causing hiring plans to be pushed back until September.
However, 2026 is proving to be a different story. Recent labour market data points to growing confidence across the UK, with increases in both new and active job postings demonstrating that organisations are continuing to invest in talent throughout the summer months.
We're seeing this reflected across the Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability recruitment market. At Irwin and Colton, this has been one of our busiest summers in recent years, with a strong flow of new opportunities emerging throughout July and August. Demand has remained particularly robust across sectors including infrastructure, manufacturing, facilities management and building safety.
With recruitment activity showing little sign of slowing, now is not the time to put hiring plans on hold. Here are our top tips for making summer hiring a success in 2026.
Be flexible
While hiring activity is strong, candidates still have holiday plans, family commitments and childcare responsibilities to balance over the summer.
Flexibility around interview scheduling can make a significant difference to securing top talent. Whether that's offering alternative interview times, spacing stages over a couple of weeks or accommodating planned annual leave, a little flexibility often goes a long way.
The key is maintaining momentum and communication rather than allowing a process to stall completely.
Go virtual
Video interviews remain one of the most effective ways to keep recruitment moving during the summer months.
Many professionals are working remotely, travelling or combining holidays with flexible working arrangements. Offering virtual interview options allows candidates to engage with your process regardless of location.
A short virtual interview can maintain enthusiasm and keep hiring plans on track. It also shows that your organisation is adaptable and candidate-focused.
Streamline the process
As hiring confidence improves, skilled candidates are increasingly considering multiple opportunities at the same time. Organisations that move quickly are often the ones that secure the best talent.
Take a close look at your recruitment process:
Can interview stages be reduced?
Can key stakeholders provide feedback more quickly?
Is decision-making clear and efficient?
A streamlined process creates a better candidate experience and reduces the risk of losing strong applicants to competing employers.
Consider entry-level candidates
Summer remains one of the best times of year to engage with graduates and early-career professionals entering the market.
For organisations thinking long-term, investing in emerging talent can be an effective way to build future capability and strengthen succession planning.
Many graduates bring valuable placement experience, strong technical skills and a fresh perspective, making them a great addition to growing teams.
Engage Contractors and Interim professionals
Contract and interim recruitment continues to play an important role in the HSE market.
Many organisations are using interim professionals to support major projects, deliver specialist expertise, manage periods of change and maintain business continuity while permanent recruitment continues. At Irwin and Colton, contract and interim assignments have remained a significant part of our activity throughout 2026.
Whether you need short-term cover or immediate project support, contractors can provide the flexibility needed to keep critical initiatives moving forward.
Keep marketing your roles
One of the biggest misconceptions about summer recruitment is that candidates stop looking for jobs.
In reality, many professionals use the quieter months to reflect on their careers, update their CV and explore new opportunities. Current labour market data suggests candidate and employer activity has remained steady throughout the summer period.
Continue promoting vacancies across your careers site, LinkedIn and job boards. It's a great opportunity to showcase your employer brand and communicate what makes your organisation an attractive place to work.
Don't pause the search
Perhaps the biggest lesson from 2026 so far is that summer is no longer the recruitment slow-down many employers expect.
We've seen hiring activity remain strong throughout the holiday period, with more organisations choosing to press ahead with recruitment rather than waiting for September. As a result, employers who delay hiring may find themselves competing for the same talent later in the year.
Maintaining momentum now could put your organisation in a much stronger position heading into autumn.
Final thought
The summer recruitment market in 2026 has been far more active than many anticipated.
Encouraging labour market data, combined with what we're seeing across the Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability sector, suggests that organisations are continuing to invest in talent and move hiring plans forward.
At Irwin and Colton, we've experienced a much busier summer than in previous years, with a strong pipeline of new vacancies and continued demand for specialist HSE professionals.
The message is simple: recruitment hasn't gone on holiday. If you're looking to recruit Health, Safety, Environment or Sustainability professionals, our team is here to help. Get in touch; we'd be happy to support your hiring plans.