Recruiters are spending more time speaking directly with job candidates and clients, as the number of AI tools used by recruiters and their overall AI usage has increased, according to the latest Staffing Productivity Report released by the American Staffing Association in partnership with Prodoscore, an ASA corporate partner.
Recruiter call time reached 286 minutes per week in the first quarter of 2026—the highest time on record. Recruiter call time has doubled since 1Q2024. Recruiters also used an average of 1.36 AI tools in 1Q2026, up from only one AI tool in 1Q2024.
“Relationship-building continues to serve as a cornerstone of modern recruiting,” said Stephen Dwyer, president and chief executive officer of ASA. “As staffing firms continue to embrace AI, recruiters will have more time to focus on developing the connections that drive long-term growth.”
Sam Naficy, CEO at Prodoscore, added, “Doubling call time in two years is a significant finding, and it tells a compelling story about where AI adoption is actually paying off. Recruiters aren’t being replaced by automation; they’re being freed by it to do the work that requires human judgment and human connection. Prodoscore exists to give staffing firms the visibility to understand what their top performers are doing differently, and data like this is exactly why that visibility matters.”
The Prodoscore platform captures approximately 1.6 million monthly data points to analyze recruiters’ productivity, work patterns, and AI usage, and compare average recruiter data with a sample of top performers. The Staffing Productivity Report provides valuable benchmarks staffing companies can use to gauge their own recruiters’ productivity, measure performance, and identify growth opportunities.
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