⏰ Est. reading time: 3 mins
💡 What you’ll learn:
- Five takeaways from our discussion with experts from SIA and Greenshades
- How leading staffing firms are leveraging new technology to build smarter systems
- How modern payments can drive loyalty
The staffing industry is undergoing a major transformation, and firms that don’t adapt to the latest innovations are falling short. A recent Branch webinar, featuring experts from Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), Branch, and Greenshades, explored how leading staffing firms are leveraging AI agents, automation, and modern payments to build modern "smarter systems" and achieve profitable scale—without sacrificing the human element of recruiting.
Here are the top five takeaways from the discussion:
1. Continuous Innovation Is the New Standard
The general consensus is that the current market pressures—heightened competition, rising client expectations, and difficulty keeping recruiter headcount pace—are no longer temporary fluctuations, but the new normal.
As a result, firms are now being required to continuously adopt new technologies and pivot to new strategies. The old playbook of simply “throwing more hours at the problem” is breaking down; it’s too costly, too slow, and too manual. And as leading firms embrace new tools and processes, the gap between innovators and stagnant organizations continues to widen.
"We're seeing this divide form between firms that are innovating and ones that stay stagnant," Branch CEO Atif Siddiqi says. "Continuous innovation is becoming just the standard in staffing. Your firm is either on the front foot or the back foot."
2. AI and Automation Are Tools To Assist, Not Replace, Workers
It’s time for staffing leaders to reframe the conversation around technology. AI and automation are not about cutting roles or teams; they should be tools designed to streamline transactional, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks. This frees up recruiters to focus on the high-value, relational side of the business, such as coaching candidates, building trust, and understanding complex client needs.
"I actually expect the measure of winning and doing well will be more about how much time you've saved and how much you've automated," says Daniel Biondi, VP of Product at Greenshades Software. "[It will be about] how much these less human items can be tasked out to machines so humans can spend their time doing what only humans can."
"Ultimately, automation takes care of processes so people can take care of people," says Siddiqi. "I think the firms that balance that well will see stronger retention, better performance, and ultimately happier teams."
3. The Three Pillars of a Smarter System
The most successful firms are moving beyond "point solutions" and building connected ecosystems where all their tools—CRMs, payroll, scheduling, and compliance—communicate seamlessly. This connected talent engine is powered by three emerging technologies:
AI: Used on the front end to source, screen, and match candidates at scale, even conducting conversational voice or text interviews. This gives recruiters real-time visibility and data-backed decisions.
Automation: Used in the middle of the funnel to streamline manual workflows like onboarding paperwork, compliance checks, and scheduling. These tools can help cut onboarding time from days to hours.
Modern Payments & Fintech: Offerings like digital wallets, modern paycards, and same-day pay to boost worker satisfaction and loyalty, while streamlining the payments process for staffing firms.
"[Staffing firm leaders] are creating vertically integrated systems where all their tools, whether it's CRMs, payroll, scheduling, compliance, actually talk to each other," says Siddiqi. "So not just building point solutions, [but a] very connected ecosystem where data is flowing freely across departments."
4. Rethink Every Function Of Your Firm
Leading firms are experimenting with technology in every aspect of their business, leaving no stone unturned. For example, many are realizing the value of creating workflows around compliance, an area ripe for automation. AI agents can monitor and read policies, audit for missing data, and auto-escalate compliance issues. By infusing technology into their compliance processes, firms are embracing a proactive approach that not only saves time, but also has the potential to eliminate the costs associated with fines and penalties.
As Biondi says: "AI staying on top of compliance and supporting entire compliance teams… could save a ton of costs that you would've incurred from fines, penalties, et cetera."
5. Modern Payments Drive Loyalty and Productivity
Modern payment platforms are becoming a powerful differentiator. Moving away from manual processes (like paper checks) or costly offerings (like traditional paycards) towards digital-first solutions can benefit the worker experience while also cutting administrative time, costs, and payroll errors.
“A firm we work with, CM Personnel, implemented Branch to onboard workers with digital payments on day one," says Siddiqi. "This not only reduced administrative burden, but also improved worker satisfaction dramatically. Their director of operations said that payroll has started running like a well-oiled machine”
By upgrading their entire business operating system with these interconnected tools, firms are moving from reactive to proactive, achieving productivity gains without increasing headcount, and ultimately scaling faster, smarter, and more profitably.
If these takeaways were useful, the full session goes even deeper. Hear the complete conversation and all the insights in the webinar recording.
Are you wondering the exact tech tools your firm should be considering? We made it easy by compiling this cheat sheet: The Modern Staffer’s Playbook. Get your copy for free
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