Introduction
At Joveo, we’re on a mission to make hiring smarter, more efficient, and strategic. In this episode of Hire We Go!, we’re joined by Adam Wardlow from Inergroup, a company that’s rewriting the staffing playbook with a bold, cost-per-unit model. From navigating unpredictable market swings to finding that sweet spot between AI-driven efficiency and human connection, Adam shares how Inergroup is helping clients stay agile—and sane—in an industry that never sits still.
Ashlie Collins: Hello and welcome to Hire We Go! I’m Ashlie Collins, your host and director of solutions here at Joveo, where we’re transforming talent acquisition into a more precise, efficient, and dare I say it, more strategic process. Whether you’re an HR vet or someone who’s simply fascinated by how to find, attract, and engage talent, you’re certainly in the right place. Joining us this session is Adam from Inergroup. Adam, thank you so much for joining us. Why don’t you tell us a bit more about yourself and Inergroup?
Adam Wardlow: I’m Adam Wardlow, and I’ve been in the staffing world for 13 years now. It’s kind of funny how things work out. Like a lot of people I sort of stumbled into it, but quickly realized how much I really enjoyed helping people find the right opportunities. So, after a few years in the industry, I really got hooked on the technology side of things. For me, figuring out how to use technology to help make recruiters’ lives easier and streamline the candidate experience became a real passion. So I’ve been with Inergroup now for three years. And at Inergroup, we’re really all about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in staffing. We’ve got a really cool cost-per-unit model where we basically become our clients’ production partners, and we handle the entire process from finding the right people to managing the day-to-day production operations, so that they can focus on their core business.
For us, this has really been a game changer lately, especially with the volatility that we’re seeing in the market. However, at the end of the day for us at Inergroup, it really comes back to people. Whether it’s our clients, our candidates, or our internal teams, building strong relationships and taking care of people is really at the heart of everything that we do.
Ashlie Collins: Love that so much. And it’s so important as AI and technology plays an increasing role in our lives, keeping that human touch and that personal connection is immensely important.
And Adam, as you well know, and I have alluded to, the staffing industry is constantly evolving. What trends are you seeing in the market and how is Inergroup adapting to meet the changing needs of businesses?
Adam Wardlow: Yeah, so the market, it’s been incredibly volatile since the pandemic. We’ve seen supply chain disruptions, port closures, shifting consumer demands. And all of this has really made it difficult for businesses to forecast their workforce needs. As a result, we’ve seen fluctuations in demand where clients one week are requiring a large headcount, followed by sudden drops. And this roller coaster kind of effect puts tremendous pressure on operations and HR departments. I think that traditional staffing models, you know, often struggle to adapt when there’s this kind of extreme volatility. And I think that’s why we’ve started to see a surge of some new and innovative approaches, like some of the on-demand platforms and outcome-based staffing. Within Inergroup, we’re seeing a lot of this firsthand where our demand for our cost-per-unit model has increased significantly.
So, with this model, we’re able to assume ownership of the client’s production needs. We become an extension of their team. We provide the onsite management, recruitment, and labor optimization, which allows them to get back to focusing on the core business while we ensure the production targets are met with a fixed cost-per-unit billing structure. So, ultimately, this approach allows the clients to gain predictability, efficiency, and savings, while we use our expertise to help navigate the complexities of the labor market for them.
Ashlie Collins: I think we could all use a little predictability and stability in our lives right now, couldn’t we? And last question for you today, and I really appreciate you taking the time. If you had a magic wand, what would you change about talent sourcing in 2025?
Adam Wardlow: Yeah. So if I had a magic wand, I would use it to ensure that technology enhances, not replaces the human element in talent sourcing. So we’re all seeing how AI and automation are revolutionizing the industry. They’re streamlining tasks like candidate scheduling and screening. Ultimately, this should free up recruiters to have more time to focus on what I believe truly matters, and that’s building relationships.
So for me, it’s really about those personal touches that can help make a candidate feel valued. Things like taking extra time during an interview to really try and connect or following up after a first day on the job to see how things went. You know, just picking up the phone and making a quick phone call to wish a candidate a happy birthday or a happy work anniversary. Ultimately, these things are very small, but they can really impact the candidate experience. They can improve employee satisfaction and ultimately they can drive retention.
To sum it all up, my wish is that we use AI to empower recruiters to be more human, not less. And that by automating routine tasks, we can dedicate more time to really fostering genuine connections. And ultimately we can create a more positive work experience for everyone.
Ashlie Collins: I feel like I wore the right shirt for you today. Just spreading the love, spreading the compassion, and making it personal. I absolutely love it. Well, thank you again so much for the time today, and thank you for tuning in to Hire We Go! I’m Ashley Collins, and remember, when it comes to hiring, we are just getting started. See y’all next time.
Conclusion
As we wrap up this energizing conversation, one thing is clear that flexibility is the new foundation of effective staffing. Adam’s vision for 2025? A world where AI does the grunt work, and recruiters get back to what they do best: building meaningful relationships. From birthday calls to follow-ups that actually mean something, it’s the little human touches that create lasting impact. Thanks for tuning into Hire We Go!—until next time, keep hiring smarter.
