More than half of employers surveyed have made changes to the roles of key people within the recruitment process, according to new research.

Line managers have experienced the biggest shift; more than four in five employers surveyed are now involving line managers to a greater degree when recruiting some or all vacancies.

The IRS research, conducted in late 2003, is based on a survey of 208 HR departments.

Other key findings:

• In early 2001, 9% of employers were increasing the involvement of their personnel directors in recruitment, but by late 2003 this had increased in the same organisations to 40%.

• Centralised HR personnel are being increasingly involved. One in three compared with zero in 2001 – are now more involved in recruitment for some vacancies and just under half for all vacancies.

• Local personnel specialists are increasingly likely to be involved in recruitment. Almost three in 10 respondents use them.

• A quarter of respondents use central personnel staff while just under one in four use personnel directors.

• Organisations are also more likely to increase the use of employment agencies in recruitment, with almost half stepping up the role they play.

• The public sector is increasing the use of personnel staff at all levels of seniority, and generally to a greater extent than private sector employers.