Ask any franchisor what’s constraining growth, and “people” will be at the top of the list. But in franchise networks, the challenge is not whether candidates exist. It’s whether every location can attract, assess, and move the right people through the hiring process with enough speed, consistency and brand alignment to keep the network staffed and performing.
That challenge is becoming more difficult. Indeed’s research shows 41 per cent of Australian workers use AI to write cover letters and job applications; 29 per cent use it to optimise CVs for ATS filters, and 17 per cent use it to automatically generate and submit multiple applications at once.
The result isn’t just more applications; it’s more noise in the funnel, less reliable surface-level quality signals, and more pressure on already-stretched hiring teams to sort volume quickly and accurately.
That pressure is amplified by structure. Hiring happens locally, but the consequences are felt centrally. When every location is handling candidate flow differently, franchisors end up with a longer, more costly recruitment process, weakened candidate experience, and inconsistent brand representation across the network. In many cases, the problem isn’t visible until it shows up in turnover, understaffing, or a frustrated franchisee
At the same time, candidates are becoming less patient with slow, unclear or impersonal processes.
Indeed’s 2026 Artificial Applicant research found 90 per cent of job seekers have applied for a role and heard nothing back, while 71 per cent have walked away mid-application, usually because the process dragged on or communication fell away.
In other words, the hiring journey itself is now shaping who stays in the funnel and who drops out before a manager ever gets the chance to engage them.
This is why franchise hiring should be seen as a network consistency issue, not just a volume issue. AI didn’t create the problem but it has exposed how fragmented and manager-dependent many franchise hiring models still are. If each location is left to manage hiring in its own way, networks risk wasting management time, missing stronger candidates, and delivering an uneven employer brand experience from one location to the next.
The Franchise Bundle
The opportunity for franchisors is to bring the same rigour to hiring that they already bring to operations. This means making it easier for local teams to get roles in front of the right candidates, reducing delays between application and interview, helping managers focus on stronger-fit applicants, and creating a more cohesive candidate experience across the network.
This is the thinking behind Indeed’s Franchise Bundle. Designed for decentralised hiring environments, it helps local teams get roles live more easily, engage qualified candidates sooner, and spend less time on manual coordination and screening, while helping central brands create a more connected and consistent hiring journey across independently operated locations.
It includes tools like Interview on Demand, designed to help employers move from application to interview faster, so they can screen qualified candidates and connect in minutes, not days.
For franchise networks, the value is not simply in generating more applicants. It’s in identifying high quality candidates faster, offering franchisees more practical support, and giving head office greater confidence that hiring is happening in a way that enables brand consistency and business performance across the network.
The franchisors that win in today’s landscape will be those who recognise hiring as a system, not a series of isolated tasks. In a market shaped by AI-assisted applications, faster candidate behaviour, and lower tolerance for friction, the real people advantage will come from making hiring simpler, faster and more consistent across the whole network.
Learn more about Indeed Interview on Demand here.
By Lauren Anderson, senior talent strategy advisor at job site Indeed
