Recruitment process outsourcing providers (RPOs), like their buyers, have evolved tremendously over the last several years.
No longer only for Fortune 500 companies, or those organizations with hundreds of thousands or more in talent acquisition (TA) spend, RPOs have transcended previous transactional models to provide more than an influx of talent. They drive real business value through a variety of customized solutions and service offerings and are changing the talent landscape – for the better.
What once was thought solely to be a cost savings model, RPO has expanded to include employer branding, talent and business intelligence and so much more.
Here’s a sample of the many transformational services and benefits available through today’s RPO model and why it may be an option for your organization to consider:
Technology transformation. Vetting technology solutions, capabilities and providers is typically a lengthy process. There are demos, proposals, trials, implementations and everything else in between. An RPO provider brings technology solutions as part of the overall program to enhance the TA process – and this comes in a variety of shapes, forms, sizes and vendors. The best part is, the RPO has already done the heavy lifting and has the relationships and know-how to provide technology that will make the most sense for your business.
Candidate satisfaction. We’re currently operating at the intersection of the economy starting to rebound and candidate experience. For instance, in the hospitality sector where ramp hiring is just starting to begin post-pandemic, there is a need to automate hiring to meet demand while still enabling a positive candidate experience by attracting, vetting and moving candidates through the recruitment process. Some organizations struggle with finding the right balance between their needs and the candidate experience. An RPO intrinsically understands this challenge and can help execute today while strategically preparing and planning for tomorrow.
Talent attraction. On the wish list of many CHROs and VPs of TA is employer branding. By now, most executives know that branding the business to attract talent is paramount, but not everyone knows where to start. And who better to work with you on your employer brand, including your employer value proposition (EVP), micro-EVP(s) and talent attraction strategy, than the RPO providing recruitment services to your business already? Although, this has not historically been a service offering, it is one of the biggest value-adds of today’s RPO. Your provider is aware of all of your organization’s nuances, and they know the important – and differentiating – factors that need to be included in things like your branding and attraction strategies.
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Talent and business insights. While this technically falls under the technology solution your provider would bring as part of the RPO program, not all are equipped to provide the holistic talent and business intelligence reporting and insight that is paramount to good TA and business planning. Look to a provider that can bring order to chaos by connecting the dots between your systems (CRM, ATS, HRIS) and provide reporting and analytics that result in actionable business intelligence. Trust me when I say, this is a gamechanger – and not just for TA, but for the whole organization.
Talent pipelining. An RPO provider’s sourcing capabilities and ability to build relevant talent communities are still leading factors for engagement. From direct sourcing models, which tap into not just an organization’s external candidate population but also talent already engaged with the brand, including retirees, silver medalists in previous rounds of hiring as well as internal employees, to contingent staffing to total talent solutions, an RPO brings the right solution to overcome any TA challenge facing a business. Internal recruiters and TA leaders often get pulled into other areas of the business that can take them away from critical hiring priorities. An RPO provider is dedicated solely to TA and can be counted on to deliver critical hires without the risk of getting pulled into other directions. This focus and expertise has proven to be a differentiator for those who have engaged with an RPO.