Working smarter, not harder: RPO Insights 2018

In a rapidly evolving field, HRD explores the latest trends in recruitment process outsourcing and managed service provider solutions

RPO, otherwise known as recruitmetn process outsourcing, has long been hotbed of innovation, primarily becasue the pressure of finding good talent requires fresh thinking, but also because of the ongoing need to d eliver on the business outcomes expected by clients.

With the rise and rise of the contingent workfore, RPO service providers are coming up with new and innovative ways to assist with the talent management challenges faced by clients.

For one thing, according to the Manpower Ministry's 2015 Labour Force Report, there were 202,400 contract employees in Singapore, forming 11.3% of the resident workforce. In the US, the figure sits at 34%, and by 2020 it's expected to be 44%. With such a globalised talent market, it's fair to assume that Singapore and teh rest of Asia will follow the lead of the US.

It's no surprise that BPO analysts NelsonHall predict that RPO will be the fastest-growing service in the HR arena by 2020.

As an international leader in RPO and MSP (managed service provider) solutions, Resource Solutions manages outsourced recruitment for some of the world's biggest businesses. As an RPO provider, Resource Solutions acts as an extension of its clients' HR function, sitting on-site and providing an end-to-end permanent hiring solution.

Unlinke contingency firms and traditional recruitment agencies, the RPO provider takes full accountability for and ownership of the entire recruitment process. On the other hand, an MSP manages all contingent (temporary) recruitment and takes responsibility for the ongoing management of the contingent workforce. Although MSP models differ depending on clients' needs, MSP programs will typically include managing all contingent vacancies, from workforce planning to contingent worker offboarding. 

Resource Solutions cover a broad range of sectors and industries and is expanding its client base rapidly across the Asia-Pacific region. Placing upwards of 45,000 candidates for over 50 clients across more than 60 countries, its experience affords a unique insight into the fast-evolving landscape of recruitment outsourcing.

Change in the outsourced recruitment space is constant. Resource Solutions has a dedicated innovation team that partners with clients at the most senior level, helping them to stay one step ahead and navigate the changing recruitment landscapre in real time. In 2017, the firm saw changes in the recruitment world gathering pace, and these are taking new directions in 2018.

Key trend for 2018: Total Talent Acquisition

Resource Solutions first highlighted Total Talent Acquisition (TTA) as an emerging trend in the recruitment space in 2016. Since then it has come a long way and continues to gather pace as a recruitment solution of choice.

TTA is a delivery model designed to complement all client programs, including contingent, permanent and consultancy and Statement of Work (SOW) spend. Managing all forms and levels of recruitment under a TTA solution supports a business’s efforts to expand and can positively impact on critical areas of productivity and workplace efficiencies (see boxout for further information on SOW).

Why do businesses use a TTA model?

Resource Solutions’ TTA delivery model is designed to complement an employer’s broader talent programs. Resource Solutions supports the acquisition of talent in all forms of candidate engagement, including permanent, contractor and temporary roles. Managing all forms of recruitment control, consistency and visibility, stakeholder engagement and hiring experience, these TTA solutions support employers in their ambitions to globalise recruitment programs.

The concept of TTA makes a lot of sense – it ensures an organisation’s total workforce is being reported on. This includes the transfer of knowledge, transfer of skills, ensuring work is allocated to the right place and managing staff accordingly. By blending RPO and MSP solutions in a TTA model, organisations are redesigning an entire global talent acquisition strategy. So, whether engaging the permanent, temporary, consultant or SOW workforce, hiring managers can benefit from a bigger talent pool, economies of scale, and efficiencies from the technologies that enable a TTA model.

SOW what?

SOW budgets differ across organisations because they are typically dependent on the attitude to spending on consultancy. Some will naturally have a policy that limits the number of third party consultancies with whom they work, while others will choose to spend more on consultancies. SOW programs can offer employers opportunities for greater transparency to better manage their entire contingent workforce across all requisition types.

Changing attitudes to the temp option in Asia-Pacific

 In Asia, the recruitment outsourcing market in the last year has evolved rapidly. However, contingent workers offering flexible work options in Asia still remain in the minority. For cultural reasons, employers in Asia choose not to consider flexible or temporary workers, but we are seeing them become more prominent in key markets like Singapore and Hong Kong.

Tools used to plan and report on spend

Since 1998, Resource Solutions has provided its own proprietary recruitment technology, talentsource, to place equal emphasis on addressing and meeting permanent and temporary talent acquisition needs. Recently upgraded and constantly improving, the industry-leading support system is modular, web-based and provides end-to-end tracking for clients.

talentsource is an award-winning and industry-leading recruitment technology that supports end-to-end recruitment lifecycle tracking. The mobile responsive platform provides users with permanent, temporary and Statement of Work recruitment tracking; agency and non-agency source management; a fully branded candidate career portal; contractor management and management information, all in real time.

talentsource is included in Resource Solutions’ overall RPO and MSP offer and is trusted by the company’s clients around the world. Managing over US$2bn of recruitment spend annually, talentsource supports over 45,000 weekly users globally.

A TTA solution can only be managed by an outsource provider that offers both RPO and MSP services. It’s not an automatic assumption that vendors are able to provide this function. Resource Solutions prides itself on being agile and – most critically – able to offer bespoke TTA solutions for clients.