By Jo Taylor, Head of RPO, EMEA
Amidst a tumultuous economy, employers continue to face challenges in talent acquisition and are seeking nimble solutions that allow them to address hiring needs quickly. Despite layoffs in some sectors, job openings surpass pre-pandemic levels in nearly every industry—averaging 31% more vacancies than in 2019. This is compounded by three million people having dropped out of the labour force.
Many organisations lack the in-house recruitment resources—in terms of personnel or technology—to respond to fluctuations in a volatile talent market. Plus, with skills gaps growing, internal talent acquisition teams are too stretched to effectively manage the candidate lifecycle. Consequently, employers experience dwindling talent pipelines and an increase in drop-offs and ghosting between offer acceptance and onboarding.
No wonder 91% of hiring managers say they’re experiencing hiring challenges and 45% say they’re struggling to find qualified workers for open roles at their companies. Many organisations are seeking recruitment support in the form of modular RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) as a cost-effective way to augment their recruitment capabilities where they need it most.
That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our new suite of modular solutions, Amplifiers. Amplifiers has a solution that can help augment your team to meet your short-term talent needs—while providing lasting business value.
What is Modular RPO?
Modular RPO, or variable RPO, is a strategic approach to managing the recruitment process in an ultra-focused manner. It involves outsourcing specific components of the recruitment process to an RPO provider, or as a supplement to an existing outsourced recruitment engagement, providing quick access to targeted and customised recruitment support. With a modular or à la carte approach, you choose from a range of services based on your requirements.
Our Amplifiers include:
- Talent Mapping
- Talent Sourcing
- Talent Campaign: Surge Support
- Assessment Transformation
Modular RPO vs Full End-to-End RPO
Modular RPO differs from traditional enterprise RPO in that it allows businesses to select and customise the specific recruitment services they need, rather than outsourcing the entire process.
The main differences include:
- Scope: Modular RPO focuses on specific parts of the recruitment process or short-term initiatives, while end-to-end RPO can cover the entire recruitment function.
- Duration: Modular RPO engagements are typically short-term, while end-to-end RPO is a long-term strategic partnership. However, many of our RPO partnerships at PeopleScout have started as short-term engagements.
- Technology Integration: End-to-end RPO often involves more extensive use of technology, including integration with other HR systems as well as customisation.
The decision between modular RPO and a full RPO engagement depends on various factors, including organisation size, hiring volume, budget and strategic workforce planning. It’s essential to assess your specific needs and evaluate the benefits and trade-offs associated with each approach before making a decision.
6 Benefits of Modular RPO
Here are six key benefits of a modular approach to RPO.
1. Cost Optimisation
Modular RPO gives you greater control over your recruitment costs. You select specific recruitment services based on your challenges, enabling you to allocate your budget more efficiently by avoiding unnecessary expenses for unused services. In uncertain economic times, this is a more cost-effective approach that still lets you benefit from the expertise of an RPO partner.
2. Scalability and Agility
The business landscape is unpredictable, which can cause your hiring needs to fluctuate rapidly. Modular RPO provides the agility to scale your recruitment capabilities up or down based on demand. You can quickly adapt your recruitment efforts in response to market conditions, ensuring you have the adequate resources during high-demand periods and avoiding unnecessary expenses during slower periods. Plus, some of our clients have added Amplifiers onto their full RPO engagement—whether they’re partnered with PeopleScout or another RPO—when an extra boost is needed.
3. Customisation and Control
Some organisations prefer to maintain a certain level of control over their recruitment process, particularly during uncertain economic times. With modular RPO, you can customise your recruitment process according to your specific requirements. Select the services you need, such as candidate sourcing, screening or onboarding support, while retaining oversight of other aspects of the recruitment process. This level of control allows companies to align the outsourced services with their internal hiring strategies and maintain greater mastery of their talent acquisition function.
4. Strategic Focus
By outsourcing specific recruitment functions to an RPO partner, you can free up your internal HR teams and hiring managers to focus on core business activities, such as talent development, workforce planning and organisational restructuring. By opting for a modular approach, organisations can collaborate with their RPO partner to design a solution that addresses their specific challenges and aligns with their strategic goals.
5. Access to Technology
RPO providers have access to advanced recruitment technologies and tools. Even with modular RPO, you can leverage these technologies for specific recruitment functions without investing in them for internal use. This is particularly beneficial in challenging economic environments where capital expenditures are carefully managed.
6. Risk Mitigation
In uncertain economic climates, modular recruitment solutions are a great option for organisations who are new to RPO. By opting for a more targeted and flexible approach, you can evaluate the effectiveness and value of the outsourced recruitment partner before expanding the engagement further.
PeopleScout’s Amplifiers offer you the ability to optimise costs, maintain agility, streamline recruitment processes and focus on strategic priorities—while still benefiting from our 30 years of expertise as an RPO partner. The benefits of modular RPO align your organisational needs with our current economic realities.
