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Organisations face enormous pressure to manage talent and run internal recruitment drives. In particular, CEOs and senior managers of start-ups and SMEs can end up wearing several hats trying to fulfil numerous business functions, including Human Resources. Recruitment isn’t something you can afford to get wrong, but even larger companies with dedicated HR teams can become overwhelmed. Outsourcing recruitment is a much-touted solution, but is it worth the investment?

What is outsourcing recruitment?

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a workplace solution that involves the transfer of talent acquisition to an external partner. RPO providers may manage all or part of the permanent recruitment process on behalf of their clients. Specialist recruitment consultants typically act as an extension of their client’s HR team and deliver resources either on-site or off-site. Recruitment process outsourcing companies charge a monthly management, placement or project fee.

What are the pros of outsourcing recruitment?

Organisations often turn to recruitment process outsourcing services when they are going through a relocation, merger or acquisition. But some companies rely on recruitment process outsourcing services on a consistent basis because of the wide range of benefits they provide.

Save time and money

Recruitment process outsourcing is more cost-effective than traditional recruitment. Recruiting new talent requires hours of work spent writing job descriptions, posting ads on job boards, screening applications, conducting interviews and negotiating offers. It’s time-consuming and labour-intensive, with the costs quickly mounting up.

Besides saving you money on in-house staffing, RPO providers reduce the amount of time that job requisitions remain unfilled. Each day a vacancy remains open, your business suffers decreased productivity and misses out on that new employee’s contribution. By providing quick turnarounds with quality hires, RPO reduces the risk of having to start the hire again from scratch.

Access to high-quality candidates

Unlike most in-house hiring managers, RPO providers have access to a diverse and highly skilled talent pool. They maintain an exclusive and extensive global database of talented personnel on tap, which means you’re more likely to find the right candidate quickly. They will also be able to find you the best candidates in notoriously difficult niches and find precise matches for the qualifications, skills and experience required.

Flexible and scalable

Most organisations experience fluctuations in their staffing requirements. Recruitment process outsourcing is designed to meet the specific needs of the client and adjust resource levels accordingly. RPO providers can meet immediate and strict deadlines for businesses that are expanding into new markets and locations.

Start-ups and early-stage companies can find themselves scaling rapidly and recruiting more staff. Outsourcing recruitment frees up time for members of your team to focus on their own corner of the business and avoids them making costly mistakes.

What are the cons of outsourcing recruitment?

There are some drawbacks of outsourcing you should consider before engaging RPO services.

Cultural conflicts

Although qualifications, talent, skill and experience are essential factors for filling a vacancy, personality and culture fit are also important. External partners might not have the same in-depth insight into your company culture as in-house managers when it comes to matching a candidate’s soft skills to the role. However, you can avoid conflict by taking the time to convey your unique mission and values to the RPO company.

Loss of control

Working with an RPO might be difficult for micromanagers. You need a certain degree of trust to hand control of recruitment over to a third party and some individuals can feel uncomfortable letting go. It usually gets easier over time as you see the positive results of outsourcing recruitment. Remember, they are talent acquisition specialists and know what they’re doing. Make sure you keep up a good flow of communications and schedule regular updates with the team.

Long-term commitment

Once a recruitment process outsourcing company becomes familiar with your business they can deliver rapid results. But they still need to undertake a thorough onboarding period and learn everything about your company, from its successes and failures to its values. A strong, formal onboarding process will result in the RPO sourcing better candidates and decrease turnover.

Why would you hire an agency?

Competition for the best talent is fierce and outsourcing recruitment gives you access to a wide network of talent you wouldn’t ordinarily reach. A recruitment agency can provide as much or as little help as you need including sourcing, screening, assessing, interviewing and onboarding. The benefits of outsourcing recruitment outweigh the disadvantages and it frequently proves to be a cost-effective, time-saving solution in the long run.

BlackCode’s experience and expertise as a technical talent recruiter are trusted by some of the UK’s largest brands. We take the time to understand your unique requirements and provide a tailored approach to your recruitment strategy. Our customer-first, transparent approach delivers positive results and ongoing partnerships based on mutual trust.

Speak to an Expert today

Find out how our team can meet your specific recruitment requirements. We offer a 30-minute complimentary recruitment audit session, so speak to an expert today.