How Outsourcing Recruitment can ease the pain of fast business growth and help with Retention

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted business and labour markets at an unprecedented level. From January to March 2021, when most of the restrictions were still in place, the UK unemployment rate was 4.8%, more than at the start of the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). 

Fortunately, the easing of restrictions since then coupled with the vaccination roll-out saw economies start to reopen, leading to a surge in hiring as companies got to work restoring their operations to pre-pandemic levels.

Such a dramatic rise in recruitment activity meant businesses had to rapidly adjust to ensure they were equipped to launch and manage large-scale hiring initiatives and go head-to-head with other companies to find the right candidates. In this article, we explore the role of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) in easing the burden on internal talent acquisition teams and why leaders are increasingly relying on this solution to overcome the challenges associated with accelerated business growth.

RPOs have access to high-quality candidates

Expertise across sourcing, recruitment process design, recruitment technology, employer branding and reporting means RPOs are in the ideal position to attract, source and assess quality talent for every role. During a period of heightened upturn, time is of the essence. RPOs can access suitable candidates and apply rigorous assessment and selection methodologies quickly, so organisations are presented with the best talent ahead of their competitors.

RPOs boost employer brand and candidate experience 

Candidates are looking for much more from employers than high salaries and perks. The pandemic highlighted the importance of being treated well, respected and supported, both as a candidate and as an employee.

This renewed focus coupled with a candidate-driven market means hiring practices are under scrutiny. Put a foot wrong at any stage of the recruitment process, and companies risk losing key talent to their competitors. Candidates are looking for flexibility, a seamless and fast process, clear communication, solid values, and a workplace culture they can get behind.

Through hands-on management of all aspects of the recruitment process – from expertly crafted job descriptions to interview feedback – and real-time insights into what goes into an exceptional Employer Value Proposition (EVP), RPOs ensure businesses stand out for all of the right reasons and that candidates are confident in their decision to join an organisation.

RPOs provide complete flexibility

Market upturns don’t last forever. They require an intense period of activity, which will eventually scale back. The pandemic highlighted the requirement for businesses to be agile enough to deal with market fluctuations, and RPOs are designed with this in mind.

RPOs can be scaled back or redirected to focus on another area of talent acquisition within a business or simply change focus to retention and talent pipelining. One of the key reasons why organisations engage RPOs in 2022 is that they adapt to the reality of fluctuating recruitment needs without compromising on service, speed or quality.

RPOs save companies money 

A period of upturn means a sharp rise in activity, which, for many businesses, means spending more money to manage it. When it comes to engaging an RPO provider, the opposite is true. They are able to eliminate lengthy hiring processes, the money spent on job board posting and time spent screening – all of which can add up to a costly internal recruitment process.

Additionally, RPOs help to minimise the indirect costs of recruitment, such as those associated with poor quality hires, lengthy vacancy periods and high employee turnover. By streamlining everything for businesses, RPO providers deliver significant cost savings while ensuring they hire better and faster.

GCS Associates have provided flexible recruitment solutions, including Recruitment Process Outsourcing, for over 15 years. Our teams have sector experience and are true experts across our specialist sectors. Contact us if you are looking for a recruitment solution which will not only save time and money, but will also enhance your employer brand and help improve retention.