working effectively with your RPO provider.

In today’s competitive labour market, securing top talent has never been more critical, or challenging. Organisations looking to stay ahead are increasingly turning to Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) programmes. An RPO offers a fully customised approach to talent acquisition, blending seamlessly with an organisation’s internal resources to create a streamlined, efficient, and cost-effective process for finding the best candidates. This synergy is essential as the competition for skilled professionals intensifies and talent becomes scarcer.

However, merely signing an RPO contract is just the beginning. To maximise the value of an RPO programme, continuous collaboration and communication between the employer and the RPO provider are crucial. Below we will explore the best practices for working with your RPO provider to make the most of your partnership.

1. establish clear goals.

One of the most critical steps for ensuring a successful client/provider relationship is to lay out the goals and expectations for the RPO programme. Both parties should have a clear understanding of the aspects of the company’s talent acquisition strategy that need improvement, and how the provider can deliver on those needs. The two parties can then develop service level agreements (SLAs) — such as number of requisitions processed and time-to-fill goals for each position — that provide the framework for keeping the programme on target and with mutually agreed upon results.

RPO programmes are integrally designed around hiring volume, so it’s important to develop a realistic forecast of the company’s talent needs. It’s also important for the RPO buyer to understand its role in the RPO programme, and include the right stakeholders in the implementation to ensure the SLAs accurately address business needs.

2. gain buy-in, deliver change management.

As is the case for any major organisational process change, implementing an RPO programme can be met with resistance from the internal team and thereby hinder the programme’s effectiveness. For this reason, it is crucial to include and gain buy-in from all internal stakeholders, allowing those individuals to also develop a strong relationship with the provider. This can be achieved by outlining the positive impacts RPO will have on the business, soliciting stakeholders’ input and addressing any concerns that are raised early on.

A strong communications and change management plan during the implementation phase will further build internal support and programme effectiveness. Taking the time to introduce the change, communicating what it means to the organisation and training users on the set of services available to them can help in this regard.

3. maintain communication with the provider.

Key to fostering a successful RPO programme is to keep an open dialogue with the provider. When both teams can communicate freely about project status and potential problem areas, it becomes easier to address any challenges before they impact recruiting and overall programme success. One way to ensure a steady stream of communications is to adhere to specific phases of the implementation, such as planning, discovery, design, installation and transition, and operational handover.

Taking this approach will help the company and its RPO partner to familiarise their teams and foster close working relationships throughout the project lifecycle.

4. develop KPIs and governance practices.

Creating a culture of accountability will help to ensure an optimised RPO strategy. Key performance indicators (KPIs), such as agreed upon metrics around interview-to-offer ratio, offer acceptance rate and ageing requisitions, will help to illuminate the success of the programme and pinpoint where remedial action is needed. A formal governance structure — consisting of a dedicated RPO manager on the provider side and an internal leadership team —will ensure that challenges and changing needs are addressed quickly.

The governance model should also clearly define the roles of all involved, specify reporting lines, identify decision-makers and establish escalation mechanisms to provide a clear process for oversight and mitigation steps.

5. implement feedback mechanisms.

Once the RPO programme is in place, stability should be a priority. This can be achieved by reinforcing buy-in. Developing a communications strategy to keep all parties informed and engaged on programme progress is crucial, and just as important is being able to solicit continuous feedback from those stakeholders, both internal and external. The company should also implement various ways for collecting and analysing the results that can indicate the success of the programme — for example, cost savings, abbreviated cycle times, hiring manager satisfaction and other metrics.

Based on the feedback received and early results, the employer and provider can work together to improve any areas that may be lagging and look for opportunities for further innovation. As organisational goals and market conditions often shift, constant communication will help ensure the programme is adjusted as needed.

achieving RPO success.

From working together on a change management strategy, to having ongoing open communication about how to best achieve goals, a strong partnership between employer and RPO provider is essential to maximising the benefits your programme delivers. These tips can help your company build a strong foundation with its RPO partner; one that not only delivers continuous and measurable recruiting results, but also helps align the talent strategy with greater organisational goals.

Contact us via the below to discuss how we can help you transition across from an existing provider or to explore a new solution: