RPO Providers: A Look into 2025. How will RPO shape 2025? In the dynamic landscape of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) in the UK and Europe, 2025 is set to be a significant year. Companies are increasingly seeking efficient ways to handle their recruitment needs, and RPO providers are expected to step up to this challenge. Why the growing confidence? Transparency, cost-effectiveness, and expertise. We’re witnessing a surge in demand for agile and adaptable RPO solutions that can scale with business needs. This isn’t just about filling positions; it’s about strategic alignment with organisational goals. Recent studies show that 73% of European companies plan to increase their investment in RPO by the end of 2025 (source: ERE Recruiting Intelligence). Why is this important? Because this shift underscores the critical role that RPO providers are playing in bridging talent gaps and driving growth. The European market is diverse, and the ability to cater to this array of needs while maintaining a standard of excellence will set top RPO providers apart. Those who can offer tailored solutions and deep industry insights will lead the pack. What’s your experience with RPO providers? Do you see this trend growing in your field? Share your thoughts in the comments or get in touch directly. Visit www.biggsolutions.com for more insights, or contact me directly on: steve@biggsolutions.com | +447739588448 • Value for money • Expertise • Strategic alignment #Recruitment #TalentStrategy #RPO2025
Agree with all of this Steve - there is no doubt that the right Talent Solutions providers can inject significant value if organisations see them as strategic partners. In my experience both on the buy and sell side is this :- 1) lack of work force planning will always lead to reactive TA functions therefore is problematic when leveraging an outsourced partner and agreeing on a commercial model that benefits either side. 2) Talent Solutions providers need to be smarter in terms of how they hold a bench of resources after all organisations want a agile and scalable partner to help that’s the appeal to use providers - but the question begs how many providers have solved this problem. I also understand for providers it’s not always commmercially viable to hold resource that isn’t fee earning. Anyone that can solve this and find a model that works either side is a winner !
Completely agree Steve. I truly believe that 2025 onwards is going to be the time where companies lean more on agile solutions such as RPO, Embedded Talent and even Fractional Recruiters. But I think Embedded Talent (and to a degree Fractional Recruiters) need to start thinking about being as strategic as RPO companies to stand out. Some Embedded Talent companies are, but a good number of them are still very transactional and leave clients in the same place as they found them 👈 that is true value add.
Spot on Steve Biggs as ever The short-term view of putting more resource behind transactional or contingent hiring doesn't deliver any medium or longer term control, planning or cost saving. We've been through some turbulent market fluctuations, so there is an imperative to the thinking and planning to re-engineer and evolve the recruitment processes to address today's challenges. The RPO models provide one, repeatable and consistent way of managing recruitment, end-to-end, with a partner specialising in process optimisation, delivering a brilliant candidate experience and ensuring 100% of roles are filled, regardless of the candidate source. If it's not on the strategy agenda, it should be; and recruitment providers need to be geared to deliver RPO services to meet this growing demand.
RPO has evolved significantly, I know we have, not just latterly either. You have to be agile and adapt all the time to meet the differing needs of your RPO clients be that the service, process, technology or commercials offering... As RPO partners it's about experience and service for both candidates and managers alike ensuring you add value all the time operationally and strategically. These last two years and the next two with GenAI solutions really coming to the fore it will be transformative in a super exciting way. Nothing however, will replace the human touch that allows us to build trust, make connections, demonstrate value and delight people.... Let's hope 2025 is as significant as you predict Steve, I'm looking forward to it🤞
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4moGreat to hear Steve, it's been a long time coming with a tough 18 months or so in RPO with lots of casualties of that. Hopefully this is the turnaround we've all been hoping to see.