Adecco RPO Study

Adecco RPO Study

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  Are you dilutingthe value of your outsourced recruitment process?
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  Are you capturing the full ROI of RPO? Many enterprises have an outsourced recruitment process solution in place. But is the solution yielding the anticipated outcomes? Some service providers deliver only an HR back-office solution; meaning their clients outsource only some of the functions within the recruitment process. Others (a select few) deliver end-to-end services, managing the entire recruitment process. The back-office solution vs. the end-to-end model. Both models drive a positive ROI, increase qualified candidate traffic by 50 to 100%, and result in more hires than can be achieved by in-house services prior to outsourcing. While both approaches are outsourcing models, clients need to be aware that there is a significant difference. Adecco conducted a study comparing the two RPO solutions alternatives over a four- year period. The study found a consistent, recurring theme and pinpointed a pitfall in the HR back-office model, which causes clients to realize only half as many hires as an end-to-end solution yields while also adding costs to the process. This paper discusses the value-diluting pitfall from the perspectives of the client, job candidates, and the service provider. It reviews how buyers decide which type of recruitment process solution they implement and emphasizes the benefits of choosing an end-to-end solution. 2
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  Delivering on thepromise of RPO Two approaches to an RPO solution. Twelve business functions, or components, comprise the entire recruitment process. As illustrated below, these components are segmented into three “buckets” — talent planning, talent acquisition, and talent assimilation. Recruitment process lifecycle Talent > Talent > Talent planning acquisition assimilation • Prepare talent • Define talent specs • Onboard talent capital strategy • Discover talent • Launch talent • Deploy talent brand • Select talent • Check talent needs • Plan talent needs • Hire talent • Retain talent • Redeploy talent > In today’s marketplace, buyers have two On the other hand, the RPO end-to-end RPO solutions options from which to choose: solution is a true outsourcing arrangement an HR back-office solution (which is much like which produces synergies that yield more staff augmentation services), or an end-to-end value. In an HR back-office RPO solution, solution. An end-to-end solution includes all 12 not only does the client not achieve the components of the lifecycle. An HR back-office synergies, but there is a significant pitfall solution provider delivers either the components that adds costs to the process and decreases in one of the three buckets or delivers multiple the number of expected hires. components across the buckets in the lifecycle but does not deliver all 12 process components. Only an end-to-end approach delivers all 12 components of the recruitment process.
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  The pitfall thatdilutes value. An HR back-office solution combines the service The process steps that clients consistently provider’s resources with the internal recruiting replicate are sourcing and pre-screening/ resources of the client organization. Each party qualifying job candidates. owns responsibility for specific components. For this model to be successful, it is essential One of the reasons clients outsource the that neither party replicates what the other recruitment process is to eliminate internal is doing. Therein lies the pitfall. This model also recruiting resources from having to spend falsely assumes the client possesses adequate time and energy sourcing and pre-qualifying resources to handle the increased qualified candidates that do not fit the job specifications. candidate flow. If not, process problems will Yet, clients invariably replicate the work the only magnify. provider does by duplicating sourcing and pre-qualifying candidates a second time. Adecco conducted a study of all its client There is no reason for an internal recruiting engagements over the past four years. The group to again pre-qualify a candidate study found that in every case of an HR back- that has already been screened, assessed, office solution, the client naturally gravitates and pre-qualified by the RPO provider. back to replicating components of the service This replication problem is magnified when delivery model that were already completed the client lacks internal resources to process by the provider, even though the statement the increased qualified candidate flow. of work, service and operating level agreements, and the roles/responsibilities matrix clearly state that the client will not replicate the work. Replicated steps/pitfall in an HR back-office RPO solution Sourcing/screening/pre-qualifying > > > > > > Sourcing: Client Qualify Phone Present Client Onsite discover duplicates the best screen to candidate recruiter interview talent sourcing people validate to client’s pre- with activities in the skills, etc. for hiring qualifies hiring available manager candidate manager candidate interview again pool 4
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  Delivering on thepromise of RPO Comparison of outcomes in HR back-office and end-to-end RPO solutions. Our study of outcomes over the past four years consistently reveals 50% more exempt hires resulting in an end-to-end solution compared to an HR back-office solution. The study pinpointed where the difference in outcomes occurs. Numbers represent averages across all industries HR back-office 1000 End-to-end 800 600 400 200 0 Applicants Pre-screen/ Presentation to Interview with Offer Hire qualify client recruiter hiring manager How the value dilution occurs. Candidate responses to follow-up surveys In addition to added costs (in comparison to include: an end-to-end solution), replicating the sourcing • Why is the company’s recruiter taking and pre-qualifying steps adds unnecessary time me back through the same steps again? to the process — anywhere from a few days to three weeks. The extra time causes candidates • They must think I’m not the right person to lose interest and look at other opportunities, for the position since they are repeating especially in markets where there are scarce this step that I’ve already gone through. resources of talent. • Why is it taking the company so long to get back in touch with me? Adecco conducted follow-up surveys with candidates that exited the recruitment process Because an outsourced solution deploys a in an HR back-office RPO model. The surveys seamless approach, candidates do not realize consistently found that in addition to the time the person pre-qualifying them is from an delays, candidates were confused at having to outsourcing firm rather than the company go through a second pre-qualification interview. with the job opportunity. At the end of the pre-qualifying process, the outsourced recruiter often states to candidates that they are ready 5
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  Delivering on thepromise of RPO to be moved on in the process. When also source additional candidates. The length candidates do not hear from the company of time to do this is magnified due to the large for days or weeks; or once they do hear from increase in qualified candidate traffic. the company, they’re confused at having to be pre-qualified again, they then look at other In both cases (HR back-office and end-to-end opportunities in the market. models), qualified candidate traffic increased by 50 to 100%. In order to convert these candidates Essential to success in an RPO solution is selling to hires, the broken process cannot be delivered the organization as an employer of choice. in the same way, and process steps cannot Both RPO models focus on the client brand be replicated by internal staff. along with the strategic sourcing techniques that can greatly improve qualified candidate The problem is then compounded by the client traffic flow. However, replicating steps and lacking internal resources to replicate these new causing delays erodes the ability to effectively processes and manage the significant volume sell the organization as an attractive employer of qualified candidate flow. to a candidate. All of that translates to added costs and fewer hires. Root cause for the pitfall. The client’s internal recruiter mindset is the The findings in the study were consistent in root cause for the replicated step despite every case. Despite the provider sourcing and initial agreement not to replicate the work. screening the same number of candidates on The mindset manifests itself in the following the front end, converting them to hires on the thought progression of internal recruiters: back end produced dramatically different results. • I fear I might lose my job because of out- With an end-to-end solution in place, the sourcing, so I need to make sure I continue outcome was double the hires to that of an HR to provide value to the process so I can back-office solution where the provider hands justify my existence at this company. a pre-qualified candidate over to the client’s • My perceived value to the company before internal recruiter to arrange for an interview outsourcing was in sourcing and pre- with a hiring manager. Rather than managing qualifying candidates and only submitting the interview logistics and the hiring process for interviews the candidates that fit the according to the statement of work, the recruiter specified qualifications. elects to pre-qualify the candidate again and • I haven’t worked with the outsourcing provider long enough to trust their work. • I cannot forward this candidate on for an interview because I haven’t touched and put my stamp of approval on the qualifications of the individual. • I gravitate back to activities with which I am most comfortable.
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  Case study. What’s the bottom line? HR managers are slow to react when they Without an end-to-end solution, the client will not realize that the replicated step is taking place, be able to maximize the benefits of outsourcing despite the parties’ agreement in the statement and will not achieve the anticipated number of work to ensure replication does not occur. of hires out of the pool of pre-qualified talent. The following case study is a typical example. Organizations that opt for an HR back-office Before the client outsourced its recruitment solution generally hold these beliefs and attitudes: function, the company believed its problem • Recruitment is a core piece of the HR process. was that it could not drive enough candidates through the recruitment process to result in • We are uniquely different from everybody else hires. It outsourced to Adecco, using an HR in our marketplace — a third party cannot sell back-office solution to source, screen, and pre- our business to candidates as well as we can. qualify candidates, driving increased qualified • If the outsourcer does not deliver as promised, candidate traffic through the process. what impact will that have on the HR depart- ment and the business? The company mandated that its internal staff would adhere to the procedures (statement • We can make the HR back-office model work; of work, roles/responsibilities matrix) in the we will eliminate bottlenecks, change the outsourced solution. process, not replicate services and hold everyone accountable. Within 30 days after implementing the out- sourced HR back-office solution, the client In contrast, the profile of buyers of end-to-end recognized its internal recruiters were replicating solutions includes these beliefs and attitudes: the sourcing and pre-qualification process. • Recruitment is not our core competency, For the next four months, the company came so we do not need to own this process. to realize it could not convert enough of the increased qualified candidate traffic to hires • We can drive a better outcome through a because replication of the process added three third party that is an expert in this process. weeks to the hiring cycle time. It became a huge There is value in both types of solutions, but bottleneck. The problem was compounded there is a different outcome between the two. by having a decentralized internal recruitment It is important to note that, even if the service organization. provider delivers only an HR back-office solution, After four months, the client switched to an end- it will still achieve better results than the client can to-end solution, removing the internal recruiters achieve with an in-house process. Typically, hires from the process. Adecco then delivered the and time to fill improve by 10-20% in an HR back- candidates directly to the hiring authorities, office solution compared to an in-house model. taking time out of the process and eliminating Even so, an HR back-office RPO solution will the replication. Hires went up by 60 percent encounter the pitfall and the full expected value within two months. (number of hires) will not be achieved. An end-to- end solution, however, will maximize the number of hires out of the pool of pre-qualified talent. 7
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  Adecco Worldwide Adecco S.A.is a Fortune Global 500 company and the world leader in workforce solutions. Adecco connects over 700,000 associates with business clients each day through its network of over 33,000 employees and 6,600 offices in over 70 countries and territories around the world. Registered in Switzerland, and managed by a multinational team with expertise in markets spanning the globe, Adecco delivers an unparalleled range of flexible staffing and career resources to corporate clients and qualified associates. Adecco North America Adecco is the workforce solutions leader in the United States and Canada, with a comprehensive service offering that includes temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outplacement and career services, recruitment process outsourcing, training and consulting. In addition to its administrative, clerical and light industrial staffing services, Adecco operates the following specialty divisions: • Engineering & Technical • Finance & Accounting • Information Technology • Medical & Science • Legal • Human Capital Solutions • Government Solutions • Transportation For more information, please contact us today. 419.720.0111 RPO.adeccousa.com ©2008 Adecco AMK7000