Modular RPO provides tools to scale and respond quickly to changing and complex talent needs.
By Debbie Bolla
The pressure on organizations to be ready for anything has never been greater. Between economic uncertainty, labor market fluctuations, impending tariffs and global conflict, HR and talent acquisition (TA) leaders are expected to move rapidly to meet the needs of the business. Talent remains the core of success, and navigating challenges demands agility and innovation in TA strategies.
A real asset for TA in today’s market is a talent partner with market expertise and reach. A trusted partner, like a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) provider, can access talent through a global footprint and respond to needs quickly, allowing TA leaders to easily adapt to change.
Look for a Partner with Modular Capabilities
“Full modular ability is critical right now,” explains Paul Harty, head of global RPO solutions for KellyOCG + Sevenstep. “You need to have the systems and tools to scale, and the experts ready and available in any region of the world, either in-country and on-site or from our delivery hubs, because fluidity is a must. It’s about taking a modular approach to applying your services so that you can provide a customized talent solution.”
Harty notes that the ability to support clients through a broad and modular array of TA capabilities was a key reason why Kelly and Sevenstep joined forces. This merger delivers a “one source, one force” approach to TA that is ideal for rapidly adjusting to market challenges.
“The ‘one source, one force’ model really meets demand by delivering end-to-end, hybrid and project solutions under one umbrella. The integration of capabilities and collaboration with our clients supports a unified process regardless of the solution, and it draws data from all sources through one platform,” explains Harty. “This allows businesses to navigate change quickly with coordination across multiple resources.”
“For example, we have a global retail technology and logistics client that is currently using our services in an end-to-end capacity, including recruiting on demand and project RPO, using our partnership for delivery across multiple countries. As these types of workforce shifts happen, organizations can benefit from a partner that has the footprint and local knowledge base to source and hire the right people fast.
A One Source, One Force Approach to Agility
“Economic instability has created a demand for agile and adaptable talent acquisition,” says Harty. “With unpredictable hiring needs, we build talent pipelines to maintain a strong candidate pool through our flexible sourcing strategies leveraging our hubs around the world. That approach allows us to be more resilient and responsive.”
With this “one source, one force” approach, organizations also have access to all types of workers, including permanent, contingent, freelance, silver medalists, boomerang candidates and internal performers.
“Having the infrastructure and ability to create talent pools from your internal workforce, mapping your silver medalists for permanent hires, engaging contingent workers while they wait for a permanent role so you don’t lose them—these are critical to TA right now,” says Harty. “Having visibility and meeting potential candidates where they are makes the difference in securing talent in a volatile market.”
Data and Analytics
Guiding an agile TA function requires decision-making that is confident, precise, fast and informed. Many complex forces drive a decision and its outcomes, whether that involves how many requisitions a recruiter is assigned, the optimum pay for a role based on supply, skills and location, or how and where to recruit based on the business need. This is no place for intuition and educated guesses; data and analytics form the foundation of a successful, agile TA effort.
Harty notes that bringing data sources together through the company’s proprietary Sevayo® Insights integration and predictive analytics platform has been key to proactive TA decisions. The proprietary platform integrates data from multiple people systems (think CRM, ATS, VMS, and HRIS), as well as external sources such as Lightcast or Brightfield for benchmarking, pay rates, supply and demand metrics, and hiring trends.
It applies predictive analytics to transform that data into useful intelligence, Harty notes. “Does the requisition you are about to open have a high risk of aging? Are you offering pay that will attract the skills you need? Is a weak point in your processes slowing down hiring? The platform provides answers and guidance on how to address the issues. Sevayo Insights gives us intelligence for both top-level strategies and on-the-ground decisions.”
Positioning for Change
The case for a comprehensive TA partnership through a single provider is compelling. The client can trust the partner to bring resources and capabilities to bear when faced with a spike in hiring volume, a need to secure talent with a different skillset, or recruit in a new location or region. It can draw consulting expertise from the provider to train hiring managers, research markets or prioritize a strategy to upgrade the TA function.
In short, the relationship creates the agile, ready-for-everything TA function built to deliver in a highly variable business environment. “Our approach is proving effective for global enterprise clients, as well as medium-sized companies,” says Harty. “An agile TA strategy is no longer limited to specific business shifts or economic changes; it is a sound long-term approach that is here to stay.”
