Global Trends
in RPO & Talent
Recruitment 2014
pam berklich

The Recruiting
Challenge Map
Far from simply filling existing gaps as quickly and economically as
/02
possible, recruiting has become a high-stakes competition to foresee
economic conditions and business projections, estimate critical talent
gaps as early as possible, and source the highest-quality talent available.
anticipated future growth in hiring
Reasons for difficulties recruiting staff
87%
shortage
of skilled
recruiting staff
49%
salary
uncompetitive
30%
location
undesirable
19%
current
recruitment
process
73%
plan to increase
internal full-time hires
in the next 12 months
More than half (61%)
of organizations
experience difficulty
recruiting staff.
How companies intend to use an
outsourced recruitment firm
86%
sourcing,
screening,
testing
45%
applicant and
recruitment
performance
tracking
43%
reference
checking
17%
vendor
management
57%
plan to increase
contingent hires in
the next 12 months
Given the competitive landscape for attracting
quality talent, we expect more companies to
outsource recruitment; however it’s evident that many
organizations still do not have a strong understanding
of the outsourcing models available.
16%
on-boarding
Only 26% currently
outsource recruitment
More than half (58%) plan to
increase the use of recruitment firms
for new hires in the next 12 months
Only 46% are
familiar with RPO

preface
/03
Global Trends in RPO & Talent Recruitment 2014 was prepared by Kelly Outsourcing
and Consulting Group (KellyOCG®) in partnership with the Human Resource Outsourcing
Association (HROA), HR.com, the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON) and the
International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) to provide a comprehensive overview
of the latest trends and insights from the global business community in regard to jobs, skills
development and recruitment.
The report is based on the views of senior hiring managers from small, medium and large
organizations from the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and the Asia Pacific
(APAC) region. It provides a rare glimpse into the key decisions that will impact businesses,
particularly focusing on their workforce needs and the challenges they face in attracting and
retaining talent in an uncertain economic environment.
It also shines a light on the latest developments in the area of recruitment process outsourcing
(RPO) and reveals where businesses are headed in adopting innovative solutions to the growing
challenge of skills shortages.
Pam Berklich

the recruiting challenge
Meeting the Recruiting Challenge: Even in
the face of economic recovery in many global
markets, recruiting top talent remains a major
concern; in particular, a shortage of skilled labor
continues to vex hiring managers.
/04

the recruiting challenge
Accessing quality talent remains a top concern
As many recent studies confirm, among the biggest challenges HR professionals face is
recruiting quality talent. The 2013 PwC CEO Survey reported more than half of US CEOs say a
shortage of skills is a potential threat to growth this year.
Respondents to our RPO survey report similar frustration. Sixty-one percent say they experience
difficulty recruiting staff, and of those 87 percent blame a shortage of skilled recruiting staff in
the roles required. Other critical challenges include being unable to offer a competitive salary
(49 percent) and offering an undesirable work location (30 percent)—both of which only sustain
the all-important challenge of attracting and retaining top talent.
Figure 1: Experiencing difficulties recruiting staff?
Figure 2: Reasons for difficulties recruiting staff
/05

100
80
the recruiting challenge
/06
60
40
20
0
Figure 1:
Figure 2:
Experiencing difficulties
recruiting staff? (% Yes)
Reasons for difficulties recruiting staff
(multiple responses allowed)
100%
80%
61%
60%
40%
20%
87%
Shortage
of skilled
recruiting
staff
49%
Salary
uncompetitive
30%
Location
19%
Current
recruitment
process
0%

the recruiting challenge
Serious headwinds for recruiting professionals
A shortage of high quality talent is a serious problem for over two-thirds of companies. Sixtyeight percent report talent shortages slow or stall the hiring process. Among other top factors
slowing the hiring process: hiring manager satisfaction (37 percent), time-to-hire (36 percent),
cost-to-hire (25 percent) and quality of recruiters (23 percent).
Not surprisingly more than a third (37 percent) report their organization’s average time-to-hire
is over 45 days, a statistic signaling that despite reports of high unemployment, a number of
roles are still very difficult to fill. (Time-to-hire is a difficult statistic to benchmark given variation
by type of hire, industry, company size, and outsourced vs. in-house recruiting. As a point of
comparison, however, the Society for Human Resources Management reports the average timeto-hire for large organizations—those with more than 1,000 employees—is 43 days. Time to hire
for small organizations—defined as having fewer than 1,000 employees—is 29 days.)
Figure 3: Average time-to-hire
Figure 4: Conditions that slow or stall the hiring process
/07

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
the recruiting challenge
/08
Figure 3:
Figure 4:
Average time-to-hire
Conditions that slow or stall the hiring process
80%
70%
30% | 30 days or less
60%
34% | 31– 45 days
50%
29% | 46 –90 days
40%
8%
30%
| Over 90 days
20%
10%
68%
Quality
of hires
37%
Hiring
manager
satisfaction
36%
Time
to hire
25%
Cost
to hire
23%
Quality of
recruiters
18%
16%
14%
Poor
Technology Performance
processes effectiveness monitoring
0%

the recruiting challenge
Outsourcing HR functions still not practiced by most
Despite the growing complexity of HR functions, most companies still do not outsource HR
functions. Only 36 percent say they outsource part or all of the HR function. Among companies
that do outsource HR services, the categories most likely to be outsourced include payroll
(56 percent), recruitment (49 percent) and benefits (40 percent). (This relatively low level of
outsourcing may be attributed to the composition of our respondents, who are more heavily
weighted to small and mid-size companies.)
Figure 5: Outsource part or all of the HR function
Figure 6: HR functions currently outsourced
/09

50
40
the recruiting challenge
/10
30
20
10
0
Figure 5:
Figure 6:
Outsource part or all of
the HR function (% Yes)
HR functions currently outsourced
60%
50%
40%
30%
36%
20%
10%
56%
Payroll
49%
Recruitment
40%
Benefits
20%
19%
Training Compensation
16%
HRIS
9%
Performance
Management
0%

hiring intentions
Global Hiring Intentions: Hiring appears
robust for the coming year, both for
internal full-time labor as well as
contingent hires.
/11

hiring intentions
Global hiring intentions
Nearly three quarters (73 percent) of companies surveyed plan to increase the number
of internal full-time hires in next 12 months, and 57 percent plan to increase the number of
contingent hires.
These numbers show robust hiring growth will continue across the globe in the coming year—
despite reported high levels of unemployment. This contradiction is something we at
KellyOCG have written about at length.
In the industrialized world, 40 million workers are unemployed according to the International
Labour Organization—yet more than ever, companies are suffering critical shortages of key
talent across the globe. A 2012 study from Oxford Economics shows the imbalance of talent
supply and demand across the globe will deteriorate over the next ten years due to shortages
in particular disciplines (e.g. so-called STEM jobs), as well as regional imbalances of labor
supply and demand. In particular regions, severe talent shortages will define the next decade.
For example, in the developed Asian economies the demand for talent in the business services
sector will increase by over 50 percent, while the demand for talent in life sciences within
/12

hiring intentions
the same region will rise by only 8.2 percent. In North America, the energy sector will
require a 22.7 percent bigger workforce, while the demand for talent in financial services will
drop eight percent.
Even in the face of relatively high levels of unemployment, recruiting professionals are still vying
to capture top talent—a heated competition that will not abate anytime soon.
Figure 7: Plan to increase number of internal full-time hires in the next 12 months?
Figure 8: Plan to increase number of contingent hires in the next 12 months?
/13

hiring intentions
/14
Figure 7:
Figure 8:
Plan to increase number of internal
full-time hires in the next 12 months?
Plan to increase number of contingent
hires in the next 12 months?
73%
57%

understanding HR outsourcing
Understanding HR Outsourcing: As complexity
of the talent management function grows,
companies rely on outsourcing to fill gaps—
particularly recruiting high-value professionals.
/15

understanding HR outsourcing
Outsourcing HR and recruitment
We asked companies whether they outsource HR activities. Specifically, we wanted to
understand to what extent companies outsource parts and portions of recruiting to multiple
vendors (e.g. screening, sourcing, assessments, interviewing), as well as whether companies are
using end-to-end recruitment process outsourcing (i.e. outsourcing the entire recruiting process
to a single vendor).
The complexity of the HR function—as well as the pressure to attract and retain high-value
workers—continues to stretch the resources and technology of in-house HR departments.
Not surprisingly, well over half (58 percent) plan to use third-party recruiting firms to engage
hires in next 12 months. Of those using recruitment firms to augment recruiting needs, the
most common applications include sourcing, screening and testing (86 percent), applicant and
recruitment performance tracking (45 percent) and reference checking (43 percent).
Figure 9: Plan to increase use of outside recruitment firms to recruit anticipated hires in next 12 months?
Figure 10: How will you use an outsourced recruiting firm for hiring in next 12 months?
/16

100
80
understanding HR outsourcing
/17
60
40
20
0
Figure 9:
Figure 10:
Plan to increase use of outside
recruitment firms to recruit
anticipated hires in next 12 months?
How will you use an outsourced recruiting firm
for hiring in next 12 months?
100%
80%
60%
58%
40%
20%
86%
Sourcing,
screening,
testing
45%
Applicant and
recruitment
performance
tracking
43%
Reference
checking
17%
Vendor
management
16%
On-boarding
0%

understanding HR outsourcing
In this case, third-party recruiting is a carved-out function, a tactic applied to parts and portions
of the recruiting function. Almost 70 percent use outsourced recruiting for less than a quarter of
their hiring—meaning outside assistance is likely only used for particularly challenging hires.
The majority of recruiting is still conducted within country borders. More than half of
respondents (56 percent) say less than 10 percent of vacancies are filled cross-borders.
Figure 11: Portion of vacancies filled through a third-party provider
Figure 12: Portion of vacancies filled through cross-border recruitment activities
/18

understanding HR outsourcing
/19
Figure 11:
Figure 12:
Portion of vacancies filled through
a third-party provider
Portion of vacancies filled through
cross-border recruitment activities
36% | Less than 10%
56% | Less than 10%
33% | 10%–25%
24% | 10%–25%
12% | 26%–50%
10% | 26%–50%
12% | 51%–75%
6%
| 51%–75%
7%
3%
| 76%–100%
| 76%–100%

understanding HR outsourcing
One step beyond external recruiting support is recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), which
was first introduced nearly 20 years ago. An RPO—typically a third-party vendor—manages the
end-to-end recruiting process, including on-boarding of new hires. It differs from traditional
staffing and recruitment outsourcing because (a) it assumes full ownership of the recruitment
process, including strategy, systems, methodology, and technology and (b) unlike traditional
outsourcing, the full continuum of recruiting activities (for all or a select group of skill sets) is
handled by a single vendor, which is solely responsible for delivering results.
In the hunt for high-value talent—and in particular so-called “knowledge workers” who work in
fields like engineering, technology and the sciences—companies are turning to RPO providers
to outmaneuver the competition. RPOs offer dedicated infrastructure and expertise to find and
secure scarce talent, and in many cases operate across multiple employment markets.
Familiarity with RPOs is still not the norm. Fifty-four percent say they are only somewhat familiar
or not at all familiar with RPOs. And only 26 percent fully outsource their recruiting/hiring
process using an RPO model.
/20

understanding HR outsourcing
Overwhelmingly companies that outsource recruiting services hire vendors on a stand-alone
contract, separate from other HR outsourcing services (68 percent use a separate provider).
Companies are most likely to use a third-party recruiting firm to hire professional staff (50
percent), though third-party recruiting is also common in hiring temporary or contingent labor
(36 percent).
Figure 13: How familiar are you with Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)?
Figure 14: Currently outsource recruiting/hiring process.
Figure 15: Is recruitment outsourced as part of an HR outsourcing contract, or do you use a separate provider?
Figure 16: Do you outsource recruiting company-wide?
Figure 17: Do you outsource recruiting of professional talent?
/21

understanding HR outsourcing
/22
Figure 13:
Figure 14:
Figure 15:
Figure 16:
Figure 17:
How familiar are you
with Recruitment
Process Outsourcing
(RPO)?
Currently outsource
recruiting/hiring
process
(% Yes)
Is recruitment
outsourced as part
of an HR outsourcing
contract, or do you
use a separate
provider?
Do you outsource
recruiting
company-wide?
(% Yes)
Do you outsource
recruiting of
professional talent?
(% Yes)
26%
14% | Not at all
40% | Somewhat familiar
25% | Familiar/
knowledgeable
21% | Very familiar
40%
32% | Part of an HR
outsourcing contract
68% | Separate provider
of recruitment
outsourcing
50%

Growth of recruitment outsourcing
Growth of recruitment outsourcing
Of those respondents who do not currently outsource a whole or part of the recruiting function,
40 percent indicate they would like to do so in the future. Areas of particular interest for
outsourcing include professional recruiting (48 percent), contingent or temporary labor (38
percent) and outsourcing all recruiting responsibilities (34 percent).
Overwhelmingly respondents cite “faster time-to-hire” as the key benefit of a third-party
recruiter partnership, followed by integrating multiple sourcing channels (58 percent) and lower
cost to recruit (51 percent).
These findings support a more general, growing interest among global companies to adopt
a talent supply chain management mindset. As the name suggests, talent supply chain
management (TSCM) is much like traditional supply chain management: directing a network
of suppliers and resources to ensure the optimal mix of price, access and risk. The high level
of interest in recruitment process outsourcing—including professional recruiting as well as
contingent and temporary labor staffing—demonstrates a greater degree of sophistication
about balancing the cost of recruitment against other critical variables, particularly access.
/23

Growth of recruitment outsourcing
Whereas a decade ago outsourcing was usually a cost-savings tactic, in the future talent-related
outsourcing is as likely to be related to accessing top-flight talent or improving time-to-hire
ratios. In fact, in a 2013 Talent Supply Chain study sponsored by Kelly Services, companies
defined as best-in-class were three times more likely to ‘strongly agree’ they take greater risks
to secure the talent they need, and two times more likely to ‘strongly agree’ accessing high
quality talent when needed is more important than cost.
Figure 18: Would consider outsourcing part or all of recruitment process in future
Figure 19: Are there particular areas of the recruitment process you would outsource?
Figure 20: If yes, what would you expect a vendor/partner to help you achieve?
/24

100
50
Growth of recruitment outsourcing
40
60
30
40
20
20
10 Figure 19:
Figure 18:
Would consider
outsourcing part or
all of recruitment
process in future
(% Yes)
0
/25
80
Figure 20:
Are there particular areas of the recruitment
process you would outsource?
0
If yes, what would you expect a
vendor/partner to help you achieve?
50%
40%
34%
Company-wide
Responses only by those who may outsource recruiting in future.
40%
10%
38%
Contingent/
temporary
60%
20%
48%
Professional
80%
30%
40%
100%
20%
0%
88%
Faster time
to hire
58%
Integrate
multiple
sourcing
channels
51%
Lower
cost of
recruitment
32%
Manage
or limit
number of
third party
providers
Responses only by those who may outsource recruiting in future.
27%
Gain
access to
technology
0%

conclusion
/26
Growing the range & depth of the recruiting expertise
For many global organizations, recruiting the right talent at the right time is the single most
Far from simply filling
influential factor driving growth and innovation. In the 20th century, capital was the basis of
existing gaps as quickly and
advantage, but in the 21st century, talent will drive global advantage.
economically as possible,
recruiting has become a high-
Far from simply filling existing gaps as quickly and economically as possible, recruiting has
stakes competition to foresee
become a high-stakes competition to foresee economic conditions and business projections,
economic conditions and
estimate critical talent gaps as early as possible, and source the highest-quality talent available.
business projections, estimate
All of this is part of a larger trend toward managing talent needs holistically across all categories
critical talent gaps as early
of work—a discipline called talent supply chain management.
as possible, and source the
highest-quality talent available.
Outsourcing recruiting is no longer primarily about carving out an existing internal function
and giving it to the lowest-cost provider. Rather, outsourcing recruiting allows organizations to
access niche expertise that is simply too difficult or too expensive to grow in house. Third-party
recruiters and RPOs offer companies expertise in particular disciplines or geographies, import
effective processes and procedures, and present regulatory and risk-management expertise.
What’s more, RPOs allow companies to make intentional decisions about whether to prioritize
cost savings, access to talent or risk-control (or some optimized mix of the three) depending on
the category of work and area of expertise.

conclusion
Companies we surveyed are optimistic about the benefits of outsourced recruiting. Eightyeight percent believe outsourced recruiting offers faster time-to-hire, 58 percent say outside
providers integrate multiple sourcing channels, and 51 percent cite lower cost of recruitment
using a third-party provider.
Despite the opportunity, it’s evident from the survey that many organizations still do not have
a strong understanding of the outsourcing models available, nor the opportunities therein.
Only 26 percent are currently outsourcing the recruiting/hiring process using something like
an RPO model, and 54 percent report being only somewhat familiar or not at all
familiar with RPOs.
Given apparently strong growth in hiring (73 percent to increase number of internal,
full-time hires and 57 percent to increase contingent hires in the coming 12 months), and
the competitive landscape for attracting quality talent, we expect organizations may
increasingly look to external recruiting partners to augment their own capabilities or fully
outsource the recruiting function in the years ahead.
/27

methodology
/28
RESPONDENT PROFILE
A total of 385 individuals responded to the 2013 Global RPO survey. Respondents hailed from
a broad range of industry sectors across the Americas (60 percent), Europe, Middle East and
Africa (EMEA) (17 percent), and Asia Pacific (30 percent). Participants also represent a broad
60
25
50
20
cross-section of industry sectors, including professional services, information technology,
40
15
financial services, retail, manufacturing and life sciences.
30
10
20
The largest share of respondents (63 percent) had fewer than 500 employees within their
5
10
organizations, while 16 percent had0
from 1,000 to 5,000, and 14 percent had more than 5,000.
0
The Americas
EMEA
Asia-Pacific
Automotive
Business Services
Chemical/Petrochemicals Gas
Education
Energy, Oil & Services
Financial Tech Manufacturing
Food & Beverage
High
IT&TSciences
Life Other/Non-specified
Retail
1: Respondents’ regions
of responsibility
2: Industry sectors
3: Size of organization
60%
25%
20%
Less than 500
15%
40%
501–1,000
1,000–5,000
10%
20%
More than 5,000
Respondents could select more than
one region so totals exceed 100%
Other/
Non-specified
Retail
Life Sciences
IT&T
High-tech
Food &
Beverage
Financial
Services
Energy,
Oil & Gas
Education
Chemical/
Petrochemicals
Business
Services
0
Automotive
Asia-Pacific
EMEA
The Americas
5%
0%
Based on number of
full-time employees

For more thought leadership go to talentproject.com
About the Author
PAM BERKLICH is the Senior Vice President, Direct Hire Practices, KellyOCG.
Pam leads the Direct Hire Practices which includes Recruitment Process Outsourcing
(RPO), Executive Search services, and Talent Sourcing services and Direct Hire for
Kelly’s clients globally.
About KellyOCG
KellyOCG® is the Outsourcing and Consulting Group of workforce solutions provider Kelly Services, Inc. KellyOCG is a
global leader in innovative talent management solutions in the areas of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), Business
Process Outsourcing (BPO), Contingent Workforce Outsourcing (CWO), including Independent Contractor Solutions,
Human Resources Consulting, Career Transition and Executive Coaching, and Executive Search.
KellyOCG was named in the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® 2013 Global
Outsourcing 100® list, an annual ranking of the world’s best outsourcing service providers and advisors.
Further information about KellyOCG may be found at kellyocg.com.
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