The economic downturn has presented numerous challenges for businesses, with many of them resorting to layoffs, downsizing, and hiring freezes. One of the first departments typically impacted during these times is TA – let’s not forget what recently happened during the pandemic.Since your TA team might not be operating at its full capability, it’s best to be proactive and start a Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partnership during this period of reduced activity to eliminate potential talent acquisition issues and bring forth several advantages for your organization.
Partnering with an RPO provider can be a lengthy process that requires careful consideration, planning, and execution at every stage. It’s best to start the process now to be well ahead of the curve and avoid a rushed process once the economy stabilizes and brings about a hiring surge. This ensures that your organization will be efficiently hiring top candidates while your competitors are still scrambling to build their talent acquisition teams.
Source and Screen Model
Different RPO models can be implemented depending on the client’s situation. The quickest way for an RPO to show impact is through a Source and Screen Model.
If the client TA team was significantly reduced, an RPO provider, like DZConneX, could implement a Source and Screen model. There would be a predetermined amount of dedicated sourcers and coordinators, branded as the client organization, supporting the TA team and supplying candidates who are interested, available, and qualified for each open role. With this model, the RPO provider does not manage every step of the talent acquisition process – just the sourcing and screening. This gives the client’s internal team the ability to focus on candidate interviews, and just as important, manage hiring manager expectations.
Due to the flexible nature of RPO programs, it is the ideal talent solution during periods of economic instability. Your organization can choose when you want your provider to assist in the talent acquisition process and when you want them to stand down. This unparalleled scalability allows you to remain agile and align recruitment efforts with market conditions.
Key Benefits of the Source and Screen Model
- Cost Efficiency: This solution optimizes the talent acquisition process, reducing time-to-fill and producing cost savings. Organizations can leverage the expertise of their provider while efficiently working with the best candidates on the market.
- Scalability and Flexibility: The ability to scale hiring up and down at any point allows organizations to keep up with ever-changing business demands. And the ability to only outsource certain components of the talent acquisition process can be very beneficial.
- Access to Expertise: RPO solutions gives organizations access to the best minds in the RPO industry who have access to the best candidates on the market.
- Decision-Making Power: Since the RPO team only handles the sourcing and screening, your internal team has the full power to conduct interviews and make the hiring decisions.
- Preparedness for Economic Recovery: With the RPO partnership already established, your organization will immediately be able to target the candidates your RPO team has sourced and screened as viable options.
The Stages of Partnering with an RPO Provider
Every action below must be complete before your organization can start utilizing your provider’s services – which is why you should start the process before you need their help.
1. Recognize and Define the Need
This process begins when your organization recognizes that you have a need to optimize your TA strategy before the market bounces back. Once this recognition occurs, you should conduct a thorough needs analysis to identify the existing gaps in your talent acquisition process and define how your company could leverage an RPO program.
2. Select Provider
Choose the provider can meet each one of your organization’s unique requirements.
3. Sign Contract
Now it’s time for a partnership contract to be drafted and signed by both parties detailing responsibilities, expectations, SLAs, performance metrics, pricing model, etc.
4. Integrate Systems and Training
For maximum efficiency, integrate your sourcing and screening technology with the RPO providers’ systems if there are certain tools that your organization wants to continue using. Proper training at the onset of the program ensures the RPO team understands your organizations’ systems, processes, values, and talent needs.
5. Define Objectives and Start Program Planning
Clear objectives set the tone for the RPO program. Detailed program planning puts you and your provider on the same page and on the right track to implement a plan that aligns with your specific requirements and goals.
6. Implementation
Finally, it’s time to implement the program plan. The RPO will now source and screen top candidates for your organization before handing them off to your internal team to complete the hiring process – giving you a competitive advantage.
In conclusion, starting your RPO journey before you need to use their services is a strategic decision that can significantly benefit your organization in the long run. DZConneX’s RPO experts are ready to fulfill your organization’s talent acquisition needs when you need us. We will scale our services up and down to align with the fluctuating market conditions. Embracing the potential of an RPO solution can prove to be a major advantage in navigating the economic downturn and thriving once the economy recovers.
