There are several variations of RPO, and different terminologies attached to each. But what do they all mean, and how do you know the difference?
Firstly, there are no standardised terminologies for RPO. Providers can use whatever terms they like, though it makes sense to keep references relatively similar, to avoid confusion.
So, what is recruitment process outsourcing? Well, at the risk of pointing out the obvious, it's what it sounds like. With an RPO, you outsource your recruitment processes to an external provider who takes on your company’s employer brand.
The benefits of this can include an enhanced employer brand, and candidate experience, higher retention rates and more quality hires.
The extent to which an RPO takes over your company’s recruitment processes depends entirely on the type of RPO you go for.
The 2 main umbrella types are Enterprise RPO and Project RPO. Traditionally, RPO has been seen to be an all-or-nothing service. However, in order to grow with business needs, an RPO can now also be flexible.
Enterprise RPO
The main one. The big one. The outsource everything, making lots of hires one.
With Enterprise RPO, you get the full works. A provider will take on your entire recruitment process, taking on your employer brand at the same time and shaping the candidate experience. This can include creative campaigns and digital capabilities, providing a solution which attracts talent and maximises retention rates.
Project RPO
Not all companies want or need a full-scale RPO. Sometimes, a short-term solution is what's needed. This is where Project RPO comes in.
Project RPO can be used, as a temporary measure, by companies who already have their own recruitment processes in place should recruitment needs increase. Or, it can be used for transformative hiring, should a specialist department need to scale up. For example, large-scale tech hiring.
As with Enterprise RPO, Project RPO works in partnership with your company to provide the best candidate experience.
Flexible RPO
Flexibility refers to the scale of the project. It falls under both Enterprise and Project RPO. So, it may be that the number of predicted hires your organisation is looking to make decreases. With a flexible RPO solution, this is no problem, the Enterprise or Project RPO is simply scaled down.
Or, you need the whole process to speed up? No problem. You’ve got yourself a flexible RPO, which caters to your companies needs without the immovability of a long-term contract.
Enterprise RPO is for your long-term, full-scale needs. Project RPO is time sensitive. So, a Flexible RPO ensures that whether you go for a full-scale, or Project RPO, your organisation receives the solution that’s right for you.
No matter the type of RPO you choose, partnering with a provider is all about implementing solutions to attract the talent your company needs to make transformative, future-focused hires.
