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February 12, 2025

Talent markets are tightening. Globally, 74% of employers struggle to find the skilled talent they need — almost double the value a decade ago. In the APAC region, the number sits slightly higher, with 76% of Australian and 77% of Japanese employers facing the same challenges. In the U.S., the figure stands at 71%. These shifts are shaping talent acquisition in 2025. And ultimately, it’s a time for employers to tighten their bootstraps and tap into regional trends to make the most of labor market opportunities. Here, we dive into what you can expect and how to leverage recruiting trends to optimize talent acquisition and retention as we look to the year ahead.  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Continues To Drive the Hiring Process AI is no longer a vision rooted in the future. This is not exactly groundbreaking news — AI has been defining its place in recruitment for years. But in 2025, the focus is tilting.  It’s already deeply seated in recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), playing a pivotal role in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by automating manual tasks, reducing time-to-hire, and eliminating human bias. But as AI integration deepens, so do candidate expectations. Chatbots and AI-powered assessments streamline the employee experience, while predictive analytics ensure recruiters target the right people at the right time. In short, it’s not a backend optimization tool anymore; it’s front and centre in the candidate journey. From tailored job matching to proactive outreach, job seekers now anticipate a seamless, tech-driven recruiting process. As AI reshapes hiring, organizations must evolve their strategies or risk losing top talent to more adaptive competitors. Leveraging RPO for talent acquisition helps keep companies agile, efficient, and ahead of the curve. 2. Flexibility Is King The work-life balance has been a hot topic for a long time — and flexible work arrangements will be key for talent acquisition and retention in 2025. During the pandemic, a large portion of the workforce became accustomed to remote and hybrid work settings. In a post-pandemic environment, employees want it to remain the norm.  Case in point, S&P 500 firms have witnessed abnormally high turnover rates following post-pandemic return to office (RTO) mandates. The spike is most pronounced among female employees, more senior employees, and more skilled employees. It’s also taking longer for firms to fill positions left vacant.  Globally, many organizations embrace flexibility, with 84% of APAC employers adopting hybrid (58%) and remote (28%) models. Meanwhile, 71% of U.S. employers offer hybrid working schedules. To attract and retain the 38% of top talent who wouldn’t accept a job offer without hybrid benefits, employers should consider integrating employee mobility into their strategy this year.  3. Increased Focus on Employee Well-Being and Work-Life Balance In 2025, employee well-being will be a key driver in both retention and recruitment. While the U.S. over-delivers global standards for employee engagement, well-being, and inclusion, Australia and New Zealand are underperforming across the same benchmarks. In this light, brand-driven measures to maintain employee wellness are no longer job perks; they’re essential for maintaining a productive, motivated workforce. Wellness benefits are evolving to include flexible hours, mental health resources, and regular engagement check-ins. Companies that create healthier work environments see improved retention rates and a stronger employer brand, which leads to a more compelling candidate experience. Job seekers increasingly turn to employers who support their mental and physical health, and prioritizing these elements should be a non-negotiable part of the talent acquisition strategy. 4. Employers Boost Engagement With Targeted Initiatives In a multi-generational workplace, employee engagement takes on new meanings across different age groups. While workplace culture is a strong driver for talent acquisition and retention, candidates expect employer value propositions (EVPs) to speak to them personally. In a market where top talent has options, EVP strategies must shift from broad corporate messaging to hyper-personalized engagement. From the Baby Boomers to Generation Z, employees universally prioritize work-life balance, competitive compensation, and recognition — but that’s about all they agree on. Career progression is a top priority among those aged 20-40, but less so for those over 50. On the other hand, employees over 50 care more about management style and relationships with colleagues than company values.   In 2025, employers must develop a global talent acquisition and retention strategy to address cross-generational workforce engagement. The challenge lies in creating one broad enough to deliver on inclusivity goals — yet with the granularity required for inter-generational appeal.  5. Skills-Based Hires Take Precedence The skills gap is growing — not just regionally, but globally. Many hiring managers still default to requiring college degrees, yet they’re finding that traditional education isn’t always equipping candidates with the skills needed for modern roles. This misalignment leaves a significant portion of the workforce overlooked, despite having the capabilities to succeed.  Employers are being pushed down a more direct route to talent acquisition, prioritizing skills over education or qualifications to address workforce shortages. Conducting a talent acquisition audit can help employers reassess outdated hiring criteria and shift toward a more skills-focused approach. In Japan, 60% of employees reported that employers are shifting to new talent acquisition practices, such as skills-based hiring. And that may not be such a bad thing: Hiring for skills is five times more predictive of job performance than education. This year, the real question is not so much about potential candidates’ qualifications, but whether you’re focusing on the right benchmarks to secure the talent you need.  6. Data-Driven Recruiting Becomes Non-Negotiable A gut feeling doesn’t cut it anymore. In 2025, talent acquisition is a numbers game. Every stage of hiring — sourcing, screening, interviewing, and onboarding — is now measurable, and employers are using real-time analytics to make razor-sharp decisions. Predictive analytics and AI-driven insights allow you to identify hiring bottlenecks, track candidate engagement, and forecast talent shortages before they hit. This results in faster hires, stronger retention, and a sharper advantage in tight labor markets. Companies that embrace data-driven hiring practices are positioning themselves for success, gaining an edge over those still relying on outdated, intuition-based methods. Talent leaders must embed analytics into their recruitment strategies, ensuring every hire is backed by clear, actionable insights. In 2025, the winners will be those who let the numbers lead the way. 7. Employee Advocacy Enhances Talent (and Client) Acquisition Trust is the new currency in talent acquisition, and in 2025, its value is skyrocketing. Traditional employer branding is transforming as candidates and clients alike want unfiltered, real-world insights. And the most credible source? Your own employees. Social media-driven advocacy is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a competitive necessity. Companies with socially engaged employees are 58% more likely to attract top talent and 20% more likely to retain them. Prospective hires trust peer voices over polished corporate messaging, and in a job market where skilled candidates hold the power, authenticity wins. This shift demands a recalibration of employer branding strategies. Businesses must actively encourage employee advocacy by creating shareable content, fostering transparent workplace cultures, and recognizing brand ambassadors within their teams. A winning talent acquisition strategy in 2025 isn’t just about recruitment marketing — it’s about turning your workforce into a recruiting engine. Done right, this attracts top-tier talent, strengthens client relationships, drives growth, and solidifies your reputation in the market. Stay Ahead of Talent Acquisition in 2025 The talent landscape is transforming at breakneck speed. The trends shaping 2025 demand a more agile and data-driven approach. This is where Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) becomes a game-changer. Partnering with an RPO provider like Envision allows organizations to stay ahead of these shifts without the internal strain. With Envision, you can leverage technology, deep market insights, and tailored recruitment strategies to attract, engage, and retain the right talent.  As talent pools tighten and candidate expectations soar, working with an RPO provider offers a necessary advantage in the labor market. Talk to experts today to explore how we can help you build a proactive, future-proof recruitment strategy.

January 15, 2025

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) involves partnering with a third-party talent acquisition service provider. The operation is designed to align top-performing talent funnels with a business's unique needs, supported by the RPO service's recruitment industry expertise.  RPO offers distinct advantages to employers facing challenges in local and global talent markets. For instance, only one in four Australian executives believe they can fulfil business demands with their current talent model. This indicates a need for strategic recruitment models, scalable talent strategies, and a greater focus on agility in recruitment — all challenges outsourcing recruitment can help resolve.  So, how does RPO work, and can it dissolve hurdles in your talent recruitment model? Let's explore RPO's in-house, industry-wide, and localised talent acquisition solutions.  What Is Recruitment Process Outsourcing? In RPO, a third-party provider undertakes part of — or the entire — recruitment process, delivering on a business's hiring needs. Once the contract is signed, the provider begins candidate sourcing, screening, and assessment with minimal involvement from in-house HR staff, or as required. RPO invites fresh perspectives, skills, and attention to workforce planning while allowing HR staff to focus on core responsibilities and strategy.  Some of the benefits of RPO are:  Reduced Time-to-Hire In markets where the labour force is growing faster than job openings, such as Singapore, employers grapple with increased screening requirements and lower overall candidate quality. This often leads to prolonged time-to-hire. RPO experts engage advanced screening tools and automated processes to reduce hiring timelines — even in a noisy market.  Scalable and Agile Approach A recruitment process outsourcing solution is customisable to accommodate the employer's specific needs. Depending on recruitment goals, you can access end-to-end service, project-based RPO, or consultation solutions (more on this below). Plus, the agile and scalable nature of RPO means you can easily change track as needs evolve.  Enhanced Recruitment Metrics RPO experts can measure quantitative data such as cost-to-hire and time-to-hire, or qualitative metrics such as candidate quality and satisfaction. This data can more accurately forecast future hiring needs and carve out a more efficient, strategic recruitment process.  Elevated Candidate Experience By building strong relationships with a working talent pipeline, RPO experts improve the candidate experience. Whether through timely communications, time-to-hire reduction, or otherwise, these advantages uplift your employer brand, appealing to a spectrum of skilled professionals. Boost DEI Representation Recruitment outsourcing teams often partner with diverse networks and organisations. These professional matrices offer employers access to diverse talent pools, helping tap into underrepresented hires and achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals.  How Does RPO Work?  The goal of RPO recruitment is to act as an extension of a business's HR or talent acquisition teams, becoming a key player in your recruitment function. This process usually starts with an agreement outlining the project's scope, duration, and cost. Following this is a period of collaboration, exploring hiring challenges and goals, as well as job descriptions. The external provider will then take the postings to market.  The recruitment agency gathers applications and screens talent with an applicant tracking system (ATS). In the case of any misalignments suggesting the job description needs refining, the RPO team will circle back with the hiring manager to make necessary changes.  An RPO team will identify top candidates for the employer to vet. They may set up the interview process, make the first offer, and handle initial negotiations with successful candidates. Often, an RPO recruiter also supports organisations during the early onboarding of new hires.  Types of RPO Models Various RPO solutions accommodate diverse hiring needs and challenges. Whether you require a talent acquisition strategy rehaul across your entire recruitment function, need hires for a new business division, or simply want to reach DEI or employer branding goals, an RPO partnership provides flexible solutions. Here's a look into some engagement models:  End-to-end RPO: Full lifecycle recruitment outsourcing is where the RPO team undertakes all aspects of the recruitment process from start to finish. This process includes finding and screening, interviewing and selecting, and onboarding talent.  Project RPO: If you need additional support for hiring projects — such as clearing backlogs — while maintaining your internal recruitment team, Project RPO can cater.  On-demand RPO: On-demand RPO helps curb temporary, fluctuating, or unpredictable needs, such as seasonal workforce spikes or launching a new department. Talent acquisition consulting: Consultation services can help your company leverage strategic initiatives, such as adapting to modern recruitment challenges or identifying opportunities for growth and development in your process.  By working with an adaptable RPO provider, you can pivot between the scope, scale, and nature of the recruiting service required, depending on your evolving business needs.  What Factors Impact the Cost of RPO?  Most RPO agencies offer numerous payment models to accommodate employer needs. These can include cost-per-hire (i.e., an employer pays a fixed fee per hire), cost-per-transaction (i.e., RPO service charges separately for each stage of the hiring process), and more. While the dynamic nature of RPO services and cost models lead to variable pricing, here are some factors that may influence RPO costs: Type of RPO required: A full-service solution such as an Enterprise RPO will cost more than a project or function-based RPO.  Positions, skillsets, and regions: Hiring for hard-to-fill positions, specialised or senior-level roles, or in competitive markets and geographic areas, typically incurs increased RPO costs. Length of engagement: As a general rule, the longer the ongoing engagement of your RPO partnership, the more costs will increase. Of course, this also depends on the project scope.  Additional services: Requesting extra services from your RPO company may incur additional expenses.  Why Consider Recruitment Process Outsourcing?  Recruitment challenges come in many forms, but they all share one common factor: they hinder business growth. Whether you're lacking qualified candidates, sustaining high hiring costs, or new hires jump ship early and unexpectedly, roadblocks can derail even the most well-intentioned recruitment strategies. RPO systematically addresses these issues with customisable solutions that respond to nuanced organisational demands. Here are some common challenges found in the talent acquisition process and how RPO can help:  Lengthy Time to Fill Lengthy hiring cycles can cost businesses money and morale. RPO providers reduce time-to-fill by introducing specialised and streamlined processes, leveraging recruitment tech, and tapping into vast, mature talent networks. This ensures that the right people are hired quickly and keeps businesses on track with their recruitment objectives. New Hires Quitting Early High turnover rates often point to mismatches between job roles and candidate expectations or underdeveloped onboarding procedures. RPO teams conduct in-depth assessments and screening processes to match candidates with roles where they’ll thrive. Additionally, RPO providers often assist with onboarding, creating a smooth transition that improves retention. Difficulty Finding Qualified Candidates In competitive industries or specialised fields, sourcing qualified talent presents a major hurdle for businesses. RPO providers bring industry expertise, innovative sourcing techniques, and extensive talent pipelines to deliver high-quality candidates who can meet requirements. In Japan, for example, skilled labour shortfalls in industries such as nursing, food service, construction, and transportation are expected to exceed 800,000 by 2028. Geared with knowledge of cultural customs, regulations, and language, RPOs in Japan can provide targeted local and global solutions to help businesses impacted by talent pipeline shortages.  High Hiring Costs Without a clear strategy, recruitment costs can spiral out of control. RPO providers operate with cost efficiency in mind, using proven, data-driven methodology to optimise recruitment budgets while delivering measurable ROI.  Lack of Performance and Engagement Metrics Recruitment performance and engagement metrics are the drivers behind strong data-backed decisions. Without the right tech solutions to track and measure recruitment initiatives or internal processes, there's no clear map to achieving recruitment goals. An RPO consultant can provide talent analytics, identify gaps, and address areas for improvement to streamline future processes. RPO Challenges and How To Manage Them No solution is without its hurdles, and RPO is no exception. But, by partnering with an RPO service provider that aligns with your vision, you can manage or even eliminate them. Below are some matters to know about before getting started with RPO, and how the right partner can mitigate them.  Culture Clash Outsourcing recruitment can potentially lead to misalignments in organisational culture and values. The key is to work with a provider that takes the time to understand your business’s ethos and aligns its processes with your goals. A collaborative approach ensures a seamless fit between the RPO team and your internal HR and can ultimately achieve a better culture fit for new hires. Key takeaway: Look for a partner willing to invest in understanding your organisational objectives, culture, and long-term plans. Long-Term Buy-In Hiring needs rarely remain unchanged long-term. Therefore, securing buy-in from leadership for an ongoing RPO partnership may present challenges. A flexible RPO provider will offer engagement models that evolve with your needs, driving value at every stage to build confidence in the relationship. Key takeaway: Partner with a provider offering scalable solutions, from end-to-end services to project-based RPO. Meeting Industry-Specific Needs Some industries require highly specialised skills or face unique recruitment challenges, such as regulatory compliance or skills shortages. An experienced RPO provider with expertise in your industry and local employment market can deliver innovative hiring solutions to navigate labour shortages.  Key takeaway: Search for an RPO provider who understands your industry’s nuances, has experience in your local employment market, and has extensive local talent networks.  Relinquishing Control Handing over part of your recruitment process to an RPO consultant can feel like a loss of control. The best RPO providers naturally embed themselves into your team, working as an extension, rather than a separate division of your recruitment function. They maintain open communication and collaboration to ensure your recruitment goals are met without sacrificing oversight. Key takeaway: Work with an RPO provider who is transparent and clear at the outset. Request regular updates and performance reports to track progress and ensure accountability. The Business Case for RPO Growth potential: RPO drives wider business objectives, offering more than just a streamlined hiring process: It’s a strategy for growth. With faster hiring cycles, you can fill critical roles promptly, saving costs, reducing downtime, and driving revenue. Cost efficiency: Maintaining an in-house recruitment team requires significant overheads. RPO eliminates these fixed costs, providing expert recruitment services on a scalable, as-needed basis. Increased workforce productivity: Where a staffing agency may deliver talent, RPO delivers talent that drives results. By aligning the right candidates with roles, your organisation can benefit from increased productivity and engagement — and lower attrition rates.  Flexibility: Traditional recruitment teams can struggle to scale or pivot in response to shifting demands. RPO providers thrive in this space. Whether you're scaling up for seasonal hires or navigating hiring freezes, an RPO partner can flex with your organisation’s needs. Recruitment metrics: The success of any recruitment process boils down to data. By tracking time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and candidate quality, RPO solutions produce clear insights into what’s working — and what isn’t — allowing businesses to make meaningful changes.  Leverage technology: Advanced ATS, AI-driven candidate sourcing, and data analytics tools are the tip of the iceberg. These RPO tech solutions enhance hiring efficiency, reduce time-to-fill, and improve candidate quality. Further, automation frees up internal resources for strategic decision-making.  Overcome Talent Acquisition Hurdles With RPO Recruitment doesn’t have to be a bottleneck for your business. RPO offers a flexible, agile solution to tackle talent acquisition challenges head-on. It delivers value in organisational productivity, recruitment goals, long-term workforce planning, and more. By partnering with a specialist RPO provider like Envision, you can access local industry expertise, the latest in recruitment tech, and a trusted partner who can respond to your hiring demands. Our experts will demonstrate how a collaborative approach and a commitment to your success can drive the outcomes your business needs.  Talk to experts today and explore how Envision RPO can elevate your recruitment strategy.

December 11, 2024

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is when an employer outsources the responsibility of recruiting talent to a third-party service provider. In tight labour markets across the APAC region, RPO brings fresh talent, skills, and attention to talent acquisition, simplifying the workload for in-house hiring managers and HR staff.  Additionally, RPO introduces specialist perspectives into your recruitment procedures. It fills potential knowledge gaps and optimises processes, fine-tuning your workforce for more productive outcomes. This is especially true in rapidly growing markets, including tech, finance, and IT, with RPO needs driven by increasing adoption of digital infrastructure and specialised skills demand. This article will explore everything you need to know about RPO and how it can boost your business's long-term efficiency.  RPO Benefits: 10 Key Business Cases RPO delivers tangible value to multiple facets of your business, from optimising resources to streamlining processes and increasing representation. When combined, these influences positively impact everything from granular tasks to core business operations. Let's explore the benefits of RPO in real-world scenarios.   1. High-Quality Talent An RPO recruitment team's primary objective is to provide you with top hires, even in notoriously difficult labour markets. With an extensive network of professionals, they can also create a talent pool, ensuring you have qualified candidates in the pipeline when a position becomes vacant.  2. Cost Efficiency An RPO provider supports you in hiring and retaining the best talent. With performance typically measured by time-to-hire, cost-of-hire, and quality-of-hire, RPO solutions ensure vacant positions remain open for a minimal time, saving costs and boosting productivity.  3. Optimised Resource Allocation With streamlined processes and industry expertise, an RPO service not only decreases talent acquisition spend but can free up internal recruitment resources to focus on HR and retention initiatives. More efficient resource allocation leads to enhanced productivity and a more positive candidate and company experience.  4. Positive Candidate Experience A WorkPro survey revealed that 44% of candidates wait less than two weeks to hear back from an employer after a second interview. Yet, in 2023, over 25% of employers maintained a timeline of 46-60 days from requisition approval to verbal acceptance. Because an RPO solution decreases the time-to-hire threshold, a candidate's recruitment and onboarding experience becomes streamlined and smooth, helping employers secure the talent they need.  5. Filling Specialised Roles Recruitment process outsourcing helps companies tackle hiring challenges in skilled roles. In a climate where employers experience difficulty attracting experienced applicants (18%), applicants with technical skills (16%), or applicants in general (14%), support in filling specialised roles is no longer a nice-to-have — it can be critical to a business's continued success.  6. Enhanced DEI Opportunities Balanced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hires — including people from a spectrum of gender, ethnicity, demographic, physical-ability, and neurological backgrounds — are well known to enhance a business's productivity. RPO solutions can assist you in making strategic DEI hires to achieve an optimised and representative workforce.  A 2024 Diversity Council Australia survey found that just 71% of employees feel they belong as part of a team — a decrease from 77% in 2021, and 78% in 2019. This means DEI hires are increasingly important in recruitment from both a business and candidate standpoint.  7. Elevated Employer Branding Employer branding makes a significant difference in talent quality and retention. However, not all employers have the in-house expertise to create a sound employer value proposition. An RPO provider helps you define your value to prospective employees and market your business to candidates — even in tough industries.  8. Metrics and Analysis Data provides the foundation for an efficient long-term talent acquisition strategy. Your RPO recruiter will likely have recruitment technology and predictive talent analytics to gain insights about your business's hiring needs and talent pipeline. These insights equip you with a data-backed approach to candidate sourcing and workforce planning.  9. Agile, Scalable Recruitment Recruitment efforts are rarely consistent within an organisation. Sometimes, you may require high volumes of permanent or temporary hires, whereas other times, months may pass with limited need. RPO creates structures within a business that complement variable recruitment needs, and scale up or down according to company objectives.  10. Global Compliance Employment laws are consistently shifting and companies are increasingly tapping into the global workforce. For instance, permanent recruitment processes in Japan can vary significantly from those in Australia, meaning compliance is an important factor to consider in your recruitment strategy. An RPO partner's expertise ensures businesses remain compliant for both local and global talent acquisition. Types of RPO Recruitment Every organisation has unique talent acquisition needs and hiring challenges. Whether you need end-to-end recruitment solutions, seek support in hiring for a single division, or require assistance with one aspect of your recruitment process, an RPO partnership can help.  Here are some of the types of recruitment services an RPO company offers: End-to-end: Full-service RPO is an ongoing solution that covers the lifecycle of your recruitment process. Between employer branding initiatives, candidate sourcing and screening, and interviewing and selecting talent, end-to-end services oversee the entire hiring process, enhancing your recruitment function.  Project and on-demand: When you need the best workforce solutions for short-term talent needs, project and on-demand RPO offer the benefits of an end-to-end approach on a timeline that suits you. This is ideal for situations where your hiring manager or internal teams lack the resources to deliver on hiring needs.  Consulting: Develop comprehensive solutions to address your recruitment goals with guidance from an expert recruitment team. By collaborating with your executive leadership and stakeholders, RPO solutions craft a complete strategy to address issues and refine your recruitment process.  Outsourcing recruitment is a simple extension of your internal team, allowing you to customise your RPO model and seamlessly meet your business targets. RPO Pricing Models The cost of RPO depends on the project's scale and employer goals. Trends in RPO show a shift toward flexible pricing models, designed to accommodate fluctuating hiring demands, seasonal spikes, or evolving business goals. Below are some of the different pricing structures you can access: On-demand is where RPO experts deliver on an agreed number of roles over a fixed period.  Full-service RPO is where an outsourced recruitment team takes the lead, directing the entire recruitment process.  Function-based RPO, also known as project RPO, means the service provider undertakes a specific part of the employer's onboarding operations, such as hiring for the sales department.  Regardless of your hiring need, you can connect with an RPO team to discuss your goals and find the right solution for your business.  Choosing an RPO Recruitment Partner Certain characteristics make for a strong RPO partner. Companies that offer different engagement models provide the flexibility to ensure recruitment initiatives deliver within timelines and budget. Scalability means your partner can provide RPO solutions that address your specific needs — as and when they fluctuate.  Most modern RPO providers leverage technology to enhance recruitment capabilities, facilitating strong data-backed decision-making regarding current and future hiring needs. A good partnership brings a high level of experience to the table, offering local and global expertise required to meet your recruitment goals. Finally, outsourcing recruitment should be a collaborative process, ensuring deliverables are aligned with your values and objectives. Getting Started With RPO Recruitment process outsourcing is a comprehensive and agile solution that helps businesses overcome diverse talent recruitment challenges. It provides a foundation for workforce growth and stability, supporting a business's long-term trajectory.  Envision is a leading talent-sourcing partner in the Asia-Pacific region, with experts who can seamlessly integrate into your organisation and craft tailored strategies from within. If you're interested in working with RPO experts to achieve enhanced productivity and development, connect with our team today.