If an organisation has not used RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) before and employees within its talent function are unfamiliar with how it works, concerns can arise that an external team is being brought in to replace them.
While the need for an RPO partner might be urgent, organisations must invest time in creating an implementation plan, which includes open and continuous dialogue with the wider business to ensure the partnership is effective from day one.
Here, we look at the key points that businesses should communicate to their internal teams about working effectively with an RPO partner.
The ‘What’
All employees, particularly those on your internal talent and HR teams, need to know what an RPO is and understand that their roles are not being outsourced. In our last blog, we addressed that RPOs come in all shapes and sizes depending on the needs and challenges of the business.
Regardless of whether you are opting for an end-to-end or on-demand solution, it’s important to reinforce that an RPO is a partner that works as an extension of your team, not a replacement.
The ‘Why’
The last thing you want are your employees believing that an external partner is being used because they are failing somehow.
Take the time to explain the key challenges an RPO is being brought in to support and why these challenges exist. Be open about the plan of action and how long you envisage working with the RPO so that your team has time to ask questions or raise any concerns.
It’s crucial to communicate that an RPO is designed to free up time and enable internal talent and HR teams to become more strategic in approach. An RPO offers the additional support and resources your employees need to perform their roles better and concentrate on business-critical tasks.
The ‘How’
It’s essential that your team understands how an RPO works with regards to day-to-day operations. Unfortunately, there is sometimes an assumption that an RPO will report directly to senior management or leadership teams and by-pass the internal HR or talent team.
In reality, it is far from an ‘us and them’ situation. RPOs should work as an extension of your team, focusing on the specific areas assigned to them. This can sometimes mean they are on-site if required, but either way they will have a team that are, fully aligned to your company working in partnership with your HR and talent team. It’s worth reinforcing the message internally that an RPO is responsible for aligning themselves with the company’s goals and objectives, not the other way around.
Find out more
Register now to receive a copy of our upcoming guide, ‘Talent Acquisition Odyssey: Key challenges in the road ahead’, where we explore the issues facing today’s TA leaders and how external partners can help to overcome them.
