Debunking Three Offshore RPO Myths Can Drive Cost Savings
Staffing Stream
Debunking Three Offshore RPO Myths Can Drive Cost Savings
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Are your current talent acquisition costs as efficient as they could be? While offshore recruiting services (offshore RPOs) have the potential to boost in-house recruiters’ performance by increasing efficiency as they lower fixed and variable costs, there are a flurry of myths that scare staffing firms away from an otherwise verified strategy. Below we debunk three of these myths and highlight why offshore RPOs just might be the solution you’ve been searching for.
Myth #1: “When I outsource recruiting efforts to an offshore RPO, I’ll lose control of my processes and won’t have a dedicated team with my company’s best interests in mind”
Debunked:
One of the common myths around offshore RPOs is the idea that entrusting aspects of the recruitment lifecycle to an outsourced partner relinquishes all control. While this might be true for full lifecycle recruiting RPO relationships, most offshore RPOs act as an extension of your team, integrating you’re your overall recruiting process and following strict processes and predetermined metrics. Their teams collaborate with your stakeholders to design the best offshore recruiting program for your business. Achieving your KPIs will always top of mind.
On a similar note, it’s also a myth that all offshore RPOs only use shared recruiting resources and candidate pools. Though some offshore outsourcers follow this operational model, it is not a universal practice. In your early talks with offshore RPOs, ask if they have dedicated teams that are carefully trained on candidate sourcing and screening for a single client account. Always be on the lookout for offshore partners willing to give you the right balance of dedicated service as this gives you even more control.
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Myth #2: “Offshore representatives will have a language barrier that hurts my time-to-fill rates”
Debunked:
Once again, popular culture misses the mark by suggesting a language barrier exists for all offshore recruiters. While conversational English is rare in some regions, there are many offshore destinations where English is commonly spoken.
For example, the Philippines is an offshore destination recognized for its English proficiency. In fact, the Philippines has consistently been deemed the most popular location for contact services – taking around 17% of total outsourced services globally, according to research from The Everest Group. This number is a result of the language skills, people skills, and cultural affinity to Western countries, as well as a variety of cost factors. Those factors alone can make conversations between offshore Filipino RPO teams and candidates flow better, leaving a more positive impression.
Myth #3: “I need quality reporting, and offshore teams use unclear metrics”
Debunked:
Your operations depend on regular, comprehensive, and relevant reporting. If your recruiting partner uses their own set of internal metrics that ignore your business needs, they won’t be very useful in driving future improvements and advancing ongoing strategies.
Before partnering with any RPO, offshore or onshore, you’ll need to carefully discuss what they’re willing to provide and what you expect. Most offshore RPO relationships give you complete control of processes and operate within your defined reporting needs. For example, PSG uses processes to evaluate performance and measure ROI with transparent and relevant reporting. A quality offshore RPO provider will work with their clients to continuously optimize reporting, ensuring their services always align with the unique needs and objectives of their partner companies.
As a cost-effective alternative to inhouse or onshore RPOs, offshore RPOs can deliver dedicated teams of quality recruiters that leave a positive impact on your bottom line. Next time you’re working through a strategy session and the topic of offshore RPOs comes up, be sure to keep these insights in mind.