The Rise of RPO

Liz Jones • March 25, 2018

Recruitment Process Outsourcing

The recruitment industry is ever evolving and employers are placing a strong emphasis on employee attraction & engagement. Outsourcing has long been a ‘go to’ solution for large businesses and some time ago, it was thought that this type of model was only suited to transactional areas of a business, such as call centres or accounting functions. Whilst RPO has been around for more than a decade, there has been a big shift in focus over recent years, with more and more organisations, of all shapes and sizes, now seeking alternative strategic models to form part of their HR & Recruitment strategies.

So what is it?

Currently, RPO is a $3 billion global industry, and has an estimated growth of over 50% in the next 5 years. It has the ability to adapt quickly to agile work environments and it allows organisations to ‘flick the switch’ to ‘take off’ at very short notice.

Why implement an RPO?

  1. Reduction in recruitment spend
  2. Streamlined reporting
  3. Management of 3rd party vendors
  4. Reduced time to hire
  5. Talent engagement, management & pooling
  6. Strong employer branding strategies
  7. Better use of your internal resources

How to know if RPO is right for your business?

There is really no one size fits all approach with outsourcing and the very first step is to understand what the best fit is going to be for any business. Some of the solutions offered in the RPO sector are as follows:

RPO - Recruitment Process Outsourcing
The process of managing all or part of your permanent recruitment function


CMO – Contractor Management Outsourcing
Save money, streamline processes, mitigate risk
The CMO is your partner to manage your whole contingent workforce


MSP – Master Vendor Provider
Multiple suppliers, 1 invoice. Our MSP model is supplier agnostic and there to manage the whole recruitment function and your vendors


WMO – Workforce Management Outsourcing
From recruitment strategy, to workforce & HR management, our WMO is the perfect option should you be wishing to outsourcing part, or all of your workforce.


Payroll – outsourced payroll solutions for your permanent workforce


Project Recruitment – assisting with the project engagement strategy, recruitment of talent and roll out of staff


Outplacement – Consulting services through periods or redundancy & change


HRO – What about the other stuff? We can provide unbundled services such as reference/ background checking, exit interviews, or assessment centres to assist through peak periods

Most importantly is that with these different solutions, your business requires analysis and a review to ensure a ‘best fit’ solution.

Of course, that’s where people2people’s HR Solutions come in! We provide obligation free consultations to help review, analyse and suggest potential outsourced recruitment models to suit your business. With an increasingly flexible workforce and a tight labour market, HR Solutions was established in recognition of the demand for outsourced recruitment and payroll solutions.

We help businesses just ‘get on with it’ by taking the pressure away from the design, development and execution of various BPO models.

Should you wish to gain a better understanding of RPO of any other outsourced recruitment model, please contact the team at people2people HR Solutions.

Find the job you love I Find the right talent
Get in touch with people2people

Australia   I   United Kingdom

In business since 2002 in Australia, NZ, and the United Kingdom, people2people is an award-winning recruitment agency with people at our heart. With over 12 offices, we specialise in accounting and finance, business support, education, executive, government, HR, legal, marketing and digital, property, sales, supply chain, and technology sectors. As the proud recipients of the 2024 Outstanding Large Agency and Excellence in Candidate Care Awards, we are dedicated to helping businesses achieve success through a people-first approach.



Share insights

Recent articles

By Bianca Luck July 31, 2025
Across Australia and New Zealand, finance leaders are balancing automation, flexibility, and rising pay demands. In this joint update, Leanne Allen and Chris Yam share how stable teams, upskilling, and strategic roles are redefining accounting and finance for 2025.
By Liz Punshon July 28, 2025
Australia's labour market in 2025 is marked by rising applications, fewer job vacancies, and growing uncertainty for both employers and job seekers. While it may appear to be an employer's market, challenges like irrelevant applications and low candidate reliability persist. This update breaks down the state-level trends and strategic responses shaping recruitment.
By Aiden Boast July 24, 2025
With AI reshaping content and remote teams on the rise, the marketing world is in flux. In this update, Nicole Clarke explains how marketers can stay ahead by mastering new tools, preserving quality, and adapting quickly. Discover what it takes to lead in the age of automation.
By Bianca Luck July 21, 2025
The accounting and finance sector enters 2025 facing familiar challenges: talent shortages, growing expectations, and the push for system upgrades. With competition high, employers are rethinking training, contract hiring, and technology use. This update outlines where demand is strongest and how teams can adapt.
By Leanne Lazarus July 17, 2025
Rising expectations and shifting demographics are challenging HR teams to rethink how they support, engage, and retain staff. In this update, Adeline Rooney shares how Cancer Council Queensland is addressing these shifts through skills-based hiring, technology, and total rewards.

Latest Media Features


Get in touch

Find out more by contacting one of our specialisat recruitment consultants across Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Contact us