Building global consistency in your talent acquisition model — how an RPO can help

Agency fees might seem manageable on a role-by-role basis, but at 15–20% of starting salary, the total adds up quickly. Our data shows that switching to an RPO can reduce recruitment spend by 50% or more, freeing up budget that could be better spent on growth, rather than being scattered across multiple suppliers.

Wondering whether your own spend is drifting out of line? Our Guide for First-Time RPO Buyers breaks down the warning signs and highlights the key benefits.

How too many suppliers can slow your business down

Working with multiple agencies on different terms doesn’t just complicate budgets—it fragments your entire hiring process. Candidates get mixed messages. Sourcing is duplicated. Reporting becomes unreliable. Talent acquisition (TA) leaders are left without a clear view of what's working or how much it’s costing.

One client in financial services discovered they were spending £1.5 million a year on agency fees, while still taking over two months to fill roles. By the time they reached out for support, key projects were already slipping—and hiring had become a blocker, not a driver, of business growth.

Three signs your hiring model is working against you

1. No clear view of recruitment spend
If each region or team manages its own agency relationships, it’s hard to know what you’re really spending across the business. Without unified reporting, it’s impossible to compare cost per hire between markets or plan globally with confidence.

2. Too many agency relationships to manage
Working with a long list of local suppliers often leads to different service levels and fee structures. The result? Inconsistent delivery, duplicated effort and a lack of shared accountability, especially across borders.

3. Mixed candidate experiences across regions
When your employer brand is presented differently from one market to the next, it weakens candidate trust and damages perception. Inconsistent messaging about culture, values or roles makes it harder to attract and hire the right talent at scale.

If these challenges sound familiar, it’s a sign your hiring model isn’t keeping pace with your growth. A truly global RPO partner brings structure and consistency to every stage of the process, from sourcing to onboarding.

How an RPO brings consistency and control

A first-generation RPO replaces a patchwork of suppliers with one accountable partner, bringing structure, clarity and alignment across every market. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• One way of working, everywhere — Standardised processes and shared metrics mean every candidate gets a high-quality experience, wherever they apply.
• More control over costs — With transparent pricing models, you avoid surprise fees and give your finance team a clear view of spend.
• Talent pipelines that are ready when you need them — Dedicated teams build relationships in advance, so you’re not starting from scratch when hiring picks up.
• Real-time data you can act on — Live dashboards show what’s working, what’s not and where to focus next.

Need to ramp up for a short-term project? Project RPO gives you extra hiring power for a specific campaign, then steps back once the work is done.

What’s next?

Stop letting agency spend dictate your strategy. Download our Guide for First-Time RPO Buyers to see how cost transparency, global consistency and data-driven insight can transform your talent acquisition – and your bottom line.