Talent suppliers are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to successfully engaging and retaining contingent workers as part of a managed service provider (MSP) program. Active and engaged client stakeholders and an expert workforce solutions provider are the other key elements that allow a programme to thrive. Even so, supplier relationships and engagement – or lack of it – can make or break the most robust of contingent programs.
Suppliers must have access to effective tools and ongoing support to be able to step up and succeed. Without this targeted and evolving support, they are likely to withdraw, underperform, and perhaps disengage altogether.
I work with suppliers across EMEA, APAC, and the US, and I know that building a motivated supply chain is easier said than done. It’s crucial to consider geographical, cultural, and individual supplier needs to hone relationships that serve a programme well. This takes a significant investment of time and effort, but it’s worth it. Ultimately, a motivated supply chain will empower an organisation to outcompete others for talent, enabling them to meet and exceed their goals faster.
In this blog, I take a closer look at the benefits of building a motivated supply chain and the reasons that both talent providers and organisations can’t afford to ignore this crucial community.
Looking ahead, a motivated supply chain remains centered on fostering strong, collaborative relationships with suppliers. It's about creating a partnership where their success is actively promoted because it fuels mutual growth and achievement, ultimately driving consistent, proactive engagement.
In practice for 2025, this often involves:
When we roll out a new MSP program, this means bringing in new ways of working, new processes, and new technologies, and often introducing all of these changes within an existing supply chain. If we don’t actively engage and motivate suppliers to work inside a program, then operational efficiency can quickly trickle away. A poorly motivated supplier will often ‘work around’ processes, connecting directly with hiring managers. This means important information isn’t captured, leading to carefully thought-out processes breaking down, alongside compliance and cost-saving issues. Poor operational efficiency can also have a knock-on effect on suppliers themselves, leaving them working more slowly and less effectively.
For a supply chain to work effectively, it needs to have the right suppliers in the right place. This means understanding which suppliers are most effective in which specialisms. In a motivated supply chain, suppliers feel comfortable having honest conversations about their strengths and are more likely to end up in the right places in the right programs.
At KellyOCG, we use a capabilities matrix for our MSP programs, which helps us to organise suppliers effectively, and we monitor this effectiveness through regular analytics and conversations. By working with suppliers to really understand their strengths, we find that we can recommend them across a range of other programs. Our historical data shows that smaller distribution lists aligned to suppliers’ top capabilities and skill sets not only benefits overall programme metrics but also provides better opportunities to suppliers.
Suppliers want insights. How are they performing against other suppliers? What can they do better? What do future hiring needs look like? By promoting supplier transparency across the board, solutions providers can help suppliers and clients to gain a deeper understanding of programme performance, supplier performance, and future challenges, promoting greater transparency in return. We support ongoing transparency through our best-in-class Helix Analytics, which includes robust scorecards, performance reviews, and predictive analytics, alongside regular supplier summits. When cooperation, honesty, and collaboration are cornerstones of our supplier relationships, we find suppliers are more likely to prioritize KellyOCG programs.
Motivated and effective supply chains power opportunities for everyone. Solutions providers are more likely to recommend suppliers across other programs. Suppliers are more likely to recommend solutions providers to their network. Clients have more opportunities to access the very best talent and most sought-after skills. It creates a truly level playing field, particularly inside vendor-neutral MSP programs and for smaller suppliers.
At its core, stripping away the complexities of processes and technology, the connection between a supplier and a solutions provider like KellyOCG is fundamentally a human partnership. The deeper a supplier's engagement in a program, the more fruitful and successful that partnership inevitably becomes. A key strategy we employ at KellyOCG to foster supplier motivation involves providing a distinct platform for their voice – a space where feedback can be shared openly, without fear of compromising their standing or reputation within the program.
Our Supplier Advisory Council continues its quarterly meetings in 2025, serving as a vital forum for discussing prevailing market trends and critical topics related to sales opportunities, product evolution, and collaborative process improvements. This not only empowers suppliers to articulate their insights more effectively but also furnishes our clients with indispensable market intelligence. Recognition remains a vital aspect of deepening these partnerships. Building on a tradition spanning over a decade, our annual Kelly Global Supplier Excellence Awards continue in 2025, where we will formally recognize top-performing suppliers from across our enterprise for their outstanding achievements in 2024.
Discussions around contingent talent management too frequently sideline the importance of supplier relationships. Yet, without the dedication, talent, and experience of these suppliers, any program struggles to fulfill its most essential purpose – effectively connecting organizations with the people crucial for their success. I firmly believe it's crucial to bring these supplier relationships into the forefront, acknowledging that only through a highly motivated and engaged supply chain can an MSP program achieve genuine and sustainable success.