By: Debra Timmerman, President, Global MSP Solutions, KellyOCG
It’s not often that workforce decision-makers have a chance to step out of their routines and meet with others in similar roles.
The KellyOCG Talent Leadership in Action (TLIA) events provide that opportunity by bringing senior HR, TA, and procurement leaders together at different global locations throughout the year. We look forward to hearing and sharing new perspectives at every TLIA event, and I had the pleasure of attending two gatherings in Singapore and Stockholm that did not disappoint.
The theme for each was “One Size Does NOT Fit All: Outsourced, Insourced, or Modular Workforce Management.” The keynotes, panels, and roundtable discussions explored the workforce challenges companies face when market conditions and demands constantly change.
As the name implies, the right solution or strategy is not the same for every organization. What considerations should go into the outsource versus insource decision? What can you learn from your peers that can help shape your strategy?
Reflecting on my experiences, five big ideas resonated with many people I spoke with, and they can help you answer those questions. Keep them in mind as you explore your 2026 workforce strategy and they may help you create greater impact for your business.
Static workforce plans give way to dynamic workforce “portfolios.”
Skills evolve. Work models change, and business demands shift. These currents pressure companies to engage different types of workers to navigate different situations. As a result, talent comes from permanent hires, contingent labor, freelancers, services, and even automation.
Our keynote speaker in Singapore, Iris Gam of Beyond the Bend consulting, said there is no longer a “static” mix of workers in a successful agile company. Instead, organizations which actively manage their human capital as an “investment portfolio” of various part-time, independent, and full-time talent, will maximize their competitiveness in the ever-evolving business landscape.
Much like an investment portfolio, that mix can be aligned with the skills, quality, speed, and costs to achieve the best outcomes. Reaching this level of agility is not a given. A certain level of transformation is needed to move from the status quo.
Internal contingent workforce management and talent acquisition functions can be adept at contingent or perm hire management, but the external provider is often better positioned to implement an approach that covers both work models. An effective provider brings a technology ecosystem to deliver data-driven visibility to manage that portfolio along with change management and process execution.
Outsourced solutions have leverage points that internally managed programs lack.
The statement above was raised by a procurement leader attendee, who had moved from an organization with an outsourced provider to one that manages its contingent workforce in-house. The difference he experienced was that the outsourced provider would respond quickly to new demands, changes, or performance needs. The in-house function required more coaxing.
Ask yourself, “Who will act when talent delivery falters, strategies must change, or resources need to shift?” Leaders of an internal workforce management function are intertwined with numerous influencers and stakeholders. As a result, there is no single accountable source that can compel changes to improve performance or meet different objectives.
An outsourced provider is different. The managed services provider (MSP), recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner, or total talent solutions provider has enforceable service level agreements and key performance indicators. If they don’t deliver, they don’t get paid. Don’t underestimate the importance of that accountability factor.
Total talent is now practical.
Historically, companies expected similar types of solutions from MSP or RPO providers. Now, the boundaries are blurring as smart providers build solutions that draw from MSP, RPO, consulting, services procurement, executive recruitment, direct sourcing, technology implementation and strategy, and payroll outsourcing.
Buyers and clients at TLIA events often spoke of solutions reaching beyond traditional boundaries. That could mean building a contingent workforce solution with a “carve out” for RPO to manage a particular area of permanent hire recruiting. It could be an RPO with a “carve out” that crosses into the flexible workforce. In either case, the employer seeks a single solution that spans all talent types.
This single-source approach marks the rise of practical total workforce solutions, where companies pick and choose where and how they secure contingent and permanent talent. Technology is now available to see across all worker categories, and the processes to secure them with disciplined governance frameworks followed. Don’t settle for either/or solutions. The provider should have the means to meet you where you are.
A global footprint does not make a global solution.
An outsourced talent solutions provider can have global locations, but its solutions may only amount to a collection of siloed services fenced off by region or country, with distinct processes and reporting.
Many TLIA attendees have struggled with disparate internal processes that evolved organically from the bottom up with no enterprise direction. Or, they have different solutions spread across multiple countries with minimal connections.
Today, companies are asking tough questions of their global partners. “Do you have the technology to show where talent is, the resources to secure those skills, and the coordination across the organization to drive a unified strategy?” If there are no examples, or if the examples are weak, the solution may not be a good, long-term choice.
Expect a solutions partner to deliver continuity of processes. This includes global governance with local customization, a clear leadership structure with a single point of contact, the ability to integrate workforce data across the enterprise, and the expertise to guide your strategy at any level within the organization.
The takeaway: Don’t let the solution define your goals.
If everyone took home one idea from these TLIA events, it was that the status quo of one-size-fits-all strategies is unacceptable. For decades, organizations engaged MSP or RPO services and determined their goals by the standards of those solutions — cost, compliance, access to talent, and quality of talent. Those are qualities that the solutions deliver, but they are not the only outcomes businesses need.
Instead, organizations are focused on priorities that are different from time-to-fill or cost of talent. They may want to complete successful growth initiatives, integrate divisions or locations, reach sales and revenue objectives, gain market share, move into a new industry, and develop and adopt innovations that help them compete.
These goals apply differently to every company, and so the workforce strategy that achieves those goals will never be exactly the same. Talent solutions are rising to the occasion, often with “modular” capability sets that serve as building blocks to a solution that aligns uniquely to your goals. Expect more from your workforce solution, and the result will be a partnership that delivers the outcome your business needs.
