by Katie Marshall | May 19, 2023 | Articles, HR Outsourcing, MSP, RPO
Raconteur believe that outsourcing is set to boom after large layoffs at companies like Google and Meta. Downsizing is an attractive prospect during times of economic uncertainty, but it also leaves companies with resource gaps. Outsourcing companies will be eager to fill the gaps and will likely present attractive SLAs (service level agreements) and KPIs (key performance indicators) when they vie for new contracts. We believe businesses need to look beyond these promises to the culture and values of the partners they choose to work with.
After all, a company’s values and culture will be reflected in the team they put together and the candidates they source. The resulting conflicting cultures not only spark dissatisfaction on a personal level but may lead to business-critical miscommunications, project delays and cost inflation.
Richard Skellett, founder of the Globalution Group of consultancies:
“A poor culture fit can lead to misunderstanding and conflict which delay project delivery and have a negative impact on the quality of work. So it’s important that everyone is on the same page”
Source: Raconteur – Why successful outsourced teams need to be on the inside track
The Morson difference
At Morson we take a collaborative approach, getting to know your business needs, culture and values. We provide solutions that are tailored to our clients. Our MSP and RPO solutions integrate with your internal talent strategies. By listening and understanding we can implement solutions which enable you to achieve your ambitions. We use this two-way dialogue as the foundation of all new outsourced solutions to set our team as well as yours up for success.
“A successful relationship starts by setting up an equal partnership from the off. Describing what success looks like to your business and the challenges preventing your existing team from being able to achieve them requires an honest, inward look at your organisation.
The more data and real examples you can give the provider, the better equipped they will be to share how their approach will transform your business for the better.”
Rowena Cooper, Head of Talent and Resourcing at St. Modwen
Managed Service Provision
Our MSP builds agile contingent workforces by managing the entire talent cycle. Implementing responsive models which scale to your business ambitions. More than that, together we’ll have a bird’s eye view of your talent, allowing us to manage spending, track trends, build diverse teams, and forecast for the future. It’s a collaboration that fuses your ambitions, objectives and intelligence with our talent expertise and market knowledge.
Over a three-year contract with UK Power Networks we have provided a strategic MSP that has delivered:
- bespoke training for hiring managers
- diversity capture surveys
- candidate research
- dual-branded candidate attraction campaigns and more.
“Through our robust procurement process we were able select a partner that understands our values and will drive initiatives that would create a thriving future.”
Jazz Chaggar, talent acquisition manager at UK Power Networks
RP01
RP01, Morson’s recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) offer, gets to know your business and your people. We integrate with your internal talent strategies, to manage and support your recruitment processes and care for your brand. Our talent and optimisation teams seamlessly impart our expertise into organisations. They help recruit niche skills, create diverse, engaged candidate pipelines, control supply chain quality and reduce costs. We become one with your organisation, curating talent solutions that understand the nuances of your business, flex with your requirements and truly succeed for you.
While acting as RPO partner to Manchester United, we’ve recruited physios, software programmers, coaches, partnership leads, social media specialists, goalkeeping scouts, football analysts, fundraising executives and even groundsmen.
We’ve been focused as a team to build relationships and centralise the talent function within the club, all whilst demonstrating our expertise and credentials by delivering a consistently excellent service that helped engage those within the club who didn’t necessarily understand the role of our partnership at the outset. RPO1 live and breathe the club’s brand and are our colleagues.
Sarah McGuire, head of talent development and resourcing at Manchester United
HR Outsource
An outsourced HR solution can streamline operations, reduce costs, ensure compliance and provide real business value. We operate an Ulrich model, meaning that our CIPD accredited HR professionals are subject matter experts. So, we have a precise understanding of employee relations, talent management, wellbeing, and change management. Together, our diverse team combines this expertise to offer a one stop shop for businesses seeking expert HR support.
St Modwen is a long-term client of Morson who had previously experienced poorly managed outsourced HR. Our commitment to fully understanding their needs reassured them that Morson was the right partner for them.
“Don’t underestimate the importance of the relationship. Morson is an extension of our team, and it’s felt like that since the very first interaction.”
Becky Cund, head of HR operations & sustainable people projects at St. Modwen
With truly embedded expert teams, solutions, and experiences, we listen, collaborate, engage, shape and solve, enabling you to hire, transform and captivate. Our approach is consultative and insight-driven. We are here to help you to make the right decisions, deliver strategic impact and care for your brand.
Morson Sales Director, Sam Menelaou believes:
“It’s not rocket science, it’s simple behavioural psychology; people respond to people. From our years of experience in the talent industry, we understand that authenticity, recommendation, and rapport is the biggest driver of consumer behaviour. And in the current market, it is more important than ever that outsourced partners mirror their client’s behaviours and culture to ensure they secure the best talent, by elevating, living, and promoting their brand and values.
Gone are the days of cryptic agency job adverts, smoke-and-mirrors relationships and static KPIs. For example, in the MSP world, our clients are increasingly keen for us to act as an extension of their organisation, becoming one with their brand, and moving more towards an RPO-style relationship.
We’re so successful because this way of working has always been intrinsic to the Morson DNA.”
If you would like to find out which of our outsource solutions is right for you, or have any questions about the Morson approach to recruitment, get in touch with Sam at Sam.Menelaou@morson.com
by Katie Marshall | May 11, 2023 | Articles, Talent Solutions
IR35 compliance (Off-Payroll Working Legislation) remains an issue for many businesses. It can be a long, drawn-out process and some organisations have been in discussion with HMRC for several years. While the rules have not changed, we’ve noticed that HMRC has refreshed its approach to evaluating compliance in some key cases.
HMRC’s fresh approach to IR35 compliance.
HMRC are now asking for more details from IR35 clients and have committed to 2,500 more compliance staff in 2022-2023 which will almost certainly include off-payroll compliance resource, so HMRC is refocusing its efforts across the board. The next level questions focus on how robust IR35 compliance processes are and they have started taking sample Status Determination Statements (SDSs) for scrutiny.
The tax office has also incorporated IR35 compliance into its Business Risk Review+ (BRR+) process. Organisations subject to a BRR+ need to complete HMRC’s ‘Off-payroll Working and Employment Status & Intermediaries Questions’ document. The questionnaire aims to discover the scale of the contingent population, the use of Personal Service Companies (PSCs) and the IR35 compliance processes in place. These businesses also need to identify supply chain partners such as recruitment or consultancy firms.
The track record of some of the key public sector cases showcases HMRC’s harsh stance on non-compliance.
Contracted Out Services – a specific focus
HMRC is also asking hiring organisations to provide the number and names of Consultancies, Main Contractors and other contracted-out services they are using. A fully contracted-out service will often involve the provision of goods and materials, as well as labour and will usually have an opportunity for profit, beyond taking a percentage of the worker’s fee’
Ultimately, it is the hiring organisations who are responsible for accurately assessing the service provision between them and their suppliers. If no assessment is made or an incorrect assessment made due to a lack of reasonable care, the result would be non-compliance with the legislation and the business could be fined. Businesses must be familiar with the legislation to ensure appropriate processes are in place when engaging suppliers.
Compliance activities should include a robust assessment and communication that both parties agree to the outcome of the assessment. Businesses that can’t prove that their processes are robust risk being fined by HMRC.
The cost of non-compliance in the public sector
£9.2M – HS2
£87.9M – Department of Work and Pensions
£29.5M – Home Office
£12.5M – Ministry of Justice
Most of these fines result from a lack of knowledge and a lack of demonstrable compliance. However, IR35 compliance can be achieved and is being achieved by many organisations that have taken a robust approach to managing IR35 risks.
The cost of compliance will certainly be less than that of non-compliance.
Whether your contractor workforce is vast or tiny, we want to help clients avoid the potential mistakes that might be incurred by business’ individual practices, and offer them total confidence that despite IR35, there won’t be any hurdles in accessing and utilising contingent labour.
If you are concerned about your IR35 systems or processes we’re on hand to help. Get in touch with James Millward, head of integrated services for more information james.millward@morson.com
by Katie Marshall | May 9, 2023 | Reports & guides, Whitepapers
In our 2022 vs 2023 recruitment trends report we considered what the hiring landscape may look like in the coming year. Morson Market Analyst, Dr Gareth Owen examines recruitment trends spanning January – April 23 across four key industries; construction, technology, rail, and aerospace, to provide an accurate picture of what’s happening in the industry right now.
Foreword
by Dr Gareth Owen, Morson Market Analyst
Across most sectors, there is an uncertain economic outlook due to geopolitical tensions, Brexit obstacles and the ongoing shadow of the pandemic that has led to rising interest rates, rising costs for businesses & consumers, talent shortages and supply chain challenges.
While a bleak economic outlook, cost of living crisis, and political turmoil have been grabbing the headlines around the world, fundamental changes have continued to take place, shaping the
world of work in new ways, bringing new challenges and, critically, new solutions.
The trends I’ve identified in these reports, drawn from a rich database of Morson candidate data, expert conversations and insight from global sources, highlight key micro and macro socio-economic factors affecting the current state of the workplace and what it means for the labour market of tomorrow.
Many of these trends will persist beyond the near-term fluctuations in the business cycle, the goal of these reports is to support employers as they navigate a turbulent talent landscape.
> Momentum builds in construction
The UK construction industry is building momentum, as the S&P Global/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index rose for 2 months in a row. The best-performing area was commercial construction whilst residential building work has fallen for the third consecutive month.
The number of UK construction sector job adverts has hit a 14-month high according to the REC Labour Market Tracker. However, there are some obstacles to taking advantage of the growth in demand. The CITB/Build UK report indicates that the construction industry needs an additional 45,000 workers a year to meet growing demand.
There are calls for the government to bring in overseas workers to replace those lost due to the Brexit exodus of foreign workers by adding 5 construction roles to the UK Government Shortage Occupation List.
> A frenzy of talent shortages, skills gaps & lay-offs in tech
Over the last 6 months, many tech companies have announced large-scale redundancies. Caused by over-optimistic and rapid hiring during the pandemic and a later drop in earnings.
A flow of candidates from the major tech layoffs may help to alleviate the tech talent shortage stemming from economic and workforce inactivity.
The government has ended their contract with Tech Nation after a decade of transforming UK tech. Some of their activity will be transferred to Barclays, but the Global Talent Visa programme has not found a new home. This political shortsightedness is casting doubt on the future of those applying in the digital technology field.
> A mixed bag of optimism & dispute on the track
The rail industry is getting back on track, as post-pandemic passenger demand has improved, leading to an increase in orders. However, political challenges are impacting a return to growth, evidenced by delays in the HS2 project to reduce costs. Experts are noting that project delays increase costs in the long term.
The Transport Secretary set out plans in Feb 2023 to reform the railways in the UK. Describing them as ‘not fit for purpose’ and ‘financially unsustainable’. The plans include increasing the role played by the private sector to help restore financial sustainability post Covid.
There is also increased pressure from ongoing industrial disputes in the rail sector. The need to find 120,000 additional people by 2030, is reported by City & Guilds and NSAR.
> A renewed sense of optimism in aerospace & defence
There is a renewed sense of optimism about the aerospace and defence industry after a challenging 3 years caused by Covid 19, Brexit and the war in Ukraine.
Global aircraft orders in 2022 were the highest in 7 years. Deliveries are approaching pre-pandemic levels fed by an upsurge in travel demand.
The chancellor announced an additional £11bn in the Spring Budget for the UK defence budget. This will bring UK military spending to 2.25% of GDP by 2025.
The turning point in industry fortunes is reflected in a positive outlook from major industry players. Airbus reported solid financials and a ramp-up in production, while the Ukraine war fuelled record orders at BAE Systems.
Concluding thoughts
by Dr Gareth Owen, Morson Market Analyst
While there is cause for concern, businesses across all sectors should be hopeful about the future.
The UK economy narrowly avoided a recession in 2022 but this will be of little comfort to people suffering from a continuing cost of living crisis and the country remains at risk of a recession in 2023 according to the OBR and The Treasury, despite a slight improvement noted by the chancellor in his spring budget.
There has been a succession of disappointing news on diversity, most notably a rise in the average gender pay gap over the last 5 years. The UK Government has not offered a beacon of support on gender equality either, rejecting five of the recommendations from the Women and Equalities Committee report on menopause. Progress has also stalled on the representation of people from Black Caribbean backgrounds and women in STEM, according to MP’s, through the Parker Review announced new targets for the ethnic diversity of the management team at FTSE 350 companies.
The UK Labour Market is on shaky ground as employers continue to struggle with filling open vacancies, particularly for permanent roles but there is optimism about growing employee numbers. Candidate attraction issues and the cost of living crisis are feeding through into strong growth in rates of starting pay for both permanent and temporary roles.
Whatever future recruitment trends may hold Morson is here to support you to attract, retain and develop the best talent.
Our solutions are for organisations seeking to enhance their capability, who need flexible, adaptable solutions to help scale, brand-led strategies to inspire, screening solutions to comply, ED&I insight to transform, training to develop or technology to streamline and accelerate.
by Katie Marshall | Apr 17, 2023 | Reports & guides, RPO, Talent Solutions
Attracting and retaining top talent is critical to the success of any organisation. However, the recruitment process can be complex, time-consuming, and expensive, often leaving organisations struggling to find the right candidates. Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) might be the solution to your talent strategy woes and could revolutionise your talent strategy. In this blog, we will explore the advantages of an outsourced recruitment process.
Learn how RPO can help you find and retain the best talent, improve your recruitment efficiency, and enhance your employer brand.
What is RPO and how does it work?
RPO is a recruitment outsourcing service where an external provider takes on some or all of an organisation’s recruitment activities. The RPO provider acts as an extension of the organisation’s HR or recruitment team. They manage the entire recruitment process, from candidate sourcing to onboarding.
RPO providers can offer a range of services, including talent engagement, marketing, employer branding, applicant tracking system (ATS) management, interview scheduling, and hiring analytics. By leveraging their expertise, technology, and resources, RPO providers help organisations be more efficient, reduce costs, and enhance the quality of their hires.
An RPO provider often begins by working to understand your recruitment challenges and goals. They then design a solution tailored to your specific requirements. The RPO provider then takes on the recruitment activities, often using a combination of technology, data analytics, and human expertise to streamline the process and improve recruitment outcomes.
RPO services offer a flexible and scalable solution for organisations looking to improve their recruitment outcomes while reducing costs and saving time. By leveraging the expertise and resources of an external provider, you can enhance your recruitment efficiency, quality of hires, and employer brand.
RPO vs traditional in-house recruitment
There are so many benefits of using RPO services compared to traditional in-house recruitment. Here are just a few:
- Enhanced efficiency: RPO providers have the latest technology and recruitment tools, which can help streamline the recruitment process. This can include applicant tracking systems, marketing software, and data analytics tools. These can help identify the best candidates for the job.
- Cost savings: RPO can help organisations reduce the cost of recruitment by eliminating the need for in-house recruitment teams. Therefore reducing the need for advertising, job boards, and other recruitment-related expenses.
- Scalability: RPO providers can quickly scale up or down recruitment services based on the organisation’s hiring needs. This can be particularly beneficial for organisations that experience seasonal or unpredictable recruitment demands.
- Access to talent: RPO providers have access to a wider pool of talent through their recruitment networks and databases. In turn, this can help organisations find better-qualified and more diverse candidates for the job.
- Expertise and knowledge: RPO providers typically have a team of recruitment professionals with specialized expertise in different industries and functions. This can help organisations improve their recruitment outcomes by leveraging the provider’s knowledge and experience.
- Improved employer branding: RPO providers can help organisations enhance your employer brand by creating a positive candidate experience. This can help organisations attract and retain top talent.
Outsourcing your recruitment needs to an expert can increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve candidate experiences.
Recruitment outsourcing misconceptions.
People often misunderstand or underestimate the potential benefits of RPO. They assume that it’s a one-size-fits-all solution, only suitable for high-volume recruitment or will result in a loss of control for the business. But, the best outsource solutions are a strategic partnership between the provider and the client. They can help with all types of recruitment, from temporary to executive-level candidates, and from high-volume recruitment to niche hires.
Equally, RPO is not a quick fix or overnight solution to your talent challenges. It takes time for an RPO provider to understand your organisation’s specific goals, challenges and culture so that they can tailor their service to best support your business.
RP01
Our RPO offer is brought to you by our standalone brand, RP01. Through RP01 we deliver more than a talent solution, we optimise your entire recruitment process.
We understand that so many of your strategic goals are linked to talent. RP01 enables organisations of all scales to reach true talent potential. We take care of peaks and flows in demand, reduce costs, identify niche talent, build talent brands to attract the best people, manage HR requirements and use data to inform hiring decisions with services that flex with your specific needs.
Our talent and optimisation teams seamlessly impart our expertise into organisations. They help recruit niche skills, create diverse, engaged candidate pipelines, control supply chain quality and reduce costs, remove the burden of HR, source niche skills and manage processes with intelligence and data.
RP01 gets to know your business and your people, integrating with your internal talent strategies, to manage and support your end-to-end recruitment processes and care for and elevate your brand.
If you would like to find out more about how an RPO can help your organisation transform through talent, get in touch or visit rpo-one.com.
by Katie Marshall | Jan 27, 2023 | Interviews, PathFinders
Returning to work after maternity leave is daunting for many mums. There’s the inevitable anxiety about leaving your baby, coupled with the worry that you may have forgotten how to do your job, or that things have changed while you’ve been away. On top of that you’ll be balancing your new role as a parent with work responsibilities, and all on very little sleep.
The number of UK mothers in work has reached the highest level in 20 years. Families where both parents work full-time are also on the rise. More than three-quarters of mothers with dependent children are currently in work. So, employers are increasingly working to improve the support they offer for working parents. However, research by Werklabs and SIA has found a considerable gap between parents’ expectations and companies’ offerings. By far, the largest gaps are in making working parents feel included and supported. More than 80% of workers said feeling included is important, but only 43% of managers gave high ratings to their companies’ capabilities in that area.
We spoke to Morson Talent’s Head of bids, Kirsty Hodgson about her return to work this month after becoming a first-time mum last year. Kirsty discusses the importance of maintaining connections with her team, the need for flexible working for both parents and the positive impact of role models in the workplace who demonstrate what working parents can achieve when they have the right support.
To read the full interview and find out more about what employers can do to support working parents visit the Morson Talent blog.
Supporting our people and communities is central to who we are and we’re proud to offer ED&I consultancy services that place inclusion at the heart of the conversation.
To find out more please get in touch.
