Trapped in a Rigid Recruitment Model? How to Regain Control in 2026

Rising agency costs, inconsistent candidate quality, and a lack of visibility are leaving engineering and manufacturing organisations with less control, higher spend, and slower results at a time when access to critical skills has never been more important. Inflexible fee structures limit growth, multiple agencies create brand inconsistencies, and outdated recruitment models are costing more than ever.

If your organisation is locked into arrangements that aren't delivering value, it's time to explore how Recruitment Outsourcing (RPO) can transform your talent acquisition strategy and give you back control.

Recruitment Outsourcing Advantages

Our engineering and manufacturing clients achieve measurable improvements that directly impact their bottom line:

• 30-50% reduction in recruitment spend through consolidated, strategic hiring
• 32-day average time to hire – 12.22% faster than the UK engineering and manufacturing sector average
• Up to £750 savings per vacancy on advertising costs alone
• 20% improvement in time to hire delivering faster productivity gains

Is Your Recruitment Strategy Holding You Back?

Many organisations find themselves trapped in recruitment models that made sense at the time but have become liabilities. Here are the key indicators that it's time for change:

Spiralling Agency Costs

Using multiple agencies at varying rates leads to uncontrolled recruitment spend, often resulting in premium fees for roles that could be filled more efficiently.

Lack of Scalability

Fixed internal teams struggle to manage hiring peaks, forcing overspend on temporary solutions or stretching resources, which increases time-to-hire and staff pressure.

Inconsistent Employer Brand

Multiple agencies representing roles differently dilute your employer brand, creating confusion and reducing candidate trust.

Limited Visibility and Insight

Without consolidated data, measuring cost, speed, and quality of hire is difficult, limiting strategic decision-making.

Reactive Hiring Approach

Constantly filling immediate vacancies leaves little room for workforce planning or talent pooling, keeping hiring one step behind demand.

Why Recruitment Outsourcing Delivers Control, Agility, and Measurable Impact

Recruitment Outsourcing offers a strategic alternative that addresses these challenges head-on. Rather than simply supplying candidates, a Recruitment Outsourcing provider becomes an extension of your business, operating your recruitment function under your brand with full accountability for results.

Typical Recruitment Outsourcing services include:

• Dedicated recruitment teams operating under your brand
• Employer branding and marketing support
• Second-tier supplier management
• Compliance oversight and workforce planning
• Data analytics and performance reporting

The Financial Case: Beyond Fee Reduction

While cost savings are compelling, our clients typically achieve 30-50% reductions in recruitment spend, the financial benefits of Recruitment Outsourcing extend far beyond simple fee comparisons.

Predictable, Controllable Expenditure:Moving from multiple contingent agencies to a consolidated Recruitment Outsourcing model transforms unpredictable costs into manageable,budgetable expenses. Consolidated invoicing provides clear visibility and simplifies financial planning.

Internal Resource Optimisation:Time saved on recruitment can be redirected to strategic HR initiatives, employee development, and retention programmes. The efficiency gains compound across your entire talent landscape.

Improved Retention ROI:A dedicated recruitment function that truly understands your business attracts candidates who are better cultural and technical fits. This results in higher retention rates and reduced turnover costs compared to spread agency models.

Reduced Time-to-Productivity:Faster time to hire means your new employees start contributing sooner. When AP Racing reduced time to hire by 20%, this translated to significant productivity gains across the business.

Technology and Brand: Hidden Value Drivers

Modern Recruitment Outsourcing solutions deliver capabilities that go far beyond traditional recruitment:

Employer Brand Development:Professional careers pages, branded advertising campaigns, and consistent candidate experience strengthen your reputation in the market. Studies show candidates are 60% more likely to apply when they clearly know who the employer is.

Our branded advertising service has helped clients achieve an average time to hire of 32 days (12.22% lower than the UK engineering and manufacturing sector average) while saving up to £750 per vacancy on advertising costs.

Integrated Technology Stack:Access to Applicant Tracking Systems, candidate management platforms, and analytics tools without capital investment. Your Recruitment Outsourcing provider manages the technology, ensuring it aligns with your processes and delivers actionable insights.

Data-Driven Decision Making:Comprehensive reporting on cost per hire, time to hire, source effectiveness, and candidate quality enables informed strategic decisions. Year-on-year comparisons demonstrate continuous improvement and ROI.

Real Results from STEM Organisations

The impact of switching to an RPO model is significant and measurable. Consider these outcomes from recent Owen Daniels partnerships:

• ALL.SPACEimplemented a Recruitment Outsourcing solution in May 2022 to support their rapid growth in satellite communications. The results speak for themselves: Click here to see.
• AP Racingpartnered with Owen Daniels for a Recruitment Outsourcing solution to facilitate significant growth following acquisition.Click here to view the results.
• Stuart Turnerimplemented a Recruitment Outsourcing solution to address uncontrolled recruitment spend and achieve their ambitious cost-reduction targets. The outcome exceeded expectations:Click here to take a look.

At Owen Daniels, we've helped numerous engineering and manufacturing organisations regain control of their recruitment through tailored Recruitment Outsourcing solutions. From embedded talent partners to comprehensive recruitment outsourcing, we work with you to design the model that fits your strategic objectives and operational requirements.

Ready to transform your recruitment strategy? Contact Owen Daniels to discuss how our Recruitment Outsourcing solutions can help you achieve measurable improvements in cost, efficiency, and candidate quality.