The 2025 RPO Trends Report reveals what makes some RPO partnerships successful and others not. The proprietary research for the report was conducted by the RPOA and Lighthouse Research and Advisory (LHRA) and surveyed 500 talent acquisition leaders, including 300+ current RPO users. At the 2024 RPOA Annual Conference, keynote speaker Ben Eubanks, Chief Researcher at LHRA, transformed the report's data into clear, actionable strategies. They drive measurable improvements in RPO partnerships. The report reveals the key hiring indicators and review cadence for RPO users and buyers. It helps them understand RPO partnership satisfaction and talent acquisition success.
The research revealed several key factors that determine satisfaction with RPO partnerships. Understanding these factors provides a framework for evaluating your own RPO relationship.
Consistency emerged as a fundamental element of successful partnerships. Does your RPO partner deliver consistent results across different roles and departments? Eubanks said, "Employers want more consistency in hiring." They want predictability in their hiring... variety is the spice of life, sure, in personal relationships, but not when it comes to hiring. We want to know what to expect." This predictability in the hiring process serves as a crucial indicator of partnership strength.
The frequency of strategic insights from your RPO partner plays a vital role in partnership satisfaction. Eubanks's research showed a clear link: "Our study found that, if a company did not get their insights at least a couple of times a year, they were much more likely to be dissatisfied with their provider." The findings suggest that quarterly reviews result in strong partnerships.
Meeting hiring forecasts serves as another key satisfaction indicator. Eubanks said, "Employers are happier if they hit their hiring targets." He noted this makes sense. It affects their planning and success.
The report can help you evaluate your RPO partner's performance. It guides you on how to examine both speed and quality. You should watch your time-to-fill metrics closely. As Eubanks noted from the research findings: "… the things that [employers] dislike most comes down to tactical things like time to fill is not fast for us. We want it to be faster."
However, while monitoring speed, remember that candidate quality should drive your evaluation. Eubanks emphasized this hierarchy with clarity: "Number one is quality. "To know we're getting good people at the end of the day, that matters." His research offers a key insight about assessing your RPO: "The problem is that [RPOs] don't control the quality of the ultimate hire, but [they] can control the quality of candidates." Focus your quality evaluation on the candidates your RPO partner delivers rather than final hiring outcomes, which often depend on factors beyond their control.
Eubanks revealed what drives successful RPO partnerships. He dispelled misconceptions that hinder RPO adoption. Non-RPO users often cite budget as a barrier. Eubanks noted this rarely determines partnership success. "Cost has never been a factor for employers picking RPO."
Instead, he showed that successful partnerships focus on delivering value. "Those that are spending more are more likely to be satisfied because they're solving a big problem. They're not spending the money for fun. They're spending money to grow the business and to meet some objectives, and if they're helping them do that, that's tremendous."
When you evaluate your RPO partnership, look beyond cost. Measure the strategic value it delivers. Eubanks said that satisfaction depends more on achieving goals than on cost.
Hear Eubanks give food for thought on elevating your RPO partnership. Listen to the full episode on the Time to Hire podcast.
Eubanks provided crucial insights for organizations contemplating a switch from RPO to internal recruitment. His data revealed several key challenges that make this transition more complex than many anticipate.
Eubanks' research on companies that made this transition found that "it took them between three and six months for about half of those companies to get staff back up." He emphasized, "This isn't as easy as just bringing it back." This isn't as easy as selling your old car and buying a new one. It's not that simple."
The research identified several common triggers that prompt organizations to consider this change. Eubanks explained: "For those companies that brought recruitment back in-house, cost was the primary factor. They said we had a change in leadership. We had a lack of results." However, these surface-level reasons often mask deeper challenges.
Kelly Burlage, VP, Global Talent Acquisition at Lineage, shared her experience transitioning recruitment back to an internal team after working with RPO partners. It showed the complexity of that decision. Their RPO partnership lacked innovation and improvement in "people, process, and technology." As Burlage explained, "Cost was a lagging factor because, day-to-day, I was getting beat up. Our current RPO provider just couldn't produce, and frankly, no one could at that time."
Burlage said they chose to insource. They understood their unique supply and demand challenges, sourcing techniques, and needed tech. However, even with this thoughtful approach, She noted that "in a year or two, we'll probably be looking for a new solution. That's what happens. Things get old, and you try new things, and you want to optimize your recruiting."
Eubanks shared another example from a biotech company that switched. The employer said, "There was something off." They would come back to us with questions. They would give us something back that showed they didn't really fully understand." The breakdown caused them to bring recruitment in-house. But, as Eubanks noted, "they were doing all the work themselves. So why hire someone to partner with them?"
The RPO Trends Report suggests organizations should assess their RPO partner and internal skills before making this big change. Burlage's experience shows that the future might be a hybrid approach, not a complete shift. "Longer term, we'll probably be looking at more of a hybrid solution, where we're solving certain challenges. Maybe it's a recruiting, marketing, technology and advisory relationship," she said.
The 2025 RPO Trends Report shows that RPO partnerships must be more than just transactional recruitment support. Regular strategic reviews help organizations. They keep clear communication and focus on measuring candidate quality. This leads to much higher satisfaction with their RPO providers. Companies can turn their RPO relationships into strategic partnerships. They can do this by setting measurable success metrics. This will ensure consistent hiring, useful insights, and meeting hiring goals.
Download the 2025 RPO Trends Report for insights from this study.