The Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), in partnership with Lighthouse Research & Advisory, today released the 2026 RPO Buyer Trends Report, the most comprehensive study of recruitment process outsourcing buyers to date. Drawing on survey data collected in January 2026 from 998 employers, including 454 active RPO users across North America, EMEA, and APAC, the fourth annual report documents a market in transition: employers are no longer simply seeking a vendor to fill seats. They are looking for partners who can navigate AI disruption, combat candidate fraud, and deliver measurable business impact.
The report is available now at https://rpoassociation.org/RPO-Buyer-Trends-Study.
This year's edition introduces new analyses on relationship maturity (transactional to transformational), buyer experience levels (first-time versus repeat RPO users), and the growing threat of candidate fraud in an AI-enabled hiring environment.
Key findings include:
- The RPO model continues to perform. 69% of employers report positive ROI from their RPO partnership, and 61% say hiring metrics have improved.
- Most partnerships have not reached their full potential. 51% of RPO relationships are described as strategic, but only 23% are transformational, the tier where the report finds the greatest measurable business impact.
- Maturity drives results. Transformational partnerships are 33% more likely to report improved hiring metrics, while transactional relationships are 42% more likely to report unclear, neutral, or negative ROI.
- Candidate fraud has become an operational risk. 64% of employers say they encounter candidate misrepresentation at least occasionally, and 58% want their RPO partner to help with fraud and risk mitigation. Only 15% can correctly identify all the ways candidates are using AI in the hiring process.
- The bar for AI has shifted from promise to proof. While more than 75% of employers say AI has reduced recruiter workload, only about 30% are confident in their ability to measure the ROI of their AI investments. Employers working with an RPO partner are 50 to 60% more likely to say they can clearly articulate that ROI.
- Buyers are reevaluating. 58% of employers are considering switching providers or bringing talent acquisition back in-house, most often citing technology and automation (39%), quality of support (38%), and provider knowledge and reputation (33%).
"This research reflects the RPOA's commitment to delivering rigorous, evidence-based insights for the industry," noted Lamees Abourahma, CEO of RPOA. "We invest in this work to give buyers and providers a clear, honest view of where the market stands and where it's heading. This year's findings reflect the impact of AI recruiting on employers and RPO partnerships, along with an annual update on what employers expect from their RPO partners."
"RPO is changing," said Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. "What was once viewed primarily as a delivery model is now being pushed toward something more embedded in how the business operates. This shift is visible in how employers describe their RPO partnerships today."
About the Study
The 2026 RPO Buyer Trends Study was gathered in Q1 2026 from online surveys of talent acquisition managers and executives. Nearly 1,000 organizations across a range of industries were surveyed and 454 firms with RPO partnerships were asked questions about the nature of the relationship, selection criteria, satisfaction ratings, priorities, and more. The survey was designed based on inputs from the RPOA Research Committee, which included more than a dozen representatives of RPO providers and buyers.
"The data confirms what our committee sees in the field: the hardest move for most organizations is from transactional to strategic, not from strategic to transformational," said Joe Marino, RPOA Research Committee Chair. "Buyers who define their expectations around technology, analytics, and business alignment early are the ones who reach the level where RPO drives real organizational outcomes."
Access the Report
The 2026 RPO Buyer Trends Report is available to Silver and Gold Organization Members and partners at no cost (login required). Non-members can access individual executive briefings for $950 USD each. The full report and access details are available at https://rpoassociation.org/RPO-Buyer-Trends-Study.
About the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA)
The Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) is the industry's definitive authority on RPO knowledge, foresight, and innovation. For more than two decades, RPOA has shaped how organizations understand, evaluate, and advance recruitment process outsourcing, producing the research, standards, and strategic insight that practitioners and buyers rely on to make consequential decisions. Through original research, executive education, peer networks, and industry events, RPOA creates the programming for a collaborative community where knowledge moves freely and standards rise collectively. Learn more at rpoassociation.org.
About Lighthouse Research & Advisory
Lighthouse Research & Advisory is a modern analyst firm dedicated to setting the standard for excellence in talent, learning, and HR. Through research, advisory services, content, and events, Lighthouse serves tens of thousands of employers across the globe each year. The firm's data also informs key product and strategy decisions at leading technology and service providers.
