Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is a talent acquisition model where a company outsources all or part of its recruiting processes to an external service provider. The RPO provider acts as an extension of the company’s HR or talent acquisition team, managing tasks such as sourcing candidates, screening, interviewing, and onboarding.
Where is RPO used?
RPO is commonly used by companies that:
- Hire at high volume or across multiple markets
- Lack in-house recruiting resources
- Want to scale hiring quickly
- Seek expertise in specific industries or regions
Global companies often use RPO providers to support hiring in new countries or regions, where local recruiting knowledge, language skills, and compliance expertise are critical.
Who is responsible for compliance with an RPO model?
While the RPO provider manages the recruiting process, the hiring company remains responsible for:
- Employment compliance
- Contractual terms
- Payroll and tax obligationsa
- Worker classification and onboarding
RPO is distinct from staffing agencies; in an RPO model, the hired candidates typically become employees of the company, not of the provider.
How Papaya Global helps
Papaya Global’s platform supports companies scaling international hiring, whether through in-house teams or external partners, by ensuring compliant global onboarding and payroll once candidates are hired.
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