In the lead up to the Olympics attention is becoming increasingly focused on probably the undisputed golden poster girl for London 2012, and one of my personal heroines, Jessica Ennis. Apart from the weight of a nation’s expectations on her shoulders she has the added challenge of having to train, prepare and compete at world class level at not one but seven different events in the gruelling heptathlon.

Whilst there are undoubtedly shared skills such as core strength, endurance, focus and general athletic ability that can be harnessed to enhance performance across the heptathlon, each individual event also requires a slightly different approach to preparation and training. It therefore requires an enormous amount of planning, discipline and timing to ensure a blended approach that delivers consistently high levels of success across all events at the optimum peak time. Without the right approach the outcome can be counter-productive and result in the failure to deliver the required results at the right time.

So what can us mere mortals in the world of RPO learn from elite athletes like Jessica Ennis?

A recent Everest report[1] highlighted the benefits and challenges of the integrated outsourcing model known as “Blended RPO”. A blended RPO model applies an integrated approach to managing all aspects of resourcing and talent management across both contingent and permanent hiring. The benefits are clear; greater flexibility, consistent message to market, visibility and accountability, better alignment of talent to overall strategy and true total workforce management.

However, to truly enhance the power and value of a blended RPO solution it involves careful alignment of often quite diverse and challenging areas that are normally managed in completely separate ways, by different subject matter experts. The task of harnessing these different areas effectively should not be underestimated and can be every bit as daunting as choosing to excel in seven very different heptathlon events!

Before embarking upon the adoption of a blended RPO model, organisations need to carefully consider a number of factors, most notably the selection of the right service provider. It is critical that the chosen partner can successfully provide broad and specialist expertise, innovation, robust technology and change management experience that will help with the planning and execution of a diverse and complex solution. Above all, organisations themselves needs to ensure they have the true desire to transform and change in order to deliver greater results and value from their talent acquisition and management strategy.

Planning, preparation and timing are as crucial for the success of a blended RPO solution as they are for the optimum performance of an Olympic athlete like Jessica Ennis. Whilst there may be no comparison to winning Olympic Gold, organisations will enjoy enormous rewards if they are successful in achieving their goal.

So the answer is that whilst many of us will be content to watch in awe from the comfort of our sofas as Jessica goes for gold, we can all learn some valuable lessons about the importance of adopting the right approach when it comes to combining complex and diverse areas to achieve excellent results.

[1] ‘Rise of Blended RPO – Addressing the Total Talent Acquisition Need’ – produced by Everest Group Research

Written by Rajesh Ranjan ,Research Director and Sayan Chatterjee, Senior Research Analyst

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