An important part of the brief was also to deliver a scalable programme to reduce the overall cost of hiring. This was been done by introducing an internal referral programme and driving direct applications through www.spinvox.com/careers.

Another key element was competency-based interview training. This ensured that all hiring managers followed the correct guidelines for selection. This resulted in a better quality of hire and in streamlining the process overall.

Project IT, for its part, made sure it was embedded in the Spinvox operation. Nick Boothroyd, Managing Director of Project IT Resource said this approach allowed it to deliver "significantly more benefit" than a traditional recruitment arrangement.

"Working onsite with the client enables the 'partner' to become fully integrated within the client culture and to 'go native'," he said.

Building close relationships with hiring managers allowed Project IT to really understand how to promote it to candidates as an employer of choice.

"Treat your provider as an extension to your in house HR function and you will reap the rewards - keep it at arms length and the value diminishes," said Boothroyd.

In any large scale recruitment process there is the danger of different standard and duplication of effort in any large scale recruitment process. "By bringing the whole operation under one automated system we avoid this problem and can be certain that legislation is complied with," said Boothroyd. "In addition, it means that the whole process is more efficient, and the hiring managers are getting to spend more time with quality candidates."

For Spinvox there were very few downsides to outsourcing recruitment in this way. One mentioned by Wellstead was a concern about visibility. To overcome that the two organisations met weekly to evaluate progress and agree on how to solve challenges.

"The most important gauge, however, is the satisfaction of my internal customers - the hiring managers. If they aren't happy, then nobody is happy," he said.

The final metrics though speak for themselves. "There has been a 20 per cent decrease in the overall cost of hire since we started working with Project IT, as well as a reduction in the time to hire to below 30 days," said Wellstead. Furthermore, our retention levels have improved.

The outsourcing project is proving to be a big success. Project IT Resource is very much a part of our team and we have worked closely together to develop processes and systems that suit our business and meet our aims."