OUTSOURCING NOW "ACCEPTED AND ENTRENCHED", MANPOWER STUDY FINDS
Business attitudes to outsourcing improve over last two years
Outsourcing has established itself as a standard business practice amongst UK companies, according to research released today by recruitment specialists Manpower.
The NOP survey, of 2,100 UK companies and organisations, found that the proportion of those who outsource parts of their business has not changed in the last two years (remaining at 68 per cent). However, business attitudes to outsourcing are growing more positive: more than half (51 per cent) of companies surveyed said that outsourcing has become an established way of working – a figure 14 per cent higher than in 2003. Similarly, the proportion of respondents who say that outsourcing has saved them time and money has increased from 47 to 64 per cent.
Chris Arthur, Manpower's Operations Director for Solutions said: "Outsourcing has become an accepted and entrenched way of working for many UK businesses. Companies are increasingly realising the benefits this can bring to their organisation.
"Outsourcing appeals to many because, by removing non-core business functions, they can better focus on what they're good at."
The business areas most likely to be outsourced are printing and design (40 per cent), telecommunications (21 per cent), product and service maintenance (19 per cent) and IT services (19 per cent).
Martyn Hart, chairman of the National Outsourcing Association, commented: "Manpower's research confirms that outsourcing is a burgeoning business process and more organisations are realising the benefits that outsourcing can bring. But it is important that businesses don't solely focus on the benefits - to achieve outsourcing success, companies must adhere to best practice policies and practices."
About Manpower Business Services Manpower Business Services is aimed at improving the efficency and productivity of clients' human resources functions by devising HR strategies and putting them into practice. MBS both supplies people and provides technical expertise, equipment and infrastructure to service individual client requirements. The division's key services are Field Services, Outsourcing, Third Party Maintenance and Managed Services.
Manpower Business Services works with local and national clients in sectors ranging from IT, telecoms, electronics, utilities, and retail to the public sector.
About Manpower
Manpower is the UK's leading workforce management company, specialising in permanent and temporary recruitment, HR services, managed services, outsourcing and HR consultancy.
Manpower has been established in the UK since 1956 and today works with organisations in both the public and private sector. Manpower's UK-wide network of 300 offices allows the company to meet the needs of local and national customers. This includes numerous small and medium sized enterprises, as well as larger organisations such as BMW, BT, Heinz, Hertfordshire County Council, IBM, National Health Service, New Deal South Wales, Royal Mail and Xerox.
The focus of Manpower's work is on raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction, enabling customers to concentrate on their core business.
Manpower has a highly skilled workforce of 100,000 temporary employees who stay loyal to the company (and its customers) thanks to best in class employment benefits. These include a contract of employment and a free e-learning tool offering staff over 1,000 courses in a diverse range of subjects, keeping Manpower's workforce up to date with today's ever-changing working environment.
