Delivering a People-First MSP Workforce Solution for Energy at E.ON

CASE STUDYBy Rullion on 05 August 2025

As one of the UK’s leading energy suppliers, E.ON plays a vital role in delivering cleaner, smarter energy to millions of homes and businesses. When surging demand and national skills shortages put pressure on its hiring capabilities, E.ON turned to Rullion to deliver a high-impact MSP workforce solution for the energy sector.

The Challenge

E.ON required a scalable workforce solution tailored to the challenges of the UK energy sector. A partner capable of scaling delivery rapidly while upholding the high standards expected in a regulated, business-critical environment. E.ON partnered with Rullion to deliver change at pace through a model that was scalable, values-led, and built for the future.

  • Find and deploy qualified talent quickly
  • Maintain full compliance across all hiring activity
  • Improve speed-to-hire without compromising quality
  • Reduce second-tier supplier reliance and improve fulfilment ownership
  • Strengthen long-term workforce resilience in hard-to-fill roles

 

A People-First MSP, Built for Scale

To meet the complexity and urgency of E.ON’s hiring needs, we delivered a people-first MSP workforce solution for the energy sector, tailored specifically to E.ON’s goals, values, and operational environment. Designed for scalability, compliance, and cultural alignment, this solution focused on four core areas:

 

1. Behaviour-first hiring strategy

Instead of hiring based purely on experience or technical skills, Rullion implemented a behavioural-first approach. Every candidate was assessed for alignment with E.ON’s culture and values, ensuring a stronger long-term fit.

This shift helped E.ON:

  • Improve retention and engagement
  • Reduce rework and rehiring costs
  • Build teams aligned with its mission and ways of working

 

2. Direct fulfilment model

To remove bottlenecks and increase delivery accountability, Rullion deployed a 100% direct fulfilment model to reduce the cost and dependency on second-tier suppliers and improve the consistency of hires.

A direct fulfilment model means Rullion sources, screens, and delivers candidates directly, rather than relying on multiple external agencies. This creates a single point of accountability, streamlining communication and ensuring higher quality and cultural alignment at every stage.

For specialist or niche roles, we partnered with a small, carefully selected group of values-aligned suppliers. All were held to high standards via quarterly performance scorecards and our Supplier Code of Conduct.

 

3. Compliance and operational rigour

Across the highly regulated energy industry, compliance couldn’t be compromised. Our MSP model embedded clear governance and process discipline across every stage.

We achieved:

  • 100% timesheet accuracy
  • A simplified and more efficient onboarding process, reducing time-to-productivity
  • All new starter met rigorous regulatory and process standards

 

4. Continuous improvement through data and dialogue

Every element of the programme was tracked and evaluated against our Client Value Framework, which measures five key pillars: cost, compliance, operational performance, innovation, and social value.

These metrics don’t just sit in reports; we use this data to drive continuous improvement. Trends were reviewed monthly at the leadership level and shaped into action through quarterly business reviews with E.ON stakeholders — driving improvements across onboarding, IT access, and escalation processes.

 

What We Achieved Together

The success of this MSP workforce solution in the energy sector was due to the strong partnership formed between E.ON and Rullion. Together, we delivered measurable improvements across every stage of the contingent workforce lifecycle:

  • 99% fill rate across the MSP – critical roles were consistently filled, keeping operations running without interruption.
  • 100% direct hires – enabling faster, higher-quality delivery and reduced reliance on external suppliers.
  • +60 ‘Excellent’ NPS (Net Promoter Score) from hiring managers - reflecting strong satisfaction with responsiveness, quality, and collaboration.
  • 25% improvement in interview-to-offer ratio – helping E.ON move more efficiently from shortlist to signed contract.
  • 100% satisfaction in post-hire surveys – contingent workers reporting feeling supported, welcomed, and prepared from day one.
  • 100% timesheet accuracy - ensuring contingent workers were paid on time and in full, reinforcing trust and reliability.
  • Over 85% retention across placements – demonstrating a strong cultural match and long-term workforce stability.
  • 11% of contingent workers converted to permanent roles – supporting capability growth and long-term workforce planning within E.ON’s teams.

 

A Recognised MSP Model of Best Practice

This programme has since become a benchmark within our wider MSP portfolio, recognised externally as a leading example of contingent workforce delivery and shortlisted for APSCo OutSource MSP of the Year for its outstanding results, innovation, and partnership-led success.

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