How MSPs Support Better EDI Outcomes and Inclusive Contingent Hiring

Nearly 20% of the UK workforce are in contingent roles. Yet, most organisations don’t consistently capture diversity data across those populations, leaving a major blind spot in their EDI strategy. 65 percent of companies plan to increase contingent labour use, making it more important to close this gap. A strategic Managed Service Programme (MSP) can help you close that gap by: Bringing your whole workforce into view Building EDI into every stage of the hiring process Turning Insight into Action Helping you deliver on strategic initiatives Making inclusion part of the day-to-day experience The business case for inclusive contingent hiring Organisations with inclusive contingent hiring practices see measurable improvements in workforce agility, innovation, and performance. A diverse supplier base can also support ESG goals and unlock new opportunities, particularly when bidding for public sector or large corporate contracts that increasingly require evidence of inclusive workforce practices. With contingent workers making up such a large share of the talent mix, overlooking them puts your reputation, resilience, and results at risk. Bring your whole workforce into view Contingent workers are often left out of EDI strategies entirely with no visibility over who’s being hired, how inclusive the process is, or what outcomes look like. You can’t improve what you can’t see. An MSP creates one joined-up picture of your entire workforce, providing you with info on who’s applying, who’s progressing, who’s converting, and who isn’t. This is done by: Setting up demographic data capture from the outset Normalising the conversation around why and how that data is collected Tracking shortlist diversity, interview progression, and offer conversion rates across suppliers Introducing EDI dashboards so you can see where action is needed That means you can make more informed decisions, spot trends and drop-offs, and understand where your process may be unintentionally biased, just as you would with permanent roles. Most clients don’t ask their suppliers for this data but we do. An MSP Provider becomes the connector between you, your supply chain, and your EDI ambitions. With a consolidated view of your contingent workforce, your leadership team can confidently report on inclusive contingent hiring progress across the board. “Our MSP platform made recruitment, contract extensions, and even rate reviews seamless. It’s helped manage the transition of over 700 contract workers and the knowledge of the Rullion team has been invaluable in the recruitment and maintenance of further workers. Simple, effective, and exceeding expectations.” — Recruitment Manager, Leading UK Energy Supplier Build EDI into every stage of the hiring process In fragmented supply chains, when contingent hiring is split across multiple suppliers, each with their own processes and standards, it means one may remove identifying data from CVs while another doesn't, and none of it ladders up to meaningful data. This makes it easy for inconsistencies to creep in, especially when it comes to inclusion. Your MSP partner brings consistency and accountability across the entire supply chain. From how jobs are written to how candidates are shortlisted, interviewed, and selected, we ensure inclusive practices are baked in from the start and not bolted on later. That includes: Reviewing job descriptions to remove bias or exclusionary language Using inclusive advert templates and gender decoders Providing anonymous CV screening where appropriate Setting clear diversity expectations for suppliers Guiding hiring managers through inclusive briefing and interview practices Launching focused campaigns to reach underrepresented talent, such as early careers or women in STEM We hold suppliers to account with diversity-focused performance metrics, helping you track progress and improve where it matters most Turn Insight into Action Collecting the data is one thing. Knowing what to do with it is another. Too often, diversity data is collected but not connected to hiring decisions making it impossible to act on. An MSP closes that loop by building feedback into every stage of the hiring journey. Your MSP can work with you to identify where inequalities exist in your contingent recruitment process and, more importantly, why. Are certain demographics dropping off at the shortlist stage? Are some interview processes unintentionally exclusive? Your MSP won’t just surface the issues; they’ll bring proven ideas, tested across similar organisations, on how to fix them. Help you deliver on strategic initiatives Beyond recruitment, an MSP provider can also act as a delivery partner for wider EDI programmes. You’ll often find the desire is often there, but internal teams don’t always have the capacity to turn ambition into delivery. Providers can help you operationalise your EDI strategy by: Designing and delivering inclusive graduate or apprenticeship programmes Developing routes for social mobility, disability inclusion or veteran employment Supporting supplier diversity goals Embedding EDI into quarterly reporting, KPIs and workforce planning We work with your internal HR, TA, and DE&I teams to bring these ideas to life without overloading your day-to-day operations. For example, we supported one of our energy clients in increasing their percentage of female contingent engineers from 12% to 19% through targeted outreach, inclusive job design, and local STEM engagement. Make inclusion part of the day-to-day experience Hiring diverse talent is only part of the work. Inclusion happens once people are through the door. MSPs help ensure your contingent workforce has a fair and equitable experience throughout their time with you. That could mean: Building visibility of contractor experience and access to opportunities Encouraging participation in ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) Giving contingent workers access to L&D, mental health resources, and well-being initiatives Identifying inequities in how feedback, recognition or progression is handled It’s about creating a sense of belonging, not just filling roles. Your MSP can help bring this to your attention and support you in embedding those practices across your organisation. A Trusted Partner for Long-Term Progress With the right partner, you don’t need to split your strategy across permanent and contingent teams. We help you bring everything under one umbrella. One view, one standard, one direction of travel with real traction. So if you're serious about EDI, don’t leave your contingent workforce behind.

Why Traditional Hiring Fails Technical Roles

Why Traditional Hiring Isn’t Working In critical infrastructure; energy, rail, utilities and construction, talent strategies haven’t evolved at the same pace as workforce needs. Traditional recruitment still relies on finding the “finished product” - someone with all the experience, qualifications, and compliance certificates already in place. But that’s a shrinking pool. Those people are being approached by every employer in your sector. Even if they’re on the market, they’re not sitting on job boards waiting for your ad. Train to Deploy rethinks the model. Instead of searching endlessly for perfect candidates, it helps employers build them by identifying high-potential individuals based on behaviours and then training them into the roles your organisation needs to fill. Skills Gaps That Won’t Close Themselves Technical skills shortages aren’t a short-term spike, they’re structural. Decades of underinvestment in early-career pathways, the retirement cliff facing infrastructure roles, and declining enrolment in vocational programmes are all converging at once. As Dan Crerand, Rullion’s Director of Workforce Solutions, puts it: “There’s a growing misalignment between what hiring managers want and what actually exists in the market. The talent pool is shrinking - especially in infrastructure roles - and traditional attraction methods just aren’t cutting through anymore.” Younger or transitioning talent are increasingly put off by sectors like rail and energy, often perceived as outdated or unstable. The result is a dwindling, overstretched workforce, and a growing delivery risk. Train to Deploy strategies unlock a new option. They help you source inclusive talent pools with the mindset and motivation to succeed and then upskill them through a tailored training programme that aligns with your systems, safety standards, and delivery goals. Curious how a tailored, behaviour-first hiring approach could help you fill critical roles? Download the Train to Deploy Toolkit to discover how you can unlock untapped talent, close skills gaps, and build a more resilient workforce. What “Day One Ready” Really Means Hiring managers often want candidates who can “hit the ground running.” But that expectation only works when you’ve got a steady stream of overqualified people waiting to start. You don’t. And forcing readiness onto every job spec simply filters out great people who could be developed. With Train to Deploy, readiness is designed. Together, we define what “day one” success actually looks like, whether it’s technical modules, mandatory site clearance, or behavioural traits. We then build a pathway that delivers it. “When we define that minimum viable skill set,” says Dan, “we can open the funnel wider - then close it again with the exact training that gets people to value-add on day one. No waste. No guessing.” It’s Not Just a Hiring Fix, It’s a Strategy Most employers don’t need more CVs. They need a way to reduce time-to-productivity, lower hiring risk, and build a more resilient workforce. A Train to Deploy strategy gives you that. It brings in people from adjacent sectors. It supports returners and re-skillers. It creates more diverse, more aligned teams that are built for the long haul. Not just short-term patching.Rullion’s Train to Deploy services also include: Embedded wellbeing support Ongoing candidate engagement Structured check-ins with hiring managers Optional post-placement upskilling It’s how we de-risk the process, so your new starters are supported and delivering from day one. Still unsure whether Train to Deploy is the right fit? Explore 5 Signs Your Workforce Needs a Train to Deploy Strategy and see if the challenges we solve are already showing up in your organisation. Why Not Just Build This In-House? You could. But scaling internal training isn’t easy. Most HR and L&D teams don’t have the spare capacity, and internal business units rarely have the bandwidth to manage training providers, onboarding plans, wellbeing, and certifications all at once.That’s where we come in.Rullion acts as your Train to Deploy partner; handling the design, delivery, and post-placement follow-up while you stay in control of the outcomes.You gain: Faster deployment Better retention Long-term capability uplift And a cost-effective alternative to contingent labour Helping You Get Work Done Train to Deploy isn’t just another hiring model. It’s a smart, flexible workforce strategy for employers who need to move fast, improve resilience, and meet critical delivery timelines. Whether you’re facing retirements, recruitment freeze risks or need to show progress against social value goals, Train to Deploy gives you a way forward. One that’s strategic, scalable, and built to last. Want to see how these challenges play out in real conversations? Watch Confessions of a Train to Deploy Expert: Ep 01 featuring Dan Crerand, Train to Deploy Director, and Sibel Akel, Rullion’s Marketing Director, as they unpack what’s broken in technical hiring and how employers are solving it differently. Why Traditional Hiring Fails for Technical Roles - YouTube

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

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.