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THE PLACE TO GO FOR RPO™ |
RPO Buyer Trends Study
A Buyer's Guide to Buying and Optimizing Recruitment Process Outsourcing Solutions
| 2026 RPO Buyer Trends ReportThe most comprehensive study of RPO buyer behavior available in the market. Produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) in partnership with Lighthouse Research & Advisory, the 2026 RPO Buyer Trends Report draws on survey data collected in January 2026 from 998 employers, including 454 active RPO users. Now in its fourth annual edition and built on the largest sample in the report's history, it shows a market in transition: employers are no longer looking for a vendor to fill seats. They want partners who can navigate AI disruption, address candidate fraud, and deliver measurable business impact. This year's edition introduces new analysis on buyer generations (first-time versus repeat RPO users), relationship maturity (transactional to transformational), and the growing threat of candidate fraud. It is an essential resource for RPO providers, talent acquisition leaders, HR executives, and anyone operating in the RPO ecosystem. |
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Why This Report Matters
"This research reflects the RPOA's commitment to delivering rigorous, evidence-based insights for the industr. We invest in this work to give buyers and providers a clear, honest view of where the market stands and where it's heading. This year's findings reflect the impact of AI recruiting on employers and RPO partnerships, along with an annual update on what employers expect from their RPO partners." Lamees Abourahma, CEO of RPOA | "RPO is changing. What was once viewed primarily as a delivery model is now being pushed toward something more embedded in how the business operates. This shift is visible in how employers describe their RPO partnerships today." Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory | "The data confirms what our committee sees in the field: the hardest move for most organizations is from transactional to strategic, not from strategic to transformational. Buyers who define their expectations around technology, analytics, and business alignment early are the ones who reach the level where RPO drives real organizational outcomes." Joe Marino, RPOA Research Committee Chair |
2026 Executive Briefings
Each briefing unpacks one critical dimension of the full study, with data visualizations drawn directly from the 2026 research.
| How AI Is Redefining the RPO PartnershipThe rules of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partnership are being rewritten; not gradually, but now. This 18-page briefing includes 8 data visualizations drawn directly from the 2026 RPO Buyer Trends Study, giving you the charts and evidence you need to bring these conversations into your organization. |
| RPO Partnership Maturity ModelThis executive briefing examines the three-tier model of RPO partnership maturity — transactional, strategic, and transformational — and what the data reveals about the performance differences between them. It draws on survey data collected in January 2026 from 998 employers, including 454 active RPO users, making it the most comprehensive study of RPO buyer behavior available in the market. |
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Previous Editions
Ryan Henning, talent acquisition executive at OUHealth in Oklahoma City, speaks about RPO partnerships. |
About Us We are a member-driven, mission-driven association committed to serving and elevating the recruitment process outsourcing industry. Learn more about who we are and what we do. (c) 2026 Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association Contact us at info@rpoassociation.org.
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