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Case Study: Transforming Talent Acquisition Through a Strategic RPO Engagement

by with No Comment Employer BrandingHiringHuman ResourcesJob MarketTalent Acquisition

Client Overview

A rapidly expanding company faced an ambitious hiring goal—closing 80+ positions within just three months. With an average Cost-to-Company (CTC) of ₹6 LPA per hire, the organization sought an agile and cost-efficient recruitment strategy to avoid the exorbitant expenses of conventional hiring models.

The Challenge: Speed, Scale & Cost

Traditional hiring avenues presented a significant financial burden. Partnering with external recruitment agencies would have meant shelling out a minimum of 8.33% of the annual CTC per hire. Given that at least 60-70% of the roles required immediate attention, this would have amounted to an overwhelming cost. Alternatively, building an in-house recruitment team would have entailed infrastructure investment, long-term salary commitments, and operational overhead—only to be left with redundant resources once the hiring drive concluded.

The client needed a strategic solution that could combine speed, scalability, and cost-effectiveness without sacrificing quality.

The Solution: A Customized RPO Model

Navvyasa Consulting stepped in with a Project-Based Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) solution, meticulously designed to align with the client’s aggressive hiring timelines. The engagement was tailored to:

  • Accelerate time-to-hire by leveraging our extensive talent networks and tech-driven sourcing methodologies.
  • Optimize recruitment costs, eliminating the need for excessive agency commissions.
  • Provide a scalable hiring model, ensuring efficiency without long-term internal resource constraints.

The Execution: Efficiency at Its Best

Through a multi-channel sourcing strategy, data-backed recruitment methodologies, and an expert team of recruiters, the project saw record-breaking closures. Key milestones achieved:

✅ 80+ roles successfully closed within the stipulated 3-month timeframe.

✅ Significant cost savings compared to traditional agency hiring fees.

✅ Enhanced candidate experience, ensuring long-term employer branding benefits.

By seamlessly integrating with the client’s internal HR processes, we functioned as an extension of their team, providing end-to-end recruitment support without the need for permanent staffing additions.

The Impact: Cost Optimization & Hiring Success

Had the client opted for external recruitment agencies, they would have incurred upwards of ₹40 Lakh in fees (based on a minimum 8.33% commission per role). Our RPO engagement slashed these costs drastically while delivering the same level of efficiency, if not better.

Furthermore, hiring an in-house recruitment team would have resulted in long-term overhead costs, with the added challenge of reallocation or redundancy post-project completion. Instead, with our agile RPO model, they were able to pay only for the recruitment expertise they needed—when they needed it.

Key Takeaways: Why RPO Works for Short & Long-Term Hiring Needs

Whether for a high-volume short-term hiring sprint or a long-term talent acquisition strategy, RPO provides companies with an adaptable, cost-efficient, and high-performance recruitment model. This engagement showcased how an RPO solution can be a game-changer—providing both immediate hiring impact and long-term operational savings.

🔹 Faster hiring cycles—reducing vacancy time and productivity loss.

🔹 Drastically lower costs compared to traditional recruitment models.

🔹 A fully flexible hiring structure—scaling up or down based on real-time demand.

Final Thought

For businesses looking to scale efficiently without ballooning recruitment expenses, an RPO partnership offers a strategic advantage—delivering both speed and savings without compromise. This case study stands as a testament to the power of well-executed recruitment outsourcing.

Rest the right way

Are you doing Rest Right?

by with No Comment Employer BrandingHuman ResourcesStartupsWork-life Balance

December brings in both the winter along with a 2 week time where the Global North becomes dormant. It is one of those times, you see an uptick in holidays, vacations and general ennui (seriously – boredom happens if you are in the Global South).

It is no wonder that it always has a slew of flues, colds, and general health upheaval.

Let’s be real, it is the month of rest. But do we really rest when we are supposed to?

As someone who is a chronic mobile user, I remember talking to my previous manager and having a burnout discussion. Post that discussion, I switched off my notifications for both my email and chat. Unless I am on my laptop, I rarely check any notifications.

It made me ask the question- does one have to be online 24×7 to be productive?

If you ask an Olympian they will tell you categorically NO!

So why do we as people treat rest as a bad word. Because productivity is less important than visibility. You are there 24×7, people will notice you more.

Honestly, that does work in some places, but you are becoming the mule, rather than a rockstar.

I have asked a lot of questions, let me answer some of them.

REST IS IMPORTANT FOR PRODUCTIVITY. Be a Rest Rockstar

There is no way to be productive without resting. Whether you are in a warzone or you are in a corporate office, having time to unwind is vital but we end up doing the rest wrong.

This time around, let’s make resting simple, easy, and achievable.

1. Always online

No call is important that you can’t take it tomorrow. Go on airplane mode while you are resting. Take your mind off work.

2. Find a hobby

Rest doesn’t mean being sedentary, figure out a way to move while resting. Does sound a bit contradictory but having your energy devoted to other outlets is also important.

3. Sleep

If you ask any sportsperson, they will tell you that sleep plays an important role in improving performance. Get those 8 hours of Zs and try to have them in one go. Nap when you can.

The idea of constant productivity is a downfall for so many professionals.

Why not this REST season, you rest like an Olympian!

An onboarding kit on the right, with text saying New Employee is not only momentous for the employee but organisation too

The Great Onboarding Kit for New Employees

by with No Comment Employer BrandingEngagementHiringOnboardingStartupsTalent Acquisition

The first footsteps in the organization if marked with apathy or regularity, lead to disengagement early on. There is no two ways about it that having a great onboarding is vital to welcoming new employees. It is about giving them all the resources that help them perform and settle in the organization.

During the peak of COVID, great onboarding meant a great Onboarding Kit. From fancy tumblers to t-shirts to sleek gadgets, organizations were going above and beyond to give that personal touch which was lacking due to the remoteness of employees. Now, even though a standard practice the oomph has gone from the Onboarding Kit.

As we enter the era of Back to Office, the onboarding kits are slowly making way for a more personalized touch at offices, from lunches to buddy programs and regular check-ins during hyper-care (first 90 days) period.

The question I posit is whether Onboarding Kit or Not?

Well, a good onboarding has to have two parts – 1. Introduction of the Company and Policies. Honestly, if an employee is not told of all HR policies on Day 1, there will never be another day. Company values and business propositions are the secondary agenda on the list. Even if the employee connects 10% on the first day it is enough to tether them to the organisation.

Also, good preparedness on the first day takes it to a whole another level- get their emails, IDs, and other resources pooled before they join and you are looking at a streamlined onboarding process. It doesn’t need a band or a welcoming crew, but a good step-by-step process to induct a new employee.

One of my best onboarding I think was with my first company, we got a three-day induction with leadership and understood what the company stood for. If someone asked me today what is TCOC I might still be able to tell all and it has been almost 8 years since I left that organisation.

Instilling values is a long-drawn process and requires effort at every step. But once it becomes a standard practice it is easier to replicate at mass scale.

It is harder to do so remotely, so an onboarding kit helps build that moment of happiness with the employee but alas as we move to more office setup, we are doing less of these.

So perhaps smaller mementos are in order, a laptop with personalized stickers, a shipper, or perhaps a photo frame to keep on your desk. A small knick-knack helps the employee feel their desk is their own but also reinforces that being a new part of the organization is momentous for the organization too.

A small effort towards making your onboarding standard and special is all you need for it to leave an impression that helps the employee navigate the first week jitters and make them feel at ease.

A candidate journey through recruitment is shown on left hand side and with text Engagement 101, adding human to candidate experience

Adding Human to Candidate Experience

by with No Comment Employer BrandingEngagementHiringJob MarketStartups

“Engagement may seem like it begins with the employee but Engagement starts with Candidate Experience.”

“HR have ghosted me” One of the very valid feedbacks we get from candidates is low engagement from recruiters.

Given that recruiters are hiring for multiple positions and don’t usually have the bandwidth to reply to each and every candidate, for a simple reason of sheer magnitude of hiring that happens. (Forgive them a little 🙂 )

But there are a few ways to make the candidate experience both personalized and where the candidate doesnt feel ghosted by HR.

Firstly, the recruiters should focus on building the image of the employer with few choice words, especially in start-up times. How do you come across is the main part, especially the first call and interview. This is Human Resources, neither you nor the candidate is indebted to “Getting the Job”.

Be honest, and say only if we like your profile, we will get back. Be consistent, if you are not able to reach back to a candidate drop them a message nonetheless.

“Remember every candidate in the process, is an employee in the making.”

This reminds me of one of the organizations where I was ghosted on the day of the interview but you won’t be able to guess that I did end up working there and perhaps, was one of the best tenures for me.

As I said the recruiter has to be human as the candidate is one.

Secondly, how do you make sure that 100s of people are feeling ghosted? This is resolved simply by making clear statements. “We will get back shortly” shouldn’t mean that you talk to the candidate in 20 days. Make sure you use the right words. Get your script in place and make sure you can create the company image as the interview process goes on.

And get back to them shortly, seriously, be a responsive hiring organization.

As for feedback, not every time recruiters get the best feedback from the hiring manager. So give feedback which is sandwiched between two great points about the candidate and one point where improvement is needed.

I know, honestly is desired but sometimes it is okay to be kinder than honest. Let them know there is always a next time.

Perhaps throw a Rangoli in the mix to switch things up. I kid. I kid.

On the other hand, to all candidates remember, your recruiter today is your colleague sometime later. A little humanness from your end will not go to waste. So show up when you say you will show up. If you hate being ghosted by recruiters, ghosting them back is only bad karma.

Engagement

Engagement 101 – Looking Beyond a Rangoli

by with No Comment Employer BrandingEngagementHuman ResourcesStartups

Does Engagement start with making a rangoli on Diwali and ending with Chocolates on New Year?

HR is often and mostly best synonymous with Rangoli and at worst with No Calls.

I remember during one of the Diwali celebrations, all of the HRs lamented that we didn’t have anyone to make a rangoli and we would be deprived of festive joy because of our serious lack of Rangoli-making skills. But that Engagement event went without a hitch and no one missed a well-made or worse-made Rangoli.

So the question remains how does one Engage an employee?

Is Rangoli the right answer for it? Engagement begins with understanding the DNA of the organization. It truly matters what kind of organization you are and aspire to be.

It also has to be a multi-pronged approach. It doesn’t have to have fancy gifts on every festive occasion or a plant in the onboarding kit to be environmentally friendly.

In one of the retail organizations- I used to give a Rs 10 chocolate to every Team Member I met in the store, it was one of those low-effort engagements that cost very little but made every team member a little bit happier.

On a very different organization – one of the key events was a hackathon and it was celebrated more than Diwali as it was predominantly an engineering organization.

So the answer is WHO is the organization, the key demographic, and what kind of culture you would like to cultivate.

If you start your engagement plan with a top-to-bottom approach, you will never even reach the middle, even if you know how to make a rangoli.

Your Engagement should always start with most of your employees and slowly go to the top.

Sustainable Choice for Attracting Top Talent

A Sustainable Choice for Attracting Top Talent

by with No Comment DiversityEmployer BrandingInclusionJob MarketStartups

Gen Z are looking for companies that walk the walk on sustainability, not just talk the talk. Going green isn’t just good for the planet, it’s a smart business decision that attracts and keeps top talent.

By implementing eco-friendly practices, you’re not just protecting the environment, you’re creating a conscious workplace culture that resonates with today’s generation.

So, what’s the ROI on this “investment” in Earth?
It’s a win-win! You get a dedicated, engaged workforce and a healthier planet.

Let’s break it down:
ROI stands for Return on Investment. It’s basically how much you get back for what you put in. When it comes to Earth, the “investment” is protecting its resources, and the “return” is a thriving business and a happy planet.

Here are some easy eco-actions you can take at work to attract and retain top talent, with benefits for everyone:

  • Give your office a makeover with a sustainable twist! Use recycled pallets for furniture, or host a competition for teams to create eco-friendly decorations from recycled materials.
  • Open the blinds, and embrace the golden hour vibe (save energy).
  • Ditch the Printer Habit (unless double-sided & recycled paper!) – Go digital!
  • Encourage your team to carry their refillable bottles, coffee mugs etc.
  • Skip the plastic utensils, straws, and cutlery at the office.
  • Reuse those notebooks, pens, and paper clips.

It’s those small efforts that can add up to big results!

Businesswoman hr registers new woman job candidate at workplace. Female manager character at registration new hire applicant. Concept of employment, hiring, recruitment. Vector illustratiom

Why Is Employer Branding Necessary For Your Recruitment Efforts?

by with No Comment Employer Branding

Recruitment has always run till very recent times on the belief that supply is more than demand. But as the war for talent continues and newer generations put work environment and salient benefits over monetary benefits, they have made recruitment a trickier business.

Before it was transactional where an employee gave in 9 hours and return took a market standard or higher compensation. Now it is about what is career progression planning, does the company supports the beliefs of the individual being interviewed, and whether the role itself lends to the personal aspirations of the candidates.

As rightly put by an HBR article, all organizations need to now have their three basic checks in place, what is the vision of the company and can that be trickled down to the employee base, what is the kind of talent that the company hires or the community that will be for the new hire and lastly how well does the role itself helps the prospective employee in their career and learning curve.

Although this does sound easy on paper, finding a cause that the employees can rally behind, a career progression plan that is equitable and fast-tracked enough for this newer workforce and a community of like-minded and talented individuals is not an easy task.

Having said that, if as a leader, whether a Start-up or a Legacy firm, working with your recruitment and HR team, and top management, can work out the three checks of what is your vision for the company, a learning and career path and finally the workgroup for your employees, it is easier to have your recruitment efforts lead to becoming the employer of choice.

It is always perceived that Employer branding is an external exercise but unless your employees are not becoming your brand ambassadors, the organization will always run on fumes of the three checks rather than having a great foundation backed by your talent.

Once the three checks are in place, all you need is to spruce up your candidate experience, where you become responsive and fast, your employee experience where the employee lifecycle is managed to provide maximum satisfaction to the employee, and an alum experience where your ex-employees will always feel part of the organization.