Client Challenge
A leading diagnostic services company faced an unprecedented recruitment challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization needed to hire over 130 frontline workers quickly to meet surging demand for testing and services.
The client projected a $1.8 million hiring bill using traditional recruitment agencies. The client’s internal Talent Acquisition team was already stretched thin, struggling with:
- Aggressive timelines
- Lacked internal bandwidth
- Lack of standardized hiring protocols
- Lack of surge hiring expertise and experience
The client evaluated two models: turnkey RPO vs. contract recruitment. With strict timelines and regulatory exposure, time was critical. They faced potential fines, future business disruption, and reputational harm if compliance requirements were not met. Internally, they did not have the expertise required to lead the initiative. Given the stakes, they chose a turnkey RPO solution.
The client selected Robertson’s Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) solution, designed for high-volume hiring across diverse geographies and supported by a specialized team with deep experience in mass recruitment and structured delivery.
Robertson’s Approach
Strategic Alignment and Rapid Onboarding
Within the first week, Robertson completed an intensive onboarding process to understand the client’s geographical challenges, identify the key milestones, and establish a clear plan to meet them. Robertson integrated a dedicated project team, met with regional directors and other stakeholders, and developed a customized approach that ensured flawless execution. Training was rolled out immediately so that the team could begin hiring two weeks into the engagement.
Robertson’s team integrated directly with the client’s systems and workflows to gain immediate visibility into job requisitions and approvals across a mix of remote, ultra-remote, and urban locations. During the integration, the team identified critical bottlenecks in requisition approvals, candidate screening, and interview scheduling, and resolved them by introducing a redesigned, streamlined process. This process included daily updates and transparent reporting dashboards that provided real-time visibility into recruitment activity, ensuring full alignment with stakeholders throughout the engagement.
Targeted Sourcing and Workflow Improvements
Robertson refined the sourcing strategy by leveraging the client’s existing databases to build targeted candidate pools and actively engage them throughout the process. Multiple geographies were managed in parallel to reduce delays between screening, interviews, and offers, supported by high-volume video interviewing that required precise coordination and self-scheduling tools. Hiring efforts were also aligned regionally, clustering recruitment activity to streamline logistics, onboarding, and early engagement with local team leads.
Around-the-Clock Recruitment Execution
Robertson’s team operated with agility and urgency, coordinating schedules across multiple locations and time zones. The team also standardized the job application process — including job descriptions, shift disclosures, and pay details across four provinces — along with onboarding documentation, IT access setup, and Day 1 readiness. These improvements strengthened consistency and enhanced the overall candidate experience.
The Results
Robertson delivered the high-volume hiring outcomes the client urgently needed, rapidly stabilizing frontline capacity during peak pandemic demand. Within weeks, the RPO model filled critical roles, resolved internal bottlenecks, and restored confidence in the organization’s ability to scale under pressure. By combining streamlined processes, a coordinated scheduling model, and a regionally aligned sourcing strategy, Robertson accelerated hiring speed, improved talent quality, and reduced overall costs.
- Reduced recruitment spend by over $1.5 million, cutting cost per hire by 83% compared to traditional agency methods
- Time-to-hire compressed from 45 days to just 15 days
- Operational output increased, with production capacity rising ahead of schedule due to faster workforce deployment and better-qualified candidates
- Internal satisfaction improved, as faster timelines and transparent processes strengthened collaboration with internal stakeholders
- Project delivered at least 30 days ahead across all geographies, and up to 75% faster in Saskatchewan (completed in one week instead of the originally planned four weeks)
Long-Term Talent Acquisition ROI
Robertson redesigned the application and screening workflow by introducing a structured questionnaire, standardizing job descriptions around true must-have requirements, and aligning role information to each region’s operational needs. The clarity and efficiency of this model led the client to adopt it as their new recruitment operating procedure.
This shift created lasting value across the organization. Time to hire improved, candidate quality and retention strengthened, and recruiters gained back meaningful hours once lost to manual steps. The organization saved thousands of hours and thousands of dollars, and the tools Robertson built now form the foundation of their long-term hiring framework.
