Getting started with MSP: The benefits of a first-generation programme
Francis Ljubic, Pontoon’s Director of Global Service Design - MSP, shares how a first-generation MSP programme can deliver immediate value and lay the foundations for longer-term competitive advantage.
Francis Ljubic, Pontoon’s Director of Global Service Design - MSP, shares how a first-generation MSP programme can deliver immediate value and lay the foundations for longer-term competitive advantage.
Reliance on the contingent workforce has grown significantly in recent years, as organisations look to alternative sourcing channels and flexible talent to address challenging and fast‑moving market conditions. As these models expand, a structured approach to workforce management becomes essential. That starts with a robust MSP programme.
Some businesses already run highly successful and advanced MSPs, built up over time to incorporate high levels of innovation and automation. When starting the MSP journey, it’s easy to assume this level of functionality is required from the outset. However, our experience shows that MSP success often comes from limiting complexity in the initial scope and establishing a manageable foundation to build from. A solid, reliable ‘first-generation’ programme can deliver immediate, tangible value while also building the infrastructure needed for future evolution.
Establishing the fundamentals
With a first-generation MSP model, you’re building a baseline programme structure with standard processes, KPIs, and governance that turn fragmented processes into a centralised workforce management operation. Central to this is effective supplier management, supported by a Vendor Management System (VMS) that your MSP will implement, configure and administer to centralise requisitions, track compliance, and provide visibility into spend and performance.
Quick wins include:
- Negotiated rate reductions
- Elimination of rogue spend
- Supplier consolidation
- Reduced admin and process friction
- Consistent management of requisitions, timesheets and supplier communications
Building strategic foundations
Establishing a baseline programme delivers immediate gains in cost control and process discipline. But the true value of a first-generation MSP lies beyond these efficiencies.
Pontoon sees first-generation programmes as the cornerstone of strategic workforce management transformation. It’s the starting block for a journey towards integrated, agile workforce solutions that combine global compliance expertise, actionable workforce analytics and a roadmap for future expansion.
It’s a dynamic foundation for growth that includes:
Strategic workforce insight. Our first-generation MSP programmes improve workforce planning and supplier management. They also deliver predictive analytics on workforce trends that inform broader HR strategy. In many cases, implementation often reveals improvement opportunities organisations simply didn't know existed.Global compliance and best practice. We understand that worldwide operation brings regional complexity and we turn this into a competitive advantage. As experienced MSP providers, we add significant value through our knowledge, such as co-employment laws in the US, IR35 compliance in the UK, or local labour codes across APAC.
Future-ready design. We always think of a first-generation MSP as phase one of a longer journey to ensure that your MSP programme can grow and evolve alongside your business needs. We design with future expansion in mind, whether that’s integrating Services Procurement, Direct Sourcing, or transitioning to a total talent management model at a later point.
Strong foundations with a focus on people
People drive business outcomes, and positive experiences support faster time-to-productivity and long‑term workforce stability. In our MSP programmes, experience is central to building trust and creating a more stable, productive workforce community. Fair workplace treatment that restores stability
We focus on: