Services Procurement shaping modern workforce strategies
Why formalising services procurement is key to modern workforce strategy
In this article, Everest Group’s guest authors—Soumya Bansal and Lokesh Goyal—explore how organisations are embracing more flexible talent models.
As workforce strategies evolve, organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of formalising services procurement. What was once a decentralised, siloed process is now becoming a structured and strategic pillar of workforce strategy. This shift reflects a broader move toward flexible, agile talent models—where service engagements are aligned with business goals, performance metrics, and compliance standards.
Why Services Procurement belongs in workforce strategy
Organisations are rethinking services procurement as a workforce strategy essential. Here’s why:
Reduce compliance risks and cost leakage. Ad hoc service engagements often lead to inconsistent contracts, maverick spend, and regulatory exposure. A formalised process reduces risk and enforces accountability.
Increase spend visibility and forecasting. With centralised oversight, companies can track project budgets, vendor performance, and ROI in real-time—enabling smarter workforce planning.
Improve project outcomes and supplier performance. By standardising how services are sourced and evaluated, organisations can drive better results, improve vendor relationships, and ensure consistent quality.
The role of Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) have emerged as strategic enablers of this transformation. Beyond just managing contingent labour, MSPs now bring specialised tools, governance frameworks, and analytics that support a more mature, scalable approach to services procurement. MSPs help organisations:
- Implement structured, compliant processes
- Gain real-time insights into supplier performance
- Align procurement with business goals and talent needs
- Enable cost control and deliver savings against agreed service contracts
Key takeaways
Services procurement is no longer just a procurement task—it's a core part of modern workforce planning.
Organisations must evolve from decentralised and reactive approaches to structured, data-driven models.
MSPs play a crucial role in enabling this transformation through tools, governance, and strategic insights.