Outsourcing the procurement of agency workers: the impact of vendor managed services in English social care

TY - JOUR

T1 - Outsourcing the procurement of agency workers: the impact of vendor managed services in English social care

AU - Hoque, Kim

AU - Kirkpatrick, Ian

AU - Lonsdale, Chris

AU - de Ruyter, Alex

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - In recent years marked changes have occurred in the way employers recruit and select agency workers, with this activity increasingly being outsourced to third party organizations providing ‘vendor managed services’ (VMS). Drawing on data from a study of English social services, this article explores the consequences of this outsourcing. The findings reveal that although VMS has delivered cost savings, it has also resulted in less effective placement matching, rising line manager workloads and concerns about service quality. In the conclusion the wider implications of VMS for the future development of partnerships between employers and employment agencies are discussed.

AB - In recent years marked changes have occurred in the way employers recruit and select agency workers, with this activity increasingly being outsourced to third party organizations providing ‘vendor managed services’ (VMS). Drawing on data from a study of English social services, this article explores the consequences of this outsourcing. The findings reveal that although VMS has delivered cost savings, it has also resulted in less effective placement matching, rising line manager workloads and concerns about service quality. In the conclusion the wider implications of VMS for the future development of partnerships between employers and employment agencies are discussed.

U2 - 10.1177/0950017011407971

DO - 10.1177/0950017011407971

M3 - Article

SN - 0950-0170

VL - 25

SP - 522

EP - 539

JO - Work, Employment and Society

JF - Work, Employment and Society

IS - 3

ER -