Anne Rutledge – Executive Director, Talent Solutions at Resourgenix
The contingent workforce is no longer playing a supporting role. It is centre stage, fundamentally changing how organisations attract, engage, and retain talent. As more industries rely on contingent workers, the way we manage them cannot stay stuck in the past. It’s not just about reducing costs anymore. It is about building smarter, more sustainable ways of accessing talent.
That is where direct sourcing comes in. According to the research company, Everest Group, 60% of large enterprises are already using or planning to use direct sourcing programmes. Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) go further, predicting that adoption will jump from today’s modest 1% of contingent spend to 10% in just two years, and 15% within the decade. In short: direct sourcing is no longer optional, it is fast becoming the standard.
So why is it taking off? Because it works. Direct sourcing allows organisations to tap into talent pools directly through their own employer brand rather than relying solely on agencies. It combines technology with personalisation, blending AI-driven platforms with human connection. This makes hiring faster, smarter, and more cost-effective. And as companies look for ways to stretch budgets and improve efficiency, direct sourcing offers a model that delivers both.
The benefits of direct sourcing have become very compelling in this time when companies need to review costs:
- Tech-driven, integrated approach: The Direct Sourcing 3.0 model combines employer branding, talent curation, and pooling software with personalization powered by automation melding human touch with AI efficiency as per the SIA.
- The growing trend towards integrated all-in-one platforms combining sourcing, CRM, chatbots, analytics, and talent marketing has drastically improved efficiency.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) is a key focus in modern workforce strategies. Everest Group finds that 67% of enterprises expect direct sourcing to boost diversity outcomes which makes it a compelling reason to make it the foundation of Contingent Talent Acquisition.
- By using inclusive employer branding messaging and AI-supported technologies, organisations can build diverse talent pools.
- Combining analytics into the program enables companies them to track candidate demographics and optimise pipelines with visibility and fairness built into the process.
At Resourgenix, we have seen this transformation first-hand. Working with one of South Africa’s leading banks, we built a direct sourcing programme that went live in just two weeks, launching a private community of more than 10,000 IT contractors. Half were internal alumni and existing contingent workers; half were external talent. The results spoke volumes: an average of two days to submit candidates, 15 days to fill roles, more than 600 placements over four years, and monthly savings exceeding R1 million in agency fees. Better yet, engagement was through the roof, with an average of more than 800 expressions of interest within 48 hours of publishing a role.
This case study proves what many in the industry are already realising: direct sourcing is not just about speed and cost. It is about building sustainable contingent talent pipelines, harnessing technology for smarter decision-making, and strengthening the employer brand as a magnet for talent.
The future of contingent workforce management will be brand-driven, technology-enabled, and strategically integrated into the wider talent strategy. Direct sourcing is the lever that makes this possible. At Resourgenix, we are not just watching this future unfold, we are building it, hand in hand with our clients.
