Customer success story

Accelerating innovation and efficiency in external workforce management

A Tier 1 UK university partnering with Guidant Global to transform and streamline its external workforce management through rapid implementation of innovative solutions.

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Impact at a glance

Transforming and streamlining external workforce management. Rapid implementation of innovative solutions.

2,000+

Invigilator shifts required between May and June

64%

Increase in worker demand in 2025 from 2024

165

Registered workers in an on-demand talent pool

6-week

Implementation period

MSP

Solution launched in October 2022

Programme impact: The partnership between Guidant Global and the University exemplifies a successful transformation in external workforce management, redefining what is possible with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and better candidate experiences.

£10 billion

Revenue

18,000

Number of employees

Region

Education

Industry

The Situation

A Managed Service Provider partnership launched in 2022

In August 2022, Guidant Global partnered with a tier 1 University in the UK, as a Managed Service Provider (MSP). A key priority for the University was to implement the model and Vendor Management System (VMS) technology in a six-week period to minimise disruption to the business, with Guidant successfully delivering on these ambitions timescales, and launching the MSP solution in October 2022.

Our partnership during the last three years has focused on ensuring operational best practices, driving cost efficiencies, and enhancing candidate experience, alongside identifying new opportunities to innovate across the Universities external workforce management.

Partnership began

2022

Guidant Global partnered with a tier 1 University in the UK, as a Managed Service Provider (MSP).

MSP solution launched

October 2022

Guidant successfully delivered on these ambitions timescales, launching the MSP solution in October 2022.

Key Challenges

Operating in challenging market conditions

Universities are currently operating in challenging market conditions, with government capped student fees and decreasing numbers of overseas students, with recent figures showing 16% fewer visa applications were made between July and September in 2024 compared to 2023. This has led Universities to need to look at how to optimise efficiency, create new cost savings, and find new opportunities to innovate in workforce management.

Talent supply chain inefficiency

The University has complex requirements for talent, from seasonal volume hiring for invigilators required each year, to sourcing niche, hard to find roles, such as IT. This combination of requirements had led to an inefficient supply chain, without clarity for which suppliers were the best fit for which categories.

Limited visibility

The previous approach to temporary workforce management meant that there were also varying agency commercial arrangements operated in silo across faculties, with limited visibility to analyse the external workforce cost base, to find opportunities for cost efficiency throughout the supply chain.

Limited data & insights

Previously getting insights into the external workforce had been a key challenge, with an inadequate functioning technology platform, this impeded the ability for meaningful data on talent demand, spend, supply chain performance, compliance and risk.

High Fluctuations in Talent Demand

Universities often require high volume, short-term, seasonal recruitment during Exam “season”. This year the University had a specific requirement for over 2,000 shifts of invigilators between May and June alone - an increase of 64% from 2024, with over 130 people needed on site each day across the locations on peak days.

Manual processes

Prior to Guidant Global’s partnership with this University, there was a strong reliance on inefficient and manual processes to manage these peak projects. This resulted in a lack of data, making it challenging and time consuming to get oversight of costs, check worker availability, identify shifts not covered, and manage payroll.

Future proofing processes in uncertain times

In these uncertain times, the University is consistently looking at what’s on the horizon to create strategies and solutions to overcome emerging challenges, and the partnership with Guidant Global has accelerated their ability to deliver on this.

Solutions

A partnership built on close alignment

A partnership built on close alignment, a Guidant Global team is fully integrated on-site to embed within the Universities culture, with tailored processes and configurations developed to align the Vendor Management System (VMS) more closely with the unique programme needs.

Guidant Global has implemented key strategic solutions to address the Universities key challenges and optimise their external workforce management.

01 Increasing Cost Savings +

Guidant has rationalised and optimised the supply chain, standardised terms of engagement to delivery cost savings, and tiering high performing suppliers by skill category PSL tiering to optimise quality and fulfilment.

02 Worker tenure cap +

After analysing workforce data from the VMS, Guidant was able to identify previously hidden long worker tenure. Guidant implemented a 2-year contingent worker tenure cap, in line with the Universities policy, to reduce long-term talent costs and create new savings that could be re-invested elsewhere.

03 Using Data to Mitigate Skills Gaps +

New specialist agencies were introduced to address gaps in supply while leveraging Guidant’s recruitment capabilities for core categories like IT and professional roles.

04 Direct Sourcing strategy +

A comprehensive Direct Sourcing strategy was implemented to address hard-to-fill roles, which required a targeted approach to attract and retain candidates.

05 New VMS technology platform +

Aligned to the Universities strategic priorities, and following a tech landscape assessment conducted by Guidant, the University has also now begun transition to a new VMS technology platform, to provide greater agility and address the Universities nuanced workforce management needs.

Outcomes

Transforming external workforce management

With the new tailored solutions, Guidant Global successfully transformed the Universities approach to external workforce management and achieved some exciting results. The University now has full visibility of data across non-permanent resources managed across all facilities and departments, enabling more strategic decision making.

2,000+

Invigilator shifts

64%

Increase in worker demand

165

Registered workers

1 week

All requested shifts booked

VMS

Technology transition

Full visibility of data

The University now has full visibility of data across non-permanent resources managed across all facilities and departments, enabling more strategic decision making.

Centralised and engaged talent community

The creation of a centralised and engaged talent community has enabled faster fulfilment, as well as retention of skilled and experienced talent

Shift management

Using a new mobile app for shift management has meant all requested shifts were booked within one week of release, using our talent pool of 165 registered workers.

New proprietary VMS technology

The transition to a new proprietary VMS technology has enabled better workforce management, cost savings, and enhanced user and candidate experience.

Strong trusted partnerships

On-site engagement, working alongside facilities and hiring managers has created strong trusted partnerships, enabling Guidant to create tailored recruitment solutions, and improve compliance and risk mitigation.

The partnership between Guidant Global and the University exemplifies a successful transformation in external workforce management, redefining what is possible with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and better candidate experiences.

Project impact

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