How MSPs Support Better EDI Outcomes and Inclusive Contingent Hiring

Nearly 20% of the UK workforce are in contingent roles. Yet, most organisations don’t consistently capture diversity data across those populations, leaving a major blind spot in their EDI strategy. 65 percent of companies plan to increase contingent labour use, making it more important to close this gap. A strategic Managed Service Programme (MSP) can help you close that gap by: Bringing your whole workforce into view Building EDI into every stage of the hiring process Turning Insight into Action Helping you deliver on strategic initiatives Making inclusion part of the day-to-day experience The business case for inclusive contingent hiring Organisations with inclusive contingent hiring practices see measurable improvements in workforce agility, innovation, and performance. A diverse supplier base can also support ESG goals and unlock new opportunities, particularly when bidding for public sector or large corporate contracts that increasingly require evidence of inclusive workforce practices. With contingent workers making up such a large share of the talent mix, overlooking them puts your reputation, resilience, and results at risk. Bring your whole workforce into view Contingent workers are often left out of EDI strategies entirely with no visibility over who’s being hired, how inclusive the process is, or what outcomes look like. You can’t improve what you can’t see. An MSP creates one joined-up picture of your entire workforce, providing you with info on who’s applying, who’s progressing, who’s converting, and who isn’t. This is done by: Setting up demographic data capture from the outset Normalising the conversation around why and how that data is collected Tracking shortlist diversity, interview progression, and offer conversion rates across suppliers Introducing EDI dashboards so you can see where action is needed That means you can make more informed decisions, spot trends and drop-offs, and understand where your process may be unintentionally biased, just as you would with permanent roles. Most clients don’t ask their suppliers for this data but we do. An MSP Provider becomes the connector between you, your supply chain, and your EDI ambitions. With a consolidated view of your contingent workforce, your leadership team can confidently report on inclusive contingent hiring progress across the board. “Our MSP platform made recruitment, contract extensions, and even rate reviews seamless. It’s helped manage the transition of over 700 contract workers and the knowledge of the Rullion team has been invaluable in the recruitment and maintenance of further workers. Simple, effective, and exceeding expectations.” — Recruitment Manager, Leading UK Energy Supplier Build EDI into every stage of the hiring process In fragmented supply chains, when contingent hiring is split across multiple suppliers, each with their own processes and standards, it means one may remove identifying data from CVs while another doesn't, and none of it ladders up to meaningful data. This makes it easy for inconsistencies to creep in, especially when it comes to inclusion. Your MSP partner brings consistency and accountability across the entire supply chain. From how jobs are written to how candidates are shortlisted, interviewed, and selected, we ensure inclusive practices are baked in from the start and not bolted on later. That includes: Reviewing job descriptions to remove bias or exclusionary language Using inclusive advert templates and gender decoders Providing anonymous CV screening where appropriate Setting clear diversity expectations for suppliers Guiding hiring managers through inclusive briefing and interview practices Launching focused campaigns to reach underrepresented talent, such as early careers or women in STEM We hold suppliers to account with diversity-focused performance metrics, helping you track progress and improve where it matters most Turn Insight into Action Collecting the data is one thing. Knowing what to do with it is another. Too often, diversity data is collected but not connected to hiring decisions making it impossible to act on. An MSP closes that loop by building feedback into every stage of the hiring journey. Your MSP can work with you to identify where inequalities exist in your contingent recruitment process and, more importantly, why. Are certain demographics dropping off at the shortlist stage? Are some interview processes unintentionally exclusive? Your MSP won’t just surface the issues; they’ll bring proven ideas, tested across similar organisations, on how to fix them. Help you deliver on strategic initiatives Beyond recruitment, an MSP provider can also act as a delivery partner for wider EDI programmes. You’ll often find the desire is often there, but internal teams don’t always have the capacity to turn ambition into delivery. Providers can help you operationalise your EDI strategy by: Designing and delivering inclusive graduate or apprenticeship programmes Developing routes for social mobility, disability inclusion or veteran employment Supporting supplier diversity goals Embedding EDI into quarterly reporting, KPIs and workforce planning We work with your internal HR, TA, and DE&I teams to bring these ideas to life without overloading your day-to-day operations. For example, we supported one of our energy clients in increasing their percentage of female contingent engineers from 12% to 19% through targeted outreach, inclusive job design, and local STEM engagement. Make inclusion part of the day-to-day experience Hiring diverse talent is only part of the work. Inclusion happens once people are through the door. MSPs help ensure your contingent workforce has a fair and equitable experience throughout their time with you. That could mean: Building visibility of contractor experience and access to opportunities Encouraging participation in ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) Giving contingent workers access to L&D, mental health resources, and well-being initiatives Identifying inequities in how feedback, recognition or progression is handled It’s about creating a sense of belonging, not just filling roles. Your MSP can help bring this to your attention and support you in embedding those practices across your organisation. A Trusted Partner for Long-Term Progress With the right partner, you don’t need to split your strategy across permanent and contingent teams. We help you bring everything under one umbrella. One view, one standard, one direction of travel with real traction. So if you're serious about EDI, don’t leave your contingent workforce behind.

Delivering a People-First MSP Workforce Solution for Energy at E.ON

The Challenge E.ON required a scalable workforce solution tailored to the challenges of the UK energy sector. A partner capable of scaling delivery rapidly while upholding the high standards expected in a regulated, business-critical environment. E.ON partnered with Rullion to deliver change at pace through a model that was scalable, values-led, and built for the future. Find and deploy qualified talent quickly Maintain full compliance across all hiring activity Improve speed-to-hire without compromising quality Reduce second-tier supplier reliance and improve fulfilment ownership Strengthen long-term workforce resilience in hard-to-fill roles A People-First MSP, Built for Scale To meet the complexity and urgency of E.ON’s hiring needs, we delivered a people-first MSP workforce solution for the energy sector, tailored specifically to E.ON’s goals, values, and operational environment. Designed for scalability, compliance, and cultural alignment, this solution focused on four core areas: 1. Behaviour-first hiring strategy Instead of hiring based purely on experience or technical skills, Rullion implemented a behavioural-first approach. Every candidate was assessed for alignment with E.ON’s culture and values, ensuring a stronger long-term fit. This shift helped E.ON: Improve retention and engagement Reduce rework and rehiring costs Build teams aligned with its mission and ways of working 2. Direct fulfilment model To remove bottlenecks and increase delivery accountability, Rullion deployed a 100% direct fulfilment model to reduce the cost and dependency on second-tier suppliers and improve the consistency of hires. A direct fulfilment model means Rullion sources, screens, and delivers candidates directly, rather than relying on multiple external agencies. This creates a single point of accountability, streamlining communication and ensuring higher quality and cultural alignment at every stage. For specialist or niche roles, we partnered with a small, carefully selected group of values-aligned suppliers. All were held to high standards via quarterly performance scorecards and our Supplier Code of Conduct. 3. Compliance and operational rigour Across the highly regulated energy industry, compliance couldn’t be compromised. Our MSP model embedded clear governance and process discipline across every stage. We achieved: 100% timesheet accuracy A simplified and more efficient onboarding process, reducing time-to-productivity All new starter met rigorous regulatory and process standards 4. Continuous improvement through data and dialogue Every element of the programme was tracked and evaluated against our Client Value Framework, which measures five key pillars: cost, compliance, operational performance, innovation, and social value. These metrics don’t just sit in reports; we use this data to drive continuous improvement. Trends were reviewed monthly at the leadership level and shaped into action through quarterly business reviews with E.ON stakeholders — driving improvements across onboarding, IT access, and escalation processes. What We Achieved Together The success of this MSP workforce solution in the energy sector was due to the strong partnership formed between E.ON and Rullion. Together, we delivered measurable improvements across every stage of the contingent workforce lifecycle: 99% fill rate across the MSP – critical roles were consistently filled, keeping operations running without interruption. 100% direct hires – enabling faster, higher-quality delivery and reduced reliance on external suppliers. +60 ‘Excellent’ NPS (Net Promoter Score) from hiring managers - reflecting strong satisfaction with responsiveness, quality, and collaboration. 25% improvement in interview-to-offer ratio – helping E.ON move more efficiently from shortlist to signed contract. 100% satisfaction in post-hire surveys – contingent workers reporting feeling supported, welcomed, and prepared from day one. 100% timesheet accuracy - ensuring contingent workers were paid on time and in full, reinforcing trust and reliability. Over 85% retention across placements – demonstrating a strong cultural match and long-term workforce stability. 11% of contingent workers converted to permanent roles – supporting capability growth and long-term workforce planning within E.ON’s teams. A Recognised MSP Model of Best Practice This programme has since become a benchmark within our wider MSP portfolio, recognised externally as a leading example of contingent workforce delivery and shortlisted for APSCo OutSource MSP of the Year for its outstanding results, innovation, and partnership-led success.

How Rullion Is Supporting the UK Rail Workforce Through Innovation and Events

This summer, our Rail team hit the ground running. From inflatable obstacle courses and keynote sessions to innovation showcases and heritage celebrations. We’ve been listening, learning and getting stuck in at some of the biggest rail events of 2025. We attended: Big Rail Diversity Challenge – Newark Showground Rail Live – Warwickshire Rolling Stock Networking Show – Derby Alstom Railway 200: The Greatest Gathering – Derby These events are about engaging with the future of UK rail; on the ground, in conversation, and face to face with the people shaping change. Here’s what we took away. Building Inclusion, On and Off Track The Big Rail Diversity Challenge blends team-building with big-picture thinking. Organised by Women in Rail, the event aims to drive equality and inclusion by encouraging gender-balanced teams to tackle physical, mental and team challenges. Think foam-based puzzles, inflatable obstacles, and collaboration under pressure. For our first year taking part, we invited five colleagues from Siemens Mobility to join five of our own people. None of the group had worked together before (which was kind of the point). By the end of the day, that changed. “I’ve used muscles I’ve not used in years! But I’m buzzing with how everyone got properly involved. That’s the real win.” - Jake, Account Manager, Rullion “Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday - it was a truly comical event! A shame we didn’t place higher than 28th, but that doesn’t take away from any of our efforts and certainly not the fun we had.” - Ieuan Wynne, Test Engineer, Siemens Mobility The event also featured short talks, lived experience sessions and a clear message: inclusion isn’t optional, it’s the backbone of a modern rail workforce. It was also a chance for us to reflect on how we build inclusive teams internally and what practical lessons we could take forward. Our ongoing commitment to inclusion was recently recognised when we received the Driving Equal Opportunity Award from Alstom UK & Ireland. Innovation and Skills Go Hand-in-Hand At Rolling Stock Networking (RSN) and Alstom Railway 200, we saw first-hand how the pace of change is reshaping rail, and what that means for skills. From AI-powered diagnostics and condition-based maintenance to modular carriage design and hybrid traction systems, RSN brought together over 150 exhibitors and thousands of attendees all focused on innovation. We also joined the RIA conference to hear what’s next for procurement, refurbishment, and fleet decarbonisation. “Events like RSN are brilliant for sparking ideas. The innovation on show really highlights how workforce skills must keep pace.” - Julian Elmore, Senior Account Manager, Rullion Meanwhile, Alstom Railway 200 at Derby’s historic Litchurch Lane Works brought the community together for a once-in-a-generation celebration of UK rail. With test track rides, heritage locomotives and next-gen rolling stock on display, it was a powerful reminder of rail’s legacy - and its future. The message across both events was clear: tech is changing, and so must our approach to building and training rail teams. What We Heard at Rail Live At Rail Live, the largest outdoor rail exhibition in the UK, we had the chance to connect with new and long-term partners, including Siemens Mobility. One of the highlights was seeing the UK’s first Rail Charging Converter (RCC) in action, launched by Siemens in partnership with Porterbrook. It transforms 11kV grid supply into 25kV for battery and electric train charging (a flexible solution for non-electrified lines). We also joined sessions on policy, engineering, and safety, with big conversations around: Delays and resets in HS2 Phase Two Emerging demand for flexible infrastructure skills The challenge of preparing for change in an aging workforce 62% of UK rail employers cite skills shortages as a major challenge, and 1 in 5 workers is over 55. The need for future-ready skills is urgent. Turning Insight into Action We work closely with clients to understand their world and build practical, people-focused solutions. We help people to Get Work Done. That might mean: Providing reliable contingent rail staff Creating fully managed workforce programmes Running Train to Deploy models that recruit on mindset and train for skills It’s all about helping the industry respond to change; whether that’s new technologies, safety standards or diversity goals. Explore stories like Rosie’s, whose 25+ years in rail show the value of neurodiverse-friendly workplaces. Or read how veterans are bridging critical workforce gaps.