Operating at a global scale brings plenty of opportunity, but it can also bring plenty of complexity, particularly when recruitment processes, technology and supplier arrangements need to work consistently across multiple markets.

The challenge

Yahoo wanted a more connected approach to hiring across APAC.

Its recruitment processes needed greater consistency and oversight, while its technology stack was not being used to its full potential. Employer brand recognition also varied across the region, making it harder to attract the right talent in every market.

Contractor management added another layer of complexity. With more than 40 recruitment suppliers involved, Yahoo was managing fragmented sourcing, payroll and administration processes alongside increased contractual and compliance risk.

The challenge was bigger than filling roles. Yahoo needed one approach spanning permanent, fixed-term and contractor hiring without adding even more moving parts.

The solution

Solve first partnered with Yahoo in 2019 to support a surge in hiring demand and introduce a more centralised recruitment model.

Our answer wasn’t another supplier but a dedicated talent team embedded within Yahoo’s People and Culture function, connecting its people, processes and technology through one Total Talent Management solution.

The tailored model included:

An embedded talent team: Dedicated Talent Acquisition Partners worked within Yahoo’s business, building a deeper understanding of its roles, culture and hiring needs.
Direct sourcing under the Yahoo brand: Solve represented Yahoo in the market, using its employer brand to engage candidates directly and reduce reliance on external recruitment suppliers.
Simpler recruitment processes: Solve reviewed the end-to-end hiring journey and removed more than 10 unnecessary steps.‍
A better-connected technology stack: System and process reviews helped Yahoo get more from its recruitment technology.
Stronger employer brand activation: Solve supported Yahoo in bringing its employee value proposition to life across APAC.
More consistent hiring practices: Hiring-manager training created a clearer and more effective approach to interviewing.
End-to-end contractor management: Solve managed contractor sourcing, onboarding, offboarding, payroll and compliance, supported by Talent’s contractor care experience.
A consolidated supplier model: More than 40 supplier relationships were streamlined into one supplier and one invoice, reducing administration and giving Yahoo greater control over its contingent workforce.
Clearer workforce data: Improved reporting gave Yahoo greater visibility over workforce costs, forecasting and hiring activity.

Solve also delivered value-add projects including employer brand consultation and candidate experience surveys, helping Yahoo continue improving its approach beyond day-to-day recruitment delivery.

The result

Across the five-year period measured, Yahoo built a faster, more consistent and more visible approach to hiring across five APAC locations.

Average time to hire fell by 43%, reaching just 22 days, while offer acceptance reached 94%.

Approximately 99% of hires were sourced directly using the Yahoo brand, reducing reliance on external agencies. Half of all hires were generated through headhunting, helping Yahoo reach talent that may not have been actively applying for roles.

Other outcomes included:

Around 60% of hires were women
More than 10 unnecessary recruitment steps removed
Reduced candidate drop-off through a simpler hiring journey
More than 40 suppliers consolidated into one
One invoice replacing fragmented supplier billing
Cost savings through consolidated and competitive fees
Greater visibility over workforce costs, forecasting and reporting
More consistent contractor onboarding, payroll, compliance and care

By bringing permanent, fixed-term and contractor hiring together, Yahoo gained more than a faster recruitment process. It gained a Total Talent Management model that reduced supplier complexity, strengthened workforce oversight and made hiring easier to manage across the region.

“You are the best recruiter I have had the pleasure of working with at Yahoo. No other recruiter has operated like you, moved as quickly as you, nor understood what we were looking for.”
Head of Global Strategy, Yahoo