SUPERIOR STAFFING SOLUTIONS FOR WAREHOUSING

FunxionO enables agile, focused and skilled workforces for the future. “We’re able to deliver on this ambitious purpose because of the sheer scale and quality of skills we can access, delivering people who add value on day one,” says Mike O’Donoghue, Managing Executive for Functional Outsourcing at Adcorp Group. “FunxionO is a subsidiary of Adcorp Group, which spans the entire ecosystem from flex to perm, including training and recruitment, all of which supports our specialised functional outsourcing solution.”

Functional outsourcing is a specific form of outsourcing that focuses on essential business tasks that do not form part of an organisation’s core business. The success of functional outsourcing comes down to accessing the right workforces, and combining them with the training, processes and technology that each function requires.

The benefits of functional outsourcing

In its 2020 Global Outsourcing Survey, Deloitte found that the main reasons companies choose functional outsourcing is cost saving, followed by flexibility, speed to market, access to tools and processes and agility. 

This is because competitive businesses today need to be all about faster, better, cheaper – without sacrificing quality. As companies race against each other to provide superior services, they need to be agile enough to adapt to the constantly changing needs and demands of today’s world. Functional outsourcing delivers on this promise.

“When we work with our warehousing clients, it’s a given that their core business is logistics,” explains O’Donoghue. “But there are many additional functions that support logistics that are not necessarily warehousing-specific. Most warehousing businesses are also not experts in South Africa’s labour dynamics in the same way that a business like FunxionO is.

“We bring specialist knowledge, expertise and experience relating to each outsourced function, and  our team is responsible for any licences or accreditation that the work requires. This is particularly critical when it comes to SHEQ (safety, health, environment and quality) regulations and risk mitigation.”

O’Donoghue also points out how FunxionO stays abreast of industry changes and trends, learning new techniques and constantly developing employee skills. “We invest in the required technology or systems that support the functions we take care of,  which means you don’t have to and in-house industrial engineers and process optimisation experts also unlock cost efficiency and optimisation that ultimately benefits our clients and drives competitiveness. 

“Most importantly, our premium service standard is supported by competitive pricing. Because our clients only pay for what they use, costs are managed. In addition, outsourcing of non-core activities removes the responsibility of staff recruitment, maintenance and discipline (including management of labour issues and disputes). This offers the flexibility to reduce or discontinue certain services in an adverse economic environment, without the cost of retrenchments.”

Consistency and stability

Outsourcing builds a level of consistency in your business. Particularly in an industry where time is literally money and how streamlined your logistics processes are means the difference between winning or losing a contract, employee turnover is painful. There is never a good time for someone to resign. Not only do you have to find a suitable replacement in a short amount of time, but all the time and money you spent on developing the staff member leaves too. Outsourcing creates consistency in the business, staff turnover becomes someone else’s concern, and your operations continue smoothly without interruption. 

The FunxionO difference

As functional outsourcing experts, FunxionO is committed to providing unique process outsourcing solutions that are rooted in integration, partnership and risk-sharing, enabling its clients to accelerate productivity, ensure business continuity and reduce costs. 

“We follow an operational approach that’s not based on a labour-intensive model, but rather on a measurable-productivity model. Together with our clients, FunxionO creates solutions to optimise productivity levels and efficiencies,” says O’Donoghue.

By the numbers

With over 30 years’ experience in staffing and outsourcing, FunxionO’s credentials are impressive:

• A R1.2 billion-turnover Functional Outsourcing division. 
• Productivity specialists within Manufacturing, Warehousing and Logistics. 
• Member of SAPICS, APSO and Capes
• Level 1 BBBEE through Adcorp Group