94 Percent of Business Leaders Say Outsourcing is Key to Workforce Transformation

67 percent cite AI as important capability when choosing an outsourcing partner

As organizations reboot their global talent strategies, dedicated staffing is growing in adoption – offering greater control, transparency, and cultural alignment

94 percent of business leaders say outsourcing plays a significant role in workforce transformation, and over half believe their competition is gaining competitive advantage by leveraging outsourcing and offshoring talent. And 67 percent say AI readiness is now a key differentiator when choosing an outsourcing partner.

These are a few of the findings of a new report by Everest Group, supported by Emapta, a global leader in offshore AI-ready dedicated staffing and workforce advisory services. The study explores current and future levels of outsourcing, and its changing nature, finding its use has shifted from a tactical cost lever to a strategic operations engine.

60 percent of those surveyed now use outsourced talent to support three or more business functions. Additionally, the vast majority expect their outsourcing footprint to expand in the next 12-18 months, as 8 out of every 10 respondents foresee maintaining or increasing their level of outsourcing.

Rather than diminishing the relevance of outsourcing, the research finds AI is expanding and enhancing its value. 44 percent of enterprises are expanding the scope of outsourcing to leverage providers’ AI tools, data capabilities or specialized talent, especially for AI services.

While respondents perceive outsourcing as a strategic enabler, there is growing frustration with outsourcing models that are falling short on many levels. 50 percent of respondents cite inconsistent talent quality as a top challenge, 43 percent struggle to manage multiple providers, and 39 percent are challenged with cross-time-zone coordination. Additionally, over one-third of respondents face difficulty aligning disparate processes across functions or geographies – all these issues can slow decision making and disrupt real-time resolution.

There is growing recognition of the advantages of the dedicated staffing model over legacy Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) models to overcome these challenges. 49 percent of enterprises currently utilize a dedicated staffing model within their outsourced operations, and an additional 35 percent are considering or planning to adopt it within the next 12-18 months. The research found the top functions leveraging dedicated staffing are IT, engineering, finance and accounting, marketing and data and analytics. It also finds a growing new class of AI-centric roles suited for outsourcing, which will expand outsourcing’s strategic relevance.

“Outsourcing is taking on new strategic importance as talent shortages drive demand for expertise at scale,” said Christina Snyder, Global Chief Growth Officer and U.S. President for Emapta. “With dedicated staffing, companies can access AI-ready, highly skilled talent, ensure consistent quality, and directly manage offshore teams without time zone challenges. This enables organizations to scale globally while maintaining alignment and operational excellence."

“Organizations are increasingly leveraging outsourcing strategically to accelerate reskilling, scale digital talent, and embed technology into the operational fabric, and with these rising expectations, the shortcomings of legacy BPO models are being revealed,” said Chhandak Biswas, Vice President, Everest Group. “Enterprises are adopting new engagement models to address these inefficiencies, and to gain greater control, scalability, transparency, and cultural alignment, unlocking the next wave of value from outsourcing.”

To learn more about the research, please visit Emapta.com and/or register for the webinar, 2026 Outlook: New Research on the Future of Outsourcing and the Rise of the AI-Ready Workforce at 11:30 a.m. ET Dec. 10.

Survey Methodology

The study surveyed 125 respondents who were C-suite/ senior executives, executive vice presidents, and directors in North American businesses in healthcare, technology, retail and commercial banking, mortgage, insurance, telecom and media, franchisee, private equity, and professional services verticals with annual revenues of $100 million or more.

About Emapta

A pioneer in the outsourcing industry, Emapta is creating a new standard for how businesses leverage high performing offshore and nearshore teams, offering maximum control, transparent pricing and flexibility as a seamless extension of onshore teams. Providing dedicated teams across 20 locations in the world’s most skilled talent hubs, Emapta offers clients tailored solutions backed by workforce advisory services, supercharging talent strategies with AI-readiness, agility and operational efficiency.

Founded in 2010 and a certified B Corp, Emapta supports more than 1,000 clients in 30+ countries with a global workforce of more than 12,000 team members. By continuously adapting to market demands, Emapta remains at the forefront of outsourcing, defining the future of work and enabling clients to access AI-ready talent globally.

To learn more, visit www.emapta.com or follow Emapta on LinkedIn.

About Everest Group

Everest Group is a leading global research firm helping business leaders make confident decisions. Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® assessments provide the analysis and insights enterprises need to make critical selection decisions about global services providers, locations, and products and solutions within various market segments. Likewise, providers of these services, products, and solutions, look to the PEAK Matrix® to gauge and calibrate their offerings against others in the industry or market. Find further details and in-depth content at www.everestgrp.com.

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94% of business leaders say outsourcing plays a significant role in workforce transformation, and over half believe their competition is gaining competitive advantage by leveraging outsourcing and offshoring talent.