Which services are business most likely to outsource?

YouGov analysis of how small, medium, and large firms use external suppliers.

For British businesses, outsourcing represents an easy solution to problems they can’t – or don’t want to – tackle in-house. If an organisation might not be inclined to pay for a web developer, a graphic designer, or an accountant full-time, they may well be willing to rent their services from a contractor or agency.

But how common is outsourcing in the UK? And which functions are British enterprises most keen to hand off to third parties?

New research from YouGov reveals that 70% of business decision-makers have allowed external providers to handle key services. It also examines the appetite for and attitude to outsourcing among UK enterprises – whether they use it as a way to expand their capabilities, keep headcount low, or simply focus on doing what they do best.