Outsourcing could help organisations get in shape in time for the end of the recession, according to an expert.

Preparation for when the economy turns for the better should be part of every human resources strategy, says Sean Craig, head of managed services at Capita Learning & Development.

He believes outsourcing can bring huge benefits, freeing up teams to concentrate on areas core to their own business, while still reducing cost and improving quality and flexibility.

“Apart from the obvious (and expected) cost efficiencies from having an ‘extended’ team without the fixed-cost overheads, the flexibility and improvements in quality achieved by organisations that do this for a living can far outweigh the hassle and often limited success organisations have by trying to do it all themselves,” he adds.

Mr Craig also thinks that working with a partner whose role it is to drive efficiencies will help companies increase control over spending.

Prices in the IT outsourcing market are also predicted to drop by between five and 20 per cent in 2009-10, according to research firm Gartner.