Did you know that Ukraine is one of the top destinations for outsourcing globally? The global outsourcing market is also expected to grow to more than 490 billion US dollars by 2030.
From small start-ups to large international firms, more organisations are turning to outside experts to get the job done. But which countries are leading the way? What types of work are being outsourced the most? And how much money can a business really save by outsourcing?
Here, you will find over 60 key outsourcing statistics that illustrate how the industry is evolving globally. These facts will help you understand where outsourcing is growing.
Outsourcing has become a key strategy for companies across the UK and Europe. Businesses increasingly rely on external partners to handle specialised tasks, reduce costs, and focus on core activities. Across different sectors, outsourcing takes on unique roles.
IT and Technology: According to YouGov, 34% of B2B organisations in the UK outsource IT jobs, making it the country’s most commonly outsourced service. UK companies, including major banks and tech firms, frequently outsource software development and IT infrastructure management. This allows them to access highly skilled talent while reducing operational costs.
Finance and Accounting: The finance and accounting industry is also a top outsourcing industry. Many UK SMEs outsource payroll, bookkeeping, and tax compliance. Countries like Vietnam and Poland are considered top destinations for accounting outsourcing.
Customer Support: Customer service outsourcing is common in retail, telecoms, and e-commerce. Deloitte’s Global Outsourcing Survey shows that 37% of UK firms outsource at least a large part of their customer care roles.
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Outsourcing adoption in the UK is widespread, with only 25% of companies reporting that they never outsource, according to YouGov. This means 75% of UK businesses use external service providers for at least some job functions. Across Europe, adoption varies by country and sector. Eastern European countries are major software outsourcing hubs, while Western European nations tend to outsource selectively, focusing on finance and customer support.
Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria: These countries are nearshore European leaders for IT and software outsourcing. They offer strong technical skills, cultural alignment with Western Europe, and competitive costs.
India: The South-Asian country still dominates as a global outsourcing destination, particularly for IT, customer support, and back-office operations. Approximately 59% of U.S. companies outsource to India, and many UK firms also leverage Indian IT expertise for cost-effective scaling.
Philippines: This country is popular for business process outsourcing (BPO) and call centres, particularly for English-language customer support.
Other regions: In Europe, Germany, France, and Spain outsource selectively to specialist vendors, while Eastern European countries take a larger share of IT and software outsourcing.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is a key driver of IT outsourcing, according to Dreamix. This is because companies are increasingly moving workloads off-premise to reduce costs and improve performance.
Automation and AI in Outsourced Processes
Automation tools and AI are also transforming outsourcing. Businesses that outsource IT, finance, and HR functions report up to 25% improvement in process efficiency due to automation and expert-driven service models (PwC). In the UK and EU, this trend allows smaller teams to handle more complex work while relying on outsourced specialists for repetitive or high-volume tasks.
Productivity and Monitoring Tools
Successful outsourcing relies on project management software, performance dashboards, and communication platforms. These tools help UK/EU companies manage remote teams across multiple time zones, ensuring that service quality and deadlines are met.
The IT Outsourcing market in the United Kingdom is projected to reach US$44.50bn by 2025, with a steady annual growth rate of 7.18% forecasted through 2030, resulting in a projected market volume of US$62.96bn by 2030 - Statista
Average spend per employee in UK IT outsourcing is expected to reach US$1.24k in 2025 - Statista
Globally, the United States dominates IT outsourcing revenue, generating US$218.02bn in 2025, highlighting the relative scale of the UK market - Statista
India remains the top outsourcing destination, chosen by 59% of U.S. companies for its highly skilled and cost-effective workforce - Orient Software
The United States leads the global outsourcing market, with 84% of outsourcing contracts originating from U.S. businesses - Zippia
In the United Kingdom, only 25% of companies have never outsourced, showing widespread adoption of external service providers - YouGov
China is the largest manufacturing and production outsourcing market - Invedus
Poland, Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria represent nearly 40% of the global software outsourcing market in Eastern Europe - Dreamix
Business process outsourcing accounts for 9% of the Philippines’ GDP - Invedus
Technology startups outsource more frequently than non-tech companies - Faster Capital
By the end of 2025, nearly one-third of global IT services will be outsourced - Dreamix
92 out of 100 of the world’s largest 2,000 corporations rely on IT outsourcing - Dreamix
The global IT outsourcing market is part of a wider industry expected to reach $731 billion in 2025, signaling steady expansion and continued demand - Dreamix
Cloud computing remains the top driver of IT outsourcing growth, as companies move workloads off-premise to reduce costs and improve performance - Dreamix
38% of global companies outsource recruitment functions to third-party agencies for hard-to-fill roles in IT, healthcare, and logistics - Statista
49 % of organisations outsource some form of training and development - Training Industry
The outsourcing industry is shifting from cost efficiency to digital transformation enablement - Mordor Intelligence
IT outsourcing dominates all industries with 46% market share - Mordor Intelligence
The employment growth in outsourcing is fueled by increasing demand for software developers, QA analysts, and testers - Mordor Intelligence
Around 66% of businesses in the US now outsource at least one department - Mordor Intelligence
Around 60% of all manufactured products are produced through outsourcing - Invedus
Pharmaceutical companies rely on outsourcing for around 60% of their total manufacturing - OptiBPO
Nike outsources work to over one million people worldwide - Harvard
Approximately 300,000 U.S. jobs are outsourced each year - Zippia
27% of small businesses outsource to boost efficiency and productivity - Invedus
Small businesses spend an average of $198,550 annually on outsourcing services - Clutch
Accounting and IT are the most frequently outsourced tasks for small businesses - Clutch
Problem-solving ability is the top quality small businesses look for in outsourcing partners - Upcity
Cost remains the biggest obstacle small businesses face when outsourcing - Upcity
Smaller companies are more likely than large organisations to outsource payroll management - Statista
Companies can reduce labour costs by up to 80% by outsourcing non-core functions - Finmasters
Outsourcing to the Philippines can lower labour expenses by around 70% - OutsourceAccelerator
Businesses save between 20% and 70% on operational costs when outsourcing to third-party service providers - Statista
Companies outsourcing IT and finance functions report an average 32% reduction in labour costs and up to 25% improvement in process efficiency due to automation and expert-driven service models - PwC
32 in every 100 company of companies outsource to save costs - Finmasters
57 in every 100 company cite cost reduction as their primary objective when engaging in outsourcing contracts - Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey
Information technology remains the most outsourced business function worldwide - Radixweb
Customer service leads the global business process outsourcing (BPO) market - Grandview Research
76% of companies outsource IT functions, compared to 52% that outsource business operations - Finmasters
IT services account for 75% of all global outsourcing contracts - ISG
64% of companies outsource legal tasks to third-party providers - Finmasters
81% of businesses outsource their cybersecurity operations - Finmasters
80% of companies do not plan to outsource sales or marketing roles - Teamstage
Lead generation and cold calling are the most frequently outsourced sales activities - Sopro
1. Cost Reduction
Outsourcing allows businesses to reduce labour and operational costs significantly. Companies can cut labour costs by up to 80% when outsourcing non-core functions. For example, outsourcing IT or finance functions can lead to an average 32% reduction in labour costs and up to 25% improvement in process efficiency due to automation and expert service models.
2. Access to Specialised Talent
Outsourcing helps address skills shortages in specialised areas. For UK and EU companies, using external providers in Poland, Romania, or India gives access to highly skilled IT developers, QA analysts, and cybersecurity experts without the need to hire locally.
3. Scalability & Flexibility
Organisations can scale operations up or down quickly through outsourcing. In the UK, 66% of businesses outsource at least one department, showing that companies use external providers not just for cost savings but to flexibly manage workloads during peak periods or special projects.
4. Business Continuity & Risk Management
Outsourcing helps companies maintain continuity and manage operational risks. By relying on specialists for IT, finance, and customer support, businesses can reduce disruptions from staff shortages, technology failures, or regulatory compliance issues.
Outsourcing continues to shape how businesses work and grow across the world. As technology keeps advancing, outsourcing will play an even bigger role in helping organisations adapt to change and focus on what they do best. Understanding these outsourcing statistics can help any business plan smarter, make better choices, and take advantage of new opportunities in the global market.
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