Staff Augmentation – Best Practices, Pros and Cons
Staff augmentation can help a business of any size and from any industry by providing external teams to achieve its goals. Here, we’ll discuss the best practices, pros, and cons of partnering with a staff augmentation company. Staff augmentation has changed how organizations manage their projects and hire new employees for various jobs. It is helping businesses reduce recruiting costs while providing better scalability and greater performance. Moreover, staff augmentation reduces the concerns of labor shortages. Statistics show that IT and Data is the top sector with a 27% labor shortage in the global market. It is followed by Engineering (22%), Marketing and Sales (20%), Operations and Logistics (19%), and Customer Facing and Front Office (17%). Staff augmentation services provide a reliable solution to bridge the talent gap in the enterprise without the need for full-scale hiring. It is a comprehensive method to gain access to various talents in the industry for as long as you want. But how can staff augmentation help my company? Why is it so important in today’s world? What are the best practices to follow when partnering with a staff augmentation company? Let’s find out the answers to these questions and more in this blog. Why is Staff Augmentation Important? Staff augmentation is the process of temporarily bringing in external talent to work on your project. The experts will collaborate and work alongside your existing employees and deliver the project as per your requirements. Once done, the experts will no longer be associated with your establishment. There are no restrictions on the type and size of the external team you want to hire. Nearshore staff augmentation refers to the process of hiring external employees from the same or nearby regions or countries. Such teams are preferred for long-term and complex projects as they allow the employees to work on-premises and remotely. On the other hand, offshore staff augmentation is also popular among IT companies. This allows the external teams to work remotely and collaborate with your employees. It is more flexible and gives you greater control over the project. It is also cost-effective as you can choose staff augmentation firms from another country or region. Either way, staff augmentation prevents talent shortages in the business while ensuring you don’t have to hire employees permanently. 12 Best Practices of Staff Augmentation Implementing the staff augmentation model requires planning and a well-thought-out approach to amplify the benefits and minimize the risks. The following best practices will help you make better decisions. Identify Talent Gaps The first step is to identify talent gaps in your organization. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the existing teams and determine what kind of talent can enhance the overall performance and productivity. Define Goals and Objectives Make a clear list of your business goals and objectives. Align them with the project parameters and targets. This will give a clear picture of what you want and how you can achieve it. Set Project Deadlines Even the largest project comes with a deadline. Be specific about the schedule and share this information with everyone involved. The staff augmentation companies should know your deadlines so that they can recommend the team size and expertise accordingly. Review Staff Augmentation Companies Create a shortlist of IT staff augmentation companies and contact them personally. Check their project portfolio and read the testimonials provided by previous and existing clients. Directly talk to the representatives to share your requirements and ensure your ideas align. Establish Clear Standards Every project has different goals and standards. Don’t assume the expert teams automatically know what you want. Be clear about the regulations, standards, and do’s and don’ts for the project. These guidelines will eliminate miscommunication. Document the Process Create detailed documentation of the entire process, be it the requirements, technologies, skills, workflows, durations, etc. This will help in knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer when hiring more augmented staff in your business. Assign a Project Manager Have a person of authority and experience supervising the entire project and acting as a point of contact between you and the augmented teams. This person should have proven leadership skills and the capabilities to handle any situation. Invest in Technology Team collaborations are not possible with using technology. Integrate the required platforms and applications with your business systems to create seamless connectivity between your in-house and external teams. Transparent Communication Don’t rely on assumptions, presumptions, and reading between the lines. Share your requirements as clearly as possible. Similarly, accept their response and feedback without bias. Consider their views and state your decisions in the same manner. Track External Employee Performance Develop metrics to track the performance of external employees. For example, if you hire an augmented team of Power BI developers, establish metrics to analyze their performance based on it. This will give you a comprehensive picture of whether the augmented teams are helpful or not. Develop Team Building Modules Create spaces for the internal and external employees to connect and work together without friction. Even with staff augmentation, you need to provide a healthy workplace environment for all your employees (temporary and permanent). Be an Active Participant Many organizations opt for staff augmentation as it helps retain control over the project. However, you need to be an active participant even when experts are on the job. Ask for updates, get their feedback, and share your opinion. What Are the Pros of Staff Augmentation? Signing a staff augmentation contract with a reliable service provider can provide many benefits to your business. Save Costs Without Affecting Quality You save money spent on the recruiting process (ads, screening, tests, interviews, selections, etc.) by opting for staff augmentation. Moreover, since you hire experienced teams, you also don’t have to worry about their performance or the quality of the output. Better Scalability and Flexibility With staff augmentation, you can increase or decrease the team size when necessary. The teams can work on-premises or remotely. It takes very little time to scale the project team and fulfill the immediate staffing concerns. Access to a Larger Pool of Talent IT staff augmentation has gained prominence as organizations can choose from a large pool of talented and skilled employees who are ready to get on board and start working with minimum training. More Control Over Operations Unlike in outsourcing, staff augmentation gives you more control over the project. You are the decision-maker
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