Staff augmentation provides companies with a flexible and cost-effective way to bring in additional resources as needed, improving their ability to respond to changing business requirements.
Staff augmentation can provide significant benefits for companies looking to efficiently manage project demands, access specialized skills and expertise, and deliver high-quality outcomes while minimizing costs and risks.
7 Benefits of Using Staff Augmentation resources:
- Cost-effectiveness - staff augmentation allows companies to bring in additional resources as needed, rather than hiring full-time employees, which can be more cost-effective
- Flexibility - staff augmentation provides the flexibility to scale up or down the number of resources as needed, depending on the demand for a particular project or task
- Improved expertise - companies can bring in experts in specific areas to work on specific projects, which can lead to improved quality and better results
- Reduced hiring time - staff augmentation eliminates the need to conduct a lengthy hiring process and allows companies to bring in new resources quickly
- Access to a wider talent pool - staff augmentation enables companies to access a wider talent pool from which to choose the best candidates for specific projects
- Improved resource allocation - staff augmentation allows companies to allocate resources more efficiently, ensuring that the right people are working on the right projects
- Reduced overhead costs - staff augmentation eliminates the need to provide benefits, insurance, and other overhead costs associated with hiring full-time employees
One of the most significant IT business trends is the dramatic increase in the use of contingent workers across organizations globally. Contingent workers are also known as out staffed workers or staff augmentation workers.
The 2 most common staff augmentation models are:
- Staff augmentation - involves hiring professionals from a staffing agency or vendor to supplement the client's existing workforce. In this model, the client manages and oversees the work of the staff augmentation team, while the vendor takes care of administrative tasks such as payroll, benefits, and HR.
- Managed services - is a more comprehensive solution where the vendor manages the entire project and takes responsibility for delivering the results. This model is best suited for clients who lack the technical expertise to evaluate the work of the staff augmentation team. The vendor provides a project manager who oversees the work of the team and ensures that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the client's satisfaction. This allows the client to focus on other core activities while the vendor takes care of the project.
Three common types of staff augmentation approaches are:
- Onsite Staff Augmentation - onsite staff augmentation is a model of hiring personnel who work on-site at the client’s location. This model is ideal for organizations that need face-to-face interaction with the personnel
- Offshore Staff Augmentation - offshore staff augmentation is a model of hiring personnel who work from a remote location, outside the country where the client is based. This model is ideal for organizations that need to reduce costs and increase efficiency
- Nearshore Staff Augmentation - nearshore staff augmentation is a model of hiring personnel who work from a remote location that is geographically close to the client’s location. This model is ideal for organizations that need to balance the benefits of onsite and offshore staff augmentation
9 best practices for selecting a staff augmentation provider:
Selecting a staff augmentation provider can be a critical decision for a company, as it can impact the success of projects and the overall productivity of the organization. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a staff augmentation provider:
- Experience & expertise - look for a provider with a proven track record of delivering quality results in your specific industry or field
- Culture fit - ensure that the provider's values, work style, and approach align with your company's culture and way of working
- Communication & collaboration - choose a provider that values open and effective communication and is willing to work closely with your team to achieve success
- Flexibility - ensure that the provider is flexible in their approach and able to adapt to changing requirements and priorities
- Cost - consider the cost of the staff augmentation services and make sure they are in line with your budget
- Reputation - look for a provider with a good reputation and positive feedback from past clients
- Technical capabilities - ensure that the provider has the necessary technical capabilities and infrastructure to support your needs
- Quality assurance - look for a provider that has a robust quality assurance process in place to ensure that the work delivered meets your standards
- Reference checks - conduct reference checks and get in touch with past clients to get a better understanding of the provider's capabilities and how well they work with clients
Not sure where to start - no problem we have provided specialized IT resources to numerous clients for temporary periods or longer term stretches with our staff augmentation solutions.
Give us a shout at Poeta Digital - it will be the best thing you have done today.
