Building a staff of talented IT professionals is not a short-term process. From hiring to onboarding to getting a new developer up-to-speed, managing an IT team can be a job by itself – in addition to doing the actual work.
Businesses struggle with having the right IT staff at the right time. This can be especially true when a new project requires resources with a different skill set than existing staff. Planning becomes critical to ensure that the team has the right resources in place.
Staff augmentation can be an invaluable solution for enterprise companies. Searching for and maintaining the right internal staff can reduce overall project ROI. Instead, augmented staff can be ready to contribute from Day 1 and allow your project to move more quickly and productively.
If you are wondering how staff augmentation can benefit your IT team, we’ll break it down for you.
Developers are highly skilled professionals, and as a result, make for a difficult hire. The hiring process itself is longer than other industries, and good developers can command high salaries.
Not only that but not all developers are good. You may find someone who has the necessary skills, only to find that the developer lacks the systems-level skills and problem-solving to really drive a project. You could also run into code quality issues or a lack of cohesiveness with your team.
Hiring the wrong developer is a costly mistake. Because of the length of time it takes to find and onboard a developer, it could be a year or more before you realize that you have made the wrong decision. You have to start all over at that point, and it is a major setback on your project.
Finding the right developer can be even harder when you are hiring for a new skill set, which invariably happens in IT projects. As you look to move to new technology or new features, you want a developer that has skills your current staff does not – but then determining the strength of those skills when hiring becomes a challenge.
Staff augmentation is a way to add to your existing teams based on the skills and project requirements. It is a form of IT outsourcing where the augmented staff are hired and employed by the staff augmentation firm. Resources are paired with your company to complement your internal staff.
With staff augmentation, you can close the internal gaps in expertise. Whether this is for a short-term project or a more long-term solution, you have access to the skillset you need. Your overall resource acquisition cost is greatly reduced, and you can maintain your core set of developers.
Staff augmentation also facilitates high-growth models. You may not be able to hire more developers fast enough to meet project demands or tight deadlines. You can be more responsive by knowing that the resources are available when you need them.
Staff augmentation is different than other IT outsourcing models. Full outsourcing is a complete hand-off of your project. The partner firm manages or builds the project from start to finish.
The problem with this type of IT outsourcing is that you have minimal control and oversight. You often do not have a close relationship with the project manager, and your internal staff is kept out of the loop.
Staff augmentation and full IT outsourcing are completely different models. It is possible you may want to do a complete hand-off and let an outside firm handle your project’s details. However, if you are looking instead to build upon your existing staff, then staff augmentation is the better solution.
Think of staff augmentation as more consulting-based and less transaction-based. Because these resources are a supplement to your team, they will work with you. When you hand off a project completely, you are simply waiting for the work to be delivered.
With staff augmentation, you can leverage the resources you already have. Part of the process includes deciding on the appropriate developer profiles that will supplement your existing team. By defining your business objectives, you can make the most of your augmented staff.
Some of the benefits of staff augmentation include:
You don’t need to sift through hundreds of applications to find the right developer. Your staff augmentation firm has already done that and hired top-notch talent.
Not only that, but the firm will know the skills of their staff. You can receive the right resource with the right skillset for your project.
The goal of staff augmentation is to make sure that you are paired with the right resources. Otherwise, the model would not be successful. Dedicated resource managers will work with you continually to ensure your needs are being met.
Your project needs may change over time. Whether you need a resource for a one-off project or your work ebbs and flows, you can add or remove augmented resources at any time.
You also don’t need to worry about turnover. If you hire an internal resource and that resource leaves, you face time and cost while you look for a replacement. Staff augmentation firms will always have resources available for your project.
Staff augmentation is very cost-effective in other ways as well. You do not have the administrative costs and liabilities associated with internal staff.
Part of staff augmentation includes assessing your needs. You want to determine the right resources required, whether it is for a short-term or long-term project. Your augmented staff selections should be strategic and well-planned so that you make the most of your additional resources.
At number8, we supplement existing development teams with top nearshore consultants. Your relationship manager will work with you to determine your needs and find the best fit. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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