An infrastructure upgrade. A data migration. A switch to cloud communications. When you have a major project that involves specialized skills or a tight deadline, you may be ready to consider outsourcing.
Outsourcing, or IT staff augmentation, can be a great way to expand your team to meet a talent shortage when you’ve got a short- or long-term project that doesn’t match well with your in-house team.
Benefits of Outsourcing
1. Cost Savings
You’ll save considerable time and money when you outsource because you won’t need to go through a recruiting and hiring process. The person that joins your team won’t go through an onboarding process or need to be offered vacation and benefits. You simply pay for the specific skills you need.
2. Depth of Experience
When a team member comes in via staff augmentation, you’re not just getting an SD-WAN implementation specialist, for instance. You are getting someone who has completed SD-WAN implementations in a variety of settings and working with different teams. They will have insights into the challenges you might face or the best way to handle questions.
3. Expertise
The outsourcing partner will have vetted the talent for all of the certifications, compliance training, and other qualifications necessary for the position you need to fill. You won’t have to screen applicants.
4. Take the Pressure Off
Most IT teams aren’t looking for more tasks. Bringing in additional assistance through outsourcing allows your team to focus on their area of expertise and your outsourced talent to handle a special project.
While you may think of outsourcing as bringing in specific skills that are not currently present in your team, it is also beneficial to think about flipping this approach. Rather than bringing in advanced expertise in a specific area, you may already have that expertise in-house and need more monitoring support or someone to handle maintenance-level IT while your in-house team pursues a special project.
Before you commit to an outsourcing arrangement, there are a few preparatory steps you should take.
Prepare for Outsourcing
- Meet with your team to discuss the different tasks that could be handled with staff augmentation. This not only helps you consider all of the different areas and perspectives around outsourcing, but also encourages buy-in by other members on your team.
- Make sure your contract includes clear start and end date parameters as well as the tasks and deadlines associated with the project.
- Consider how extensively your outsourced talent will interact with your team. If the tasks are essentially team-oriented, such as working together to meet a deadline on a project, it may be beneficial to introduce team-building concepts into meetings.
To learn more about outsourcing for your next project, contact us at Proper Connections. We can help you meet a deadline, bring in talent for your digital transformation initiative, or simply take the pressure off an overtaxed team.