IT Staff Augmentation- Strategies to Save 70% Of Your Hiring Cost

In today’s competitive business environment, it is more important than ever for businesses to have a strong IT team. However, not all businesses have the resources to hire and retain a full-time IT staff. This is where IT staff augmentation comes in.

Especially in the IT industry, where things are constantly changing and there’s always a new technology emerging, The need for qualified technical talent is increasing. The United States alone is expected to add 1.4 million new tech jobs by 2030 (Burning Glass Insitute)

This is more than any other country in the world. But at the same time, the world is suffering through a tech talent crisis, with 2.4 million unfilled positions by 2030. So how do we manage to have a strong foot in the ever-changing technology market?

This is where- IT Staff augmentation comes into the picture. The global IT staff augmentation market is expected to reach $100 billion by 2025. It is proved that business that has leveraged the benefits of outsourcing can improve their efficiency by 20% (McKinsey & Company).

By tapping into external expertise, you’re not only streamlining your operations but also freeing up your core team to focus on innovation and strategy. But that’s not all. Staff augmentation isn’t just about offloading tasks; it’s about injecting fresh perspectives and cutting-edge skills into your projects

If you’re thinking about getting external IT assistance to enhance your tech capabilities, this blog is perfect for you. We’ll delve into what exactly IT staff augmentation is, how it operates, different models of it, its advantages, challenges, and important steps to follow.

Let’s go!

What is IT Staff Augmentation?

IT staff augmentation is the practice of hiring external IT professionals to supplement an organization’s existing IT team. This can be done on a temporary or long-term basis, depending on the needs of the organization.

IT Staff Augmentation is a strategic approach enabling agility, rapid adjustment, and a competitive edge to the current developer team. This approach is efficient in terms of both time and cost, as it avoids prolonged recruitment processes and associated expenses. By leveraging staff augmentation, businesses can take advantage of a wider range of talents and maintain flexibility in their operations.

Also, when you hire a dedicated developer for a specific project or a predetermined duration, you are essentially augmenting your existing team with external expertise. This approach allows you to access the skills and knowledge of the developer without the need for a permanent commitment.

How To Know When And Why Should You Consider IT Staff Augmentation?

There are many reasons why you might consider IT staff augmentation. Here are a few of the most common:

You need to scale up your IT team quickly

If you are growing your business or launching a new project, you may need to add more IT staff quickly. IT staff augmentation can help you do this without having to go through the lengthy and expensive process of hiring and onboarding new employees.

You need to fill a skills gap

If your existing IT team lacks the skills or experience you need for a particular project, IT staff augmentation can help you fill the gap. This can be especially helpful if you need to hire someone with specialized skills, such as cloud computing or cybersecurity.

You need to handle a temporary project

If you have a short-term project that requires additional IT resources, IT staff augmentation can be a good option. This can save you the time and expense of hiring and onboarding new employees for a project that will only last a few months.

You want to test out new technologies

If you are considering investing in new IT technologies, IT staff augmentation can help you test them out before you make a full commitment. This can help you avoid making a costly mistake if the technology does not work out for your business.

You want to reduce your IT costs

IT staff augmentation can be a cost-effective way to get the IT resources you need without having to hire and retain full-time employees. You only pay for the resources you use, so you can save money on salaries, benefits, and other overhead costs.

When To Consider IT Staff Augmentation?

• You have a project but need certain skills not in your team.
• There’s more work than your team can do right now.
• Hiring a new developer is taking longer than planned.
• You need an expert with special skills not found nearby.

Different Types of IT Staff Augmentation Services

Skill-based staff augmentation

This type of Staff Augmentation provides you with the specific skills you need to complete your project. For example, if you want to hire backend developer with experience in a particular programming language, you can hire a skill-based staff augmentation company to find and provide you with that developer.

Time-Based Staff Augmentation

When you need temporary staff to help with a specific project or task time-based Staff Augmentation works best. This can be a good option if you need to ramp up your team to meet a deadline quickly or if you have a seasonal increase in workload.

Hybrid staff augmentation

This type of service combines skill-based and time-based staff augmentation. You can hire a hybrid staff augmentation company to provide you with the specific skills you need for a specific period of time. This can be a good option if you need to fill a temporary skills gap or if you need to complete a project that requires a mix of skills.

Off-shore Staff Augmentation

With this kind of service, you can hire employees who reside in your country. This can be a good option if you want to make sure your staff is familiar with your culture and rules.

Project-based staff augmentation

If you want expertise on a specific project, then this type of IT staff augmentation is a good option to fulfill your short-term project requirement.

Dedicated team augmentation

With this kind of service, you are given a team of workers who are committed to working on your project. If you need to make sure that your project is managed by a cohesive team or if you have a long-term goal, this might be a good option.

Offshore staff augmentation

This type of service provides you with software development outsourcing who work in another country. This can be a good option if you need to save money on developer costs.

Nearshore staff augmentation

This type of service provides you with IT staff who work in a neighboring country. This can be a good option if you want in-bidget hiring without sacrificing the cultural understanding and communication that come with onshore staff augmentation.

Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation

77% of global employers find attracting required skilled talent difficult. IT staff augmentation is a process where a company hires a third-party provider to provide temporary or long-term IT staff. This can be a great way to gain access to specialized skills and expertise, fill talent gaps, and manage workload spikes.

Here are some of the benefits of IT staff augmentation:

Cost savings

According to the Aberdeen Group, using IT staff augmentation can reduce a company’s IT costs by 20%.

Several factors can contribute to this. To begin with, by handling the hiring and training of new employees, these IT staff augmentation service providers save businesses time and money. This is especially beneficial for temporary or contract workers.

Second, these service providers have fewer costs, such as office space and equipment, which means lower costs for the businesses that use their services.

Improved Productivity

Using IT staff augmentation can make companies more productive. A study by the Hackett Group discovered that businesses using this approach can get around 15% better at doing their IT work.

For instance, think about a company creating a new software app. By using IT staff augmentation, they can hire extra software developers to assist with the project. This helps the company finish making the app more quickly and lowers the chances of things getting delayed.

Reduced Risk

Because it’s challenging to change a full-time employee, hiring the incorrect person can be a major issue. However, with IT Staff Augmentation, you can hire qualified individuals as needed, without making a long-term commitment.

If your company occasionally experiences a lack of business, you may be forced to fire employees, which is difficult and costly. With staff augmentation, you can quickly change the size of your team without letting anyone go.

Overall, IT staff augmentation can be a cost-effective way for businesses to get the IT resources they need. By outsourcing IT tasks to a reputable provider, businesses can free up their internal resources to focus on their core competencies and achieve their goals.

Access to skilled developers

Access to specialized skills is one of the standout benefits that IT staff augmentation brings to the table. In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, staying competitive requires staying ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and expertise.

This is where IT staff augmentation steps in, offering companies the opportunity to tap into a rich reservoir of software developers armed with niche and specialized skills that may be hard to find within their own workforce.

Flexibility

Flexibility is a big advantage of staff augmentation. It helps businesses change the size of their IT teams quickly when things are different. In business, things can change a lot, and sometimes you need more people, while other times you need fewer. With IT staff augmentation, you can do this easily.

Challenges Of Choosing IT Staff Augmentation

Outsourcing can be a great way to manage workload spikes, fill talent gaps, and gain access to specialized skills and expertise. To be sure, working with IT staff augmentation providers can present certain challenges for businesses. The following are a few of the most typical challenges:

Finding The Right Talent

Many industries, especially IT, need more skilled developers than are available. IT Staff augmentation, which means hiring outside experts for certain jobs, helps with this. But, finding the right developer is still a big problem.

According to a Korn Ferry report, by 2030, more than 85 million jobs could go unfilled because of the lack of skilled people to take them. This is especially true in the IT industry, where the demand for skilled developers is outpacing the supply.

Poor Communication And Management

In IT staff augmentation, effective communication is essential, but it comes out to be a challenge sometimes. The culture, procedures, or objectives of the company may not be fully understood by outside professionals who are brought into a team or project. Misunderstandings, delays, and even conflicts can result from this lack of familiarity.

Data Security Risk

The risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data is a critical concern when implementing IT staff augmentation. If the external developers brought in are not thoroughly screened and trained, there’s a potential for them to access confidential information without proper authorization. This situation could result in serious data breaches or security incidents.

It is important to choose a staff augmentation vendor who has high-end security measures.

Maintaining The Quality Standard

Maintaining consistent quality and performance standards across augmented staff and internal employees is a complex task that requires careful attention and strategic management. When external professionals are integrated into an organization, aligning their work with established standards becomes crucial for the success of projects and the overall reputation of the company.

To mitigate these risks, it is important to carefully select IT staff augmentation provider and to establish clear communication channels and expectations. It is also important to provide the augmented staff with the necessary training and support to ensure that they are able to do their job effectively.

Steps to follow in the IT Staff Augmentation Process

The IT staff augmentation process involves several key steps that ensure a seamless integration of external resources into a company’s existing workforce. Here are seven key steps to follow:

Identifying the Need

Determine the underlying goal of augmenting your IT staff. Are you seeking to enhance your team’s skill set or capabilities? Is the aim to boost capacity for a specific deadline? Defining this purpose is pivotal for progressing to the next steps.

Defining Requirements

Outline the specific skills and experiences necessary for the new team members. This is a crucial step in IT staff augmentation. Quantify the number of individuals needed. Clearly establish the budget and timeline constraints. Precision in your requirements streamlines the candidate selection process.

Identifying Suitable Candidates

Potential candidates can be sourced through avenues such as headhunting agencies, online job boards, networking, and referrals. Evaluating candidates’ skills and experiences is an important process in your IT Staff Augmentation to ensure alignment with your needs. Interviews or assessments can provide deeper insights.

Onboarding and Integration

Once chosen, integrating new team members begins with comprehensive onboarding. Furnish training, resource access, and facilitate introductions to team members. This step ensures a smoother assimilation into the existing workflow.

Collaboration and Management

After successful onboarding, managing the collaboration with your IT staff augmentation provider is key. Maintain regular communication, furnish feedback, and address any arising concerns. A well-managed relationship supports ongoing productivity.

Execute a Smooth Offboarding Process

As your engagement with augmented staff concludes, prioritize a seamless offboarding phase. Notify team members in advance, enabling task completion and knowledge transfer. Collect company assets, conduct exit interviews for insights, and maintain relationships for potential future collaborations. Fulfill contractual obligations, reflect on the experience, and use lessons learned to enhance future IT staff augmentation strategies.

Continuous Improvement and Reflection

Post-offboarding, assess the entire augmentation cycle. Identify successful practices and areas for enhancement. Adapt your approach based on insights gained, ensuring refined future augmentations. This iterative process enhances efficiency, fosters positive partnerships, and aligns IT staff augmentation with your organization’s evolving needs.

How to Choose the Best IT Staff Augmentation Service Provider

Here are some tips on how to choose the best IT staff augmentation service provider:

Specify the requirement

Define the criteria for selecting a staff augmentation provider. Specify the skills, experience, and resources required. Establish a budget for the engagement.

Check out on options

Research various staff augmentation providers to explore available options. Analyze reviews, visit their websites, and consult with other companies that have utilized their services.

Look for experience

Evaluate the IT Staff Augmentation provider’s experience and track record. Assess their tenure in the industry, industry-specific expertise, and history of successful outcomes.

Connect with references

Request references from the provider to gain insights from previous clients about their performance.

Fix a meeting online

Conduct a meeting with the chosen IT Staff Augmentation providers to facilitate discussions, question-answering, and understanding of their organizational ethos.

Document everything

Document all aspects of the agreement comprehensively, including project scope, costs, and terms.

Additional factors to consider is to include the provider’s capacity to comprehend your unique requisites, their scalability, communication proficiencies, commitment to quality and timeliness, and their willingness to exceed expectations.

Why is Zealous the Best Partner to Help You with IT Staff Augmentation?

Experience excellence with Zealous System‘s reliable IT staff augmentation. With a proven track record, we empower businesses with top-tier IT talent. Our adept team has collaborated with diverse clients, from startups to agile enterprises, delivering cost-effective staffing solutions tailored to unique project needs.

Bridge the talent gap, maintain momentum, and drive success by connecting with our dedicated software development team.

Initiate the journey today – schedule a free onboarding meeting. Discover how Zealous System’s IT staff augmentation propels businesses to new heights!

In conclusion

IT staff augmentation has emerged as a dynamic solution for organizations seeking to enhance their IT capabilities, address skill gaps, and manage fluctuations in demand.

This strategic approach involves the integration of external IT professionals into an existing team on either a temporary or long-term basis. The benefits of IT staff augmentation are substantial and varied, making it a popular choice for businesses aiming to remain competitive and agile in today’s fast-paced technological landscape.