At Codeone-x we understand the challenges that businesses face when it comes to finding and hiring skilled software engineers. In fact, a recent study by CompTIA revealed that 34% of businesses consider finding and adding software engineering skills as one of their top priorities. The task of quickly finding and hiring engineers with the right expertise and experience can be daunting, especially if you have budget constraints.
However, there is a solution: IT staff augmentation. By leveraging IT staff augmentation, you can empower your in-house team with seasoned experts and save a significant amount of money. But it’s important to note that staff augmentation requires careful consideration and due diligence to ensure the success of your project. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the pros and cons of team augmentation and provide valuable insights on how to seamlessly integrate your in-house team with external specialists.
What is Staff Augmentation?
IT staff augmentation involves hiring an external workforce to handle specific tasks or projects that require expertise not available in-house. This can be done by subcontracting one or two specialists for either full- or part-time work or by hiring a dedicated team for larger projects that require multiple roles. It’s important to note that the external team members do not become employees of your company. Instead, the IT staff service provider takes care of overhead costs such as recruitment, taxes, insurance, and equipment.
Under the staff augmentation model, the hired specialists work closely with your in-house team, but they maintain direct communication with you, the client. A designated point of contact from the IT staff provider’s side handles all administrative matters related to the external workforce. This model allows for seamless collaboration between the in-house and augmented teams while providing you with the flexibility to scale resources as needed.
How Does Staff Augmentation Work?
Team augmentation follows a hybrid model where both your in-house team and external developers work together on the same project. The augmented specialists become an integral part of your business workflow, reporting to your project managers and maintaining direct contact with them. This ensures that you retain a higher level of control over the project and can effectively manage and monitor progress.
When considering team augmentation, you have two options: hiring freelancers or partnering with a reliable provider of IT staff augmentation services. Hiring freelancers can be cost-effective, but it requires significant managerial time and effort to coordinate with multiple specialists. On the other hand, partnering with a trusted provider offers access to a pool of available experts and streamlines the HR management, communication, and reporting aspects. The provider can also assist with recruiting the right remote specialist and handle replacement if necessary.
Additionally, you need to consider the duration of assistance required. For short-term needs such as project audits, consulting, or infrastructure reconfiguring, you may opt for temporary help. However, if you anticipate recurring work, such as software monitoring or iOS app modernization, a long-term cooperation with an augmented team can be beneficial as it allows you to retain accumulated expertise.
Deciding between a single narrow-focused specialist and an extended team depends on the scope of work. A single developer can provide specialized expertise to enrich your in-house team but may have limitations when it comes to handling larger projects. On the other hand, an augmented team can handle a higher volume of tasks, making it suitable for projects with tight deadlines and complex requirements.
You also have the flexibility to choose between full-time and part-time engagement based on the workload. Full-time engagement is ideal when there is a sufficient amount of work to keep the augmented team occupied, while part-time engagement is suitable for projects with fluctuating workloads or when you require assistance with specific tasks.
When to Use Staff Augmentation Services?
Staff augmentation can be a beneficial strategy for companies in various situations. Here are some scenarios when it is appropriate to use staff augmentation:
Limited in-house expertise: When your company lacks certain skills or expertise required for a specific project or task, staff augmentation can help fill those gaps. By hiring external specialists, you can leverage their knowledge and experience to complement your existing team.
Scalability and flexibility: Staff augmentation is particularly useful when you need to quickly scale up or down your workforce based on project requirements. It allows you to adjust the team size and skill set according to the workload, ensuring optimal resource allocation.
Meeting tight deadlines: If you have strict project timelines and are unable to find skilled professionals locally within the required timeframe, staff augmentation can provide access to a broader talent pool. You can hire experts from different geographical locations who can contribute immediately and help you meet project deadlines.
Cost-efficiency: Staff augmentation offers cost advantages compared to hiring full-time employees, especially when considering factors like recruitment, benefits, and overhead expenses. By hiring external specialists on a temporary basis, you can save on long-term employment costs while still getting the necessary expertise.
Temporary project requirements: When you have short-term projects or tasks that require specialized skills, it may not be cost-effective or practical to hire full-time employees. Staff augmentation allows you to bring in experts for the duration of the project and then release them once their services are no longer required.
Access to niche expertise: Some projects may demand specific niche expertise that is not available within your organization. Staff augmentation enables you to tap into a global talent pool and find professionals with the precise skills and experience required for your project.
Testing the waters: Staff augmentation can be a low-risk way to evaluate the performance and compatibility of potential team members before considering long-term commitments. It allows you to assess the capabilities of external specialists and their fit within your company culture.
Security Measures When Hiring External Team Members
When considering IT staff augmentation, it’s important to prioritize the security of your company’s sensitive data and intellectual property. Here are some security measures to implement when hiring external team members:
- Invest in extra security measures: Schedule regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and implement necessary security enhancements.
- Provide security training: Ensure that all team members, including the augmented staff, are aware of security protocols, potential risks, and actions to take in case of an emergency.
- Use corporate accounts: Create corporate email addresses and profiles for the new team members. This helps ensure secure access to your resources and internal systems. Add them to corporate spaces and management systems to facilitate onboarding.
- Configure access management system: Implement an access management system to securely handle various credentials such as tokens, passwords, certificates, etc. This system allows you to respond to role changes, monitor access, and minimize the consequences of possible breaches or identity theft.
- Sign an NDA and IP agreement: Protect your trade secrets and sensitive information by signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and an Intellectual Property (IP) agreement with the external team members. These agreements ensure that your confidential information remains safe and secure.
Pros and Cons of Staff Augmentation Model
Let’s discuss the benefits and limitations of the staff augmentation model:
Pros:
- Cost savings: Staff augmentation allows you to save costs compared to hiring full-time employees. You can choose specialists based on your project’s requirements and pay only for the tasks completed.
- Faster onboarding time: With staff augmentation, you can quickly onboard experienced professionals, reducing the time it takes to fill in-house positions. This flexibility enables faster project scaling and resource allocation.
- Workload balancing and scalability: By leveraging an augmented team, you can distribute the workload more efficiently, increase the productivity of your in-house team, and scale up or down based on project needs.
- Access to specialized expertise: Staff augmentation allows you to tap into a pool of specialized experts who possess the skills and experience required for your specific project. This expertise can enhance the capabilities of your in-house team and drive successful project outcomes.
Cons:
- Communication and coordination challenges: Managing a remote augmented team may introduce communication and coordination challenges due to different time zones, working approaches, and project understanding. Clear communication channels and processes should be established to mitigate these challenges.
- Dependency on external resources: While staff augmentation provides flexibility, it also means you become reliant on external resources. If the provider fails to meet your expectations or faces internal challenges, it may impact your project’s progress.
- Limited control over team members: As the external team members are not your employees, you have limited control over their schedules, work environments, and priorities. However, effective project management and regular communication can help align their efforts with your project goals.
How to Succeed with Team Augmentation
To ensure a successful collaboration with an augmented team, consider the following tips:
- Define clear project goals and requirements: Clearly communicate your project goals, requirements, and expectations to the augmented team. Provide comprehensive documentation and specifications to ensure everyone is on the same page.
- Establish effective communication channels: Set up regular communication channels to facilitate collaboration between your in-house team and the augmented team. Leverage tools like video conferencing, project management software, and instant messaging platforms to foster effective communication.
- Promote a collaborative culture: Encourage open communication and collaboration between team members. Foster a sense of teamwork and create opportunities for knowledge sharing and mutual support.
- Ensure a smooth onboarding process: Provide necessary resources, documentation, and access to systems and tools for the augmented team members. Offer them the support they need to quickly integrate into the project and become productive.
- Monitor progress and provide feedback: Regularly monitor the progress of the augmented team and provide constructive feedback. Address any issues or concerns promptly and recognize and appreciate their contributions.
- Maintain a long-term relationship: If you anticipate a long-term need for augmented resources, consider establishing a long-term relationship with a reliable IT staff augmentation provider. This can ensure continuity, consistent quality, and a deeper understanding of your business requirements.
By following these best practices, you can maximize the benefits of team augmentation and achieve successful project outcomes.