What is IT Staff Augmentation?

When organizations seek outside help in completing important IT projects, they often consider two primary delivery models: staff augmentation and project outsourcing. Staff augmentation is a type of outsourcing model that uses temporary workers to fill short-term job positions within your company. Project outsourcing has certain similarities but also some major differences. The biggest difference between the two is that with staff augmentation, you are investing in engineering resources while still maintaining control over your team. With outsourcing, you are purchasing a prearranged, specific outcome and sharing the risks involved with the outsourcing vendor.

Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation

While both staff augmentation and project outsourcing can be beneficial in certain circumstances, the former is often most beneficial for project-based businesses who are in a state of constant flux. With IT staff augmentation, organizations can use outsourced talent on an as-needed basis, while still being able to manage workers directly.

Filling Gaps in the Workforce

There are countless benefits of IT staff augmentation, starting with the ability to hire based on needs. If you have gaps in your IT workforce that need to be filled, it can be a highly useful model for expanding your team. With staff augmentation, you can hire tech talent globally and add skilled technical resources to your in-house development team on a short- or long-term basis, based on your needs.

Paying For What You Need

IT staff augmentation also allows organizations to save money over time. This unique model allows you to hire temporary workers, meaning you do not have to employ full-time employees which can be highly costly. You only pay for what you need for as long as you need it.

Crucial Time Saver

With IT staff augmentation, you can also save your business leaders a lot of time. It takes time to create job postings, interview job candidates and go through the proper paperwork to hire full-time employees. With it, you can eliminate time spent recruiting new employees.

Maintaining Control Over Existing Staff

Another major perk of choosing IT staff augmentation is the ability to maintain control over your existing staff. When you outsource your project to a third party, you are essentially putting your work in the hands of strangers. However, staff augmentation allows you to choose a temporary team to work with. You have control over who leads the project and what to prioritize.

By choosing IT staff augmentation over project outsourcing, you can also avoid certain geography issues. With outsourcing, you may be forced to hand over the reins to someone in a different part of the country or world. This can be frustrating, especially when you are working in different time zones. With staff augmentation, you do not have to worry about geography as your team is based on-site.

How it Works

To be truly successful, a business must have the proper resources and talent at its disposal. Unfortunately, an organization may lack the talent needed to reach its goals. That is when IT staff augmentation can come in useful. Here is a closer look at how it works.

1. Determining Needs

The first step in the process involves clearly outlining your outsourcing goals. This ensures that you are in the best position to create a team of talented workers who have the energy, creativity and skills needed to complete the project on time and on budget.

2. Sourcing Talent

Next, take time to choose the right talent source. Not all technical staff firms are made equal and you want to ensure that you are choosing one that sufficiently vets their workers. By properly sourcing your talent, you can maintain peace of mind that your workers are equipped for the task at hand.

3. On-Boarding Talent

Once you have a team onboard, it is important to clearly define all roles and responsibilities. This will help ensure that there is no confusion about who plays what roles in the project and that the project remains on track. Allow team members to ask questions and provide feedback throughout the process to create a cohesive team environment.

4. Providing Ongoing Support

It is not enough to simply hire temporary staff and leave them to their own devices. To ensure that your project is completed based on your specifications and deadlines, it is important to provide continuous support to your team. Even the most talented workforce needs a leader to guide them through the process.

Speak With an IT Professional to Learn More

Recruiting new talent to your organization can be a long and complex task. In addition, the outcome of hiring employees can be unpredictable. When you want efficient talent without the long-term commitment, IT staff augmentation can be invaluable. It can give your business an edge on the competition, while providing you with more control over projects. For more information about IT staff augmentation or to inquire about these services, contact Vaultes.