Staff augmentation projects can help your business access top-tier talent to finish software development projects efficiently. Staff augmentation has become a popular hiring model for software developers as global demand for software development talent has spiked. However, despite the growing popularity of staff augmentation, many businesses still have misconceptions about what this hiring model entails and its benefits.
This post will explore the basics of staff augmentation services and highlight the benefits companies can expect when they utilize team augmentation effectively. By the end of this post, you will be able to determine if the staff augmentation model is right for the needs of your business.
Understanding the Basics of Staff Augmentation Projects
IT staff augmentation is a hiring model that allows your business to quickly add tech talent to its existing team. Typically, businesses choose team augmentation when they need to cover skill gaps or require extra tech talent to meet project deadlines. In addition, staff augmentation services allow businesses to pick and choose the tech talent they like and downsize or upscale as their needs evolve.
How Does Staff Augmentation Work?
In the tech industry, an IT staff augmentation firm will be contacted by your company. First, your business will tell them what type of tech talent you are looking for. Next, the staff augmentation firm will select candidates they think are the right fit for your needs. Finally, your business will review resumes and conduct interviews with promising candidates. If you hire one or more of these candidates, the staff augmentation vendor will draw up a contract, and you will have new team members.
The vendor covers the employment of the talent, but they will work for you on your project as part of your in-house development team. Typically, with tech staff augmentation, software development roles are filled remotely. However, the tech talent you hire will be a part of your in-house team and under your management. Generally, the talent you hire is dedicated to your business for the duration of your project. However, the terms of your staff augmentation services can always be negotiated with the provider.
When Is Staff Augmentation the Right Choice?
In several scenarios, staff augmentation services might be the best choice for your business. Remember, the cost and time required to recruit and hire an in-house development team can be enormous. Staff augmentation might be the best choice for your business if:
- Your in-house development team needs reinforcement.
- You have deadlines approaching fast.
- You require specific tech talent and skills that your in-house team lacks.
- You require a bridge to make a hire.
- You want more control and communication than project outsourcing provides.
There might be other good reasons to employ staff augmentation services. However, most businesses choose this option when they are short on talent and time. Savvy businesses will use staff augmentation to bridge talent gaps while hiring permanent staff. Still, most companies will typically use staff augmentation services to fill short-term staffing needs on specific software development projects.
The Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation Projects
The staff augmentation model has several benefits for businesses that require top-tier tech talent, including:
- Access to more talent
- Quicker recruitment process
- Flexibility and scalability
- Cost-effective
Access to More Talent
Perhaps the most significant benefit of staff augmentation is the access to IT talent it provides businesses. Unfortunately, finding the right tech talent can be difficult, especially if your business requires a specific set of skills and operates in a small or limited talent market. For example, companies operating in small or rural areas might have a difficult time even finding the software development talent necessary to build an in-house team.
Staff augmentation services help your business expand its talent search beyond the confines of its locale and open up the global talent pool of software developers. When you choose the staff augmentation model, your business will have greater access to the top development talent the world has to offer.
Quicker Recruitment Process
Recruiting and hiring tech talent often takes time. If your business is operating on a tight deadline, time might not be a luxury it can afford. Staff augmentation simplifies and shortens the recruitment process for businesses. Beyond time, recruiting software developers costs money and expends HR resources. Plus, if you don’t have a specific technical skill already on your staff, it can be difficult to vet and interview potential candidates for a specialized role.
Many businesses choose staff augmentation because the recruitment process is so easy. Your business will not have to expend valuable HR resources in the effort to find the talent it needs. In addition, the staff augmentation vendor will vet candidates and make sure they have the appropriate technical skills that your business requires. Instead of worrying about how skilled a potential candidate is, your company can focus on ensuring that the candidate you choose fits the best within your existing team and company culture.
Flexibility and Scalability
Staff augmentation services allow businesses to be flexible and scale on demand. Many businesses don’t have a regular need for an in-house team of software developers. However, hiring several people and then firing them at the conclusion of a project will tarnish the reputation of your business and could hurt your ability to recruit talent in the future.
Staff augmentation gives companies the ability to upscale or downsize as their needs require without having to go through the process of hiring and firing people. The flexibility of staff augmentation is well suited for startups and small to medium-sized businesses.
Cost-Effective
Many people think that staff augmentation must be more expensive than hiring employees. This is false. Staff augmentation reduces the cost of hiring and retaining employees. In addition, you won’t have to pay for office space or equipment for augmented employees. However, the costs of benefits are built into the price provided by the staff augmentation firm, so your business won’t necessarily avoid common costs associated with benefits.
Final Thoughts
Staff augmentation is a great hiring model for certain situations. It won’t be the best option for every business, but if you have tight deadlines and a lack of talent, it might be the best choice for your business. If you want to learn more about staff augmentation projects and the benefits your business could experience, reach out to an experienced app development partner to learn more.
