Introduction
Every single part of our life relies on technology during the 21st century. Moreover, companies can see a huge growth in the technological advancements. As a result, this growth has increased the demand for IT Augmentation professionals.
A study by Statista has predicted that the IT sector will generate a revenue of $1570 million by the end of 2027. However, this growth has posed an abundance of challenges for the organizations. One of them is a shortage of highly skilled IT professionals.
The number of job openings for IT professionals is growing, but the lack of the right skills keeps the void as it is. According to one research by PwC, the United States alone will incur a loss of $8.5 billion by the end of 2030.
Hence, companies are using IT staff augmentation services to fill skill gaps instead of hiring more employees.
If you are an organization that is looking to leverage IT services, then this blog is for you. In this guide, we will learn everything about & around staff augmentation. Let's get started!
What is IT Staff Augmentation
It is when organizations hire remote developers globally to fill skill gaps. By using the staff augmentation model, companies can hire remote tech talents to meet the immediate requirements. Furthermore, the companies that do not have time to implement a lengthy hiring process then this method comes to their rescue.
Hiring remote developers can help organizations achieve smooth integration between both in-house teams & remote teams.
Why should you consider IT Staff Augmentation?
The amount of advancement in technology has led organizations to boost their productivity & efficiency. But, it is unlikely that every organization would have the right resources to meet the technological advancements. Therefore, it becomes crucial for organizations to use staff augmentation services to meet the uncertainties.
The remotely dedicated team will carefully work with your existing team to achieve a successful project deliverability. Moreover, you should consider hiring staff augmentation services to get access to a diverse pool of IT professionals.
Furthermore, hiring a staff augmentation company will also help you reduce the costs incurred by a lengthy hiring process.
Want to know more about top It Staff Augmentation & Companies?
Check Out the Top 10 IT Staff Augmentation Companies in India.
Different types of Staff augmentation services
Project-based augmentation
This method lets organizations hire software engineers with expertise in software development. Project-based teams focus on working towards a specific software development project.
Skill-based augmentation
When organizations hire software development teams to bridge required skill shortages. By, hiring these teams companies ensure to enhance their skill gaps effectively.
Time-based Augmentation
Using this method enables your company to hire remote developers to work for a specific period. Moreover, the organization will dismantle these teams after project completion.
Hybrid staff augmentation
When an organization combines different models, it is called a hybrid model. Using, this model will allow the organization get double the benefits
Onshore Augmentation of IT team members
When a company hires augmented staff from the same country, it's called onshore augmentation. By hiring such teams companies aim to fulfill the technical skill gaps.
Nearshore Augmentation of IT professionals
Hiring a development team from a nearby country with the same time zone is known as nearshore augmentation. Additionally, by using the nearshore model companies ensure a smooth development process.
Offshore staff augmentation
When organizations opt for working remotely they hire offshore staff. However, hiring an offshore development team can be riskier if the strategy is not implemented thoughtfully.
Dedicated teams
When companies want to hire a remote team to only focus on a specific project, they use this hiring model. Dedicated teams will bring a high set of skills & expertise to the project management.
Based on the specific requirements & needs organizations can choose the best fit that meets their requirement. Further, let's understand the pros & cons of IT staff augmentation.
What are the Pros of IT Staff Augmentation services?
By using IT staff-augmented services organizations get the luxury to observe five pros for their business. Let's learn about all the advantages of Staff augmentation.
Access to global talent
Organizations can access more IT talent worldwide by using staff augmentation services. Moreover, this method allows the companies to hire the right professional for a specific expert task.
Cost savings
By leveraging staff augmentation services, companies can attain cost-cutting. Staff augmentation services allow the companies to minimize the hiring process to save both time & money.
Flexibility
This method lets the organization adjust their development team size according to their needs. Staff augmentation services allow the company to hire developers temporarily.
Faster time to market
Organizations that use IT outsourcing services get access to the global talent pool. Thus, it allows them to attain speedy project deliverability.
Reduction in scope of risks
By hiring an external team, you can reduce the risks of hiring more in-house developers.
What are the drawbacks of Staff augmentation?
Despite the advantages like cost savings & flexibility, there are still a few challenges companies face when hiring remote developers. Let's learn some of the most significant drawbacks of Staff augmentation.
Communication barriers
As remote team management comprises IT professionals from across the globe, it becomes difficult to maintain communication. It's difficult for organizations to have smooth communication when remote team members speak different languages.
But, using effective communication channels can help organizations streamline the flow of information.
Additionally using communication tools like Slack, Google Meet & Zoom can help the organizations in streamlining the communication flows. Organizations should create various ways to communicate, such as emails, messaging apps, and video conferencing tools, for smooth communication.
Lack of control
By using staff augmentation, you are handling the project control to external teams. This handover can pose some severe data security risks.
Steps to follow when hiring IT Staff Augmentation services
IT augmentation services comprise five steps. Keep reading to understand all the steps.
Identify the Needs
Before opting to hire staff augmented services it is necessary to identify your needs & requirements. Additionally, the companies should state the number of resources & skills required to outsource.
Determining the scope
Further, the organization needs to define the roles & responsibilities & project duration to all the remote members. Moreover, they should also state the skills & expertise required.
Choosing the right candidates
Out of the shortlisted candidates, the organizations should hire the best fit of candidates that meet their requirements.
Onboarding & integration
After choosing the right fit, the next step is to run a thorough induction process. The company must provide the right information to each remote team member.
Management & Oversight
During the development process, the organization should run a thorough process to oversee the progress of the work. Moreover, they need to provide constructive feedback for improvisation.
How to choose IT staff augmentation
Look for relevant experience
Before hiring an external staffing partner, companies should look for the industry-level experience of the staff augmentation company.
Assess the technical expertise
It is important to analyze the technical expertise of the outsourcing vendor before finalizing the deal. The skill set availability, project management efficiency, etc. need to be analyzed.
Checking cultural fit
While hiring remote employees, it is important to check the cultural compatibility of the vendor organization.
Communication skills
Analyzing the communication skills of the vendor part becomes an important point of consideration during the hiring process.
Reviewing data security measures
The organizations must check the data prevention measures taken by the outsourcing company. Data security is a concern to be mindful of.
Evaluate Cost
Before outsourcing IT services, it is important to evaluate the costs charged by outsourcing vendors. Later, choose the option that fits your budget & fulfills your requirements.
Connecting with references
Before hiring IT outsourcing services, it's important to check references to find the best fit for your needs. Additionally, taking proper feedback from past clients will be quite helpful in decision-making.
IT Staff Augmentation: How's the future?
It has a promising future. A report by Grand View Research predicts that the market for augmentation services will be worth $147.2 million by 2028.
The growing use of Cloud computing, AI, and IoT is leading to more staff-augmented services being used. Moreover, after COVID-19 remote work culture has become popular.
Advancements in technology have encouraged companies to adopt staff augmentation services to hire developers to meet the skill gaps.
Wrapping Up!
By using IT staff augmentation organizations can hire remote developers to meet the skill gaps. Based on the considerations stated above companies can find the best fit to achieve a successful project completion.
We at Acquaint Softtech specialize in IT staff augmentation for the past 15+ years. Our team of developers can help attain a successful project deliverable.