Pros and Cons of IT Outsourcing
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Have you ever thought about taking on a project that required specific IT skills that are not currently available within your staff? IT outsourcing allows you to take on projects you have been putting aside without taking on the cost of a permanent hire. Although outsourcing talent proposes a solution to filling a skills gap, it may not always be the best option for your team.
Let’s weigh the pros and cons of IT outsourcing:
Pros
Access to skills — Technology is an ever-evolving necessity; making hiring IT professionals even more important. However, it’s difficult to choose which type of IT skill set could benefit the team the most in the long term. Employing an individual IT professional via outsourcing helps your company keep up with technology without having to decide between hiring a developer or analyst to sustain long-term technological evolutions.
Cuts cost— Hiring full-time IT experts can be expensive. One way to reduce overhead costs is through outsourcing. If you take this approach, you are investing in quality work over a short amount of time; which saves you money in the long run.
Increases productivity — The purpose of these workers is to get the job done properly, then move on to another project or company. When hiring outside the company, you can expect someone focused and ready to work. This helps you avoid burnout with current employees as well.
Saves time — IT talent that you outsource is already qualified to fulfill the demands of your project. This saves you the headaches of training current employees to learn new hard skills. It also reduces the potential for error so you will not have to spend time fixing mistakes in the future.
Fresh perspective — Anyone who enters the domain of your company contributes their perspective. Remember, the talent that you outsource has witnessed what works well and what doesn’t in other businesses — try to learn from their previous experiences!
Cons
Team dynamic — If your team is not familiar with outsourcing or change, they might feel confused when you bring in a new employee. Depending on the work environment, employees might assume replacement. This could also affect your team’s workflow.
Quality control — An outstanding reference from a previous job might translate as a sub-par work ethic for your project. If you have outsourced before, you might have experienced a wonderful out-of-house employee, but you can’t always expect quality and perfection.
Miscommunication — The talent you bring on is variable depending on a few factors such as preference, internet connection, and location. These elements can result in more or less challenges communicating with team members and managers.
What Can You Do?
For many, the pros of outsourcing IT talent outweigh the cons. If that’s not the case, here are some quick tips to have minimal drawbacks:
- Research experienced staffing companies
- Be clear on your costs expectations
- Set rules and guidelines early on
- Don’t be afraid to speak up if it’s not working out
- Prepare your current staff
- Understand risks and differences
- Keep documentation
Contact EDI Staffing to discuss your outsourcing needs and begin your talent search today.
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