Staff Augmentation Services
What is Staff Augmentation?
Staff augmentation means simply outsourcing workers for projects aligned with the organization’s current staffing needs and objectives. For example, your company aims to develop a gaming app, and you require seven developers. However, your in-house development team only contains four. Given that you want skilled developers with sound expertise in building robust apps, it might take at least a month or two to fill the gap and hire four talented developers, delaying your project launch and depriving you of predicted revenue.
However, using staff augmentation, you can easily hire the three developers within weeks, enabling quicker project completion and product launch. Moreover, augmenting staff is a cooperative model that usually involves outsourcing. Hence, once your app hits the market, you won’t need to fire the developers who worked on it. This will help you avoid the legal hassles and documentation of full-time employment.
Types of Staff Augmentation
Commodity-based
1
Skill-based
These individuals will have higher levels of education and experience than average workers, allowing them to complete tasks more efficiently than others within the company.
2
Highly-skilled
Short-term staff augmentation involves bringing on temporary employees to help you with a specific task. For example, if you’re working on an ad campaign, you should bring on an intern to help you with the design elements.
3
Commodity-based
1
Skill-based
These individuals will have higher levels of education and experience than average workers, allowing them to complete tasks more efficiently than others within the company.
2
Highly-skilled
Short-term staff augmentation involves bringing on temporary employees to help you with a specific task. For example, if you’re working on an ad campaign, you should bring on an intern to help you with the design elements.
3
When to use staff augmentation?
Staff augmentation is a strategic approach to workforce management in which an organization hires external talent to supplement its existing team and meet specific project or skill-based needs. This practice has gained prominence in various industries as a flexible and efficient solution to scale resources and expertise without committing to long-term hires.
Why is staff augmentation popular in the IT industry?
The ease of hiring offered by IT staff augmentation is why it’s so popular today, especially due to the massive size of the software market. As per a Businesswire report, this market’s revenue is primed to reach nearly $1,493 billion in 2025 (11% CAGR). Growth at such rates would be impossible without access to a vast software specialists pool, which is only possible through resource augmentation that aids in distributing IT workforce across businesses.
Types of staff augmentation services and how to choose them
On-site staff augmentation
On-site staff augmentation involves hiring temporary professionals to work within your premises. This type of service allows for direct collaboration and seamless integration into existing teams. On-site staff augmentation is ideal for projects that require close coordination, team alignment, and face-to-face interaction. It ensures efficient communication and fosters a strong working relationship between your existing staff and the augmented team members.
Remote staff augmentation
Remote staff augmentation, as the name suggests, involves hiring professionals who work remotely. This type of service provides businesses with access to a global talent pool and is particularly suitable for organizations seeking specialized skills or cost-effective solutions. Remote staff augmentation offers flexibility, scalability, and the ability to work across different time zones. However, effective communication and project management systems are vital for successful collaboration in a remote work environment.
Project-based staff augmentation
Project-based staff augmentation focuses on bringing in experts for a specific project or assignment. This type of service allows businesses to tap into specialized skills and knowledge without the need for long-term commitments. Project-based staff augmentation is an excellent choice for short-term initiatives or when you require a specific set of skills not available internally. It provides the flexibility to scale your team up or down based on project requirements, ensuring optimal resource allocation and cost efficiency.
Team-based staff augmentation
Team-based staff augmentation involves hiring an entire team to work on a particular project or area. This approach provides a ready-made team with the necessary skills and expertise to address complex projects. Team-based staff augmentation is beneficial when you require a complete team with complementary skill sets or when you need to ramp up quickly for a time-sensitive initiative. It allows for efficient collaboration and streamlined project execution.
Choosing the right staff augmentation service
When selecting a staff augmentation service provider, consider the following factors:
Expertise and Experience
Look for providers with a track record of delivering high-quality services in your industry or a specific domain.
Flexibility and Scalability
Ensure the provider can accommodate your changing needs and scale the team as required.
Cultural Fit
Assess the provider’s cultural alignment with your organization to ensure a smooth integration and effective collaboration.
Communication and Project Management
Evaluate the provider’s communication channels, project management tools, and methodologies to ensure effective collaboration and transparency.
Talent Pool
Determine the provider’s ability to access a diverse pool of skilled professionals who can meet your requirements.
Staff augmentation vs independent contractors
On the contrary, hiring independent contractors means you won’t have to pay a commission to a vendor. Instead, you would hire the contractor directly. However, an important thing to consider here is that specific limitations apply to the position occupied by an independent contractor in an organization.
Staff augmentation vs managed services
The most apparent distinction between IT staff augmentation and managed services is the amount of control a client provides the vendor with. While the former only assigns the provisioning of staff required to the vendor, and the rest stays under a client’s control, the latter operates as a one-in-all service.
Staff augmentation vs dedicated teams
You can manage your remote developers directly with resource and staff augmentation, but a dedicated team operates under the vendor’s supervision. The former presupposes full-time engagement, while the latter often works with multiple clients on any given day.
