10 Important Staff Augmentation Best Practices
Clarify Job Roles And Expectations
Begin by identifying any knowledge and skill gaps within your current team's knowledge base and skill set to be in an optimal position to find candidates capable of filling critical holes. Define the objectives and business goals of the entire project as well as the expectations of employees you are hiring within business strategies; set deadlines, tasks, and results objectives as part of this definition process and consider hiring a project manager who will oversee its progress while helping hire and onboard new tech talent into your workplace.
Keep Open And Transparent Communication With Your Augmented Staff
Work can be more accessible when your dedicated team works as one unit yet remains vital in meeting deadlines and productivity. A McKinsey study discovered that dedicated teams with good communication are 20-25% more productive on average; hybrid groups and remote workers with solid contacts are five times as likely to admit being more productive.
Video conferencing software such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams can facilitate regular communication among staff members and improve relationships by strengthening them in real-time. You can address any concerns directly.
Use Project and Communication Management tools
Small and midsized businesses frequently assign project managers or team leaders as part of their structure to oversee management and resource requirements, ultimately improving project completion timeliness and compliance.
Project management is an indispensable asset allowing you to run projects efficiently. Furthermore, its use will increase the quality and productivity of work on various tasks. Project and communication tools are pivotal in project management's effectiveness - essential if managing multiple staff.
Trello, Jira, and Asana are three project management tools designed to keep dedicated development teams on task and in harmony. New team members will understand precisely what is expected of them when deadlines approach. At the same time, project managers or business leaders can track project progress even as experts across time zones and countries contribute expertise. Trello may work well with smaller projects, while Jira may provide greater complexity - while Monday.com works best as it caters to large and small teams.
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Document Your Project Processes And Transfer Knowledge
Knowledge transfer should occur throughout a complex project, especially when using external personnel. Staff augmentation provides an effective solution to adapt staff to changing demands, and ensuring all involved have access to vital information needed for performing their duties is critical.
Knowledge must be transferred securely and reliably for staffing efforts to be practical. You may use training manuals, samples, or samples from previous projects to securely and reliably share knowledge. Videos, reports, or any documentation relevant to a project could also facilitate transference. Here are some best practices that will assist with knowledge transfer and increase its efficacy:
- The business process by which knowledge is shared should be clearly defined.
- Google Drive is a document management tool that allows your external team to organize tacit knowledge and explicitly store it so you can share it with the relevant people later.
- Slack, Jira, and other project and communication management tools can be used to document and facilitate tasks and communications.
- The project manager is a dedicated individual who ensures that knowledge sharing and transfer are carried out effectively.
It will ensure that the augmented team of experts will have access to everything they require to start working and any assets and knowledge once they have performed services.
Keep Involved in the Project Execution Process
External professionals often play an essential part in the success of projects; staff augmentation is an ideal solution to address specific requirements. Staff augmentation can help businesses maximize efficiency and performance by providing external experts with relevant data.
Prioritize and adhere to timelines and budget restrictions while meeting priorities and deadlines. Delegate responsibility if time or capacity limitations impede using others as intermediaries between your staff and any augmented ones.
Read Also: Staff Augmentation Vs Other Models
Respect The Differences Between Your Augmented Staff
You can hire experts anywhere in the world with staff augmentation. You and your team size could work alongside professionals with different backgrounds, cultures, and time zones. Although you only hire external experts temporarily, they can help improve your communication and relationships.
Recognize your Augmented Employees
Recognition can incredibly affect employee morale, engagement, and productivity. Praising employees regularly fosters more loyalty among workers while alleviating stress levels - they also tend to remain stress-free longer. Furthermore, such employees tend to stay longer at their current jobs.
Rewarding others for their work can have an immediate and positive effect on its quality, even if only for temporary measures. Do not hesitate to express your appreciation and praise when they're due - whether that means external employees, internal teams via collaboration channels, or staff augmenting providers; sharing this feedback could have lasting results and encourage repeat assistance from certain professionals if it shows you value and appreciates them as workers.
Put Confidentiality Terms in Place
Software development is a highly competitive market, so your staff members will also be involved in other projects. Include confidentiality clauses as part of your contract with the staffing provider to offer additional protection. This will prevent trade secrets, intellectual property, confidential information, and other sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.
Projects Can Be Easily Scaled Up
There are a few tips to make the recruitment process easier and more efficient.
- Choose a provider of staff augmentation with an extensive network of talents, recruiters, and a low rate of attrition: The term "attrition" refers to a company's loss of employees for various reasons. It should be kept to no more than 10%. It will also ensure the provider has a talent pool to help you.
- Decide on a notice period before scaling up your team: Doing so will allow your provider to prepare for the project and ensure it is completed without delays.
- Find out if your provider of staff augmentation has a strong brand for their employees: In other words, they are aiming to create a great place to work. Strong employee branding is more likely to keep talent. There will therefore be less or no difficulty in finding a match that meets your requirements.
Select a Staff Augmentation Company that is Reliable
It would help if you also chose an experienced staffing provider, as the outsourcing market is saturated and has many bad apples. It is becoming more and more popular. Here are a few best practices to follow when vetting vendors for staff augmentation:
- Read reviews and recommendations: Consider the experiences of previous clients. Has the client been happy with their choice of professional and recruitment speed? What was the success of project outcomes? Did the vendor resolve any issues they encountered?
- You can read their case studies: This will give you a better idea of their knowledge and experience. Which industries or projects did they work on? What have been the results they've helped achieve? What were the challenges and issues they addressed?
- Assess their work culture and ensure that it is similar to yours: Lastly, be sure you feel comfortable working and communicating with them. Set up introductory phone calls to learn about their culture, values, and collaboration terms. Are they in line with your working style and values? What makes them unique? Do they have an open-door policy? Are they trustworthy? Although working with your provider might differ from making your first calls, it can still build a strong foundation for your relationship.
Sphere Partners Is The Right Choice For Your Staff Augmentation Needs
Three Types Of Staff Augmentation
The model you choose for staff augmentation can be tailored to your specific needs. Staff augmentation can be classified into three main categories: skill-based, commodity-based, and highly skilled.
Commodity
The use of commodities for staff augmentation does not require specific skills. This staff augmentation method is more about urgency rather than particular skills. This type of staffing augmentation can include manual labor, retail, or factory work.
Skill-Based
Unsurprisingly, skill-based staffing requires a little more expertise. This type of staff augmentation isn't very demanding. Skills-based augmentation can look like typing or data entry in clerical jobs.
Highly-Skilled
It is remembered for its highly skilled staffing. It is the exact type of staffing that you require. Outsourced partners with high-level skills are often in IT and software development. These professions require extensive training and expertise; IT staffing does not excuse lapses.
What You Need to Know To Augment Your Team Successfully
You should follow a few steps to augment your team of professionals successfully. The IT augmentation process is similar to the scientific method in that it should be precise and careful.
Find the problem
Identifying the problem is your first step. Your permanent employees can provide valuable input. They are the best people to ask about your business's strengths and weaknesses.
Please Specify your Needs
After identifying your issue, you should specify your requirements in several ways. All of these are very important. It would help if you considered a variety of needs.
- Are you looking for a short-term staffing solution or a long-term one?
- What is the skill level of your product?
- What is the number of new IT employees you require?
Researchers Staffing Agencies
Before choosing an outsourcing provider, it is wise to investigate the IT staffing agency market thoroughly. Determine your specific staffing needs, then use those as the basis of your search process. When setting budget parameters, be wary of going with the lowest bid; consider costs reasonably while remembering to purchase something worthwhile.
Nearshore and offshore outsourcing each have unique key benefits and drawbacks that should be carefully evaluated when making a rational decision about outsourcing options for your company at this particular moment in time. In essence, giving and taking will depend entirely on what meets the company's current needs at that specific moment in time.
Choose Your Options
Test the skills of your potential candidates. You also want to ensure your new staff has the soft skills to collaborate and work effectively with your existing additional team. Call your prospective providers to ensure a good relationship. It's essential to only hire someone good at working with others.
You Can Negotiate With Your Chosen Partner
You should engage in a negotiation to get all of the information about your IT staffing agency contract. It would help if you didn't feel like your colleagues were manipulating you. Do not be afraid to ask for what you need while being rational.
Signing a Contract
You can now cross all your "t's and dot all your "i." You and your IT staffing partner can sign a mutually beneficial contract.
What Are The Benefits Of Staff Augmentation?
People looking for the best of both worlds should hire IT staff. Outsourcing is a tried and true practice that people have relied upon for decades. IT staff augmentation companies provide you with an idea of who you're working with. IT staffing agencies or other highly-skilled specialists may lend professionals who fit seamlessly with your team - making IT staff augmentation an efficient short-term fix to issues that persist otherwise.
What Are The Market Trends For Hiring IT Staff?
IT staffing augmentation has many advantages, but you should also understand its impact on operations for tech companies and those that are not.
Tech Companies
Staff augmentation is a growing trend that significantly impacts companies that create IT products. The movement has several impacts on tech companies.
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Specialized Skills
Staff augmentation is a trend that significantly impacts the IT industry. It allows companies to access the specialized talent they might not have in-house or locally. These businesses can increase their production and maximize resources by using on-demand workers.
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Savings
The cost of hiring and maintaining software developers has increased due to the demand for more user-friendly products. You can reduce these costs by supplementing your staff with cheap offshore staff augmentation. This will keep your business running smoothly without having to sacrifice quality.
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Increased Efficiency
It is more efficient when tech companies hire professionals with technology and processes experience. You can accomplish more work faster if you have hired qualified workers.
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Flexible Staff Strategy
Flexibility is another way the IT staffing augmentation trend affects tech firms. The IT staffing model allows tech companies to scale their teams more efficiently. Remote teams are only sometimes tied to long-term contracts to provide flexibility during rapid growth.
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Hybrid Work System
Tech companies utilizing hybrid systems often employ flexible production strategies with hybrid staffing systems for greater production flexibility and increased flexibility with production strategies. Augmented staffing systems permit in-house and remote workers to collaborate throughout the day on various tasks for increased productivity and quicker market access.
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Resilience in Business
The trend toward staffing augmentation can also improve the business resilience of tech companies. The tech firms must quickly weather any unexpected events and provide solutions for IT issues without making significant staffing changes. A contract IT staff can assist them in both areas.
Non-Tech Companies
The IT staffing augmentation does not only apply to technology companies. Not just tech companies need IT staff to enhance their user experience and improve processes. The rise of IT staffing market trends has several impacts on these non-tech companies.
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Improved Data Management
Retail, hospitality, consulting, real estate, and other non-technical businesses use tech tools. These firms have many customers and need to find people that can manage all the data generated. IT staff augmentation team can provide IT professionals the skills to use these tools effectively and efficiently.
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Improved Flexibility
Flexibility is another aspect where IT staff augmentation will significantly impact businesses with peak and non-peak sales seasons. They can increase or decrease their IT staff according to the business's needs without maintaining an internal team in slow periods.
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Smarter Project Management
The addition of IT personnel to non-tech firms can also be beneficial in the area of project management. A team of highly skilled workers will help ensure projects are finished on schedule and within budget.
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A hybrid Work System
This is because more and more firms, including non-tech companies, recognize that they need a solid IT infrastructure. Having remote IT specialists working with their staff to meet this requirement can be an excellent way for them to satisfy it. It can lead to a hybrid arrangement where full-time employees and additional personnel are available at any time to meet the demands of clients.
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Improved Business Resilience
IT staffing can influence the resilience of non-tech businesses by giving them access to IT experts who can quickly solve any IT-related problem. It doesn't matter if you work in tech or not. The right professionals to augment your team will give you a competitive edge.
Does Staff Augmentation Still Exist in the IT Industry?
Yes is the short answer; according to reliable estimates from industry sources, software sales will reach $2.157.19 Billion by 2026 and continue their exponential growth rate without accessing an ample pool of expertise - something outsourcing companies increasingly see as necessary as they attempt to tap this vast market.
IT staff augmentation has become more widespread as companies realize the advantages of tapping talent worldwide. Businesses looking to meet rising client expectations will likely continue to employ IT staff augmentation services more frequently to stay competitive and meet client demand for IT resources.
Five Top Trends for IT Staffing in 2023
Here are some trends in IT staffing that we can expect to be prominent this year and beyond.
The Need For More Technical Talent Is Continuing
This current shortage of tech talent will be around for a while. According to the IMF, this tech worker shortage could reach 85 million by 2030. This means that in 2023, fewer qualified workers will be available to fill the increasing demand for tech-related jobs.
It Is Essential To Be Able To Adapt Your Business
Businesses must adapt quickly to both anticipated and unanticipated changes in 2023 and beyond. They need to keep running their business regardless. It is essential to have a flexible, agile staffing strategy that allows companies to scale up their IT needs or down as necessary quickly.
Demand For Certifications And Specialized Skills Is Increasing
Thanks to rapid technological changes and digital transformation, IT professionals will be in demand for a long time. It won't be any old professional. It will instead be professionals with specialized certifications and skills, particularly in emerging technologies such as AI & ML. VR & AR. IoT. Blockchain.
Soft Skills Are The Focus
WEF estimates that 40% of employees will have to upgrade their skills within five years. This is especially true in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration. IT professionals with soft skills will be highly sought after, even though technical ability is crucial.
AI and Automation will be Used More
AI and Automation will likely transform the IT sector in 2023. IT teams using AI and Automation to improve their service and streamline processes will be at a distinct advantage.
Read Also: IT Staff Augmentation: What Is It and How Does It Work?
What Is The Best Way To Determine If Your Business Needs IT Staffing?
Do you need to know if the IT department of your company is prepared for augmentation? Consider this model if you can identify with the scenarios below.
You Need A Specific Skill Set To Complete Your Project
Some software projects may require skill sets that your team still needs to have. Hiring someone with the required skills is better than spending resources and time training your team.
Your Local Hiring Efforts Are Not Working
The need for more local talent is one of the biggest problems software companies face today. It is worth building or supplementing your team of developers with those from another country if there is a need for more skills in your locality.
You Are Busy Working On Another Project With Your Internal Team
You may need extra help to complete the task. You can get all the support you need to avoid overstretching your current staff.
Innovative Ideas Are Needed
Sometimes, a new team member is all you need to get your creativity flowing again. Introduce a new member to your team. This will help you fill in any gaps and provide the creative spark you require.
Cisin Experience: What Superpower Can Staff Augmentation Bring To Your Business?
Businesses are finding novel approaches to meeting productivity targets in response to The Great Resignation. Many find staying abreast of market trends for IT staffing is their solution - for this process to start smoothly, Cisin can assist.
Cisin, an award-winning global staffing firm, assists businesses in hiring the ideal IT experts to fulfill their business requirements. Cisin provides IT staffing services quickly and efficiently while emphasizing customer satisfaction and quality - helping businesses to optimize internal teams by providing expert services promptly and efficiently. Request a callback now.
Want More Information About Our Services? Talk to Our Consultants!
The conclusion of the article is:
IT staff augmentation services like cisin's IT Staffing process offer an effective means for getting any business or startup off the ground quickly. Their highly-skilled IT Staffing has all you need for success - its developers occupy unique niches within IT without directly working on computers; instead, they create applications explicitly tailored to move businesses forward.
