The prospect of bringing in proven experts to lighten the load for your internal team likely sounds appealing, but partnering with the wrong staff augmentation company can end up causing more harm than good. A quality partnership depends on crystal-clear alignment between outsourced staff and in-house teams. Ultimately, your outsourced staff should function as an extension of your team, not just a third party acting independently from your business.
So, exactly how does a staff augmentation partnership work, and what should you know before signing on the dotted line? To ensure you make the best decision for your business, let’s take a closer look at how staff augmentation partnerships work, in addition to what they’re capable of unlocking for your business.
What is a Staff Augmentation Model?
Staff augmentation is a model of outsourcing in which a company brings in specialized personnel on a fixed-term basis. Typically, companies rely on staff augmentation to improve overall processes and operations or assist with a specific project that the provider has technical expertise in.
A company may seek out staff augmentation if they lack the required talent for a specific project, need assistance meeting go-to-market deadlines, or wish to free up their in-house team’s time to focus on other tasks. These engagements can vary in terms of scope and length. How long you work with your staff augmentation partner (and at what cost) will entirely depend on the needs of your business and the success in establishing an environment of transparency and inclusion on the decisions that drive the business forward.
What are the Benefits of Staff Augmentation?
There’s really no one-size-fits-all approach to staff augmentation. Companies leverage it in a wide range of scenarios, from helping fill the gaps in everyday work caused by employee absences to utilizing specialized skills to get a particular project out the door. While it looks different at every company, the benefits of staff augmentation are universally felt.
Specialized Talent
Outsourced hires may possess skills and/or knowledge that your internal team is lacking. Bringing in specialized talent that’s dedicated to serving your needs can streamline projects and ensure quality work is being completed in a timely fashion.
An added bonus of bringing in outside talent is how it upskills their internal team. Your business may have standard procedures and processes in place in terms of building digital products, but partnering with outsourced staff can raise the bar for your internal team and revitalize the work environment in a positive way. Your employees can learn valuable lessons from your outsourced staff, and can go on to deliver higher-quality work with increased velocity in the future.
Cost-Effective
While the upfront costs of a staff augmentation partnership may seem daunting, you’ll actually save money in the long run by avoiding costs associated with in-house recruiting, staffing, and training. Additionally, since your outsourced staff will likely be working remotely, you won’t have to pay for additional office space and equipment. Most staff augmentation providers are already equipped with commonly used software licenses and technologies, providing you with yet another means of reducing overall costs.
Project Development
Your in-house team likely has a plethora of varying responsibilities, making it hard for them to channel every ounce of energy into a singular project. Employees may also take unexpected leaves of absence or go on vacation, which can impact project deadlines. Working with a staff augmentation partner means you have a team dedicated to advancing a particular project. This ensures initial deadlines are met and fewer obstacles arise throughout development.
Bring Back Valuable Hours
Partnering with a staff augmentation company means you don’t have to go through the process of recruiting qualified specialists and onboarding them. Staff augmentation brings in valuable employees who will be able to start delivering results for your business from the get-go. Your in-house team will also benefit from outsourced talent, as they’ll have more time to focus on their core responsibilities and avoid being spread too thin.
How Can You Ensure a Positive Partnership?
When handled properly, a staff augmentation partnership can streamline business operations and produce quality work quickly and cost-efficiently. But the previously mentioned benefits can only be realized if you partner with the staff augmentation provider best suited to your needs.
Before you dive into a project with outsourced talent, there are some best practices you should follow to ensure the partnership experience is positive for both you and the provider.
Technical Screening
You’ll naturally be drawn to staff augmentation companies that have stellar online reviews, industry acknowledgement and years of experience. But if they’re not able to provide work that addresses your needs, then the partnership will ultimately fail. Before you start your search, sit down with your internal team and discuss what is needed from a staff augmentation company. Defining what you need in terms of outsourced talent will ensure you end up with the right partner.
Review Previous Work
Does the staff augmentation provider you’re considering have any case studies or examples of previous work they’ve done for other companies? Before you partner up, make sure your partner has a proven track record of delivering timely, quality work for their clients. Ideally, your partner will have experience in providing specialized services relevant to your projects and industry.
Proper Alignment
Once you’ve determined who you’ll be calling on for outsourced staff, set clear expectations from the onset to ensure your staff augmentation company knows what they’re being asked to accomplish. Covering project details, including range of work, deadlines, and potential obstacles, is also important, but keep in mind that plans will likely change along the way, and leaving room for your partner to truly innovate and collaborate on the best path forward is a must. Additionally, there needs to be an ideal culture fit between your business and outsourced staff. The best partnerships flourish when both entities are aligned in their core values, and you’ll find collaborating with your partner is made much easier when the people you’re working with are committed to the same principles as your internal team.
Ensuring initial proper alignment will make life easier for both parties as the work begins.
Thorough Communication
Throughout the duration of your partnership, prioritize open, continuous communication between your internal team and your staff augmentation partner. Clear communication ensures there is less confusion and more clarity on all aspects of the projects being worked on. It’s important to remember that you’re a stakeholder in this partnership, which requires you to be actively involved throughout the entirety of the engagement. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your partner if you have any questions or want an update on their progress, as your partner should always be willing to keep you in the loop and address any concerns.
Zemoga is Your Ideal Partner
Built on the belief that quality work comes from completely immersing ourselves in our clients’ cultures, Zemoga acts as an extension of your team to ensure the work we provide is tailored to your particular needs. With over 20 years of experience, we’ve been proud to partner with some of the leading global brands and effectively collaborate to produce work that not only meets their expectations, but exceeds them.
Our business model is driven by culture and care — care for our people, our clients, and their business success. Together, we'll design and engineer better digital products and experiences with the right delivery model and team structure for your company.
Contact us today to learn more about how our proven solutions can complement the existing digital capabilities of your team.
