4 Main Benefits of Staff Augmentation

Companies are becoming more interested in flexible staffing solutions. Various staffing methods like contract-to-hire, contract, and staff augmentation can all be helpful, especially when it comes to adapting to changing markets, times of growth, and seasonal needs. One of the best ways a business can adapt during evolving times is by using staff augmentation, a method that allows more flexibility for businesses.

Here, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of staff augmentation, including what it is, how this solution may benefit your organization, and what cons the staff augmentation disadvantages are.

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What is Staff Augmentation?

Staff augmentation is a staffing model designed to supplement a business’s team with temporary, specialized staff members. With staff augmentation, businesses get to increase their workforce without the burdens associated with hiring a slew of full-time employees for a temporary project or unusually different workload. This approach to staffing is flexible, cost-effective, and unlike outsourcing, results in your business’s management team having direct contact with the additional team members that are added for your project’s needs.

Pros of Staff Augmentation

Every method of staffing has specific benefits associated with it. Let’s dive into the ways that staffing augmentation can help your company leverage specialized, temporary hires to experience a higher level of success.

Trial Run with Workers

There are a lot of expenses, literally and figuratively, when it comes to hiring a new employee. From HR recruiting to onboarding and training, your business makes a huge investment when adding a new team member. With staff augmentation, companies can experience the added manpower of new hires for a short period of time without the frustrations of hiring someone full-time. This is a great trial period for both employees and employers to decide if it may warrant working together on a more permanent basis.

Scalable Staff

Businesses that are agile when it comes to navigating changing landscapes are more likely to be successful long-term. Staff augmentation helps your company meet demands or changes in your workforce’s responsibilities with skilled workers on a temporary basis.

Time-Saving & Cost-Efficient

Onboarding new employees takes time and money to recruit and train them. With staff augmentation, your business can expand capacity without sacrificing valuable company time or spending money on a full-time employee that may not work out.

Access to Specialized Workers

No matter what your business, it’s important that new employees (even if they’re temporary) have the necessary skills to complete the job. Staff augmentation adds skilled and experienced employees to your team, even if the needs of your company are specialized.

Cons of Staff Augmentation

With every pro comes a con, and there are some aspects of staff augmentation that may not make it a great staffing solution for your business’s short- and/or long-term development. Here are some of the disadvantages associated with this form of staffing.

Costs Increase if a Project is Underestimated

Whenever teams set out to complete a project, they set up expectations for project length, scope, and more. One disadvantage associated with staff augmentation is that if your company has underestimated the length it will take to complete a project, the cost of labor can go up significantly compared to full-time staff if you need to continue to pay staff augmentation employees for longer than expected. Staff augmentation is an ideal form of project outsourcing so long as your business has an accurate idea of how long things will take. Usually, a staffing agency can help negotiate rates if the unexpected happens, but it’s best to be aware of this going in.

Learning Curve Regarding Internal Knowledge

Because staff augmentation employees are not full-time and not yet considered official employees of your business, they do not have the inside knowledge of your company the way existing staff members would. When staff augmentation support is brought on, there is a learning curve associated with their assimilation into your business. This means they’ll need more time to learn business processes, understand the project goals, and more. A strong staffing agency should have experience in helping businesses and employees navigate this learning curve, but it’s important to understand this aspect of staff augmentation before recruitment begins.

Is Staff Augmentation Right for Your Business?

No matter what projects your business takes on or what resources you have at your disposal, there may be a point at which you could benefit from adding on more people to your staff through staff augmentation. However, not all companies need staff augmentation. Before choosing this form of staffing, be sure to look at all staffing options available to you. Discussing your options with an experienced staffing firm can help you determine the best course of action for your unique circumstances and needs.

Staff Augmentation in Houston

When deciding to hire an IT staffing team make sure you choose one that has industry expertise, a wide network of business relationships, and an expansive talent pool to meet the staffing needs of your Houston based business. Make sure they can offer variety of staffing solutions, including staff augmentation, and cater to the unique needs of your company. An experienced staffing experts should be able to guide your company through the process of augmenting your staff and delivering results that will benefit your business today and beyond.

The 4 Main Benefits Of Staff Augmentation