How do you manage a high-stakes IT project with tight deadlines? What do you do if you need specialized skills to execute a critical project? You have a highly competent in-house team, but they might lack the niche expertise required to execute a software project successfully.
What do you do? How do you take your project to completion? Explore hiring IT staff augmentation services. They are your best alternative. Staff augmentation services provide you with a flexible model to hire skilled professionals on demand.
What is IT Staff Augmentation?
This workforce strategy allows you to temporarily scale up your technical expertise. Traditional outsourcing models require you to hand over your project details to an external agency. But there are certain challenges associated with this like language and time zone barriers, security and confidentiality issues, no control over the output etc.
Hiring people from an IT staff augmentation company eliminates these risks because you integrate skilled professionals directly into your existing team. Further, hiring full-time employees for short-term projects is neither practical nor cost-effective. Leveraging staff augmentation also reduces the hiring timelines and offers unparalleled flexibility.
IT Staff Augmentation Myths and their Reality
The demand for staff augmentation is skyrocketing. Yet, discussions on IT staff augmentation invariably ends in skepticism.
Isn’t staff augmentation just glorified outsourcing?
Won’t it cost a fortune?
What about security risks?
This skepticism often clouds decision-making, and you continue to refrain from leveraging an incredibly powerful staffing model.
Here, we will debunk seven common myths about IT staff augmentation and reveal the truth behind this game-changing strategy.
Myth #1: IT Staff Augmentation is Just Another Form of Outsourcing
Reality: Staff Augmentation Enhances Your In-House Team, Not Replaces It
Many people assume staff augmentation is just another way of outsourcing IT work. The truth is different. While the offshore staff augmentation model might seem similar to traditional outsourcing, it is essentially different in the way it is executed. In outsourcing, an external vendor takes complete control of your project, often working independently. But in staff augmentation, you retain control. The external professionals become a seamless part of your team, working under your direction.
Myth #2: It’s More Expensive Than Hiring Full-Time Employees
Reality: Staff Augmentation Saves Money in the Long Run
At first glance, staff augmentation costs may seem high. However, the hidden costs of full-time hiring like recruitment expenses, onboarding, and long-term salaries, often make it more expensive.
With staff augmentation:
- You pay only for what you need
- There are no long-term commitments
- You bear no overhead costs (insurance, benefits, training)
- You eliminate hiring delays
These advantages drive success for projects with reduced time-to-market and where quality is a priority.
Myth #3: Augmented Staff Won’t Be as Committed as Full-Time Employees
Reality: The Right IT Professionals Are Fully Invested in Your Success
Many companies worry they will face commitment issues when hiring staff from outstaffing partners. They feel it hampers business success. In reality, top-tier IT professionals take pride in their work and are highly motivated to deliver results. Solving the challenges of the project gives them the necessary encouragement to work well.
Further, they are handpicked for your project, ensuring a perfect skill match. They also work under your management, integrating with your company culture. The reputation of their hiring company depends on performance, driving them to excel.
Myth #4: Security Risks Make IT Staff Augmentation Unsafe
Reality: With Proper Protocols, IT Staff Augmentation is Secure
Security concerns are valid, but they are not unique to staff augmentation. Data breaches are often caused by insider threats and poor security policies rather than external hires. Also, hiring staff from reliable staff augmentation service providers will ensure quality talent high on morals and ethics they pro-vet professionals before sending them over to their clients.
You can further mitigate the associated security risks by:
- Including NDAs and contractual security clauses
- Implementing role-based access control (RBAC)
- Ensuring cybersecurity training for all team members
Myth #5: Communication and Collaboration Will Be Challenging
Reality: Modern Tools Make Integration Seamless
A decade ago, integrating external professionals into an in-house team was challenging. Today, with remote work becoming the norm, collaboration tools have bridged the gap. Let us look at some commonly used software project communication tools:
- Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom for communication
- Jira, Trello, and Asana for task management
- GitHub and GitLab for code collaboration
These tools make it easy for augmented staff to work seamlessly as in-house teams, irrespective of whether they are based onsite or offsite.
Myth #6: IT Staff Augmentation is Only for Large Companies
Reality: Startups and SMEs Benefit Just as Much
You will be surprised to know that even tech giants like Google and Microsoft use IT staff augmentation services. Startups and small businesses can benefit even more because they have a reputation to build, so they can ensure their relevance and sustenance.
Some benefits of staff augmentation for start-ups and SMEs include:
- It eliminates the need for a full HR team to handle hiring.
- It provides access to world-class talent without long-term commitments.
- It ensures rapid scaling to meet project demands.
A start-up or SME, operating with limited resources, cannot afford to keep full-time staff for seasonal work requirements. Staff augmentation will help them execute niche projects successfully and build a reputation for quality and success.
Myth #7: IT Staff Augmentation is Only for Short-Term Needs
Reality: Long-Term Strategic Augmentation is Common
While staff augmentation is great for short-term needs, many companies use it for ongoing projects. Some businesses maintain long-term augmented teams, benefiting from expertise without hiring overhead.
Conclusion
The global IT staff augmentation market is currently seeing rapid year-on-year growth. Most companies consider staff augmentation to be a strategic advantage, not a quick fix. The myths surrounding staff augmentation often stem from misunderstandings or outdated perceptions. In reality, it’s one of the most efficient, cost-effective, and secure ways to expand your IT capabilities.