5 Business Benefits of Staff Augmentation

As technology evolves rapidly, it has become increasingly crucial for organizations to access specialized IT personnel. While larger companies may have the luxury of in-house IT staff, smaller businesses often need more expertise to manage their IT systems effectively. In such scenarios, IT outsourcing can be an excellent solution. By outsourcing their IT needs, companies can access a pool of skilled professionals specializing in various aspects of the IT industry. This can help smaller businesses stay competitive and operate more efficiently without investing in expensive IT infrastructure or hiring full-time IT staff.

Basics of Staff Augmentation:

What Is Staff Augmentation?

When an organization needs extra help but doesn’t want to hire another employee, they can bring in staff from a consulting firm or agency to fill talent gaps. Because these talent gaps are usually related to a specific project or goal, it often makes more sense to bring in a qualified expert who can quickly adapt and align with an organization’s goals than a new hire. And because of the large pool of expertise you can find when working with contractors, staff augmentation is a highly scalable method of outsourcing labor.  

Organizations are now adopting a staff augmentation approach to staffing their departments, especially for HR, customer service, and operations. However, IT departments usually have the most outsourced labor. The technology industry is vast and intricate, requiring specialized skill sets to complete IT projects effectively. High employee turnover rates in the technology sector cause roadblocks for companies looking to stay up-to-date with software, migrate to the cloud, follow cybersecurity best practices, and perform many other IT tasks that keep a business running efficiently. Staff augmentation can greatly relieve in-house IT teams.

What Types of Projects can Consultants Help with? 

In the staff augmentation model, companies can outsource specific components of their IT operations to managed services providers (MSPs) to balance their budget while maintaining satisfactory service to end-users. Ideally, consultants specializing in enterprise IT support will focus on the industry's specific needs. Because consultants are exposed to and trained in various disciplines and technologies as part of their daily work, they can offer a deep bench of experience. The staff augmentation model can be highly cost-effective when compared to the expenses of hiring, training, and paying an in-house employee. An outsourced consultant can be brought in during hardware and software deployments, upgrades and migrations, or large-scale project outsourcing. Their primary goal is to enhance performance, improve productivity, facilitate access to information, and align technology with changes in your business processes.

5 Business Benefits of Staff Augmentation

1. Frees Up Time - Internal IT staff tend to spend more time responding to day-to-day IT tasks like password resets, server crashes, and printer issues than leading proactive projects that can catalyze business growth. A Managed Service Provider can assist with those day-to-day tasks to free up valuable time for an IT team to focus on meeting long-term strategic goals.
   
   
2. Bridges the Gap - During transitional periods, an MSP can help meet IT needs while you hire and train permanent employees. Perhaps a company has undergone a mass migration of IT professionals or is moving to a new location and needs transitional staff. iCorps has experts trained in many different areas to ensure we can meet client needs, from .NET to VPN setup to cloud migration and beyond. The modular nature of staff augmentation services allows the company to adjust staff levels as full-time employees join the fold.  
   
   
3. Picks Up the Slack - The previous sentiment is true for other cases, too. Some businesses are seasonal and need high staff levels during certain seasons and less during off times. In these cases, bringing in a fully trained staff from an MSP can eliminate the need for costly training every year. The plug-and-play nature of the service makes it perfect for use with these businesses.
   
   
4. Provides Continued Support - IT work is a 24/7 endeavor, so what happens when someone in your IT department needs a break? There are several functional departments that require daily technical assistance. In a small company, there may be other options than budgeting for multiple IT techs to cover vacation or sick days. By using staff augmentation to outsource the IT needs to a managed service provider, a company can give its IT staff time off without compromising the everyday workings of the business. iCorps offers solutions that monitor, measure, track, and manage servers around the clock.  
   
   
5. Provides Needed Talent and Skills - Many projects require highly specialized expertise, and in the IT field, there are many areas to build a specialty, meaning no one can realistically be an expert in everything IT. When a company needs a particular specialty, like help with complying with government regulations (think compliance frameworks like HIPPA or the GDPR) or VPN setup for a short-term project, it often makes more sense to use staff augmentation services to outsource the project than to hire an additional staff member. With no long-term commitment and endless outsourcing solutions, a business can follow any path without worrying if the staff can handle it.  

In conclusion, staff augmentation is an effective way for businesses to outsource IT work to experts without the need for hiring and training new employees. It frees up time for in-house IT staff to focus on strategic projects and provides the flexibility to adjust staff levels as needed. Staff augmentation can also provide ongoing support and specialized expertise to meet specific project needs. With the right managed service provider, a business can benefit greatly from staff augmentation and stay up-to-date with the latest technology trends and best practices. Don’t let your business fall behind because of IT inefficiencies. Instead, look to outsourced experts for cost-effective IT solutions. Reach out to iCorps for a free consultation today!