Smart working and IT staff augmentation are examples of modern-day strategies companies can implement to reshape their operations. In fact, both have revolutionized the working world today.
That’s because these strategies can help us bridge the skill and resource gaps found in companies.
In this article, I’ll be exploring the challenges businesses face, the benefits of these strategies, and how you can effectively embrace them.
Keeping up with demands
Let’s face it: life isn’t what it used to be.
Where clients would normally remain loyal to a business for years (or even decades), now you’re more likely to find them considering alternatives, and making comparisons through online searches.
So, one of the primary reasons for the implementation of smart working and hiring services of an IT staff augmentation company is simply to keep up with demand.
So, one of the primary reasons for the implementation of smart working and IT staff augmentation is simply to keep up with demand.
Companies that implement smart working are more likely to attract high-value talent.
That’s just a fact.
If employers allow their staff to work remotely and use digital technology for collaboration with clients and colleagues, they’re more likely to stay loyal to their business. Because, interestingly enough: workers do just as much “shopping” as clients do. They just happen to be shopping for other employment opportunities.
In addition, having high-value talent in your team will improve the rate at which employees complete work, and ultimately boost client retention.
(This is on top of producing higher quality work.)
IT staff augmentation, on the other hand, means that instead of going through the arduous (and often long-drawn) process of trying to find the right person, you can just employ a team with a pre existing portfolio of client successes.
Again, this can be incredibly useful for short-term (or even long-term) collaborations.
The upsides of smart working
So:
Along with helping you attract and retain talent, smart working will ultimately increase productivity. Research shows that employees are 77 % more productive when working from home.
And if your company goes fully remote, then you can also expect costs to decrease exponentially as you don’t have to pay for physical office space (rent, internet, utilities, and maintenance).
You’ll also discover that people will be more satisfied with their jobs (making them less likely to scour LinkedIn for new opportunities).
Smart working ultimately grants employees more control and flexibility over their schedules, lets them work from anywhere, saves them money, and can greatly reduce their stress levels.
The upsides of IT staff augmentation
IT staff augmentation is an excellent strategy to expand a team, particularly for businesses that are trying to improve their time-to-market. You’ll also find that you’ll save some money which you’d normally reserve for things such as training and onboarding (as well as salaries, of course).
This is without even mentioning how IT staff augmentation gives you access to the global talent pool and, quite possibly, the best of the best.
As if that wasn’t enough, your existing tech team may even learn a thing or two when working alongside the experienced professionals you might hire through staff augmentation.
Implementing strategies
So, now that you better understand what your company stands to gain by implementing smart working and IT staff augmentation, let’s explore how you can implement them both into your business without failing in the process.
To implement smart working, you’ll need to consider the following:
- Your team members will need to haveaccess to the appropriate hardware. This means you may need to equip them with computers and other hardware, such as webcams and microphones.
- You’ll need to purchasecollaboration software. This is so that your team can effectively communicate with coworkers, management, and even clients.
Now, to implement IT staff augmentation, you’ll need to do the following:
- Identify what skills you’re lacking.
- Consider whether this is just a one-off need or something required for long-term strategy.
- Search for staff augmentation companies with long-standing and positive reviews.
- Make sure the company knows exactly what you need, so that they can provide you with the right professionals.
- Establish and implement a communication channel for them to get aligned with your project’s goals and to get to know your team.
- Set clear KPIs for the external team to follow.
Remember that the experts you hire through this model will be a part of your team, so they’ll need your guidance in every step of the way.
Staying competitive: smart working & IT staff augmentation
Failure to keep up with modern-day trends could mean losing your competitive edge in the mid term. That’s why it’s so crucial to stay competitive by learning how you can:
- Make your processes more efficient.
- Retain high-quality talent..
- Complete projects in no time at all
Smart working and IT staff augmentation are both strategies that can help you effectively achieve these goals, ultimately keeping your competitors on their toes and clients on your landing page.
