The Right Method to Choose Your IT Staff Augmentation Partner

Often, organizations tend to opt for staff augmentation to manage their workload, fill the skill gap of their in-house team, and increase overall productivity. And they need a reliable IT staff augmentation partner who can be trusted with their intricate details and deliverables of the projects. In this detailed guide, we will dig deeper into the main factors you must consider before finalizing the augmented staff partner for your business.?

1. State your needs and expectations clearly?

Before looking out for staff augmentation companies, it is necessary to understand the specific requirements of your software development team. Identify the roles, skills, and expertise the team needs assistance with. Additionally, state your expectations for collaborating with an IT staff augmented team. Some important factors that you must check:

• What particular skills do you require?
• Do you need external experts for a specific project or long-term?
• What is the deadline for the project?
• What budget can you allocate for staff augmentation?
• What are your core values and culture??

Once you have answers to all these questions, only then can you begin searching for a partner that fulfills all requirements. A clear understanding of all your outsourcing requirements will help you narrow down on the best IT staff augmentation partner with all the right resources.

2. A thorough research about the partner's track record?

The best way to assess a staff augmentation company is to research their expertise and experience carefully. Look for partners with a proven track record, especially in your industry, to ensure their familiarity with specifications and requirements. Evaluate them as critically as you would hire a full-time professional to provide the best results, and these factors will surely help you-

• Consult previous clients and their experience and satisfaction?
• Read reviews and testimonials on their website as well as third-party sites?
• Review past work portfolios and case studies?

3. Closely review their talent pool?

Organizations often make the mistake of only researching about the staffing company and not reviewing their candidates. It would be best to have members who excel at their job and deliver it on time. Therefore, ensure to review the candidate's evaluation process and pay attention to each skill. You can even conduct background checks on experts to be entirely sure before onboarding them.

4. Inquire about data security measures?

Given the sensitivity of IT projects, one should always prioritize security and inquire about the measures the partner puts in place to safeguard your firm's confidential information. Make sure they are committed to building a safe workplace. Training on the right approach must also be conducted. Once you verify the partner's commitment towards security, you can collaborate with them with complete trust and work efficiently on projects.?

5. Evaluate the partner's communication arrangement?

Communication plays a key role in any project where in-house and external teams need to work closely. Ensure the staffing provider has defined communication protocols to ensure a smooth connection between them and their client to receive project updates, irrespective of the time zone differences caused by geographical boundaries. A transparent communication procedure ensures fluidity in the workflow.

6. Close attention to language and cultural differences

The internal and external teams work closely, and they can have professionals from different backgrounds. To ensure a seamless collaboration, a cultural and language fit is a must. You need to ensure that your in-house and augmented staff can communicate with each other in both written and verbal form without any barriers. You must assess these differences at the time of onboarding to minimize any such discrepancies.?

7. Review contract types and delivery schedule

If your staff augmentation partner provides a one-size-fits-all work agreement, it indicates a lack of expertise and resources to handle your requirements. Only get on board with a company that first understands your specific requirements. And accordingly, present a contract. In addition, an essential factor for the augmented staff is to complete their given tasks before the project's deadline and ensure that this is being followed throughout.?

Conclusion

Choosing the right IT staff augmentation partner is of prime importance as it directly impacts your business's growth. Consider all these factors closely and only then decide to finalize the right partner. Also, cooperate with them to successfully achieve all project deadlines with flying colors.?