IT Staff Augmentation: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Now, let’s see the staff augmentation process flow and when it’s best to use it.

Staff Augmentation Process Flow

Generally, the staff augmentation process consists of three basic steps (which nonetheless change according to the project basis and the company’s preferences).

Step 1. Identifying Talent Gaps

You have project specifications ready. You know exactly how your project should function. Now, you have to identify skill gaps. By the way, you don’t have to be an expert to find out what specialist you need. Set up a call with the vendor you want to work with and tell them your requirements. Along with the relevant software engineers, they will suggest your technology stack suitable for your project. 

If you already know who you need, or have run an in-depth analysis to identify talent shortage, then simply provide this information to your vendor. 

Companies, as well as situations, vary a lot — you may need a whole development team to extend your company, or you may need several engineers to enhance your existing team of developers. 

You may also want to create job descriptions and conduct interviews with candidates to choose those who match your requirements. 

Step 2. Onboarding and Work Integration

After settling terms and conditions, and signing contracts and NDAs integrate your new team members into your company. Introduce them to your in-house development team, run training if necessary, let them become familiar with technical concepts, and plunge into the working environment. 

Step 3. Managing the Development Process

The last stage will last as long as you are going to cooperate with an augmented team. Live and learn, as an old saying says. Continuous learning and analysis of the value your new team brings to your project will help you to motivate your employees and show you if your investments are justified. Don’t forget about management and roles that have been defined from the beginning. 

Most of the clients manage their augmented staff on their own, however, there are instances of hiring in-house or outsourced project managers. It’s necessary for bigger teams that cannot be easily managed. 

What Are the Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation?

Access to a Large Talent Pool

Companies frequently face a shortage of tech experts when it comes to filling the technological side of the project. In some countries, like the US, there is a big difference between the demand and currently available talent. On the other hand, Eastern Europe, for example, offers a vast pool of experienced and English-fluent skilled developers with similar to Western-culture values, which makes it a popular destination for staff augmentation. Solely in Ukraine, operate approximately 1,6K IT companies and more than 192K tech experts.

Cost Reductions

Globally-sourced talent usually results in a lower wage bill. The average annual salary of a middle-level developer in Ukraine is $30K, according to PayScale, while in the USA — $82K. What makes more difference is the absence of the necessity to spend on recruitment time, training, office rent, equipment, and company perks — your vendor covers those expenses and builds a company culture instead of you. In inVerita we also cover all the overhead vacations of the teams, establishing a transparent and convenient pricing model for our partners.

Flexibility

Facing no limitations in the matters of geographic location, availability of human resources, or expertise, one can scale their team at a single moment. Whether you run a big enterprise or an evolving startup — staff augmentation brings the enormous advantage to innovate with the help of the best talent from any part of the world. The regular meetings with the team keep you updated about the product development stage, and give you the opportunity to control every process, while you still have time to focus on your core business.

Time Efficiency

As soon as you’ve signed a contract with a vendor, your team immediately starts working on the project. You don’t spend time on the recruitment process and employee training. Furthermore, in contrast to outsourcing, the team doesn’t disperse their attention to multiple projects — they concentrate exclusively on yours.

Challenges of IT Staff Augmentation

Finding the Right Expertise

The IT industry is characterized by intense competition and the scarcity of in-demand tech skills. According to the report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of software developer shortage is predicted to increase to almost 1,2 million open job positions. As a result, companies may be forced to search beyond their local areas to hire the talent they need. A good solution might be a partnership with an IT staffing agency. Such agencies have an extensive network of qualified candidates, enabling them to effectively match the specific needs of businesses with suitable tech talent. 

Communication and Management

It also might be challenging to manage the communication and relationship between the augmented team of developers and permanent staff. Introducing new members to the team can disrupt established work dynamics and potentially create friction if integration is not handled effectively. This can result in communication breakdowns, a lack of trust, and other issues that have a bad impact on overall team productivity.

A solution lies in establishing transparent communication channels between the teams. Regular meetings can facilitate open dialogue, while team-building activities foster a sense of cohesion. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities for all team members is crucial to avoid misunderstandings. Additionally, providing training and support for augmented staff helps familiarize them with the company's culture and expectations, promoting smooth integration and collaboration.

Security and Compliance

Managing security risks becomes challenging when dealing with remote developers or contractors, as they may not have the same level of access to sensitive data and systems as full-time employees. This disparity can potentially lead to security breaches and compliance violations, which not only harm a company's reputation but also expose them to legal and financial penalties.

One effective solution is to establish stringent security protocols and implement comprehensive background checks for augmented staff. This involves verifying their qualifications, experience, and references to ensure their reliability and trustworthiness. Additionally, conducting security clearance checks can provide an added layer of assurance.

The Three Types of Staff Augmentation

Staff augmentation can be classified into three primary types: 

Basic

Basic staff augmentation primarily addresses urgent staffing needs and fills positions that do not demand highly specialized talent. It typically involves roles related to manual labor, factory work, or retail, where specific skills beyond basic qualifications may not be critical. This type of staff augmentation focuses on quickly filling positions to meet immediate operational requirements.

Skill-Based

Skill-based staff augmentation entails hiring talent with specific skills that are necessary for a particular role but do not require an exceptional level of expertise. Examples of skill-based staff augmentation include basic copywriting, typing, data entry, or administrative support roles. 

Highly-Skilled

Highly-skilled staff augmentation involves recruiting individuals with advanced expertise and specialized skills, particularly in professions like software development and IT. In this type of staff augmentation, the level of skill is critical for successful project execution or the fulfillment of complex tasks. 

When Is It Best to Use an IT Staff Augmentation Model?

The popularity of IT staff augmentation services is tremendous. However, before you join all those successful companies benefiting from cooperation with a software outsourcing partner, identify if your case is really the case when it’s best to use IT team augmentation.

First, if you have an in-house team but want to extend it.

One of the amazing benefits of the staff augmentation model is that it allows reducing costs. Whenever you feel that it’s time to build another software engineers’ department or scale the team you already have — hiring an outsourcing vendor is a great option. You don’t have to provide office space, pay for insurance or other perks, and promise sky-high salaries. With the staff augmentation model, many of those things get eliminated.

Second, if you need experts with certain technical expertise.

There are multiple software development companies all over the world, can you imagine how huge is the worldwide talent pool? If you need a developer specializing in certain technology, you’ll definitely find one.

Third, you need flexibility.

With an internal team approach, it’s impossible to hire an engineer for one task or one day, whereas with a staff augmentation model you can easily change members of your team according to the project requirements.

Fourth, there are no qualified developers in your local area

You may have both the desire and money to create a larger in-house team, however, you may struggle with hiring engineers skilled in specific programming languages. If it’s about you, then it’s best to find an outsourcing team or software team augmentation company that will fill the required talent gap.

What’s Your Next Step?

Hiring new people is not as easy as ABC. Especially, if your focus is on the best talent. It requires spending a big amount of time and money on recruiting and training. Furthermore, you are to cover all the ongoing expenses for the employees, including paying for downtime. Will you receive good retention in return? No one knows.