When projects require specific skills or resources that might not be available to companies such as expert software engineering, many companies look to outsource. Management may find this task daunting, asking the question; what is the added value of outsourced software engineering projects?

Careful consideration must be taken in deciding to outsource, you need to make the right decision for your company. Here are the pros and cons:

The Pros

Skills gaps

Many companies may not on the daily have the need for certain skills and expertise, bringing in external software engineering consultants to fill these gaps provide a flexible solution for these skills gaps within the company.

Workload

Bringing in carefully selected software engineers can free up heavy workloads of internal staff, allowing those with the correct skill set to get on with the task at hand

Flexibility

No commitment to hiring a full-time member of staff allows flexibility in cash flow and enhances business agility.

The Cons

Lack of buy-in from full-time staff

When outsourcing it is important to communicate to in-house staff why, how and what. Internal staff will need to embrace outsourced members for cohesion in delivery.

Lack of development for internal staff

Similar to the above internal staff may feel disengaged if external resources are brought in. Communication is key to making sure internal members of staff feel they have not been overlooked. Having internal staff members who are interested in upskilling in the area the outsourced expert has been brought into help with can increase the internal member’s engagement and help with the longitude and success of the company.

Culture clash

If outsourced members need to work closely with in-house members, discrepancy between the cultures may arise. As stated above this emphasises the importance of using a reputable and trusted project delivery partner in finding the right people for your company.

Talent and recruitment agencies will hand pick those best suited for the company and will bring forth the best solution for the company. This can also be viewed as a pro for outsourcing, sometimes a company’s politics and culture can cloud the judgement and lead to ineffective decision-making.

Outsourced resourcers may feel alienated by not knowing the company’s culture and values. This can be overcome by making sure the talent recruitment agency chosen, clearly communicates to the candidate the goals and culture of said company. Not knowing the company’s culture can also be seen as a Pro, it can be argued that members who have been outsourced can provide a fresh pair of eyes that will not overlook the company’s unconscious bias.

Investing in time

Briefing external members on the tasks and delivery can take time. Inhouse members may already be up to speed on affairs. This is something that can be overcome with efficient planning, and communicating clearly to the outsourced member what the key tasks will be. Having a reputable talent and recruitment agency find someone who is the best fit is vital in making the ‘enrolment’ of the outsourced member go smoothly as possible.

While examining the pros and cons of external project delivery it is important to take all factors into consideration. Working with a trusted talent and recruitment agency to deliver your project can lessen the cons from the above list and lead to better overall success for your company.