Common Challenges in Staff Augmentation and How to Overcome Them

Businesses are using the staff augmentation strategy to scale up their teams flexibly and access qualified professionals cost-effectively. Additionally, it offers a wide talent pool, lower expenses, and increased productivity. 

However, as with any strategy, there are potential shortcomings to be aware of. As a leading provider of staff augmentation, these are the top 7 challenges we have run into, and more significantly, how we have used actionable practices to overcome them with our partners and clients.

Let’s dive in.

What is Staff Augmentation?

Staff augmentation is widely practiced by firms to bring additional personnel from outside to expand their existing teams, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity. This approach allows companies to hire skilled professionals to fill specific talent gaps that may be difficult to address locally.

These professionals work as an extension of your in-house team while costing you one-third of them. As a result, businesses can bring in skilled expertise from different parts of the world while keeping operational control and scale their workforce in response to project demands.

Companies have to determine their workforce requirements, collaborate with platforms or staffing agencies, and onboard contractual employees. These professionals are experts in their domain and have experience working with diverse industries. They seamlessly integrate with in-house teams, focusing on deliverables.

Industries like IT, healthcare, and manufacturing have been instrumental in leveraging the benefits of staff augmentation services. These Industries, have been employing developers, testers, nurses, and technicians for short-term projects or peak seasons to manage cost, resources, and time.

Also explorer: Staff Augmentation vs. Outsourcing Dedicated Staff, IT Staff Augmentation Versus Offshore Outsourcing and Staff Augmentation vs Managed Services

Common Challenges in Staff Augmentation

#1 You Are Not Able To Find The Right Talent.

Businesses might find it challenging to source professionals with expertise in niche skills. This can become difficult, especially with highly specialised industry-specific roles.

Given the changing nature of technology, experts who are well aware of new and advanced developments are hard to find, and you must not settle for average talent. Additionally, it is never easy to hold on to excellent hires.

It might feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but with clear planning and strategies, you can effectively mitigate this challenge. Here are some actionable tips you must keep in mind while searching for your new hire:

1. First and foremost, partner with an experienced staff augmentation provider. 
2. These professionals maintain a vast pool of pre-screened talent, making your process fairly easy.
3. Clearly define your requirements and project specifications.
4. Make it clear you require a skilled employee with experience in a specific sector.
5. Conduct thorough interviews with candidates and define deliverables.
6. Remember, transparent communication is key to finding a good match.

#2 You Do Not Want Any Misalignment Between Internal And External Teams.

You surely do not want any misalignment between the full-time employees and the augmented staff. It might lead to different outcomes, low productivity, high turnover rates, and may hamper the result of the project. Additionally, in-house employees may view augmented staff as short-term contributors, which can limit trust and open communication.

Balancing team dynamics and ensuring that employees stick to company goals is not at all difficult. It requires a mix of flexibility and open integration. Have a look at the following points to ensure a strong and cohesive work environment:

1. Introduce your augmented staff to a comprehensive onboarding process, explaining company values, workflows, and expectations.
2. Promote active participation among employees.
3. Ensure a positive channel for communication.
4. Embrace diverse perspectives and encourage everyone to exchange inputs on projects.
5. Regular check-ins and celebrating successes.

#3 You Do Not Want Overflowing Expenses.

Staff augmentation is often cost-effective, but poor planning can lead to unnecessary expenses, making it difficult to manage project outlay. Common issues faced by firms are underestimating onboarding & integration expenses and misaligned project budgets.

Furthermore, scope creep, which occurs when project requirements expand beyond the original plan, can greatly raise costs.

A good budgeting approach includes preparing a chart for all expenses, optimizing resources according to the plan, and investing in upskilling the workforce. You can keep the following points in mind to strike the right balance for a cost-effective, high-performing staff augmentation strategy:

1. Create a comprehensive budget including all potential costs.
2. Negotiate transparent terms with the augmentation provider.
3. The staff provider companies cover all the costs related to physical space, employee perks, and salaries. You dont have to worry about those costs. 
4. However, check with them to ensure that all utilities are included in the contract.
5. Regularly check backlogs and real-time expenses.
6. Allow for quick adjustments.

#4 You Want To Know How To Manage Augmented Employee Performance.

Augmented employees work for a short duration, and there is limited time to evaluate their performance. You might find it hard to track their contribution, making it difficult to gauge their efficiency or alignment with business goals. This lack of clarity will in turn lead to incomplete and unmet performance, affecting the overall project.

It might feel like you and the employee are not on the same page! Navigating through these challenges is like striking the right cord. It is not that hard, but it does require strategic planning. Here are the crucial points to consider while analysing their performance:

1. Firstly, integrate project management tools into your system. You can use tools like Jira, Trello, Monday, etc. 
2. These tools can be used to analyse their real-time performance and track milestones.
3. You can be rest assured that these employees have experience working with diverse industries, and their performance is unmatched compared to in-house hires.
4. Create open and flexible communication. 
5. Give them opportunities to ask doubts and resolve them promptly.
6. Regular feedback sessions will further align expectations.

#5 You Surely Don’t Want Any Communication Gaps.

Miscommunication often stems from a lack of efforts towards integration. It is even more profound in business, as these gaps can lead to delays, missed deliverables, and reduced team cohesion, directly impacting project outcomes.

When in-house and augmented teams work on different platforms or with inconsistent schedules, information can get lost or misinterpreted. A common example would be a remote developer working on out-of-date requirements without being aware of a sudden project update, which would result in rework and delays.

The lack of real-time updates is another issue. It is more difficult to guarantee team member alignment in the absence of frequent check-ins or access to common progress monitoring tools.

To address these gaps, businesses should follow the points mentioned below:

1. Use central communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana for seamless collaboration.
2. Schedule regular meetings to keep everyone updated.
3. Clear and detailed project briefs. 
4. Define expectations, roles, and deadlines from the start.
5. Foster transparency and build trust across teams.

#6 You Want To Ensure Quality & Accountability.

You might feel that, even with a good start to a project, high-quality results are difficult to guarantee. However, you cannot compromise on quality. 

It frequently occurs as a result of companies inability to implement reliable oversight or enforce performance standards. The quality of a project is directly impacted by missed deadlines, poor work, or deliverables that are not aligned.

Furthermore, accountability issues arise when roles and responsibilities are unclear. Additionally, augmented staff may not be able to recognize and promptly address performance gaps if regular feedback loops are not in place.

With an effective strategy in place, these challenges can be mitigated easily. Remember the following when performing check-ins:

1. Establish a clear performance expectation. 
2. Conduct regular reviews and provide constructive feedback.
3. Formalize responsibilities and ensure consistent results.
4. Platforms for augmentation providers ensure accountability and quality. 
5. With Invedus risk-free trials and money-back guarantee, you can be absolutely certain of what you will receive in the future.
6. Foster an environment of improvement and drive productivity through regular communication.

#7 You Don’t Want Any Data Security And Confidentiality Risks.

Incidents like data breaches, accidental leaks, or misuse of confidential information pose significant risk to company security. In most cases, it might lead to financial loss or legal consequences.

These risks can be managed by establishing a robust data management procedure. Further, you can take the following steps to ensure complete protection:

1. Signing the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the augmented employee.
2. Staffing firms make sure that NDAs are adhered to and offer detailed agreements.
3. Implement strict access control to limit data exposure.
4. Conduct regular checkins and audits.
5. Provide basic security training to ensure the employee is aware of the company protocols.

Key Benefits of Staff Augmentation 

Flexibility In Scaling Teams

Businesses can adjust their workforce size based on changing needs. Especially for small businesses, expanding teams is not feasible in the long term; they are tight on budget and resources. 

When you need to add more people to your team, you can quickly onboard virtual staff. Once the project is completed, the team size can be scaled back. This adaptability is especially helpful in sectors with varying needs, like manufacturing for large orders or retail during the holidays.

Access To Specialized Talent

As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate; you are working as a product designer, marketer, accountant, and whatnot. However, their are certain niche skills for which a professional is required. Through staff augmentation, experts are brought in on demand, saving time and money compared to hiring a full-time employee.

Furthermore, you are able to work with the best specialists that you might not otherwise be able to locate nearby. Through staff augmentation, you can enjoy the advantages of globalization.

Cost-Effectiveness Compared To Full-Time Hiring

Hiring an in-house employee involves expenses such as salaries, benefits, onboarding, and training. Staff augmentation services eliminate these expenses because you only pay for the talent you require. 

You can quickly recruit remote employees like developers with proficiency in particular programming languages, such as Python or ReactJS, by utilizing IT staff augmentation. These experts will contribute to the project virtually without your company having to pay for full-time staff.

Reduced Time To Hire

What if we cut down on the time and expense required to hire & onboard new employees and use that time for more productive & profitable purposes? This model offers pre-vetted professionals who can join your team immediately. 

In addition to hiring IT personnel quickly, your business will run smoothly and without interruptions, reducing possible losses.

Worth reading: Staff Augmentation for CPA Firms

About Invedus

At Invedus, we specialize in connecting businesses with top-tier professionals through tailored staff augmentation solutions. Whether you’re looking to scale your team, fill skill gaps, or enhance operational efficiency, our cost-effective and flexible services ensure you achieve your goals without compromising on quality.

With a 95% client satisfaction rate, a global reach spanning 31 countries, and expertise across diverse domains, we’re here to make staff augmentation seamless and impactful for your business.

Partner with Invedus today to unlock the potential of skilled professionals and take your business to new heights. Let’s transform challenges into opportunities—contact us now to get started!

Final Thoughts

Staff augmentation services offer great potential for businesses to expand swiftly and retain top-notch expertise. However,  obstacles like talent acquisition, integration, and data security must be addressed promptly to maximize its benefits.

By implementing practical strategies like transparent communication, establishing quantifiable performance goals, and collaborating with a reliable augmentation company, businesses can successfully overcome these obstacles. Remember, successful staff augmentation is not just about hiring the right employee; it’s  also about ensuring they seamlessly align with your team and objectives.

When implemented properly, staff augmentation can be a potent instrument for promoting productivity, creativity, and expansion in your company.