To outsource or not to outsource, that is the question. Each company has its own unique needs that it must consider before making this decision. While independent contractors can help many companies meet their goals, it’s still difficult to determine whether they represent the best course of action.
As with any conundrum, there are pros and cons to each side. Independent contractors usually offer quality work at lower prices, but they might fail to live up to expectations or rob managers of the control they desire. Obviously, hiring managers must evaluate their needs before they make a definitive choice.
The following situations will outline the ideal conditions for outsourcing. While very few real world issues will be as cut and dry as these scenarios, they may still help you decide whether or not to partially or fully outsource a project.
When Your Project Involves Specialized Expertise
Sometimes, projects contain components that are beyond of your employees’ abilities. It can be difficult to admit this and seek outside help, but it may be necessary if managers want to complete the task on time.
In these situations, hiring professionals will usually seek independent contractors instead of hiring a new full-time employee. The cost of finding, training, and employing a worker whose skillset will often go unused is prohibitive, and the entire process may take too long. Independent contractors represent an ideal alternative because they can start a job quickly and see it through to fruition. These workers represent an ideal solution for hiring managers who need specialized expertise quickly.
When a Deadline Approaches and Your Staff Is Overloaded
Sometimes workers’ best efforts aren’t quite good enough. Try as they might, they just can’t reach their targets and quickly fall behind schedule. It’s possible to right the ship again, but if a deadline looms, it might be more productive to consider a backup plan.
Independent contractors can help alleviate these stresses and provide a team with more resources. Their fresh perspective can help a team find more effective solutions, and they can also handle other operations while staff members focus on crucial tasks. Either way, these temporary workers can help give a team a little extra room to breathe.
When You Need to Rewrite or Port Software
Miscommunication is the biggest threat a company faces when it outsources projects. Telephone calls, emails, instant messaging, and video chat platforms may seem to bridge the gap between remote and in-house workers, but it can still lead to confusion that will sink a project if it isn’t addressed properly. Since this communication is essential to most design processes, outsourcing may not be an ideal solution in these situations.
However, independent contractors still represent great value when extensive communication isn’t necessary. Software rewrites and ports don’t suffer from the same issues as the design process, so outside labour can still play a crucial role.
When You Need to Know If Projects Live up to Industry Standards
Industry standards are essential to nearly any project. They ensure the basic safety and quality of an item, but it can be difficult to live up to these rules. Testing processes are ideal for independent contractors because they don’t require much communication between managers and workers. As long as these professionals know a standard’s criteria, they can usually perform the necessary evaluations.
