Outsourcing certain types of work or services has become a common practice for all types of businesses. Different outsourcing models can help streamline business processes, reduce costs, and even provide access to subject matter experts outside your organization. Most organizations contemplate staff augmentation vs. managed services, two of the most common methods used to fill IT staffing gaps. Read on to learn more about each type of outsourcing method and determine which is right for your organization.

What is Staff Augmentation?

Staff augmentation is the most commonly seen type of outsourcing at businesses. This method involves adding external professionals, similar to consultants, to a specific team within your organization to help accomplish a particular task or goal. This allows an organization to avoid the long-term commitment and cost associated with hiring a full-time professional, while still providing access to talent. It is typically used for short-term requirements on large projects or when specialized services are needed in the near term.

What are Managed Services?

When it comes to solving for gaps in IT staffing, managed services are typically the most common outsourcing method. Managed services involve outsourcing an entire business function to a third-party provider for long-term services and maintenance. Functions such as managing IT networks, cloud infrastructure implementation and maintenance, backup recovery management, and more are all common services outsourced to managed service providers. Generally, managed service providers are contacted when long-term support is needed for an organization.

Staff Augmentation vs. Managed Services: Which is Right for Your Business?

Choosing between staff augmentation and managed services depends on your organization’s needs, business model, project complexity, and your desired level of control.

In general, staff augmentation offers greater flexibility and scalability than managed services because it allows a business to adjust rapidly to changing needs. That being said, managed services provide a more comprehensive approach and specialized expertise. They will typically cost more than staff augmentation, though, which is certainly a factor to keep in mind. Some additional standout points to consider include:

• Staff augmentation offers organizations greater control over a project than managed services.
• Managed services allow an organization to streamline the completion of tasks by outsourcing everything with no oversight needed.
• Managed service providers often provide enhanced security to safeguard data and systems.

Consider all of the above while simultaneously evaluating your business needs and budget. Shorter-term projects that don’t require a significant capital investment may be better suited for staff augmentation, whereas longer-term projects that do require much capital might require the help of managed service providers.

Successfully Outsource Your Business IT Needs Today!

It can be challenging to figure out how to complete a task or implement a service within your organization, especially in the IT space. This often requires hiring professional consultants or firms with the expertise to tackle the problem. Consider both staff augmentation and managed services to accomplish your goal. 

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