What Is Staff Augmentation, When and How to Use It

In-house recruitment is costly and time-consuming. 

It’s not what you want when you need tech talent for just a few months.

Staff augmentation lets you take this weight off your shoulders.

However, before adopting this outsourcing model, you need to understand different types of team augmenting and whether it would work effectively in your case.

From this article, you’ll learn:

• What is staff augmentation.
• 3 types of augmentation services.
• Benefits of team outsourcing model.
• Main signs that staff augmentation is for you.
• How to organize staff aug process step-by-step.
• How it differs from a dedicated team and managed services

Staff Augmentation: Meaning and Types

IT outsourcing models are incredibly common. The market estimation was $526.6 billion in 2021, and it is expected to reach $682.3 billion by 2027.

There are different outsourcing models, but staff augmentation and dedicated teams are the two most popular ones.

What is staff augmentation?

Let’s start with a definition: 

Staff augmentation is an outsourcing model that allows you to fill short-term positions with highly skilled tech talent.

You might want to utilize it to:

• Close the temporary position
• Deal with the increased capacity
• Get out-of-house specialized skills

One of the key features of staff augmentation is its scalability. 

Companies can add or remove staff members as needed, which allows them to manage costs, adjust to changing business needs, and maintain the right balance of resources at all times.

Types of Staff Augmentation Services

After we defined what staff augmentation is, it’s time to move forward to its main types:

• Type 1. Commodity staff.
  • Reliable employees without a specific skillset.
  • Sample jobs: loader, factory worker, housekeeper.
• Type 2. Skill-based staff.
  • Employees with basic skillset.
  • Sample jobs: typist, shop manager, clerk.
• Type 3. Highly-skilled staff.
  • Trained and experienced employees.
  • Sample jobs: software developer, lawyer, designer.

Having the desired model in mind, we move to 3 types of software augmentation services:

Project-based staff augmentation is the most flexible option and is ideal for companies that need to fill short-term positions for specific projects. This type of service allows you to only pay for the resources you need, for the duration of the project.

Part-time staff augmentation is a cost-effective solution for companies that need additional resources for a few hours each week. This option allows you to scale up or down your resources as needed, making it an ideal solution for managing fluctuations in demand.

Full-time staff augmentation is the most comprehensive option and is ideal for companies that need to fill a full-time position. This option provides a long-term solution for companies that need to scale up their resources and keep them for an extended period of time.

Benefits of Staff Augmentation

Augmented staffing is the way to go for companies that want to replace expensive hiring with a more cost-effective approach. Below are the main benefits of this solution:

Cost savings: Staff augmentation is a cost-effective solution, as it allows you to only pay for the resources you need, when you need them. This is particularly beneficial for companies that need to fill short-term positions or manage fluctuations in demand.

Access to skilled professionals: Staff augmentation allows you to fill your team with the skills and expertise you need, quickly and easily. This enables you to complete projects faster and with higher quality.

Higher flexibility: Staff augmentation is a flexible solution, allowing you to scale up or down your resources as needed. This is particularly beneficial for companies that need to respond quickly to market changes or shifts in demand.

Increased productivity – One more objective of staff augmentation is to improve the team efficiency. By hiring individuals with the right expertise and experience, businesses can complete projects faster, reduce downtime, and improve the quality of their products or services.

Reduced risk: Staff augmentation reduces the risk of making a long-term commitment to an employee, as it allows you to fill positions on a short-term basis. This reduces the risk of over-committing to a resource and helps you avoid costly recruitment mistakes.

3 Signs You Need Augmented Staff

Staff augmentation is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

These are 3 situations when this model is your perfect fit.

Your project is short-term:

If you have a specific project that requires additional resources, but the timeline is limited, technical staff augmentation may be the perfect solution. Augmented staff can provide the expertise and manpower you need to complete the project on time and within budget, without the added overhead of hiring permanent employees.

You need high-level skills:

If your current team lacks the specific skills or expertise required for a project, you may need employee augmentation. Augmented staff can provide the skills you need to get the job done, and they can do so quickly and effectively, without the need for extensive training or onboarding.

You need to grow your team fast:

If your business is growing quickly and you need to add new employees to your team, staff augmentation model can help. Outsourced staff can provide the extra manpower you need to keep up with demand and meet the needs of your growing customer base, without the added costs and responsibilities of hiring permanent employees.

Team Augmentation Step-by-Step

How do you get staff augmentation? Here is the exact process:

Step 1. Determine your needs.

Start by assessing the skills and experience required for your project. This will help you determine what type of software development staff you need and what specific skills are required for your project.

Step 2. Select the specialists.

Depending on your needs, the outsourcing company will need 1 to 3 weeks to find the staff that has the necessary experience, expertise, and qualifications to become the part of your team.

Step 3. Onboard your new staff on the project.

Time to onboard them onto the project. Make sure to provide them with all the necessary information, tools, and resources they need to hit the ground running. This will ensure a smooth transition and help them quickly integrate with your team.

Staff Augmentation vs Dedicated Teams and Managed Services

Staff augmentation is one of the most popular IT outsourcing models mostly used for covering short-term needs in talent. However, it’s important to understand how it differs from other models, such as dedicated teams and managed services.

Dedicated teams are outsourcing models that allow companies to hire a full team of specialists to work exclusively on their project. This model is ideal for companies that need to build a long-term development team and require extensive control over the development process.

Managed services are outsourcing models that allow companies to outsource specific tasks or processes to a third-party provider. This model is ideal for companies that need to outsource specific functions, such as software testing or support.

The main differences between staff augmentation, dedicated teams, and managed services are:

• Staff augmentation provides additional resources to work on the client’s project, but the client retains control over the development process.
• Dedicated teams provide a full team of specialists who work exclusively on the client’s project and follow the client’s development process.
• Managed services provide a specific service or process, such as software testing or support, which is managed by a third-party provider.

Each outsourcing model has its own benefits and limitations, and the choice of the model should depend on the specific needs of the company and the project.

IT Staff Augmentation with Mongoose Software

Mongoose Software offers IT staff augmentation services that seamlessly integrate our experienced developers into your in-house team. 

We carefully select team members based on your requirements and expertise needs.

Our developers will become an integral part of your project, working closely with your team, maintaining your company culture, and helping to achieve your strategic goals.

Hire your team in 3 easy steps:

1. Share your goals. You tell us your needs. We develop the augmentation strategy.
2. Approve your staff. Once we select a team for you, it’s time to arrange the interview.
3. Sign a contract. Your augmented staff is ready to start on your project.

At Mongoose Software, we follow a rigorous and transparent process to provide the best IT staff augmentation services. 

We analyze your requirements, identify the right candidates from our network, and carefully screen them based on their technical skills, communication abilities, and cultural fit.

Our process ensures that the selected developers are a perfect match for your team, integrating seamlessly into your company culture and working in line with your strategic goals.

Final Thoughts

• Staff augmentation can be a game-changer for businesses that need additional technical talent but don’t want the long-term commitments and costs of hiring permanent employees. 
• With the right approach, it’s a flexible, cost-effective, and efficient way to fill short-term positions, manage fluctuations in demand, and access high-level skills quickly.
• As with any outsourcing model, there are risks and challenges associated with staff augmentation. Companies need to carefully assess their needs, select the right outsourcing partner, and establish clear communication and expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions