Staff augmentation vs. outsourcing a dedicated team: difference, pros, and cons

Whether you need a development team or IT services, outsourcing can be a great way to connect with what you need — and fast. But which outsourcing model is right for you? You might decide to go for staff augmentation. Or you might prefer to bring in a dedicated team. Read on as we discover more about what these models are and how they work so you can make the best choice for your business.

Staff augmentation or dedicated team? Which is best? Well...let's slow down a bit. These two concepts are similar in some ways but very different in others. You'll need to get a couple of definitions down before you make your choice. Take a look at what staff augmentation and dedicated team outsourcing actually mean.

Staff augmentation means outsourcing workers to increase your current staff's capability. You already have a team in place, but you identify some shortfalls. So you outsource a few extra workers here and there to fill the gaps.

Staff augmentation can work in different ways. You may have a strong team but are lacking in numbers. So you outsource a number of lower-skilled workers to handle some of the more basic tasks. Or you might have a team that lacks some of the key skills you need. So you outsource a few highly qualified workers to plug the skill gap.

It all comes down to knowing what you are working with and what you need. This gives you the insight required to augment your staff in the right way.

A dedicated team is similar to staff augmentation, but it works a little differently. With a dedicated team, you are bringing in a group of professionals to help you with a broad set of challenges. They provide everything you need and work with you as an extension of your own staff.

But how is this different from staff augmentation? With staff augmentation, you are plugging a skills gap. Maybe you are only bringing in outsourced staff for a specific project with a defined endpoint. With a dedicated team, you are adding an entire outsourced team to your roster. The project parameters can change, and the dedicated team will adapt to these changes.

Here at Agentic Dream, we provide tailored outsourcing services that suit you and your business. Reach out to our professional team today, get your consultation, and let's get started.

Here at Agentic Dream, we provide tailored outsourcing services that suit you and your business. Reach out to our professional team today, get your consultation, and let's get started.

Staff augmentation can be great for your business. You'll gain the skills you need without worrying about long-term staffing costs. But, like anything else, there are downsides too.

Let's look at some of the pros and cons of staff augmentation:

It's always nice to start with the good news, and there is plenty of good news. Here are a few of the advantages you can expect from this approach:

Okay, now let's look at the bad. There are some disadvantages associated with staff augmentation. However, you can avoid some of these downsides with the right planning and budgeting. Here's what we mean:

For longer projects, a dedicated team might be the right choice. It really depends on the specifics of what you need, and you may experience advantages and disadvantages with this model too.

Learn more about the pros and cons below:

We'll kick off with the good stuff. Here are the advantages you can expect when outsourcing a dedicated team:

To fully understand what a dedicated team can do for you, you need to tackle the downsides head-on. Here are a few of the disadvantages:

Now that you know a bit more about these two models, let's get into the head-to-heads.

Read on to find out how the two approaches stack up against each other.

Both outsourcing models provide flexibility to your team. If you're hiring in-house personnel, there's basically no flexibility. You are now responsible for these personnel and all of their benefits and wages for the full term of their employment. Staff augmentation lets you add and remove skills quickly and easily. Dedicated teams also give you control over the people who will be working on your project.

Staff augmentation is more flexible because you can add specific skills on a short-term basis. Dedicated teams are a little less flexible because you'll need to hire a whole team and work with them for longer. But, as we'll see below, this is not the only aspect of flexibility to keep in mind.

If we're talking about scaling quickly and easily, staff augmentation wins. If we're discussing projects that grow and evolve, the dedicated team option comes out on top.

Cost efficiency is a big plus point for both methods. But which option is the most cost-efficient? It really comes down to your own specialized needs. The cost of staff augmentation can quickly get out of hand if you are using these personnel on long projects.

Dedicated teams also have their own cost considerations. These teams may have higher onboarding costs, so you'll need to use them for longer to get the best value.

For shorter projects with a defined endpoint, it's staff augmentation. For longer, evolving projects, a dedicated team is better.

You spot a shortfall in your team. You know which skills you need to get the job done, so you use staff augmentation to overcome this shortfall. You bring in top-notch professionals, and the project is a winner. Here, control is fairly minimal. The outsourced professionals have a job to do, and they do it. Simple as that.

With a dedicated team, there's a bit more control. You will be working together with this team. Collaboration and communication are key to success, so your direction will be very important. Dedicated teams work as an extension of your own in-house teams, with you in control.

Dedicated teams offer a little more control over your project.

As long as you choose the right partner, both outsourcing models are secure. Take time to learn about the security solutions and practices your outsourcing partner uses. Examine past client reviews to discover more about these security features.

All reputable service providers will be serious about security. However, dedicated teams are slightly more secure than staff augmentation options. This is because you are working with the same team over a longer period. You won't be bringing in personnel on a short-term basis and then changing these personnel in the future.

Dedicated teams just about edge it in the security stakes. But both options should provide a good level of security.

So how do you make your choice? How do you select the right outsourcing model for your business and your project? Let's take a look at a few things to bear in mind as you choose:

A strong knowledge of your project is critical. Do you have the whole thing planned out? Do you have set parameters and timelines in place? Staff augmentation might be the best bet for this short-term plan.

But what about if you don't have this plan in place? What if you're not sure where the project is going to take you? Working collaboratively with a dedicated team might be best.

It's time to turn your attention to your own team. Maybe your team is highly skilled in some areas but lacking in others. Perhaps your personnel have the skills you need, but you lack the numbers. Staff augmentation might help you fill the gaps.

On the other hand, you might not have the resources and capabilities you need. You might require a full team to work alongside your own. The dedicated team model would be better here.

Consider your budget too. Think about your project budget as well as your longer-term cost projections. If you need short-term cost-efficiency, you might want to explore staff augmentation. For longer-term savings, a dedicated team might be better.

There are also management resources to think about. If you have the resources in place to manage additional staff, augmentation might be the answer. If you don't have these resources to spare, you may need to access a managed team. A dedicated team model could work.

Agentic Dream's outsourcing services are here to help your business achieve more. We deliver ultra-secure and highly effective outsourcing solutions designed according to your needs. Reach out today and find out more about what we do.

Agentic Dream's outsourcing services are here to help your business achieve more. We deliver ultra-secure and highly effective outsourcing solutions designed according to your needs. Reach out today and find out more about what we do.