According to Statista data, a whopping 54% of organizations experienced a tech skills shortage in 2023. That’s a huge number, considering even traditional businesses now require tech talent to survive in today’s digital-first world. This article discusses how companies can overcome the challenge of tech talent shortage with the help of staff augmentation.
Why is There a Tech Talent Shortage?
Before we can solve the problem of tech talent shortage, it is critical to understand the reason behind it. Various factors lead to a severe shortage of quality talent in the tech industry. The first thing you must understand is that companies across industries, including non-tech ones, are now heavily investing in digital transformation.Â
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This growing demand for quality talent is at the heart of the tech talent shortage problem. No one wants to get left behind in the digital transformation journey, especially since AI and ML technologies are now making business operations significantly easier and more accurate. As a leading Software Development Company, NewAgeSysIT often helps businesses from various industries with its specialized Digital Transformation Services.
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The truth is that every industry now needs quality tech talent, and the workforce isn’t keeping up with rapid advancements. As a result, it leads to intense competition for skilled professionals and, ultimately, a quality tech talent shortage. Of course, there is only a limited supply of quality talent to keep up with this growing demand. Some of the other reasons behind the tech talent shortage include the following.
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- The best talent is recruited by tech giants and leading tech companies.Â
- There is a growing gap between formal education and necessary real-life skills.
- The ever-increasing trend of remote and freelance roles over traditional employment.
- Businesses are growing hesitant to commit to full-time hires due to budget and market concerns.Â
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What is Staff Augmentation and How Does it Work?
Staff augmentation is a flexible outsourcing model. Instead of hiring an entire team for the project, you can choose specific roles or skill gaps to fill in your in-house team. In other words, staff augmentation allows you to temporarily hire external experts to overcome the tech talent shortage in your in-house team.
It is an excellent way for companies to scale their teams quickly without a lengthy and expensive hiring process. Furthermore, proven IT staff augmentation services providers like NewAgeSys give you access to certified experts for your time-sensitive project. A reliable staff augmentation service provider can integrate seamlessly with your in-house team to scale operations and rectify tech talent shortage
Type of Staff Augmentation to Overcome Tech Talent Shortage
To maximize staff augmentation for your business, choose an augmentation model that best aligns with your unique needs. You can use different types of staff augmentation to overcome the tech talent shortage.
Skill-Based Staff Augmentation
This type of staff augmentation is ideal if your company needs professionals with specific technical skills but not deep industry expertise.
On-Demand Staff Augmentation
A highly flexible augmentation model that lets your company hire professionals as per demand without any long-term commitments.
Project-Based Staff Augmentation
The project-based augmentation approach is ideal if you need specialized talent for a fixed-duration project, such as building an ML model.Â
Short-Term Staff Augmentation
If your business struggles with temporary workload surges or seasonal demands, a short-term staff augmentation approach is best.
Long-Term Staff Augmentation
The long-term augmentation approach is best for overcoming the tech talent shortage for your ongoing projects that require continuous external expertise.
When Should You Use Staff Augmentation for Your Business?
Staff augmentation is an excellent strategy for overcoming the challenge of a tech talent shortage. But when should businesses ideally use this strategy? Below are some situations where we typically suggest using staff augmentation for businesses.
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- When You Need Specialized Skills for a Project
- When You Have Tight Deadlines & Need Fast Hiring
- When You Want to Scale Without Long-Term Costs
- When Your In-House Team Is Overloaded
- When You Want to Test New Technologies or Markets
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What are the Best Staff Augmentation Strategies to Overcome Tech Talent Shortage?
While staff augmentation is an excellent way to overcome your company’s tech talent shortage, its effectiveness can vary based on your strategies or best practices. Use the following best practices to ensure staff augmentation gives your business the maximum benefits.Â
Assess Your Needs Before Augmenting Staff
Companies that don’t clearly define the skills they need will likely struggle with staff augmentations. Leading IT staff augmentation companies, including NewAgeSysIT, typically provide an in-depth assessment based on your unique project requirements and goals. We also encourage our clients to conduct a skills gap analysis to determine the type and extent of staff augmentation they need to overcome the tech talent shortage.Â
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Choose the Right Staff Augmentation Model
As we explained earlier, there are different types of staff augmentation models you can use to overcome the tech talent shortage in your business organization. While the details of your unique requirements may vary significantly, here is a quick guide to help you choose the right approach for your business.
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- Skill-Based – This is for specific tech skills but no deep expertise.
- On-Demand – Quick hiring for urgent needs.
- Project-Based – For defined, time-bound projects.
- Short-Term & Long-Term – Choose based on project duration.
Partner with a Reputable IT Staff Augmentation Provider
Hiring your augmented staff from a shady or cheap provider is a recipe for disaster. It can lead to your team being stuck with unqualified candidates, poor collaboration, and wasted resources, including time. Hence, it is crucial that you work with a trusted IT staff augmentation company like NewAgeSysIT, which has expertise in the latest technology, including AI and ML development services.
Ensure Seamless Integration With Your In-House Team
The more significant challenge when using staff augmentation to overcome the tech talent shortage is ensuring the augmented staff integrates seamlessly with your in-house team. At NewAgeSysIT, our experts have worked with leading brands in various industries, including healthcare, finance, and eCommerce. Furthermore, our expertise in the latest tech, including AI, enables our experts to collaborate with your team.
Maintain a Hybrid Workforce for Maximum Flexibility
Relying entirely on permanent employees can often slow down innovation in your organization. Consider using a hybrid model, mixing full-time and augmented staff, to not only overcome the tech talent shortage but also minimize hiring delays. As a result, you can bring in specialized talent without putting your project to an abrupt halt.
Monitor & Optimize Performance Regularly
While augmented staff from reputed agencies like NewAgeSysIT are experts in their fields, you should still ensure their performance is up to the mark. This means tracking their productivity and project impact. Use KPIs, feedback loops, and regular evaluations to adjust staff levels. Doing so can help you ensure the quality of your project while overcoming your tech talent shortage.Â
Additional Best Practices to Ensure Seamless Staff Augmentation
- Implement Structured Onboarding to Reduce Ramp-Up Time
- Ensure Strong Communication & Collaboration Practices
- Establish Data Security & Compliance Protocols
- Leverage Staff Augmentation for Innovation & Upskilling
Final Thoughts
Staff augmentation is a strategic solution that can help you overcome tech talent shortage in your business organization. It can help you quickly fill gaps in skill requirements, especially for short or temporary projects. However, you need a reliable expert to seamlessly integrate the augmented staff with your in-house team. At NewAgeSysIT, we provide you access to certified experts with years of augmentation expertise who can work seamlessly with your team to deliver the desired results for your business.
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CTA: Explore IT staff augmentation services from NewAgeSysIT to scale your project with zero delays!
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