Owing to a deficit in Learning and Development (L&D) expertise within the team, enterprises often encounter challenges in achieving their L&D project goals, especially in a timely and high-quality manner. The process of permanent staffing can be protracted, leading to delays in project delivery. Fortunately, there are several viable alternatives to explore.
One such option is hiring a staff augmentation firm. Choosing the appropriate recruitment model is crucial for making a well-informed decision. Many organizations successfully expedite their objectives with cost and time efficiency by adopting the staff augmentation model for their L&D teams.
Keeping skilled employees locally proves challenging in numerous countries. According to a 2023 survey conducted by Manpower Group, 77% of employers across the globe face difficulties in recruiting highly skilled candidates.
Today, staff augmentation is pretty common in the global staffing scene. Staff augmentation allows companies to outsource by hiring extra hands from a vendor, filling in the gaps in projects and aligning with their current business goals. These hires come on board based on the skills needed; and you can bring them in for a short gig or a long-term partnership. Especially if you’re thinking about the long haul, you might want to check out talent acquisition services too.
Staff Augmentation Process in an L&D Firm: How Does It Work?
Understanding the staff augmentation firm’s step-by-step process, as outlined below, with examples tailored to the L&D industry:
Step 1: Identify the Requirements
Before delving into the search for candidates, it’s crucial to define your L&D needs precisely. For instance, if you’re developing an eLearning module, you’d determine the number of instructional designers, eLearning specialists, project managers, and learning experience designers required. Candidate specifications might include qualifications in instructional design, expertise in eLearning tools, project management, and a minimum number of years in L&D.
Step 2: Review and Selection
Once L&D requirements are clear, a search is initiated for candidates with relevant expertise. In the L&D context, this could involve reviewing resumes of instructional designers, conducting interviews to assess their instructional design approach, and perhaps even giving them a small project to showcase their eLearning development skills.
Step 3: Integration of New Team Members
Onboarding is vital to ensure seamless integration. For example, if you’ve hired a new instructional designer, the onboarding process would involve familiarizing them with the organization’s learning management system, content development workflows, and ensuring they understand the company’s commitment to learner-centric design.
Step 4: Persistent Support and Mentorship
Beyond onboarding, ongoing support is crucial for L&D professionals. Regular updates, feedback sessions, and chances for professional growth play a role in fostering their development. For instance, establishing a mentorship program where experienced L&D professionals guide newer team members fosters continuous learning and collaboration.
Types and Tactics for Smart Staff Augmentation Services Model Selection
Statista predicts that global companies will allocate approximately US$81.87 billion for staff augmentation by 2025. Staff augmentation firms empower businesses to rapidly expand their teams and enlist specialized talent. However, given the multitude of providers and options, it is imperative to comprehensively understand the diverse types of staff augmentation services and adeptly choose the one that precisely meets your unique needs.
- On-Site Staff Augmentation
On-site staff augmentation represents a strategic initiative wherein temporary professionals are enlisted to work within the confines of your organization. This bespoke service facilitates direct collaboration and seamless integration into existing teams. Tailored for projects demanding close coordination, team alignment, and face-to-face interaction, the on-site staff augmentation process is the quintessential solution to ensure efficient communication and nurture robust working relationships between your current staff and the augmented team members.
- Remote Staff Augmentation
Remote staff augmentation, as the name implies, entails enlisting professionals who operate from disparate locations. This dynamic service endows businesses access to a global talent pool, making it particularly well-suited for organizations pursuing specialized skills or cost-effective solutions. Remote staff augmentation is distinguished by flexibility, scalability, and capacity to navigate diverse time zones. However, it requires effective communication channels and robust project management systems for successful collaboration within a remote work environment.
- Project-Based Staff Augmentation
Project-based staff augmentation is intricately designed to procure the expertise of specialists for a defined project or assignment. This service empowers businesses to harness specialized skills and knowledge without committing to long-term engagements. Ideal for short-term initiatives or instances where specific skills are not internally available, project-based staff augmentation affords the flexibility to scale teams by project requisites. This guarantees the most fruitful use of resources and cost-effectiveness.
- Team-Based Staff Augmentation
Team-based staff augmentation constitutes the strategic enlistment of an entire team to address a particular project or domain. This approach delivers a pre-assembled team with the requisite skills and expertise to navigate complex projects. Particularly advantageous when a comprehensive team with complementary skill sets is imperative or when rapid scaling is required for time-sensitive initiatives, team-based staff augmentation facilitates efficient collaboration and streamlined project execution.
Conclusion
A team lacking L&D expertise can make projects take longer. Staff augmentation is a helpful solution, letting companies bring in extra help with the right skills. The process involves figuring out what’s needed, picking the right people, helping them fit in, and supporting them as they work.
There are different ways to use a staff augmentation firm model: on-site for working closely together, remote for accessing talent from anywhere, project-based for short tasks, and team-based for bigger projects. Selecting the most suitable choice relies on the specific requirements of the project.
