To access low-cost and quality talent, should you hire a freelancer or offshore staff?
One of the most challenging business requirement to procure is the right skill set. It's both costly and time-consuming. The ideal solution is to establish a flexible staffing arrangement. This can be achieved in two ways - hire a freelance worker or lease offshore staff.
Which flexible workforce would serve you best?
The Independent Workforce
Hiring a freelancer enables you to delegate jobs on a short-term basis. This is ideal for small jobs or projects that take up several hours or less than a month to finish. Websites such as oDesk allow employers to monitor the hours of work put in by their chosen freelancer.
While this can be a quick solution, there are still a couple of challenges ahead. You have to choose from a variety of freelance websites, screen potential clients, and manage output.
Offshore Staffing
An offshore partner enables businesses to access both talent and infrastructure. This is ideal if you need higher level skills on a long-term basis. In addition to that, you can depend on the service provider for talent acquisition, retention, and management.
While outsourcing has been proven to work, its success depends on preparation, planning, and governance. You may also face criticisms from your community.
The right approach depends on the needs of your business.
If you only need one programmer for a few hours of work and don't mind filtering through online bids, then hire a freelancer. On the other hand, if your goals are much bigger, then hiring full-time staff offshore is the way to go. An offshore team enables SMEs to become global players with a leaner and more efficient business.
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