- You are here:
- Home »
- Business »
- Why “Outsourcing” Shouldn’t Be A Dirty Word
Why “Outsourcing” Shouldn’t Be A Dirty Word
(This is a contributed post)
What do you think of when the term “outsourcing”, what comes to mind? If you think that it’s a way to get cheap labor, you aren’t wrong, but many people view outsourcing as a dirty word. Some people believe that outsourcing compromises the integrity of a company by, in essence, hiring scabs. However, this isn’t the case!
Outsourcing is something that, when done right, it can be used to boost your company in so many ways, not just in terms of productivity and cost, but you can leverage other components of the business to take advantage of the right workers at the right time. So, with that in mind, what ways can you use outsourcing to benefit your business if you haven’t done so already?
Using It To Simplify Processes
As a business, when you are taking advantage of the various freelance platforms, you are able to set the rules. This gives you a lot of freedom, because you can dictate the hours as well as the wage. As a result, when you compare this to hiring full-time members of staff, there are fewer hoops to jump through. You can also decide to terminate a contract for pretty much whatever reason you decide.
When managing a company, the act of hiring the right person for the right role is something that needs to be done quickly and effectively. This is where outsourcing comes into its own. And, especially in relation to menial tasks, or specific duties that require a certain type of creativity, there are so many freelance workers out there, that you have an abundance of choice, especially via these freelance hiring platforms.
Getting Top Quality Talent
It is always about the best person for the job, and when you are going through the process of getting someone on board, when you compare it to hiring a permanent member of staff, there are certain concessions you need to make. You will need to train these people up, and get them used to the overall company culture. In hiring a freelancer or outsourcing, these things are completely eradicated. And, when it comes to hiring the best people, or even the best services, the cost is always going to come into play.
When you are starting out, and you are working hard at presenting a certain professional image, you need to ensure that you’ve got the right people on board. If you are hiring freelancers, there is a risk of getting the wrong person, and it’s resulting in you going through the mill to find someone else, but at the same time, there are certain services that can benefit your business. Companies like Virtual Reception are invaluable in this respect, because if you don’t have the finances to hire a full-time receptionist on site, businesses like these, as well as various other virtual office functions, help to present this air of professionalism. The outcome of a professional image is more respect, more customers, and more clients. Because we have to make certain concessions, especially for the greater good, that doesn’t mean we need to skimp on quality. And so, it’s these processes that can be outsourced without it being to the detriment of your business and your image.
The Inevitable Cost Savings
Naturally, it saves you a lot of money in so many different ways. When people think about outsourcing, offshoring is usually thought of as the general encapsulation of outsourcing, but if this is something you are not interested in, you can still make a considerable saving by hiring people in your own country. As well as the aforementioned freelance websites, you can undertake research into areas of your own country that are cheaper. As a result, by finding the cheapest cost of living in a specific state or country, you can find cheaper labor, without bypassing the talent. On top of this, hiring talent in a freelance capacity means that there is a lot less box ticking to be done. For example, freelancers are in charge of their own tax, saving you a lot of time, effort, and money. But also, thinking about the other aspects of a traditional working setup, such as paid vacation, even the traditional recruiting methods, such as online via LinkedIn adverts or the classifieds, don’t have to be paid for in this respect, because you are avoiding this completely by avoiding headhunter fees and the like.
A Lack Of Engagement Can Be A Good Thing
Outsourcing the right person for the job means that you are giving them the duties, as well as a set timeframe, and you expect them to do it. As a result, you can leave your emotions at the door, and this is something that gives you the opportunity to focus on your business. On the other hand, if you find someone that is perfect for the role, and you really liked what they did, because they went above and beyond, or you just liked the cut of their jib, they could become a full-time member of staff. It happens a lot, but if you are in a financial predicament, you can easily have them working for you in a full-time capacity, but as a freelancer or contractor. This works in their favor, because they don’t need to keep looking for other jobs, and you are benefiting from it too, because you’re getting the work done.
Outsourcing can be misconstrued as a way to get people on board for cheap, and while this certainly is one of the benefits from your perspective, this disparity can only happen if you are bringing in contractors or freelancers into the same office as permanent workers. But when you are starting out, taking the approach to hiring freelancers exclusively is a leap of faith, but it’s certainly a great way to screen talent. Once you find the right people, you can then bring them into the company on a full-time basis, but, outsourcing, and all of its components, shouldn’t be viewed as a bad thing. Many businesses have taken the opportunity to outsource where they can, and before people start telling you that you shouldn’t do it, look at your own business’ needs, and make the decision.
