Updated: Oct 6, 2022
Here are a few reasons to go the agency route rather than hiring more staff.
Time & Money
Finding qualified candidates is a daunting task. Not only is it time-consuming, but it’s also expensive and stressful. “It costs employers an average of $4,129 and takes an average of 42 days to fill an open position.” (ADP) And that’s on the low end. Some sources suggest at least three months to find the ideal candidate and then another six months before you break even on that new hire. From drafting the job description, posting it, sorting through stacks of resumes, coordinating interviews, decision making, onboarding… it adds up quickly. And even after going through that lengthy process, there’s no guarantee that it will work out. So all that time & money could have been a waste and you have to go back to the drawing board or turn to an agency which you could have done in the first place. While on the surface, an agency will cost more per hour, they’ll use way fewer hours.
Immediacy
If you think you need additional support, it’s probably already too late. You could have used that resource months ago. And as discussed above, that new hire won’t be ready any time soon. So you’ll likely be playing catch up for the foreseeable future. With an agency, they can start immediately. Even if hiring a full-time staff member or team is the end goal, starting off with an agency can help an organization transition and start building right away while you take the time to find the right people to add to your organization.
Flexibility
Forecasting is challenging. Trying to figure out if you have enough work to hire full-time staff or even a full team can be a bit of a shot in the dark. Why not test the waters with an outsourced agency for a specific project, rather than dropping $80K+ on each designer? If you like what you see, consider committing to a longer-term retainer, that still provides you with month-by-month flexibility, and the ability to ramp up or down without needing to hire or fire.
“As a flexible model, outsourcing provides companies with an opportunity to quickly bring on board experts they wouldn’t be able to source otherwise, at a fraction of the hiring cost.” (Forbes) With an agency, you’re backed by a team with a depth of experience rather than an individual specialist.
We’re all remote now
A year and a half ago, one of the biggest drawbacks of choosing to go with outsourced talent rather than hiring internally was not having everyone under the same roof. We all know that’s now a thing of the past. “When companies are looking for savings now more than ever, outsourcing teams becomes a viable cost resilience strategy.” (Forbes) We’ve adapted to having our workforces spread out, so outsourcing is even more of a seamless transition.
No red tape
“The Most Dangerous Phrase In Business: We’ve Always Done It This Way.” Sometimes an established organization needs to look externally to challenge the status quo and cut through the corporate bullshit. Having a fresh set of eyes on a project or problem can lead to unexpected, and perhaps simple solutions.
Someone external isn’t worried about hurting anyone’s feelings who might’ve come up with the current way of doing things. Or someone internal with a great idea might just need the support of someone external to give them the platform needed to voice their opinions.
“The Outsourcing Model Has Moved From Cost Reduction To Driving Innovation” (Forbes) At SnapPea we are always learning and questioning. We believe that true innovation comes from being open to new ideas, constantly learning and challenging assumptions. And as always, we believe every great product starts with an argument.
