Most successful businesses today rely on team extension to a certain extent. Whether it is just for maintenance or development from scratch, companies eagerly benefit from this model, boasting its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Since the majority of digital products today are developed in a project modality, team extension comes as a perfect solution, allowing enterprises to cover their demand for particular skills during a limited time without tying the knot with the employees.
It’s a win-win – the IT professionals are hired anyway by the software house that covers the team extension service, providing them with security, diversity, and goal-oriented workflow. You, as an entrepreneur, skip time-consuming and costly recruitment and don’t have to worry about the tech check that the HR team is often not prepared to carry out. You end up with
Understanding team extension services
Team extension is often confused with the end-to-end outsourcing model, where the software house takes over your project as a whole. In team extension, you’re the lead, and the external specialists integrate into your internal team. It could be either for a defined or undefined period, depending on the nature of the project and the tasks covered.
After an initial request, a software house usually carries out a discovery call during which you define your demand for particular competencies very precisely and define your requirements. Then, your partner’s HR team comes into play, selecting the matching candidates and presenting them to you during the joint interviews. The last word belongs to you – you accept the team in its final shape, staying in touch with the outsourcing company that acts and scales the team if needed.
Team extension partner selection – which questions to ask?
There is no single recipe for picking your perfect partner, but there are some cues that can help you determine the potential benefits. Make sure that the team extension company:
- takes care of the onboarding of the specialists
- takes the work culture and team’s dynamic into account
- engages tech leads in the process of candidate verification in order to ensure the best fit
- is flexible when it comes to scaling your team – either extending or reducing the number of specialists
- is open to offer replacements if the specialists do not turn out to be the right fit and checks with you frequently
Integrating external talent seamlessly in team extension model
A smooth integration of external specialists usually depends on both sides. The most successful team extension projects happen when the HR department of the team extension service provider is deeply engaged in the process, checking in with all the parties involved. But you can also make it easier, by preparing your internal team to maintain maximum transparency and facilitate the onboarding of their external colleagues. Before you compose the final team, make sure that they are familiar with the communication tools and project management methodologies that make a part of your workflow. That will also help immensely!
Challenges and mitigations in the team extension model
Team extension can help you reach your business goals quicker at a lower cost and unlock potential that you have had no access to before. But only if you are conscious of the potential challenges that come with it and are ready to mitigate those risks.
Even if the HRs take care of the initial culture fit check, still, the developers still have to enter the same vibe and tempo that for your internal employees comes natural. For some, it comes with time, while others never integrate fully. Don’t be afraid to ask for a replacement and search for other matches – otherwise, it could sabotage your growth instead of supporting it.
