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OUTSOURCING SERVICES FOR EMPLOYERS: A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT?
Outsourcing: it’s an often touted word, but what does it mean in practice, and, more importantly, what does it mean for your firm?
In the following post, we delve into the details of this business-related buzzword, exploring what it is, why it matters, and, ultimately, how it keeps operational overheads in check.
DO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS REALLY WORK?
WHAT IS OUTSOURCING IN BUSINESS?​
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Put simply, outsourcing in business refers to the management of corporate services (such as recruitment, HR or employee engagement), by an external party on the company’s behalf.
Unfortunately, there is still a common misconception among employers that it is ALWAYS best to keep business practices in house-even when evidence explicitly points to the contrary.
The third-party provider either works remotely to handle the day-to-day running of the company, or, in some instances, works on-site to provide close-knit support for the client.
SO HOW DOES OUTSOURCING ACTUALLY WORK?
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Contrary to popular belief, outsourcing is surprisingly simple-and highly affordable too! But exactly howdo outsourcing companies manage to keep their prices so competitive?
For companies who handle multiple clients simultaneously, there will, inevitably, be peaks and troughs in demand-yet in-house workers on payroll will need to be paid during downturns in business as well, when work is thin on the ground. In contrast, outsourcing services means that costs are only allocated as and when a company demands, enabling you to allocate your business budget more effectively.
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Although in-house departments obviously have their merits, there is a tendency for employees to have to act almost as a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’ to fill glaring gaps in resource in the interim period between hires, which inevitably means spreading themselves all too thinly just to make up for the shortfall of highly targeted skills for particular tasks.
Additionally, we can’t all be experts at everything, but outsourcing works to ensure you get the cream of the crop allocated to every aspect of your business where and when you want it-making it a highly cost-effective choice to consider.
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WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF OUTSOURCING SERVICES FOR EMPLOYERS?
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Where to start?! From freeing up time in hectic schedules, to providing on-tap expertise when you need it, outsourcing aspects of your business makes sounds financial sense.
One obvious advantage of outsourcing is to attract top talent. In terms of recruitment, many firms tend to take a ‘cross your fingers and hope for the best kind of approach’ which is about as helpful on the luck front as counting on clover. Then there’s the countless applications to sift through, the organising of interviews to attend…and not to mention the resource needed to set them up at a time that suits everyone’s schedule.
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Outsourcing takes the hassle out of hiring by providing targeted strategies to streamline the process and acquire the people power you need for your firm-with the solid skillset to match. Outsourcing recruitment firms are often specialists in this niche, which means you mean benefit from their extensive expertise in their area, rather than casting your net as wide as possible to fill a particular position.
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WHAT OTHER BUSINESS SERVICES CAN BE OUTSOURCED?
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Although recruitment is the most obvious service to outsource, sales and marketing also comes a close second. By outsourcing marketing to a third-party provider, you’ll benefit from a fresh pair of eyes that offer an objective overview of your current plan. Outsourcing your marketing to experts also ensures you’ll gain new customers through targeted, inbound techniques-and turn existing ones into loyal brand advocates that will market you through word of mouth as well!
In addition to this, you can also outsource any web development work you need completed for relatively minimal outlay; this will ensure your website remains fully mobile responsive (a must in 2018 when the majority of customers access sites through their smartphones), and implement technical changes to improve the load times of webpages so that customers can access your site at lightning speed, (rather than hurling expletives at their screen when it takes a lifetime for the homepage to load!)
Concerned about managing your brand’s image and the way you’re perceived by your prospects online? Yep, you guessed it; outsourcing can also assist in this regard as well! Outsourced brand management services will take charge of your corporate image in both the offline and online domains, ensuring people are talking about you for all the rightreasons, with your visibility significantly improved. Now THAT’S a result to shout about!
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OK, I SEE THE BENEFITS OF OUTSOURCING, HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST ME?
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Whatever you want to pay! No, seriously! The beauty of outsourcing is that YOU dictate the budget. Whether you’re a small start-up who needs a little extra help setting up, or a larger enterprise in need of an overhaul, you can pick and choose outsourced services as and when your business demands, saving you the cost of having in-house departments dedicated to tasks where resource needs fluctuate as frequently as the stocks.
Although some business choose to outsource all their business practices, others choose to concentrate on outsourcing one aspect alone (such as recruitment), which is perfect for smaller enterprises where budgets are far more limited.
Whatever your business aim, whatever your budget, with outsourced services, you’ll have a pool of professionals to call on to make it happen for less!
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MEET THE AUTHOR
NATALIE SNOW
FOUNDER & CEO
