Staff augmentation. Everyone’s talking about it—and if they’re not talking about it, they’re probably already implementing it. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, nearly $500 billion is spent annually on global IT staffing services alone. Still, it’s becoming increasingly popular throughout various industries and roles, from software development to marketing and sales. The recent growth of staff augmentation can be attributed to different changes and trends in today’s job market. The first is the widening gap between the skills companies are looking for, and the potential skills candidates are being trained in. It’s estimated that the skills gap will contribute to around 2.4 million positions being left unfilled between 2018 and 2028—especially in the tech world. It’s difficult for companies to scale their tech teams when they can’t find candidates who align with their needs. Another contributing factor is supply and demand. According to the management consulting firm Korn Ferry, by 2030, there will be a global shortage of more than 85 million tech workers. Yet even as this shortage grows, companies are being forced to lay off their staff exponentially due to economic uncertainty. The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2022 alone, more workers in tech were laid off than in 2020 and 2021 combined.

Many of these shifts have created the perfect conditions for a boom in staff augmentation. So we’re taking a closer look at the different types and weighing the benefits of integrating it into your business model.

According to cPrime, staff augmentation is best broken down into two main types based on contract lengths: short-term and long-term. Short-term staffing services refer to hiring temporary employees or contractors to supplement a company's existing workforce for a specific period and commonly used to address quick-turn needs, like managing workloads, filling skill gaps, or better resourcing projects. It also allows companies to quickly access specialized talent without the commitment and staggering costs associated with permanent hiring.

Long-term staff augmentation, on the other hand, is more common when companies need to better manage team bandwidth, expand their capabilities, or bridge skill gaps. The benefits of long-term contracts include increased flexibility, as organizations can scale up or down their workforce according to their needs or access to a more specialized skill set that they’re missing in-house again, without committing to filling a permanent position.

Finding the right employee for your company largely depends on where you source from. Using a staffing company involves working with a third party that focuses on just that and typically has an impressive pool of pre-screened candidates with various skills and experience levels that can fill a business’ needs. The downside, though, is that these agencies might also adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, which isn’t ideal for uber-specialized staffing requirements, and the quality of candidates may vary, requiring you to invest time and effort in screening and assessing applicants.

Alternatively, hiring directly from a digital creative agency involves working with a company specializing in certain disciplines. These agencies often possess a deep understanding and knowledge of their specific industry or niche, enabling them to identify and attract top talent more effectively. 

The decision between the two may come down to your budget, urgency, project size, and specific skills required. But to make it easier, we’re listing some of the advantages that creative digital agencies offer.

Most digital creative agencies will have in-depth knowledge and expertise in design, development, strategy, and project management. The right agency will also be in the know of current trends, best practices, and research on your target audience’s behaviors so they can better assess and match more attractive candidates with the specific experience you’re looking for.

Digital creative agencies know a great portfolio when they see one. With a keen eye for design, aesthetics, storytelling, and strategic thinking, they can effectively review candidates' portfolios and zero in on the ones with the best creative chops and track records.

Digital creative agencies will have no shortage of creative directors, technology directors or team leads who can provide guidance and mentorship to the candidates they place. This helps facilitate collaboration and ensure a better understanding of project objectives, meet client expectations and produce better work. 

With more established relationships with clients, vendors, and other industry professionals, these agencies will typically have quick access to the insights, market trends, and emerging technologies it takes to provide valuable guidance and recommendations to clients so you can stay competitive and, perhaps most importantly, relevant.

Integrating an agency can help with efficiency and productivity because they can handle the day-to-day management tasks leaving you to stay more agile, responsive, and focused on more important areas.

At Purple, Rock, Scissors, we’ve spent the last 18 years creating solutions for some of the world’s biggest companies, and that includes staffing. With access to some of the most talented professionals in the business, we can help you cover and manage your next project so you don’t have to while giving you peace of mind that your work—and clients—are in the best hands.

Learn more about our augmented staffing service here or contact us today to find out more about how we can help.