All Resources: How starting small can deliver big when hiring remote talent

When the possibility of outsourcing is first raised in many businesses, it is not uncommon for some decision-makers to feel overwhelmed. How will it work? Where will staff be based? How much will it cost? Who will be responsible for making it work? How long will we be locked in for? So many questions. So many unknowns.

Indeed, many companies make the mistake of thinking outsourcing needs to be part of a larger, complex transformation project or supported by a strategic framework that requires a body of work all of its own. It all becomes too much and rather than take that vital first step towards a smarter way of resourcing, they keep on doing what they have always done.

What a wasted opportunity.

Outsourcing has repeatedly been proven to increase efficiencies, reduce costs and boost productivity and the great news is it can start with just one remote hire. That’s right – as opposed to requiring significant organisational bandwidth, businesses can easily experiment with remote hiring by outsourcing one role. It may be a customer service representative, an administration assistant or an accounts receivable officer. The key is it is one small step that, with the support of the right partner, is simple, accessible and highly beneficial.

 

Busting the Outsourcing Myths

Before going further, let us acknowledge that some people have specific reasons for choosing not to outsource. They are concerned about language barriers or cultural differences. They fear losing control of a project or exposing themselves to security risks. They think it is all too complicated.

Once again, what a shame because all are misconceptions that stop businesses from using a tried and tested formula to achieve success.

When it comes to language barriers and cultural differences, globalisation means the world has never been more integrated and quality outsourcing providers cultivate talent pools that have an excellent grasp of English and appreciation and knowledge of the Western societies in which they operate.

Just like in-house staff, outsourcing providers are committed to delivering exactly what their clients need. On the back of established processes, key performance indicators and performance updates, companies remain firmly in control of decision-making. Befitting any 21^st century sector, outsourcers also have a vested interest in protecting data security and often have stronger cyber safeguards and privacy procedures in place than the clients they serve.

As for being too complicated, businesses typically find the opposite is the case as there is nothing like having an external provider look after tasks such as recruitment, onboarding, training and supervision to ease the load.

And as we have already discussed, outsourcing need only start with one team member.

 

Start Small, Dream Big

There is a lot to like about starting small when it comes to outsourcing. Rather than invest significant capital and precious time by committing to a full-scale strategy, employing an initial outsourced team member can provide businesses with a low-risk insight into how the process works. Pilot projects are another effective test case for larger outsourcing opportunities, with concerns able to be more easily managed and minimised.

This approach allows businesses to see if there is a good cultural fit with their outsourcing provider of choice and identify any areas that may need to be worked on such as communication or collaboration. Use this time to finetune processes and pinpoint learnings that will pay off when the time comes to expand your outsourcing arrangement.

 

Advantages of Outsourcing

There are many reasons businesses choose to outsource a particular job, task or team including:

• Focus on core strengths – outsourcing time-consuming and repetitive tasks allows in-house staff to concentrate on more valuable tasks and strategic efforts.
• Increased efficiency – choosing an outsourcing provider that specialises in a specific area means businesses can tap into systems and processes that are more productive and efficient.
• Reduced costs – this is consistently voted the top reason for outsourcing and little wonder when the lower cost of living in offshore destinations can equate to savings on labour of up to 70%.
• 24/7 support – the ability to utilise staff across different time zones is invaluable in a modern world where customers not only appreciate around-the-clock support but increasingly demand it.
• Access to talent – with skills shortages continuing to create headaches for Australian businesses, outsourcing providers open a pipeline to global talent pools overflowing with hard-working staff.

 

Outsourcing in the Real World

Countless Australian businesses have tapped into the power of outsourcing across the years. From major players establishing offshore contact centres to SMEs accessing support in the likes of graphic design, website development and bookkeeping, the success of such partnerships has kept them coming back for more.

A great example is The Lottery Corporation, the driving force behind Australia’s largest lottery games and an organisation that saw an urgent need to improve productivity and boost morale among the service centre that provides support to the people who play its games. Five years after forming a partnership with on-demand talent platform flexhive by Hudson, The Lottery Corporation continues to receive contingent and non-BAU permanent recruitment solutions from the firm and has expanded its service centre to more than 100 consultants.

 

Summary

Outsourcing is not a complex affair. Rather it is a simple and accessible resourcing option that can provide significant cost savings almost as soon as businesses sign on with a provider. That is especially so for mid-sized SMEs that choose to start small by recruiting one or two outsourced staff, which is an ideal way to get a feel for the process and benefits that are sure to come their way. On the back of proper planning and execution, it is no surprise that businesses that were once worried about the risks of outsourcing soon become the sector’s biggest advocates.

Every great journey starts with a first step and that can be as simple as reaching out to one of remote experts to get guidance and support about outsourcing. Alternatively, check out this insightful blog to learn how to eliminate the risks of outsourcing.