IT outstaffing, or the practice of outsourcing specific IT functions to an outside company or individual, can be a great way for businesses to access specialized expertise and stay agile in today's fast-paced digital landscape.
However, as more and more companies shift to remote work, managing an outstaffed IT team can come with its own set of challenges.
In this post, we'll explore some potential challenges of IT outstaffing in remote teams and offer solutions for overcoming them.
Lack of Face-to-Face Communication and Collaboration
One of the biggest challenges of IT outstaffing in remote teams is the lack of face-to-face communication and collaboration.
When team members work remotely, it can be difficult to build the same level of trust and camaraderie possible in a physical office setting. This can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and other issues that can negatively impact the quality of work and the project's overall success.
To combat this, companies should invest in communication and collaboration tools such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and project management software.
These tools can help remote team members stay connected and on the same page, even when they're not physically in the same place.
Difficulty in Maintaining Control and Oversight
Another challenge of IT outstaffing in remote teams is maintaining control and oversight. When team members work remotely, it can be harder for managers to keep tabs on what everyone is doing and ensure that everyone is on track.
This can be especially true when working with an outstaffed team, as the company may not have the same level of visibility into the team's work as it would with in-house staff. To overcome this, companies should implement strict protocols and guidelines for remote staff to follow.
These guidelines should include expectations for communication, timelines, and deliverables, as well as protocols for addressing any issues that may arise.
Difficulty in Ensuring Security and Compliance
Another significant challenge is ensuring security and compliance. For example, when working with an outstaffed team, companies need to ensure that the remote staff has access to the same level of security and compliance measures as in-house staff.
This includes everything from data encryption to password policies to comply with industry regulations. In addition, to ensure compliance and security, companies should use remote monitoring and management tools to keep tabs on what remote staff is doing.
Additionally, companies should have regular check-ins and audits to ensure that remote staff is following the company's security protocols.
It's also important to stay up-to-date with industry regulations and compliance standards. This may include regulations such as HIPAA, PCI (News - Alert)-DSS, or GDPR. Companies should ensure that their remote staff knows these regulations and follow the company's compliance policies.
Difficulty in Building and Maintaining Team Cohesion
Building and maintaining team cohesion is another challenge companies face when working with remote teams. When team members work remotely, it can be difficult to build the same level of trust and camaraderie possible in a physical office setting.
To overcome this, companies should invest in regular virtual team-building activities and opportunities for remote staff to interact and get to know one another.
These activities could include virtual happy hours, online team-building exercises, and online gaming.
Difficulty in Providing Effective Training and Onboarding for Remote Staff
Providing effective training and onboarding for remote staff can be a challenge. When team members are working remotely, it can be difficult to provide the same training and onboarding possible in a physical office setting.
To overcome this, companies should use online training and onboarding resources to ensure that remote staff is well-equipped to perform their duties. This could include online tutorials, webinars, and training videos.
Another great solution that you may consider is hiring a pro IT outstaffing company like QIT Software to do it all for you.
By implementing these solutions, companies can successfully manage remote IT teams and overcome the common challenges of IT outstaffing in remote teams.
It's important to remember that proper planning and execution are key to overcoming these issues, so companies should be proactive in identifying and addressing potential challenges.
Conclusion
IT outstaffing is a great way to access specialized expertise, but it has its own set of challenges regarding remote teams.
The biggest challenges are the lack of face-to-face communication and collaboration, difficulty in maintaining control and oversight, ensuring security and compliance, building and maintaining team cohesion, and providing effective training and onboarding for remote staff.
Companies can successfully manage remote IT teams by
- utilizing communication and collaboration tools
- implementing strict protocols and guidelines
- using remote monitoring and management tools
- investing in regular virtual team-building activities
- providing effective training and onboarding.
It's important to remember that proper planning and execution are key to overcoming the challenges of IT outstaffing in remote teams, so companies should be proactive in identifying and addressing potential challenges.
Author’s bio: Emmy Stuart is a seasoned IT professional with over a decade of experience in outstaffing. She's seen it all, and she's here to share her insights with you!
A self-proclaimed IT geek, Emmy loves nothing more than diving into the latest industry trends and sharing her findings with others. When she's not busy helping drive growth in the tech sector, you'll find her spending time with her family or indulging in her other passion: travel.
