Category Archives: Gig Economy

The Top 4 Benefits for Businesses with Nearshore and Staff Augmentation

Posted on August 10, 2023 - 2:46 pm by
The Flock

 

Introduction:

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, companies are continually seeking ways to stay competitive and optimize their operations. Two key strategies that have gained popularity are nearshore outsourcing and staff augmentation. These approaches enable businesses to access skilled talent beyond their local borders, opening up a world of opportunities and advantages. In this note blog, we will delve into the top four benefits that businesses can reap from combining nearshore outsourcing and staff augmentation.

Access to a Diverse Pool of Talent:

One of the most significant advantages of nearshore outsourcing and staff augmentation is the ability to tap into a diverse pool of talent. Nearshore outsourcing allows companies to collaborate with teams located in neighboring or nearby countries, often sharing similar time zones and cultural affinities. This proximity reduces communication barriers and fosters a more seamless collaboration experience.

Staff augmentation, on the other hand, offers access to specialized professionals, allowing businesses to augment their existing teams with skilled experts on a temporary or project basis. This model offers flexibility in choosing the right talent for specific tasks, ensuring optimal results without the burden of a long-term commitment.

By combining both approaches, businesses can strategically build teams with the exact skills and expertise needed for their projects, thereby driving efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness.

Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability:

Cost reduction is a crucial factor for businesses seeking to improve their bottom line. Nearshore outsourcing often provides a cost-effective solution compared to onshore options, as operating expenses, labor costs, and overheads can be significantly lower in certain nearshore locations. Companies can also benefit from more favorable tax regulations and economic incentives in these regions.

Additionally, staff augmentation allows businesses to scale their workforce rapidly and efficiently, without incurring the expenses associated with hiring and training full-time employees. This scalability is particularly advantageous during peak seasons or when undertaking large-scale projects that require additional manpower.

Combining nearshore outsourcing and staff augmentation provides businesses with the flexibility to control costs while swiftly adjusting their workforce according to market demands, helping them maintain a competitive edge.

Enhanced Focus on Core Competencies:

By outsourcing non-core functions to nearshore teams and augmenting staff for specific tasks, businesses can concentrate their in-house resources on their core competencies. This focus allows companies to improve the quality of their products or services, streamline internal processes, and allocate more time and energy to innovation and growth strategies.

Nearshore outsourcing and staff augmentation relieve businesses of administrative burdens, recruitment efforts, and training tasks, as these responsibilities are transferred to external teams. Consequently, organizations can achieve higher productivity and efficiency while capitalizing on the expertise of their outsourced partners.

Increased Speed and Time-to-Market:

Speed is of the essence in today’s dynamic business environment. Nearshore outsourcing and staff augmentation contribute significantly to reducing project development timelines and improving time-to-market for products and services.

With nearshore teams working in similar time zones, real-time communication and collaboration become more accessible, resulting in quicker decision-making and issue resolution. Moreover, staff augmentation enables companies to add skilled professionals to their teams instantly, eliminating the delays associated with traditional hiring processes.

  1. We can help you accelerate your digital transformation and initiatives. Click here!

    Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent

    Recommendation:

Nearshoring in Latin America: Powering the Growth of Global IT Businesses

Staffing vs in-house hiring: benefits and drawbacks for your startup

Unlock innovation with exceptional Latin American software developers

Building a strong team: Effective practices for enhanced productivity and success

 

8 Keys to Global Partnership Success: Maximizing ROI with Latin American Developers

Posted on July 26, 2023 - 1:50 pm by
partnerships

Introduction:

In recent years, the trend of outsourcing software development to Latin America has been on the rise, with businesses worldwide recognizing the strategic value of building global partnerships. This article explores the many advantages and return on investment (ROI) businesses can gain by hiring developers from the region. From cost-effectiveness and high-quality project outcomes to cultural affinity and risk mitigation, Latin America offers a compelling proposition for companies seeking to scale their development efforts.

  1. Cost-Effectiveness of Hiring Latin American Developers:
    One of the primary reasons companies opt for Latin American developers is the cost-effectiveness of the region. Compared to other outsourcing destinations, Latin America offers competitive
    rates, favorable exchange rates, and cost savings in operational expenses. This section dives into the financial benefits businesses can reap by tapping into the talent pool in Latin America.
  2. Evaluating Project Outcomes: Quality and Efficiency:
    The success of any outsourcing initiative lies in the quality of deliverables and efficiency in meeting project timelines. Latin American developers have earned a reputation for producing high-quality work and meeting project deadlines effectively. By showcasing success stories, this section highlights the positive impact Latin American developers can have on a company’s bottom line.
  3. Cultural Affinity and Collaboration:
    Cultural affinity plays a crucial role in successful partnerships between U.S.-based businesses and Latin American developers. Shared values, work ethics, and similar communication styles contribute to seamless teamwork and efficient collaboration. This section emphasizes the importance of fostering a cohesive and productive work environment.
  4. Risk Mitigation and Flexibility:
    In addition to cost savings and quality outcomes, outsourcing to Latin America offers risk mitigation benefits. The region’s stable political and economic environment provides a secure platform for businesses looking to invest in long-term partnerships. Moreover, the flexibility of scalable teams allows businesses to adjust resources as project requirements evolve.
  5. Case Studies: ROI in Real-World Scenarios:
    Real-world case studies are powerful tools to demonstrate the tangible ROI that can be achieved through hiring Latin American developers. By presenting success stories of companies that have realized substantial benefits from this model, readers gain insights into the potential for their own projects.
  6. Talent Retention and Long-Term Partnerships:
    Building long-term partnerships with Latin American developers fosters talent retention and reduces hiring and training costs. This section discusses strategies for nurturing such relationships and creating a sense of belonging among remote teams.
  7. Future Outlook: The Growing Role of Latin American Developers:
    The article also looks into the future, examining the growing importance of Latin American developers in the global software development landscape. As more businesses recognize the potential of the region, this section explores the evolving opportunities and potential challenges.
  8. Best Practices for Successful Outsourcing:
    To ensure a successful partnership, businesses must follow best practices when outsourcing to Latin America. This section provides practical tips and advice, addressing potential challenges and guiding businesses toward a fruitful collaboration.

    We can help you accelerate your digital transformation and initiatives. Click here!

    Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent

    Recommendation:

Nearshoring in Latin America: Powering the Growth of Global IT Businesses

Staffing vs in-house hiring: benefits and drawbacks for your startup

Differences between a freelance and a contractor, two ways of referring to the same thing?

Building a strong team: Effective practices for enhanced productivity and success

 

The IT Recruitment Revolution in a Dynamic World

Posted on May 23, 2023 - 2:24 pm by

In the fast-paced world of technology, the demand for information technology and IT recruitment is constantly growing. Companies in all industries understand the importance of IT experts to stay competitive in the digital age.

But how do they manage to find these highly sought-after profiles?

Welcome to the exciting world of IT recruitment!

In a scenario where innovation and technological development are advancing by leaps and bounds, companies are facing a big challenge: finding and hiring the right professionals to drive their digital transformation. IT profiles, such as software developers, data engineers, and cybersecurity experts, are the true superheroes of the digital era.

One of the most common ways of hiring is through staff augmentation. Companies can complement their internal team with external professionals who provide specific skills and knowledge for specific projects – it’s like having an army of experts ready to spring into action when needed!

Another option is the formation of managed teams. These teams function as an extension of the company’s internal team, working side by side to achieve set objectives. This seamless collaboration allows for greater agility and flexibility in project development, like a perfectly synchronized choreography!

Hiring IT profiles in the dynamic world is a safe bet for companies that want to stand out in today’s technology landscape. It allows them to tap into specialized talents and stay up-to-date in a constantly evolving environment.

So, now you know, if you are a company looking for bright and talented IT profiles, the dynamic world of digital products at The Flock is waiting for you with open arms. Don’t miss the opportunity to find the best tech talent that will drive your success in the digital era!

Recommendation:

Staffing vs in-house hiring: benefits and drawbacks for your startup

How to manage IT remote teams – 5 key aspects

5 keys to reducing costs without losing talent quality

 

The Flock helps you accelerate your digital transformation. Build your Team Now. Click here!

Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent

Gig workers and their influence on the Tech World

Posted on June 10, 2022 - 3:01 pm by 1

During the last few years, the way companies recruit new employees and the way professionals offer their jobs have completely changed in the Tech World.


Some of the factors that made it possible are new technology improvement, digital economy development and different changes in a post-pandemic world.

Therefore, an economic concept based on people who offer their services in freelance and temporary ways through mobile applications has become popular. This new relationship within the labor market is called the “Gig economy” and it is applied by many new enterprises, as it accelerates recruitment times, which makes the search for skilled personnel easier for every task.

Small businesses and startups are the main driving force of the creation of digital platforms where workers offer their temporary services which are sometimes related to the tech world. There is currently a great number of young professionals who belong to areas such as web design and development, project management or copywriting, among others that are highly requested. The workers take the advantage of being part of various projects at the same time.

As the economy is becoming more and more digital, the Gig economy is making its way worldwide as one of the favorite options for millennials who prefer working in a remote, flexible, self-employed and short-term way and by objectives.

Although traditional recruitment processes have some known advantages, Gig workers possess certain aspects which seem to be increasingly attractive for 21st-century talents:

  1. Innovation: they get in touch with innovative companies worldwide, which enables them to fully develop their creative potential.
  2. Remote work: they are able to do their job from anywhere, they only need an electronic device and internet connection. In this way, there is a greater labor supply for them.
  3. Labor flexibility: they give priority to flexible schedules that let them organize themselves and combine work and leisure. They prefer short-term projects where they are paid by objectives and not by hours worked. They even do different jobs with many startups simultaneously.
  4. Extra incomes: they often use this labor model in order to generate an extra income by working as freelancers in their spare time, as every worker manages their own time.
  5. Online payments: due to new technologies, professionals can invoice from anywhere in the world. There are several safe platforms by means of which organizations make payments in a digital way.

 

These are some of the characteristics of this economic model that is making their way by leaps and bounds thanks to the offered advantages both for enterprises and professionals.

However, within an increasingly competitive working context, it is considerable to know what the companies are looking for and which skills they prioritize when recruiting talents.

These are some recommendations in order to be prepared if some opportunities arise:

  1. Inside the Gig world, working experience or academic qualifications are not as relevant as the specific skills of every worker. The idea is to analyze the main problems, the current world challenges and the talent’s contributions to solving them. The most required skills are language, meeting deadlines and writing. It is also useful to recognize the strengths so as to develop them.
  2.   Learning to work independently without bosses telling what to do or when to leave is not only one of the benefits but also the challenges of this model. Being organized and able to manage time properly is a must.
  3.   Becoming part and familiar with the digital world and the new technologies is vital to perform and improve within a Gig context. Tech-skilled professionals are more and more required.
  4.   The constant training is significant. We are talking about areas that are constantly changing and updating, so a university degree is not enough. Continuous learning candidates are taken into account.
  5.   This economic model is equal to or more competitive than the traditional one, so it is crucial to demonstrate what someone is capable of. It is important to have a portfolio to show in any job opportunity. In this labor dynamics, they have to worry about performing the job properly and acquiring new clients frequently.
  6. Considering what allows the talent to stand out from the crowd is also essential. The idea is to be clear about what their distinctive feature is and create a personal style. Therefore, they will be able to go into the labor market and offer their services successfully.

The gig economy is a trendy model that is chosen more and more by professionals who decide to manage their own time. It has become really popular during the last few years and predictions indicate that it will continue like this.

Although it is a competitive model that needs to be one step forward to achieve the best opportunities, it has numerous benefits and no one would regret adopting it as a labor dynamic.

Some say it is the future work, although we think that the future has already arrived. Now it is necessary to analyze how this trend will continue developing in the medium and long term.

 

Recommendation:

Exploring End-to-End Solutions for different technology scenarios

Staffing vs in-house hiring: benefits and drawbacks for your startup

The scenarios where staff augmentation can be developed, and why use this modality?

 

The Flock helps you accelerate your digital transformation. Build your Team Now. Click here!

Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent

Gig economy: A Revolutionary Trend for the Labor Market

Posted on May 17, 2022 - 6:35 pm by 2

Digital transformation of workplaces has generated new trends that revolutionize the labor market.

 

Nowadays, on-demand and independent jobs have caused an increase in worldwide employment options, which has become a feasible and sustainable option for many people.

Digital natives look for new ways of working and prioritize the chance of incorporating their jobs into their personal life. Spending 9 hours in a crowded office is no longer an option for those who have experienced management by objectives and without the pressure of time. This new model the demonstration of the “life-work balance” on which new generations are based and they put it into practice in every opportunity that the labor market has for them.

So, within this context of freelancers seeking professional growth and labor diversity rather than one job for their whole life, arose a concept in America that has become popular during the last years: the Gig economy. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the Gig Economy is a way of working that is based on people having temporary jobs or doing separate pieces of work, each paid separately, rather than working for an employer. In general, these temporary services set by objectives are offered on digital platforms that establish a connection between workers and users who are asking for a specific service. As stated by the Gig Economy Index, almost 40% of the American labor force generates at least 40% of their income within this model. Besides, as claimed by the research From Workforce to Workfit, carried out by Kelly Services, a company specializing in external consulting, the demand for this kind of worker in that country is 47%. Independent freelancers’ microbusinesses in America represent 17% of the gross domestic product, which generates US$2.4 trillion.

 

 

The worldwide figures indicate the growth of this trend: the demand in Asia is 84%, in Europe it is equivalent to 80% and finally, in South America, it reaches 54%. Taking into account these figures, many experts claim that the gig economy is the future of work, due to its outreach, facilities, and working benefits both for employees and employers.

Among the most remarkable gig economy benefits and advantages for a freelancer, we can mention that:

Independent workers improve their quality of life: reaching a balance between personal life and work is one of the most valuable advantages. Remote jobs enable them to sleep better and even eat better, as they are not under the pressure of time.

They can have a flexible schedule: as they are hired for a specific project or objective, this type of worker can manage their time most conveniently.

They feel motivated: freelancer is highly motivated since they have the chance of working in a field they love. Management by objectives makes tasks more specific, making them feel more at ease.

They can save money: independent workers save on daily expenses, such as commuting or having lunch on the go.

It is also important to note that remote jobs give the possibility of generating income to people who are usually excluded from the traditional way of working, for example, those who are in charge of caring for others or are unable to commute due to a lack of mobility.

This methodology is also beneficial for enterprises, as they acquire the necessary resources and talents at the appropriate time and place. Freelancers really value independent work and they are constantly getting qualified, which makes it possible for the enterprise to create a highly competitive work team. However, this represents new challenges for the companies that must incorporate their traditional teams into remote ones. According to Kelly Services’ research, the enterprises that innovatively succeeded in this it is because they passed on the business culture early, implemented a comprehensive onboarding process, and used adequate digital tools.

Some data that show this trend worldwide are:

–       The number of digital platforms that facilitate online work or that hire workers directly to offer their services increased fivefold around the world in a decade. 

–       Only 13% of people who worked remotely by the end of 2021 have fully returned to the face-to-face model, as stated by Infojobs’ research.

–       A McKinsey report shows that more than 150 million people from Western Europe and North America have decided to become independent workers during the last decade.

–       Lately, it has been known that more than 4 million American people have quit their permanent jobs willingly to set up their own businesses or work on their own.

 

As technology improves and the labor force evolves, the gig economy emerges as an original way of working which is based on independent development and without any geographical limits. Some of its advantages are easier access to opportunities, more efficient use of resources, and comfort for workers and clients.

In this model marked by a versatile and disruptive economy, specialization and knowledge are not limited by recruitment methods or borders. More than ever, there is huge competition in the business world and digitalization has become a need rather than an option to be at the forefront of the current market.

Recommendations:

Building a strong team: Effective practices for enhanced productivity and success

10 keys for creating a remote business culture

It is impossible to compete with those who enjoy and love what they do

 

The Flock helps you accelerate your digital transformation. Build your Team Now. Click here!

Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent

4 Essential Challenges for Talent Outsourcing Companies

Posted on May 12, 2022 - 1:48 pm by 1

The Covid19 pandemic accelerated and change the talent outsourcing companies setting a new model that is focused on the digitalization of work. This places us in a full training and developing reality which is being taken on increasingly with its ups and downs.

Nowadays around 1.100 million freelancers are working around the world. In many countries, the supply and demand for remote workers have risen significantly during the last few years. The search for job advertisements making reference to this modality is placed in a more and more important position. For example, 41% of the American labor force is freelancers.

The independent work methodology is accepted worldwide and the demand will increase because the concept of work itself has also changed. Productivity is not related to the number of hours spent in an office by an employee. Moreover, strict compliance with schedules is a thing of the past. New generations will not want to come back to their workplace as they knew it and remote job positions will become more powerful in contrast to the traditional way of working.

 

 

The future of work, in which the digital world is more and more predominant, comes together with an increasing demand for freelancers. According to this model, not only the enterprises but also the employees are facing new challenges. Although this situation is profitable for many companies as general expenses are reduced, some questions arise:

How to achieve effective communication

Internal communication is essential for the success of an organization since it makes possible the synergy of the work team. Having a virtual place for dialogue will keep the connection among employees and between them and their employers, it also enables them to overcome any obstacle on time. Arranging weekly meetings with clear goals represents a must for a remote team.

 

How to recruit talents

It is hard for those who have worked following the traditional model to think of a recruitment process for freelancers for the organization. However, many websites function as platforms of talent, in which the geographic location is not taken into account.

 

How to build the company culture

It is not easy to imagine a business culture when facing this work fragmentation where one person belongs to several enterprises at the same time. Despite this, the desire of a person to have a remote job position has to do more with being able to manage their own schedule rather than with belonging to an organization or not. Therefore, the freelancer can be part of a company without being employed in a dependent way. This is a challenge for managers, who must use different strategies to strengthen the much-needed work culture. The first step is great leadership, as employees will respond by recognizing themselves and themselves as an active part of the company.

 

How to follow up on the fulfilling of working goals

his new methodology is showing a positive impact on productivity since employees no longer work under pressure but pursue an objective. Keeping updates and improvements in tasks is a good way of providing a follow-up without bothering someone. Establishing short-term goals makes it possible for the talents to organize their timetables according to their preferences without hindering productivity or their approval of the enterprise.

 

 

Organizations must be adapted, but people who took on this new culture are also facing new challenges, such as:

Time management

One of the advantages of this modality is the lack of a manager giving orders. However, this can be negative if time is not well managed. One of the most valuable aspects of freelancing is having available time to enjoy the freedom that this involves. Therefore, it is important to fix a work schedule and priorities, provide a follow-up of the working hours and know how to delegate.

How to get new jobs

According to a survey carried out by the financial services company Payoneer, 36% of the clients are in North America, while European customers represent 27%. Using social media is a useful tool when trying to contact them, as it is free. Another way of acquiring clients is by word of mouth, which is taking advantage of the company’s acquaintances who may need their services. Networking and collaborating with other freelancers are other ways of getting new customers later.

Setting fees

Although remote job positions eliminate geographical borders, freelancers must consider that remuneration levels are set according to the cost of living in the customer’s country and not in their own. It is a good idea to get in touch with other freelancers and revise tariff charts to estimate costs. Making an estimate of the hours to fulfill the goals, evaluating the money needed, and considering a profit margin are different ways of calculating figures. It is not a bad strategy to ask the client which budget that is considering investing in that project.

There are many challenges that both employers and employees must undergo, but being able to give answers to them and understand the future of work is essential if we want to be part of the new working model of the digital era.

 

Recommendations:

Building a strong team: Effective Practices for enhanced productivity and Success

How to better manage freelance teams

Staffing vs in-house hiring: benefits and drawbacks for your startup

 

 

The Flock helps you accelerate your digital transformation. Build your Team Now. Click here!

Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent

Outsourcing Software Talent: a trend that is here to stay

Posted on April 13, 2022 - 1:55 pm by 1

Work structures and recruitment methods are changing and this creates new opportunities for businesses.

Moreover, the fact of choosing the more adequate professionals for a certain area, within an increasing variety of possibilities, opens up new prospects full of many advantages.

When going through these talent recruitment processes, the supply of candidates increases worldwide. Therefore, companies are forced to update and renew their working dynamics.

Although before it was more complex to work with external participants, nowadays many organizations prefer to hire other enterprises, teams or IT specialists so they can be in charge of the software development outsourcing for their projects.

It is known that large companies around the world have kept this idea for a long time. However, small and medium-sized enterprises now understand that this is also beneficial for them, so that they can obtain better results. This leads to an important question: which are the reasons for this phenomenon taking place more and more frequent and at macro level?

The global market of these services has a value of US$600 million. The companies must think of a new investment due to different reasons: the lack of time to make a recruitment process, the increased pace because of the boom of new technologies and finally the expansion of the outreach of the projects related to those tech tools.

This enables them to reduce not only the costs of doing those tasks but also the time spent by doing them. So they can use that time for other priorities. Also, they try to avoid the expenditures coming from this process being higher than the budget assigned to each project. That’s why the outsourcing is considered to be so viable. The fact of outsourcing this task to external and specialized professionals also helps the internal employees of the companies to focus on deciding which abilities the talents must have. These talents must show that they possess the adequate potential in order to offer customized and more efficient solutions.

 

The companies who outsource IT experts provide a wide range of web development workers, according to each project, with great time availability and an impeccable career path.

It is essential to take into account that enterprises need agility and willingness towards change and innovation, which means more flexibility and openness at work. Regarding this, having a team that works in a freelance way has important benefits.

The idea is to optimize the delivery time of projects. This makes the marketing processes to happen in shorter times, which provides a greater customer satisfaction and makes possible the increase of the competitiveness on the market.

Moreover, by outsourcing skilled professionals for the software development, companies make sure that those talents put their abilities, knowledge and techniques at the service of the project fulfillment. The aim is to improve the work quality by respecting the required outlines and the fixed delivery times, so that it can work properly.

It is essential to be aware of the past outsourcing experiences of such organizations, as this will be useful when looking for new software developers or when creating and executing new projects.

On the other hand, it is true that by hiring other software development outsourcing companies or IT professionals, the enterprises obtain more credibility. The reason is that when their employees meet the deadlines of each project, there is a chance of improving and surpassing its planning, development and delivery to the specific customers.

In this area, there are great leaders who provide the service of external software development outsourcing. This removes some previous tasks of the companies while they develop their potential of the projects hand in hand with great experts.

 

Beyond the reasons that cause the boom of this service, it is relevant to mention its benefits:

1. The enterprises which have more trajectory always ask for information about the past experiences of the recruited staff, so they can focus on the customer’s area of interest. They work with responsible, committed and enthusiastic developers.

2. They hire a team made up of different talents which must have the required features according to the project.

3. A worldwide database of contacts is used in order to choose the best web developers.

4. They give the chance to work in the long term with the external developers, which makes the internal employees know each other better. At the same time, it permits a deeper knowledge of the details of the project as a whole.

5. Outsourcing enterprises respect the software developers’ values, cultures and ways of working by agreeing on some specified dynamics to fulfill the projects.

6. This kind of companies establish a communication plan, so that they can assure the normal understanding of every aspect of the project. They also pay attention to the dialogue with the experts to keep the fluency at work.

7. A joint working plan is defined. It is also divided into stages and levels of scalability.

8. They take responsibility for data security and confidential data related to the project.

9. Indicators are measured to check if the project is successful or not.

10. They control the quality of the products by avoiding mistakes or failures before marketing and selling them.

 

Recommendation:

5 steps for building digital products

Staff Augmentation in your business: What it is and How it Works?

Exploring End-to-End Solutions for different technology scenarios

5 keys to reducing costs without losing talent quality

 

The Flock helps you accelerate your digital transformation. Build your Team Now. Click here!

Access the world’s best jobs. Apply as Talent