If you’re a small or medium-sized enterprise and you want to compete with large corporations, your best bet is to outsource. Today, many companies are choosing to search outside their localities for top talent, especially when filling tech-related positions.

Not only does this guarantee better results but also it reduces company costs. This is one of the reasons why the demand for outsourcing remains at an all-time high.

You have several options available when outsourcing; two of which are offshore assistants and freelancers. Let’s take a closer look as to whether you should seek a formal collaboration or simply hire individuals.

Why Choose Offshore Staffing Firms?

Many are cautious about working with offshore staffing providers because of the belief that they’re pricier than direct hires. However, you’ll realise that there are times when they’re better suited to your needs than others.

Reason #1: Save time recruiting

Spare yourself the trouble of sorting through a multitude of applications. A reputable outsourcing firm will match you with the right remote virtual assistant as soon as possible.

If your hire underperforms or is a poor fit (which can happen), the firm will find you, new candidates, for free.

Reason #2: Have better control

Offshoring contracts normally cover the specifics of log-in times, quotas for hours worked weekly, and more. The provider communicates these to the remote assistants so everyone is on the same page before work even begins.

They also evaluate whether these expectations are being met or not.

Reason #3: Get high-quality output

To ensure they maintain a good reputation, staffing service providers are particular about the professionals they endorse. You can rest assured that all their virtual candidates have undergone rigorous testing and onboarding to match their own standards and that of their clients.

Reason #4: Prevent information leaks

Legal guarantees are part of the contract to build trust and ensure transparency. Included is having every member of the remote team sign a non-disclosure agreement (or NDA) to eliminate the risk of confidential information being leaked.

Reason #5: Enjoy greater flexibility

There are times when requirements change in the middle of a project. The good news is that agencies are capable of adding remote staffing specialists to the team should the need arise. Scaling is not an issue should you require more members.

What Might Put You Off Offshoring

Virtual staffing solutions are certainly a little pricier since you also have to cover management fees.

Forming a team of virtual assistants takes longer as well, especially when they don’t have the right specialist immediately available. They need time to pool applicants, sort out the best candidates, and perform the onboarding process.

Why Choose Freelancing Platforms?

It’s understandable to have second thoughts about hiring freelancers when the job requires giving access to private data. Like with staffing providers, there are instances when they’re the better choice when you need something done for you.

Reason #1: Cut labour costs

These platforms charge a percentage of the total amount you pay your freelancer, and this is typically cheaper than an offshoring firm’s management fees.

Additionally, these platforms will most likely have freelancers who perform the same work at a lower cost overall.

Reason #2: Access talents easily

Here, you can find a web developer or offshore virtual assistant at a shorter turnaround time. It’s entirely possible to hire a good remote worker within 72 hours of posting a job.

Part-time or project-based specialists also abound for short term jobs.

Reason #3: Offer work-life balance

When you hire people only on demand, you appeal to those who aren’t interested in signing up for a traditional 9-to-5 job. You broaden your options as more and more experts would rather work at their own pace and time of day.

Reason #4: Pay for quality

Freelance platforms have a process to ensure that freelancers get paid only when they deliver what has been promised. They will resolve any disputes between freelancers and employers such as when the output doesn’t match what was initially agreed on.

Reason #5: Find niche skills

Some freelance platforms specialise in a specific industry or field (e.g. web development or SEO). Thus, it’s easier for you to locate the exact professional you need for your project.

For instance, you can hire someone who is a master of Laravel or Adobe Premier Pro rather than an all-rounder.

What Might Put You Off Freelancers

Choosing the best freelancer among dozens or even hundreds of applications (without the benefit of recruitment specialists) isn’t easy.

And because freelancing platforms are easy to join, your ways to determine competence is limited and may not always be effective – unless you’re a recruitment specialist.

Even then, would you have time to spare screening all applications?

Plus, because you’re dealing with freelancers, who love the benefit of working when they want and not necessarily when you need them to, outcomes can sometimes be unpredictable.

Furthermore, it’s not a standard for freelancers to sign NDAs before work begins. In fact, there’s often no contract to speak of. Even if you get your freelancer to sign one, the platform won’t help you so enforce it. Thus, the risk of having your data leaked or your idea was stolen is hard to ignore.

Conclusion

Both offshore staffing firms and freelancing platforms give compelling arguments as to why they should be your top choice for talents. When you really weigh in the pros and cons, you’ll realise that virtual staffing solutions are your best bet for important projects where quality results are what you’re after.

You don’t have to worry as to whether the remote virtual assistant is actually meeting expectations since the agency evaluates them regularly. In turn, you can confidently deliver results to your own clients.

So get your money’s worth through a virtual team put together by a remote staffing provider like Remote Workmate.