Through these partnerships, companies gain access to top talent and can offload the capital expense and logistics of recruiting and training new hires. OnX Canada—which maintains a large pool of certified IT specialists backed by a team of support personnel—offers clients access to professionals who can optimize any data ecosystem regardless of obstacles.
This blog will explain how IT consulting services can benefit organizations of all sizes for short-term or project-based IT initiatives.
Recruiting and retaining skilled IT professionals
Due to the widening gap between the number of skilled professionals and the demand for experienced technology professionals, these positions are among the most challenging to fill. The IT talent gap has exacerbated staffing challenges for companies in every industry. Businesses are forced to offer attractive incentives and exorbitant salaries to attract top candidates from thinning graduation classes.
Many CIOs already shoulder the burden of driving their company’s complex digital transformation initiatives. As a result, CIOs must focus on project loads rather than hiring the talent needed to move critical programming forward. Despite the increasing adoption of automation and artificial intelligence, organizations still need experienced talent to manage these systems.
Read more: Identify IT skills gap and unlock solutions for your organization
Modern systems require fresh IT talent
As innovation drives technology forward, legacy systems become more costly and time-consuming to support. Not to mention, IT professionals familiar with these systems are steadily reaching retirement age. Consequently, recruiting, hiring, and retaining new talent are necessary for companies diving into cloud computing, big data, and other cutting-edge technologies.
In search of fresh recruits, organizations face a mountain of compliance demands and complex cybersecurity threats. An IT consulting service like OnX can solve this issue while supporting a remote workforce. The traditional model of filling an IT staff with full-time employees simply can’t meet such multi-faceted demands.
Things to know when selecting an IT consulting service
Organizations turning to modern technologies must hire the right IT professionals. As an IT consulting service operating across numerous industries, OnX outlines three key things to consider when choosing a staffing partner:
- Identify your company’s unique needs and goals.
- Weigh the pros and cons.
- Keep in mind it’s a business arrangement.
Identify your unique IT staffing needs and goals as a first step
Companies should begin with an analysis of their current IT resources. Areas to consider might include, for example:
- What technical skills gaps exist within the current team?
- Are any IT initiatives currently under-resourced?
- Do any planned strategic projects require an increase in short-term resources?
- Is there access to a consulting services provider with sufficient expertise to find skilled personnel?
Ultimately, executives can rely on a partner like OnX to realize their strategic technology goals.
Read more: Why short-term IT staffing is essential to digital transformation
Weigh the pros and cons of an IT consulting provider
Companies considering an IT staffing partner should carefully weigh the benefits and risks.
PROS:
- Flexibility – Enterprises hire only the talent they need, saving them both time and expenses.
- Expertise – Consulting services find individuals able to solve the steepest technology hurdles.
- Perspective – External IT experts often notice vulnerabilities and opportunities that insiders miss.
- Pricing clarity – Companies pay a set price for a pre-determined timeframe or number of resources.
- Resource allocation – Full-time IT staff can focus on core company goals.
CONS:
- Attrition and training – Depending on the circumstances, you may have to devote time and money toward training temporary employees.
- Dependence – Relying on temps can discourage companies from developing long-term IT talent.
Remember, the partnership is a business arrangement
Certainly, the quality of the working relationship between an enterprise and its consulting services provider will determine the project’s success. Companies should take the following precautions to ensure a job well done:
- Nail down the details – Any external IT consulting services arrangement should involve a comprehensive contract.
- Develop a strategy – Organizations should create a written plan describing the partnership’s aims and defining each players’ role.
- Quantify performance – Ensure there are agreed-upon metrics and calculation methodologies. The IT staffing services partner usually takes on this process.
- Assign with care – Full-time leaders must understand the best ways to collaborate with external IT experts.
OnX offers unmatched IT staffing solutions capability
IT consulting can answer the many challenges encountered by today’s changing enterprises. OnX solutions are available in multiple formats to provide flexibility for the toughest tech challenges, including:
- Project-based resources – These are available across multiple technologies to assist with short- and long-term project work. OnX bills the client on an hourly or fixed-rate basis.
- Staff augmentation – OnX has nine full-time recruiters to meet pressing IT staffing needs. These recruiters match talent with clients using the extensive OnX database.
- Permanent hires – OnX also recruits talent for full-time work, using the same due diligence it does for temp contracts.
By harnessing this consulting resource, organizations can inexpensively maintain a scalable staffing environment that matches skill sets with work requirements.
Watch: Solve your technology challenges with OnX IT consultants
What capabilities should a consulting service provide?
Closing your company’s IT talent gap means onboarding staff with high-level abilities. Skillsets covered by a competent IT staffing service will include:
- Custom application development in .NET, Java, opensource, and more.
- Application modernization in private, public, or hybrid cloud migration.
- Digital solutions for content management systems (CMS), e-commerce platforms, and more.
- Microsoft Power Platform integration and training services.
- Scrum development for SDLC, including design, testing, and automation.
- A comprehensive suite of L1, L2, and L3 services.
- 24×7×365 monitoring for modern and legacy applications.
- A robust retainer services model.
Also read: CIO Guide: Benefits of partnering with a managed services provider
Case study: OnX helps provincial energy regulator source niche IT talent
IT needs are evolving rapidly across every market sector. Take the case of a provincial energy regulator that sought the support of a staff augmentation provider to fill several niche senior-level roles.
OnX Consulting Services provided a shortlist of qualified candidates to meet the organization’s unique needs. With OnX’s expert guidance, the provincial energy regulator filled two of the three difficult positions. Following the new staff’s integration onto the team, OnX ensures the candidates are performing well through regular check-ins.
Subsequently, the energy organization continues to partner with OnX for a range of contracts and staff augmentation needs, including project managers, technical writers, end super support analysts, and architects.
Read the full case study here.
Developing a skilled IT workforce with OnX
Emerging data platforms are the driving force behind productivity, but enterprises cannot ignore the need for high-level talent. Operational efficiency is a catalyst for success. However, with a constantly broadening range of critical technical disciplines, efficiency is harder than ever to achieve.
In conclusion, leveraging an experienced IT consulting services provider like OnX allows access to top talent, innovative solutions to complex staffing challenges, and access to management capabilities that lessen administrative burdens. Your company will gain a true competitive advantage with an optimized team in place.
Contact OnX today to learn more about how partnering with OnX Consulting Services can solve your most pressing staffing challenges.