The gig economy has seen a massive rise in the past few years. It is only getting stronger with each year. A report by Brookings confirms that the gig economy saw an average 2.6% growth between 1997 and today. That’s significantly better than the growth of regular payroll employment. The growing trend of gig work is here to stay, and it will only rise.
This has got agencies and global businesses asking themselves a really pertinent question. Should they hire developers in-house or choose freelancers in the future? As a business owner, should you go for an in-house team or a group of freelancers? This blog answers that question.
Why Choose Freelance Developers?
Choosing freelance developers has its own set of advantages. Major benefits include:
- Access to a global pool of resources
- Improved speed of productivity
- Affordable cost of hiring
- Better specialization
One of the most significant benefits of hiring freelance developers is access to global talent. It lets you hire resources from anywhere across the globe. Your brand is not limited to a specific geographical area. So, you are free to choose your talent from any region or country.
Also, you get access to niche-specific talent. So, you will get exactly what your project needs. Let’s take an example. Say, you are planning to implement a new AR/VR-powered solution on your platform. You can connect with several freelancers who are skilled in specific AR/VR expertise. Go through their profiles and previous projects. Choose resources who can offer the best skills aligning with your project.
Moreover, freelancers tend to be more motivated than regular employees. They often tend to work faster. Freelancer developer hiring also offers you peak hiring flexibility. Are you looking for a developer for a short-term project? Then choose freelance developers. They are usually the best pick for short-term hiring instead of an in-house employee. With freelancers, you do not have to run a complex hiring process.
Also, you do not need to provide benefits that regular employees receive. Less tax is involved and there’s no question of severance pay. So, the hiring process is usually fast and less cumbersome.
Most importantly, freelance developers are also cheaper in the long term. It can help slash overall costs by almost 50%.
Why Choose In-house Employees?
Hiring in-house employees also comes with its own set of advantages for businesses. These include:
- Loyalty to the organization
- Direct monitoring and supervision
- Consistent flow or work
Firstly, it is easier to monitor and supervise employees directly. In-house resources are ideal if it’s a long-term project and an advanced software development task. For a sophisticated long-term software task, you can outsource the basics.
But you can supervise freelancers as well. How? You can use multiple source control options for better monitoring of freelancers. These options include Bitbucket, GitLab or GitHub. Also, you can choose other direct management tools for better collaboration and control. These include Jira, Trello, Zoho, and more.
Another major factor is, employees ensure greater loyalty to the company. They identify themselves with the success of the company. Freelancers, on the other hand, do not ensure a higher sense of loyalty.
If your project is long-term and needs consistent support, then in-house resources are ideal. They are aware of the software architecture. And they are involved with it from the beginning. So, they have witnessed the project evolve across time. It becomes easier to manage the project.
A Middle Ground: Hiring a Remote Team
Apart from hiring freelancers and an in-house team, there is a third option too. Brands can outsource the task to a remote team. This third alternative involves having a team of resources remotely for a software project. Some of the major advantages of employing a remote team include:
- 24-hour work schedule
- Improved productivity
- Reduced costs
The most significant advantage of a remote team is that you get better productivity. Most remote teams are hired across multiple time zones. This implies better productivity and round-the-clock work. This will ensure faster time to market, better collaboration and project delivery. You get your project delivered in a smooth and organized way.
The best part is that remote teams are cost-effective. You can collaborate with the best global talents remotely. Get improved project management, reduced costs and better collaboration.
Major Factors to Consider
Let’s say you want to update a couple of new features to your business app. You are torn between whether to choose freelance developers or in-house. So how do you choose the best option?
Here are the 4 best factors to consider. These factors will help you choose the most appropriate option.
1. Expertise
The first factor to consider is the expertise. The most important question to ask yourself: Does your in-house team have the necessary expertise? They may have successfully created the app or the platform. So you might think they are sufficient enough to add a new update or feature. That might not always be true. If the update needs skill in a specific technology that your team doesnt have, go for freelancers.
2. Quality
The next question to consider is the quality of the end product. In most cases, the quality of coding is better with an in-house team. You can ensure that all standards are met sufficiently. That might not be possible when you hire freelancers.
3. Time
Time is money for the world of technology. The sooner you can launch a product or release an update, the faster you can make money. Check how occupied your current team is. If they can accommodate, then go for in-house. Otherwise, it is better to go for freelancers.
4. Cost
This is the most important factor. If you have limited resources or on a tight budget, then the choice becomes complicated. You want the best quality, at the right price and within the time frame. Can your existing team do it? If not, then you’ve got to hire an external team.
Final Thoughts
Both the in-house team and freelancers have their own advantages and drawbacks. Consider the pros and cons and choose an option that aligns with your brand’s needs. If you are in search of a remote team of skilled experts, choose professionals like Digital Aptech. Connect with the experts and find the right solution.
