This time, the pandemic genuinely impacted all of us. Companies, whether large or small, have their fair share of sentiments. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the way each firm functions has changed dramatically. From the deployment and adoption of working from home to the obligation to digitize processes and upgrade systems to support remote workers, corporations have had to adapt to these new realities that are expected to alter employment practices during the onset of COVID-19. 

In the current economic situation, businesses are now seeking new ways to minimize costs and overheads. Many businesses are thriving in the post-pandemic environment, but many others were severely impacted by the pandemic’s economic impact. Cost control is important, but so are employee satisfaction, quality control, and improving efficiencies, all of which are necessary for the firm to continue to thrive.

Many businesses are considering outsourcing as a viable option. It will substantially assist firms in achieving their objectives by ensuring their long-term viability and resumption of operations. While the economy is still suffering from the effects of the coronavirus, people and businesses must go on because there is nothing we can do but safeguard ourselves and commodities. We should all be looking for solutions to recover.

On the other hand, this article provides an outline of how remote working and outsourcing go hand-in-hand when it comes to company productivity, as well as the overall benefits that companies may expect to receive from outsourcing.

What is Outsourcing? 

Outsourcing is a business technique in which a firm contracts a third party to perform work, manage operations, or offer services on its behalf. The outside organization, known as the service provider or third-party provider, arranges for its own personnel or computer systems to conduct the tasks or services either on-site at the employing company’s own facilities or at remote locations.

Companies can now outsource a variety of tasks or services. They frequently outsource information technology services such as programming, application development, and technical support. Customer service and call center tasks are routinely outsourced. They can also outsource industrial processes, human resource responsibilities, and financial functions such as bookkeeping and payroll processing. Companies can outsource entire divisions, such as their entire IT department, or only sections of a certain department.

Outsourcing is frequently used by businesses to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and increase speed. Companies who choose to outsource rely on the skill of third-party suppliers to perform the outsourced work in order to reap these benefits. The core concept is that because the third-party supplier specializes in that work, it can complete it better, faster, and for less money than the hiring, firm could.

Ways to Outsource Employees During Pandemic:

Look for a Virtual Agency 

If you require access to innovation, faster task competition, or affordable professionals with core competencies and abilities, a virtual agency like Your VA Partner is your best and safest bet. Local players have a stronger hold on the market. They also offer a larger network of professionals, potentially in your field of need as well. 

Using an agency’s services can save you weeks or even months. A talent agency can quickly connect firms with talent. Furthermore, you can choose to be hands-on in the selection of your potential candidate process to guarantee that the applicant possesses the relevant skills and can bring value to your company. Internal team members, whether you believe it or not, have a tendency to wear “blinders” when it comes to making the greatest decisions for the firm. This means that your company may be ignorant to the fact that some things aren’t working, or that you may have certain prejudices that are harming your marketing efforts. 

Agencies such as Your VA Partne provide a unique, unbiased, and outside perspective that your internal staff simply cannot deliver. So, if something isn’t working well, or if you want to try something new but don’t know where to begin, agencies are more likely to suggest a fresh creative approach that you hadn’t considered previously.

Focus on resilience.

When refining sourcing strategy, companies must guarantee that remaining in business and rebounding back from diversity are two major factors. Businesses should be able to incorporate new modes of working, such as working from home, into their current and future strategies. Remember, surveys reveal that the majority of employees in the world are unlikely to return to the office in the near future. 

Specifications and expectations for the project should be clarified

Project requirements and defining your expectations are critical for your staff once you know why you’re outsourcing and what method you’ll use. The length of the project is one of the first things you should know from step one. If you want to outsource bookkeeping, for example, you should expect a long-term contract.

If you’re working on a one-time project, such as web design, it’s a good idea to set a definite deadline for completion. Ascertain that all employees are aware of the deadlines and their importance. However, in some cases, you are not under any time constraints. Nevertheless, setting a deadline, especially when outsourcing, is still a smart idea to avoid the project running on for an extended period of time.

You’ll need to define the exact expectations from the freelancer or company you’ll be working with once the deadlines and timetables have been established.

Manage and control the members of your outsourced workforce

When you’ve discovered your outsourced staff, set up regular Skype or Zoom chats with them, as well as weekly email check-ins, to ensure that everything is operating well and on time. It’s acceptable if you don’t want to manage your outsourced team members, but it’ll be less efficient. Just make sure you clarify throughout the interviewing process that you’re looking for clear evidence of reliability.

A good and dependable outsourced employee will make it a habit to bring you up to date on the job that has been completed as well as any obstacles, and to keep you informed about everything. Just don’t expect it to be the most affordable option. Time tracking is always an excellent idea when outsourcing. Some kind of time monitoring technology to keep track of costs and how freelancers spend their time.

Acknowledge Their Needs

It’s no surprise that everyone, regardless of their status, longs for some kind of validation. Does this imply that every achievement is deserving of a bonus? Certainly not. Validation, on the other hand, goes a long way and can mean the difference between a thriving business and one that is on its road to bankruptcy. Taking the effort to recognize your employees’ needs will not only increase productivity but also engagement. 

Here are some guidelines for recognizing members of your outsourced workforce: 

• Say “thank you” – The simplest method for boosting employee morale.
• Give positive feedback -Make weekly one-on-one sessions a habit. Individual victories should be highlighted, and people should be congratulated on their small wins and accomplishments.
• Give positive acknowledgment in front of other team members – Give them acknowledgments in front of your team during your weekly Zoom or Skype calls; this establishes a precedent for other team members.
• Promote from within -Recognizing that your employee is an asset to your company and that you want to see them flourish within it is the best kind of acknowledgment.

1. For a well-balanced team, delegate jobs to the appropriate people

Delegating work may appear to be a convenient way out, but it is actually the contrary. It’s more than just lowering your workload when you assign projects and duties to specific team members. Delegating assists you in determining who is the best person for the job as a leader. If you had an Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Specialist on your staff, for example, you wouldn’t entrust the AR Specialist with processing expense reports. That would be an assignment for an AP Specialist.

Knowing what projects to distribute and how to distribute them is a common challenge for CEOs. Consider the following methods for assigning tasks:

• Small – These are the jobs that require a short amount of time to execute yet accumulate over time.
• Monotonous – These are tasks that have a modest impact and require little or no ability.
• Time – Consuming – These are duties that will take the entire day to perform.
• Time-sensitive – These are activities that must be completed by a specific date.
• Terrible at – These are duties that should be delegated to someone on your team whose talents are more closely aligned with the work at hand.

When you are used to an office setting, outsourcing could be a difficult task for you. Considering these ways to when outsourcing your employees can be beneficial. It’s a trial and error process, soon you’ll be used to the style and adopt the ways and process. Although outsourcing was once thought of as a technique to cut costs and improve efficiency, it is now increasingly being seen as a strategic tool for businesses.

Leading companies recognize that outsourcing certain functions can help them gain an edge by allowing them to access expertise or innovative technologies that they do not have in-house; by allowing them to deliver products or services more quickly; or by allowing them to shift resources to the most critical areas of the business. Outsourcing provides financial savings as well as enhanced task flexibility.