The pros and cons of outsourcing work
Save time and get more done, or waste time and get more frustrated?
If you’ve ever outsourced any of your work, you know that there are pros and cons that come along with it.
Pros of Outsourcing:
Cost: Outsourcing work can be a cost-effective way to get projects completed.
Specialized skills: You can access a pool of talent with specialized skills and expertise that you may not have.
Flexibility: You can scale your business up or down as needed, without the need to hire or lay off full-time employees.
Time savings: You can focus on your core competencies, rather than spending time on tasks that can be done more efficiently by someone else.
Cons of Outsourcing:
Quality control: When you outsource work, you may not have as much control over the quality of the final product.
Communication: Communication can be more difficult when working with freelancers.
Reliability: Freelancers may not be as reliable as you hoped they would be, or as reliable as you believe yourself to be.
Legal issues: There may be legal issues to consider, such as contracts, intellectual property, and confidentiality.
Over the past 10 years or so, I’ve outsourced several projects, whether it be social media posts, website design, blog posts, or data research. It’s usually because I’m putting together a new website, working on a massive article, or need to subcontract work to another freelancer.
While results have been mixed, overall, they’ve been positive.
For those who struggle with outsourcing tasks (myself included), there’s usually one of five factors that play into their decision to hold back.
For me, it’s giving up control.
I’m used to handling everything in a certain time frame and in a certain way. When I’m forced to wait for someone else to complete something, I tend to become antsy.
Do any of the below factors play into your ability/inability to outsource work?
Control: Some people have a hard time relinquishing control and entrusting their work to someone else. They may be used to doing things themselves and may be hesitant to delegate tasks to others. (This is me, which is ironic since I expect my clients to relinquish control to me.)
Trust: Some people may have a hard time trusting that others will do the work to their standards or expectations. They may be worried about the quality of the final product.
Communication: Some people may have a hard time communicating their ideas or instructions to others, which can make outsourcing work more difficult.
Cost: Some people may be hesitant to outsource work due to cost concerns. They may be worried about the expenses involved in hiring someone else to do the work.
Attachment: Some people may have a hard time outsourcing work because they are emotionally attached to their work and may feel a sense of ownership over it.
How much work have you outsourced in the past and what was your experience?
I find that it helps to bring in extra help when I’m overwhelmed with work or need something technical done such as a website redesign.
Have a great weekend!
—Liz