Temporary vs. Full-time Developers: When to Opt for Temp Staffing

In the dynamic landscape of the tech industry, the demand for skilled software developers has never been higher. Whether you’re a startup looking to kickstart a project, a small business trying to scale up, or a large corporation with ongoing development needs, the decision of whether to hire temporary vs. full-time developers is a critical one. Each choice comes with its own set of advantages and considerations, making it essential to understand when to opt for temporary staffing.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of software development, exploring the merits of both temporary and full-time developers. We’ll dissect the factors that should influence your choice, from project-specific needs to long-term goals.

By the end of this discussion, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how to make an informed decision that best aligns with your organization’s unique requirements. Whether you’re navigating your first foray into the world of software development or reevaluating your staffing strategy, this article will provide you with valuable insights to help you choose the right path for your business.

Staff augmentation developers vs permanent developers vs freelance developers – key differences

Let’s start off by going over the differences between a temporary staff augmentation developer, a permanent employee, and a freelance worker.

What is a temporary hire?

Temporary employees hold vacancies that last for an extended timeframe. The period may be as short as three months or as long as 15 months. These experts can be hired via a staff augmentation company. Your company can gain the experts that you need to complete a specific project.

Hiring temporary developers can be more cost-effective because it allows businesses to access specialized skills for specific projects without the long-term financial commitments associated with full-time employment, such as salaries, benefits, and overhead costs.

What is considered a full-time permanent hire?

Permanent workers can have jobs for longer periods without a predetermined expiry time. The position allows you to work for an organization for several days and years and then for a complete career. You have the ability to do both full-time jobs and part-time jobs as permanent employees in the company.

What is a freelance developer?

A freelance developer is a professional who works independently and is not bound to a single employer or company. Instead of being full-time employees, freelance developers are self-employed and offer their services on a project-by-project basis. They may work with a variety of clients, businesses, or individuals, typically on a contract or temporary basis.

Freelance developers can be a cost-effective solution for businesses seeking specialized skills for specific projects, as they don’t require the long-term commitment or overhead costs associated with hiring full-time employees.

Pros & cons of temporary vs full-time developers

Let’s explore some of the pros and cons when choosing temporary workers vs full-time employees.

Pros of hiring temporarily augmented developers

First, let’s cover some of the advantages of hiring temporarily augmented developers. Some of these benefits include access to specialized experts, cost-effectiveness & price transparency. Moreover, you can count on our guarantee period along with more flexibility and scalability.

Gain access to specialized experts

When you hire temporary software developers you can gain access to specialized experts. You can hire a software developer with any tech stack that you need to fill your in-house team. This solution gives you access to developers from around the globe. You can hire someone from a different part of the world who specializes in front-end, back-end, mobile, or niche technologies. This way you can meet your project requirements.

Cost-effective & price transparency

Temporary employees can be a cost-effective option for many tech companies. You don’t have to pay for health insurance, taxes, vacation time, and sick leave. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about paying benefits or employee perks. Here at Swyply, we also cover growth and salary, so you don’t have to worry about providing a raise for your employees.

Furthermore, hiring via staff augmentation is also transparent. The pricing model for hiring developers is simple. You pay the daily rate of the coder you hired. This daily rate is multiplied by the number of days worked in a month. Then you receive an invoice, which you have to pay within 14 days.

Our trial period

Another perk of hiring temporary workers is here at Swyply, you get a 14-day free trial period. You get 14 days to test out the developer you hired. If something is not working out or something changes, you can exchange that developer for another one. So for example, if you hire developer Sandy, you can exchange Sandy for developer Maria. Also, you can end our cooperation, if something happens to your project or things just aren’t working out the way they are supposed to.

More flexibility & scalability

Hiring temporary staff through IT staff augmentation services offers an organization greater flexibility and scalability by providing on-demand access to skilled professionals. This approach allows businesses to quickly adapt to changing project requirements or fluctuations in workload without the long-term commitment and overhead of permanent hires.

Companies can scale their IT teams up or down as needed, aligning resources with specific project phases or seasonal demands. IT staff augmentation also provides access to specialized expertise for short-term initiatives, reducing the learning curve and accelerating project completion. This flexibility ensures that businesses can optimize their workforce, enhance productivity, and effectively respond to market dynamics, ultimately leading to cost-efficiency and improved project management.

Cons of hiring temp staff in IT

Now that we have covered the advantages of hiring temporary workers, let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages. There are some disadvantages to hiring someone for a temporary job, and these include extended time to productivity, along with reduced engagement.

Extended time-to-productivity

A temporary employee may need time to familiarise himself or herself with your company before they become productive. The longer an employee is part of your team, the more productive they become. Generally, the longer a developer is part of a team and a specific project, the more productive they become. This is why sometimes hiring a temporary developer for a short-term project may not always be the best solution. You have to take a look at your company’s specific situation and decide what option may be right for you. You have to see if onboarding and the adjustment period are short enough to make hiring a temporary worker worth it, or not.

Possibly reduced engagement

Some companies fear that temporary employees will be less engaged and committed to their work, than full-time employees. Temporary programmers may be less engaged at work because they often lack long-term investment in a company’s success. This can lead to a reduced sense of commitment and motivation. Additionally, the uncertainty of their job security and the potential for frequent changes in assignments may contribute to their lower levels of engagement.

Pros of hiring full-time software engineers

Now we can go over some of the benefits of hiring full-time employees. Some of these advantages include you have an individual who has a long-term commitment to your company. Moreover, they learn and build institutional knowledge of your team and company. Furthermore, a permanent employee is a more loyal company. Finally, it makes long-term planning easier.

Long-term commitment & relationship

An advantage of hiring permanent employees is you can build long-term relationships and they are committed to you for the long haul. They are typically hired on a long-term basis, so they are more keen to integrate fully with your staff and company. Also, they are more likely to take initiative and help the company grow as it secures their position in the company. They will build working relationships with team members, which will aid in communication and productivity. This will help the company meet deadlines.

Learns & builds institutional knowledge

A full-time developer who works on a permanent basis once they are onboarded can help build institutional knowledge. They can help create processes, procedures, etc. Moreover, they add new solutions that will enrich the company and help it grow. Any investment the employer makes in the permanent hire remains within the company. The knowledge doesn’t go to waste.

Greater loyalty to the business

A full-time software engineer may be more loyal to your business than a temporary independent contractor. They may feel a greater sense of job security and be more loyal to the business. They may feel the need to be more engaged and productive to keep their job. Also, they may integrate better with other co-workers to build a bond and remain with the business.

Easier in terms of long-term planning

When you hire full-time developers, you can better plan for the future of your company, than perhaps with contract workers. You can plan what projects to take on, how to grow your existing projects, and even how to build future teams. Moreover, you can plan how your company will grow internally, in terms of new internal software or growth in processes and procedures.

Cons of hiring permanent full-time coders

Let’s dive into some of the disadvantages you may experience when hiring permanent employees in the IT industry.

Recruitment challenges

Trying to hire for a permanent position can be a challenge for companies. Most traditional recruitment processes run 3 to 6 weeks before an employee can join your team. This process takes so long because you have to go through all these steps:

1. Create a job ad and post it on job boards. This may also involve getting sources, headhunters, etc. involved to help you find the right candidate.
2. After a while, you need to review and sort through various CVs to see which ones would be a potential match. The ones that could be a potential match, you need to contact for an initial interview.
3. Run the interview process. This process in most tech companies consists of two or three steps. You may have an initial meeting, an interview, and a technical skills meeting.
4. After the interview process, you can select who you would like to hire and reach out to them with an offer.

This process can get dragged out for a number of reasons. You can encounter candidates who are not the right fit either from a technical perspective or a cultural fit. Moreover, you can find candidates who may have fibbed on their CVs and on their take-home assignments. Also, you may have the ideal candidate, but they get snatched by a different company, which makes their offer much faster than you.

The potential of a bad hire

Once you hire a permanent employee, you always have to take into account that they may end up being a bad hire. A bad hire may be incompetent due to a lack of proper skills. Furthermore, they may be a toxic employee and ruin your company culture. They may be unreliable, untrustworthy, and have poor communication skills.

There are ways you can avoid hiring the wrong person, some of these ways include:

• Define your ideal candidate & be clear about what your company needs
• Consider reworking your existing interview process
• Give yourself enough time to make a decision

You may also try different hiring solutions to try and avoid bad hires and toxic workers in the workplace.

When should I hire a temporary software engineer vs a permanent full-time developers?

Deciding whether to hire a temporary software engineer or a permanent employee depends on your specific business needs and circumstances. Hiring a temporary software engineer is a suitable choice when you require specialized skills for a short-term project or to cover a temporary increase in workload. Temporary hires can be cost-effective, as they allow flexibility in scaling your workforce up or down as needed, without the long-term commitment of a permanent role.

On the other hand, if you have ongoing projects and need consistent support, or if you value continuity, cultural fit, and long-term commitment, a permanent employee may be the better option. Permanent employees typically invest more in the company’s goals and values and can contribute to a stable, cohesive team. Ultimately, the decision should align with your project’s duration, budget, and the importance of continuity within your organization.

TL: DR; Summarising temporary vs full-time developers – when to use temporary hires

The age-old debate of temporary vs. full-time developers continues to be a crucial decision for businesses. There are compelling reasons to consider opting for temporary staffing in your development projects.

One of the primary advantages of temporary developers is the ability to tap into a vast pool of specialized engineers. These professionals come equipped with unique skills and experiences, making them a valuable asset for addressing specific project needs. This level of specialization can be a game-changer, allowing your team to conquer challenges that would be otherwise insurmountable.

Moreover, the cost-effectiveness of hiring temporary developers cannot be overstated. By opting for temporary staffing, you can avoid the overhead costs associated with full-time employees, such as benefits, training, and long-term commitments. This can significantly impact your project’s budget and overall profitability.

The scalability offered by temporary developers is another noteworthy benefit. In today’s ever-changing business landscape, the ability to quickly adapt to market demands is critical. Temporary staffing allows you to flexibly scale your development team up or down, ensuring that you always have the right talent when you need it, without the complications of long-term employment contracts.

So, when should you opt for temporary developers? It depends on your project’s unique requirements and your organization’s goals. The pros of specialized expertise, cost-effectiveness, and scalability make a strong case for considering temporary staffing as a viable and strategic option in many situations.

If you’re ready to harness the benefits of temporary developers vs full-time developers for your next project, don’t hesitate to drop us a line. Our team of experienced professionals is ready to provide you with the specialized talent you need to propel your development efforts to new heights. Make the smart choice today and empower your team with the right talent at the right time.