Freelance vs Remote Development Team: Why You Want the Team on Your Side
You surely have heard the expression that there is “no I in the word team,” and it is frequently used in sports to get everyone to think collectively, as well as act in a coordinated way that ensures success. It is unfortunate that the expression is thought of as a cliché because it is appropriate in other settings outside of sports. In fact, in the world of software development, it is far more likely that you’ll see a winning effort when it is a team at work.
In the current business world, we know that a lot of professionals operate in the “gig economy,” or as freelancing entities. Sure, they may align themselves to groups and teams, but for the most part, they operate (and think) in that “I” mindset.
The Trouble with Freelance
If you are on the lookout for a remote software development option, you’ll likely be curious about freelancers. Here’s the problem, while they might be a bit more flexible and less costly, you’ll find they are:
- Less available because they need to keep many projects rolling at once. This means difficulties in communication, deadlines, and more. It also puts you at risk for being dumped if that freelancer is overwhelmed.
- Less controllable because a freelancer works entirely on their own and has no accountability to other team members. Shortcuts can be taken, progress reports can be skimpy or flawed, and any last-minute issues will be far more difficult to troubleshoot.
- Likely to pose more risks around the issue of confidentiality. While it may seem that a group is more difficult when it comes to confidentiality, it is often the case that a freelancer may not sign an NDA or may be prone to discussing other projects with potential clients, jeopardizing your confidentiality.
So, if you are going to hire a remote solution for software development, it just makes sense to lean into a team of developers to help.
Advantages of a Remote Development Team
Regardless of the complexity or simplicity of your needs, working with a remote development team comes with significant advantages, including:
Cost efficiency –
With in-house solutions, there are payroll fees, insurances, taxes, and so on. The remote team enables cost benefits to the company and the development professionals who won’t have to relocate to a high-cost area.
Talent recruitment –
Opting for remote development teams means the option to recruit the best talent. Your firm is not simply offering a work-from-home scenario but is looking all over the globe for the ideal candidates to work with! This means the world is an employer’s proverbial oyster, and it is far more likely that the team will be populated by experts already adept at remote work. When you hire a company, the remote team has most likely been part of a carefully curating process of talent selection. Also, a report in Entrepreneur noted, high performers given a remote working opportunity may find it fuels “creativity and spurs productivity by working remotely,” and this can benefit your project or goals immensely.
Happier workers –
While you may be working with a remote development team, you still want to consider their worker satisfaction because it will be reflected in their overall performance and output. Remote workers report themselves as far happier than more traditional workers, and this leads to a greater sense of well-being, which results in higher work outcomes. Additionally, productivity soars because the majority of remote teams report feeling more valued by the companies partnered with them.
It’s the way of the future –
A majority of global tech firms already use remote development teams. For many, it is “about creating a sustainable and long-term strategy through a cohesive, high-performance culture,” as Jerry Porras explained. As a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford, he found that exceptional long term business performance resulted from values-driven teams, especially remote workforces with members who understand the value of each player.
In addition to those advantages, another key benefit is that you work with an interim CTO or another leadership figure who is part of a team and belongs to a company with a culture and more resources, especially knowledge from other team members.
Companies like Celerik, for example, provide startups and transitional companies with a team of development professionals. They offer the benefits of a well-honed team and provide the same organized, effective results that come when experts work collaboratively and communicate clearly throughout the chain of command.
Not only will they bring the advantages of a development team but help address the struggle of “nearshoring”. Even in today’s economy, the U.S. has an exceptionally low unemployment rate for domestic development teams, making it very hard to find them available. Nearshoring, however, is the recruitment of remote development teams from neighboring countries such as Mexico, Canada, and South America. Located within the same time zone, operating at a better cost per hour, and working around the lack of native development professionals, it is a huge reason to think remote development.
Whether you are a pre-existing firm or starting with a clean slate as a startup, the benefits of remote development teams cannot be ignored. They offer long-term business improvements as well as top talent and autonomy to a self-organizing team of experts.
The best remote teams also provide businesses and support services capable of overcoming any challenges together. Today’s optimal communication methods, video chat options, and customizable digital solutions that make success easier than ever before.
Though it may seem easier to hire a single developer, the long-term success of any company comes from a team of experts adept at remote work and with enough collective and team’s breadth of knowledge.
