Delegation: Market challenges
What impact has digital transformation had on the delegation business?
In the age of digitalization and digital transformation, most companies are focusing on innovative technologies and devoting a great deal of energy to solutions, requiring new skills. In this context, outsourcing IT staff is an ideal alternative, since it offers flexibility and versatility in the management of expertise that the company does not necessarily possess in-house.
Delegation gives companies access to the talent they need to fill or reinforce an existing team. All without the red tape involved in internal recruitment. I would add that delegation is perfectly suited to this technological evolution, as it provides access to skills over more or less defined periods, while new digitalization projects are being managed.
This simplifies the search, selection, integration and deployment of human resources with key skills to take on assignments that are not part of the company's core business.
It also means acquiring a variable number of resources depending on the project, which can be scalable and flexible. Under delegation, training and administrative tasks are the responsibility of the service provider. However, operational management of the resources is the customer's responsibility.
What options are available?
There are several types of delegation. The most common is "régie" with daily invoicing: the service provider undertakes to provide a competent resource, a guarantee of means. It is also possible for the service provider to commit to results, by offering managed services based on key performance indicators (KPIs), thus ensuring a level of quality defined with the customer.
After a defined integration period (3 to 6 months), we also offer companies the option of bringing resources in-house, should they prove satisfactory. This "try and hire" model limits the risks associated with recruitment.
Finally, some companies also ask service companies to assist them with permanent placements when they have specific needs for rare skills. This type of recruitment is generally long and costly if managed in-house.
It's important to stress, however, that we're facing a shortage of talent and IT experts in Switzerland.
What are your impressions of the IT job market in French-speaking Switzerland?
The shortage of IT talent in French-speaking Switzerland is a major challenge with significant repercussions for the sector. The demand for qualified IT professionals continues to grow, fuelled by the rapid digitization of various industries and the emergence of new technologies. This high demand creates competition between companies to attract and retain the best talent. It is therefore necessary to be reactive in the market to be able to face up to this challenge.
Although Switzerland boasts renowned academic institutions, the number of IT graduates is not sufficient to meet market demand. This forces companies to look abroad for talent, which can lead to additional costs and delays.
This shortage of talent can have an impact on the innovation and growth of companies in the region. Some are forced to limit their ambitions due to the lack of skills available to develop new technologies or products.
Despite Switzerland's attractiveness, the shortage persists. This underlines the importance of investing in local training and attracting international talent to support the IT sector in Switzerland.
How does delegation meet these challenges?
Delegating is also a way of dealing with resource shortages. Service companies can draw on international talent pools, and are quick to react when the need arises. Where some in-house recruitments can take several months, a company specializing in delegation will be more efficient in the initial stages of the recruitment process. The customer will then take care of interviewing the most suitable candidates.
In addition to the advantages mentioned above, delegation helps establish a long-term relationship of trust, both with the employee and with the client company.
Employees are generally recruited for a specific mission, but as the customer's needs develop, delegates may be required to undergo training to upgrade their skills. As part of the delegation process, the service provider offers training and deploys the necessary resources to enable the employee to develop within a long-term project. Indeed, some delegates are required to work on different assignments for the same customer. Training plans therefore enable employees to work on a variety of projects, enabling them to increase their experience while remaining within the same company.
It's important to maintain regular, personalized contact with both the customer and existing staff. In this way, a close relationship develops, enabling us to better understand the customer's needs and proactively respond to changes in the project. A good understanding of the customer's expectations helps to anticipate strategic changes, enabling us to extend our offer to other needs. It's an ideal situation for all three parties, guaranteeing time and cost optimization.