Finding the right people to take care of your IT needs can be quite a challenge. In a small business, every person that you take on is a big investment, and every mistake carries a big cost. Umbrella companies can solve some of your problems by helping you to access the talent that you need with minimal fuss – but are they right for you?
Smart money management
The single biggest reason why small businesses work with umbrella companies is that it saves money. For many, the cost of taking on another full-time employee is simply too high, and there may not be enough work to justify it. Part-time workers are an option, but when you take into account tax and regulatory overheads on top of pay, problems can remain. Though contractor pay is usually higher per hour than that of employees, you’ll only need to pay it for the precise number of hours that it takes them to complete the job. What’s more, when they’re working through an umbrella company, you’ll only need to make a single payment, with all of the complicated parts taken care of for you.
A diverse field
Though non-specialists tend to think of IT work as a single job, it can actually involve a lot of different kinds of work. The skills that are needed to develop your website are not the same as those needed to fix problems with your server, build you a new database, or set up an email system. If you hire a full-time IT person, you might find that you still don’t have access to all the skills that you need, especially for project work. With contractors, you can find experts for particular tasks rather than relying on a multitasker. When it comes to things such as security or the development of your underlying IT infrastructure, it’s worth investing in getting the best.
Keeping things simple
Once you have established a relationship with a good contractor – or more than one – you’ll find it easy to access the skills that you need just when you need them. You’ll also be able to focus on the skills directly, without the additional worry of finding somebody who will be a comfortable fit for your team. Whoever you hire will be completely focused on the work assigned and won’t be distracted by other tasks as established employees can be. If they’re working through an umbrella company, things will also be straightforward when it comes to invoicing and pay – you’ll know exactly how much money is involved and when you need to pay it, and you’ll be doing things the same way every time.
For small companies, the burden of regulations and associated paperwork can be a big strain. Umbrella companies take away some of that burden and let you focus on the more important aspects of running your business, such as strategy and production. They’re a great fit for IT in particular, and more and more companies are taking advantage of that – so why not yours?
