Despite the attention focused on the outsourcing of technology jobs overseas, a recent survey by Robert Half Technology shows that the majority of U.S. companies are not engaged in the practice.
Ninety-four percent of chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed said their company does not outsource information technology (IT) jobs outside the United States. Among companies that once sent IT jobs overseas but discontinued the practice, nearly six-in-10 (59%) respondents cited management challenges as the top reason. These percentages appear unlikely to change significantly in the near future, as most survey respondents expected a continuation of the status quo.
“Challenges such as language, culture and time-zone barriers can sometimes outweigh the potential benefits of outsourcing,” said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology, in a statement. “Smaller companies, in particular, may lack the resources to commit to an effective long-term offshoring strategy.”
The survey shows that large companies (those with 500 or more employees) are much more likely to engage in overseas technology outsourcing than small ones (those with fewer than 500 employees). In companies with more than 500 employees, 11% of CIOs reported that they currently engage in outsourcing, compared to five-percent overall.
“Researching viable vendors, and teaching them about the company and its products, management style and quality control require a substantial investment,” continued Lee. “Large companies may be better positioned to absorb the costs of both initial setup and ongoing oversight, and to benefit from economies of scale.”
In the near future, growth in offshore outsourcing is likely to come primarily from companies already outsourcing, not from those that are new to the practice. Forty three percent of respondents from companies that currently engage in offshore outsourcing said they plan to increase their level of offshore outsourcing in the next two years, versus 13% who said they expect levels to decrease.
According to the survey, management challenges are a common obstacle to successful offshoring. More than half (59%) of CIOs whose companies had stopped offshore outsourcing cited management and oversight requirements among the reasons they had done so. Unrealized cost savings and quality control also were factors, cited by 30% and 23% of respondents, respectively.
For firms contemplating offshore outsourcing, Lee pointed out some strategies to consider:
Choose a vendor that has a track record of measuring staff turnover and retaining employees. Seek a company that has a succession plan in place, as well as defined career paths for their IT professionals.
New jobs or even departments may need to be created to handle vendor selection, manage contracts, train workers and oversee remote work teams.
Dispersed IT work teams may require a different level and type of oversight from management. Consider offering training for managers who will lead overseas teams and will likely be managing individuals who may be very different from them, in terms of culture, background and experience. Some companies may find that they need a full-time project manager to oversee the offshore vendor.
Intellectual property risks such as the enforcement of patents, copyrights and trade secrets may require additional oversight and resources. Benchmark best practices in the areas of security and proprietary technology, for example, from similar companies that have done it successfully.
Methodology
The national study was developed by Robert Half Technology, a provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The study is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and employee size. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of employee size within the region.