This topic has been every on every employer’s mind in a IT outsourced environment, How do I get the best of the consultant pool? Span of control, better supervision over the pool, embedding employer representatives on the floor offshore, reporting weekly, monthly etc., fixing accountability and responsibility on deliverables with timelines, routine audits, and check points are some of the techniques.

Not all of these techniques work, what you put in place depends on nature of work and also the maturity of the consultant pool. The junior the pool, the more techniques need to be applied and less as the pool is mature and senior enough, Experience onsite as well helps understand the dynamics and expectations besides knowing the culture of the organization.

Having a good framework of checks and balances avoids surprises, removes inefficiencies to a good extent, assures predictability, and improves morale and motivation on both ends. The biggest frustration of employers that have consultants on their projects is the ability to control output a.k.a productivity. The dream of consultants being on par with their rank and file employees in terms of skillsets and efficiency is out of questions. In some cases a consultant is better than employer if these skills are niche and are needed temporarily. Having a toolbox of techniques to gain efficiencies in an outsourced environment is the key.

Remember consultant’s loyalty is always with the employer and not necessarily with the principal that employs him. Also note all of his personal evaluation is done by the employer based on their standards with little input at times on how the consultant is faring. The consultants are more interested in making sure they are toeing their employer’s line. Very few mature organizations have brought together both to reap the rewards.

Sharing best practices across the board, what is working and what is not in a particular setting is important so everyone with the organization gets benefit from a outsourced engagement and evolve a culture of benefiting from outsourced environment then seeing it as a burden.