Overseas IT Outsourcing Rates Low Among CIOs Surveyed

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. For firms contemplating offshore outsourcing, Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology, pointed out some strategies to consider:

Look for stability. 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.
Setup time and costs. New jobs or even departments may need to be created to handle vendor selection, manage contracts, train workers and oversee remote work teams.
Management challenges. 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.
Security and privacy concerns. 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.