The Standoff Between Consultancies and In-house Recruitment?

As a consultancy in the niche construction industry, we at Knowbility Skills Lab are often faced with the controversial task of justifying why a client should hire us as opposed to multi-tasking in-house skills to get the job done. Deemed as possibly the oldest debate in the boardroom, this question has no right or wrong answer. This decision should be made on the back of weighing out the pros and cons and more importantly who can get the job done right. Having had this conversation many times we have gained significant insight into some of the aspects one should consider before making this decision.

Skills Set

Referring to the ability to get the job done right, it is not uncommon to have the skills available in-house which begs the question why bring in a consultancy?

Some points to ponder:

In-house

• In-house employees are employed following a stringent process of selection, vetting, and interviews. They are ultimately chosen by your business and remunerated to live and breathe your brand.
• However, finding an in-house employee who is proficient in every aspect of the business is rare, and should this person exist, it will not be humanly possible to complete all the tasks required.
• Recruiting and inducting new skills for a specific task is a time-consuming exercise that costs a company time and resources with no guarantee that these resources will stay forever as people are constantly moving for better opportunities.

Consultancy

• The epitome of a skills hub, agencies hone a diverse range of skills, while these skills may be on par with in-house skills they are more skilled individuals with vast experience on hand
• While choosing a consultancy may reduce long-term workload you will need to still onboard the consultancy with reference to your brand and organisational objectives
• Finding a consultancy that is aligned with your brand does require some research from organisations, however, once you find the perfect fit these partnerships develop into long-term relationships

 The KSL Verdict

A consultancy built at the back of a corporate career we fully understand the conundrum. In our verdict, we place emphasis on the myriad of technical skills needed in the construction industry and the associated costs. As a company hiring all these skills and ensuring each skilled employee remains busy for the duration of their contract can become an expensive and admin-intensive task. On the flip side of the coin hiring a consultancy, like KSL can deliver and exceed your requirements but remain within the limitations of your budget minus the long-term commitment.

Technical Tools

In an industry with no room for errors, the importance of securing services that are technically inclined, industry-relevant, and most importantly professional is indeed non-negotiable.

In-house

• Well, of course, in-house staff will meet these as they have been vetted to be a part of your company, however, career stagnation is a real concern when professionals are confined to working on the same project for too long.
• In addition to this, employee disgruntlement is a growing crisis that directly impacts an individual’s work and is more prevalent within the corporate sector.

Consultancy

• Can highlight how the new employment trend preferred by Millennials who are in demand for their experience, creativity, and technical understanding is freelancing. Which standard organisations don’t offer.
• The technical skills honed within this environment range from various industries on a local and international level bringing to the table a wealth of fresh and sharp minds that cannot be compared to a single in-house employee.

The KSL Verdict

Recruiting a consultancy to assist in developing technically inclined collateral is the most viable way to go. Apart from the vast skill set, the streamlined focus that will be given to your project cannot be matched by an in-house employee who is trying to multitask. Additionally, in-house employees are often roped into other projects and can fall behind on deadlines, while consultancies are contractually obliged to deliver timeously.

Why Knowbility Skills Lab is your preferred construction consultancy?

With over 38 years of collective, skills, expertise, and experience, KSL is a niche construction industry-focused sales consultancy driven by a vision to work with companies to maximize their potential. Having enjoyed resoundingly successful corporate careers, the team at KSL is able to provide a service that cannot be matched by an in-house team. The extensive knowledge, specialised skills, and futuristic thinking take KSL from consultancy to consultancy extraordinaire while taking our clients to the next level. Our portfolio of multinational, medium and small clients continue to relish high levels of ROI by using one or more of our specialized services as part of their growth plans.