Running a business can be tough. While taking on lots of clients is rewarding and shows that your business is growing from strength to strength, it can be a struggle for your maxed-out team of workers. The time may come where you have to make the decision to get the support of additional designers to help you keep on top of things. However, should this help come from an agency or should you recruit more designers for your in-house team?

Things To Consider When Deciding Between In-House Or An Agency

Cost

Deciding between in-house and agency workers isn’t as simple as weighing up whether a monthly salary works out to be less expensive than paying for agency staff. While it may be cheaper in the long-run to employ someone to work for you, there are other things to consider. Hiring someone to work for you in-house means that you would have to pay for paid holidays, sick leave and pensions– something that would not be the case if you went down the agency route. You also need to consider the cost if the work does dry up, can you afford to keep an employee on the books if you lose clients? An agency can help to reduce the risk by working on a project-by-project basis.

Consistency

While it may well be more expensive to hire in-house staff, ensuring consistency in your work is also essential. Consistent usually comes from the in-house team that live and breathe your brand. Work that you decide to delegate to an agency will need to be consistent with your brand, which will mean setting clear projects with brand guidelines. Get this wrong, and you will not only have to pay the agency, but you’ll also give your team more to do. Most agencies will spend a great deal of time getting to know your style and brand before a project, however, so there is less chance of a fundamental mistake.

Equipment

An in-house team may well need specialised equipment to do the job. This is equipment that you as an employer would be required to purchase, so this should also be taken into consideration. An agency will usually have access to the latest equipment they need. While sometimes it will be added to the cost of the project, most of the time an agency will work out cheaper than buying additional licences and equipment.

Experience

One of the most important things to consider when deciding between in-house and agency is an experience. Being able to hand-pick your employee is one of the benefits of in-house employment; whoever you take on, you can be sure that their experience matches your requirements and your expectations. You will be able to oversee their development within the company, ensuring that their work is reflective of your own.

At the same time, a company wishing to flourish should look at how outsiders can effectively influence their work- in this case, someone working for an agency with an outside perspective and different skills may well be of more benefit to you.

So, which is best?

At the end of the day, whether you decide to employ permanent design staff or outsource using agencies, ultimately you should go with the choice that is best for you and your business. Weigh up all the options, costs, pros and cons, and the answer will likely be right in front of you.

If you’d like to explore your options working with an agency, don’t wait, drop Brand+Code an email today!