If you’ve been hiring new staff recently, you probably know just how crazy the job market has been as of late. Competition to bring in the best of the best is as real as it’s ever been, but this has also been causing strain on employers to provide more benefits to win over the best talent that they can.
This is especially true for smaller and newer businesses, who might not have the funding or initial flexibility to provide benefits packages that match those offered by big-name brands.
Fortunately, if you’re having trouble hiring right away, there is a solution. You can consider outsourcing new work until you can hire a full-time employee. This gives you what your business needs to grow, without the added hassle of interviews and tightening job resources.
But just what is job outsourcing, and how can it help your business?
Keep reading to find out more, as well as the top 25 jobs that are outsourced the most in America to see where outsourcing can help your business.
What is job outsourcing?
In simple terms, job outsourcing is where you subcontract another organization or individual to do a job for you. This is typically someone who has the niche skill set to do the role and it can be done with a variety of job positions.
Outsourcing is actually far more common than you might think. Research itself shows that 36% of workers in the US are currently part of the “gig economy”, and the number of jobs that are outsourced is only continuing to grow.
In fact, when it comes to the business side of the arrangement, a study conducted by a small business service, Clutch, states that “data shows that more than one-third of small businesses (37%) currently outsource a business process, and more than half (52%) plan to outsource in the future.”
As a result, outsourcing has become a regular part of doing business for most entrepreneurs and large corporations, but it’s also more than feasible for smaller businesses.
The top 25 most outsourced jobs in America
If what you’ve read so far has piqued your interest, and outsourcing is something you’re considering trying with your own company, you might now be wondering about just what areas of work you can outsource to.
The following are the most commonly outsourced services in the US to give you some inspiration:
1. Recruiting
When it comes to hiring, sometimes you need professional guidance or even just a helping hand, because let’s face it, sorting and sifting through potential applicants and finding the person who’s the best for your business is time-consuming – time that can be saved by hiring a recruiting agency!
2. Receptionists and phone answering
Hiring a full-time, in-house receptionist can be a pretty pricey endeavor, and not just because of the hourly rate. You also need to think about management, training, insurance, social security, etc…, the costs go on and on.
Instead, you can outsource all of this to a Virtual Receptionist Service, like VoiceNation, who can handle everything from message taking and call transfers to order processing and much more.
3. Information technology
IT is a specialized industry, with knowledge requirements that can go way beyond that of most average computer users. However, you need to be able to protect your equipment, files, and software, which you can do by bringing in an expert to get you wired and set up properly, and who you can reach out to if you have any tech issues.
4. Content creation
While you might have an incredible business idea, developed a killer business plan, and devised how you’re going to serve your customers, you might not necessarily have the skills needed to produce high-end content.
Fortunately, outsourcing content creation is one of the simplest things you can do. From new blogs and webpages to social media and video creation, there are numerous expert individuals out there who can help you.
5. Accounting
Crunching numbers definitely isn’t the most glamorous part of running a business, yet it is a non-negotiable one. Keeping your bookkeeping and accounting in order is essential to staying business-compliant. And you can do this by contracting out a CPA or accounting firm you trust. They also might be able to help with your payroll too!
6. Manufacturing
You might have the dream and the design in mind, but you also might not have the mass-production tools to get it out to all of your eager customers. If this is the case, you should find a company or local shop that you can outsource your production to.
7. Data entry
Just like it sounds, data entry can be a very tedious task to do, yet it’s one that’s very important. So, if you don’t fancy doing it yourself, save some time by finding a company you can trust to do your data entry with efficiency.
8. Graphic design
Much like content creation, any business lucky enough to have a good designer on their side is going to do well. By finding a freelancer or company with a solid portfolio, you’ll have no trouble hiring someone who can execute your vision for your business just the way you want.
9. Human resources
Did you know you don’t necessarily have to do human resources in-house? You can actually use an outside company to help you set up reliable, compliant policies, hiring, and even payroll opportunities while eliminating any potential biases that might come about from having an in-house HR team.
10. Photography
Have a tangible product you want to display or in need of headshots for you and your employees? You can hire a photographer for a day to take care of those, meaning there’s no need to have someone on staff. Sometimes they can even style shoots with hair and makeup using their own outsourced connections!
11. Security guards
Do you have a physical location or events that require security? It’s actually pretty uncommon for businesses to have their own direct security, so free up both you and your staff’s time by finding a reliable company to protect and secure your business.
12. Web design and programming
Just like a good graphic designer, you want a solid web designer or programmer in order to create a reliable and solid website. These valuable people will help showcase your business on the internet through design and functionality, which is vital, as you want your customers to have the best possible user experience.
13. Social media management
As simple as it might seem, not everyone has the time to learn how to become social media savvy. You might not even know what platform is best for your business, or what times you should be posting, which is why working with a social media manager is such a good idea. They can help you navigate these questions and even do the work for you.
14. Event management
Events can be a stressful thing. From planning to execution, there are a lot of moving parts to wrap your head around. But by hiring an expert who makes event planning their full-time gig, you can make your events go that much smoother. You’ll have more free time to enjoy the event and less time wasted on figuring out the planning process.
15. Legal services
Having a lawyer on staff can get pricey pretty quickly. Instead, contract out with a legal team you can use as you need them. There are tons of teams available for different subsets of business law, and doing this can keep costs low but quality high when it comes to your potential legal needs.
16. Healthcare services
Thinking about a company wellness program? Consider outsourcing your healthcare services as well. This could look like yoga instructors for the office, a health insurance company you partner with, or a team that builds a wellness program for your business.
It could even mean looking at Live Answering companies that stay HIPAA compliant for your patients and organization, helping to save your in-house receptionists time for important calls.
17. Research and development
When you decide to pursue research, either to share results or decide on a new pursuit for your business, you want to make sure it’s done right. So, if you don’t have a team dedicated to doing this, then you should find a full-time facility that can help streamline your needs and focus instead.
18. App building
Almost every business has some form of app for its customers. So, if you want to build one for your business, be sure to hire the right app builder for your needs. After all, apps require regular support even after their construction, but can be awesome assets for current and future customers if built properly.
19. Project management
An essential part for many businesses, when a business starts to really pick up, the different parts that make a business whole need to work in sync, which is what makes project managers so essential. Having someone to manage these projects together helps keep the business running smoothly.
20. Business tools and software
Apps, software, and gadgets, there are a variety of business tools out there that could be the right fit for your business, all of which can keep projects on track and easy to monitor. Consider investing in GSuit, Grammarly, Trello, JIRA, or one of the other many tools out there if you need help in the workplace.
21. Booking appointments
Setting appointments is a necessary but taxing part of your day. It involves you pulling out your calendar, taking down information, all while trying to run your company without issues.
However, hiring a Live Answering Service like VoiceNation can help eliminate this issue. VoiceNation’s live agents can answer phone calls and live chats as your business and set appointments for you with ease.
22. Cleaning services
Your office is your team’s home, and you want to keep it hospitable and welcoming for them. This makes hiring a service to keep it looking and feeling its best essential, and it’s a good way to keep your employees comfortable and happy.
23. Cybersecurity
Like it or not, the internet can be a dangerous place. There are all types of people around every corner, some with not-so-great intentions. This makes protecting your business from fraud, ransomware, and other cyber-attacks absolutely critical. Be sure to hire a cybersecurity company to help make sure your company has its defenses up at all times.
24. Office space
Looking to go into a remote or hybrid environment? Consider a co-working space rather than your own office. You can rent temporary offices at a lower price, enjoy socializing with other businesses, and even receive your mail there!
25. Team building and enrichment
As mentioned, your team is the lifeblood of your business. We believe that here at VoiceNation too, which is why we make use of a separate company and team to organize social events to help maintain morale and excitement in the workplace.
Outsource your calls with VoiceNation
So, you should now have a better idea of whether or not you want to outsource your business and the most commonly outsourced services you can use. And as we’ve already mentioned, VoiceNation is an excellent choice if you want to outsource your phone answering services.
Available 24/7 365 days a year, the VoiceNation team can help you with all your business call needs. We even offer live chat services to those who need it.
Get in touch today to learn about our pricing packages, as well as browse similar articles to this one on our blog. We have pieces on the benefits of outsourcing receptionists, tips for phone and video interviews, and how to stay HIPAA-compliant when outsourcing.