In modern business, flexibility plays a key role. Not all tasks need to be performed internally. Outsourcing, i.e. outsourcing some of them to an external entity, is becoming increasingly popular. It is worth finding out what exactly it is and what benefits it can bring to a company.
Outsourcing - what does it mean?
Without doubt, one of the most important terms used in modern business is outsourcing. What exactly is it? It refers to the outsourcing of processes or individual tasks to external contractors, i.e. companies specialising in a particular field.
Outsourcing can cover various areas - e.g. recruitment, training, marketing, procurement, accounting or logistics. It can also involve the complete running and management of projects or replace the traditional employment of specialists in a selected field, thus reducing costs. In any case, outsourcing guarantees a high degree of flexibility and optimal management of human resources. 
What can be achieved by outsourcing?
The outsourcing service is very popular among entrepreneurs - regardless of their sector. Above all, it allows them to focus on what is in line with their area of competence and to delegate the implementation of other processes to entities specialising in other areas.
The advantages of outsourcing are first and foremost:
- Cost reduction: fewer resources are required to carry out the same tasks. Flexible relationships with contractors also allow tangible savings to be made.
- Easier management of expenses: by choosing to outsource, it is easier to plan budgets, while reducing a significant proportion of the fixed costs faced by the company.
- Higher flexibility: enforcing the company's strategy becomes easier if the company can act flexibly. Outsourcing tasks and processes allows resources to be easily increased or decreased depending on the economic climate or current demand.
- Less paperwork: by using employee outsourcing, you save not only in financial terms. The outsourced company also does not have to comply with many of the formal requirements associated with the standard employment and handling of employees.
The most frequently cited disadvantages of outsourcing are the limited ability to control the outsourced duties, so it is worth choosing a trusted one and carefully checking the terms and conditions of cooperation.
Which industries benefit most from outsourcing?
Interest in outsourcing is particularly evident in the most innovative industries. It is also associated with the introduction of more flexible business models. However, it is worth being aware that it is used - in one form or another - by almost every company.
Outsourcing most often includes, for example, bookkeeping, which, especially in the case of individual businesses, including the self-employed, is usually outsourced to external accountants. Such services include not only the outsourcing of bookkeeping - on a similar basis, entrepreneurs use legal services or controlling companies that create audits of their activities. 
What types of outsourcing are there?
As can be seen, outsourced responsibilities can vary widely. The scope of activities outsourced and the way in which this is regulated can also vary significantly. Contractual outsourcing involves the full entrustment of specific processes to another business entity. Capital outsourcing involves the separation of a separate entity within a company to carry out specific tasks within, for example, a capital group.
Among the different types of outsourcing can still be mentioned:
- Business Process Outsourcing (BPO);
- Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO);
- Shared service centres (SSCs).
Particularly popular is BPO, which (in some simplistic terms) involves the delegation of processes to other parties. In the classic employment model, these would be carried out internally within the company. Outsourcing of business processes can include, for example, sales, accounting or marketing departments.
KPO focuses on the delegation of analyses or the performance of audits and other activities requiring the expertise necessary to make appropriate business decisions to external partners. Thus, in this case, the nature of outsourcing is somewhat different and focuses not so much on specific processes, but on the acquisition of knowledge critical to the execution of tasks performed internally or with the support of contractors involved in business process outsourcing.
Shared Services Centres, on the other hand, are units that provide 'internal partner' services within a single corporate group. Companies - in order to optimise costs and delegate tasks more efficiently - may set up their own separate units focusing on well-defined processes, such as the provision of IT services.
Outsourcing logistics services is popular among online shops, whereby a courier company takes care of the storage, picking and delivery process. InPost Fulfillment is an ideal solution for both small and large online shops, which care about the high quality of parcel service.
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