Outsource

Lead-in

  • To what extent do you agree or disagree with the quote below?
  • In which situations do you think it is best to do something yourself or hire someone to do it for you?

Presentation

Pre

  • Do you prefer to work in or out of your house? Why?

Top Down

  • Have you ever hired someone to do something? What was the job? 
  • Read the text and check if you agree with the pros and cons.

   Outsourcing means that you hire outside resources to help you complete tasks or projects. These might include freelancers or agencies that specialize in performing a particular type of task or project. For example, hiring a digital marketing agency is a way to outsource your social media management. Businesses outsource to save money and complete projects quickly. In-house resources, on the other hand, are your existing employees — including yourself. When you handle a task or project in-house, you assign one or more of your team members to work on it.

Pros and cons of outsourcing

Pros

Cost-effectiveness

   Outsourcing a task or project can be more affordable than handling it in-house.

   It’s particularly cost-effective if you outsource to someone located in a country with a low cost of living. Their rates might be lower than the hourly rates you pay your in-house team.

Flexibility

   Growing an in-house team is time-consuming. You need to go through a lengthy hiring process every time you want to hire a new team member.

   Outsourcing work to another company can help you get the resources you need more quickly.

   Their hours depend on your needs. It’s okay to assign 30 hours of work this week and 5 hours next week. If you don’t need help until the end of the month, only work with them at the end of the month.

Access to expert talent

   There are plenty of freelancers and agencies out there. Most of them specialize in a particular type of project, while some can handle all sorts of projects.

   It won’t be hard for you to find a competent contractor that can complete any project you have in mind. In fact, you can find subject matter experts that have in-depth, detailed knowledge that your team can’t match.

   For example, your marketing team probably knows how to handle a wide range of tactics, but a contractor that specializes in nothing but Amazon sales can probably get better results in that area.

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   Never get stuck with an overage again! Use our free Responsibilities Agreement template to clarify exactly what a contractor will do for your business.

Faster project delivery

   Sometimes you just need to get a project completed quickly. Outsourcing will provide you with more resources, helping you complete a project faster.

   If you work with a subject matter expert, they may finish your project in fewer total hours than it would have taken your team to do it, which can help you save money.

Reduce your in-house team’s workload

   Do your in-house employees have too many tasks on their plate? Hiring outside help can be a great way to make their workload more manageable.

   This often happens when you know you need to hire another team member soon, but you don’t have enough work or budget to support someone full-time. Rather than asking your current team to pick up the slack, a freelancer can lighten the load.

Cons

Lack of communication

   It might be harder to know how your project is progressing when you outsource it to another company. You have less visibility and often less communication.

   Most contractors and agencies handle multiple clients. Even the best communicators will rarely give you a daily check-in because it’s impractical to talk to all of their clients every day.

   Most often, you will have to ask for updates. Companies can also address this concern by using time tracking software to create a proof of work.

Less control

   As a general rule, you’ll have less control over a project once you outsource it.

   The company or a contractor/freelancer you outsource to might also not be transparent with how they’re handling the project. You give them the specifications and they come back when they’re done.

   Freelancers and agencies have a hard time working with clients that want to influence every step of the process. It’s too time-consuming to try to get your feedback and make constant adjustments. If this is important to you, it’s wiser to work with your in-house team.

Negative effect on company culture

   Outsourcing tasks or projects can make your employees think you’re going to replace them.

   It only takes one disgruntled team member to start a rumor that you’re going to lay people off. This anxiety can harm morale and company culture.

There’s a less long-term commitment on both sides

   We mentioned the lack of long-term commitment as a possible advantage of outsourcing. It can be a drawback, too.

   A contractor isn’t committed to your business, and you aren’t committed to their growth.

   That’s fine, but it also means they don’t care about the ultimate outcome of your project. They might leave before you’re satisfied, get distracted by other clients, or put in the minimum amount of work to meet your specifications.

Modified from Source

Bottom Up

  • True or False?
  1. Contractors really care about the outcome of the project.
  2. Contractors never leave before you’re satisfied.
  3. Outsourcing will help you get the resources you need more quickly.
  4. It’s always a bad idea to outsource.
  5. You will always get a daily check-in.
  1. Contractors really care about the outcome of the project. False
  2. Contractors never leave before you’re satisfied. False
  3. Outsourcing will help you get the resources you need more quickly. True
  4. It’s always a bad idea to outsource. False
  5. You will always get a daily check-in. False

Post

  • Would you add some pros or cons to the text? What would you add and why? 

Target Language

Have Something Done

Have/get + object + past participle

  • Singers often have their songs written by someone else.
  • Most people don’t get their clothes washed by a specialized laundry.
  • Would you have rock songs sung at your wedding?

Do something yourself

Reflexive pronouns or own

  • I often cut my hair myself.
  • Maria wants to cut down expenses, so she is doing her own nails.
  • Bob says Mike has to learn how to fix things himself.

Controlled Practice

Match the following words or expressions with their respective definition.

  1. Cost-effectiveness
  2. Workload
  3. Contractor
  4. Disgruntled
  5. Drawback

(   ) A feature that renders something less acceptable; a disadvantage or problem.

(   ) It is good value for the amount of money paid.

(   ) Angry or dissatisfied.

(   ) A person or company that arranges to supply materials or workers.

(   ) The amount of work to be done by someone or something.

  1. Cost-effectiveness
  2. Workload
  3. Contractor
  4. Disgruntled
  5. Drawback

(5) A feature that renders something less acceptable; a disadvantage or problem.

(1) It is good value for the amount of money paid.

(4) Angry or dissatisfied.

(3) A person or company that arranges to supply materials or workers.

(2) The amount of work to be done by someone or something.

Freer Practice

  • Ask and answer the following questions:
  1. Would you have pictures taken by a photographer? Why or why not?
  2. Would you have your house decorated by a Feng Shui Consultant? Why or why not?
  3. Would you have your pet treated by an Veterinary Acupuncturist? Why or why not?
  • Create two more questions to ask your classmate. Remember to use the target language.

Production

  • Read the following descriptions and give your opinion about each business.
  • Think about some business ideas you think would be useful.

In Japan, there are apology agencies for the sole purpose of apologizing on behalf of others. Prices depend on the type of apology: face-to-face, email, phone…

The Professional Wingman service in the United States requires a $1.200 retainer and a two-month commitment which includes one-on-one goal setting sessions and in-the-field nights out with your hired wingman.

They’ll yell your name, ask who you’re wearing, and who you’re with! You can even rent the red carpet if you like.

Homework

Fill the gaps with “myself”, “yourself”, “own” or “get”.

Example: You should do it ____. > You should do it yourself.

  1. Even though I like to do things ____, sometimes I ____ them to be done by someone else.
  2. You shouldn’t live on your ____.
  3. Let’s ____ our clothes washed.
  4. You should learn how to deal with problems ____.
  5. Cats get clean on their ____.
  1. Even though I like to do things myself, sometimes I get them to be done by someone else.
  2. You shouldn’t live on your own.
  3. Let’s get our clothes washed.
  4. You should learn how to deal with problems yourself.
  5. Cats get clean on their own.

Put the sentences in the interrogative form.

Example:  I should read the latest volume of Game of Thrones > Should I want to read the latest volume of Game of Thrones?

  1. I should have a song played on my birthday.
  2. I can get my computer fixed.
  3. Dog owners should have the mess cleaned by someone.
  4. One punch man should have his arm checked by a doctor.
  5. We should have our work done.
  1. Should I have a song played on my birthday?
  2. Can I get my computer fixed?
  3. Should dog owners have the mess cleaned by someone?
  4. Should “One punch man” have his arm checked by a doctor?
  5. Should we have our work done?

Put the sentences in the negative form.

Example:  I should read the latest volume of Game of Thrones > I shouldn’t read the latest volume of Game of Thrones.

  1. I would have photos taken by a fake paparazzi.
  2. I can get a wingman hired.
  3. Carlos should have his apologies given by an apology service. He is the worst at it.
  4. You could have your rings kept in a safer place.
  5. Tatiane would get a tattoo done by that guy over there.
  1. I wouldn’t have photos taken by a fake paparazzi.
  2. I can’t get a wingman hired.
  3. Carlos shouldn’t have his apologies given by an apology service. He is the worst at it.
  4. You couldn’t have your rings kept in a safer place.
  5. Tatiane wouldn’t get a tattoo done by that guy over there.

Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.

Example: traveling / should / He / have / spent / money / on > He should have money spent on traveling.

  1. shoes / Pedro / have / his / fixed. / doesn’t
  2. her  / My / can’t / bank. / get / kept / mother / in / a / Jewelry 
  3. always / Esther / homework / her / done. / gets 
  4. cook / told / I should / me / my / own / He / meals.
  5. know / complicated / people / when / things / don’t / how / to / by themselves. / It’s / do 
  1. Pedro doesn’t have his shoes fixed.
  2. My mother can’t get her Jewelry kept in a bank.
  3. Esther always gets her homework done.
  4. He told me I should cook my own meals.
  5. It’s complicated when people don’t know how to do things by themselves.

Find and correct the mistakes.

  1. People try to had their problems solved by someone else.
  2. Renato get her car cleaned every day.
  3. Stephanye has her kids take to school by bus.
  4. Ana Julia have her phone kept safe.
  5. My roommate get his clothes washed by his mother.
  1. People try to have their problems solved by someone else.
  2. Renato gets his car cleaned every day.
  3. Stephanye has her kids taken to school by bus.
  4. Ana Julia has her phone kept safe.
  5. My roommate gets his clothes washed by his mother.

Writing

Write a short text about things you get someone else to do for you. Remember to use the target language.

Example: I have my car washed…