When to hire a full time employee vs. bring on a fractional agency

If you know you need revenue operations support but aren't sure about the best path for getting that extra support, keep reading. In this article, we'll outline all the factors you should consider when deciding whether to hire a new employee or bring on an external agency.

How to make the right decision for your organization

TLDR: Click here for an easy to follow decision tree to help you make the right choice for your company.

When considering whether to engage an agency or onboard a full-time team member, it's important to weigh a variety of factors. Both paths offer distinct benefits - one is not inherently better then the other, but one is going to better for you depending on your situation.  

There are a number of things to consider but the three most important factors are urgency, budget, and the skills required for the work.

1. Urgency

The urgency of your needs is a simple but critical factor.

Do you need help immediately, or can you afford to wait 90 days to make a hire?

Revenue Operations roles can be difficult to fill, Head of RevOps was recently named the #1 fastest growing role in the USA by LinkedIn. Until supply catches up with the increasing demand, the time it will take to hire could be on the longer side.

If your need is urgent, Revenue Operations agencies like Lean Layer can start work within a few days, and because we're consistently doing this type of work - we're experienced in onboarding ourselves quickly to get your list of priorities executed on quickly.

2. Budget

What can you actually afford?

According to our recent State of RevOps Hiring Market report, the average salary for a Senior RevOps Leader was $202k, excluding HR benefits like health insurance and 401k. For a lot of companies in 2024, this would a significant investment, particularly when balancing other budget priorities.

Agencies are typically a more cost-effective alternative, enabling organizations to stretch their budget further and conserve resources. If a full-time hire is beyond your budget, an agency is going to be the better option for you as you'll get a team of experts for, in our case, less than the cost of a junior hire.

3. Skills Required

Just because you can afford to hire someone full time, doesn't mean you should (and visa versa - just because an agency is a more cost effective option, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the right decision for your company!) 

Consider the following:

• What specific help do you need?
• What skill set is required for this work?
• Is there enough work to keep a full-time employee busy now and in the future?

For a full-time employee, you should have:

• A clear understanding of the help needed and the ability to manage the workload with one person
• The required skill set is realistic for a single individual to have (check out our RevOps Skills Map to understand where you/your team's current skill gaps are)
• There is enough work to keep the person busy for 40 hours a week, not just for the next few months, but for the next few years

• The help needed requires multiple skill sets, or you're unsure of your needs and want an expert to implement best practices
• The skills required are varied and span different levels of expertise. An agency like Lean Layer gives you access to senior technical resources while simplifying your life with a single point of contact
• Your support needs are likely to fluctuate over time; an agency can scale with your business

Here's a few more things to consider:

Still unsure? We're happy to do a free consult to help you decide what's right for you and share additional resources.  

Decided on an agency? Let's chat!

FTE is the right choice for you? We've got connections!