Hiring vs Upskilling: Which is Cheaper in the Long Run for Mid-Size Tech Companies | edForce

If you’re running a mid-size tech company, you’ve probably faced the tough question: should we hire new employees or train the ones we already have? It’s a common challenge, especially as technology changes quickly and new skills are always in demand. 

At edForce, we help companies like yours with workforce upskilling, training programs that help your current employees learn new skills and stay ahead. We’ve worked with big names like Microsoft, Amazon, Sony, Infosys, and many others. Over the years, we’ve seen what works best, and we want to share that with you.

Why Hiring New Tech Talent Is Tough—and Costly

Hiring might seem like the quickest way to fill skill gaps. But it’s not as easy or cheap as it looks. In fact, 97% of organizations have faced challenges when hiring new IT professionals. Here are some of the common problems companies face when hiring:

• It’s hard to find candidates with the right skills. About half of companies say they struggle to find people with the skills they need. Tech skills keep changing, so it gets harder to find the perfect match.
• Onboarding new employees takes a lot of time and effort. New hires need to learn their job roles, your company culture, and its processes. This can take weeks or months.
• New hires often leave too soon. Around 50% of companies say new employees leave after just a few months. That means you spend a lot on hiring and training, but don’t get the return you hoped for.
• Resumes can be misleading. Almost half of the organizations report applicants exaggerating their skills or experience. This makes hiring riskier and wastes time in interviews and tests.
• Recruitment is time-consuming and costly. Recruitment costs, several rounds of interviews and a background investigation can easily pile up.

All of this implies that recruitment of new individuals isn’t always the best or cheapest way to fill skill gaps when you need to expand the team in a sustainable manner. That’s where hiring vs upskilling cost becomes an important comparison to make.

Upskilling Your Current Employees: A Better Long-Term Solution

Instead of looking ‘outside’, what if you put your trust in the employees you already have? Upskilling is investing in your employees to learn new skills so they can take on new roles or perform better in their current jobs. It may seem like it’s another training program, but it is so much more.

Here’s why upskilling is often a smarter choice for mid-size tech companies:

• Improved productivity. When employees learn the right skills, they work faster and smarter. More than half of companies report higher productivity after upskilling their teams.
• Better employee retention. People want to grow and learn in their jobs. When companies provide training and development, employees feel valued and are more likely to stay. Over 50% of companies say upskilling helped them keep their employees longer.
• Closing skills gaps from within. About half of organizations say they filled important skill gaps by training current employees. This is often faster and cheaper than hiring new people.
• Building a culture of learning. When upskilling is part of everyday work, companies become places where learning and improvement happen naturally. This culture keeps teams motivated and ready for change.
• A more flexible workforce. Employees who keep learning new skills can take on different roles as needed. This flexibility is crucial when technologies or business needs change quickly.

Comparing hiring vs upskilling cost becomes even more important when you realize that upskilling also improves morale, retention, and productivity.

What Does Upskilling Cost Compared to Hiring?

Let’s break down the costs of hiring new people versus training the employees you already have:

Hiring Costs:

• Recruitment agency fees
• Time spent by HR and managers interviewing candidates
• Onboarding and training new hires
• Possible relocation expenses
• Risk of turnover (if new hires leave early, you lose your investment)

Upskilling Costs:

• Training materials and courses
• Time employees spend learning (usually on paid time)
• Coaching or mentoring support

Hiring comes with many hidden costs and risks, while upskilling tends to be less expensive overall and creates lasting value. Your employees already know your organization, therefore it is less difficult to adopt and apply new skills. Also employees tend to stay longer, meaning a better return on investment too.

How edForce Supports Your Upskilling Journey

At edForce, we understand the challenges Learning & Development teams face every day. We help you reduce training costs, speed up the delivery of learning programs, and ensure your people get real skills they can use immediately.

We offer a wide range of solutions:

• Fresh hire onboarding
• Lateral training for existing employees
• Certification programs
• Skill assessments
• Hands-on CloudLabs for practical learning
• High-Impact Training Delivery (HTD)
• And much more

We are focused on upskilling not just training. All our learning programs are tied directly to your business goals and real-world problems your employees face. We engage learners and keep them motivated to take action and apply what they learn.

Modern Learning for Better Results

We use up-to-date methods that work well for today’s workforce, including:

• Live online classes (Virtual Instructor-Led Training or VILT)
• Gamification to make learning fun and engaging
• Microlearning – short, focused lessons that fit busy schedules
• Blended learning combining online and offline methods
• Hands-on practice with CloudLabs

This mix helps learners stay interested and actually retain what they learn.

If you’re considering whether to hire or upskill, think about the long-term benefits. Hiring vs upskilling cost isn’t just about the numbers but it’s about the long-term value your workforce brings. Hiring someone may be a quick fix, but the longer-term cost can be higher.

Let edForce help you make the right decision. We can partner with your Learning & Development teams to engage and create upskilling programs that suit you, your budget, and your aims.

Let’s Grow Your Team Together

Should you choose hiring or upskilling? The answer to this question is unique to your challenges, but for mid-size technology companies, in most cases, investing in your people is the smart approach.

If you’re interested in learning more about how edForce can help your company save money and develop better skills, contact us. We are excited to become your partner and support your workforce growth.

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