Hiring Development Team in Poland – 5 mistakes

When hiring a software development team to work on various IT projects in Poland, we may encounter several problems. In most cases, we approach them halfheartedly, which obviously affects the later efficiency of the employees. Alright, but what are these mistakes exactly? Let’s list the 5 most important issues that can be avoided when hiring a team in Poland!

Let’s start from the beginning – ”communication window”

One of the fundamental mistakes made when hiring software developers in a timezone different to yours is the lack of a communication window. What does this term mean? It refers to a designated time period during which you or a designated employee from your company can communicate with the hired developers to discuss project details every day.

The ”communication window” needs to be carefully planned. The main factor influencing its final form is, of course, the location of the hired team in relation to yours. If you are, for example, in Poland and the developers are in Canada, the time difference can be several hours (between 6 hours in Eastern Shore and 9 hours for Western Shore, depending on your exact location. Therefore, you should ensure a proper communication window. Usually 2-3 hours of overlap is perfectly enough.

Cultural differences in communication

When hiring a dedicated development team in Poland, cultural considerations that directly impact internal communication within the organization must also be taken into account. Let’s observe that communication culture in Western Europe exhibits a somewhat different approach compared to its eastern part. Take a look at the UK and Poland, for example. In the UK, requests directed towards colleagues or subordinates tend to have a more ”friendly” tone and are often accompanied by polite phrases, such as ”Could you please be so kind as send me the report?” or “Could you send me the report, please?” If the form ”Send me the report” was used without the elements contained in the previous example, the tone of the statement would become decidedly negative. In other words, it would imply that something is wrong, and you can expect reprimand.

In Polish communication culture however, the phrase ”send me the report” has a completely neutral tone and is considered entirely normal. The communication culture implies concise phrases when addressing coworkers, and this somewhat dry approach is neither good nor bad – it simply is.

It is important to understand the nuances of words. For a Briton, the popular word ”great” means something that meets expectations, while for a Pole, it would mean something that exceeds them. On the other hand, ”fine” may have a slightly negative connotation for a Briton, but a Pole would perceive it as an affirmation that everything is okay and there is no need to worry.

Another example is the famous word ”amazing.” US residents use this pleasant word very routinely, and it means nothing more than ”okay” to them. However, a Pole would perceive it in a very positive sense, considering that a particular action yielded significantly better results compared to the initial expectations.

What should you focus on when communicating between teams from different parts of the world? Above all, clarity and simplicity. Especially in Poland, there is no need to be afraid of someone taking offense, as the conversational customs often involve a slightly more direct approach.

Great developer with poor communication is worse than average developer with great communication

The most commonly made mistake is that companies often pick a developer that demonstrated great technical skills but poor communication over the developer that demonstrated average or good technical skills and great communication.

What are these communication difficulties all about? Primarily, they limit the flow of information between team members, which not only hampers work efficiency but also creates a tense atmosphere over time. Therefore, when hiring a development team from an outsourcing company, it is worth paying attention to the communication quality between them and the rest of the in-house staff.

Some things are best illustrated through examples, so let’s consider another hypothetical situation. Imagine you have a Java Development Team, half of which consists of experts with several years of experience, and the other half comprises less experienced employees. When faced with the question of who would be the right person to handle a particular project, the theoretical answer would be the one with more seniority. However, in practice, it turns out that sometimes less experienced developers are much better at communication than their senior colleagues. Their skills still allow for effective work, and the flow of information and overall team atmosphere improve.

If less experienced developers have better-developed soft skills, it is beneficial to rely on them for your outsourced team, while assigning their more experienced colleagues, who may struggle with the atmosphere or organizational rules, to other tasks. This way, they can better utilize their potential, and it also reduces the likelihood of problems affecting further work.

Treating an outsourced team as contractors

Sometimes, outsourced teams are treated as contractors, not formal employees This is a serious mistake as it directly affects the efficiency of developers work and, consequently, the later business benefits. It is a problem that should be avoided at all costs.

First and foremost, it is important to provide the outsourced team with all the necessary information and knowledge that they will need to perform their duties correctly. Another must-have is integrating the staff with the members of the outsourced team. They should not feel like typical contract workers but rather as an integral part of your company, responsible for its smooth functioning. The offshore team should ultimately feel like a part of the organization.

Dragging the hiring process

Dragging the hiring process can have detrimental effects on an organization’s recruitment efforts. Prolonged delays not only frustrate candidates but also result in missed opportunities to secure top talent. Why is prolonging the recruitment process a mistake? The main factor contributing to this situation is having multiple clients who want to hire the same programmer. The longer the procedure takes, the greater the risk that the specialist we are interested in will no longer be available. This can be illustrated by the following statistics:

• 1 week of recruitment - 80%
• 2 weeks of recruitment - 60%
• 3 weeks of recruitment - 30%
• 4 weeks of recruitment - 15%

Contact us!

In conclusion, hiring developers in Poland, like anywhere else, requires careful consideration and a strategic approach to avoid mistakes. But remember, the ultimate goal goes beyond just expanding your team – it’s about driving progress, creating solutions, and fostering innovation in your organization.

We understand that success lies not only in the code we write but also in the progress it drives for your business. So if you’re ready to transform the way you see software development and make significant strides in your business growth, we’re here to help You.

You can contact us here.