For fast-growing businesses, scaling a software team isn’t just about hiring more developers — it’s about doing so in a way that maintains quality, aligns with strategic goals, and delivers real value.
Now more than ever, organisations have a huge choice of delivery models to evaluate and identify which would be the best fit for them as they scale - do they hire engineers in their own country (onshore), in nearby countries (nearshore) or in other parts of the world (offshore)? Or have a mix of some or all of these (hybrid)?
With up to 70% of outsourced projects now including some offshore development capability with a global market value of $120bn YoY, making an informed decision is key. These decisions are usually based on skills availability, culture, cost and convenience.
In this article, we’ll help you navigate the options available as you scale your own software engineering team, helping you to understand the opportunities and potential pitfalls along the way and show you where you can deliver value to the business following Codurance’s hybrid approach.
Hybrid: The Best of Both Worlds
Rather than viewing offshoring as a cost-saving shortcut, many forward-thinking organisations are embracing a hybrid model: onshore leadership and product ownership, combined with experienced offshore engineering teams. Done right, this approach blends the best of both worlds — control and proximity with the local business, and the flexibility, scale, and expertise of global talent.
See where we are supporting customers with flexible resourcing models globally here.
The Power of a Global Delivery Model
When businesses expand internationally, the benefits go far beyond cost. A well-structured global partnership unlocks access to a wider talent pool, increases delivery capacity, and enables teams to scale up quickly — without compromising quality or culture. At eClinicalWorks we worked alongside teams in the USA, UK and India to deliver lasting software modernisation impact.
Here’s what that can look like in practice:
Struggling to hire skilled engineers locally? Global partnerships help fill talent gaps — whether you need highly skilled software engineers, cloud specialists, or platform engineers. You’re no longer limited by postcode.
2. Follow-the-Sun Delivery
With time zones working in your favour, your team can make progress around the clock. Offshore engineers can complete tasks overnight, while UK-based leads review, refine, and set direction during the day — creating a rhythm that accelerates delivery. We have teams in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Brazil - talk to us about how we can support your next project with our hybrid approach. Get in touch today.
3. Flexible, Scalable Capacity
A global model makes it easier to scale teams up or down based on project demands. Launching a new product? Need to speed up delivery? A global partner gives you access to elastic capacity without the long-term overheads of hiring locally. Read our recent article on scaling for success for CTOs working in high growth companies.
4. Focus on What Matters Most
Delegating delivery to a trusted offshore team frees up your internal leaders to focus on high-value work — shaping product strategy, aligning with business goals, and driving innovation. Build your product strategy with our Product Development Maturity Assessment.
Why Leadership Should Stay Close to the Business
One of the common pitfalls of traditional offshoring is disconnect. When leadership and ownership sit too far from the business, misalignment creeps in. That’s why hybrid models are so effective — keeping strategic direction and technical leadership in the UK ensures the team stays close to the customer, the product vision, and commercial priorities.
Leaders in this model:
Building a Unified Global Team
Great software teams don’t work in silos. A hybrid global model only succeeds when there’s tight alignment across locations. That means investing in consistent ways of working, clear communication, and shared values — regardless of where engineers are based.
Codurance has offices and market presence globally.
Here’s what helps:
Done right, offshore teams become a seamless extension of your UK team — not a separate unit. Discover Codurance’s approach to developer productivity to build your own culture of engineering excellence.
Embedding Culture and Customer Focus
Culture doesn’t stop at the office door — and it certainly doesn’t stop at the border. A high-performing global team shares the same sense of purpose, understands who the customer is, and takes pride in the impact they create.
To maintain this across borders:
AI, Automation, and Global Consistency
As AI tools become more common in engineering workflows, it’s essential to apply them consistently. A good global partner will help ensure automation is rolled out in a way that enhances — not fragments — your development process.
Download our AI eBook for more detail.
What to Look For in a Global Partner
Not all offshore teams are created equal. The best global partners act as strategic collaborators — not just bodies-for-hire. Look for one that:
Be inspired by our customer success stories with global businesses.
Final Thoughts
Scaling your software capability through a global partner isn’t just about lowering costs — it’s about building a resilient, flexible, and high-performing team that can adapt to changing needs and deliver at pace.
With the right approach, you can combine UK-based leadership with skilled global engineers to create a delivery model that’s truly built to scale.
