Most organizations are under immense pressure to do more with less. The need for innovation, speed, and scalability has never been greater, but so has the pressure on internal teams already operating at full capacity. As a result, many companies are rethinking how to best support their workforce while staying competitive.
One strategic approach gaining momentum is nearshoring. Yet despite the apparent benefits of cost and capacity, nearshoring initiatives are often met with mixed reactions from the organization.
When faced with financial pressure from rising costs or falling competitiveness, companies often stretch resources or cut jobs. While intended to reduce short-term costs, these decisions often produce the opposite effect:
- Engagement drops as workloads increase
- Delivery timelines stretch, affecting customer satisfaction
- Burnout rises, leading to turnover and lost expertise
- Innovation stalls, compounding long-term risk
These patterns contribute to a loss of agility, which is an increasingly critical metric in today’s fast-paced, volatile market. Without the ability to pivot, organizations fall behind.
Up to 50% of EU companies report difficulty hiring developers locally1. Across the Nordics, growing talent shortages are forcing companies to rethink how they solve this problem. Sweden alone faces a shortfall of 70,000 developers, while Denmark is short around 19,000 IT professionals1. Without external support, internal teams become overstretched and business momentum suffers.
Nearshoring as a solution
Nearshoring offers a more sustainable path forward. By integrating skilled consultants from nearby countries with lower cost levels, companies can:
- Distribute workloads and reduce burnout
- Retain local talent by eliminating unnecessary pressure
- Accelerate delivery without compromising internal priorities
- Build flexibility, scalability, and resilience into their team structures
One of the often-overlooked benefits is the inspiration and knowledge transfer that nearshore consultants bring. Experienced consultants are eager to deliver high-quality solutions and often introduce new skills and ways of working to their onshore colleagues. This creates new dynamics, fosters learning, and boosts team morale.
Nearshore partners increasingly contribute capabilities in AI, DevOps, and cloud, enabling companies to scale expertise, not just headcount. Supporting this view, the Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce reports that Nordic companies particularly value the combination of strong competencies and cultural proximity found among, for example, Polish consultants, which facilitates knowledge sharing and strengthens internal capabilities2.
A common concern
A misconception we sometimes meet is that outsourcing functions to nearshore destinations is done at the expense of jobs in the local organization. In reality, nearshoring can add the necessary skill and capacity to preserve roles by alleviating pressure on internal teams and enabling growth without overextending them.
When executed thoughtfully, nearshoring becomes a strategic lever that supports the local organization instead of competing with it. Rather than replacing talent, it protects it by offering a safeguard for core teams navigating periods of growth, transformation, or resource constraints.
In 7N’s experience, nearshoring is mostly additive to headcount, not a replacement. By integrating distributed teams (a mix of onshore and nearshore resources), companies are empowered to scale responsibly while safeguarding morale and continuity within their existing workforce.
CASE EXAMPLE
Scaling development capacity with a nearshore setup
A Danish IT provider, faced with delivery pressure, partnered with 7N to build a distributed .NET development team in Poland. The objective was not to replace local teams but to increase development capacity and respond more quickly to client demands.
7N supported the client in building a transition plan from another location and vendor, showcasing the importance of strong preparation. KPIs for this engagement focused on time to market and how quickly the team was able to scale up with 10 to 20 skilled consultants while maintaining internal stability. This success reflects the best practices of 7N's 360˚ sourcing model, which includes carefully matching talent to client needs, defining governance, and facilitating strong collaboration.
Key actions taken:
- Recruited senior developers based on the client’s tech stack
- Integrated nearshore consultants into core delivery workflows
- Aligned stakeholders early to ensure clarity and collaboration
Outcomes:
- Seamless integration between Danish and Polish teams
- Immediate workload relief for internal staff
- Accelerated delivery cycles without loss of quality or security
- Improvements to agile processes
- Higher morale and improved team stability
Takeaway:
The blended team model enabled the company to retain and empower its internal workforce by offering them support, not competition
To realize these benefits, companies must take a thoughtful approach:
- Leverage partners with strong market knowledge, talent networks, and proven processes
- Align nearshoring with business goals and stakeholders from the start
- Ensure cultural compatibility and clear onboarding processes
Flexible engagement models, deep regional market knowledge, and shared time zones make it easier to integrate nearshore consultants within existing workflows and accelerate outcomes. Collaborating with nearshore partners in EU countries also ensures alignment with GDPR and evolving EU tech regulations, making it a secure and sustainable solution.
Most importantly, success with nearshoring hinges on active engagement from the organization. The most effective partnerships occur when businesses invest in defining expectations, supporting onboarding, and continuously aligning the collaboration with their internal priorities.
Minimizing risks and maximizing value
At 7N, we follow a five‑phase model to guide clients through successful nearshore engagements, including onboarding as a standalone stage:
Assess
Evaluate readiness, needs, and long‑term goals
Prepare
Define collaboration tools, team roles, governance, and standards
Onboard
Integrate consultants into client teams, conduct orientations, and establish workflows and communications protocols
Build
Recruit and deploy the right profiles in close collaboration with the client
Maintain
Sustain delivery performance through feedback loops, syncs, and governance mechanisms
CASE EXAMPLE
Building a team of 300 IT professionals in Poland
A global investment software provider partnered with 7N to establish a nearshore Center of Excellence (CoE) in Poland. The engagement began with a small team of three experts and, within two and a half years, grew to 85 highly skilled consultants integrated into cross-functional delivery teams. Over the course of eight years, the CoE evolved into an independent Polish entity employing more than 300 professionals.
The objective was not to replace internal teams but to create a high-performing delivery engine that could relieve pressure on local staff, accelerate timelines, and introduce standardized processes across the business.
Key outcomes included:
- Rapid team scaling from 3 to 85 consultants in 2.5 years
- Development of an independent Polish entity with 300+ professionals
- Recognition as the client’s highest-performing global unit
- Standardized delivery models and improved operational efficiency
- Continuity and scalability without compromising quality or security
7N’s long-term support included close collaboration on governance models, onboarding frameworks, and continuous alignment with internal priorities. The success of this engagement exemplifies the value of 7N’s structured nearshore approach, where the goal is not just staffing but creating durable, high-impact delivery teams tailored to client needs.
Nearshoring reinforces the entire organization. When used strategically, nearshoring empowers companies to:
- Scale with confidence
- Preserve and uplift internal talent
- Prioritize and drive innovation
- Respond to change without breaking their teams
- Invest in sustainable, long-term growth
In an increasingly competitive landscape, the most resilient companies are those that protect their people. Nearshoring helps you do exactly that.
Sources:
- Brainhub: Nearshoring to Eastern Europe - 5 Top Locations (2025)
- Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce: SSPC Annual Report (2024)
Cases & Insights
Learn from our experience and insights working on nearshoring projects with clients across industries.
