Recruiting or outsourcing employees from other countries, known as “offshoring” or “overseas staffing,” is a cost-effective way for businesses to expand their workforces. Basically, you’re treating the workers like they’re your own employees, except that someone else is taking care of all the administrative, legal, and technological details. Since the 1960s, businesses have been using this strategy.
The “geography” of work has shifted significantly due to outsourcing. It has also influenced changes in how firms are managed. There is some overlap between the concepts of offshoring, distributed workforce, contact centers, staff leasing, and remote work. Companies gain from having ready and easy access to talented workers. As processes are improved, work time and quality are both enhanced.
Offshore Staffing has changed the game.
It is important to know how it functions, even if you decide not to put it to use in your company. Lee Kuan Yew, the late prime minister and founder of Singapore, once said, “If you deprive yourself of outsourcing while your competitors do not, you are putting yourself out of business.”
But outsourcing isn’t a magic bullet either. It has flaws, and many businesses give up on it because of unsatisfactory results. In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing and how to make it work for your business.
Outsourcing enables you to expand your team in a snap.
There are many more benefits to outsourcing than cost-cutting. Think about how much more productive you could be if you could hire twice as many people at the same price. This is made possible by outsourcing because of its ability to “contract” on short notice.
Having twice as many employees means you can devote twice as much time and energy to developing new products, promoting existing ones, doing market research, and addressing consumer concerns.
If you’re trying to save costs, this is a fantastic choice.
One of the most obvious benefits of outsourcing is cost reduction. While the cost of hiring new employees will always be high, business process outsourcing experts estimate that companies may save as much as 70 percent by outsourcing their HR functions to countries with lower wages.
The costs and challenges of employment, such as those related to legal matters, recruitment, compliance, taxes, healthcare, and general office administration, are reduced or eliminated altogether by outsourcing. The outsourcing model allows for a very adaptable method of employment.
You’ll be able to find more qualified candidates more easily.
When you employ offshore staffing, you get access to skilled and qualified candidates from all around the world. When so many companies have trouble filling open positions with qualified candidates, it makes little sense to restrict your search to just your immediate area. Taking a global view of your business also opens up many doors professionally.
The time and money required to find and hire new employees are substantial. When you outsource, the service provider takes care of the whole process, from vetting candidates to providing them with training and finally onboarding them.
The effects of outsourcing on both individuals and businesses are substantial.
The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry not only revolutionizes businesses but also changes the lives of its workers.
For businesses, outsourcing means more growth, higher margins, more profits, and more time to devote to strategic initiatives.
Despite common opinion, outsourcing might actually improve job security and advancement prospects for on-site workers. Profits and efficiency may both increase with outsourcing. This means that onshore employees are safer in their occupations and better able to focus on the duties that provide the most value to the company.
Offshore outsourced workers should expect a bonanza from outsourcing. Although the wages may appear low compared to their Western counterparts, these jobs are rather stable, well-paying, and enjoyable places to work for.
Outsourcing and offshore help the company in more ways than one. For starters, they provide crucial economic stimulus and job opportunities for all employees.
Outsourcing Challenges
Every strategy has its pros and cons. Outsourcing is no different. First, your offshore team likely resides in a foreign country. Therefore, remote work acceptance and rapid adaptation to remote service technologies are essential for outsourcing to be successful. The reality is that despite the benefits, remote work isn’t right for everyone.
Second, there will undoubtedly be problems with communication and cultural differences.
The obstacles of leading a team from afar are significant. Subtleties in culture and communication may have a big impact on performance. It takes an open mind, a beginner’s viewpoint, and a willingness to relearn key management ideas for an organization to successfully outsource.
Third, outsourcing can be very process-oriented.
It’s possible for an offshore team to be less creative and more process-oriented than a local one. However, once procedures are established, they thrive. This means that you may need to invest in things like training, standard operating procedures (SOPs), process mapping, and the establishment of metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) before you get started.
It may take some time to investigate, educate oneself, and start using outsourcing. But consider the alternative, bringing everything in-house will cost time and resources.
The trick is to choose an outsourcing partner that really cares about your goals and can help you achieve them via well-established procedures, a well-trained staff, safe data storage, and an inspiring company culture.
NEARSOL is a US-based BPO and service company that offers clients custom-design solutions. With major hubs in Manila and Iloilo, it began operations in 2011 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning many awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which is its Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition, a global accreditation that tells stakeholders what employees think of the company culture.
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