Getting the best out of your newly outsourced Filipino overseas staff is a lot easier than you think.
You may be wondering what gives Filipinos job satisfaction.
It’s not very different from what satisfies Western employees ‐‐ a sense of belonging, a sense of job gratification, receiving honest feedback and enjoying a tangible reward system are all key components.
When outsourcing, don’t focus on the fact that these are employees working abroad, but rather integrate them into your company culture as if they were in the same country, city and office.
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Get the best out of your new Overseas Staff
- Having an awesome company culture and a great work atmosphere are incredibly important, and the creation of this is largely dependent on management. It’s important to always maintain a positive attitude when dealing with your outsourced employees. An on the ground Filipino manager helps to manage your overseas staff. At Optimal Outsourcing , our on the ground Manager helps you manage your staff.
- Good communication with your employees is essential, especially when they are living and working several time zones away. But remember, communication is a two‐way street; listening is just as important as talking.
- Take advantage of any opportunity to absorb ideas for improvement your employees may provide. Business specialists have long been telling business owners to embrace, rather than discourage, racial and personal differences among their employees. Different perspectives on a single issue can lead to a uniquely multi‐faceted approach to a topic, which may solve a problem that’s been eating at you for weeks. So, mention from the outset that you’ll respond to any emails your outsourced employees may send, and follow up if they make good on your offer.
- Another good way to keep in touch is to create regular team huddles. Connect via Skype or GoToMeeting or, if you’re outsourcing several employees, establish a live virtual chat room where you can have regular 10 or 15‐ minute discussions to clarify your business goals. Keep it light, inspiring and efficient so that employees will want to start every work‐day with gusto. At optimal outsourcing we can help you set up good lines of communication.
- Create a regular meeting time that’s convenient for everyone and make attendance mandatory. Many employers use what are called key performance indicators, or KPIs, to keep a running record of employee activity. These are a great way to establish what everyone in your business should be striving toward. For example, in marketing, they might emphasise things like customer turnover and acquisition rates, existing customer satisfaction data and so forth. Utilising up‐to‐date KPIs, and making everyone aware of these metrics, lets you keep track of your business’s progress, as well as your employees’ work as a team.
- Offering bonuses is another way to reward your outstanding Filipino offshore staff. Implementing an achievable reward system will encourage virtual employees to strive to meet company goals, help keep them focused and avoid disenchantment. You can offer financial incentives, gifts or other rewards that demonstrate to employees that you value their dedication and hard work. Tying bonuses to job performance reinforces the idea that when the company succeeds, they reap the benefits, which is excellent motivation.
- Also most outsourcing businesses provide you with time-logging software. This type of software is a handy tool that requires contracted employees to log in at the start of each shift and log out when finished for the day. Some variations will take a screen shot of an employee’s desktop, typically every 10 minutes at random intervals throughout a shift. It can also monitor mouse clicks and keystrokes. A few may offer an optional web cam hook-up that will snap a photo of a contractor working, or initiate a periodic pop‐up where an employee will report the task they are currently working on. While this software may seem a bit intrusive, it’s an indispensable tool for ensuring that employees are doing the work you’ve requested. Many of the programs will email a report at the end of each day so you can know exactly what your employees have accomplished, and at what speed, as well as how many hours they’ve actually worked.
Also keep in mind when you engage an outsourcing business with a management team in the office in the Philippines as we do at Optimal Outsourcing Corporation, we will help manage your staff in terms of ensuring they are turning up to work on time and are working at their desks.
We provide your staff social interaction through organised office parties and events to help them feel part of a happy office community and a team. At Optimal Outsourcing we understand happy workers work better and stay longer in jobs.
Contact us today at Optimal Outsourcing Australia and allow us to help you achieve your outsourcing needs!
