Smart startups are hiring remote

For years, startups have basically followed the traditional path to getting their business set up. Make a plan, find an office space, hire employees, and hope you start making enough to pay for everything you’ve just invested in. It is a very risky venture taking on a high overhead before you even know how best to run your business. This way of thinking is quickly going out the window as modern startups realize they don’t need to waste money investing in office space right away. Teams can be formed globally and a business can be ran using remote tools. With all the changes in tech and with more research into what makes employees and teams be the best they can be, the smartest startups are rapidly abandoning the old ways and are growing the remote way. Here are some of the reasons for this paradigm shift.

Lower Overhead

So you’re starting a new business and cash may be tight? Well, one of the biggest costs is office rent and filling that office space with furniture, computers, in-office consumables, and a staff to keep it operating. What if you can shave off 60% of those expenses? Building a remote team doesn’t require you to pay for a large down payment for rent or furniture. Instead, you can put that money towards more important goals like investing in relevant tools and giving more benefits to your employees. Saving thousands of dollars a month can be the difference between making it or not in the startup game, and a lower overhead puts you in the best position possible to thrive.

Happier Employees

A recent study by TINYpulse found that remote workers are happier in their work because of the flexibility and freedom it allows them. A full 91 percent of responders said they feel more productive overall in their remote work. The choice of being able to work remotely gives employees the freedom to live a better life and live their lives on their terms. No more long, stressful commutes. The ability to focus on family and friends. The ability to exercise or pursue passions. Better mental health which translates to higher productivity and performance. These are just a few of the important reasons why most remote workers prefer to work from home. What company wouldn’t want that for their employees?

Retaining Top Talents

Top talent doesn’t always mean loyal talent. When top performers can find a better position with more flexibility that suits their lifestyle, why wouldn’t they leave?  A recent article in the Harvard Business Review cited Ctrip, China’s largest travel agent and their 9-month experiment of allowing some employees to work remotely 4 days a week. When compared with the control group, the employees allowed to work from home had a 50% reduction in turnover. The result is staggering, and one that all companies should mull over seriously. If you want to retain the best and brightest talents, you need to give them great choices in how they work and live. Giving them the option to work-from-home can play a huge role in that.

Long-Term, Performance-Based Work Culture

Remote work isn’t only about saving money or making your employees happier. It is also about letting performance speak for itself. Remote workers are not judged by how long they sit at their desk, but by the quality of work they produce. Because your new top talent wants to stay with you long-term, they have to keep producing at a high level. This creates a values-driven team who are in it for the long-haul. Your business will thrive when your employees are working their hardest to be part of your team.

Remote teams can make a huge impact, not only when it comes to an organization's’ bottom line, but also to the overall success of their company. More money, happier employees, and the ability to work with only the best talent can be the assets to grow your business into a long-term, sustainable enterprise. The reasons above are only few of the many reasons why remote teams are growing exponentially. Start joining the remote work revolution and do what the smartest companies have already figured out — that the future lies in connected teams, not limited to teams that can work in the same building.

Have more reasons to build a remote team or interested in starting one of your own? Get in touch with our growth experts who can help you with your staffing needs. Email us at hello@crewbloom.com.

Why Filipinos are the Best Remote Workers

The Philippines has grown into one of the largest and most popular outsourcing destinations in the world since the industry exploded a few years ago. The country has embraced the work from home solution with a bill protecting remote workers close to being passed into law.

Well known for being dependable, optimistic hard workers, Filipinos demonstrate their dedication regardless of where they work or whoever they work for. Being exposed to the concept early on, Filipinos have mastered the art of working from home to the point that they have unlocked the winning formula on how to thrive in the work-from-home industry That being said, the best remote workers employers will find are those from the Philippines and here’s why:

Reliability

One of the biggest challenges in remote business is reliability. An employer is thousands of miles away from a staff member so a remote worker should be someone who can effectively do their job with minimal supervision.

Many Filipino workers are already familiar with the nitty-gritty of remote work. They understand the importance of deadlines. They have adapted to the challenges posed by working with someone in a different time zone, knowing full well that their working hours will run from midnight to early morning. This is something they are very well prepared for because in the Philippines, one of the top BPO capitals of the world, graveyard shift is very common.

Communication skills

Open communication is essential in any remote job. When staff members are from the opposite sides of the world, remote workers should be able to loop their employer in at all times to provide updates and work progress.

Although having to deal with a string of typhoons a year, which could sometimes cause power outages, Filipinos will go out of their way to make sure that they can come to work. They will exhaust all options before they throw in the towel and skip work. Even then, they make sure to keep in contact as long as they could.

Overachievers

Working long hours is dreaded in most workplaces, but in the Philippines, it’s as ordinary as showing up to work. Filipino workers are willing to go the extra mile just to make sure they provide the absolute best output.

They also recognize the importance of growth for the company and for themselves. Filipino workers make an effort to enrich their skill set and deepen their knowledge whenever they can.

Filipinos try to master as many skills as they can, not only because they want to make sure they put high quality of work, but because they know the importance of being versatile. And in the remote space, versatility is well-sought after.

English proficiency

In the Philippines, English is well entrenched in the people’s lives. School curriculums take into account overall English aptitude by encouraging students not just to learn how to use the language, but also the proper diction and intonation as that of the native speakers. Schools incorporate English speech and writing classes and many others to develop this, which even paved the way for the Philippines to become a destination for foreign students who wish to learn English.

English proficiency is of utmost importance in remote work due to its heavy dependability on oral and written communication. Thanks to this, Filipino remote workers absorb the tasks and instructions with ease and efficiency and be able to hold their own in client transactions and conversations.

Western Culture

 Even beyond the classroom walls, Filipinos are exposed to the language by immersing themselves in the American culture–may it be in the movies, television, sports, lifestyle, and fashion.

Their appreciation and deep connection to the West, which stems from their colonial history, allow them to be more adaptable, which is partly why remote work was a transition that employees in the Philippines handled efficiently and gracefully.

Highly Educated

As of June 2018, the Philippines boasts a high literacy rate of 98%. The country recognizes the value of learning and has put in place a higher education system that rivals that of the United States.

With the spirit of greatness and excellence instilled in them, Filipinos do not take education for granted and work hard to earn degrees. Because of this, the Philippines is home to professionals of unrivalled prowess and talent recognized in the whole world.

Ingenuity

 Remote work often requires someone to be a good problem solver. Most telecommuting jobs involve providing solutions for clients. Filipinos are well-known for their positivity and ability to rise from the direst of circumstances with a smile on their face. So there really isn’t so much that phases a Filipino and client issues certainly won’t. They are also very empathetic so remote workers from the Philippines will stop at nothing to resolve a client’s problem.

Loyalty

To Filipinos, a job is never just a job, it is a commitment. So they tend to cultivate and nurture it with all they’ve got. This comes from their innate warmth and friendliness, which also help them easily foster a bond with their co-workers. From this develops camaraderie, which translates to a sense of collaboration that can sometimes be intangible in a remote setting.

Another testament to their loyalty is that they never let kindness go unreciprocated. If they are treated well, they make sure to give back by sticking by you and consistently delivering. They value a good working relationship so you’d find many of them staying in the same company for decades.

Infrastructures

In support of its growing workforce of educated and English-proficient professionals, the country has prioritized the development of modern infrastructure facilities and new technologies as it further solidifies its place in the ever-expanding outsourcing industry. Universities have also started incorporating BPO-related training programs.

In lieu of this, employers are assured that Filipino workers are well-equipped with everything they need to thrive in the remote workplace. VPN systems and software improvement also pave the way for telecommuting to grow in the country.