Outsourcing is not just about hiring people to get them to work with you. Cultural compatibility is also a vital aspect of offshoring you need to look out for if you want to achieve great result
When thinking about outsourcing, it’s true that you need to look for the best people, cost savings, technology, and security. While all these things contribute largely to the success of your venture, making sure that there’s no barrier between you and your offshore team should also be a dealbreaker – rather than just one of your few sub-criteria.
Today’s globalization makes expanding your business easier. While it makes multinational organizations more interconnected, it’s not without its challenges. But there’s a solution.
What does cultural compatibility mean in outsourcing?
When offshoring, having cultural harmony means you, your outsourcing partner, and the people they hire for you have shared values and beliefs in the workplace. Huge factors of this include language, business practices, work ethics, and even social norms.
Making sure that your cultures are aligned goes a long way in growing your business. Through this, you’ll overcome the challenges that usually come with having an overseas team. And if you and your remote teams find it easier to relate to each other or be on the same page most of the time, it lessens your worries for your company. It gives you the assurance that your team members find it easier to collaborate and exchange ideas, while reducing misunderstandings and miscommunication.
Philippines is one of the countries you’ll find yourself culturally fit with
One of the reasons why you’ll find great value in outsourcing to the Philippines is their exceptional fluency in English. Other than Filipino or Tagalog, English can be considered as one of their official languages as it is widely used in academia, corporate settings, court hearings, and the law.
EF English Proficiency Index ranks the country as the second nation with the highest English proficiency in Asia and an impressive 22nd across the globe in 2022. Since American English is the main variation taught in their educational system, Filipinos’ accent is neutral and remarkably close to an American accent.
Although the Philippines has a distinct Asian background, their familiarity with the Western culture is also worth taking note of. The Spanish and American colonization have a huge influence on this.
In addition to that, their exposure to Western media materials allows them to immerse themselves in Western culture. Their exceptional English skills make it easy for them to understand Western movies, books, and other media, providing them with insight into the cultural intricacies of the West.
What you can do to overcome culture differences
Even when your culture and the country you’re outsourcing to work well together, it still requires some effort to bridge some gaps for successful outsourcing. And it all boils down to your management skills.
For instance, regular communication with your offshore team provides an opportunity for you to build a strong professional relationship and foster mutual understanding.
It’s also advisable to meet them personally. You’ll be surprised at how welcoming they can be. Talking to them virtually is one thing, meeting them face-to-face is another. Demonstrating genuine concern and making yourself accessible to them can help reduce any intimidation they may feel. This, in turn, can help result in smoother work transactions.
Additionally, establishing clear expectations and guidelines ensures everyone is on the same page. Let them know about your preferred communication channels, work schedules, and quality standards. Never leave them clueless about your goals and expectations.
Lastly, be respectful and open-minded. Recognize that you may not fully understand their culture, but that’s okay. Simply acknowledge that you and your offshore team come from different backgrounds and be open to communicating and learning from each other.
If you outsource, are your remote staff knowledgeable in your industry and local market?
In the survey we conducted, 68% of our respondents in Australia see cultural challenges as a major barrier to hiring overseas workers. The reason for this is that they believe overseas-based staff might have difficulty understanding the Australian market and the specifics of particular industries.
We understand this concern and have responded by creating CS Academy. It is designed by industry experts to help you get the most out of your outsourced team. We have courses specifically tailored to make your remote employees more knowledgeable about your country and industry to bridge the gap of their existing knowledge in their local region and the specific requirements of your industry in your country.
How Cloudstaff can help you triumph over gaps in culture
For over 15 years, we’ve helped organizations grow – including small and medium-sized businesses. Our experience has taught us a great deal about how to assist companies in achieving their goals.
With our enterprise-grade tools and technology, we can help you integrate both your onshore and offshore teams seamlessly – making you feel like your overseas staff are just within your area.