Six out of every ten jobs in the United States can be done remotely. It has become increasingly common for companies to hire remote workers in recent years, mostly because of the pandemic.
I’m sure you have experienced remote work at some point, whether it’s a Zoom or Google Meet call instead of a face-to-face meeting, or a full-fledged cloud-based company ecosystem.
The sudden shift from business as usual to fully embracing remote work leads you to think – what’s next? A few months ago, the exclusive focus of most business leaders was the return to the office, but
Enter the new trend – outsourcing remote work offshore. More and more companies are embracing Third Wave Outsourcing, that is searching far and wide for the best global talent.
Global Outsourcing and Remote Work
The rise of remote work increases global outsourcing’s adaptability.
More teams are considering outsourcing to talent around the world in the current social and economic climate. The pandemic has helped many managers and CEOs see that having a strong team in the workplace is not necessary for success.
There are several reasons why outsourcing is rapidly becoming the norm.
With a constant lack of software engineers and other bright workers in North America, it’s helpful to know that there are millions of trained engineers in other nations looking for remote employment. By having employees in many time zones, your company can respond quickly to issues as they arise, whether they are software bugs or customer service issues.
Outsourcing offshore also encourages a broader range of perspectives, which in turn leads to novel approaches to addressing problems, increasing efficiency, and better satisfying customers. Teams can benefit from this in terms of both productivity and innovation.
Team leaders are sometimes concerned that their in-person employees would have difficulty communicating with their outsourced, remote counterparts in other countries due to language hurdles or cultural differences. Location used to be an issue, but now that remote work is becoming the standard since even your “local” employees are likely to be working remotely.
The best talent from other countries are highly skilled and extremely competent, and experienced in handling the unique challenges presented by remote collaboration with teams in the United States. This makes them an invaluable addition to your team.
The Rise of International Remote Work
Because of the employees’ ability to maintain or even boost productivity while working from home during the epidemic, several companies have already adopted the concept of remote work. They’ve taken it a step further now, crossing international boundaries to get less expensive but equally skilled workers.
A poll conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta found that 7.3% of US senior managers were increasing the number of jobs outsourced to foreign countries as a direct effect of remote work. Economist Nicholas Bloom from Stanford University predicts that between 10 and 20 percent of service support positions in the United States, including those of software developers, human resource specialists, and payroll administrators, may be outsourced abroad in the next decade.
Changes in Attitude and Methodology Necessary
It’s not as easy as just replacing an American worker with someone from another country who works for less money. Both the company’s culture and its operations will need to be drastically altered to accommodate this strategy. Here are some important things to think about for companies making the transition.
Trust is essential for productive remote work. Building trust is especially important when outsourcing employment overseas, where workers may not be subject to the same cultural and legal protections as those at home. The first step in building trust is having honest conversations about the company’s beliefs, aims, and objectives. It’s crucial to foster a setting where employees feel safe raising issues and sure that their opinions will be heard and considered.
When you have personnel from all over the world, you must consider their different time zones and even deal with language issues. To meet these problems, businesses should make adaptability a top priority and adopt asynchronous forms of communication. One possible solution is to set up a system where workers can update or leave messages for their coworkers in other time zones. In addition, providing language assistance or training can guarantee that all parties are on the same page.
Many supervisors have already had to modify their management techniques to accommodate remote workers. Managing a team that is geographically dispersed is a considerably trickier task. What works for an American employee may not resonate with someone from a different cultural background, therefore it’s important to be sensitive to these variances. The ability to empathize with employees and adapt management styles to meet their unique requirements is essential.
Investment in new tools and systems may be required to support international remote workers. This could involve doing things like updating the company’s communication platforms, instituting stringent cybersecurity procedures, and providing all staff with the materials they need to do their jobs well. Companies should be ready to deal with the complexities of data privacy rules and compliance obligations, which may vary from country to country.
Dangers That May Arise From Outsourcing Tasks Abroad
Companies can save money by outsourcing employment overseas, but there are risks to think about. One potential downside is alienating domestic workers who may feel intimidated by outsourcing their employment. It is critical that these issues be discussed openly and honestly, with the company’s dedication to its current staff being emphasized.
In addition, businesses need to be ready to spend money on their international workers’ infrastructure and training. If you try to save money by skimping in these areas, you can end up with subpar results or no savings at all.
Embracing the Third Wave of Outsourcing
Acceptance of remote labor and global outsourcing increases as the difference between nations narrows. In this age of ubiquitous remote labor, companies that want to stay competitive can find new opportunities in outsourcing jobs offshore. Companies that are open to hiring from around the world can gain access to a larger pool of qualified workers and possibly reduce payroll expenses as a result. Hiring people from other countries can help businesses become more diverse in terms of DEI as well as in terms of the range of ideas and experiences brought to the table by employees with different backgrounds and upbringings.
However, this strategy involves careful preparation and the commitment to make significant adjustments to existing practices and culture. Organizations that want to thrive in the face of the obstacles posed by international remote work must put an emphasis on trust-building, modify their management methods, make the necessary investments in infrastructure and technology, and guarantee effective communication despite language hurdles and time zone differences. They can get a more connected, diversified, and cost-effective staff by doing so, and harness the potential of a truly global workforce.
Businesses that are willing to accept these shifts and evolve with the world economy will be in the best position to succeed in the future of work. Companies can benefit from international outsourcing while still maintaining a strong, cohesive, and committed workforce if they are aware of and take measures to mitigate the risks involved.
The Third Wave of Outsourcing is here, and it’s taking us global. The question now is whether or not you are prepared to take advantage of the wave. It’s time for companies to stop playing it safe and start preparing for a globalized future of work.
Let us help you find top talents in IT, technical support, digital marketing, and cloud services so you can leverage all the benefits of outsourcing in the new normal. Request a FREE copy of the e-book on Third Wave Outsourcing .
