Remotify CEO and founder Maria Sucgang was chosen as the cover story for Women Entrepreneur Magazine’s feature on the top female start-up founders in Asia for 2023.

As a woman of colour and business leader, this gives Maria an incredible opportunity to share her journey and uplift other aspiring entrepreneurs that want to make a difference. The feature in Woman Entrepreneur Magazine also sheds light on the milestones that Remotify has reached.

When asked about Remotify’s growth journey, Maria told Women Entrepreneur Magazine, “Given that we are a bootstrapped start-up that relies on owner finance and sweat equity, our path has been both difficult and gratifying. 

“Despite having minimal resources, we increased revenue by 2176% in 2022, with a 92% yearly client retention rate, and increased organic web traffic by almost 600% in the previous year. This expansion was made possible by thorough preparation, strategic judgement, and a commitment to providing customers with value.”

Remotify’s success is indicative not only of Maria’s leadership but also of the growing need for Employer of Record services in the Philippine remote work landscape. Remotify’s origin stems from Maria’s realisation of how much time she’d missed with her family throughout her 17-year career of office-based work. 

The Covid-19 pandemic propelled her to act in making remote work a viable and preferred option for Filipinos, leading Remotify to reshape the world of remote work. 

Maria Sucgang recognised as one of the top 10 start-up founders in Asia for 2023

The selection process for the “Top 10 Women Startup Founders in Asia,” was rigorous and thorough. The magazine asked its subscribers to nominate candidates they think should be featured in this edition. 

Subscribers selected candidates based on their educational qualifications, experiences, leadership skills, recommendations and contributions to their respective industries.

Women Entrepreneur Magazine received over 100 suggestions, and the list was then handed over to the in-house market research team. The team actively tracked those nominees from industry news, business reports and LinkedIn activity.

After this screening process, the advisory board of the magazine, including the editorial board members and an evaluation panel of C-level executives, reviewed the shortlist of candidates. 

During this evaluation process, they decided on which candidates to include based on which ones have a great business story, strong communication skills and the ability to motivate fellow entrepreneurs. The chosen start-up founders also need to have remarkable leadership, assertiveness, and ingenuity. 

All this is why it’s a great honour for Maria Sucgang to be chosen as one of the “Top 10 Women Startup Founders in Asia for 2023”.

How Maria Sucgang is transforming the remote work industry with Remotify

Maria’s feature in Women Entrepreneur Magazine is entitled: “Transforming the Landscape of Remote Work in the Philippines”. It highlighted not only Maria’s journey as a business leader but also Remotify’s journey of growth and development in the course of two years.

Maria’s professional experiences shaped the way she leads her company and influences the very foundations of Remotify — empowering Filipino talent on a global scale, promoting the freedom to live and work on your own terms and contributing positively to society by targeting the underserved gig market.  

Maria told Women Entrepreneur Magazine, “When establishing Remotify, one of the significant gaps we discovered was that Filipino remote workers were typically gig workers with no employers on record. The country is a mecca for outsourcing with its largely English speaking educated workforce, yet there was a lack of opportunities.”

This makes Remotify services a win-win situation for both employers and remote employees: It allows international businesses to legally hire Filipino talent without having to set up a local entity whilst providing remote employees with the security and stability of a full-time job with all the flexibility that comes with remote work.

The qualities of a leading start-up founder

In her 17-year tenure of an office-based career, Maria held a leadership position, providing country management and support to local teams while aligning global strategies and leading multiple departments across five countries.

This gave her the opportunity to grow as a successful and confident leader in her field, allowing her to integrate her experiences and learnings in building Remotify. Maria learnt that being a successful leader requires the ability to simultaneously run daily operations, navigate disruptions, and strategise for a transformed future. 

There are specific qualities that make a great business leader:

• Vision - A clear vision serves as the guiding principle for conceptualising an idea and driving transformation. This will keep a business owner and their team grounded in reality while providing a continued direction for them to follow in achieving their goals. Remotify has a clear vision of enabling freer lives for Filipinos while ensuring that they are a good business for all — that it is good not only for employees and clients but also for the Philippines at large. This vision gives Remotify a clear brand identity that strongly resonates with its circle of employees, clients and partners.
• Tenacity - Having tenacity is essential for a business leader to overcome obstacles they will face in building and growing their business. Tenacity has also been described by Forbes as a fierce blend of determination, persistence and grit — a crucial combination in achieving success and learning from failures. As a bootstrapped start-up, Remotify has faced challenges that Maria and her team have had to overcome together, and their tenacity and perseverance have allowed the business to thrive.
• Authenticity - An authentic and genuine business leader encourages trust and loyalty in their team, encouraging them to work in achieving the business goals. Maria has infused her beliefs and values into her business, and her passion is evident in the work she does in Remotify, inspiring not only her employees but also their clients.

Remotify was recently featured as a business case study for a class at City University of Seattle in Canada, and according to Dr. Gabriel Orendain, PhD, "Remotify is a young company that is doing things right the first time on all business fundamentals. Without any hesitation, I brought them as a case study for my class to replace textbook case studies of Fortune 100 companies. I knew my students would learn more from Remotify than they would from the big ones.” 

It is clear that Maria possesses these qualities and more, as evidenced by her success in building Remotify into the business it is today.

Remotify’s journey into the future with Maria Sucgang at the helm

Even as Remotify hits milestone after milestone, the business remains customer-focused with its on-brand human approach.

“We prioritise developing close relationships with our customers and offering great service, which leads to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth. We've seen customers grow their teams and won multiple additional clients through word-of-mouth referrals,” Maria shared with Women Entrepreneur Magazine.

Remotify is also driven to provide a great workplace and community for its remote employees. In 2022, Remotify was Great Place to Work certified, demonstrating that Remotify embodies the necessary qualities to be a great workplace for its employees.

Remotify is poised to dominate the remote outsourcing market in the Philippines. Contact us and we will help you simplify outsourcing excellently and cost-effectively.

Getting back into a ‘work mindset,’ after a restorative weekend can sometimes take its time, but a recent trend takes the concept to another level. Calls for bare minimum Mondays popularised on social media have spawned articles that either sing praises or dismiss it as a new form of laziness, some even going so far as creating satires about the trending term. 

For the most part, it’s been rank-and-file employees who have taken on the ‘bare minimum Mondays’ workplace trend, sometimes to the annoyance of their supervisor. One marketing manager in Australia established the habit of prioritising self-care at her workplace at the start of the week, so her team faces none of the pressures that come with switching to work.

While this comes from a good place, leaders need to get ahead of this trend because before they know it, people are calling for bare minimum Mondays with half-day Tuesdays, relaxed Wednesdays and walk-the-dog Thursdays, which directly counter flexible work sustainability. 

To deal with a challenging deluge of projects, some leaders have turned to unitasking instead of multitasking, which is a more structured approach to tackling to-do lists. 

Another alternative that created more balanced lives at a wider scale is a structured four-day workweek; proposed by the nonprofit advocacy group 4 Day Week Global, participants in the trial are expected to follow the model of 100 percent of the pay for 80 percent of the time, with a commitment to maintaining at least 100 percent productivity. 

UK participants in the trial reaped the benefits of this model as per a EuroNews report, with 92 percent of the 61 companies (of more than 3,300 employees) deciding to keep the condensed workweek policy after the trial period. Belgium, Portugal, Scotland and Wales are other countries that are seeing the UK’s positive outcomes and implementing their own trials.

In condensed workweeks, the task load is compressed into fewer days but the benefits promised are the same, which helps prevent a culture of mediocrity any day of the week.

Given individual company’s policies, the flexibility of a job comes with the responsibility to contribute; when leaders create the right workplace environment where staff are valued and appreciated, while given opportunities to express themselves and contribute to a bigger picture, this dispels the need to ‘ease into,’ the week and deal with work-related anxiety.

What are ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’?

Popularised recently by US-based startup co-founder Marisa Jo Mayes on TikTok, bare minimum Mondays refers to doing administrative tasks and prioritising self-care to get through the day. This means not creating a massive to-do list and rushing to tick it off on a Monday.

Mayes found herself approaching her startup the same way as the corporate job which burnt her out, and says bare minimum Mondays keep her healthier and more productive overall.

The term comes after other related trending phrases around the way we work, such as quiet quitting. Staff only completing tasks within the job description was the previous trend which concerned managers and HR practitioners, so while it’s similar to bare minimum Mondays, quiet quitting has key characteristics that set it apart.

Quiet quitting, as per content creator Zaiad Khan, is the rejection of the hustle mentality and a reclaiming of work-life balance. As opposed to bare minimum Mondays, which supposedly only happen at the start of the week, quiet quitting can happen anytime that staff feel disengaged from work they need to be doing and feel they would rather dedicate themselves to living life.

Looking at it more closely, potential drivers of Bare Minimum Mondays can include: 

• Toxic work culture - This can be discouraging for high-performing employees, especially if the work environment is overly competitive and cutthroat.
• Weak middle management - Line managers are the lynchpin of workplace culture. When they are unequipped to manage, this leads to the breakdown of trust and communication. As the saying goes, people leave managers, not companies.
• Lack of clarity of values and vision - Without clear goals, it can be difficult for employees to envision their career trajectory and future within the company.
• Wrong hiring - Employees that don’t have the same values or work ethic will definitely have a challenging time adjusting to your company culture.
• Uninspiring leadership - Employees must have a transformational leader at the helm, as this will inspire and motivate them to work hard and perform at their best.

Whether it’s through bare minimum Mondays or quiet quitting, such trends are not sustainable management routes; teams need to be engaged so they continue feeling alive at work.

What can leaders do to revive their team’s zest for work?

More often than not, leaders can nip ‘bare minimum Mondays,’ in the bud at their workplace by activating their team’s ‘seeking systems,’ which organisational behaviour professor Daniel M. Cable puts forth in his book entitled “Alive at Work.” When teams are encouraged to tap into their creativity and find new solutions to challenges, they’re more involved in their work.

1. Encourage experimentation in the workplace

Breaking up the monotony of repetitive tasks can be as simple as carving time out of the week or integrating time for discovery into the current ways of working.

Teams need to be able to test the boundaries of how things are usually done to see if they can arrive at better solutions. Many of the most memorable innovations come out of a senior leader saying play around, see what your interests are and where they take you, instead of a manager dictating what paths to follow and replicate in every similar or related situation.

Building a culture of experimentation can take the following forms, which Stefan Thomke outlined for the Harvard Business Review:

• Keep asking questions: Staying inquisitive, running tests and trying to understand how things work taps into your team’s innate curiosity.
• Validate with data: Highlighting the importance of following the data shows both staff and management the value of continuous improvement with experiments.
• Involve everyone: Opening discovery platforms to members of the team who might not be directly involved in this particular challenge shows staff and management that ideas are always welcome.

2. Play to your team’s strengths

Knowing what the team does best goes hand in hand with tapping into their potential for even better work.

People generally have some idea of their potential and tapping into that is a way to engage our ‘seeking systems,’ as humans. For example, Filipinos have some key traits that make them stand out in the workplace, and serve as a starting point for engaging their strengths:

• Warmth and friendliness: The culture of care and friendliness is deeply embedded into Filipino culture, making it easy for them to adapt to any workplace culture.  
• Diligence: Hardworking Filipinos strive for excellence, putting in effort even after hours if this means they’re satisfied with the results.
• Resourcefulness: Instead of stopping short when faced with issues in the workplace, they find ways to resolve and adapt to problems as they arise.
• Resilience: Filipinos are one of the most resilient people in the world. In the face of adversity, they dust themselves up and help others out, which is called “Bayanihan” in the Philippines.
• Cheerful, pleasant outlook: Making work fun allows teams to be easy to get along with, and in turn more productive as a result. 

It’s crucial to understand the team’s strengths so opportunities make sense for what they do best, and at the same time, everyone challenges themselves little by little based on what they know they can do. 

3. Circle back to your purpose

Staff need to feel their work leads to a greater positive impact so they aren’t vulnerable to trends like bare minimum Mondays.

It’s crucial to increase the personal connection with the recipient of the work, so you’re able to highlight its purpose and energise people. If leaders start with humanity and reconnect staff members to the perspective that they're a person, are unique and have qualities that we need to know about, staff are able to see how they each add value to the team. 

A strong company culture is critical for companies that want to scale. It must be grounded in your shared mission with your team, and it’s something that only emerges when every employee resonates with that culture.

With the gradual integration of AI in the ways we work, focusing on how we can create value within our teams ensures that an algorithm will be unable to replace our human perspective. 

Regardless of what workplace trend comes up in the future, keeping teams involved in their work is key to keeping them healthy, happy and more productive as a whole. 

‘Bare minimum Mondays,’ are a symptom of underlying disengagement, so leaders need to look beyond the buzzwords and see what will bring staff back to work. Contact us and we will help you create a culture that makes work fulfilling for your team every day of the week.

Freelancing has many opportunities and advantages, but it isn’t always the right solution for an individual.

The gig economy has its advantages and disadvantages, both for individual freelancers and organisations partnering with contract workers. The gig economy involves the exchange of labour and services through digital platforms and operates flexibly, actively facilitating the matching between buyers and sellers.

Leveraging the gig economy enables businesses to minimise costs and expenses while increasing output production as freelancers enjoy a flexible working schedule. Meanwhile, freelancing in the gig economy allows individuals to have independence and autonomy over their schedule and workload.

However, it’s also important to consider the drawbacks of operating in the gig economy. Because freelancers typically handle multiple clients and projects at a time, they may not be as invested in the growth and success of an organisation as a full-time employee would be; this could manifest in the output being delayed or a lack of accountability for poor quality. 

There’s also still a lack of regulation in the gig economy, so there are numerous ethical issues at play, such as the lack of social and employment benefits for workers. Misclassifying freelancers (i.e. categorising an individual as a freelancer when they fulfil the role and responsibilities of a full-time employee) can also have legal ramifications for an organisation. 

These drawbacks impact the way freelancers work and live their lives. As independent contractors, freelancers are not considered employees of an organisation, so a company is not required to provide benefits or competitive wages. This means freelancers also shoulder all their personal expenses, such as the maintenance and upkeep of their work equipment.

The gig economy can be rewarding if you’re looking to increase your existing streams of income, but freelancing can be exhausting and overwhelming when it’s your primary livelihood.

This is definitely something that Cris Liloc struggled with for some time. Before finding Remotify, she worked as a freelancer for five years since 2018. She gradually realised that it was not the long-term career path she wanted to take for herself, especially since she is a working mother. 

“Working freelance or remotely offers many advantages but they come at a cost that affects my career life. As Filipinos, we are required to receive employment benefits as per the labour law, but when you are freelancing, you’re not entitled to those as you are not directly employed under a company,” Cris shared.

When freelancing becomes a hindrance, not an opportunity

The lack of employment benefits is just one of the downsides of freelancing. The flexibility that comes with working in the gig economy comes with many hidden costs. Chief among them is the lack of stability and assurance in the incoming projects they receive. 

In Cris’s case, the lack of security in freelancing was beginning to take a toll on her finances and personal life.

“As a working mother, having a freelance job gave me the freedom to choose my own hours and work anywhere, however, this flexibility blurred the boundaries between my work and personal life. Under a freelance setup, my income was irregular and contracts were unstable. I had no opportunity to secure a long-term position within a company. It was unpredictable and challenged my plan to budget effectively and led to financial stress,” Cris said.

Many freelancers go into the gig economy because of negative experiences in a traditional workplace. If provided with a great full-time employment package within an ethical organisation that provides a healthy workplace, many freelancers would take the opportunity.

This has considerable implications for countries with a booming gig economy. In fact, the Philippines is experiencing a boom in freelancing as a secondary source of income, but there’s a lack of laws that protect freelancers and contractual workers, which means that they don’t have access to employment benefits that can give them security. 

This can negatively impact an individual’s quality of life and career trajectory in the long run when they try to reassess their life goals and work milestones they want to achieve. Freelancers don’t have a sense of belonging and community within an organisation or even the proper HR support. This can affect an individual’s mental health, increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation, especially if they continue freelancing in the long run.

The best of both worlds: full-time remote work

After five years of working in the gig economy, Cris was ready for something different. She wanted a workplace that would still allow her to work remotely, but offer the stability and security that comes with full-time employment. 

Upon hearing a good friend’s recommendation about Remotify, Cris signed on with the company without hesitation after seeing how the team worked together.

“Remotify not only offered me a full-time arrangement but also complete employee benefits. They also highlight a career and development program that inspires each employee and aligns their goals in life, which is a game changer for any remote company in the Philippines,” Cris shared.

It’s always important to have the guidance and support of an Employer of Record (EOR) when you’re transitioning from freelancing to full-time employment. An EOR can make sure that international employers are compliant with local labour laws and tax rules and regulations. 

Building Leaders: Why Remotify is a great place to work

Remotify was recently certified as a Great Place to Work, demonstrating that it is a company that values people — not only clients but also employees.

“Remotify hits every spot of being a great workplace. The company not only provides excellent service but also advocates good mental health. We are all leaders in our own way. We inspire people, we are a game changer and we take care of each other and make sure that at the end of the day, we are all aligned with our goals,” Cris said.

Remotify thrives in its foundational I.N.S.P.I.R.E. beliefs, which stand for:

• I - Impact - We make our behaviours matter every single day
• N - Natural – We celebrate who we truly are
• S - Simple – We cut out the complicated
• P - Promise – We keep our word
• I - Intelligent - We use our emotions intelligently to do good 
• R - Responsible – We own our decisions
• E - Energetic – We bring our best selves to work

This guides every employee within Remotify and allows the entire team to embody the core values of the company.

Enjoying a fulfilling career as a full-time Remotify employee

Including Cris Liloc, Remotify’s workforce currently comprises 66% female employees, demonstrating that Remotify is committed to nurturing diversity, access and inclusion in the workplace.

“I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful and humble team, as they open doors not only for me but also to other working mothers who continue to achieve their career goals while experiencing the best of motherhood. The company practises great inclusion to everyone regardless of their position in life,” Cris shared.

A great workplace can enrich an individual’s life, as Cris realises as she works for and with Remotify. A great workplace allows individuals to elevate their personal and professional lives, enabling them to achieve their goals and enjoy work-life balance.

Partnering with an Employer of Record like Remotify not only benefits the organisation but also employees. 

“This job not only helped me to reach and support each individual for certain roles but also made me realise that I could be the bridge for them to achieve their own goals,” Cris said.

It’s possible for freelancers to transition into full-time remote work, especially if they are seeking to make a long-term client into an employer.

As an Employer of Record, we are dedicated to providing high-quality services to our clients while ensuring that employees have fulfilling remote careers. Contact us and we will help you bring your client in as an employer and guide you into transitioning to full-time remote employment.

Employees are one of the most important assets of any company. 

It’s crucial to attract the right people to ensure that your organisation works efficiently and that you provide high-quality products and services to your customers.

For Cinda Rodewald, the President and COO of National Insurance Housing, this is essential to her role in the organisation’s success.

“My day-to-day role is to make sure that I run a successful financial company as well as a great company for our team members. We want to make a great environment for our team because we believe that happy team members make happy customers,” shared Cinda.

National Insurance Housing specialises in providing temporary housing for the insurance industry, and its team of professionally trained associates and industry experts have years of experience in handling insurance claims as well as offering high-quality service. 

National Insurance Housing is dedicated to giving a full range of options for each housing request — be it furnished or unfurnished accommodations, catastrophe services, furniture rentals or hotel booking.

The importance of women in leadership roles 

As a leader in her field, it was important to know Cinda’s thoughts on the representation of women in leadership roles.

“I think women have certain soft skills that are a driving force in many businesses to this day. Women bring a certain depth of self-awareness to a company and I want to be a part of grooming women today in becoming leaders for tomorrow by helping them hone their communication skills, conflict management, empathy and integrity,” Cinda said.

According to the World Economic Forum, while the overall number of women in top business roles is still low, with only 5% of CEOs of major corporations in the USA being women, the number of women in senior leadership positions has grown since 2015. For example, at the C-suite level, the representation of women has increased from 17% to 21%.

The World Economic Forum emphasises that the new service economy doesn’t necessarily rely on physical strength, but rather skills that come easily to women, such as attention to detail, measured thinking, long-term strategic vision and community building. This bodes well for the future of businesses as well as for emerging women business leaders.

This is demonstrated in the genuine connection and kinship between Cinda and Remotify’s CEO and Founder, Maria Sucgang, as they share the same leadership values and qualities.

“From a leadership standpoint, I was very impressed with Remotify’s culture. Maria has many leadership traits that I embody so I was excited to work with her. They’re committed to the excellence of bringing forth a great team member from their end to marry it to our end. So it’s been a fantastic collaboration,” Cinda said.

The impact of women leaders in National Insurance Housing

The innate skills in which women excel — such as communication skills, conflict management, attention to detail, measure thinking and community building — align perfectly with the services that National Insurance Housing provides.

By increasing women's representation in the organisation, and empowering women to take on leadership roles, National Insurance Housing can provide exceptional services to its clients while creating a diverse and thriving team.

“I was a little bit at an advantage because the temporary housing space and insurance space already have a lot of women leaders. So the industry has lent itself to women being in leadership positions. Our challenge is to make sure that we constantly diversify and make sure we have the best team members,” shared Cinda.

Having women in leadership increases ethical decision-making and community-driven thinking, reinforcing your organisational values and positively impacting your staff and clients.

National Insurance Housing's culture and values align with Remotify’s brand

This is not Remotify’s first partnership with the National brand. Remotify also has an ongoing relationship with Tom Meertens and his regional team at National Corporate Housing, which is the parent company of National Insurance Housing.

“I was talking to Tom Meertens, the COO of our international division, and he explained to me the positive experience he had with Remotify. He told me that I should at least talk to Maria and Erwin just to get a feel of whether this is something I’d be interested in. I think he brought it up with me because I’m always the type of person to try something new. So I called Maria and Erwin and it was a great success,” Cinda said.

Remotify’s human approach and vision-mission, in being a great organisation for all, aligns with the National branding’s commitment to providing great service to its clients and great working experience to its staff.

“At first I just wanted a conversation, but when I spoke to Erwin, I loved what Remotify was all about. It felt like they were a great partner who shared the same type of values we had. Working with Remotify in the pilot program, I felt like I was one step ahead of my competition. Not only did I have people supporting me in Manila, but I also had a team doing the legwork in the onboarding process,” Cinda said.

Leveraging top talent to increase National Insurance Housing’s competitive advantage

Remotify’s services have enabled Cinda to increase efficiency and productivity in her company, giving National Insurance Housing a competitive edge.

“Remotify has helped us round out our outsourcing efforts. We have a diverse team that’s working together better than ever, coming together with different ideas. I love that the team works in different shifts, it enables us to continue our business around the clock. We have been able to impact our P&L, we’re more profitable since partnering with Remotify. Because they’re bringing in such quality individuals, we’ve been able to limit the number of new hires.”

Outsourcing in the Philippines is one of the most cost-effective ways of growing your team efficiently, allowing you to access top talent at more affordable labour costs. Partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR) such as Remotify ensures that you stay compliant with local labour laws while ensuring that everything HR-related is taken care of.

“I’d love to see other divisions at National jump on board. After Tom Meertens started this process, other division leaders are considering Remotify. I would love to continue growing my team in Manila and I would love to continue sharing my story so that others can benefit in our industry globally. It’s important for us to look at this as another resource,” Cinda advised.

We can help you build a team that will skyrocket your organisation’s growth. Contact us and we will give you the HR support you need.

Maybe you identify yourself as a freelancer, but you (or your client) may have misclassified yourself.

If you find yourself turning down new clients and potential projects, in favour of fully working for one existing client, you should be categorised as a full-time remote employee, not a freelancer. And if you have a vested interest in seeing your client’s organisation succeed, perhaps it’s time to consider your career options.

Full-time employment can be a great opportunity for personal and professional development, allowing you to achieve your life goals securely while harnessing your skills and potential. 

You don’t have to go back to the traditional office setup to have a fulfilling full-time career, either. The accelerated globalisation of the world has increased the remote work opportunities for employees, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds: The flexibility and autonomy that comes with remote work, while having the security and stability of full-time employment.

Why you should move on from freelancing to full-time remote employment

While there are certainly benefits to freelancing, it’s important to assess your life goals and check if full-time employment will be more beneficial for you in the long run.

We’ve shortlisted key reasons you should consider transitioning from freelancing to full-time remote work.

1. Consistent and secure work and income

Freelancing can be unstable as it depends on the number of clients and projects that you can find and take on at any given time. This can be a source of stress and frustration if you go through lean seasons, during months when you have fewer clients and projects to handle. 

With full-time employment, you can have the assurance and security of having a stable job. Having a steady income allows you to pay your bills on time and even set aside savings for rainy days. 

A stable job allows you to grow in one company for years to come, increasing your professional development opportunities and expanding your career path as you rise in the ranks. 

Full-time remote employment also reduces the stress and anxiety that comes from constantly having to seek new projects or part-time work. A stable job allows you to cultivate a healthy work-life balance.

2. Company and government benefits

As a full-time remote employee, you have the right to company and government benefits managed by your employer. Here are some typical benefits you can avail of as a full-time employee: 

• Holiday pay - This refers to paid time off for non-working holidays in the year.
• Overtime pay - This refers to compensation received by employees working beyond their normal working hours.
• Paid time off - This is also known as earned vacation time, and it allows employees to receive payment for the time they take off for vacation or personal holidays.
• Bereavement leaves - This allows employees to take time off in case of a death of a family member or loved one.
• HMO - The health maintenance organization (HMO) provides an insurance plan for employees so that they can avail of specific health services.

Employers are also required to manage the following government benefits for full-time Filipino employees:

• Social Security System (SSS) benefits - The government’s insurance program for private employees and volunteers, and includes benefits for retirement, disability and maternity and salary loans.
• Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) - The national savings program and house financing plan for Filipinos, it offers short-term loans and savings programs for different purposes.
• PhilHealth benefits - This is the government health insurance program that provides financial assistance and health services.

While it’s possible for freelancers to voluntarily avail themselves of these benefits, it can be challenging to keep track of keeping and submitting the proper documents to the appropriate government office. 

An employer can neatly take care of these benefits for their employees so that employees can build their social contributions without the hassle.

3. Sense of belonging and purpose in the workplace

Being part of an organisation with a strong company culture can give you a sense of purpose, especially if you believe in the organisation’s vision and mission. Working alongside like-minded mentors and peers can also give you the much-needed social interaction and community that each of us needs. 

A sense of belonging can greatly impact the commitment and engagement you feel in the work you do. 

As a freelancer, it can be isolating and lonely to work by yourself day in and day out. Being a part of a professional community is crucial to your personal development and growth.

The challenges of being a freelancer in the Philippines

There are numerous benefits to freelancing, but it’s important to assess the obstacles that come for gig workers. By looking at the challenges, and your willingness to face them, you can make an informed decision of whether this is still the right path for you or not. 

1. Difficulties of tax filing and being tax compliant

Freelancers are not only responsible for filing and paying their taxes but also for keeping book records, issuing receipts and submitting reportorial documents to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The following sections in the tax code detail the consequences if a freelancer fails to accomplish these responsibilities:

• Section 232 - Keeping of Books of Account
• Section 237 - Issuance of Receipts guidelines
• Section 264 - Penalty for non-issuance of receipts
• Section 250 - Failure to file reportorial documents to BIR

There are also fines and penalties if a freelancer fails to file their taxes or if they’re not properly registered. Section 254 in the tax code details fines for attempts to evade or defeat tax while Section 259 details fines for illegal collection of foreign payment (which includes commission fees for projects or clients overseas).

2. Lack of job security

One of the most pressing disadvantages that come with freelancing is the lack of job security. Aside from the lack of employee benefits, self-employment income can be inconsistent. Unless you’re a household name, you will need to build your name recognition and gain more experience to consistently generate new clients. 

Freelancers are also responsible for any maintenance repairs and fees necessary to continue working, this includes costs for their equipment, software and tools.

3. Lack of benefits

According to the Business World, the new wave of freelancers in the pandemic era saw a myriad of issues in the trade: 

• 37% are concerned about a lack of company-sponsored benefits 
• 29% are uncertain about future income
• 23% feel a sense of isolation from working alone

Company-issued benefits can give you financial support and assistance during milestones or emergencies. Freelancers have to compensate for this lack by taking on more projects just to be financially secure.

A win-win situation: Benefits of partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR)

Transitioning from freelancing to full-time remote employment can be challenging if you’re doing it by yourself. It’s important to partner with HR professionals to ensure that you and your existing foreign client can decide on a mutually beneficial agreement while ensuring that you are protected and secure under local labour laws.

An Employer of Record (EOR) can do this for you, and more.

Benefits of partnering with an Employer of Record for employees

An Employer of Record will act as your local employer in the Philippines while you continue to report operationally to your client. An EOR can give you the HR assistance you need in filing taxes, receiving timely payroll, paying social contributions and benefits and making sure you’re protected in accordance with local labour laws. An EOR that acts as a strategic HR partner like Remotify will also ensure that you are part of a thriving work community and culture, even in a remote setup.

Remotify aims to provide freer and more fulfilling lives for Filipinos. In our Humans of Remotify series, we’ve showcased Angela Natividad’s testimonial on how she found career satisfaction as a remote content writer. Her anxieties about government contributions and benefits were immediately allayed when Remotify came in to handle these HR tasks.  

Benefits of partnering with an Employer of Record for foreign businesses

With the help of an Employer of Record, you can save your foreign client the hassle of having to manage several monthly invoices from you and your teammates and experiencing hits and misses with your salary computation. An employer of record can simplify the billing and payroll process, and remove the weight off your shoulders (as well as your client’s).

How foreign businesses can hire legally in the Philippines (without setting up a local entity)

Misclassifying employees as freelancers not only negatively impacts employees but even foreign businesses. It can lead to legal disputes or penalties on the end of the business owner. 

Foreign businesses have two options to hire talents legally in the Philippines. The first option is to set up an entity locally which can be costly in terms of time and resources. 

The second and more cost-effective option is to partner with an Employer of Record or a traditional BPO firm. 

A traditional business process outsourcing (BPO) firm provides third-party services for both back-office and front-office functions. BPO services typically have fixed costs and can be quite time-efficient. However, employers won’t have any control over the team handling their processes, preventing employers from having human connections with their employees. 

An Employer of Record works alongside both the employer and employees, ensuring that HR administrative tasks are handled efficiently while staff members are fully engaged in their work.

If you’re having second thoughts about freelancing, then it’s time to consider all your other options. Full-time remote employment can enrich your professional life while helping you achieve your personal goals. 

Your client can become your full-time “employer" without having to set up their own local entity if you partner with a credible Employer of Record in the Philippines. Connect us with your client and we will help you secure your employment benefits today.

With the current labour and talent shortages worldwide, leaders must find cost-effective ways to grow and scale their businesses. This is why outsourcing is becoming an attractive option for many organisations.

According to Exploding Topics, the global outsourcing market is worth $92.5 billion in total contract value. Companies that use outsourcing services have observed that it enables them to focus on core competencies while cutting costs. In particular, companies that outsource to the Philippines can cut labour costs by 70 per cent.

The booming outsourcing industry provides organisations with numerous options to choose from when it comes to acquiring talent overseas. While there are several global outsourcing leaders in the world, the Philippines is the most viable option for businesses when outsourcing international remote employees. Taking a look at the BPO and IT-BPM industries and the Philippines’ positioning in these sectors will demonstrate why Filipino talent is a cut above the rest.

Why is the Philippines one of the leading countries in the global BPO and IT-BPM industries?

The IT & Business Processing Association Philippines (IBPAP) Roadmap for 2028 reports that the IT-BPM industry has grown not only in scale but also in its role and capabilities, from providing cost arbitrage to delivering value-add and business impact. 

Because of the shift to online business models and the increase in self-service and digital channels, there’s a growing demand for IT-BPM services across different industries, such as technology, banking, retail and commerce and healthcare. North America continues to be the largest adopter of IT-BPM services, with a share of 37 to 41 per cent followed by Europe at 35 to 39 per cent.

On the other side of the coin, Asia Pacific has risen to the top as the location of choice for offshoring because of the talent-cost proposition, proficient English-language skills,

extensive domain and technical skills and high scalability potential.

The Philippines is the second largest IT-BPM services delivery location, with a 16 to 18 per cent share in the global IT-BPM services industry. It is a destination of choice for global services delivery because it provides the following:

• Healthcare services
• Non-voice business process services (e.g. finance & accounting, human resources, industry-specific services)
• IT application development and maintenance services
• IT infrastructure services, and digital services
• Customer experience services

Let’s take a closer look at the differences between the outsourcing services provided by India and the Philippines. As indicated in the image above, these are the top two service delivery locations in the world, so what are the differences between them?

India, being the first largest service delivery location, has good IT infrastructure and service capabilities and a large talent pool.

India has a low average salary and a relatively low cost of living, which provides companies with several cost-saving opportunities. For example, hiring a software developer in India would cost an average of 664.53 USD per month, while a developer in New York City would cost an average of 8,742.25 USD per month.

The Indian higher education system also focuses on science and technology, producing over 2.6 million STEM graduates annually, making India the preferred outsourcing location for software development services.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has a high adaptability to Western culture as most of the Filipino workforce has advanced English proficiency while being service-oriented. Fluency in English and familiarity with Western culture allow Filipinos to carry out customer service jobs easily, particularly for English-speaking businesses. The Philippines also provides tax exemptions that help the outsourcing industry while attracting businesses worldwide. The IBPAP Roadmap for 2028 also states that the Philippines produces approximately 850,000 fresh college graduates every year, boosting the talent pool within the country.

What does the future growth of the Philippine outsourcing industry look like?

The Philippines currently has a strong position in the global outsourcing market, but what about in the next five or 10 years? Understanding the projected trajectory of the country’s outsourcing industry can give you the confidence and reassurance you need before partnering with a local outsourcing centre or service provider.

With the acceleration of digital transformation within the BPO industry, BPO and IT-BPM companies are future-proofing themselves by utilising technological solutions to increase efficiency and productivity while replacing roles that have traditionally been outsourced. 

This enables BPO and IT-BPM companies to invest in quality talent to fulfil more complex tasks and step into larger roles. This will enable outsourcing services organisations to provide high-quality candidates with the right skill sets to businesses in need. 

The Philippines is constantly evolving and adapting to market needs, ensuring that the outsourcing industry can deliver more complex and value-added services.

How does outsourcing in the Philippines help you?

There are six key benefits to outsourcing in the Philippines for your business:

• Accelerate growth - Outsourcing allows you to build an in-house team of full-time employees at a lower cost. Aside from the lower average salary range in the Philippines, implementing a remote work model allows you to cut down on operational costs as well. Having a staff of full-time employees will also enable you to achieve your goals at an accelerated pace compared to hiring freelancers or part-time workers.

• 24/7 culture - Outsourcing allows you to hire staff members from different time zones, creating a workplace that is continuously running throughout the day. This enables your business to operate at maximum efficiency.

• Leverage top talent - There is a robust and growing workforce in the Philippines, ensuring that there is no shortage of talent. Their advanced proficiency in English also enables Filipinos to excel in different fields, particularly in customer service.

• Retain company focus - Building a team of full-time remote employees allows you to focus on core competencies as your staff carries out important tasks within your business.

• Increase brand loyalty -  Because Filipinos have a good understanding of both Western and Asian cultures, they can easily adapt to your company culture and proudly represent your organisation, elevating the customer experience and service you provide.  

• Fulfil compliance requirements - Outsourcing full-time employees can remove the legal grey areas that come with contracting freelancers. Going through the proper channels and partnering with a credible HR provider will ensure that you remain compliant in the outsourcing process.

What are the different types of outsourcing you can choose from?

There are four common types of outsourcing that you can utilise for your business:

• Freelancing - This is ideal for entrepreneurs who are just starting out, however, it is not a viable long-term solution once you start scaling your business. Misclassifying full-time employees as freelancers also has numerous negative impacts and even legal issues for both employees and employers.
• Traditional BPO - A traditional BPO service provider will handle key business procedures with agent support at call centres. While this can allow you to focus on your core competencies, this entails losing operational control over different aspects of the business, which can make it difficult to maintain quality control of products and services.
• In-house Outsourcing - In-house outsourcing can give you control over the talent you hire, but it is also time-consuming and costly to set up your own entity in a different country. Overlooking key aspects of labour law and tax compliance, will result in costly legal and financial complications.
• Employer of Record - This is the ideal solution for start-ups and small to medium businesses that are seeking to grow and scale cost-effectively. Going for an Employer of Record solution is an easy market entry to hiring great talents. A credible EOR provider can typically onboard your team in 5 to 20 business days at cost-effective rates and ensure that you are compliant with local labour laws. Your EOR provider will insulate your business from regulatory liabilities and the hassle of setting up your own in unfamiliar countries.

What are the next steps you should take?

As employers, it’s important to be aware of your responsibilities in hiring international remote workers in the Philippines.  You will need to provide employment contracts, proper compensation and work benefits in compliance with Philippine labour laws. 

Partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR) will ensure that your business is compliant and that the best talent is hired for your team. An EOR can handle the necessary HR-centred administrative tasks so that you can focus your time and attention on your business. Using EOR services allows you to build a remote team that is a direct extension of your existing staff, without the hassle of creating an entity or ceding control over your business processes.

Outsourcing in the Philippines is a great strategy that you can utilise for your business especially as you start to grow and scale. The Philippines is one of the leading outsourcing industries in the world, providing highly qualified workers at affordable rates. 

We’ve created the ultimate guide for everything you need to know about outsourcing and partnering with an Employer of Record. This will guide you in the steps you need to take as you build a team of remote employees based in the Philippines. Download our ebook for more information. 

Perhaps you’ve been contracting freelancers for different areas in your business, but is it really a sustainable option in the long term?

As the “gig economy” continues to rise, more workers are veering off the path of traditional employment in favour of freelance work, either out of choice or out of economic necessity. This has impacted the talent acquisition and retention process for many businesses, and it has only magnified the issues inherently found in freelancing.

Its growing popularity raises concerns about the insecurity and instability associated with freelance work. McKinsey reports that many of the jobs created on online work platforms such as Upwork, which promotes and encourages freelance work, do not add up to a sustainable living income. 

Worker benefits and policy provisions also need to be improved when it comes to freelancers. And so the flexibility that freelancing provides to workers can equate to volatility from the employer’s perspective.

While these issues may not directly impact business owners, they can be cause for concern when considering the long-term retention of employees as well as the growth and scalability of an organisation. It’s time to take an in-depth look at freelancing versus international remote employees, and why the latter might be the better option for businesses.

What’s the difference between freelancers and international remote employees?

At the surface level, freelance work and international remote employment have similar characteristics: They provide workers autonomy and flexibility over their schedules while giving them the opportunity to take on projects or employment from outside their home country.

However, that is where their similarities end. At its core, freelance work and international remote employment are different from each other. Freelance work enables individuals to take on different clients from multiple companies, which means that freelancers need to allot resources to market their services, manage their own schedules and send invoices.

International remote employment enables individuals to work full-time for a particular organisation or employer. International remote employees enjoy the same job benefits and security as their local counterparts, such as tax withholdings, social security contributions and paid leaves.

Keeping these distinctions in mind will help you clearly assess the viability of contracting freelancers or hiring international remote workers.

Understanding the pros and cons of freelancing

Freelancing is rising in popularity, but it’s important to understand why. According to the Financial Times, even though satisfied freelancers and younger workers view freelancing as a more stable option than a full-time job because of its potential for diversified clients and income streams, 40% of freelancers would still prefer to have a full-time job.

The reason so many freelancers leave their full-time jobs and go into freelance work is because of their working conditions, including:

• Job dissatisfaction
• Poor mental health
• Poor pay
• Unethical leadership

Improving these working conditions, or finding an organisation that offers a healthy workplace, could change the trend toward freelancing. In particular, if your business is geared towards sustainable growth featuring trustworthy and regular staff members, then freelancers may not be the best option for you.

Freelancing also involves numerous legal grey areas and issues that business owners need to be aware of.

Misclassifying employees as freelancers can negatively impact workers, business owners and even society at large. Proper classification will identify the responsibilities of both the worker and the hiring party. 

For example, freelancers are typically not covered by basic labour standards and laws, depending on your country and government. Freelancers are also responsible for paying their own taxes and contributions both as an employer and an employee. As such, their actions and business decisions impact their opportunities for profit or loss. 

On the other hand, employees are protected by labour laws and regulations and are managed by their employers. This includes the employee’s scope of tasks, how and when they accomplish their work and the rate of pay. 

Misclassifying employees as freelancers or contractors can have legal ramifications. Workers can miss out on important benefits such as health insurance and paid leaves while businesses might incur fines, penalties or even lawsuits for wrongful classification. Even local and national governments are negatively affected by worker misclassification as it results in a loss of funding for social insurance systems in the country.

It’s also important for you to clearly establish payment terms with freelancers to avoid legal disputes. You need to consider the rate of pay, invoicing process and whether or not the freelancer is registered for taxes.

This can make it more challenging for you to hire freelancers regularly, especially once your business starts growing and will need full-time employees to effectively carry out daily tasks. 

Consider where the future of the workplace is headed: Remote work

Remote work is a solution that can provide employers with the best of both worlds: It enables them to provide the flexibility that many workers now demand while allowing them to hire top talent for full-time positions in their organisation.

Working from home (or from anywhere) can positively impact three key parties:

• Individuals - Remote work allows employees to live anywhere while being able to access great career opportunities. It also allows people a better quality of life as they create a work schedule that suits their needs while removing the stress of daily commutes to a physical office location. 
• Organisations - Because many remote workers are happier and more satisfied with their work arrangements, it increases the likelihood of boosting their productivity and performance. This positively impacts the growth and development of businesses while allowing them to cut overhead costs.
• Societies - Work-from-anywhere models can potentially reverse the brain drain that impacts emerging markets, small towns and rural communities. Remote work can also help the environment as more people cut down on their commutes since cars generate a lot of emissions.

It’s also crucial to be aware of the potential challenges of the work-from-anywhere model so that you can effectively address them:

• Communication and problem-solving - It can be challenging to set synchronised meetings or even social interactions when employees are located all over the world. It’s crucial for organisations to adapt to asynchronous communication, whether that involves using a Slack channel, a customised intracompany portal or collaborative tools such as Google Workspace.
• Socialisation and mentorship - Remote work can be isolating if employers are not proactive in creating a dynamic and thriving work environment for their remote workers. It’s crucial to establish social interactions, even if it’s virtual. This can include virtual “water coolers” where employees can chat casually, or even scheduled team-building sessions.
• Data security and regulation - Because remote work is done digitally, employers must be vigilant about securing, distributing and storing sensitive information amongst remote workers. Creating guidelines about information security and setting up a centralised platform can mitigate any potential data issues.

Why international remote employees are the most cost-effective option for growing your business

We’ve talked about the benefits of remote work, but it’s also important to stress the benefits of hiring international remote employees, in particular. It is financially beneficial to both employers and employees. 

Labour can be much more affordable in different countries, such as the Philippines, whilst allowing employers to hire quality employees. According to the Outsource Accelerator, the average monthly salary in the Philippines as of August 2020 is PHP 15,000, or USD 308. 

By finding employees that work in different time zones, you can have workers active throughout the hours of the day. Having an international remote workforce can also boost your company’s presence in the foreign market while providing you with a more international perspective.

Why you need an Employer of Record to manage remote workers

It can be challenging to handle the HR and administrative aspects of managing international remote employees. Payroll management can be a nightmare to deal with if you don’t have the proper systems and solutions in place. For example, contracting 50 freelancers will mean receiving 50 different invoices, manually computing their fees manually and conducting 50 separate transfers. This increases the risk of miscomputation, pay disputes and delays in transfer. This HR-centred workload also keeps you from business areas that need your attention. This isn’t even considering the minimum wages, tax requirements and labour standards that you need to familiarise yourself with, in order to provide proper compensation for employees. This is why it’s crucial for businesses to partner with an Employer of Record

International businesses must also be compliant when it comes to conducting business in other countries. In particular, investor-back companies cannot illegally hire employees, they must either build an entity in the country, lose operational control over traditional business process outsourcing centres or partner with an Employer of Record.  

There is no doubt that freelancing has numerous benefits, especially when you’re just starting out your business. But as you continue scaling and growing, it’s crucial to build a team of employees for the long-term development of your organisation. Partnering with an Employer of Record will ensure that you’re not only compliant with your international remote employees, but also that you have effective HR processes and a strong company culture in place.

Are you tired of managing freelancers by going it alone? Check out our services or book a call with us and we’ll make sure that you have a team of highly qualified and accountable employees at a fraction of the cost.

The world is becoming increasingly connected, and even more so after the world has opened up again. Not too long ago, a person had to travel to work each day to an office where they'd work eight hours, five days a week, and call it 'life.' These days, many of us have been given the opportunity continue working remotely even after the necessity of it during the pandemic.

This leads to a lot of advantages for personal wellbeing, like having more time and flexibility in to choose how and when to work. But another advantage to remote working that is often less talked about, but equally important, is the positive environmental impact due to reduced carbon footprint.

Less commute means fewer emissions from traveling

According to a recent study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the transportation sector accounts for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the United States alone, making it the largest contributor to GHG emissions. Reducing carbon footprint by reducing commute means less consumption of fossil fuels which will result in lesser greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.

Traveling to work every day translates into a whole lot of time and fuel. The environmental impact is significant as well. When you consider that one gallon of gas could produce 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, driving less certainly has a positive impact on the environment at a larger scale. When employees work remotely, they don't have to commute to their office every day. This means less traffic congestion, fewer carbon emissions, and less pollution caused by car exhausts. This Research from Spain's Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals suggests significant impact on air quality.

Less office time means less power consumption

Even though the remote work trend is growing substantially, offices are still very much operational. Considering how much energy is used by offices collectively, the significant decrease in power consumption through working outside of the office has also it’s positive effects on the environment. Some studies show that energy consumption increased or remained neutral when taking into account the increase of energy use at home. Despite this, we cannot we cannot deny the fact that indeed less office time significantly means less power consumption.

The key to reducing carbon footprint, or the number of greenhouse gases that you contribute to the environment, is to use less power. This requires a careful evaluation of how much energy you use in your daily life. The idea of remote work is that it saves companies money by not having employees in office buildings (thereby having the AC or heating on) all day. Cutting down on consumption reduces carbon footprint in general. 

Less use of plastic and paper

Although not always, working remotely means using less paper. With the use of cloud-based softwares and real-time communication tools, documentation when working requires less to no printed materials. Plastic use through dining out and packaging is also used less when working from the comforts of your own home. Regardless of where you work, there's no doubt that a remote job can be a greener choice than the ususal office job.

“The body of research on the subject shows that it is too simple to assume that teleworking is inevitably a more sustainable option. Unless workers and employers fully commit to the working-from-home model, many of the potential energy savings could be lost," Benjamin K Sovacool, Professor of Energy Policy at the Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex said.

Positively impact the environment by working from Home

One of the most effective ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your business is to adopt a greener version of the work setup. In fact, many studies show that remote work is one of the best ways to achieve an eco-friendly business status which don’t only help the environment but also improves the image of your company. With a sustainable, fully remote working environment, you can be proud of positively contributing to a greener environment.

How can you implement a fully-remote work setup, manage people across borders, and pay them without any hassle? We take care of all of that for you through our Employer of Record (EOR) services. At Remotify, we offer services that take the administrative load off from you, including HR administration, payroll management, and team engagement to help you manage your remote team and allow you to focus on your business. Contact us at hello@remotify.phto get started.

According to an annual study by the ADP Research Institute, 64% of 32,000 surveyed global employees say they would consider looking for a new job and quit if they were required to return to the office full time. This means a 64% chance of losing talent, and looming additional costs for hiring and onboarding new applicants to replace your previous employees. 

To avoid this from happening, companies need to understand where their employees are coming from and make a concrete solution to address this. In this article, we will discuss the main reasons why a lot of employees say they prefer quitting instead of giving up working from home.

The deeper significance of Remote Work

Remote work is becoming a staple and for a good reason. The flexible schedule and freedom to work wherever you want are obvious benefits, but more and more studies reveal a new prioritization among employees going far beyond salary and a few perks: an alignment with personal values, job security, well-being, and flexibility to name a few.

Remote work has many positive effects on both employees and companies. According to a study by Stanford University, remote workers have higher job satisfaction, are more productive, and have less turnover than their in-office counterparts.

The ability to work remotely allows employees to have more control over their lives and schedules. Not only can they choose their hours, but they can also choose where they want to work — whether it be a coffee shop or home office — which can lead them to be happier with their jobs overall.

There are multiple reasons why employees are generally more satisfied with this setup:

1. Time Freedom and Flexibility

The most obvious factor why people lean toward working remotely is having more control over their schedule and environment. With more flexibility and time freedom, the setup is conducive to bringing out maximum productivity, and reduces opportunities for burnout, having more time for activities that are more personal, leading to feelings of personal satisfaction and fulfillment.

2. An Increased Feeling of Autonomy.

They are not tied down by hours or office space, so if something comes up that prevents them from working at a certain time then they can simply reschedule it for another time when they're able to focus better. In addition, remote workers don't have as much pressure from coworkers because they aren't constantly surrounded by people at all times of the day.

3. Becoming More Productive…and Happy!

Many studies link productivity and happiness. Being productive leads to happiness and happiness leads to more productivity. With both going hand in hand in remote work, this provides a deeper meaning why employees are motivated to keep working towards productivity and ultimately find personal fulfillment and happiness in the process.

A study by Stanford University found that employees who worked remotely were more productive than those who worked in an office setting. They found that people who worked from home were 47% more productive than those who worked from an office.

A study by Gallup found that telecommuters were 3x more likely to be engaged at work compared to those who worked on-site. This means that they’re more productive and focused on the tasks at hand. They also have higher job satisfaction levels because they don’t have to deal with long commutes or noisy open floor plans.

Switching to a Remote-First Company 

Having read the paradigm shift toward remote working, it’s needless to say that going in this direction is necessary for staying competitive in the transforming landscape of today’s workplace. 

However, switching to becoming a remote-first company is not a miracle solution to solve all the looming attrition problems immediately. There will still be challenges that come with shifting to and operating a remote-first company such as managing teams spread across different time zones, building and keeping trust, and supporting employees who may struggle with isolation or loneliness. If you are considering switching to becoming a remote-first company and increasing your competitiveness, here are a few tips to ensure success:

1. Establish clear ways to communicate

Set clear expectations for communication and productivity throughout your company so that nobody feels left out of the loop or as though they're not doing enough work (or too much work). Because your employees might be in different time zones, it is also important to set a specific time overlapping their schedules to ensure everyone still have time to communicate with each other in real-time.

2. Equip your team with the right tools

The number one productivity killer is a distraction. Make sure your team has the necessary equipment — from headphones and noise-canceling machines to personal computers and a quiet, dedicated place to work — and set your expectations for what will be tolerated (and what won't). 

If you have remote employees in the Philippines and need help in sending them the tools and equipment they need, we offer procurement as an additional service for our EOR clients.

3. Choose the right people. 

In any successful undertaking, whether onsite or online, having clearly defined job descriptions and expectations sets the tone for success. Providing your employees the necessary information about the role will help them adequately prepare no matter how new or experienced they are. When evaluating candidates, look at their previous experience, skillset, and attitude toward communication rather than just their technical knowledge. If you are having trouble finding the right candidate, Remotify can help you hire remote employees befitting the job description.

4. Create a culture of trust

You don't need to be a large company or have a big budget to create your own remote work culture.

The key is to make sure your employees know they're trusted. You want them to feel comfortable being honest when they need help, or if they have an idea that might not be popular at first glance. 

Be transparent about your process. If you're working on something, let people know what's going on and how it will affect them. Give them time to prepare for changes, especially if they'll be affected by them.

You also want them to know that their ideas and opinions matter. You'll get better results if you solicit feedback from everyone on your team regularly — at least once per week — rather than just asking for it when you need it most (like before an important meeting).

Employer of Record Solutions

Employees being forced to go back to the office are looking to quit. This doesn't have to be the narrative for your company. Switching to becoming remote-first and maintaining a healthy work-life balance for your team is not out of reach.

With Remotify as your Employer of Record (EOR), you can become remote-first without having to go through the lengthy process of registering as a business entity in the Philippines. In a matter of days, you can start employing remotely and be legally compliant. You can say goodbye to bleeding out talent and missing out on all the benefits remote-first companies enjoy.

By providing your employees not only with a remote working environment but also an extra layer of job security, you will likely see an increase in employee attraction and retention rate. 

Our Employer of Record services includes HR admin services, payroll management, and team engagement for your remote team. This means you won’t have to worry about legal compliance, HR paperwork, contracts, payroll computation, payroll disbursement, and many other administrative complexities. To learn more about our services, check out our website or contact us at hello@remotify.ph.

Remote work has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Whether you want to travel the world, work from home, or start your own business, remote work gives you the freedom to do so. But running remote-first companies isn't as easy as it sounds. You need to be constantly on top of things to maintain optimal productivity. You need skilled and trustworthy people to work with, the proper technology, and project management skills to succeed.

Running a business is about more than just having great employees. It’s about having the right employees in place and knowing how to manage them well. Since remote teams are unique, here are five crucial skills you need to run an all-remote business:

1. Communication within remote-first companies

The most important skill you will need when running an all-remote business is communicating effectively. You can't pop over to someone's desk to ask your employees something or chat about what you're working on. You also won't find yourself having conversations in the lunchroom or meetings where collaboration comes naturally. This means that you need to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely in writing and conferences.

Effective communication over email, phone, and video conferencing can make a huge difference in your productivity and efficiency. It would also help to use a single communication platform for your entire remote team to avoid missed announcements and chances to raise opinions.

2. Time management

It can be easy to get distracted or start working at odd hours when you work remotely. To run successful remote-first companies, you need to have good time management skills so that your employees don’t waste time on unproductive tasks.

Time management is essential in any business, even more so if running remote-first companies. As a remote business owner, you need to be very conscious of time because it directly affects your bottom line. The leading reason companies go remote is to cut down on costs, and one way of reducing costs is by using time optimally without wasting even a single second of employee time. 

3. Organizing and managing remote teams effectively

Remote businesses need to have an organized system to manage their operations and employees. It can be challenging to keep track of everything when you don’t have a physical office where everyone can catch up quickly. When managing remote teams, you'll need to learn to harness the same tools and techniques you use for yourself to help others stay organized, too.

Translated to a remote work setting, this means being organized in terms of which software and tools to use for different business purposes. It also means managing the way files and documents are organized. When teammates can find files and notes quickly and easily, they'll be able to do their work more efficiently, helping you to manage them in the long run.

Working remotely often means working from home, where endless distractions can detract from your productivity. Being organized physically also helps minimize distractions to concentrate fully on the job at hand. When your physical workspace is tidy and organized, it's easier for your mind to be clear and focused on managing your remote teams.

4. Productivity while working from home

One of the essential skills you need to have as a remote business owner is managing and tracking your productivity. Being productive means getting things done within the agreed time frame. You will be working from home, and if you are not productive, your remote-first companies will most likely not meet their goals.

Although there may be various things at home that may distract you from working and managing your team, there are still ways to improve productivity. For example, you and your team can use goal-tracking applications where everyone can co-work, collaborate, and keep track of their tasks. Here is an article for remote work cultures that you can apply to your team.

5. Problem-solving

Managing remote teams is no easy feat. It takes a special kind of management skill to ensure that everyone stays on track. One of the most challenging aspects of managing remote teams is identifying and addressing potential problems before they happen or get out of hand.

To run an all-remote business, you need to be able to spot potential barriers in your systems, processes, or projects. You also need to know how to address them before they become a problem.

6. Leadership

When running an all-remote business, it's easy for teams to feel disconnected and even disconnected from the company. Your success as a remote business owner depends on your ability to lead effectively. Without strong leadership skills — or access to leaders — your business will struggle to grow.

You might be thinking, “I’m not a leader. I’m just an entrepreneur!” But building remote-first companies requires you to take charge and lead the way. It doesn’t matter how many employees you have or how large your organization is: Your people are looking to you for direction. You must have the skills to guide them.

EOR services can make remote work easier

Running remote-first companies can come with unique challenges. However, with some planning, preparation, and the crucial skills we mentioned above, you can significantly reduce the risk and increase your potential for success. It’s good also to have flexibility, give your team some room to grow, and not get trapped into running your company in an overly formal or traditional way.

If you find yourself having difficulties juggling your time over your business functions and employee management tasks, Remotify can help. We will act as your employer on record (EOR) in the Philippines to let you hire and manage your Filipino employees legally without building an entity. Our EOR services include HR administration, payroll management, and team engagement when managing your remote teams. This way, you can free yourself up and spend more time growing your business.

To know more about our services, you can check out this page or schedule a call with us.