Outsourcing in the Philippines: Full-time, Part-time, or Freelance?

Among many things you should consider when outsourcing in the Philippines is your contractors’ work set-up. Usually, you can choose between these three: full-time, part-time, or freelance.

Though they seem self-explanatory, these BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) categories are pretty nuanced when looked at closely.

In this article, we’ll help you understand what sets the three different outsourcing types apart. We hope that by the end, you’ll be well-equipped with the knowledge needed to find the best BPO for your brand.

Hiring a full-time team
Many business operations require constant attention and regular assessments- from web development and eCommerce management to customer care and logistics supervision.

Other tasks also demand experts dedicated to their assignments. This means having specific employees spearheading crucial operations because they’re the best at those particular jobs.

For those responsibilities, you’ll need a staff that’s all hands on deck and focused 24/7. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you hire a single team working multiple shifts.

A full-time staff refers to numerous teams alternating timeslots. This helps ensure that there’s no gap in production- that all bases are covered. Because of the level of dedication and expertise expected from them, hiring full-time employees cost a great deal more than other workers.

Many BPOs in the Philippines offer full-time coverage but with considerably lower labor costs. Because of its vast availability of skilled and educated workers, the Philippines has plenty of agencies providing uninterrupted quality service.

In fact, many Filipino BPO employees are used to shift changes, particularly those who work with foreign companies based in a wholly different timezone. The adaptability of Filipino employees is one of the qualities that inspire businesses to partner with Philippine BPOs.

Going the Freelance Route

At the other end of the employment, spectrum is hiring freelancers. Freelancers usually take on roles that need minimal supervision which include (but are not limited to) data entry, translation, or content creation.

Compared to hiring a full-time staff, employing freelancers is notably more budget-friendly. Usually, freelancers work only a fraction of a shift- during which they are compensated per output, engagement, or hour.

Depending on your terms of agreement with them, freelancers are usually not required to be at your beck and call. Because of the flexible nature of their work, freelancers usually have hectic and unpredictable schedule.

In the last few years, the amount of freelancers has skyrocketed both in the Philippines and outside it. And because companies are always looking for independent yet reliable employees, freelancers virtually do not run out of job opportunities.

With the advent of work-from-home careers, more and more Filipinos are shifting to freelancing jobs. With this comes a surge of freelancers seeking to improve and expand their skills, which of course is beneficial to their potential employers.

Partnering with Part-timers
Another employment setup available for businesses is hiring part-time employees. Part-timers usually offer supplemental operational support, especially for timeslots or campaign durations that need an extra hand.

A part-time employee is similar to a freelancer by virtue of schedule flexibility. But part-timers also share similarities with full-time workers in that they are also hired to take on demanding and time-consuming roles. However, part-timers are required to render fewer hours that full-time employees.

Part-time workers usually cost less than full-time employees. Many part-time staff also offer services for a more affordable price than freelancers, depending on the responsibilities they’re assigned.

A lot of Filipino BPOs offer part-time employee leasing, which provides companies with staff that could help them during peak seasons. For example, a brand expecting many calls during a set period of time would benefit from hiring part-time staff to make sure all queries are attended to.

What to choose, what to choose
All three employment options offer differing pros and cons. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with the task to pick what’s best for your business.

The thing is, you don’t need to choose just one! Philippine BPOs offer standout versatility that you can virtually mix-and-match the employment setup that works for you.

Think of the employment setups as complementary to each other.

For example, you can hire full-time team members for critical duties then offload simpler tasks to part-timers or freelancers. You can also hire part-time and freelance employees to assist your own in-house team, which actually is one of the main reasons businesses choose to outsource in the first place.

The difference in work setups actually serve to benefit employers in such a way that they can optimize shifts and responsibilities to maximize ROI.

Unsure which setup is right for you? Give us a call!

Every business has its particular needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all employment setup- even in brands belonging to one industry niche.

We’ve given you a succinct breakdown on the different outsourcing options available to you. But landing that perfect fit for your brand requires a thorough examination of what your business requires in terms of your employees’ nature of work.

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got some great news. Just reading about your options constitutes your first step.

As for your next ones, you can count on our veteran outsourcing teams at iTworks Global Solutions. We’ve got a wide range of digital services and an awesome roster of skilled team members to boot. Whatever your brand needs, we’re up to the task.

Schedule an appointment now via any of our official channels! We’re more than ready (and capable!) to kickstart your outsourcing journey in the Philippines.