At some point, every successful business has to think about expanding its workforce to focus on core parts rather than grinding admin work. As a business owner, you can outsource new and existing operational tasks, and then simply handle some of the admin work you no longer have time to do.

However hiring a full-time employee as an assistant can be costly, which is one reason why hiring a virtual assistant has become so popular. It saves businesses up to 78% of operational costs every month. This blog post will guide you about building an offshore team in the Philippines, how you can save on additional taxes, and more.

Where to Hire Virtual Assistants From the Philippines

Hiring virtual assistants to outsource tasks is common in the Philippines. One of the most straightforward ways to do it is through one of the virtual outsourcing platforms that are particularly focused on providing virtual assistants. 

OnlineJobs.ph

OnlineJobs.ph is a simple option, to begin with the process of hiring a virtual assistant in the Philippines. OnlineJobs.ph is just like a normal job board but it specifically targets VAs in the Philippines. 

Using this platform you can browse potential hires who’ve created profiles on the site, and you can also post a hiring Ad. Once the job is posted, candidates will start applying for the job and you can get in touch with applicants via email, interview them, and make the hire yourself.

This platform gives you more control than some other platforms. You can contact the Philippines virtual assistant directly to arrange details like working hours, benefits, and salary. You pay OnlineJobs a fee for premium access and they don’t take a cut of worker salaries like other freelancing platforms and virtual staffing companies.

Note: If you need a VA for your business or personal needs and you want to keep some control over the hiring process yourself, that’s an excellent platform. But if you want to get a VA without managing the process, other options might be preferable.

Virtual Staff Finder

Virtual Staff Finder is an outsourcing company that provides virtual assistants in multiple industries for businesses. You sign up for their plans, tell their team your requirements and they vet the three best candidates that meet your needs and budget. 

Virtual Staff Finder charges a $595 one-off fee. Once you hire one, you pay your VA directly in the Philippines.  Virtual Staff Finder offers VA only in eight categories. Therefore, if you are looking for expert VAs in diverse categories then it’s not a preferable option.

WorkStaff360 

WorkStaff360 is a BBB-accredited virtual staffing company based in Toronto, Canada. Unlike other virtual staffing companies, WorkStaff360 offers experienced and professional VAs in more than thirty categories. They have 17000 expertly vetted candidates in the healthcare, e-commerce, automotive, real estate, and many more. 

You just need to visit their site, talk to their team, and tell them your budget and business requirements. They will get back to you with the six best and most experienced candidates for you, you can interview them and select the one to work with you. 

Once the selection is complete, you have to choose a pricing plan that suits your needs and that’s it.

Their general and admin VA’s pricing starts from $170/week for part-time and $299/week for full-time VA. Hire a Bookkeeping Assistant in the USA and save up to 80% on payroll with WorkStaff360. Book a call with their team and free up your time without spending more.

Want to explore more options? Check out our Guide for the Top Five Best Outsourcing Companies in the USA.

How to Pay to a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines

One of the biggest problems with offshore outsourcing is the safe, secure, and fast payment method to pay your VAs timely. There are several payment methods with pros and cons for transferring money abroad. The most popular ones are mentioned below:

• PayPal
• Payoneer
• Wise
• Direct Local Bank Transfer

No matter which payment method you use you can save on taxes by paying your VA as a subcontractor rather than a full-time Employee. Here is a complete guide on how you can do it.

At WorkSaff360, we match you with an expert VA and pay them through PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, and direct bank transfer to save you from 78% of additional taxes. Want to know how WorkStaff360 pays VAs? We offer these 4 best methods to pay virtual assistants for USA-based businesses.

Pros and Cons of Building An Offshore Team in Philippine

Building an offshore team in the Philippines can offer numerous advantages and challenges. Here are five pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Cost Efficiency: The Philippines is one of the cheaper places compared to the Western region in terms of labor. Outsourcing here reduces salaries, benefits, and overhead costs for a company.
• Skilled Workforce: The country has a vast supply of educated, English-speaking professionals, especially in certain areas such as customer service, IT services, and business processes. Talent like this can raise the quality of the services being provided.
• Cultural Compatibility: As a historical ally, Filipinos tend to have a good appreciation of Western culture and thus the way of doing business. This would make transactions rather easier to operate and communicate with.
• Scalability: The offshore teams enable quick scaling of operations without any overhead costs associated with employing full-time, local staff. This would allow flexibility in building a workforce according to the demands at hand.
• Access to New Markets: Once considered being present in the Philippines, access to other Asian markets is possible, and therefore can expand and be closer to customers.

Cons

• Communication Barriers: If there’s proficiency in English, the accent, idioms, and cultural variations may cause errors and confusion between teams.
• Time Zone Differences: Coordination across time zones poses a difficulty in scheduling meeting times and being aligned to project timelines, resulting in delays.
• Management Challenges: Managing an offshore team requires strong communication strategies and oversight. The lack of physical presence makes monitoring performance and ensuring quality control challenging.
• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Companies must navigate the labor laws and regulations in the Philippines, which can be complex. Non-compliance may lead to fines or legal issues.
• Security Threats: The outsourced functions pose risks to the security of the businesses’ data. It’s essential that the business takes measures to secure all its personal information

Bottom Line:

Hiring a virtual assistant in the Philippines is beneficial for businesses operating in countries like the USA, UK, AUS, New Zealand, and any other country with an expensive labor force. Business owners can save up to 80% on payroll costs and spend that revenue on high-impact activities such as marketing to expand their business. If you are looking for an expert, pre-trained VA in any industry you can book a free consultation call and hire one within your budget.