The Philippines has become one of the largest suppliers of skilled outsourced workers for global companies, particularly those in the United States. There are several key factors that make Filipino professionals highly suitable for outsourcing roles.
English Proficiency and Education Levels
Almost all Filipinos aged 15 and over are literate, and over 80% are proficient in English. This allows Filipinos to effectively communicate and take on jobs that require writing, speaking and understanding spoken English.
For example, many Filipinos work in customer support centers for companies like Apple, Google and PayPal, handling English-speaking customers from the U.S. and other countries.
The Philippine educational system produces millions of college graduates each year, providing a pool of well-educated talent for outsourcing roles. Universities align their curriculums with the needs of outsourcing companies to produce job-ready professionals.
Workforce Skills and Training
Filipino education emphasizes developing workforce skills at an early age. Critical thinking, time management, communication and teamwork skills are focused on throughout the educational system.
For instance, Accenture and Convergys have established training centers in the Philippines to develop a local talent base for their high-volume outsourcing processes like data entry, technical support, back-office operations, etc.
Cost Efficiency
Filipino professionals command relatively lower pay than counterparts in developed countries but remain highly productive. Cost savings of up to 60% have been reported for functions outsourced to the Philippines. This cost efficiency, coupled with reliability, has made the Philippines an attractive option for outsourcing various business functions.
Cultural Traits Valued by Employers
Filipinos are known for being hardworking, humble, patient and having a strong service orientation. Traits like these, together with high adaptability, form the cultural foundation for developing talent suited for outsourcing roles. Filipinos gain reputations for being easy to train, manage and get along with.
For instance, major BPO companies like Teleperformance and Concentrix cite the “hospitable and friendly” nature of Filipino workers as a key reason for establishing outsourcing operations in the Philippines.
Rocky Chan is a lawyer and business consultant who excels in corporate formation, immigration procedures, and client relations. In the last 7 years, he honed his craft in the field of foreign investment consultancy.
