Young adults leaving town to search for a career in the city is now a thing of the past thanks to technology and work-from-home arrangements by most Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) companies to stay safe from the pandemic.
Although 50% of BPO employees are working onsite in some locations, the lowest risk for COVID-19 transmission would still be working from home. This major shift in working conditions definitely has its pros and cons for both employers and employees and some of these include:
The Cons: Unemployment
Most employers had the realization that they only need to keep a few employees given the decline of client work from different locations because of stay-at-home orders. Technology has also well determined who among the workers are really needed.
The Cons: Distractions
Every employee working from home whether in the city or in rural areas face a similar challenge: distractions that keep you from accomplishing the task. In an office, distractions are lessened because of office policies and guidelines set in place, but at home, there would be less supervision, which invites more potential distractions. These distractions could be internal such as dozing off in the silence of your own room or external like say, roosters crowing in the middle of the meeting or your neighbor’s dogs.
No workplace whether in the office or at home is totally perfect and it’s a matter of managing these distractions and creating the discipline and drive for productivity yourself. We are thankful though that despite some challenges, good things do come out of it such as these:
The Pros: Safety
Saved from getting infected and from long hours of commute for those working far from their offices is definitely something to be grateful for. Being close to the family while working from home is also a gift that many parents have come to treasure. Seeing their kids grow up while maintaining their careers is priceless.
The Pros: Easier Global Expansion
Apart from safety, working remotely has allowed businesses to operate overseas even without setting up a physical office in different locations which allows them to operate on a global scale.
Work-from-home Continuity: Having the Right Mindset and Approach
The question of when the work-from-home arrangements would last is uncertain, and we have to look behind the pros and cons and build the right mindset and approach to thrive in a work-from-home setting.
Work-from-home Spreads Out Your Business In Different Places.
The idea of work-from-home being an easier global expansion approach will be successful when we consider employing BPO staff in rural areas, so business efforts are not concentrated in only one city. Supporting employees with the right resources such as providing computer units or tech allowances for WiFi connectivity is something that would empower employees to continue to be productive in their work-from-home setting.
High-value Tasks Can Be Outsourced.
There is a growing industry called Knowledge Processing Outsourcing (KPO) that involves high value tasks such as generating information in a more precise and targeted approach such as data analytics, market research and valuation and CAD drafting which requires advanced knowledge and in-depth experience. There is also a high retention rate among outsourced staff that perform high-value tasks since it takes them out of the routine work and stretches their minds and be able to use their forte.
Meet and Mentor Regularly.
Businesses thrive when individual workers thrive in their work and a way to achieve this is to communicate regularly and set guidelines and encouragement to improve continually. Most BPO companies set up a reward system for their employees which is a great move, but not everyone speaks the language. Explore opportunities to grow your team such as mentorships and promotions.
Expand your business by growing your team. Outsource from BPO and KPO companies that know their niche. Contact Cadsourcing for outsourced CAD specialists and take on bigger projects.