These days, more and more companies are entrusting their processes to offshore providers. But outsourcing is not limited to call services anymore; different fields like public relations, human resources, administration, and even creative processing have already begun to capitalize on this trend.But to whom should you outsource these projects? Remember that these processes are vital to your company; they require certain talent, and you can’t afford to trust the wrong people. Take a look at how Asians work, and find out why outsourcing to Asia just might be your best bet:
1. Asian outsourcing companies value learning best
You’ve probably seen the meme of the Asian tiger dad chastising his child for not getting an A+. We tend to feel sorry for the kids, since, well, nobody loves tiger parenting (and excessive studying). However, according to a Time article, it has to do with their communities placing a high premium on education.
Alice Park explained the culture of education in her article: “Among the more than 5200 Asian-American and white students from two large datasets that followed them from kindergarten into high school, Asian-American students were able to take advantage of social support systems that helped to translate their effort into success.”
Of course, it’s a given that higher education translates to better individual success, and in turn, a more competent workforce. A company composed of employees who value learning means investment in things like training, mentoring, and coaching will certainly be maximized. Look for a business process outsourcing company that allows you to reduce costs without compromising competence.
2. Asian company leadership styles focus on efficiency and results
Research paints a rather well-defined picture of the Asian workplace in action. Most workplaces in Asia have more consistent results that are free of errors, mainly because of consultation and feedback from up in the hierarchy. Asian leaders tend to connect all members by making sure that no good idea goes to waste; following this style, either all of them succeed, or all of them learn from the experience. Western countries tend to work faster and have some level of independence when they call the shots, so companies in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry may prefer them as providers. Just be careful about missed objectives from providers. After all, it has been established time and again that it’s unlikely to have both high speed and high quality.
As for employees and monetary growth, Asia focuses on ROI as much its Western counterparts. The west end of the spectrum prefers to exceed promises from the first few meetings; the “how” is decided upon a little later. On the other hand, Asians meticulously plan how to get to their goals before they promise results. Asians only set goals that are realistically deliverable, which may come off as too blunt or uninnovative for clients. In truth, they do not want to let bad work and unfulfilled goals reflect on them.
Photo from Inquirer.net
A boon also comes in the form of how they integrate life with work. Japanese companies, for example, consider their coworkers as a second family, especially since they are collectivist in nature. They tend to hold small rituals such as the hanami (cherry blossoms) and nomikai (drinking party) with co-workers, as they are considered their second family.
In the Philippines, coworkers are usually invited to significant family milestones in life, like child baptism, Catholic confirmations, and birthdays. This highlights that the bonds they make transcend colleagueship. Healthy collectivism is one of the main values espoused by Asian companies.
3. Asian companies believe in the value of good work
In a recent study by the Pew Research Center, it was revealed that Asian-Americans put a lot of faith in hard work. US Asians trust that experience and time will eventually lead to success (69%) compared to the general public (58%). This probably has something to do with their perspective and culture that in order to reach something, one must never stop practicing until they’ve mastered it. It’s a small motivation, but at least it promises an end goal.
Asians have a different work ethic from other providers, especially in goal-setting and leadership styles. The collectivist nature of this region comes with pros and cons. In the end, you’ll still have to choose a provider that is aligned with your business goals, objectives, and work styles for a harmonious working relationship.
If you’re still curious about how outsourcing works and how it can help you, read more on our blog.
If you want to spend your time wisely and maximize the potential of your resources, then creative process outsourcing is the way to go. With very little to risk, now is the best time to start hiring a CPO partner that can ignite the big idea to boost your brand. Click the image below to get started and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation call with us.
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