How to Maintain the Job Satisfaction of Your Offshore Employees

Categories: Advice for HR Professionals, Remote Hiring and Virtual Staffing

Job satisfaction or employee satisfaction is a key factor that determines organizational success. When your workers are happy and motivated with their jobs, they perform better at work and stay longer in the company. 

When you have satisfied employees, they are less likely to leave the company and more likely to take pride in their work and accomplishments and feel connected with the team. In fact, companies with high employee satisfaction rates best those with lower employee satisfaction by over 200%

Employee satisfaction is especially vital for companies that offshore some of their functions, as offshore employees face a more challenging work environment in terms of being an extension of a company compared with in-house workers. Hence, offshore employees tend to feel “othered” by the company, leading to lower engagement and job satisfaction. 

Whether you have an in-house human resource team or work with a recruitment agency in the Philippines or elsewhere that manages your offshore employees, you must work to improve employee satisfaction in your organization. 

What Factors Contribute to Job Satisfaction

To help you cultivate a healthy, satisfying work environment for your offshore employees, here’s a rundown of the things that affect their love for their job.

Work-life balance

Depending on the nature of your offshoring business, some offshore talents may feel under more stress than onsite workers. Coupled with the usually odd hours that offshore workers have to work in, employees may be vulnerable to physical and mental burnout. That’s why, regardless of their job role, it’s essential to respect their time and observe a healthy work-life balance through perks, such as offering personal leaves apart from vacation and sick leaves. 

Role clarity

Assigning different responsibilities can affect an employee’s productivity and performance. So make sure to be clear with the role and responsibilities of every offshore employee, including how they contribute to the progress of the in-house department. 

Growth opportunities

No employee, especially younger workers, wants to do the same thing for three years or more. Employees appreciate it when organizations offer learning and career development opportunities. These encourage them to hone their current skills further, gain new skills, and grow professionally as their time with the company progresses. 

Fair compensation

Salary greatly influences employee satisfaction. Employees see fair compensation or increase thereof as a reflection of how their immediate supervisor or company values them. Essentially, a fair salary that equals their monetary value or expectations can contribute significantly to how they feel about their work. 

Recognition

About 79% of employees leave due to a lack of appreciation. A company’s offshore team members want to be acknowledged for their wins. A tiring workday can easily be uplifted with a simple appreciation, making them feel valued and respected for their contributions.

6 Tips to Maintain the Job Satisfaction of Your Offshore Employees

Below are some practical tips on how human resource management can help increase offshore employees’ job satisfaction. 

1. Communication is key

It’s vital to be clear and concise with directives, changes, updates, and other instructions if you want them to do things how they should be done precisely. Otherwise, assuming they already know what to do can lead to bigger problems later on. 

Of course, communication is a two-way process. Actively listen to what your team says and show that they’re being heard. Do ask for their suggestions or recommendations on how to improve your processes. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. 

2. Recognize good work

Acknowledge and reward excellent work right after they happen. Recognizing your employees’ contributions to the company goals and objectives promptly can enhance their confidence in what they do, make them feel more valued, and boost their work satisfaction. While providing a reward is optional, it can certainly sway them more. 

3. Care about employee well-being

When someone in the team is not feeling their best (read: job stress and burnout), talk to them and find ways to give them a little breather until they feel better again. Offer resources that can help not only their physical welfare but also their mental health and overall quality of life. 

4. Offer opportunities for learning

Offshoring Philippines employees, especially the younger ones, yearn for career development and continuous progress. They want to feel that they’re on the path leading to greater heights as they spend years in a company. So, support their growth by offering opportunities for personal and professional development. 

This can be through providing free reading materials, encouraging them to participate in online seminars, or holding monthly leadership lessons headed by the organization’s senior leaders. 

5. Give frequent feedback

Feedback is crucial to every employee’s growth and development. Make sure to provide constructive feedback to your team members to help them improve in certain areas. Also, don’t forget to recognize their excellent work.   

In the same way, employee feedback is important for the organization’s growth. Companies listening to what employees have to say shows that their voice has value. This practice contributes to better job satisfaction in the workplace. 

6. Become a better leader

About 75% of workers quit their jobs because of their bosses or immediate supervisor. Dissatisfied employees who express their perceptions about the organization and how they feel about working for the company but see that they fall on deaf ears are more likely to look for better opportunities. 

Offshore managers and team leaders need to listen to what their team members feel and make adjustments to the processes accordingly when necessary. Ensure to practice empathy and good communication to motivate and engage with the employees in delivering the company’s vision successfully. 

Final Thoughts

There’s only so much employee engagement activities, promotions, and salary increases can do to make employees stay and keep them happy at work. What matters is how you understand and respond to the needs of your employees—striking the right balance between business goals and employee needs. 

If you need assistance with human resources and people management, specifically for your offshore operations, you can reach out to Manila Recruitment. Manila Recruitment provides a top-rated recruitment service, ensuring your business earns a competitive edge in your industry.