Work from home vs an office based business model in the Philippines

Whether you are a new start-up or an established business, it’s likely you have considered the benefits of a work from home business model compared to an office based model. Some of you might have simply discarded one of these models out of hand, but there are lots of positives to both models.

Start-ups for example, often veer towards a home based business model simply because they have a very tight budget. More established companies however, tend towards an office based model, often because they employ such a large number of staff. The decision isn’t black and white, because each type of business can benefit from elements of both models.

Often called remote workers, working from home can be a huge plus to many people for a variety of very good reasons. Other people flourish in a structured work environment and would never consider working from home. As far as your business is concerned, there are distinct benefits from each model, but how far you move towards one model or the other, often depends on your budget and goals. 

Benefits of a home based business model

A home based business model means your employees do not work from a central location or your business premises, rather they work from their own home office.

The benefits of this business model are, undoubtedly, the costs savings involved in not having to provide a place of work for your staff. You also don’t need a recruitment drive and you don’t need to induct them into your business or provide ongoing training. For example, you might hire an accountant, tax specialist, bookkeeper, and sales staff – all working from their own home offices.

A home based business model is ideal for sole traders who need to supplement their skill base with a few Philippine based specialists or even a small team of up to 10 people working together remotely. It’s also ideal for companies with a small budget, because remote workers are happy to accept a smaller salary, given the benefits of working from home. It’s also a more environmentally friendly business model, because no-one needs to commute to work.

Remote working is perfect for skilled people who can’t face another day in the busy Manila traffic, travelling up to four hours a day to work (they can use this time more productively working remotely for your company). Remote workers are also happy people!

Benefits of an office based business model

An office based model is much better for larger teams where you might have up to 100 staff or where you need to maintain your ISO Certified IT & Quality Standards. It’s also encourages team collaboration and productivity, although these can also be achieved by a home based model.

Another big benefit is that you can provide state-of-the-art facilities and resources to your in-house employees, as well as advanced IT equipment. You also have access to conference rooms, high speed internet and an on-site support team. Data security is also high when everyone is behind a solid firewall. 

Whichever side of the equation you stand, it’s a good idea to remember that using remote workers can massively increase your company’s flexibility to adapt to fluctuating market conditions.

For more information on hiring remote workers in the Philippines, contact Outsourced today.