How do I build an offshore team in the Philippines?

Most companies begin by partnering with an offshore staffing provider or Employer of Record (EOR) that can manage recruitment, payroll, compliance, onboarding and workforce administration locally.

What is the best way to hire offshore staff in the Philippines?

The appropriate offshore hiring model depends on hiring urgency, operational control, compliance obligations, scalability goals and long-term workforce strategy.

What is the difference between outsourcing and offshore staffing?

Traditional outsourcing generally involves handing work to a third-party provider, while offshore staffing typically involves building a dedicated remote team that is integrated into a company's internal operations and workflows.

How quickly can offshore teams be built?

For support and operational roles, companies can often begin interviewing candidates within days and onboard hires within several weeks, depending on role complexity and onboarding requirements.

Do I need a Philippine entity to hire staff?

Companies can hire employees in the Philippines through an Employer of Record without establishing their own Philippine legal entity.

What are the biggest offshore hiring risks?

Common risks include poor onboarding, weak communication structures, unclear KPIs, compliance issues and lack of operational ownership.

What roles are commonly offshored to the Philippines?

Common offshore roles include customer support, technical support, finance, virtual assistants, software development, digital marketing and operations support.

Is offshore hiring cheaper than local hiring?

In many cases, offshore hiring can reduce recruitment and operational costs while providing access to experienced professionals and scalable workforce infrastructure.

When should a company consider converting a contractor to an employee?

A company may review conversion when the relationship is ongoing, the worker operates as part of the company’s team, the company directs the daily work or the business wants a formal employment structure.

What factors should be reviewed before conversion?

Review the actual responsibilities, level of control, supervision, payment structure, duration of the engagement, work schedule and intended future relationship.

Can a contractor be converted through an EOR?

Yes. An EOR can employ the worker in the Philippines and manage employment administration while the customer continues to manage the employee’s daily work.

How much does EOR conversion cost?

The standard EOR management fee is US$190 per employee per month. Salary, employer statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, allowances, equipment and other employee-specific costs are separate where applicable.

How quickly can an existing contractor be onboarded?

Existing contractors can generally be onboarded in as little as five business days once the applicable agreement, employee information, required documentation and funding are complete.

What happens to the final contractor payment?

The company should confirm the final contractor invoice or payment, the contractor end date, any work handover and the employee start date before beginning the new arrangement.

Is recruitment included in the EOR management fee?

Recruitment is not assumed to be included in the standard EOR management fee. Recruitment support, where requested, should be confirmed separately.

Should a company obtain legal or tax advice?

Companies should obtain professional advice where the classification, conversion or tax treatment depends on the specific facts of the relationship.

Are developers in the Philippines suitable for international teams?

The right fit depends on the developer's experience, technology stack, communication skills, role requirements and ability to work within your development processes. Candidates should be assessed against the specific technical and product requirements of the role.

What is the average developer salary in the Philippines?

There is no single salary that applies to all developers. Compensation depends on seniority, technology stack, experience, role scope and working arrangement. Total employment cost should also account for statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, allowances, equipment and the EOR management fee.

Can I hire developers without a company in the Philippines?

Yes. An Employer of Record arrangement can allow your company to employ developers in the Philippines without immediately establishing its own Philippine entity.

Is an agency better than an EOR?

The appropriate model depends on how you want the work to be managed. An EOR may suit companies that want to manage developers directly, while an agency or outsourcing arrangement may use a different delivery and management structure.

How do I maintain quality in a distributed development team?

Use clear requirements, documented workflows, code-review procedures, testing standards, communication processes, reporting expectations and regular performance management. Your company manages technical quality and daily performance.

What is the biggest mistake companies make when hiring developers?

A common problem is hiring without clearly defining the technology stack, role scope, reporting line, development workflow, security requirements and expected deliverables. These requirements should be defined before recruitment or employment setup.

What is the SOS EOR fee?

SOS charges one EOR management fee of US$190 per employee per month. This is the only SOS EOR rate. It is not a starting price, estimate or price range.

Is recruitment included?

Yes. Recruitment and candidate selection are included in the SOS EOR service, with no separate recruitment fee.

How quickly can an existing developer be onboarded?

Existing developers can generally be onboarded in as little as five business days once the required agreement, employee information, documentation and funding are complete. Recruitment of a new candidate may require additional time.

Who manages the developer's daily work?

Your company manages the developer's daily technical work, including projects, priorities, workflows, tools, code reviews, training and performance. SOS manages employment administration, payroll, statutory processes, employee records and agreed HR support.

Are SDRs in the Philippines suitable for international teams?

The right fit depends on the SDR's communication skills, sales experience, target-market knowledge, role requirements and ability to follow the company's sales process. Candidates should be assessed against the specific market, buyer profile, outreach channel and qualification requirements.

What is the average SDR salary in the Philippines?

There is no single salary that applies to all SDRs. Compensation depends on experience, role scope, target market, working hours, seniority and any approved incentive or commission structure. Fully loaded cost also includes statutory costs, 13th-month pay, benefits, tools, commissions and provider fees.

Can SDRs handle cold calling?

Yes. Cold calling can be included where the role, employee skills, systems, training, working hours and approved sales process support that arrangement.

Do I need to set up a company to hire SDRs?

Not immediately for an EOR arrangement. SOS can employ the SDR in the Philippines as the legal employer while your company manages the employee's daily sales-development work.

How do I maintain SDR performance?

Define the target market, outreach process, qualification criteria, KPIs, CRM requirements, reporting process and coaching schedule. Your company manages the SDR's daily performance and sales activity.

What is the biggest mistake companies make when hiring SDRs?

A common problem is hiring without clearly defining the target market, buyer profile, sales process, outreach expectations, qualification rules, reporting line and performance measures. These requirements should be defined before recruitment or employment setup.

What is the SOS EOR fee?

SOS charges one EOR management fee of US$190 per employee per month. This is the only SOS EOR rate. It is not a starting price, estimate or price range.

Is recruitment included?

Yes. Recruitment and candidate selection are included in the SOS EOR service. There is no separate recruitment fee. Salary, statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, allowances, equipment, commissions and other employee-specific costs are separate where applicable.

─ CASE STUDY | smartoutsourcing solution

Convertr Case Study

SOS helped a major Adtech company quickly secure skilled technical support staff while reducing support costs.

PEOPLE • COMPLIANCE • SCALABILITY •GROWTH

─ In Brief

Engagement at a glance

CLIENT

Convertr

CLIENT INDUSTRY

Major Adtech Company

INITIAL TRANSITION

15 CVs in One Week

CORE SERVICES

Technical Support • Recruitment • Training

PEAK WORKFORCE

─ overview

Executive Summary

A major Adtech company was struggling to find skilled tech support staff at short notice. Despite weeks of recruitment efforts in the UK, finding the right talent was proving difficult.

SOS provided 15 CVs of experienced Technical Account Managers within a week, shortlisted five executives for interview, and helped two selected candidates start the following Monday.

─ ABOUT THE CLIENT

The Client

A major Adtech company operating in a fast-paced global technology environment.

─ CASE STUDY EXPLAINED

The Challenge

A major Adtech company was struggling to find skilled tech support staff at short notice.

Despite weeks of recruitment efforts in the UK, finding the right talent was proving to be an uphill task.

The company needed a solution fast to meet deadlines and maintain operations.

The engagement required SOS to address several needs at the same time:

─ OUR SERVICES

The Transition

Within a week, SOS provided the company with 15 CVs of experienced Technical Account Managers. Five executives were shortlisted for interview, with two selected to start the following Monday.

Recruitment Delays

15 CVs IN ONE WEEK

2 Hires Selected

1/3 UK Support Cost

─ OUR SOLUTION

The Solution

Enter SOS.

Within a week, we provided the company with 15 CVs of experienced Technical Account Managers armed with the expertise they were searching for.

We shortlisted five executives for an interview and two were selected to start on the following Monday.

We helped the client design a comprehensive two-week training program for the new team.

Once the program was completed and the team was up and running, they outperformed expectations for multinational clients including Facebook and LinkedIn.

We then evolved the team to manage big multinational accounts directly, further cementing our value within the company.

─ OUTCOME

The Results

RESULT	BUSINESS IMPACT
15 experienced Technical Account Manager CVs provided within a week.	Faster access to skilled technical support talent.
Two executives selected to start the following Monday.	Helped the company meet deadlines and maintain operations.
Team completed a comprehensive two-week training program.	The team outperformed expectations for multinational clients.
Services cost one-third of comparable UK technical support staff.	A cost-efficient technical support solution.
Weekly proactive solutions were implemented.	Support requirements were analyzed and concerns addressed proactively.

─ PARTNERSHIP

Client Perspective

We had considered outsourcing before but didn’t really understand how it worked and therefore deemed it too risky. Martin and the team explained the process and worked with us at every stage to make it happen. I was honestly surprised at the results that the team has achieved and would not hesitate in referring them to anyone who wants to try outsourcing for the first time. We felt safe and supported throughout the ongoing engagement and highly value their knowledge, professionalism, and engagement style. For us, they are a big part of our team.”

Emma Bowkett

CEO, Convertr

─ Let's talk

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