When many people hear the word “outsourcing” they immediately think of call centers run in halfway across the world. While this is one form of the practice, it is not the only way outsourcing can be done. Below are some of the most popular myths about outsourcing and the truth behind them.
Outsourced Employees Always Live Abroad
In television and movies, the media often portrays outsourced employees as people living in India or another foreign country taking phone calls and pretending to be Americans. While this does happen, it’s not the only way it works. Any employee who does work for a company, but does not work strictly for the company, can be considered an outsourced employee. These employees mostly often are simply freelancers from around the area, or at least in the same country.
Outsourced Employees Work Full-Time for a Company
There is some truth to this myth, as some outsourced employees (namely those who do work in a foreign country) do work full time. However, in the case of freelancers or other contracted employees, an outsourced employee is more likely to work part-time or on an “as-needed” basis. For these reasons, outsourced employees may work for as little as a week or so a year. It is entirely up to the business as to how long they keep on outsourced employees.
Outsourced Employees are Cheaper than Normal Employees
One of the reasons why some companies outsource their employment opportunities to other countries (namely third- or second-world countries) is because they can legally pay employees in those countries less than they would legally have to pay employees in their home country. While there is some truth to this myth, it pretty much relies on the minimum wage requirements for whatever country the outsourced employees work in.
If the outsourced employee works domestically, even if they are a freelance worker, then they will likely cost the same to hire as any other domestic employee. However, employers can still save money by hiring outsourced employees if they are doing so for a short amount of time, like for specifically contracted work.
If your business is considering outsourcing employment opportunities, it is best that the business owner understand the truths behind these three common myths. Remember, while there is some truth to the myths, there is much more that can be filled in to tell the whole story. So, whenever in doubt, make sure to do your research!