Outsourcing is definitely a big and still booming industry in the Philippines. And there are more than enough reasons why you should outsource to the Philippines. However, there are also things that you should know about the Filipinos and their culture to help you have better working relations with your Filipino employees.

Kittleson and Carpo offers very good insights on the Filipino culture and it’s quirks that outsourcing companies and clients must know.

Business with Pleasure
First, Filipinos like mixing business with pleasure. While most Westerners approach business in a direct and strictly formal manner, Filipinos are cheerful and chatty. Filipinos like chatting about common friends, common interests, and the news, even during business meetings and negotiations. One must approach their Filipino employees or associates in a friendly and cheerful manner. Even when exchanging business cards, one must keep the exchange cordial and informal.

Holidays
Another thing you must know is the importance of celebrating Christmas and Lent for Filipinos. Christmas is considered the most important family holiday in the Philippines and most workers consider it a pain to be working on this day. It is also a time for expressing gratitude for all your employees and business associates and clients by giving tokens or gifts.

On the other hand, Lent is the most solemn season, with most, if not all business being closed on Holy Friday. Even media outlets such as newspapers and tv stations close down on this day. While many other holidays are celebrated and honored in the Philippines, these two are the most remarkable ones in relation to work.

Languages and Dialects
The Philippines is one of the the top countries in terms of literacy and most Filipinos speak and write well in English. It is important to note, however, that most Filipinos rarely speak in straight English in their daily conversations. Most speak a mix of Filipino or Tagalog and English. This is dominant in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, dominant languages and dialects differ, depending on the location or region. In Visayas, Filipinos speak a mixture of English and their native dialect such as Cebuano or Bisaya, Ilonggo, and Waray. Similarly, Filipinos in other parts of Luzon and Mindanao speak a mixture of English and whatever their dialect may be. It is good for foreigners to be familiar with the language or dialect of the location where their outsourcing business is located in.

Employee Relations
Most Filipinos consider their work colleagues as part of their circle of friends, or even as their family. This is why it is best to treat them as such. It is encouraged to commend or award exceptional performance in public, but employees must be reprimanded in private. This is also due to the Filipinos’ value of “saving face” or “hiya.”

Filipino workers also appreciate when their birthdays are celebrated or at least acknowledged at work. While some Filipinos prefer taking a “birthday leave” on their birthday, it might be a treat for them to be greeted or given a little something on their birthday if they do come to work. A simple congratulations on their wedding, or a new baby, or similar events is also appreciated. And when they are experience a loss, a death or similar events, sympathies must be offered.

Attitude Towards Work
While Filipinos are very casual and friendly at work, most take their work seriously. Most see work not just as a means to finance themselves, but to help out their families, as well. Most young Filipino professionals earn money to help out their parents and to finance their younger siblings’ education. Thus, while they generally keep a cheerful and amiable attitude, they are serious about work and determined to accomplish their tasks. Work is often related to family life. Thus, there might be times when a Filipino employee’s performance is affected by his home or family life.

Filipino employees are easy to deal with, if one is willing to go beyond work relations and treat their employees as friends or as part of their family.