Working online has become a growing option for Filipinos to earn more than the average income. While this is becoming a better alternative to make a living, there are still so many questions and fears surrounding the stability of working online and engaging an employer who is based overseas.
For one thing, most employers are strangers and have no physical presence here in the Philippines, making it harder to relay concerns than a locally-based boss. There have also been many stories of Filipinos who don’t have a positive experience with working online.
They produce the results required for a project, only to end up not getting paid for the time and work they have put in. Sometimes, employers simply disappear on them, along with any compensation that is due.
I have been working online for quite some time and have encountered these types of soulless employers who take advantage of the cheap costs associated with hiring an online Filipino worker. And yes, I can attest to some who take off the moment it’s time to send in an invoice. It definitely sounds like exploitation to me.
You would think that after an experience like that, I would have decided not to touch online work - not even with a ten foot pole.
But despite these unfortunate instances, the idea of working remotely in the comforts of my own office space was still very alluring to me. I didn’t have to spend so much time and money travelling from my house to an office building. Plus, you get extra money that would’ve been used to buy pricey, and sometimes unhealthy food.
It’s also a bonus especially for parents like me who want to be close to their kids and never miss a moment of them growing up.
The one concern I still had were that most employers offering remote jobs often required you to work at night, which has always taken a toll on me when I worked in the call center industry previously. But in this case, I found that I didn’t mind as much. It was a small price to pay to get all the other great advantages.
What also kept me going was hearing so many stories of online Filipino workers who were lucky enough to find an employer with a good heart, who actually cares for his employees. True professionals who are not just looking to make a quick buck, but also understand that having good ethical business practices would lead to loyal workers were still out there. And like the others, I could find and work for their company and business.
So I stuck it out and continued to find work online. I eventually landed a job that was great and paid me way higher than the average wage, more than what I would normally get as a call center agent. I stayed with this company for quite some time, but I had nagging health issues because I was working the graveyard shift.
After making the tough decision to leave, I was then privileged to meet an Australian entrepreneur who was employing Filipinos online and had established himself and his company, AwayTeam, here in the Philippines. I was given the opportunity to work for him and I finally found the perfect fit.
The fact that he was Australian was already a huge benefit because Australian time is almost in sync with Philippine time, meaning that I didn’t need to work nights anymore. Not only did I get to work online and be home-based, but I was actually getting the benefits that a typical local office employee was enjoying.
What’s more, I didn’t need to go to the government offices and endure the long lines and confusing paperwork. AwayTeam took care of processing my SSS, Philhealth, Pag-Ibig contributions, and figuring out my tax deductions too.
This was one thing that is rarely offered by any online, overseas employer that I have come across. And because of this, my future and my family’s future is secured and my online, home-based work is more legitimate and valid. And all I had to do was be part of this amazing company.
My perseverance paid off and I have been enjoying the benefits for more than a year now. It’s been a great ride so far, and I look forward to more years here at AwayTeam.
If you are someone who considers working online, do not get discouraged by any negative experience you hear or go through. I encourage you to stick it out and keep on going, and like me, eventually you will find the right online work that will be the right fit.
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