Unpopular Opinion: Outsourcing in 2023 is actually supporting Australians
The history of offshoring in Australia can partly explain many Australians’ resistance to it.
When the banks all outsourced their customer service into offshore call centres in the 90s, Australians were suddenly forced to accept what many saw as a significant reduction in customer service quality.
It was hard not to get the impression that they had prioritised profit margins over service, and many saw Australians being put out of a job in favour of cheaper foreign labour.
It is no wonder that many Australians’ opposition to outsourcing hardened as a result.
Many real estate businesses still see the choice to use “virtual assistants” as a vaguely patriotic choice, as a line in the sand.
Either you are supporting Australians, or you’re throwing them under the bus in favour of foreigners.
But in 2023, the reality is, in fact, far more nuanced.
Ready for an unpopular opinion? One of the best ways a real estate business can support its onshore staff is by exploring offshoring solutions.
If your business goes under who are you helping?
The business model of real estate, in particular property management, has been under pressure for many years now.
Property manager wages have been rising significantly while the management fees have stagnated and in many cases gone down.
The pressure on the bottom line is putting many businesses into an existential crisis where they are questioning their future.
Not to sound dramatic, but if your business goes under, how is that helping your Australian staff?
Could you grow and support more Australian jobs?
One of the best reasons to explore offshoring and ‘virtual assistants’ is that it can help your business grow, and you could end up employing more Australian onshore staff.
Compare these two examples, a business that employs 10 staff who are all onshore versus a business that employs 20 staff, with 5 offshore and 15 onshore.
Which one of these is employing more Australians?
How is burnout supporting Australians?
As a business, we talk A LOT about burnout. But that’s because we believe that a burnout rate of 30% is simply not good enough.
Real estate, and property management in particular, has a history of burning out and churning through staff because the role is so difficult.
Many owners who are keen to support Australians have no issue with this burnout rate.
But at the end of the day, these are Australians who are leaving the industry because they didn’t get the support they deserve.
They might have had a bright future in real estate, but end up just being a statistic., another example of wasted talent.
In our opinion, one of the biggest reasons to explore offshore staff is to make the role of your onshore staff more sustainable and achievable.
Businesses who do incorporate offshore staff into their business model often see a transformation within their onshore staff.
They enjoy their role more, so they are more likely to see it as a career. And in turn, as the business becomes more profitable these onshore staff can often see future opportunities.
Not just for a career in real estate, but for career growth and also increased wages.
If you are not offering your onshore staff the opportunity for career growth and to earn more, and doing nothing to prevent burnout, how are you supporting Australians?
In conclusion, the decision to employ offshore staff should not be taken lightly. But in making that decision, we urge you to avoid over-simplistic and cynical arguments.
Outsourcing in 2023 is one of the best ways you can support your onshore, Australian staff.
