FAQs
Filipino culture and work
The Philippines boasts a vast pool of talent, which means you can grow your team quickly and efficiently. Whether you’re scaling up fast or filling key roles, we have access to the skills you need. And that’s before we start on the cost savings!
Nope! We handle everything. You’ll simply pay one fixed monthly amount for each team member to a UK limited company – easy as that. You can even reclaim the VAT!
English is widely spoken and a big part of Filipino culture, so our developers have excellent proficiency in the language. While you might spot the occasional grammar mistake, it’s nothing you wouldn’t see from any other developer! Overall, communication won’t be an issue.
Filipino culture places a strong emphasis on respect, family, and teamwork. Building personal relationships and giving clear guidance to your team will go a long way in boosting productivity and improving retention. Plus, they tend to be a sociable bunch, with a good sense of humour —don’t be surprised if team spirit runs high!
Time zones? What time zones? Our developers work on your schedule. Whether you’re in Europe, US, or Australia, they’ll be there when you’re there—virtually, at least.
A standard working week is 40 hours – 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, with a half-hour break for lunch.
We prioritise finding people who are committed to getting the job done, so overtime isn’t typically expected or paid. However, if you need your team to work on bank holidays, weekends, or put in longer hours, an overtime rate will be specified in your agreement for each team member. And don’t worry—any overtime will need your prior approval before it happens.
Your team’s public holidays will align with yours. So, if you’re in the UK, they’ll observe UK bank holidays. In addition to that, each team member gets 20 days a year for holidays and sick days.
Developer quality and performance
Rest easy—any work done by your team belongs 100% to you. Our new recruits sign over all IP rights right from day one, so no need to worry about ownership battles. We’re serious about data protection, too. We don’t store your data, and we certainly won’t have access to whatever exciting project you’re cooking up.
Oh, and just in case you’re still wondering, the Filipino government is no joke when it comes to overseas investment. We carry out full background checks through the NBI (Filipino version of the FBI, watch out Mulder and Scully!) They have some pretty harsh penalties for anyone caught breaking the rules, so your data and IP are in safe hands.
Yes, of course. You’ll have the opportunity to interview the candidates and can take them through any part of your own recruitment process that you feel is necessary. This ensures you’re completely confident that they’re the right fit for your team before making any commitments.
One of our co-founders, Steve, has been a software developer, Chief Technology Officer, and general tech guru for over 25 years. He’s hired more tech people than he can count and knows exactly what to look for. Our recruitment process is built around this deep expertise. So, beyond the usual vetting and technical assessments, every candidate goes through a process designed by someone who’s been exactly where you are—making sure you get the best of the best.
Recruitment is just half the battle. To maximise your team’s effectiveness, you need clear processes for instructing them and reviewing their output—just like you would with a local team. If you need help setting up this infrastructure, our Tech Navigator service offers fractional CTO support to guide you through it and ensure everything runs smoothly.
Hiring
None! We handle all of that for you. Navigating the legal landscape can be a bit of a minefield, but that’s exactly why we’re here—to take care of the tricky stuff so you don’t have to.
Once you’ve found “the one,” there’s a minimum commitment of 3 months. After that, it’s a rolling contract with a 30-day notice period—though over time, that notice period increases, giving you a little more breathing room if your star team member decides to chase a new adventure. But here’s the good news; on average, our clients and developers stick together for 29 months, which is basically forever in tech years.
We offer a flexible, customisable approach to meet your needs. Our standard services cover everything from recruiting and vetting to account management, developer training, HR, and in-country logistical support. You can pick the level of service that works best for you, and we’re always happy to discuss any additional support you might need.
Absolutely! While it’s a long flight, there’s nothing like meeting face-to-face to help cement relationships. We can help with the logistics—our driver can pick you up from the airport and ensure you’re safe and comfortable during your stay. We’ll also organise your team’s schedules to make sure they’re accessible and arrange any social events you’d like to enjoy with them while you’re here.
Anything tech-related! Whether it’s software developers, app developers, testers, QA, business analysts, technical authors or UX designers, we’ve got it covered. The Philippines is home to talent across all technical skills—.NET, NodeJS, JavaScript, React, Python, PHP, Shopify, WordPress, you name it. Some roles are easier to fill than others, but if you need it, we’ll find it!
Both! Our co-founder Steve is based in the UK, while Andy lives in Manila. Having a foot in both worlds really helps us navigate the logistical challenges and ensures we’re effectively supporting both your team in the Philippines and our clients in the UK.
Nope, though tech is definitely our bread and butter. We’ve also helped businesses build customer service, admin, and call centre teams in the Philippines. So, if you need a little extra support beyond tech, we’ve got you covered.