Most companies save 60-75% compared to hiring someone local.
That includes salary, benefits, taxes, and all the overhead that comes with a US employee.
Let’s put actual numbers to this.
A competent US-based administrative assistant costs $40,000-$55,000 per year in salary alone. Add benefits (health insurance, 401k matching, paid time off).
Total cost? Somewhere between $50,000-$75,000 annually.
A skilled Filipino remote worker doing the same work is $12,000 to $24,000 per year.
That’s transformational math for a small business. Here’s more reasons why
Filipino Workers Have Better English Than Most Countries
Here’s something most people don’t realize until they try hiring from other low-cost countries:
English proficiency in the Philippines is genuinely different.
The Philippines is one of the largest English-speaking nations in the world. English is an official language.
It’s the primary language of business, education, and government.
This isn’t “I learned English as a second language” proficiency. This is “I’ve been writing in English since elementary school” fluency.
The Service Culture
There’s a reason the Philippines dominates the global BPO industry.
It’s not just English. It’s the attitude.
Filipino workers have built an international reputation for patience, politeness, and genuine care in customer-facing roles.
This isn’t me romanticizing a culture, this is what decades of BPO success has proven at scale.
When someone is frustrated, confused, or angry, your Filipino support person doesn’t get defensive or robotic.
They stay calm. They listen. They actually try to help.
For businesses running customer support, scheduling, or any client-facing operation, this matters enormously.
US-based workers doing support often see it as “just a job” or a stepping stone to something else.
Filipino workers doing the same role take pride in doing it well because the compensation is for the most part meaningful.
Time Zone Coverage Without Paying Overtime
US companies talk about 24/7 coverage without paying overtime.
That’s true, but it’s also underselling the real benefit.
The ability to hand off work at the end of your day and wake up to completed tasks changes how fast you can move.
E-commerce stores process orders and handle support tickets overnight.
Marketing teams can run campaigns while they sleep.
Admin work gets done before the US workday even starts.
Think about what that does to your business velocity.
Issues get resolved in hours instead of days. Projects move forward continuously instead of in 8-hour bursts. You’re never really “closed.”
Access to Skills You Can’t Afford Locally
Here’s something that came up over and over in many online communities.
Many US small businesses need skills they can’t afford domestically.
Bookkeeping. CRM management. Ad operations. Content creation. Customer support. Data analysis.
These aren’t minimum wage tasks. But they’re also not senior enough to justify a $50,000+ US salary plus benefits.
Filipino workers fill this gap perfectly.
You’re getting college-educated professionals with technical or marketing skills at rates that make sense for a small business budget.
The alternative is either a mid-level US hire you can’t afford, or an agency retainer that drains your bank account.
Higher Retention When You Treat People Fairly.
Local US hires are often overqualified and overpaid for the actual work small businesses need done.
Nobody wants to hear that, but it’s true.
A US-based assistant who’s good at their job will get bored with repetitive admin work.
They’ll leave for something more challenging. Or they’ll demand rates that only make sense if they’re doing strategic work.
The average tenure for an administrative assistant in the US is 18-24 months. Then you’re back to hiring, training, and hoping the next person sticks around.
Filipino remote workers are optimized for this exact kind of role.
The pay is meaningful locally.
When you pay fairly and treat people with respect, Filipino workers often stay for years.
That kind of retention is gold.
When It All Falls Apart (And Why)
I need to address the ugly side of this, because pretending it doesn’t exist makes everything I just wrote feel like a sales copy.
There are plenty of horror stories.
When companies cling to $2-3 per hour expectations, they attract workers who are either desperate, inexperienced, or juggling so many clients that quality is impossible.
One way to filter for genuine interest is paying attention to how much effort someone puts into applying.
When candidates spend job points to submit priority applications. you’re not getting someone mass-applying to 50 jobs.
You’re getting someone who actually wants this specific role.
If you approach this as “I want cheap labor,” you’ll get cheap results.
What This Really Means for Your Business
If you’re still hiring locally for roles that don’t need to be local, you’re either limiting your team size or overpaying for the work that needs to get done.
Filipino remote workers let you build the team you actually need instead of the team you can barely afford.
The math is simple:
One $60,000 US hire becomes three $20,000 Filipino specialists.
Your customer support becomes 24/7 instead of 9-5.
Your retention goes from 18 months to 5+ years.
Your team has the English fluency and service mindset to actually represent your brand well.
But the economics only work if you approach it right.
Fair pay. Clear processes. Real training. Respect.
Do that, and you’re not just saving money.
You’re unlocking capacity most small businesses never get to experience.
Ready to Find Your Next Great Hire?
Join our growing community of employers and start connecting with skilled candidates in the Philippines.