HOW OFFSHORE AND ONSHORE TEAM MEMBERS CAN BECOME BUDDIES

If you're now working or considering using offshore staff, you're undoubtedly pondering or visualizing what the daily pace of work might be like. It's a long-term problem that, if not addressed properly, can lead to feelings of stress. Stress is never a good thing, but the fact is that there is one system you can do to ensure seamless engagement with your offshore staff, especially when they work directly with your onshore team.

Following the pandemic, accounting firms have become so accustomed to using offshore staffing that even the smallest firms have begun to develop their offshore teams. Accounting firms have made a considerable shift toward engaging people from different nations.

Many small and mid-sized accounting firms, however, continue to struggle with onshore and offshore team collaboration even after embracing offshore staffing. You must develop a consistent culture for the Onshore and Offshore Teams to grow and perform while pursuing common goals, regardless of geographical barriers, time zones, or cultural variations. They're always seeking new ways to foster strong teamwork and sustain peace.

The "Buddy System" is one of the inventive methods. It is when an offshore staff is paired with one or two ( not more ) onshore staff. It enables a firm to function round the clock. This includes an offshore buddy who shares at least 50% of the time zone with an onshore buddy. To carry out the entire process smoothly, it is necessary to set up a streamlined overlap system.

Integrating offshore and onshore teams will also be determined by how you use overlap. Overlap occurs when the onshore and offshore teams' working hours overlap and they are accessible to interact and have meetings. Overlap of 4-5 hours is required for the proper development of offshore relationships. This is the period when offshore and onshore teams may meet on a regular basis to discuss work, onshore staff can train offshore team members, and they can communicate in real-time.

Benefits of Buddy System:

Works as “One Team”: Onshore buddies would be responsible for both the quantity and the quality of the work done by offshore staff members. They work as “one team” because they both know that their performance is aligned together. Onshore buddies would always make sure their offshore buddies' workflow is full for continuous output.

Pushes more work offshore: As the relationship grows, the onshore staff moves more tasks and activities to their offshore staff.

Smooth training and onboarding: Onboarding and training become very smooth and seamless, and offshore staff members always have a “go to”  resource if they have questions or inquiries about items they don't understand.  So prompt resolution occurs ‘

Reduces confusion and increases accountability: When your offshore staff are mapped only to 1 or 2 onshore staff members; it reduces confusion because your offshore staff member is not reporting to 5 or 7 different people onshore. This holds everyone more accountable and streamlines reporting of the offshore staff member(s) mapped to them.

One of our clients Somerset came up with the idea when they hired 4 people from Entigrity, they quickly ramped up to get people to “buddy” the offshore person with the onshore person and they created a buddy system. So now they have their individual person in-house for whatever they need. 

Kim Dollin says, "The buddy system encourages relationship growth over time." Each buddy is driven to understand the other since it will eliminate confusion, help everyday work go more smoothly, and make everyone happier in general. Because no one enjoys a tense or uncomfortable working relationship, each team member is organically motivated to foster a positive working environment."

She developed the work culture and treated her offshore staff as if they were her own as if they were all part of the same team! She is committed to putting her staff first in order to ensure the firm's success.

Entigrity is a global leader in providing  offshore staffing for accounting firms and we're one of the preferred offshore partners for 30 out of the top 100 Accounting firms. With a large workforce of over 1600 associates, we are already assisting over 600 accounting & CPA firms. Entigrity is always seeking creative ways regarding onboarding your new offshore staff seamlessly. With the idea to keep it scalable for your firm, “Buddy System” is one the best  recommendations for best practices to integrate your onshore and offshore teams.

Entigrity™ is a trusted offshore staffing partner to over 600+ accountants, CPAs, and tax firms across the US and Canada. Our flexible and transparent hiring model gives helps firms of all sizes to hire staff for accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, or any other task for 75% less cost. As a firm 'run by accountants, for the accountants', Entigrity captures the hiring needs of accounting firms most precisely, providing staff that works directly under your control and management, still, you are left with least to worry about compliance, payroll taxes, overheads or any other benefits.