Employee salary is the most crucial topic an employer and employee should agree on. This agreement should be equitable to avoid potential issues. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
There are still plenty of instances where employees accept lower pay from their employers, despite their skills.
In some cases, the pay these employees receive from their work from home jobs is barely higher than the minimum wage in the Philippines. This is despite the fact that they’re providing professional-level results.
So why do many Filipino remote employees accept lower pay? Let’s find out.
They Didn’t/Don’t Know Any Better.
Even today, many Filipino remote employees remain unaware of their job’s salary rates or their rights as a worker. This lack of knowledge causes them to accept jobs from employers who pay them less than they deserve.
This was the case for me back when I was still job hunting during the pandemic. I was willing to take any job that offered at least Php 10,000 a month because I thought that was the entry-level salary range.
Besides this lack of knowledge, many Filipino applicants still believe you shouldn’t be asking for a high salary when asked during job interviews. If they do, their potential employer may deem them too demanding and reject them.
So they simply say: “it’s up to you,” and hope they get a salary that covers their necessities. But think about it. A company should be able to give appropriate compensation if they’re opening up new positions, right?
They’re in Desperate Need of a Job.
Not everyone has the luxury of financial stability, especially today. As the prices of essential commodities and the inflation rate continue to rise, many Filipinos struggle to put food on the table and pay their bills. This goes double if they have families or relatives dependent on them.
Because of this, many Filipino workers are biting the bullet and are willing to accept jobs with low pay. After all, a little income is better than none.
But why can’t they look for a different online job, then?
It’s not as simple as that. People can’t just leave their current jobs if they don’t have another lined up, as many don’t have enough of an emergency fund to see them through.
Remote Work is More Preferable to Working in an Office.
For many Filipino workers, the ability to work online is a blessing. Besides having more time to spend with your family, it also reduces your transportation and working expenses. A remote setup is also more convenient for those far away from major urban centers, as they don’t need to pay rent to work there.
With these advantages, it’s easy to see why some employees accept lower pay if they’re allowed to keep working remotely. According to a study by the HR software provider ciphr, seventy-five percent (75%) of workers in the UK are willing to accept a pay cut to work from home permanently.
In theory, having less salary is alright since you won’t need to spend money going to and from the office anymore. However, some experts argue that decreased pay for the ability to work remotely is unfair to remote workers.
Remote workers are just as productive and motivated and sometimes spend more hours at work than their office counterparts. And yet they won’t receive the same compensation for their efforts? How is that fair?
Some Accept Less Pay to Gain Experience and Improve Their Resume.
For some remote workers, their current job is just a stepping stone to better opportunities in the future. That is why they’re willing to settle for less pay, since they’re not planning to stay in the company for long.
They apply to these jobs to improve their resume and gain experience, especially if it means getting the chance to work with a high-profile company. With such an entry on their CV, they can demand a potentially higher salary from their successive employers.
However, this practice can also be detrimental to employees, as companies can use this to exploit them. What these companies would do is pile more work than what was agreed upon. After all, if they’re not going to stick around for long, the company might as well make the most of their skills while they’re there.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short.
Receiving just compensation for one’s hard work is one of the primary rights of every employee. It motivates them to continue working for the company while supporting themselves and their families.
Despite this, there are still plenty of instances where employees accept lower pay for various reasons, such as the ones mentioned above.
If you’re looking for remote work opportunities that will provide proper compensation, head to Remote Staff’s job portal. We never entertain low-balling clients, and ensure our remote contractors are always paid their correct salary on time.
So what are you waiting for? Register with us today!
