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Comparing Workplaces in the U.S. and the Philippines



Imagine that you have recently arrived in the U.S. and have finally found a job with an American company. Having worked in a similar position in the Philippines, you expected the transition to be relatively easy. However, you notice that there seem to be some major differences in management style, how people interact, and the expectations they have of you. And sometimes you wonder “Is it just me, or are there really differences between U.S. and Philippine work environments?”

The answer is that there are significant differences between working in the U.S. and the Philippines. And if you are aware of these differences, you can be more effective in your new work environment.

In the eighth article in our New Immigrant Survival Guide series (Comparing U.S. and Philippine Work Environments), we provide a side-by-side comparison of some major workplace differences in U.S. and the Philippines.

The Ask remithome section (Scheduling Transfers in Advance) explains why you might want to schedule transfers now to be sent on a future date.

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 New Immigrant Survival Guide: Comparing U.S. and
Philippine Work Environments
Eighth in a series of articles

Because English is the language of business in the Philippines, new immigrants to the U.S. often think that working in the U.S. will not be that much different from working in the Philippines. However, there are significant differences between U.S. and Philippine work environments, and the sooner you can adapt to the new environment, the more successful you will be. In a previous issue of our newsletter (see Coming to America – 4 Things You Should Know Before You Arrive we briefly described some important differences between the U.S. and the Philippines. This issue expands on some important cultural differences between U.S. and Philippine work environments.

 

United States

Philippines

Formality

Informal – Most American work environments are informal, with colleagues addressing each other by their first names.

Formal – Because status and titles are more important in the Philippines, people are generally addressed with their professional titles (e.g., Attorney Lopez, Realtor Cruz) or by using Mr., Mrs., or Ms.

Time

Exact Time – Americans are very time conscious (“time is money”), so they want to “spend time” wisely and not “waste time”. So meetings start on time and generally follow an agenda. A 10:00 AM appointment really means 10:00 AM.

Approximate Time – Filipinos are much more casual about time, which means that meetings and appointments often begin late.

Hierarchy

Egalitarian – American work environments tend to be more egalitarian, which means that you can often go outside the official “chain of command” to get work done. If you do not understand something, you are expected to ask questions.

Hierarchical – Official reporting relationships are more important in the Philippines. Superiors are addressed as “Sir” or “Ma’am”.

Directness

Direct – Americans tend to be very direct. They will ask a question and expect a direct answer. “Yes” means “Yes” and “No” means “No”. [From a Filipino perspective, this directness may be perceived as rude.]

Face Saving – Filipinos generally avoid saying “No” to avoid confrontation. So they may say “Perhaps” or may even say “Yes” and fail to follow through. This means that it is important to pay attention to body language as well as the words. [An American who takes the words at face value may misinterpret the meaning conveyed.]

 Ask remithome: Scheduling Transfers in Advance

Question: I see that your service allows me to schedule transfers to be sent on a future date. Why would I want to schedule a transfer in advance? And is there anything I need to know about this feature of your service?

Answer: There are many reasons that remithome customers schedule money in advance rather than sending the money immediately:

  • Special Occasions – For occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and graduation, you may want to send money to arrive around a certain time. So you can schedule the transfer now to be sent at a later date.
  • On Vacation – Say you will be traveling and don’t know if you will have internet access while you are on the beach. You can schedule the transfer now and it will be sent later, while you are enjoying your vacation.
  • Don’t Want to Forget – If you need to send money on a certain date, you may want to schedule it now so that you won’t forget it later.
  • Funds Availability – If your employer does direct deposit of your paycheck into your bank account, you may want to send money as soon as the money is deposited. So, if you get paid on the last day of the month, you may want to schedule a transfer to be sent on the first day of the next month.

What you need to know about Scheduling Transfers in Advance.

What You Need to Know

Suggestions

Email Notice of Upcoming Transfer – Three days before your transfer is scheduled to be processed, you will receive an email reminding you of the upcoming transfer.

Use the 3-day notice to make sure that you have sufficient funds in your bank account.

Cancellation of Transfer – You can cancel the transfer online anytime before its scheduled processing time, which is at 2:00 PM, Pacific Time, on the scheduled processing date. For information on how to cancel a transfer, click here.

You can cancel the transfer if you don’t have enough money in your bank account, you want to change the transfer amount, or if you decide not to send the transfer.

Exchange Rate – Since exchange rates change daily, you will only have an estimated exchange rate at the time you schedule the transfer. For more information about remithome’s exchange rate, click here.

If the Peso/Dollar Exchange Rate has changed substantially from the time you originally scheduled the transfer, you can cancel the scheduled transfer and schedule a new transfer for a different amount.

If you have questions about scheduling transfers in advance, or need assistance with scheduling a transfer, please contact remithome Customer Service at 1-800-919-0787, Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, Pacific Time (California), or email us at customerservice@remithome.com.


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