Julia (my content OFS) offered me this:
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When people find out that I work for Onlinejobs.ph, they immediately ask me whether we have job openings. They ask because it’s known throughout the Philippine outsourcing industry that Onlinejobs.ph employees get 13th month pay.
Not to brag, but we’re the envy of freelancers all over the country.
It’s such a big deal that some workers are willing to lower their asking salary if the job also offers 13th month. To be completely honest, it’s one of the reasons why most of us continue working for Onlinejobs.ph all these years.
Why is 13th month such a big deal in the Philippines?
1. 13th month equals job stability. We know you have it made when the job offers 13th month. It tells us that the business we’re working for is profitable. It means we have a job all year round. If there’s no 13th month, it implies that we could lose our job anytime.
2. No need to hustle harder over the holidays. Freelancers can flex about how much they make because they’re handling multiple clients at the same time.
But you know what they don’t have? Rest over the holidays.
To afford the added holiday expenses, they have to work harder and find more clients. That kind of defeats the purpose of enjoying the holidays with your family.
With the 13th month pay, we keep working as we normally would and still make more money.
3. 13th month allows us to budget for big expenses. Christmas and New Year’s are when many Filipinos make big purchases, like appliances and furniture. This is when businesses clear out their inventory and sell at a huge discount.
If you’re a freelancer, you can work harder over the holidays, but there’s no guarantee you’ll meet your earning target. There’s usually a hiring slump over the holidays (even pre-pandemic) so looking for work around this time is more challenging.
It’s easier to just find a job that offers 13th month and budget your expenses around that.
This is why we’d always choose a job that offers this benefit. Even freelancers who work by the hour would prioritize clients who provide this benefit. So if you want your OFS to stay for a long time, offer the 13th month.
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I know I’ve talked about this a number of times now. Now you see why it’s important.
If you haven’t sent it, it’s not too late.
John