Beyond Borders – A Guide to Modern Offshore Staffing

Countries can gain significant advantages by outsourcing to Macedonia due to its strategic location and skilled workforce:

• Time Zone: Macedonia is only 1 hour ahead of the UK and Western Europe, ensuring smooth collaboration. It also overlaps with the American day shift during the afternoon.
• Language Skills: Locals speak English fluently, often with a pleasant accent. Many professionals are also bilingual in German and French, making communication seamless for international businesses.
• Cost Efficiency: Labor costs in Macedonia are 40-70% lower than in the UK, US, and Western Europe, without sacrificing talent quality. Connect enhances this by offering above-market salaries and prioritizing staff well-being and development.

Macedonian professionals are assertive communicators, open to feedback, and proactive in providing valuable recommendations. They uphold high standards and are reliable contributors:

• Reliability: Expect loyal, consistent talent who not only follow processes but also contribute innovative ideas to improve operations.
• Diversity: Connect sources talent from both Skopje and regional hubs, ensuring access to a broad and diverse talent pool that meets the varied needs of foreign employers.

Macedonians are culturally aligned with Western Europe, the UK, and the US. Many have studied, lived, or worked abroad, making them adaptable to different business environments.

• Cultural Integration: Macedonians value travel and exposure to diverse cultures, which enhances their ability to work effectively with international partners.
• Tourism Appeal: Macedonia’s rich history and culture also make it an appealing destination for visiting business partners, offering both business and cultural experiences.

Connect Outsourcing taps into Macedonia’s top 3% of talent, offering businesses a transparent and competitive solution. Founded on the belief that talent knows no borders, Connect ensures both client success and employee satisfaction.

• Zero Markup on Labor: Clients only pay for the actual value of labor, ensuring fair wages for employees and high retention rates.
• Performance-Based: Connect operates on performance-based terms, with no lengthy contracts, ensuring client satisfaction and flexible scaling options.

The outsourcing process in Macedonia is straightforward and efficient:

• Initial Steps: Connect manages technical and cultural interviews, as well as background checks to ensure candidates meet the required standards.
• Onboarding: Once a candidate is selected, Connect handles employment contracts, onboarding, and all necessary administrative tasks.
• Timeline: Shortlists of candidates can be presented within five business days. Candidates are often ready to start immediately or after a 30-day notice period, depending on client needs.

Macedonia’s diverse talent pool makes it an ideal outsourcing destination for a wide range of industries:

• Flexible Talent: From startups to large enterprises, Macedonia provides reliable, flexible talent for development, marketing, back-office functions, and financial administration.
• Scaling: While large-scale hiring may present challenges, Macedonia’s strong community networks and expanding regional talent pools ensure a steady supply of skilled professionals.

Macedonia’s size is an advantage rather than a limitation. The small community allows for efficient, targeted recruitment, with significant scaling potential:

• Smart Outsourcing: Businesses can start with any business size and need, and scale as needed. We recruit from hand picked talent by offering better opportunities and competitive rates, 40-70% cheaper than local hiring.
• Strong Networks: Macedonia’s close-knit community helps spread news quickly, bringing more talent into the outsourcing ecosystem as demand grows.
• Regional Expansion: Connect’s expansion into neighboring countries with similar talent levels and corporate cultures ensures continued access to skilled professionals.

• Government Support: The Macedonian government actively encourages outsourcing through tax breaks, duty-free equipment imports, and grants for businesses that contribute to employment growth.
• IT and BPO Growth: The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Macedonia is growing rapidly, with an 8-15% annual increase. This growth is fueled by a well-educated, English-speaking workforce joining foreign companies.
• Stable Infrastructure: With a strong IT infrastructure, fast internet, and reliable systems, Macedonia is well-equipped to support outsourcing operations of any size.
• Data Security Compliance: Macedonia aligns its data protection regulations with the EU’s GDPR standards, ensuring a high level of security for businesses operating in the country.

By leveraging Macedonia’s unique advantages – strategic location, skilled workforce, cost efficiency, and government support – Connect provides an exceptional outsourcing solution for businesses worldwide.

• Utilizing Freelance Platforms: Platforms like Upwork, 99designs, and Freelancer simplify the process of finding international freelancers for project-based work. These platforms manage contracts, project briefs, and payments, providing a layer of security and ease for both parties.
• Hiring for Long-Term Engagement: For more permanent roles, tools like Native Teams and Deel help businesses stay compliant with local employment laws while offering flexibility. These platforms handle the complexities of international payments, taxes, and legal compliance, making it easier to maintain a global team.
• Setting Up Operations Abroad: An alternative approach is to register a business entity in the country you wish to outsource to. This method provides more control but comes with the need and cost of understanding and complying with local laws and regulations. You will need local lawyers and accountants to manage this process.