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Welcome to Inside Outsourcing: The Outsourcing Week in Review
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Africa’s thriving Global Business Services (GBS) sector recorded an impressive US$15 billion in value – despite the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 2021 Africa GBS Benchmarking and Market Report released by Knowledge Executive, the continent’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) industries are at the forefront of its rapid growth. South Africa was named as the largest GBS player in the region, followed by Egypt and Nigeria.
Jamaica, a rising outsourcing destination, is optimistic that it will attract several foreign investors this year. In a statement released by trade promotion agency Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) said they have received inquiries due to the “high productivity and excellent English-speaking workforce” in the country. In line with this, the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ) is urging its member companies and BPO employees to get vaccinated from COVID-19. GSAJ President Gloria Henry said that they want to expedite BPO employees’ inoculation process since they are Jamaica’s “most important global competitive factor.”
Private equity giant Carlyle Group is set to acquire Hexaware Technologies from Baring Private Equity for US$3 billion. The India-based tech company was first sold to Baring by its founder Atul K. Nishar in 2013 for US$420 million. Under Baring’s leadership, the firm’s annual revenue increased and its services expanded to foreign brands. Meanwhile, CSS Corp welcomes Morgan Stanley and Onex Falcon as its new major investors. Through this deal, the two investors will be involved in CSS Corp’s mezzanine financing, equity participation, and membership in the board of directors. In Sri Lanka, global BPO provider Infomate recently introduced its HR and payroll services to the local business community. CEO Jehan Perinpanayagam said the company is looking forward to “exceed service levels and continuously create value for clients” through various processes to help “uplift their entire functions to premier standards.”
With great expansion comes great hiring activity. Tech job hiring activity in North Carolina, United States increased by 40% as companies digitized their operations to allow remote working conditions to its employees. North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH) CEO Brooks Raiford said that organizations in various industries are looking for highly-skilled employees that can easily adjust to a hybrid workplace model amid the pandemic.
As the business world embraces the ‘new normal’, in Spain, 90% of large companies are likely to introduce a remote work option for their employees post-pandemic, according to research conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The research suggested that the majority of the Spanish firms are looking to continue with remote or a hybrid work model, however, they have yet to make a definite agreement regarding the country’s new remote work legislation.
In the US, tech giant Google has delayed its mandatory return-to-office-plan for the second time, due to the rising number of COVID-19 Delta variant cases globally. While the company’s earlier plan to return to their centers is now pushed back to January 10 next year, the firm’s offices remain open for workers who want to return to their offices voluntarily. As workers start going back to the office, Google’s frenemy Apple is requiring all of its employees to “voluntarily” report their vaccination status by September 17. In a memo, Apple explained that the data from the reports will be used to update their COVID-19 protocols as they work on “keeping our team members, their friends and families, and our entire community healthy.”
It seems that working from home is winning the hearts of employees around the world. In a latest Mental Health Index by human resources firm Lifeworks, 70% of employees reported an improvement in their mental health due to this work arrangement. Unfortunately, 41 per cent of employees whose jobs can’t be done at home reported the lowest mental health scores. In line with this finding, JLL India’s Workers Preference Barometer also found that over 79% of the workforce prefer to work from the comfort of their homes at least once a week post-pandemic. More than 3,000 respondents are pushing for a hybrid arrangement after quarantines are lifted and people are allowed to go back to their work centers.
US President Joe Biden held a meeting with major tech leaders to find a solution on the rising cybersecurity incidents in the country’s private businesses and federal agencies. In a statement, the White House revealed that almost 500,000 cybersecurity jobs were left vacant across the country, making the industry vulnerable to attacks. In response, major firms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, IBM, Google, offered manpower and additional budget to help Americans develop their cybersecurity skills.
One of the biggest remote-work concerns of employers is also cybersecurity. Multinational software firm Sungard AS’ latest study revealed that only 21 per cent of companies are confident in their infrastructure security when it comes to supporting remote work for an extended period of time. While 89 per cent of businesses agree that having a flexible working environment is the best option, Sungard says companies still have to adjust their “technologies or security policies” to support full-time hybrid work.
What can go wrong at home?
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
NEWS THIS WEEK
6 September 2021
- Ascensos to open 600 jobs in new Cape Town expansion – read article…
- Apple requires US employees to report vaccination status – read article…
- Teleperformance tops Twimbit’s CX BPOs list – read article…
- Over 70% of remote employees prefer to quit than go back to the office – survey – read article…
3 September 2021
- GSAJ urges BPO employees to get vaccinated – read article…
- Africa’s GBS sector grew to $15bn amid pandemic – read article…
- US President Biden met tech leaders to address cybersecurity – read article…
- Remote work improves the mental health of 70% of employees, says Lifeworks – read article…
2 September 2021
- Global BPOs to expand operations in Jamaica – read article…
- iQor announces its new VA system – read article…
- 79% of workers want to WFH at least once a week – JLL survey – read article…
- Only 21% of companies are confident in their remote-work security, says study – read article…
1 September 2021
- Google delays return-to-office plan to January – read article…
- Infomate launches outsourcing services for Sri Lankan market – read article…
- Spanish companies unsure of operation plans post-pandemic – read article…
- Accenture secures position as the top IT vendor for US DLA – read article…
31 August 2021
- ‘Fake call center’ scams spreading in India – read article…
- Carlyle Group to acquire Hexaware – read article…
- Tech job hiring in NC grew by 40% – read article…
- Morgan Stanley, Onex Falcon invest in CSS Corp – read article..
