For Singapore companies: 5 reasons why offshoring to Indonesia is a smart move

Sophia Lee
Sophia Lee
September 26, 2018

With the emergence of better technology, connecting across time zones is much easier. Offshoring work is now a viable solution for employers looking to expand at a faster rate without skimping on the quality of their employees. In Singapore, companies and startups like Grab are in the business of offshoring to Indonesia. The next one might just be yours.

Here are five huge reasons why offshoring to Indonesia is a smart move.

1. More people, more potential: Indonesia’s large population

The market potential in Indonesia is so big, it’s attracted the attention of giants like Alibaba and Expedia. The population in Indonesia numbers over 250 million people. And this huge amount of people contributes to how businesses and investors look at Indonesia. In 2016, $867 million (SGD!) was poured into the country as venture capital. And just last year, the amount went up to US$3 billion.

Why should you pass up the opportunity to dive into a market as huge as that? If you’ve got a killer product ready, look to Indonesia and scout out opportunities.

2. Offshoring to Indonesia… and its mobile-first generation

Not only does Indonesia have a large population, most of its people are mobile-first users and highly Internet-savvy. That spells potential for those looking to enter into the digital economy with snazzy tech ideas and exciting startup ideas. Did you know that Internet use is growing way faster in Southeast Asia than anywhere else in the world? We’re all glued to our screens – might as well take advantage of that!

Indonesia’s huge population means that its mobile-first market will make up more than half of the e-commerce space in Southeast Asia by 2025. You can’t find farming ground more fertile than this, tech entrepreneurs and employers.

3. Plenty of opportunities for development

Some people view Indonesia’s vastness as a roadblock to growth. And while there are indeed hotspots for tech fanatics and startups to flock to – leaving out the more rural parts of Indonesia – there’s a different perspective on this unique issue.

There is still a window of opportunity to make Indonesia what tech entrepreneurs and employers envision it to be: a hotbed for all things digital. Developing lesser known regions in Indonesia and solving problems with technology might prove fruitful in the long run – it just depends on how optimistic you are!

4. Indonesia’s pool of untapped talent

Places like Jakarta and Batam are thriving – but there’s still lots of untapped talent waiting for tech companies to hire them. Check out Nongsa Digital Park, Batam’s latest and greatest tech wonderland for passionate developers, programmers, and tech talent to gather and work. 

The park is a thriving campus where techies and businesses co-exist in one space together. If you’ve been struggling to hire skilled tech talent in Singapore, whether it’s due to a lack of applicants or a lack of budget on your part, look to Batam – and the rest of Indonesia.

5. Indonesia’s proximity to Singapore

offshoring to indonesia

Offshoring to Indonesia is quite unlike offshoring to further places like, say, Sweden or Germany. Time zones won’t get in the way of scheduling meetings with your remote employees. Why shouldn’t you take advantage of the proximity?

As an employer in Singapore, this is something that works out for you in more ways than one: you get to hire competent employees abroad without blowing up your budget.

Places like Batam are only 45 minutes away by ferry if you ever want to swoop in on your employees for a quick check-in and hangout session.

All set? Ready to start offshoring to Indonesia? Build your remote tech teams fast with Glints TalentHub. Click here to check it out!

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