Hey everyone! I’ve been a Lead Developer for the past 4 years, working for a really great digital agency in the UK through a local offshore agency. I absolutely love the work I do and have a fantastic relationship with the UK team. They recently told me they’re "extremely happy" with my work and want to give me a significant performance raise, which is amazing!
The Problem:
I’m worried the offshore agency won't actually pass that raise on to me. Based on my records, they already take a 40–50% cut of what the client pays for my role, and my salary has stayed pretty flat while my responsibilities have grown.
A few frustrating details:
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): I’ve been using my personal high-end workstation for 4 years because the agency only offered a low-spec Windows laptop that couldn’t handle the work.
Micromanagement: Despite being a Lead and using my own gear at home, I have to run activity-tracking software that pings me if my mouse stops moving or if there is no change in my screen every 10 mins. It’s a huge creativity killer.
The "Warning": When I previously mentioned the hardware issues to the client, the agency warned me "not to make them look bad i front of their client i.e. the UK company."
The Goal:
I don’t want to quit the project—I’m really invested in it! I’m considering suggesting a move to a direct EOR (like Deel or Remote) to the UK client. This would give them more transparency and finally give me a fair, market-rate wage.
I’d love your advice on:
How to bring this up to the UK directors without sounding like I’m "complaining" about my current boss.
If anyone has made the jump from an agency to a direct EOR—did the agency try to enforce a non-compete?
Any tips for explaining how EORs work to a client who might not have used one before?
TL;DR: I love my UK client, but my local agency takes a huge cut, provides no gear, and tracks my mouse. Want to go direct but want to handle it professionally. Thanks in advance for the help!