Work From Home with the Stay-at-Home Order Has Its Successes and Challenges Due to Covid-19
If we really want to end the COVID-19 Pandemic, let’s do our part.. Stay at Home!
It’s easier said than done. However, we still need to work in order to provide the essential needs for our families in these times of crisis. It is a benefit that some outsourcing companies in the Philippines can grant a Work From Home Arrangement for their employees, just like MCVO.
You would think that working from home sounds so “
cool” or
“glamorous” and an envy for those you can’t, you are definitely day dreaming! But, just like any other activity, it also has its Successes and Challenges. A few examples of what our past few weeks look like:
Successes:
Family Time: When was the last time you made small talks with your parents? Eat dinner, lunch or breakfast with your siblings? Or watched your favourite TV program with your kids? Although we are in a crisis, this is the best time to make up for and create these private moments with your loved ones.
Not Stuck in Traffic: Have you experienced rush hour especially in larger cities like
Metro Manila or even Chicago, Illinois? Not something I would wish for anyone of my enemies (not that I have one!)! Morning rush hour traffic in Metro Manila is beyond dreadful!
Here’s a glimpse of my morning commute to reach the office at 8AM:
- I set my alarm at 4AM. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read that right! 4AM!
- I get myself ready, grab coffee if I feel like it, and then leave my house at 5AM.
- I drive for 3 hours with bumper to bumper traffic as soon as I reach the exit of our subdivision!
- My car barely reaches 20 miles per hour and the roads are like sardine cans with all cars “squished” that not even a thin piece of paper can get through between cars (well, I’m exaggerating a bit, but, you get what I mean!)!
- By the time I get to work, I’m exhausted.
Avoid the Risk of Getting Robbed: Because of poverty, there are temptations for robbers to pickpocket people in the streets. Unfortunately, there is widespread of robberies that happen all throughout the day and night. At least Work From Home does not expose us to this risk.
Eat-Work-Eat: Ah…this is the work-life balance that we’ve all been wanting to have! Eat while you work. Work while you eat. Except if we have online meetings and our webcam is on, we discretely eat so that our colleagues and clients can’t see the food we’re eating!
Challenges:
Internet Latency: Home or residential internet is weaker compared to the set-up in the office. Therefore, an 8-hour equivalent of work becomes 10 hours or more when you are working from home. A WIFI booster (or pocket internet) may help; however, not reliable at all times. One of our requirements for employees to work remotely is to have a strong internet connection in order to efficiently do their job. Otherwise, it makes it difficult to provide the outsource service from the Philippines to our clients in the United States and United Kingdom.
Computer System: Even though employees may have strong residential internet connection but their computers are
ancient, this still does not fulfill our policy to Work From Home. Most of our clients’ tasks require larger storage capacity for our files. We suggest for employees to invest on an updated computer to qualify for the WFH benefit.
Eat-Work-Eat: Yes…you’re right, I mentioned that this is a success considering that you can eat all and whenever you want while working; this, however, can also lead to health implications. You need to be active like stand-up, stretch, walk-around or whatever it takes to move around! At work, we get to walk to our colleagues’ work areas, to the restroom, go outside to eat at lunch/break, or step outside the office building to breathe fresher air and not recycled airconditioned air. But, inside our house, there’s a big chance that we, not only, Eat-Work-Eat BUT Sleep too! Then the cycle repeats. Health is wealth. Take time to exercise.
Family Time: This is another success that can be a challenge as well. House distractions may happen, such as siblings disturb you while on a conference call or your kid wants to play with you while deadline needs to be met. These distractions can pose issues if you are unable to manage it well. How do you solve this? Have a scheduled work hours and make sure that your family is aware. Set expectations on eating together, delay of response to their questions, etc., Explain to your family that they need to understand that while you are at home physically, this does not mean that you can have conversations anytime they wish or interrupt you while you’re in meetings. If you fail to successfully perform your duties remotely, it may affect your job and potentially be terminated.
Successes and challenges come within the territory of our jobs, regardless if working onsite or remotely. What matters the most is that we put 100% of our mind and heart to our work. I am grateful that MCVO, one of the best outsourcing companies in the Philippines
supports the Work From Home Arrangement. This ensures the safety of the employees from this pandemic while providing
outsourcing services to our clients successfully.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
