Recently, the entire country has been on high alert regarding the fight against one of the biggest pandemics yet: COVID-19. Since our office is in Quezon City, how did you prepare yourself and your team during the earlier stages of this outbreak?

RareJob Philippines, Inc. has a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) which was created by our very own Emergency Disaster Committee. Based on their analysis, our team cannot afford to delay its operations. Because of this, the company provided us with laptops so we can be prepared in case of emergencies. Prior to the announcement of the community quarantine, there was the Taal phreatic eruption, then the announcement of the outbreak in Wuhan, China. We were already bringing our laptops home daily since then due to the impending danger. It is essential for any company to have a BCP; this is the main reason why my team is still in full working capacity during this crisis.

Now, due to the increased number of COVID-19-positive patients, the national government has ordered for an enhanced community quarantine, which RareJob Philippines, Inc. complied with by suspending office work effective March 17, 2020. What was your initial reaction to that?

Of course I was overwhelmed. You see, I tend to think of the worst most of the time. It’s not always a good thing, but it helps me anticipate different scenarios so that I can prepare. Fortunately, operation-wise, our team was ready, and that gave me less things to worry about. It allowed us to focus on our safety and attend to the needs of our family. As a family-oriented nation, it is important to be with our loved ones especially in times of crisis.

You are currently an Evaluation Supervisor, can you give us a brief description of your tasks and responsibilities?

As a supervisor, I am expected to know the ins and outs of the program my team is handling. I also coordinate with Japanese counterparts, work with the management force, and, of course, manage my staff.

Being a subject matter expert of the program allows me to assess the performance of my team members and give effective feedback. Only then can I say that they are productive and at their topmost performance. Aside from staying committed to our deliverables, I am also responsible for maintaining their motivation and satisfaction in the organization.

What is the challenge in accomplishing your tasks and responsibilities while working remotely?

We rely on the internet so much. Now that we are working in an uncontrolled environment, internet speed is sometimes an issue. An internet issue will cause delays in our deliverables so we have to think of immediate solutions to minimize the impact. I am fortunate to have proactive team members; they keep me informed and, oftentimes, they are ready with solutions.

In terms of staff management, I think the most challenging part is staff cultivation. In the office where I am physically present, I can easily identify teachable moments right then and there and use that to cultivate them. It is important for me to not only teach them what to do, I want them to have the right attitude towards work as well.

What are the key differences between working in the office compared to working from home?

There are definitely pros and cons for both setups. For those who have the necessary equipment, I can say that they are in an ideal situation. But not all staff members have computers, internet connection, or even a conducive work space at home. In fact, I sometimes have to put myself on mute during conference meetings because my pet dog demands attention. Another challenge for me is how I spend my lunch break nowadays. Now that I’m working at home, I need to prepare my food and eat within an hour. Back in the office, all I have to do is go to the pantry, claim my free lunch, and eat.

On the other hand, working at home is really convenient. It saves me a lot of time, energy, and money dressing up and traveling to and from work. Aside from working in my PJs, working beside my dog is also a plus!

How did you prepare yourself and your workstation for this setup?

It’s funny because I have limited space so my workstation is unconventional. Most of the time, I work on the bed, with a pillow as a makeshift table. Sometimes, I set up my laptop table so I can work on the floor beside my dog. I am fortunate that most of my tasks allow me to be in a laidback setup. Of course, if ever I need to join a conference meeting, I still make it a point to look presentable and able to actively participate in the meeting. In terms of equipment, I use my company-issued laptop, my personal earphones, and a decent internet connection. My partner works at home as a freelancer, so internet has become a household necessity.

Aside from being a supervisor, you are also an active RareJob tutor. How has your experience as an online tutor helps you in adjusting to working remotely?

Now that I think about it, I have gained self-awareness. I know what I need to prepare in order to deliver what is expected of me – my equipment, my environment, my schedule. Everything has to be in sync so I can be efficient.

I learned how to be creative when communicating, too. We all know that there are barriers when we communicate online. With what’s happening now, miscommunication is the last thing we need. We have to be mindful of the message we give, and how we give it.

Not seeing your teammates in person must pose a challenge to keeping up their motivation despite working from home. How do you deal with this?

I agree, it is challenging. The nature of our task is very independent so even in the office, I have to make sure that I’m making time to chat with them. Now that we are working remotely, it helps that we are keeping everyone in the loop and we have open communication. Turning on the video during our team meeting is also engaging. Plus, it cracks us up when we encounter online meeting bloopers.

Though telecommuting has already been offered by RareJob to those with special circumstances prior to this incident, what can you say about the company offering this to all those employees who can accomplish their tasks remotely?

I see it as an opportunity. Telecommuting can be a solution to our country’s worsening traffic condition; it can also be a solution to save office space and level up the efficiency of growing companies. Now that the skeleton force of RareJob is working remotely, we can start checking the potential of telecommuting and see if we can sustain it without compromising quality.