HR Discourse Sept. 2020: My Worklife in the General Community Quarantine during COVID 19 Pandemic

(Photo Credits: City of Davao Twitter Page)

Let me start by saying that the Philippines is either on the General Community Quarantine or Modified General Community Quarantine - depending on the area you live or workplace. Some form of normalcy has been formed since the start of the GCQ.

Me and my staff has been reporting to the office since June 2020, when Metro Manila was placed under the General Community Quarantine. This period has allowed us to commute and work in the office again after 2 months of the work from home working arrangements..

Except for the first two weeks where I have to use a tricycle to go to the Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge in the morning and walk all the way to PhilAXA or walk all the way home (crazy but it did happen) after work, I have a shuttle service so that part of exposure to COVID 19 was reduced (except Thursday afternoons where I use Grab to shuttle back home).

Currently, three employees work here - me (HR), Administrative Officer and our Utility/Messenger. My boss occasionally comes to the office for meetings and signing documents. The joint DOLE/DTI guidelines allow thirty (30%) percent of its workforce to go back to work with the exception of those who are classified as: senior citizens, pregnant or immuno-compromised. So far, we are not getting any advice from the other business units that they'll be asking people to report at the office.

When it comes to the rest of the employees, they are still working at home. Somehow, some level of apprehension in terms of reporting back to Makati has developed - except those required to report in our client's location. Our business units have given Internet Subsidy allowance to their Business Unit employees that will allow them to access their work tools here at the office. Aside from that, their computers were allowed to be brought back home (for selected business units). We were not given that privilege.

The client's Human Resources Manager has closely coordinated with me in terms of having our employees be part of the regular swabbing tests done for all entering the work premises and other HR matters such as staff accommodations (they do not allow employees to spend overnight inside the office).

Most communications with Managers and other employees is done via calls, emails and Microsoft Teams. There are occasional problems that pop out from time to time such as doing personal matters during their shift schedule, internet disconnection, an employee working on a closed internet cafe because his computer isn't working properly and other work shift disruptions.

Our employee arrived from his company assignment and was required to stay in a hotel observing the fourteen day quarantine. I have to directly coordinate with my immediate manager in HK, call the airlines local office to find out what to do about his arrival in Manila, and at the same time, call the local authorities on how to handle this situation. Although you try your best to make sure that everything will go smoothly as planned, there were some snags like miscommunication, the employee threatening to go to DOLE over some minor mishaps (and later telling us that it was just a joke - which I find not amusing at all), allowance for the fourteen-day period in which I had coordinated with the mother company (which he had to reimburse us) and hotel accommodation (eventually handled by the local authorities). After five days, he was all clear to go home to spend the remaining days self isolating at home.

At the moment, the Administrative Officer and I still think that no one will report to the office until it is permissible. Admittedly, I miss the interaction between the other employees but COVID 19 has just made it somewhat impossible to do face to face conversation or interaction. On the opposite side, there are people you do not miss. Not kidding but I had one or two that I'd rather not interact with because of the situation that I was disrespected by those employee more than I can count. Unfortunately, I have since distanced myself and acts civil when I interact with them. Yes, this HR person is also human folks - like everyone else.

(Yes, my sentiments from time to time summarized here in a Meme. CTTO - found this in my FB feeds)

Christmas is three months away - and we have a clear understanding not to hold the Annual Christmas Party because of the virus and the responsibility of keeping them safe. So far, no hotel has offered their venue to us as I write this blog. For me, it is better to be safe than sorry. For now, we can only recommend adding the budget to buy groceries for everyone but just now I told my staff that we'll just give them cash instead on top of the 13th month pay; out of concerns that they may not want to get their share. I may organize a Zoom Video Christmas Party to catch up with everyone's activity since March.

I end this blog by wishing everyone a safe and sane 2020 (or what is left of the year). A vaccine would be a happy development so that we can go back to a least a closer normal prior to the pandemic.

Reference:

Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines)'s albums on Enhanced Community Quarantine and General Community Quarantine Guidelines:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=pcoogov&set=a.3504619009567735