Earl R. Lagundino Archives - ��ý Online

[B-SIDE Podcast]��Building a great place to work

��ý — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 01:52:03 +0000

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Teleperformance Philippines (TP) received its fifth consecutive “Great Place to Work” certification this year, based on responses from a 2022 trust index survey conducted by the Great Place to Work, an international institute that does research on company culture.

In this B-Side��episode, TP senior vice president for human capital resource management Jeffrey Johnson tells����ý��reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana how companies can keep a human touch in a hybrid workplace.

“It’s really important that you listen to employees because the employees will tell you what it is they want when it comes to engaging from a digital perspective,” he said.��

“As long as you’re listening and then actively applying solutions for that, I think that’s a key success factor to making sure that you’re able to drive the right engagement.”��

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Train employees to have a continuous learning mindset.��

“You need a lot of training to understand the changing situation at work. That can be both self-driven and organizationally driven,” said Mr. Johnson.��

TP, which has more than 55,000 employees, understands that each person in its organization learns in different ways and encourages them: some may prefer to read and process on their own while others might want to take an e-learning course.��

“When you have that culture, people are more likely to succeed,” said Mr. Johnson.��

Upgrade programs, policies, and partnerships to suit the times.��

On a macro level, a large organization can influence the local community by improving its policies, implementing new programs, and entering public and private partnerships.��

Teleperformance Cloud Campus, for example, is a long-term remote work solution that connects employees through a suite of software for those working from home. There are also hubs and microsites for those who want face-to-face meetings, training, and support.��

TP just opened its first microsite in Laoag City in Ilocos, with the next one slated to open in General Santos City in Mindanao.��

“We fully support the efforts of government and private telcos to make sure that digital penetration reaches as far into the countryside as possible, and it is reliable, consistent, and fast — all the things you need in a digital world,” he said.��

Employee feedback is the north star for better policies.��

For an information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) company to provide good services, its employees have to be taken care of.��

This means leaders must ask each team member how they want to engage and connect, said Mr. Johnson. Meanwhile, on a company scale, sentiment and satisfaction surveys will give important insights into what policies can be improved.��

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, for example, have been found to address concerns about maternity leaves for men and women, and healthcare benefits and restroom access for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans (LGBT+) employees.��

“We make sure we go back and listen. Once we make adjustments, what do employees say? Then change course and correct,” Mr. Johnson said. “It’s a constant process.”��

Recorded remotely on August 11, 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino and Sam L. Marcelo.

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[B-SIDE Podcast] Democratizing ICT solutions in the PHL

��ý — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 02:02:02 +0000

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(This��B-Side��episode is sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services Philippines.)

Data analytics and consulting company GlobalData recently projected that the Philippine cloud market will reach $2.8 billion by 2025 from $1.8 billion in 2020, as more enterprises migrate their workload online.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Philippines Country Head Shiju Varghese and Eastern Communications Product and Innovation Head Edsel Paglinawan speak with����ý��contributor Santiago J. Arnaiz about ICT (information and communications technology) solutions and the consequences of falling behind the competition.

“Digital transformation is not just a matter of capital investment. It’s also about developing strategies, executing, and addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with it,” said Mr. Varghese.

Recorded remotely in June 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino and Sam L. Marcelo.

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[B-SIDE Podcast] High stakes: a recovering addict’s journey

��ý — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 02:35:50 +0000

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Reagan, a recovering gambling addict who has been sober for 11 years, has been jailed, institutionalized, kidnapped, and held at gunpoint.��

In this B-Side episode, he tells����ý��reporter Patricia B. Mirasol about addiction, support systems, and the lifelong journey to recovery. “I can’t say I’m cured because every day is a struggle. Every day I can relapse,” he said. “By saying I’m a recovering addict, there’s a humility. That’s step one: to admit that we are powerless over gambling and that our lives have become unmanageable.”

TAKEAWAYS

‘One bet is too many. A thousand bets are too few.’��

“Nothing can beat that first high—you’re going to constantly chase that first high,” said Reagan. “I got caught in the thrill of the chase. The more I lost, the stronger my motivation to play again.”��

Reagan started gambling on an incentive trip to Las Vegas when he was 23. His initial bet of $1 won him $18,000.��

Gambling addiction refers to the compulsive urge to gamble. It is categorized as a substance-related and addictive disorder in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5)—.��

Gambling is not a ‘lesser’ addiction. It is driven by emotion rather than finances.

Gambling addicts believe that they are better than other addicts, such as those who are hooked on narcotics, because no manifestation of the addiction exists on their bodies.��

Time in rehabilitation, however, dispelled that notion for Reagan.��

“In reality, I was much worse,” he told����ý. “I was creating my own addiction juice. I didn’t even need a substance to create this addiction,” he said in the vernacular. “I was worse than those other types of addicts, because the addiction was in me.”��

Reagan said faith, family, and the 12-step program helped him learn more about himself.��

Created by Alcoholics Anonymous, 12-step programs are peer support groups that help people recover from substance use disorders, behavioral addictions, and mental health conditions.��

The correct term is ‘recovering addict,’ and not “recovered addict.”��

Recovering��is the correct word when referring to an addict on his/her way to recovery, and not��recovered. The distinction evokes humility, Reagan said. It also implies that the journey is ongoing, and that tomorrow ushers in a new day.��

“I can’t say I’m cured because every day is a struggle. Every day I can relapse,” he explained. “It’s [actually] a joke for us to say, ‘I’m recovered. I’m cured.’”��

Anti-gambling campaigns shouldn’t proselytize or agitate.����

Reagan pointed to a Facebook meme that showed a gambler who exchanged his four-wheel drive for a tricycle as a result of his addiction. “That’s a reality,” he said, adding that that non-combative humor is better received than preachy warnings.

Awareness campaigns are more effective when they reach their audience before the act of betting, he continued. “Because the moment they start betting,��tapos na ’yun��[that’s it]. They can recover afterwards, when they already feel lost.”��

Reagan advised those who feel they are struggling against these urges to search online for specific hashtags such as #gamblingsolution or #gamblingfellowship as there are anonymous groups that can help with gambling recovery in the Philippines.

Recorded remotely in May 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino, and Sam L. Marcelo.

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VOX POPULI | What do you look for in a president?

��ý — Thu, 05 May 2022 05:41:25 +0000

The next president of the Philippines should prioritize health, education, and job generation, according to voters residing in the National Capital Region aged 20- to 40-years-old.

In this Vox Populi feature, ��ý asked: “What do you look for in a president?” and “What should the next president prioritize?”

“Gusto ko yung president na laging present sa mga sakuna [I want a president who’s always there, especially in a crisis],” said Kim, 22.

“Hindi makakapaglingkod ang isang presidente kung… wala siya ideya sa kalagayan, pangagailangan, at ano ang mga dapat na unahin nung kanyang pagsisilbihan [A president cannot serve if… he/she has no idea about the conditions and needs of the nation],” said Jenilyn, 24.

Fighting against corruption ranked high among respondents.

“Matalino, matapang, walang bahid ng corruption [Intelligent, brave, not a whiff of corruption] …a leader by example,” said Ganders, 43.

Joel, 44, is likewise looking for a quality other than competence: “I’m looking for a president with moral ascendancy.”

Added Patricia, 26, “I don’t want to hear about pending cases for graft, corruption, tax evasion cases, murder … Ideally, they’re an expert in both study and experience. I want them to use these skills to crack down on corruption.”

Given the reality of the pandemic, recurring concerns on health and livelihood surfaced.

“For me, the president should prioritize the improvement of health and education systems, and the provision of jobs in order to revitalize our economy,” Yelena, 32, said. “He or she should look for the root causes of our problems.”

A lot of people lost their jobs these past few years, noted Tonio, 22.

“It would be best if matulungan yung mga nawalan ng trabaho [It would be best if those who lost their jobs were helped],” he said.

Education and livelihood were identified as top priorities as well.

“Gusto ko yung makarating tayo sa punto na hindi na iniisip ng bawat Pilipino na kailangan nila mangibang bansa para may pangtustos sila sa pangangailangang nila sa bahay, or sa family nila [I want the country to get to the point where Filipinos won’t need to work overseas just to feed their families],” said Star, 27. “Like yung mga nurses natin, ‘di ba? Mababa masyado sahod nila… [Like our nurses, right? Their salaries are so low].”

RJ, 25, said education has taken a hit due to the onslaught of disinformation.

“To protect our future, we must protect our children. We must protect our education,” he said. “That is how we can progress as a nation.” — Patricia B. Mirasol with reports from Brönte H. Lacsamana and Earl R. Lagundino

Vox Populi is a compilation of informal man-on-the-street interviews. It is not a scientific poll and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the public as a whole.

[B-SIDE Podcast] Compassion in the workplace

��ý — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 02:14:11 +0000

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Creating a compassionate workplace starts at the top. In this B-Side��episode, Vidya Srinivasan, vice president for Procter and Gamble’s Manila Global Business Services and Global External Reporting, explains to����ý��reporter Patricia B. Mirasol how the multinational corporation embraces diversity and inclusion.

TAKEAWAYS

Leadership sets the tone.��

It’s the leadership that determines how compassionate and empathetic��a workplace is.

“The leadership sets the tone… The tone at the top will tremendously help push programs,” said Ms. Srinivasan.

To foster an inclusive and supportive atmosphere, P&G has affinity networks — which connect employees based on similar interests or diversity aspects — such as GABLE (which stands for Gay, Ally, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Transgender Employees).

Its “Share the Care” policy, meanwhile, grants new parents at least eight weeks of fully paid leave (compared to the seven days of paternal leave mandated in the Philippines).

These efforts would be difficult to implement without the support of P&G’s top brass.

Mentors pave the way for future leaders.��

To grow, employees should seek out mentors as Ms. Srinivasan did.�� Mentorship need not have a formal structure,�� she added.

“You can tap someone’s shoulder and ask, ‘Can you be my mentor?’ Informal networking also helps a lot.”

Compassion is quantifiable through feedback.��

To gauge if its programs and policies are working, P&G conducts annual surveys.

“Feedback … defines the action plan,” said Ms. Srinivasan.

These surveys helped P&G “walk the talk” in closing the gender ratio gap which led to P&G being named Champion for the Gender Inclusive Workplace category in the 2021 UNWEP (United Nation’s Women’s Empowerment Principles) Awards.��of 53% female and 47% male. In the senior management levels, the numbers are 54% female, 46% male.

Work-life balance solutions have to be flexible.

The aforementioned “Share the Care” policy also allows for flexibility: a parent chooses how to spend those eight weeks of parental leave — whether in a single go, or spread out — depending on their situation.

“[Flexibility] empowers our employees to be in the driver’s seat and drive balance in their lives,” said Ms. Srinivasan.

Situational mentoring sessions also acknowledge that each employee is unique.

To address traditional biases, include men in the conversation.��

“You can’t have this journey with only half the people,” Ms.��Srinivasan��pointed out.

P&G was able to turn their male employees into allies by facilitating workshop sessions, which turned into dialogues, and, eventually, action plans.

“There were many a-ha moments, as everyone started seeing from a different set of eyes,” Ms. Srinivasan said. “Acknowledgement is the first step.”

Recorded remotely in March 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino and Sam L. Marcelo.

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VOX POPULI | BPO professionals voice their concern about returning to the office

��ý — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 08:17:11 +0000

Text by Patricia B. Mirasol
Video editing by Earl R. Lagundino

Due to long commutes, rising prices, and a lower quality of life, information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) employees dread the return to onsite work. They are instead asking that their previous work-from-home (WFH) setup be made permanent.

On April 1, IT-BPO firms registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) returned to on-site work after a resolution allowing employees to work from home expired March 31. The said Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) resolution was implemented in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

A main cause of stress is the rising cost of commodities, said Paolo, one of four BPO employees who��requested that they be identified only by their first names.��

“They want us to spend more, on top of the rising prices for food,” he said, adding that salaries have not increased despite inflation.��

Another consideration is the time lost to long commutes, which translates to missed opportunities for quality family time.

For Jaymar, who has a newborn baby, working from home is a boon.

“I can be both a father and a BPO employee,” he said, noting that the quality of his work has remained consistent throughout the past two years. “My clients are very satisfied. [This] WFH setup is very effective for a dad like me.”

Some companies are structured to flourish onsite, BPO frontliner Jason said.

“On the other hand, I’m leaning towards having PEZA revisit companies [whose staff] work even out of their economic zones,” he said. The setup worked for them, he said, adding that “these companies [that have proven to work effectively remotely] are the companies that could apply for either a hybrid solution, or a permanent WFH.”

As pointed out by Dom, who belongs to the Alliance of Call Center Workers, the nature of the industry is remote work.

“I’m disappointed that the government has decided on this with finality. I feel that it’s a badly thought-out idea that reeks of bad timing,” he said. “They’ve failed to consult the very people that generate these economic activities.”

Paolo said employees should be given a choice on how they want to work — whether onsite, WFH, or hybrid.

The workplace of the post-pandemic era needs to adapt with hybrid, flexible personnel policies tailored to the organization’s needs, according to panelists at a Jan. 19 webinar organized by����ý.

In its 2021 survey, recruitment firm Robert Walters also found that 33% of respondents in the Philippines preferred a hybrid work setup, with 52% saying they’d decline a job offer which requires 100% office attendance in the office.

“You need to listen to employers. They know the sentiments of their employees,” Paolo added. “WFH is not illegal … we’ve proven that it can work.

[B-SIDE Podcast] Navigating the NFT gold rush

��ý — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 02:47:02 +0000

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Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) in the form of both digital art and play-to-earn gaming assets have come under fire for their��price volatility��and vulnerability to frauds and scams.

This March, hackers stole around��$600 million��from the Ronin blockchain network that supports��Axie Infinity, a play-to-earn game with 3 million daily active players, 35% of whom are Filipinos.

Given the game’s large, Philippine-based demographic, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas��cautioned the public��against dealing hastily with digital tokens.

“If you look at the space right now, it’s still very raw. Nobody has a full grasp of [how play-to-earn] really works,” said Renz Carlo Chong, chief executive officer and co-founder of digital asset production factory BreederDAO.

In this��B-Side��episode, Mr. Chong talks to��ý��reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana about the opportunities for NFT asset production in the Philippines amid increasing risks.

“It’s really interesting because nobody knows where the space will head towards or how it will develop over the next few years,” he said.

Recorded remotely in March 2022. Produced by Brontë H. Lacsamana, Earl R. Lagundino, and Sam L. Marcelo.

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[B-SIDE Podcast] Cancel culture��

��ý — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 02:06:33 +0000

The social media hive mind is as fast as it is vicious. Say or do something triggering and you could find yourself going viral and getting canceled.��

“The common definition of cancel culture is that it’s a form of public shaming. Sociologically, it’s society’s way of regulating itself. When we cancel somebody, you’re making a moral judgment,” says Nicole C. Curato, a Professor of Political Sociology at Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the University of Canberra. “The key to understanding cancel culture is that there’s an element of unmet expectation.”

In this��B-Side��episode, Ms. Curato tells former����ý��reporter Marielle C. Lucenio what it means to get canceled and whether businesses should risk taking a political stand knowing that they could face backlash.

Nina Ellaine Dizon-Cabrera, founder and chief executive officer of Colourette Cosmetics, also shares what it was like when Twitter tried to cancel her in November 2020, after she used the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo.

Recorded remotely in February 2022. Produced by and Sam L. Marcelo.

Earl R. Lagundino Archives - ����ý Online

[B-SIDE Podcast]��Building a great place to work

[B-SIDE Podcast] Democratizing ICT solutions in the PHL

[B-SIDE Podcast] High stakes: a recovering addict’s journey

VOX POPULI | What do you look for in a president?

[B-SIDE Podcast] Compassion in the workplace

VOX POPULI | BPO professionals voice their concern about returning to the office

[B-SIDE Podcast] Navigating the NFT gold rush

[B-SIDE Podcast] Cancel culture��

Earl R. Lagundino Archives - ��ý Online