Should employees continue to work from home or should they be allowed to go to the office?

The pandemic really turned business operation of the companies probably a 180 degrees. A lot of businesses
were affected negatively by the pandemic, however, it also becomes a game changer for those that could take
advantage of the situation. This basically is a case to case basis that depends on the nature of the business of
a company. That is why identifying which is more favorable between continued work from home set up as
against the office set up argument varies depending on which would benefit a company as a whole - meaning
not only considering what would be best for the business operations but also the other factors that make up a
company, such as the work force that handles the operations that is the main subject of this ?argument?.

A lot of companies view their human resource to be the vital factor of a business' success, and I have noted
during the interview of Mr. Henry Albert Fadullon on ANC last June 22, 2020 that Phoenix Petroleum shares
this view as well. Great leaders of every nation noted that employers should put employees health and safety
first. Just like with the companies,
the pandemic is impacting every individual as well and it affects them very differently. That is why offering
ways to meet employees at their comfort level provides meaningful support amidst this uncertain times. I
believe this support is necessary to aid them with the changing working set up, so they could adapt to the
situation without much disruption to the business operation.

In the current statistics of the Philippine, the most number of confirmed cases are from the working age
population. However, it is also from the working age population that most recoveries are noted while death
cases are more inclined to old age population. From this we can infer that working age population are more
abled to combat the risks of the pandemic. With the right health safety guidelines and protocol, the working
age population can continue to do their work as usual.

So the question as to whether the employees should continue to work from home or be allowed to work in the
office, can only be addressed by the preparedness of the company to the risks of the pandemic. If the
company is confident of its protocols towards the risks of the pandemic and can ensure the safety of the
employees. An individual can surely endure the risks for a living however one can only endure so much. Acting
together - both employees and the company - as an organization can build a much safer working environment
that would minimize the casualties to all related parties while working on site or at the office.

On the other hand the company, can still opt to choose the work from home set up if it deemed much
favorable that way or if its protocol is inclined to the WFH set up. Other companies have viewed this as one
way to cut fixed cost as well. With the limited use of office premise, utilities expenses have been minimized.
The communication costs have increased due to the need to provide employees with means to be virtually
present, however not drastically, since the company can also take advantage that a percentage of the work
force already have their internet connections. The only drawback in this set up is the challenge to set up a
clear distinction between working hours and personal time. Great discipline must be instilled to the work force
to observe proper working ethics and to uphold their professional integrity even outside the office premise.
And monitoring this would be a great challenge for the company.

With both options the company should weigh which would be most advantageous to their case.

Personally, I prefer to work on site or at the office to set a clear distinction of my professional life and my
personal life. In my previous job, my work had been flexible. We had a time frame so as a professional we
were trained to manage our own time within that time frame without causing trouble with others work. Also
we could work wherever we choose, in the office or in the client's site, so long as we can communicate to the
immediate superiors or the clients. So when the pandemic striked the nation, there wasn't much difference in
terms of work communication and exchanges (transactions) in the on site or working at the office as
compared to the digital transformation of all work transaction.
The notable difference was on the working ethics of the employees. A lot have struggled with setting up a fine
line with work hours to personal time so the firm have to focus on motivating the employees and on their
mental health. The firm could not help the work from home set up since the office premise is not suitable to
hold all of it's employees at the same time. It wont be able to provide a safe environment if they have allowed
employees to work at the office, though a lot have insisted on doing so. However, due to the management's
move to focus on employee motivation and care for mental health, the firm was able to deliver their work still.

In the end I believe that individuals can adapt to the situation of the company they work for. Whether a WFH
set up is suitable for the company or an on site or office work is better, both options would still have
challenges. The company will have to exert effort and resources to address the risks on the option they took,
but one thing for sure is that the employees will tend to move in the direction the company chose and adapt
its ways. That is how I believe the people embraced the new normal.