For countries such as the Philippines, where the transportation system takes a toll on employee wellness and productivity, hybrid work arrangements may be most suitable as they allow leveraging of remote work benefits while mitigating existing challenges.
This was one of several insights found in the latest Chief of Staff Asia research paper, on remote working. Navigating Remote and Hybrid Work Boundaries in Southeast Asia is available today for subscriber download here.
The evaluation was shared by Mharicar Castillo-Reyes, CEO of tech-enabled shared services and outsourcing company Asticom.
Filipino society, along with most Southeast Asian cultures, highly values personal relationships and social interactions, she says. Therefore there is reason to prioritise in-person collaboration. This also helps foster camaraderie and a sense of belonging to something greater, often more effectively than purely remote setups.
However, Castillo-Reyes mentions the poor quality of public transportation in Metro Manila, bringing attention to an infrastructural factor that HR needs to consider when weighing remote-versus-hybrid work. Often, the focus has been on internet connectivity.
For Castillo-Reyes, hybrid work offers the best of both worlds as it balances both cultural and infrastructural elements affecting work productivity, employee wellness, and engagement. She points out that the four-day work week that many companies are adopting would not be applicable in all cases, as having to show up on peak days could have employees losing time and energy stuck in traffic.
In addition, the flexible nature of hybrid arrangements also provides ample time to spend with family and loved ones.
Asticom also organises ‘Happy Hour Fridays’ every quarter, with both on-site and online counterparts. To help maintain connection and alignment, virtual town halls and one-on-one check-ins are also in place so that HR can cater to every member of the workforce, regardless of their current working location.
Ultimately, Castillo-Reyes encourages organisations to leverage digital tools in creating and managing cross-functional teams, as this will contribute to their digital dexterity.
“HR not only strategises for the existing employees but also helps shape the future landscape of work,” she says.
