If I were.... the BOSS

Avatar for Khing14
3 years ago
Date: October 8, 2021

Happy Friday my fellow readers and writers!. It's my favorite day of the week again!.

The Bad News

Yesterday, we had a team meeting where my Manager (who is based in the United Kingdom) announced that the Manila Management has sent a memo to mandate the Manila employees of our company to go back into office amidst the number of positive COVID-19 cases we have in a daily basis. My manager said it's already final, but then he asked us to write all our concerns and doubts and send it to him, so he can raise it with the Senior Management.

He then forwarded us a PDF file containing the Return to Office (RTO) guidelines.

In the first page, you can immediately see the plan of Return to Office policy. By November 8 of the current year till end of January next year, we are required to work 2 days onsite and then from February 1 next year till end of April of the same year, it will be incremented by 1 day.

So we immediately scrolled down to the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) section to see if our doubts in mind are already listed in there. And I must say most of our concerns and questions are already answered in the FAQs section. However, most of the answers are against with what we want them to consider (NO).

My Personal Concerns

Since I know, most of the queries and concerns will already be covered with my colleagues, I then decided to raise my queries that greatly affects my current situation. Below are the concerns that I've raised.

  1. We know that Philippines is still struggling in contact tracing, is it possible for the company to provide a point to point shuttle exclusive for the employees only? In this case, contact tracing will be easy and faster and hence the employee that has a close contact to a covid positive employee can isolate themselves which prevents the further spread of the virus.

  2. I have three kids (11 yo, 7 yo, and 3 yo). My first two are currently enrolled in  distance learning due to pandemic. We don’t have a stay-in nanny or stay-in helper at the moment. I don’t have any relatives nearby as well to look after my kids  while I am away. May I request for an extended WFH period of at least 1 month for me to find a stay-in helper/nanny who can take care of my kids while I am away?

First in my concern is the transportation. I know that none of my colleagues will raise this one because they have their own car and can drive to office anytime. But in my case, I have to commute to work because I don't know how to drive and our car is mainly used by my husband in the store (to pick up or deliver rice and grocery items).

I would like to ask if our company will be able to provide us a point to point shuttle service. This will help to easily trace who have a close contact with a covid-19 positive individual and hence we can immediately isolate ourselves to prevent the further spread of the virus in our house and in our community as well.

My second concern has something to do with my kids. As you may already aware of, we have a stay-out helper at the moment (who is always absent every Monday - due Monday morning sickness). She cannot go and stay with us because his husband don't want to because even though they don't have a child, she still needs to take care of her husband (of course).

However, given my proximity from the office (more or less 45 kilometers away from the office), I will be away for a total of 15 hours and I have 3 kids that also needs my care at home.

My husband could not stay with my kids because he has to assist in our sari sari store. He couldn't bring our children to the store as well because aside from the fact that it's a high risk place due to multiple customers coming in and out of the store, my first 2 kids are currently attending online school and we do not have wi-fi in the store. So I am asking them if they can give me at least another month to find a stay-in helper we can trust who will look after my kids while my husband and I are both away.

My colleagues and I had lots of discussions yesterday when we heard about the news.

Let me just post a quick throwback selfie of mine in the office way back before the pandemic. I loved to work in the office because you can focus more as compared here in our house where there are lots of distractions in every corner of our house. However, due to the current covid-19 positive cases count? I would rather work from home despite of the challenges I am facing in a daily basis being a working from home mom of three.

If I were the BOSS.....

If I were the Boss, I will give my employees an option if they want to go to the office or continue working from home. We've been in this set-up from more than a year already, and we have even proven to our Manager that our productivity has doubled and even tripled with this set-up cause we have saved time from travelling into the office. We have proven enough that working from home is never been an issue with attending meetings. We can always submit our deliverables before the deadline

If I were the Boss, I will respect my employees decision if they cannot take the risk of going into the office yet given the current rate of COVID-19 positive count in a daily basis. We all know that most or I would say ALL hospitals in our country (Philippines) are currently full and don't have a capacity to admit more patients at the moment. Some hospitals don't even accept COVID-19 patients anymore. Hence, when we have been infected by the virus, there's very low chance to get a hospital bed, which will then force us to self-medicate at home which in effect will expose all our family members in the virus.

If I were the Boss, I won't make the return to office mandatory because it is like me forcing them to get vaccinated as well. Some of my office mates (about 20%) are not vaccinated yet because just like the others, they are also afraid of the side effects that the vaccine may cause to their body.

But then on this newly mandated policy, it's like leaving no choice to those employees but to get vaccinated because going back into the office means exposing themselves in the virus and hence they will have to choose now. Which risk are they going to accept? Will they rather accept the risk of how their body would react to the covid-19 virus, or the risk of how their body will react to the vaccine?


This is my entry to @JonicaBradley writing prompt #18 - If I Were...

Here are the rules just in case you want to join as well:

Write anything about If you were...

  • Write anything about "If I were".

  • Write 100% original content.

  • Join and submit to the community PromptlyJonica.

  • Tag @JonicaBradley .


I will have to go back to work now. Friday feels is real.

Before I end this, I just wanted to give my sincere gratitude to my below list of sponsors for the trust and motivations you're giving me. Thank you as always.

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3 years ago
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Comments

I know I have read an entry for If I were writing prompt yesterday. I just forgot from who but I would want to make an entry soon. It has been months since I last wrote about JonicaBradley's writing prompt. I really miss those prompts.

Anyhow, that is the reason why I still do not want to look for a job. My experience is in the food industry. Not only that it is hard to work in a restaursnt industry now because they only need a few staffs since they are not yet open to more than 50% capacity and their sales is still not pickung up but my problem also is the transportation. If I were to work again, I would have to take the daily transpo making me in contact with different people. Yes, I am vaccinated but I am still worried especially because I live with my parents who are already in their senior years. Not only am I in contact with other people in transpo but also to the guests in the restaurant. 😔

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Yeah, same worry here sis!. Actually, we also have a small canteen business and I know and I can feel your worry as well. That's why I am always reminding my husband to take care, not for himself but for the kids. I don't want them to caught the virus that might be carried already by my husband because of his nature of work/business (sari-sari store and canteen)

$ 0.00
3 years ago

If the work can be done from home, the boss should consider letting some work for home, especially the ones that has family they are taking care of.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

exactly. I just had a call with my Manager earlier and I've raised all my concerns regarding to return to office

$ 0.00
3 years ago

I pray your manager consider it.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

thanks much for the support :)

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Hi I'm newbie here, I hope your manager will allow you one month work from home, it'll be difficult for you

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Oh, welcome here sissy!

Yeah i am praying as well that mu manager would hear that request

$ 0.00
3 years ago

I hope your boss approves the one month work from home period because it won't be easy

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Yeah hoping so

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Pray natin yan, sis!

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Thank you sis.. Natetense nga ako dahil less than 1 month nalang.. Pero alam ko hindi kami pababayaan ni Lord.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

The problem with being vaccinated is that it doesn't even offer full immunity against Corona. I hope your boss approves your request for a one-month WFH period

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Exactly. Vaccine aims to minimize the impact of the virus to our body in case we'vr brrn infected by the virus..

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Hirap nga naman yan sis. Hopefully reconsider nila kalagayan nyo.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Kaya nga sis.. Sana talaga

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Ang dami na talagang struggle pag work on site noh ang daming icoconside kung pwede lang maging boss lahat hehe

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Korek sis.. Sana matapos na itong pandemic

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Ang hirap mgdesisyon sis no lalo na g may mga anak na.. Iba iba ksi ugali ng mga boss eh, swerte n lng kung mbait at marunong umintindi sa sitwasyon

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Yung manager ko sis mabait saka considerate.. Yung management lang talaga ng manila ang palpak..

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Gnyan nmn tlga sis pgdating sa management kya ang hirap pg gnyan. Di ko naranasan mgwork sa manila sis bka maloka ako

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Kaya nga sis.. Hahaha..

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Working conditions can sometimes be unfair...

$ 0.01
3 years ago

You're right.. Sad but true

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Naku lods adjust na naman ng mga nakasanayan diyan lods. Paano na yan aino magbabantay sa mga anak mo lods 3 pa sila.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Isa yun sa challenges ko.. Yung maiiwan sa mga anak ko pag nasa office ako

$ 0.00
3 years ago

May mga boss talaga sis na di marunong umintindi ng mga employees niya. Pandemic ngayon sana maintindihan ng boss niyo yan sis

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Kaya ngabsis eh.. Andami dami naming concerns talaga na niraise.. Ang di lang sure is kung papakinggan ba kami

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana pakinggan kayo ng boss niyo sis

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana nga sis.. Cross fingers

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Always be safe sissy balik na talaga sa work face to face,parang d2 din pati mga student face to face na din

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Nga kidos ko sis online pa din.. Sarado pa din school nila.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Pero mukhang mas ok na yon sissy para atleast sigurado ka mas safe sila

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Yep... Kaya nga sis

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sa pinagtatrabahuhan ko non sa Ayala , choice ng employee if want nila mg wfh.

$ 0.01
User's avatar Yen
3 years ago

sana all ..sa TelUS nga sis may shuttle employees nila, from office to bahay talaga..kaya safe.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Oo meron nga haha. Kaya nga tropa ko dun naka wfh tapos Yung malalapit mas choice nila pumasok sa office

$ 0.00
User's avatar Yen
3 years ago

Sana may ganung freedom din kaming magdecide.. Partida diba call center yun? Kami bihirang makapag call, kapag may meeting lang..

$ 0.00
3 years ago

I always believe that a good boss is a good listener. Sana talagang makinig yungbboss niyo sa mga hinaing nyo as employees.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

sana nga po pakinggan at hindi mema lang :)

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Laban lang tayo sa life maam! ❤

$ 0.00
3 years ago

truth po...go lang syempre tayo ng go..wag hihinto

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Okay lang po siguro atr yumg decision nyo. Besides, kung wala po kayong iniintindi and you know that you can desirably maintain the health protocols with vaccine, okay na rin pong sa office kayo magwork. Kung ako papipiliin kung gusto ko ng f2f classes, pipiliin ko po yon eh pero depende pa rin po haha.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

kung ako lang, mas gusto ko sa office mag work. kaso inaalala ko din yung uuwian ko sa bahay, tatlo ang chikitings ko eh :)

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Don’t worry sis, I am sure you are the real boss in the house. 😁

$ 0.01
3 years ago

ahahaha..I hope so :D

$ 0.00
3 years ago

😂 Sana mapagbigyan ka sis para makapag adjust ka muna bago mag umpisa sa office

$ 0.00
3 years ago

sana nga sis eh...kawawa talaga mga bata pag nagkataon

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Kung hindi naman pala affected yung performance ng nga employee sa work from home and mas nag improve pa nga. Bat pa pipilitin pumunta sa base hmmm.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

ayun nga mismo ang tanong namin sis. Isa yun sa mga naemail namin kagabi :)..wala pang response.hahaha

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana i cosnider nila sis

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana may ganyang boss sis, ung may malasakit hndi lang sa kompanya niya kundi sa mga empleyado nya din pra lahat masaya.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

sana talaga sis. Pabor pa nga yun sa kanila na naka work from home ang empleyado nila diba? Tipid sila sa kuryente.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Why need to comeback if still not ready , and can't provide the one you request,if you go back to work and still didn't vaccinated all the employees it will put in high risk also your family Ang you're co worker family.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

exactly. and the worst is, they will not shoulder the hospitalization if in case we and/or our family members got infected by the virus.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Yes , your boss only his company concerned

$ 0.00
3 years ago

sad but somehow true :(

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana pumayag yung boss mo sis na bigyan kapa ng isang buwan para sa house ka muna habang hindi kapa nakakita ng mapagkakatiwalaan para may mag alaga sa anak mo.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

sana nga sis. Ang hirap maghanap ng makakasama sa bahay na mapapagkatiwalaan...lalo na wala kami pareho ng asawa ko.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Oo sis okay sana kung kapamilya mo lang .

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana all iniisip yung kapakanan ng mga employees. Sis gumawa ka na ng own company mo tapos hire mo ko, hehe

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Why not sis.. Hehehe.. Kaso wala akong sapat na pera.. Abahaha.. Tuition nga ng anak ko pinoproblema pa namin minsan.. Hehhe

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sana ganyan lahat ng mga boss 😊

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Palpak nga sis yung boss namin eh.. Hehe.. Pinapabalik na kami sa office

$ 0.00
3 years ago

I mean yung boss na gusto mo sis hehe

$ 0.00
3 years ago