Telecommuting, the New Norm of business amidst COVID-19
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COVID-19 outbreak jumpstarts adoption of telecommuting, increases demand for telecom services in the Philippines
The sudden rise in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has jumpstarted the adoption of telecommuting among businesses in the country, thereby, further raising the demand for mobile data and broadband connectivity.
“Given the present-day realities with enterprises deciding to adopt flexible work arrangements, employees need to be able to collaborate and be productive anywhere they may be and in real-time, for businesses to continue to operate efficiently. That is why we are doing our best to provide our clients with the tools to help them optimize the way they do business,” said Peter Maquera, Senior Vice President for Globe Business.
He mentioned that cloud-based software will allow employees to easily work together on a project in real-time even if they are in different locations. For instance, through G Suite, members of the workforce can easily store, access, edit, and share their files wherever they may be. Office 365, on the other hand, offers a feature-rich set of Microsoft programs for those who work well with a desktop at home. Zoom Video Conferencing can enable teams with a reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, collaboration, chat, and webinars across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems.
Currently, Globe Business is supporting companies through free subscriptions and discounted offers, as they move forward with their business continuity initiatives.
For G Suite users, Globe is giving free access to Advanced Hangouts Meet Video Conferencing capabilities. G Suite Basic users can also benefit from a 20GB upgrade at a reduced price.
For O365, both new and existing customers (those with either Exchange Online or Office 365 Business only) who have not availed of Microsoft Office Teams can get a free 6-month trial with up to 1,000 users and full application functionality.
Globe Business is, likewise, providing a free 4-month subscription on top of the usual 12-month subscription, to those who avail of Zoom Video Conferencing licenses.
These initiatives are also in response to the government’s challenge for telecom companies to level up their game with the enactment of Republic Act 11165 or the Telecommuting Act last year.
The Telecommuting Act was envisioned to ease the traffic problems in metropolitan areas. It institutionalized telecommuting, wherein employees are allowed to work from an alternative workplace using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools.
The new working arrangement, however, did not get much attention from local companies until early this year when some businesses mandated employees who have visited COVID-19 affected countries to do a 14-day self-quarantine and to work from home instead.
With more Filipinos being diagnosed with the virus and the subsequent implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon and other areas in the country, many businesses are now adopting work-from-home arrangements for their employees, using available ICT tools to communicate with each other.
To learn more about the latest offers and promos, get in touch with your dedicated Globe Business Account Manager or visit www.globe.com.ph/business/enterprise.
