Last May, the Philippine House of Representatives has given its approval during the final reading of the Telecommuting Act, a bill that is going to benefit a number of employees from the private sector. The House Bill 7042 mandates that companies promote flexibility and allow their staff to work remotely, outside of the office through the use of technology at a schedule that is agreeable for both the worker and company.
While this news was welcomed well by the Filipino workforce, this kind of set-up has already been a norm among Filipino online workers, freelancers and remote staff. They have been enjoying the benefits that come with working outside
Here are just some of the major perks that Filipino employees can look forward to, and might even influence them to take that leap and become a full-time online worker.
Being stuck in traffic for long hours is a nightmare that is sadly being experienced by a lot of Filipino employees today, particularly in big cities like Metro Manila. Commuting from one city to another, for instance, will set you back at least an hour even if in theory, the cities within Metro Manila aren’t that far apart in terms of distance. And this is if you’re lucky!
The longest I’ve spent inside a cramped bus going home from my old office job was 4 hours. And this doesn’t count the time spent waiting, or lining up to get in the train. That’s longer than plane rides to another province in the country!
When you work remote, all you have to do is wake up, take a few steps over to your workstation and you can immediately start working on the day’s tasks. No need to waste hours in a stressful commute that could have been spent instead on doing productive things. Plus, you get to accomplish more since you're not rushing to leave work on the dot to avoid the crazy rush hour.
When you’re working at home, your daily costs will also be cut down tremendously. No need to shell out money for the commute, or when you need to eat during the work day. When you combine all your costs, no matter how ‘little’ you think they are every single day, it would still amount to a huge expense per month; as opposed to working from your home office. These daily savings could then be used in other investments, like upgrading your laptop or computer or Internet plan; or in your utility bills.
Additionally, you can also escape from unplanned spending when you find yourself roaming around the mall while waiting for the rush hour to pass.
Working from home would be especially appealing to working dads and moms who would want to spend more time with their growing children, without having to sacrifice their career; or even single children who would want to be with their parents and siblings. All the time spent in the day, and even into the night because of working at an office could have been used bonding with your loved ones at home. Making a living, furthering your career and still building strong relationships with your family is all possible by working from home.
The traffic, long commute hours, and socializing with people on a daily basis, added to your daily stress at the office, can take a toll on anybody. Working from home can give you an escape from it, and you will thank yourself for it even if you do it just once a week.
I’m not saying that there’s no stress, but when it becomes too difficult, you can step away from your laptop for a few minutes and lie down, get some fresh air, or play with your kids or pets. You can deal with your stress better when you’re working in the comfort of your home.
These are just a few of the benefits workers can expect when they try working from home. I can personally attest to these ever since I started becoming a full-time online worker 3 years ago. Needless to say, there’s a pretty high chance that I’m not going back to regular office-based work ever again.
And it is my hope, and AwayTeam’s as well, that more and more Filipino workers get to enjoy the perks that we have been experiencing being able to work from home and remotely.
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