Pandemic Diaries: A Peek Into the Lives of Our Super (WFH) Staff

“Where you are right now is where you’re supposed to be.” 

When a sizable percentage of the staff was advised to work from home more than a year ago, there were a number of doubts about how it would all pan out. Indeed, three months into the new arrangement and the routine made many of us restless.

Another six months passed, and the isolation began to bring about concerns regarding our collective mental health. But, SuperStaff kept doing what it promised to do best: “Take care of our employees as if they were family.” 

So, here we are today, living and breathing the WFH lifestyle. There are still doubts hanging overhead, but nothing that words of encouragement won’t ease.

We’re proud to say we’re surrounded by the positivity needed in these unpredictable times. Our SuperStaff family would like to share this positivity with you wherever you are.

Take a peek into our work from home lives. Here’s how we cope and grow as we embrace the new way of life. 

For those of us who were asked to work from home, the news was unexpected.  We’ve been through pandemics before, but even from the beginning, this one just felt different.  And while the adjustments required were both technical and numerous, the news came as a pleasant surprise. 

Perfect Timing 

“… I am so grateful to have landed a job with SuperStaff amid the pandemic. I just gave birth in March 2020 and joined Superstaff in July 2020. I was super excited to work from home since it meant I could still look after my baby and at the same time help my husband provide for our family.”

     – Johanna D. Decena (Customer Service Associate)

Breakfast and Chill

“I feel like I can chill a lot more in the mornings now that I’m working from home. Compared to when I had to go to an office, I had to wake up very early and stress about commuting. Nowadays, I can take my time in the mornings and spend more quality time with my family. I don’t rush while eating breakfast or taking a shower. And I can relax for a bit before starting my shift.”

     – Hannah Krisha Tongco (Junior Writer)

Staying Home, Staying Safe

“I feel safer than usual. Because before SuperStaff, I was working on-site, and there was an incident when my boss at that time got COVID, and I was the last person she met. I got scared because I have parents who are almost senior, and I didn’t want to risk their health. Fortunately, I tested negative. After that, I decided to resign, and luckily, SuperStaff called me and offered me a job.”

     – Christopher Taming (Graphic Designer)

Working from home excludes no one from experiencing those epic fail moments. After all, only one letter separates #WFH and #WTH. Can you relate to any of these stories? 

Boss Baby 

“…I was presenting a report for the big bosses (so I could not mute my mic) when suddenly my grandson came in running and screaming. I was trying to do sign language for him to keep quiet, but he kept going. Good thing the bosses were very understanding.”

     – Grace Rivera (Finance Director)

Old Habits Die Hard 

“I woke up one early morning… in a hurry, only to realize that I won’t be traveling.”

     – Peter Anthony Calimlim (Jr. SEO Specialist)

Breaking Into My Own Room

“I went for a restroom break and accidentally locked my room and forgot to bring the key with me. It was around 9 pm. There were other tenants downstairs who were drinking and saw me looking through the window, trying to get the key. One of them came to help me. It took like 30 minutes to figure out how to open the door. We used a credit card and other keys to no avail. Finally, a cutout of a hard plastic container opened the door.”

     – Johanna D. Decena (Customer Service Associate)

Too Cute to Handle 

“During a call with the vendor, my two kittens were running around and chasing each other, banging the wall, jumping on my kitchen utensils, causing noises. I was trying to waive at them with a stick (just to scare them and make them stop), but I couldn’t reach them since I was using a wired headset. As soon as I was done with the call, they were quiet too, which annoyed me so much. They were mischievous but too cute to be mad at”

     – Josie Rubinos (Product Data Associate)

Thunder Stealer

“Early in the pandemic, I was speaking at a virtual conference, and my dog snuck in the house and broke into my office and began howling at me. It was a first. And it was embarrassing as hundreds of people were listening to my speech, and my beagle’s tragic cries for bacon.”

     – Matt Narciso (Managing Director & Chief Executive)

We’ve All Been There

The funniest experience I encountered while working from home happened while doing a quality control audit for my team. I was talking for almost 10 minutes when I realized that I was on mute.”

     – Princess Anne Acopiado (Team Lead – Intern)

Never Leave a Toddler (and a Laptop) Unattended

“I got up for coffee and left my work desk. My then 2-year-old daughter took the chance to type each letter of the alphabet, hitting “enter” after each letter, not knowing she was sending the “chats” to my boss who was based in New York. She was already at letter “O” when I got back. I apologized profusely to my boss, but his reply was, “I’m actually rooting for her to finish the alphabet before you get back.” 

     – Athena Yenko (Editor and Content Lead)

While working from home definitely has many advantages, it also has its own set of challenges. Do any of these situations sound familiar?

#Sepanx Is Real

“Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I haven’t met any of my SuperStaff family in person. Also, the challenging part is keeping yourself mentally healthy enough to fight off anxiety.”

     – Myra Mirasol Magante (CSR)

Can’t Find the Stop Button 

“When you work from home, there’s no limit. Sometimes you forget time and realize you’ve been working for 12 hours.”

     – Lady Allyson Dulnuan (SEO Manager) 

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, this famous line from the movie Forrest Gump hit the nail on the head. A lot of things have been out of our control since the pandemic began. Still, we have the freedom to choose how we play the hand we’ve been dealt.

Here are some of the tips to make the most out of working from home, inspired by the first-hand experiences of our colleagues: 

1. Start the day right. Whatever right means to you. What’s important is that you start with a positive vibe. 

“… Start the day with great energy, enthusiasm, and optimism. It will help you make it through your day successfully. Nothing is difficult when you think that you can do it, at the right way.”

     – Marielle Divine S. Guttan (Sourcing Specialist)

“I bond with my grandson first.”

     – Grace Rivera (Finance Director) 

“I usually start my day by fixing my bed, making coffee, and preparing my meal. I like having something to eat throughout the day.”

     – Myra Mirasol Magante (CSR)

2. Be active. There are a lot of things you can do at home. Get that body moving!

“Since there are no outdoor activities that we can do this time of the pandemic, I usually help my parents with their food business and play with my hamsters during free time.”

     – Erwin C. Tan (Associate, Benco – iSupport)

“Gym. Gym. Gym.”

     – Matt Narciso (Managing Director & Chief Executive)

“I really enjoy getting to play and cuddle with my dogs while working. I play fetch while typing away on my laptop sometimes.”

     – Hannah Krisha Tongco (Junior Writer)

3. Always give your best. Even when no one is watching. You’re making a huge difference.

“I always keep in mind that even if I am working from home, I should not compromise the quality of my work. I always think that I need to do better as this job really helped us with our finances, especially since we asked our father to stop working in the meantime due to the pandemic.”

     – Princess Anne Acopiado (Team Lead – Intern)

“Enjoy it, but at the same time, make sure that you bring out the best in you for your own and the company’s success.”

     – Marielle Divine S. Guttan (Sourcing Specialist)

“Do your job efficiently while enjoying working from home! We are given a chance to still have work during this time while being with our family.”

     – Erwin C. Tan (Associate, Benco – iSupport)

4. Be kind to yourself. With all that we’ve been (and still going) through, really, it’s okay! 

“Create a daily schedule and follow it to normalize your rhythm and avoid stress. Learn to pause when you are exhausted.”

     – Lady Allyson Dulnuan (SEO Manager)

“… I make sure that I reward myself every payday :)”

     – Myra Mirasol Magante (CSR)

“Separate working time from family time. Make sure that you still practice a work-life balance.”

     – Marielle Divine S. Guttan (Sourcing Specialist)

5. Create a dedicated workspace. It helps boost productivity and maintain a healthy work-life boundary. 

 “Invest in your office setup so that you’ll be more comfortable working.”

     – Clarabelle Garcia (Marketing Assistant Specialist)

“Set up a rack nearby for your own coffee pantry.”

     – Peter Anthony Calimlim (Jr. SEO Specialist)

6. Have a backup internet connection. With the state of our internet connectivity, YOU NEED IT. Enough said.

“I always find a way to have a backup plan when there is an internet outage. I also make sure that my laptop battery is fully charged.”

     – Erwin C. Tan (Associate, Benco – iSupport)

7. Appreciate what you have. Gratitude makes you rich. Learn to express it.

“I am really grateful that I was granted the privilege to earn while keeping my family and myself safe.”

     – Marielle Divine S. Guttan (Sourcing Specialist)

“I am lucky to have a husband who listens to me all the time and asks me how am I doing or how was my day at work.”

     – Johanna D. Decena (Customer Service Associate)

8. Stay connected. Make the most of the technology and time on hand to invest in your relationships.

“Interact with colleagues at work and [maintain] constant communication with them.”

     – Danilo Morales Jr. (Customer Service Associate)

“This is a great opportunity to reconnect with our families. Don’t waste this opportunity.”

     – Matt Narciso (Managing Director & Chief Executive)

9. Shift your perspective. And make every day count. 

“Working from home gives us the power to use our time wisely. Do not feel imprisoned in your home. There are more things you can do than meets the eye.”

     – Myra Mirasol Magante (CSR)