(b) Productivity Tools
Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Outlook is an email and task management application. It is
installed and configured with the employees’ email in the PETRONAS-
issued device. Employees can access Office 365 applications via
Microsoft Webmail.
Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Teams is a collaboration application that brings together
everything a team needs: chat, threaded conversations, meeting &
video conferencing. Employees can also work with the team in real-
time, enabling to collaboratively edit a document and discuss ideas.
Microsoft OneDrive
• Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage service that allows the
employees to store all PETRONAS documents securely in one place
and access them virtually anywhere. It connects all the employees’
files so that it can be shared and worked together in real-time.
Microsoft Forms
• Microsoft Forms is a tool for survey form creation, responses collection
in real time along with automatic charts to visualise the data.
Microsoft Power BI
• Microsoft Power BI is a business analytics tool that provide interactive
visualizations and business intelligence capabilities with a simple
interface for end users to create their own reports and dashboards.
(c) Security Tools
Microsoft Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator is a mobile app to verify the employee identity
online quickly and securely for their PETRONAS Enterprise ID
account. It provides an additional layer of protection when an
employee sign in, often referred to as two-step verification or multi-
factor authentication (MFA).
Microsoft Intune
• Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service used in PETRONAS to
control how devices are used, including mobile phones, tablets, and
laptops. On employee’s personal devices, Microsoft Intune helps
make sure PETRONAS’ data stays protected and can isolate
organisation data from personal data.
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(d) Service Request Tools
ICT2U
• ICT2U is a self-service platform where employees can order or request
ICT services. It includes device request, access and license request,
IT project service request and more. A publication by James Ware and
Charles Grantham described that one of the critical practices for a
successful remote working arrangement is the technology portability
and mobility which increases the likelihood that people will work
wherever they are. Thus, PETRONAS had made the right investment
in terms of equipping its employees with sufficient tools and equipment
to work in a WFH working mode since the deliverables were not
compromised and producing expected results during the pandemic.
2. Employee’s Safety, Health, and Well-Being
(i) In ensuring employee’s safety, health and well-being while working in WFH
working mode, PETRONAS through its top leaders regularly reminds its
organisation members to go back-the-basis and prioritise personal well-
being. From the President & Group President CEO to first line managers the
message is being cascaded down to make the working mode work. The
reminder to the organisation members is as follows:
(a) To observe the office working hours and avoid from organizing meetings
before 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
(b) To practice self-reflection at the end of every week to observe the
progress that had been made, to plan for the upcoming week while
allocating the time for personal development and self-learning.
(c) To allow for short breaks between meetings and to take full 1-hour lunch
breaks
(d) To stay connected and check up on each other through regular check-ins
with the peers.
(e) To take adequate rest by utilising the annual leave.
(ii) The above practise was proven working and never fail to be practiced in the
organisation. Leaders and managers do support it and exercise their
discretion with empathy to staff.
(iii) Based on a survey done by Gartner in 2020, employees in organisations
which emphasises on safety, health and well-being in remote working
arrangement have 23% higher levels of mental health, 17% higher levels of
physical health, and are 23% more likely to say they sleep well at night
compared to an organisation which have low emphasise on it. The
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improvements in personal outcomes translate to higher levels of performance
and retention.
(iv) As a participant of the PCF programme in PETRONAS, it was found out that
the remote working environment in PETRONAS is conducive and less
stressful at the same time able to balance the personal and working time.
3. Swift Technology Adaptation
(i) PETRONAS through its Project Delivery & Technology (PD&T) together with
Group Digital (GD) created myBot in making sure its employees are able to
quickly adapt with the remote working arrangement. During WFH working
mode, employees can update virtually their working condition by accessing a
simple self-check-in system made accessible via Microsoft Teams. Started
out as an emergency measure, it has now been upgraded and rebranded to
‘PETRONAS Unified Search & Personal Assistant’, or PUSPA in short.
(ii) Checking in with PUSPA is as easy as chatting with a colleague on Microsoft
Teams. Type “Hi” in the chat box and select “Check In”. Users will be
prompted to fill in details on their working arrangements and health status on
daily basis.
(iii) Each user’s information will be visualised on a dashboard daily, enabling the
Leadership Teams and businesses to facilitate interventions related to
Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) and Human Resources
(HR), where necessary.
Picture 1: PETRONAS Employee Self Check-in Report
(iv) PUSPA also sends self-care reminder to employees, prompting them to take
work breaks and notifies them when they have been working for more than
eight hours, encouraging employees to check out from work after clocking in
eight hours.
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(v) Testimonies from employees in PETRONAS reveals that PUSPA boosts
employee digital experience while WFH. Apart from ease of check-in,
PUSPA has helped improved their personal wellbeing. This living proof that
swift adaptation of technology plays a big role in helping PETRONAS in its
transition in remote working arrangement.
4. Company Assistance for WFH
(i) In lessening the concerns while WFH, PETRONAS also aided its employees
to carry their duties with the following measures:
(a) New Ways of Working (NWOW) Assistance
• Employees at the level of Senior Manager and below are provided
one off RM3000 payment to be utilised in setting up their ergonomic
home offices to work remotely at home.
(b) Connectivity Assistance
• RM120 monthly monetary assistance to all employees to cover
internet and utilities cost while WFH.
(c) Special Package for Employees
• The employee also entitled special discount for furniture such as
working table and ergonomic chair for home office setup and a
special package for internet subscription with the selected internet
providers.
Picture 2: Employee WFH Packages
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Picture 3: Employee Connectivity Packages
(ii) The measure taken by PETRONAS resonates with the finding by Jaime that
organisation investment in ensuring employees have ergonomic furniture
could avoid costly longer-term health issues for their workforce and
assistance in connectivity will eliminates the barrier to workers productivity at
home.
(f) Sound and Clear WFH Policy
(i) PETRONAS establish a sound and clear WFH Policy for the employees to
follow while working in a remote setting. The remote work policy aims to
support remote employees and ensuring minimal disruptions to the
company’s business and service delivery to its customers and partner.
PETRONAS from WFH policy is being updated accordingly and
communicated to all the employees through emails and engagement
sessions. The policy includes operational aspects such as:
(a) The working arrangement directives
(b) Working hours or check in and out times.
(c) Privacy statement regarding employee data.
(d) Security protocols about VPN use.
(ii) Therefore, it is not shocking to hear the news that PETRONAS is listed as
the 15 top-ranked company to work for 2 consecutive years in LinkedIn Top
Company list in Malaysia.
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C. Conclusion
Looking at PETRONAS approach in adapting in remote working arrangement, the
company is deemed headed to a right path in overcoming the challenges during the
pandemic. Therefore, service could emulate or improvise these best practices to become
resilient and better prepared in facing the challenges we might face in the future.
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Remote Working Arrangement |
Embracing
The New Norm
By:
M. MARY ANN THOMAS
Manager (Learning Strategy and Performance)
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)
A. Introduction
1. The COVID-19 pandemic has had far reaching impacts, consequences and has
affected people, their lives and livelihoods, nations, world trades, various industries
and businesses. A publication by Haleem et al. (2020) listed the consequences as
follows:
(i) Healthcare
Challenges in diagnosis, quarantine and treatment of suspected or confirmed
cases; High burden on the existing medical system; Patients with other
disease and health problems neglected; Overload and high risk on doctors
and other healthcare professionals; Disruption of medical supply chain.
(ii) Economic
Slowing of the manufacturing of essential goods; Disrupting the supply chain
of products; Losses in national and international businesses; Significant
slowing in the revenue growth.
(iii) Social
Services sector not able to provide proper service; Cancellation or
postponement of large-scale sports and tournaments; Avoiding national and
international travelling and cancellation of services; Disruption of celebration
of cultural, religious and festive events; Closure of hotels, restaurants,
religious places and places of entertainment.
2. This onset of the COVID-19 pandemic affected society and people’s lives in many
ways. People had to quickly change what they were used to, adapt and make do.
While some adjustments have been challenging, others seemed to be for the
better. Among the positive changes are:
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(i) Telemedicine and more in healthcare – Self-testing, rushing to develop a
vaccine and doctor’s visits via video/telephone
(ii) Working from home – More organisations were forced to come on board
(iii) Educational options – Virtual school
(iv) More positive views of technology – Search for best means of communication
3. The organisational pursuit for productivity and sustainability will never be void of
challenges and disruptions. Organisations will need to adapt, adjust, prioritise and
be resilient to weather through the instability. This is not limited to just being future
ready by returning to work but also to embrace “the new insights and capabilities
that COVID-19 has accelerated to reimagine the future altogether.” With the
acceleration to the future of work, there have been both upsides and downsides,
as summarised by Deloitte:
(i) Upside – Organisations and employees rose to the occasion – either by
“freely adopting remote or virtual work, seeking out new ways to collaborate,
being more deliberate about what work is essential and what work outcomes
matter most, or leveraging the power of technology in new and different ways,
working differently and challenging the orthodoxies of the past.”
(ii) Downside – “Deterioration of worker well-being, increased anxiety and
isolation and the loss of a sense of belonging … The average workday has
lengthened by 48.5 minutes, with 13% more meetings each day, leading to
increasing rates of burnout. 57% of mothers and 32% of fathers of children
younger than 18 report that their mental health has deteriorated during the
pandemic. And the impacts on women have been profound.”
B. COVID-19 And the Workplace
1. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a lot of new things, experiences and
challenges, including in the workplace. Gartner (2020) and Baker (2021) identified
nine ways COVID-19 has changed the future and these HR trends have emerged
“as the lasting result of workforce and workplace changes resulting from
coronavirus pandemic disruption,” as follows:
(i) Accelerate Trends / Existing Shifts – acceleration of existing trends prior to
the pandemic
Remote work increases; Expanded data collection; Expanded employer
responsibility as social safety net; Contingent worker expansion.
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(ii) New Impacts – not client priorities previously
Separation of critical roles and critical skills; Humanisation and
dehumanisation of workers; Emergence of new top-tier employers.
(iii) Pendulum Swings – “forced the pendulum of a long-observed pattern to one
extreme”
Shift / Transition from designing for efficiency to designing for resilience;
Increase in organisational complexity.
2. More recently, Vyas (2022) flags seven key trends of the labour market and Work
Life Balance (WLB) that will surface in the future:
(i) Accelerated digital transformation
(ii) Hybrid work will be the new normal at work
(iii) Continued existence of the ‘office’ though in a modified form
(iv) Changes in organisational infrastructure and labour mobility
(v) Challenges of performance management and atomistic tendencies at work
(vi) Potential exacerbation of existing inequalities
(vii) Increased focus on WLB.
3. Similar to research by Gartner (2020) and Baker (2021), Vyas (2022) also
categorises these trends as:
(i) Acceleration – Changes that were already existent but accelerated due to the
pandemic.
(ii) Normalisation of what was considered avant-garde ways of work before.
(iii) Remodelling of the status-quo
(iv) Combination of two or more, as reflected in Illustration I, below:
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Illustration I: Key trends in the labour market
4. Likewise, McKinsey (2021), in its publication on the future of work after COVID-
19 highlights that remote work, digitisation and automation will be accelerated by
COVID-19. Gartner (2020) summarised the impact of COVID-19 very aptly – “The
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will reverberate into the future. … COVID-19
has changed the future of work.”
(i) The pandemic has accelerated the demand to work remotely from 30% pre-
pandemic to 48% post-pandemic, as in Illustration II below:
Illustration II: Percentage of Employees Working Remotely
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(ii) This trend has resulted in many employees being forced, some prematurely,
to move their workforce to remote work. Post-COVID19, two forces surfaced
which weighs heavily on the demand for remote work, namely:
(a) Comparatively more employees want to work remotely than they did prior
to the pandemic; and
(b) 74% of CFOs are interested in remote work for cost optimisation.
(iii) A writeup in Forbes (2021) reiterated the believe that WFH will continue at
higher rates and continued to state that 72% of executives surveyed stated
that their respective organisations were “adopting permanent remote-working
models.” A report by McKinsey (2021) estimated that a percentage of U.S.
jobs could be carried out remotely without loss of productivity. The Microsoft
New Future of Work Report 2022 states that “between 5% and 26% of
workforce can work remotely more than half the time without productivity
loss.” However, it needs to be pointed out that the option to work remotely in
not a feasible option for industries such as agriculture, education, healthcare,
retail, hospitality, manufacturing, transportation and construction.
(iv) It is against this backdrop that this report will deliberate and focus on the
concept of Remote Working Arrangement (RWA), particularly on embracing
this new norm and balancing flexibility. It is acknowledged that the topic of
RWA is vast and can branch out into various areas including the pros and
cons, the impact on organisations and individuals, maximising returns and
how to avoid the abuse.
C. Remote Working Arrangement
As organisations make decisions about their employees and the way forward concerning
work and the various methods of flexibility, it is necessary to comprehend remote work
and related matters. A holistic view of the matter is necessary and this is best done
through understanding what the major industry players and researchers have to say
about it.
1. Embracing the New Norm
(i) The world after COVID-19 will never be the same again. It has changed
how we live our lives. What was previously known as the new norm is now
the norm, including how we work. While there were a few
trendsetters/outliers that began their remote work journey early, many
organisations had to quickly make the switch. This affected businesses,
jobs, families and the stability that was once so certain.
(ii) Organisations need to realise that changes are necessary if they are to
remain on par with and competitive among the industry players. This
includes embracing what may seem challenging to adapt, costly to
implement or burdensome at first.
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(iii) In the context of remote working arrangements, various publications have
highlighted that this is the way forward of the working world. While it may
not necessarily be a blanket approach, the hybrid work arrangement will
most definitely be the future of work. The sooner organisations accept this,
the faster they can be the game changer in this.
(iv) “The pandemic has accelerated three broad sets of trends that were visible
before: Much greater reliance on remote work; higher use of e-commerce
and virtual transactions; and greater adoption of automation.” In one of its
many articles, BBC (2022) pointed out that there are many ways in which
work has (completely) transformed over the past two years, including the
realisation that employees need not necessarily be in office daily. Based on
an assessment conducted by McKinsey (2021) on selected countries,
“remote work and virtual meetings are likely to continue, albeit less
intensely than at the pandemic’s peak.”
(v) According to the World Economic Forum (2022), one of the six work trends
in the world that will shape the workplace in 2022 is digital transformation
and hybrid work arrangements, and this shift is here to stay. “With the
adequate policies in place to assist the transition to flexible work, its long-
term implementation will boost productivity, foster a better work-life
balance, and open hidden pools of talent, that will help address the talent
scarcity issue. It is crucial to accompany the digital transition and shift to
flexible working models to make it inclusive, fair, and profitable.”
(vi) Deloitte (2021) highlighted the need to adapt the workplace, with a shift
from the physical workplace to organisation and culture. The workplace
need not be limited to the physical building. The physical environment can
have profound impact on productivity. As organisations shift into hybrid
work, the opportunity to leverage workspace as a way to improve
productivity only grows. Being able to tailor one’s physical workspaces for
collaboration or focused work is going to be a way that we can fully unlock
our true potential of our physical environments as a tool for enhancing
productivity (Houck, B., 2022).
(vii) This ties in closely to PETRONAS’ Pilot Home Working Arrangement
Models, which will be further detailed later and where the concept of hybrid
comes into place. It can be a hybrid worker, a hybrid team/workforce or
even a hybrid meeting. There is no immediate cut off or formula as to which
combination works best. Since April 2022, there have been many
companies launching hybrid return to office, including Apple, Google and
Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
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2. Balancing Flexibility
(i) The discussion about the new norm has evolved to it not being where one
works, but how one works. As long as flexibility is allowed and provided,
there will be an outcome.
(ii) According to the Microsoft Report (2022), the Era of Hybrid Work has
begun, where employees surveyed stated preference for hybrid work and
more employees are planning for this, though not up to the level of expected
flexibility.
(iii) The question remains – how much is too much. Often time, hybrid work
goes hand in hand with flexible work. And this can only be successful if
there are clear work goals put in place as well as trust and accountability.
Houck (2022) points out that hybrid work offers the opportunity to
organisations and individuals to maximise productivity through flexibility
and this allows employees to make the trade-off that best works for them.
There is no one size fits all solution as work styles are incredibly personal.
(iv) Future Forum, a research consortium on the future of work, states that
although working arrangements may be flexible, it may not mean there is
no role for the office workspace – what will matter is when employees
should be working, instead of where.
D. The PETRONAS Journey
1. Context Setting
(i) About a year ago, the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Group Human
Resource Management, PETRONAS, acknowledged the continued
challenges resulting from COVID-19, both professionally and personally. It
was also acknowledged that PETRONAS remained resolute in delivering
business results, embracing the new norm and adapting to the New Ways of
Working (NWOW). The Movement Control Order resulted in PETRONAS
drawing up Special Working Arrangements (SWA), which was aimed at
ensuring personnel safety and well-being, while ensuring PETRONAS
continues to deliver.
(ii) The working arrangement for those in PETRONAS facilities as well as those
whose nature of job required mandatory physical presence remained at 100%
capacity. Conversely, the Working Arrangements for the rest of the
organisation were updated from time to time.
(iii) As the world entered the second year of the pandemic, PETRONAS had
already put in place Remote Work Best Practices, which served as a guide
for personnel to have effective WLB, while transitioning to the NWOW, with
the hopes of having a better remote work experience. Among the best
practices listed included observing core working hours; refraining from
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scheduling meetings before 9.00 a.m. or after 6.00 p.m.; short breaks
between meetings; full one-hour lunch breaks; leveraging on the
Compressed Work Week (CWW).
(iv) Apart from the above, to alleviate concerns, PETRONAS put in place
additional measures, including:
(a) NWOW Assistance–enables employees to set up their ergonomic home
offices;
(b) Connectivity Assistance–facilitates smooth and reliable internet
connectivity and related utilities costs incurred while working remotely;
(c) myFriends–employee assistance programme; and
(d) MIND-A-CARE–first aid for mental health.
2. Embracing the New Norm
(i) With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its related challenges,
PETRONAS very quickly realised that embracing the new way of working,
namely remote working, would now be the norm. PETRONAS had no choice
but to speedily, though not hastily, put in place measures to ensure
operations were not halted though the ways of working had now changed.
Conversations with personnel reflected that PETRONAS had indeed been
planning for remote working as an option, sometime in the future. However,
the pandemic hastened this transition. The Remote Work Hub on the Intranet
is as a place and source of reference for personnel to settle into this new
norm:
(a) Internet Connectivity: Beginner’s Guide and Exclusive Packages
Personnel were able to learn how to improve internet connectivity at
home, including providing exclusive connectivity offers for PETRONAS
employees.
(b) Best Practices When Working Remotely
Remote work best practices, including home office setup, physical
safety and security, virtual meetings and event recommendations,
health and well-being as well as home cyber security measures, were
shared.
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(c) Be Productive and Collaborate Efficiently
Topics including self-learning, work collaboration tools and
PETRONAS’ personal digital assistant to help optimise personnel’s
daily work.
(d) ICT Help & Support
Reference for self-troubleshooting, virtual assistance and to solve ICT
problems.
(ii) PETRONAS also made available a few learning materials on the learning
platform, myLearningX, including “Working from Home 101” – a two-pager
guide on the Do’s and Don’ts of working remotely.
(iii) In essence, the Management thought through all possible areas to help
facilitate and guide PETRONAS personnel embrace this new norm.
3. Balancing Flexibility
(i) In 2022, recognising that the ‘new norm’ would now become the norm,
PETRONAS drafted a new flexible working arrangement, known as the
Hybrid Work Arrangement (HWA). This improved work model was aimed at
providing more flexible work options, thus empowering personnel to manage
his/her time between home, office and alternate workplaces. The proposed
pilot phase illustrated 4 HWA Models, each with its intended outcome and
rationale, namely:
(a) Work in Office
Work together in PETRONAS’ offices. Prioritise in-depth team
collaboration and relationship building.
(b) Work from Alternate Workplace
Work individually in other PETRONAS’ premises. Change of location
and empowered to deliver solo work.
(c) Work from Home Together
Working together virtually from separate locations. Ideal for
collaboration work which can be done virtually.
(d) Work from Home Alone
Working individually & independently. Ability to focus on task and
engage in deep solo work (i.e. analysis and research).
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(ii) With the recognition that the future way of working would need to take into
consideration where personnel spend most time working, the HWA Guardrail
encourages a minimum of 12 days in Office/Alternate Workplace, with the
intention of cultivating workplace camaraderie. The month-long HWA pilot
was effective in April 2022. It is envisioned that by July 2022, PETRONAS
personnel will be informed of an updated working arrangement that strikes a
balance in flexibility.
(iii) To ensure personnel would be more productive and innovative while
improving their well-being, PETRONAS also ensured the enablement of
various infrastructure, including M365 appropriate cyber security measures
and an Information & Support Centre to facilitate personnel.
(iv) PETRONAS acknowledged that companies globally are still studying and
experimenting with various hybrid work designs that work for the
organisations. The HWA is an iterative process which will be tested from time
to time before a permanent hybrid solution is dropped. The results of the pilot
would be assessed prior to scale up, enterprise wide.
E. Conclusion
“The outcome of the shift to working from home have been almost universally positive –
for the business and for the employees.”
1. From the PETRONAS journey towards adapting to change and the new normal,
particularly in the area of RWA, Government Agencies/Ministries could also
consider replicating and adopting the best practices, where applicable.
2. Firstly, do not jump headfirst in any solutioning. A plan needs to be crafted, based
on industry best practices and benchmarked against before being put into effect.
Even then, a pilot should ideally be carried out for a reasonable duration. Upon
completion, the findings can be deliberated at the Top Level before cascading to
all levels of Agencies/Ministries. Clear and constant communication on this matter
needs to always be observed and practiced so that all those affected will have
visibility and clarity in this matter. There will be no guessing game. Secondly,
success will only be possible if there is accountability on part of the officer and trust
on part of the line managers. If this is not present, however well thought out a plan
may be, it will still be destined for failure.
3. In summary, everyone (Management, Supervisors and Employees) needs to work
together to strike the right balance in this discussion of RWA, cognisant of the fact
that Agencies/Ministries comprise various job functions and scopes. Flexibility
cannot be abused. There has to be mutual trust and stewardship of work.
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4. Agencies/Ministries need to acknowledge that what was once viewed as the “new
norm” is fast becoming a norm. Many publications and authors have pointed out
that the future of work and work trends include remote or hybrid work arrangements
as well as flexibility. Business will be as usual, nevertheless. On this note,
Agencies/Ministries can take heed from Gartner’s (2020) summary on the
implications of the trend in increasing demand for remote work to organisations as
follows:
(i) Employee Experience – Organisations will need to manage the new
employee experience, create guides to understand employees (their
interactions and experience in organisation) as well as adopt new strategies
to collect employee feedback (so that employees feel and know they are
heard).
(ii) Performance Management – Managers will lose visibility into employees’
work. Organisations will need to “consider how the context of remote work
shifts the way employees are evaluated and the way goals are set.” Peer
feedback will become more important in evaluating performance, managers
will need to be guided to focus on outcomes when conducting performance
reviews, performance goals will need to be revised (as opposed to the
‘traditional’ method of direct observation or based on activities).
(iii) Critical Skills and Competencies – As “digital dexterity and ability to
effectively collaborate and manage digitally” will be a needed skill, there will
be a need to shifts focus to develop these skills for effective work. Learning
programmes will also need to be adapted into the virtual format, which factors
such as duration, platform and material being considered to ensure
effectiveness.
(iv) Recruiting – Ability to work remotely and digital dexterity will be a factor in
hiring. The talent market can also be widened as recruitment will not be
limited to selected locations (location specific) – the total talent market can
be opened up.
(v) Current and Future Leadership Bench – Leaders will need to adapt to this
change and consider shifting development leadership development
programmes to virtual formats.
5. The discussion on RWA, Embracing the New Norm and Balancing Flexibility will
inevitably bring to rise the area of WLB. Vyas (2022) proposes that policymakers
consider placing emphasis on the following in order to help employees achieve
WLB in this post-pandemic era:
(i) Allow employees to customise work commitment and working hours, thus
making Work from Home (WFH) employees motivated and productive;
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(ii) Trust and support WFH employees to help them reduce stress (which may
lead to an increase in productivity and work commitment);
(iii) Enhance work motivation and employees’ well-being, understand that some
employees may be willing to WFH, while others prefer to be in an office;
(iv) Guarantee employees both equal pay for remote working and the right to
disconnect; and
(v) Reconstruct how work is done and identify which work can be performed
remotely and which requires an onsite work environment.
6. While remote work is a trend, there are issues that need to be carefully deliberated
on, including the well-being of employees who are working remotely, national laws
and regulations and cyber security. These are just a few areas that require
monitoring and proper solution, should Ministries/Agencies opt for RWA,
regardless of the ideal model. Similarly, while there is a rising request for increased
work flexibility in the discussion of the Era of Hybrid Work, the Microsoft Report
(2022) flagged a few areas of concern that may surface on this matter, including
the implications on the labour market as well as worker behaviour if this ‘need’ is
not met, what hybrid work would be like in developing markets and how inclusivity
be ensured.
7. A recent publication by the Harvard Business Review (2022) listed 11 underlying
trends that will shape workplace volatility this year, including:
(i) Fairness and equity – who has access to flexible work?
(ii) Hybrid and remote work will become the norm for knowledge workers – this
will bring to rise the issues of unevenness around where, when and how
much different employees are working.
(iii) “Complexity of managing hybrid workforce will drive some employers to
require a return to the office.”
8. Samuel (2022), in the Microsoft Report (2022) reiterates the need for flexibility and
hybrid ways of working, as follows, “Bridging the divide between on-site and hybrid
employees is key to organisational cohesion, culture and collaboration. Employers
need strategies and tactics that foster hybrid equity.”
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9. Vyas (2022) concludes the matter of RWA, including embracing the new norm, in
a succinct matter, which can be deliberated and considered by Ministries/Agencies:
“… Relevant parties … including policymakers … must work together to create a
more sustainable model for “new normal” work practices. … Fundamental changes
should apply to labour policy. How governments address the “new normal” of
remote and hybrid working will affect both the WLB and workplace inequalities and
abuse. It is essential to have policies that encourage employee protection and well-
being. … the pandemic has awakened countless speculations, assumptions, and
debates on what the impending labour market will look like. Coronavirus disease
has given rise to transformation, interruption, endurance, and ambiguity. Studying
the post-pandemic paths, as they take the form of “acceleration,” “normalization,”
and “remodelling” is vital in anticipating the connection between workplace
disruptions and a pathway to a “new normal.””
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Remote Working |
Striking the Right Balance
with Productivity
By:
M. NITHIYA RUBY MUNUSAMY
Senior Associate
PricewaterhouseCoopers Associates Sdn Bhd
A. Introduction: Balancing the art of working
1. Employers, particularly in the public service, would never have predicted that their
entire workforce would be required to work remotely on a regular basis just a few
years ago. Although the concept of allowing employees to work from locations
other than their designated workplace has been around for a long time, the practise
of having employees gather in the same office/work premise on a daily basis has
remained the norm – until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and changed almost
every aspect of Malaysian lifestyles.
2. While modern technology has permitted successful remote communication and
work, both public and private sector have remained suspicious and concerned
about their employees' productivity. The Coronavirus, on the other hand, has put
the remote work paradigm to the test, as many organisations have been forced to
enable their staff to Work from Home (WFH) in order to protect public health and
safety. So, how are the Malaysian WFH arrangements doing right now?
3. Remote work, also known as WFH or fondly known as Bekerja dari Rumah (BDR)
is a work arrangement that allows employees to accomplish their work from home
or any other location other than their regular workplace, such as offices, work sites,
and businesses. Telecommuting is another term for this arrangement, which is a
modern work strategy that takes advantage of the mobility and convenience that
the internet and current technology can provide.
4. So, what exactly does WFH entail? Working from home effectively necessitates a
number of prerequisites, particularly in terms of technology. The individual would
need a stable internet connectivity, a suitable work space, a workable schedule,
and most importantly devices that enable communication and work to be done such
as personal computers, tablets, phones, etc. (New Era of Work and Malaysia
Working From Home, 2022).
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B. Quick glance on the advantages of WFH
1. In a big health crisis where movement is limited, the pandemic has taught the
worldwide society the value of employment flexibility. Despite the fact that the
change in working arrangements was abrupt and unexpected, causing problems
for organisations as employers scrambled to find ways to assist employees in
gaining access to the tools and materials they needed for their jobs, reality revealed
that people were capable of adopting WFH. Many office-based teams were more
productive than when they worked in the office because of the advantages of
remote work.
2. Work-life balance was one of the most often mentioned advantages. Remote
employment allowed employees to choose their own schedules, giving them
greater control over when they completed their tasks. Some jobs have no
deadlines, offering employees complete control over their work schedule.
3. Another benefit of WFH is that it reduces commuting stress. Many people were
happy that they did not have to go through these situations every day when working
from home, whether it was being stalled in traffic or being crammed into a crowded
train. The daily drive to and from work has also been linked to increased levels of
stress, according to research. As a result, avoiding this everyday annoyance saved
not just time but also improved general health.
4. The enhanced prospects from location independence were a major benefit of
remote work for both firms and people. Individuals had access to a greater choice
of career alternatives that were not limited by location when WFH became a trend.
Individuals could work in other countries without having to relocate (New Era of
Work and Malaysia Working From Home, 2022).
C. A double take on the disadvantages of WFH
1. Employees are concerned about a lack of tools and equipment. Some people lack
the technology tools they need to accomplish their jobs well, resulting in tension
and anxiety. Furthermore, establishing a work place at home can be costly. Lack
of a suitable working environment will result in lower motivation and productivity.
Furthermore, communication was a problem for both employers and employees.
Misunderstandings and trust issue could arise as a result of a lack of
communication, disrupting work productivity. Without the usual face-to-face
interactions, some staff felt isolated. The use of communication tools was not as
effective as brainstorming in the office.
2. White collar workers, on average, gain more from remote work than blue collar
workers. White collar workers can often fulfil their tasks virtually. However, blue
collars suffer the most such as workers in construction sites which had to be
temporarily halted during the worst of the pandemic, where the idea of working
from home just doesn’t exist (New Era of Work and Malaysia Working From Home,
2022).
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D. Study: Hybrid work life enhances employee wellbeing and productivity
1. Worldwide Cisco study recently stated that, hybrid working has enhanced total
employee health, work-life balance, and performance in Malaysia. While
organisations have benefited from increased employee productivity, more has to
be done to foster an inclusive culture and fully integrate hybrid work arrangements
in order to improve employee preparedness and experience (Syazmeena, 2022).
2. According to Cisco's "Employees are ready for hybrid work, are you?" survey, three
out of five Malaysian employees (60%) say that work quality has increased. A
comparable percentage (55%) thought their productivity had improved. Three-
quarters of employees (75%) believe their job can now be done just as well from
home as it does in the office. However, barely one in five Malaysian employees
(20%) believe their organisation is equipped for a hybrid work future, according to
a survey of 28,000 employees from 27 countries, including over 1,011 respondents
from Malaysia. This figure is lower than the global average of 23% (Syazmeena,
2022).
3. According to Cisco Malaysia managing director Hana Raja they have learned over
the previous two years that work is no longer where we go, but what we do.
Employees and businesses in Malaysia are benefiting from greater employee
wellbeing to increased productivity and job performance in a hybrid normal
(Syazmeena, 2022).
E. Benchmarking with foreign start-ups. How do they fare?
1. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, isn't your ordinary office
worker. With a net worth of $125 billion, give or take, he was ranked No. 3 on
Forbes' list of the wealthiest Americans in 2020. However, Zuckerberg has one trait
with many other employees: he appears to like working from home. In an internal
memo obtained by the Wall Street Journal, Zuckerberg stated that he will work
remotely for at least half of the year as Facebook revealed intentions to offer
additional flexibility to employees (Stropoli, 2021).
2. Although the Coronavirus epidemic is still raging in many countries, and variants
are aggravating matters, people in several parts of the world, notably in Malaysia,
are yearning for life to return to normal everywhere except the workplace. Some
people are eager to return to their workplaces and colleagues after spending more
than a year at home. Many others are less ready to do so, and some have even
abandoned their jobs to avoid returning. They've created new models of work-life
balance somewhere between their beds and kitchens that they're hesitant to
abandon (Stropoli, 2021).
3. As a result, some businesses are rethinking their work regulations, attempting to
figure out how to best manage a staff that, in many cases, is seeking more
flexibility. Some companies, including Facebook, Twitter, and Spotify, are
embracing remote work. Others, like JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, are
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returning to the tried-and-true office style, inviting everyone back in (Stropoli,
2021).
F. The productivity debates
1. Productivity has been a stumbling block in our discussion. According to a group of
researchers from Carnegie Mellon's Human-Computer Interaction Institute, led by
Robert E. Kraut mentioned in 2001 that cooperation at a distance remains much
harder to execute than collaboration when members of a work group are
collocated. This statement is still being debated today, two decades later (Stropoli,
2021).
2. However, long before Zoom, which debuted in 2011, or even Skype, which debuted
in 2003, the researchers recognised some of the potential benefits of distant work,
stating that physical closeness imposes important costs as well, and may undercut
good collaboration. For one thing, they pointed out that email, answering machines,
and computer bulletin boards may assist alleviate the hassle of scheduling
numerous individuals in person at the same time (Stropoli, 2021).
3. The sentiment toward and success of remote labour depend on the industry
involved. It's understandable that executives who work in and promote social media
feel at ease communicating with others online, whereas those in businesses where
agreements are normally made with handshakes in a conference room or over
drinks at dinner don't (Stropoli, 2021).
G. So, how does WFH boosts productivity in simpler terms? (Apollo Technical, 2022)
1. There's no need to drive anywhere. Working from home saves time, whether it
takes 10 minutes or an hour to get to work. If employees don't have to drive to
work, they can start the day earlier. According to a poll, not commuting to work
saves workers an average of 8.5 hours each week in spare time. This equals 408
hours in a year.
2. Without a commute, you'll have more time for pastimes like gardening or rearing
backyard chickens, which have become increasingly popular since 2020.
3. There will be less chit-chat around the water cooler. Those who work from home
communicate with co-workers less, whether or not it is about work. According to a
poll, 70% of people consider work social interactions to be more essential than
getting the job done. Working from home reduces the amount of time spent with
others.
4. More exercise is required. Remote workers can use the extra time to exercise
because they don't have to commute and have less opportunities to socialise.
Regular exercise is beneficial to both mental and physical health, as well as being
a terrific stress reliever. Those that work from home say they exercise 30 minutes
more per week.
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H. The leap of faith from work from office to work from home (Apollo Technical, 2022)
1. Make your workspace as relaxing as possible. Working at an office encourages
you to stay focused and on task. Whether it's turning an extra room into an office
or putting a desk behind the couch, try to reproduce this working atmosphere in
your house. The area should be pleasant, free of additional screens (TV, Xbox,
etc.), and equipped with everything you'll need to finish your work.
2. Maintain your organisation. To keep on track, you may need to start utilising a new
organisational system or start using a day planner. It's a good idea to make a
weekly work schedule with a list of activities to fulfil. Sticking to the timetable can
help you establish consistency and establish a routine.
3. Pause for a moment. Your brain can refocus and relax by taking regular rests.
Taking regular breaks is the greatest method to stay productive for remote
employees. Get a food, drink some water, check on your family or get some fresh
air during your break. A remote worker's average break time is approximately 20
minutes spread out throughout the day.
4. Make an appointment for a virtual commute. The loneliness and lack of social
interaction, are the most difficult aspects of working from home. Using your typical
travel time to check in with co-workers might help you maintain social engagement
while also focusing your mind on the tasks at hand.
I. How do we score in the civil sector?
1. The Work from Home (WFH) policy, which has been in effect since January 1,
2021, was officially introduced in the civil service by Service Circular No 5 Year
2020 (PP 5/2020). However, the actual application of WFH in the civil service
began much before that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that struck the
country and forced the implementation of new work practises. On March 16, 2020,
the YAB Prime Minister announced the implementation of the Movement Control
Order, which will take effect on March 18 2020, as a measure to halt the spread of
the COVID-19 epidemic (MyGovernment, 2022).
2. In the civil service, the notion of WFH allows officers to receive orders from home
to conduct their main functions and other official duties during working days.
Federal Civil Service Officers may be considered WFH for full or partial days for a
specific period of time, depending on their suitability and the importance of their
tasks, by meeting the conditions and rules outlined in PP 5/2020 (MyGovernment,
2022).
3. The Head of Departments might direct officers to WFH for the following reasons:
to prevent or avoid loss, damage, or destruction as a result of factors such as
pollution, the spread of infectious illnesses, and/or natural catastrophes, which can
jeopardise public safety and order in the workplace or in residential areas; or to
avoid danger, issues, or a difficult situation for the officer or other officers if the
officer is in the office; or to strike a balance between the agency's need for
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continuity of work in order to provide service and the officer's need to deal with
personal concerns when the officer is unable to take time off. According to general
observation, the WFH policy has had no negative impact on civil service
productivity, as the government can continue to function normally even when civil
service officers are not physically present in the office (MyGovernment, 2022).
J. Take a step back for the leap of faith
1. The public sector has taken a positive step forward by recognising WFH as a vital
policy that must be implemented immediately and indefinitely. Regardless of how
remote working or WFH has been considered in the past, it is critical that it be
adopted as a strategy for ensuring the continuity of government services,
particularly during these critical times. As a result, the PSD released Service
Circular No 5 Year 2020 at the end of 2020 as an official directive and basis of
rules for the implementation of WFH in the Malaysian public sector, with effect from
January 1, 2021. This highlights the advantages that practising agility can bring to
the public sector (Rusdi & Nur Iskandar, 2021).
2. The public sector is increasingly supportive of the premise that if public workers'
lives are well-organised and they have a reasonable cost of living, stable emotions,
a pleasant working environment, and a healthy work-life balance, productivity and
efficiency will improve. It's also a fantastic start for government in terms of providing
a solid example for optimal human resource practises in terms of national HR
policies. The policy will be reviewed and improved on a regular basis in the future,
as needed, based on current changes. With so many technological improvements
being made at breakneck pace, it's only reasonable to claim that there's still room
for improvement when it comes to perfecting this policy (Rusdi & Nur Iskandar,
2021).
3. Work-from-home, remote working or WFH, has taken on a larger function and
strategy in human resource management. The ultimate aim includes not only
working hours and location, but also attaining the larger goal of achieving work-life
balance for federal officials. WFH's ultimate goal isn't only to make people's jobs
easier; rather, it's to spread benefits beyond an employee's individual productivity.
Increasing organisational performance and efficiency through cost-cutting as a
direct result of work-from-home efforts, for example, would be pointless if
government responsibility on public spending is not adequately governed (Rusdi &
Nur Iskandar, 2021).
4. Remote working necessitates long-term performance measurement that is both
effective and efficient. Its focus is on improving human resource management
across the board in the public sector, particularly by removing existing workforce
segmentations and divisions from the functional scheme of services and focusing
on a specific designated position. Working from home would therefore be
objectively linked to a solid performance measurement framework. Whether for
office-based or work-from-home employees, a position-based organisational
structure will outline the specific output and consequence of deliverables required
from employees. The elimination of narrow scheme of services and individual
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based remuneration would be critical if a reform with the desired impact could be
realised.
5. Persistent efforts from within the public sector are needed for those improvements
to be implemented. Otherwise, if we fail to capitalise on employee productivity as
well as organisational effectiveness and efficiency, all of our efforts to simplify
flexible public sector working arrangements will be for naught (Rusdi & Nur
Iskandar, 2021).
K. The ultimate paradigm shift of working
1. A four-day work week seems like something out of a science fiction novel.
However, in the United Kingdom, a six-month test of a four-day work week was
undertaken with no pay loss for thousands of employees. The study, which will run
through December 2022, is being conducted by researchers from Cambridge
University, Boston College, and Oxford University, as well as 4 Day Week Global,
Autonomy, and the 4 Day Week UK Campaign. Over 70 UK-based companies are
taking part. Workers receive 100% of their compensation for working only 80% of
their normal week in exchange for a promise to retain 100% of their productivity
during the programme (Cooban, 2022).
2. Until now, Iceland has the largest pilot of a shortened working week, with 2,500
public sector workers participating in two substantial trials between 2015 and 2019.
There was no commensurate decline in productivity among participants in those
studies, but there was a significant rise in employee well-being. In recent years,
calls to reduce the working week's length have gained traction in a number of
countries. During the pandemic, millions of employees migrated to remote work,
reducing time and costs associated with travelling. As a result, calls for more
flexibility have only gotten louder (Cooban, 2022).
3. Trials backed by the government will take place later this year in Spain and
Scotland, according to a press release from the 4 Day Week Campaign. As we
emerge from the epidemic, more and more businesses see that quality of life is the
new frontier for competition, and that reduced-hour, output-focused labour is the
vehicle to provide them a competitive advantage. The impact of the new working
pattern on productivity, gender equality, the environment, and worker well-being
will be measured by researchers (Cooban, 2022).
L. Conclusion: Let’s sum it up
To conclude, depending on your arrangement with the style of work, type of work and
with the adaptability to change, working from home or remote working can be a more
productive work environment than a traditional office cubicle, allowing you to achieve a
better work-life balance. The current pandemic has altered the way we work, with more
sectors, let it be public or private opting for at-home solutions.
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Working from Home |
Making it Work!
By:
SHIREEN AIDA BINTI SHAMSUL KHALIL
Manager (Industrial Relations)
Human Capital Expertise (HCE)
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)
A. Introduction
1. The whole world, in December 2019, was taken aback by the news of a new virus
being found in Wuhan, China. Highly contagious and deadly, the COVID-19 virus
quickly spread around the world, causing respiratory symptoms that can almost
mistakenly be perceived as the common cold, flu or pneumonia.
2. Infecting more than 521,920,560 people globally with 6,274,323 deaths reported
to WHO as of 20th May 2022, reality struck when it was declared an outbreak on
January 30, 2020 and pandemic on March 11, 2020 and has been claimed by the
UNDP as the greatest challenge we have faced since the World War Two.
3. Apart from coping with the numerous health issues arising from the COVID-19,
countries all over the world are racing to slow the spread of the disease. Testing
and treating patients became the national priority, while carrying contact tracing,
limiting travel, and quarantining citizens. Schools, Offices, Sporting Events,
Concerts, everything, was put on hold! The Pandemic was moving like a wave,
washing away everything that was in its way.
4. In Malaysia, the first cases of COVID-19 were detected to begin with three
travellers from China who entered Johor through Singapore on January 23, 2020.
On March 16, 2020, the Prime Minister announced Movement Control Order
(MCO) from March 18 to March 31, 2020, marking the first part of the national
quarantine for Malaysia. The MCO includes restrictions for mass gatherings; 14-
days quarantine requirement on tourists and travellers from abroad; travel
restrictions; closure of all schools and universities; and most importantly, closure
of all government and private premises except for essential services involving
water, electricity, energy, telecommunications, postal, transportation, irrigation, oil,
gas, fuel, lubricants, broadcasting, finance, banking, health, pharmacy, fire, prison,
port, airport, safety, defence, cleaning, retail and food supply. This announcement
was the beginning of something new for everyone. And no one knew it would be
the changing point for each and every person on earth.
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B. New Norms
1. In the first period of the MCO, the tension was still manageable. However, following
the announcement of the extension of MCO, everyone was now in uncharted
territory. Slowly, the normalcy of the new norms set in.
2. Due to the pandemic, a series of new norms were introduced and adapted. Most
countries begin to implement strict physical distancing requirements. Wearing
masks in mandatory while staying indoors is most encouraged. It is becoming
common to spot posters and reminders for everyone to avoid the three Cs
(Crowded places, Close contact settings and Confined, Enclosed Spaces); proper
hand washing procedures; hand sanitisers made available all over the common
areas, and other preventive measures.
3. Before the pandemic, discussions on the future of work-life were unclear and often
questioned. In Malaysia, studies were planned and already ongoing in some
organisations, to explore possibilities for Working from Home to provide a better
work-life balance. COVID-19 forced a decision upon people, and with the world
having to adapt quickly, many businesses opted to try Working from Home (WFH).
4. The Working from Home practices have been employed widely, as can be seen in
the United States, where studies show that in May 2020, 35.2% of the workforce
worked from home, an increase from 8.2% in February 2020. Furthermore, 71.7%
of workers that Working from Home found that they could work effectively. In Hong
Kong, Working from Home guidelines were given by governments, where
government employees work from home while advisory notices were sent to
employers of private organisations, as a precaution to prevent further spread by
reducing social contact.
C. Working from Home in PETRONAS
1. Working from Home in PETRONAS is the norm in which I have had to quickly adapt
to. The working arrangement at the point of time that the PCF participants entered
PETRONAS was fully Working from Home.
2. Upon receiving the Company laptop, I was quickly introduced to the other
colleagues within the Department through the Microsoft Teams. It is essential to
note that having the software available has helped make the Working from Home
a wonderful experience. Meetings can be scheduled back-to-back without having
to move from one place to the other; while recordings and transcript of the meetings
were made available almost immediately after the meetings end. This was a great
help in understanding the subject matter, abbreviations, and jargons well,
especially when one is new to the environment and not able to meet the others
face to face.
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3. About a month into the PCF Program, PETRONAS allowed vaccinated employees
to enter its premises when required, while those unvaccinated continued to Work
from Home. This enabled the business to operate as usual and without disruptions,
while keeping both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees safe, and adhering to
the Government’s directive with regards to vaccination.
4. As the Government relaxes the SOP for businesses to operate, PETRONAS
continued to improve the existing work arrangement and conducted a month trial
of Hybrid Working Arrangement (HWA) in April 2022. The HWA stipulates that
employees are to work in the office at least 12 days in a month and the balance,
from home. This assisted employees, especially mothers with small children to plan
their work to the best interest of both the Company, and their families.
5. At the point of writing, PETRONAS is still in 50-50 mode, in which Heads of
Department are empowered to use their discretion in determining the work
arrangement for his/her subordinates. This allows the practice of social distancing,
ensuring safe work environment for the employees.
D. Best Practices
1. I consider myself very lucky to have been able to be part of the IR Round Table
Session organised by the PETRONAS IR Department on 25 May 2022. With the
theme “Propelling Business Growth While Preserving Employee’s Positive
Experience”, the session successfully gathered IR experts from renowned
companies, with the aim of sharing experiences and networking.
2. Representatives from Maybank, CIMB, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Sime
Darby Plantations, FGV Holdings, PwC, Malaysian Airlines (MAS), TELEKOM,
PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), Petron, Shell, DRB Hicom, and
Standard Chartered were present and shared experiences in implementing Work
from Home, exchanging views on best and worst practices as well as successes
and failures.
3. The session started off with a briefing on PETRONAS’ Hybrid Working
Arrangement (HWA) which was on trial in April 2022. Participants discussed and
agreed that the Hybrid Working Arrangement, is the future of today, which can
assist companies in the war of talents, complement the sustainability effort and at
the same time, move towards remote autonomous operations.
4. An interesting sharing of experience by TNB further accentuated the beauty of
having the Work from Home arrangement in the office. The working arrangement
in TNB, or called TNB Ways of Working (TWOW), is the new work arrangement
whereby employees are allowed to work wherever they want (work from anywhere)
within the flexible working hours. As mentioned by the speaker, “Where you are is
not important, what is important is your deliverables”.
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5. This emphasis in the end results, or preferably called deliverables, are shared by
all the other companies’ representatives as well. As far as businesses are
concerned, the man hours put in is immaterial, so long as the stakeholders’ needs
are met. This in turn provides the employees a sense of freedom. They were able
to plan their time and schedules, while at the same time have the perfect work-life
balance aspired by most, if not all, the people of today’s generation.
6. The representative from Telekom also spoke of their practice since 2017, to have
a Work from Anywhere Friday. This arrangement allowed employees to be
wherever they wish to be on Fridays, so long as their supervisor gets their
deliverables. This practice since 2017 has enabled Telekom to quickly adapt to the
fully Work from Home arrangement from the beginning of the Movement Control
Order (MCO). Employees use a special attendance system which enables them to
check in, and while logged in, for the superior to track their location. With this
arrangement, however, the employees need to ensure that wherever they are
working at, they need to be able to arrive at the office within 2 hours, if needs arise.
This arrangement has proved to be so successful, that Telekom is now almost fully
working from home. The rental of the office building has been released, enabling
expenditure cut. Employees who require assistance with working tools such as
laptops, desks, chairs, printers, etc., are allowed to bring home the office assets
for their use at home.
7. While allowing for work from anywhere, at the same time, Telekom has taken the
efforts to ensure the wellbeing of the employees. The Company has stipulated that
all office work must be done within office hours only. Meetings after six pm, can be
reported to the Human Resource Department and actions will be taken towards the
chair of the meeting. This provides the employees ample time for after work
activities in ensuring good mental health.
8. The issue of mental burnt out is no longer taboo in the current setting. Managers,
similarly lower level officers, have reported feeling burnt out, lonely and isolated,
as the effect of constantly being online and in front of the screen. Maybank, for
example, has introduced a program called ‘Mental First-Aiders’, to provide contact
for staffs to approach for a shoulder to cry on. The mental first-aiders are trained
to identify critical and potential suicidal cases, which will then be channelled for
professional help. PwC, on the other hand, provides coaching and trainings for
leaders and managers, especially women, to face and adapt with stress in juggling
work and household duties while working from home. All the companies agree that
there is a need to monitor the mental health of everyone along the line, in which
most commonly is done top-down within the organisation.
9. Leaders, regardless of levels, are also prone to mental stress, and can
unknowingly be the cause of stress to their subordinates. The time has come for
the change in the employees’ management. Employers have no choice but to
acknowledge that the new norm is here to stay and becoming the future of doing
business. At the current rate, balance of power is now shifting from being solely
with the employers, to lying with the employees. Sooner or later, the whole world
is moving towards flexibility and clinging on to the traditional way of doing business
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may be detrimental. All participants agreed that the focus now is in training the
leaders to manage the changes. The leaders of today needs to practice a lot of
autonomy and trust, using different methods with different sets of people.
Everything is now employee driven, and management must be individualised,
taking into consideration the cultural and economic changes.
10. An interesting sharing of experience from PTT Exploration and Production
(PTTEP) was very inspirational. The nature of work for their staff, especially those
working off-shore and were required to be put under quarantine, made it difficult
for them to be with their families in the trying pandemic time. Thus, the Company
sent gifts and presents to the employees’ families, who have sacrificed not being
with their spouses/parents. This gesture, though costs very minimal, was said to
give positive impact on the employees’ families, which in turn, trickles down to
keeping the employees happy too. It shows effort and empathy of the Company
towards the wellbeing of not only their employees, but also their families and loved
ones.
Participants’ Group Photo after the Round Table Session in Kuala Lumpur Convention
Centre
11. The Round Table Session, in my view, was a success and allowed for the
companies to network and get to know their counterparts better. It provided an
avenue or exchange of ideas and views, and opened the doors to endless
possibilities and experiences.
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E. Making Working from Home Work
1. Based on the discussion and series of Q&A during the Round Table Session, it can
be derived that the most important elements in making Work from Home actually
work, is by having trust, empowering the employees, providing flexibility and the
right tools; as well as a shift in the outcome expectations.
2. Trust, defined as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of
someone or something. Addressing the matter of trust in the context of Working
from Home, it is essential to look at it from the perspective of the employer, as well
as fellow colleagues within the organisation. Mortensen and Gardner, discussed
the loss of trust among colleagues, after a period of working away from each other.
They highlight how trust is built and should be reciprocated and is never a one-way
street. This coincides with one issue highlighted by the participants which was the
issue of knowing and trusting your counterparts within the department/workplace.
It is interesting to note that in TNB, they have made it compulsory for all virtual
meetings to be held with the camera on. New officers will go through a series of
introductory courses online, and whenever possible face-to-face, to ensure that
they feel part of the family.
3. Empowering the employees accordingly would boost their morale, giving them a
sense of responsibility towards the Company. The leaders, however, must be
trained to use their due diligence in managing this. While the traditional leadership
may work for some people, leaders should continue to get equipped with the right
skills in managing the ever-dynamic evolution of empowering people.
4. It is impossible to expect a fisherman to go to sea without a boat. This is similar in
today’s context, whereby it has become the Company’s responsibility to provide
and ensure that the employees are equipped with the right and functioning tools to
work with. When Telekom allowed their employees to take home the Company’s
assets to be used while working from home, it shows that the Company trusts them,
and wants them to be able to work without any worry of purchasing out of the
pockets.
5. Last but equally important, is that for the arrangement to work, realistic and
achievable deliverables must be made. Expectations must be communicated to the
employees and agreed unanimously, to ensure that everyone is on the right track.
Having too low expectations can demoralise the employee, but at the same time
aiming too high can be detrimental. Striking a balance and keeping communication
ongoing positively is key in its success.
6. While it may be viable for the Private sector to adopt the Work from Home
arrangement, a lot of adjustment and planning is required if it was to be
implemented in the Government offices. After almost a year of being in the 50-50
mode environment, I personally believe the Work from Home arrangement CAN
be implemented in certain Ministries but not all.
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F. Conclusion
1. The world has rapidly changed in these two years of the Covid19 pandemic. As
nice as the idea of working from home may sound, in reality, there are a number
of aspects that requires attention and supervision.
2. Working from home done well, would contribute to a better work-life balance, which
in turn contributes to more family time, closer relationships between
spouse/children and ultimately creating less stress-related issues resulting in better
citizens. Having the technical means in place; jobs that require no physical
presence; accompanied with discipline; enables both employer and employee to
reap the benefits of the home office concept. Without any of these important
elements, one’s quality of work or mental health may suffer.
3. In summary, while it is essential that employers explore and be prepared to adapt
to the demanding changes of the future, the decision to implement work from
home arrangement is something that is worth exploring by the Government. With
proper planning and awareness, this could be the way moving forward for the
future.
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The Importance of Mental
Health Support towards
Employees’ Well-being
By:
NUR ATHIRAH AZIZ
Executive (Change Management)
emb.arc, Human Capital Strategy
Group Human Resource Management
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)
A. Introduction
1. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1 in every 8 people, or 970
million people around the world were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and
depression are the most common. When COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the
number of people living with anxiety and depression rose significantly. This costs
the global economy about $1 trillion a year in lost productivity (WHO, 2019). In
Malaysia, nearly 500,000 were already feeling symptoms of depression before the
pandemic started. And over the course of two decades, mental health statistics
have tripled and are expected to impact the economy by RM25.3 trillion by 2030
(National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2019).
2. Today’s generations endure an even greater challenges compared to the baby
boomer’s generation. Evolution of workplace culture, where employees are
expected to be ‘available’ 24/7 and responsive to the organisation in a way that
has never existed before in the previous generations, which is the causal of
elevated anxiety. In addition to that, many young workers have to shoulder
education debt as well as higher living costs, especially the middle-income group
(M40), where they don’t even qualify to receive any assistant from the Government.
3. Today, supporting employees’ mental health is more important than ever.
Employees want their organisations to make them feel valued and cared for,
especially by supporting their overall well-being. Many leave when they don’t feel
supported by their organisations. Half of millennials and 75% of Gen Z-ers, who in
2020 are ages 23 and under, said they had voluntarily or involuntarily left a job
because of mental health reasons (Mind Share Partners Survey, 2019).
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(i) Understanding Mental Health Spectrum
Mental health is a person’s condition with regards to their psychological and
emotional state. It is a range of moods and experiences as follows:
(a) Mental Well-being: Is a state of mind in which one realises their own
potential to cope with common stresses in life, can function productively
and meaningfully, and able to contribute to society.
(b) Poor Mental Health: Everyone may experience poor mental health due
to unmanaged stressors at any point of their life, presented with
episodes of low mood, restlessness, confusion, short temperedness,
sadness or being too preoccupied usually for not more than 2 weeks. If
it is prolonged beyond 2 weeks without any psychological interventions,
it could be an early sign of potential mental illness. Poor mental health
does not mean someone is mentally ill but may end up with mental
illness, if not intervened early.
(c) Work-life imbalance: Inability to maintain and divide fair time on
prioritising the demands of one’s personal and professional life.
Excessive multi-tasking and working at unstable pace may cause
distress due to work-life imbalance. Hence, the person may feel
overwhelmed and mentally exhausted that may lead to poor mental
health if not managed properly.
(d) Mental Illness/Disorder: Mental illnesses are health conditions
involving prolonged changes in emotion, thinking or behaviour (or a
combination of these) lasting for more than 2 weeks, commonly
associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or
family activities which can be mild or severe. Mental illness is treatable.
Vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in
their daily lives.
(ii) What is Stress?
Stress is our body's way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. The
human body is made to feel and react to stress. Stress is necessary in our
life as it is the key for survival. There are two types of stress, Eustress and
Distress. Eustress is a positive stress that have a beneficial effect on health
and emotional well-being. Distress is the opposite of Eustress– a prolonged
stress, without taking a break in between stressors. It is the feeling of being
overwhelmed as the body, mind and emotion are unable to fulfil the demands.
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Types of Stressors
Work Related Factors Non-work-Related Factors
• High workload/overworking • Family with special needs
• Burnout • Child care
• Imbalance of job demand and • Separation/ divorce
control • Domestic violence
• Job mismatch • Long distance relationship
• Career insecurity • Weekend spouse
• Organisational changes • Legal issue
• Conflict with peers/ • Health related condition
subordinates • Financial issue
• Bereavement
• Conflict with • Travel
supervisors/manager
• Perceived discrimination
• Workplace
bully/violence/harassment
• Workplace sexual
harassment
• Workplace relocation/
movement
(iii) Common Mental Health Conditions
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Among the differences between Poor Mental Health and Mental
Illness/Disorder are the degree of symptoms, the duration of having it and the
effect it has on relationship and performance at work. Mental illness is nothing
to be ashamed of. It is a medical condition which is treatable, just like physical
illnesses i.e. hypertension, heart disease or diabetes. Also, it is preventable
if managed early and given the right support from the employer.
B. Initiatives for Mental Health Support
1. Eliminating Stigma
(i) Despite the fact that mental illness is treatable just like any other illnesses,
yet many employees do not seek help due to the stigma surrounding mental
health issues in the workplace. This is where leaders play a vital role in
eliminating the stigma throughout the organisation and supporting
employees’ emotional health. Leading by example does not necessarily
means to always portray the strong/the good side of a leader. For most of us,
leading by example is as simple action as showing the natural human
behaviour, e.g. feeling tired, stress and burnout. When leaders share their
mental health experiences, for instance discussing how they are dealing with
the impact COVID-19 is having on them and their loved ones or how they are
struggling with the blended work and life (i.e. working from home and care for
their school-aged children), this will send signal to the employees that it is ok
to not feel ok. This will inevitably create a psychologically safe space for the
employee, where they will feel at ease discussing about mental health topic.
(ii) Other than leaders, employee mental health champions (volunteers among
employees who advocate mental health) should conduct a frequent
communication about their own mental health experiences and available
support resources, showing struggling colleagues they are not alone. This
promotes a culture where employees can put their mental health first.
Employee Experience of Multilevel Stigma-Reducing Communicators
Source: Gartner
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(iii) In PETRONAS, I can vouch that this kind of support exist. They have “Special
Leaders Reach Out Series”, where leaders will share their own experiences
and give them some tips to overcome, based on the topic being discussed.
Below is the example of one of the sessions:
(iv) In addition, the Senior Vice President of Group Human Resource
Management often highlight and iterate to all PETRONAS leaders and
managers to always show that they are looking out for the employees’ best
interests, empathise with their needs and concerns, and walk
compassionately in their shoes. Constant words or command like this from
the top management signals to the other leaders in the organisation that it
should not be taken for granted and that they must act accordingly upon the
mandate given. This shows how crucial it is the role of leaders in driving the
organisation towards success.
2. Provide Psychologically Safe Environment
Psychological safety is the shared belief that members of a team feel comfortable
taking interpersonal risks. When it exists, employees feel safe to share their
perspectives without retaliation. Organisations that foster psychological safety
benefit because it promotes teamwork, encourages employee authenticity, fosters
learning and innovation, and drives business goals such as on-the-job effort and
intent to stay. All levels of leadership have a role in promoting psychological safety
within an organisation. Building and maintaining trust requires a concerted and
consistent effort from all leaders. Managers are on the front lines to foster
psychological safety in their daily interactions with employees. They are
encouraged to take the first step and proactively initiate mental health-related
conversations with their direct reports. They are often equipped with the guidelines
and resources to support employees’ mental well-being (such as conversation
starters and guides to understand the appropriate ways in which to handle sensitive
conversations or build personal connections with their employees).
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3. Regular Check-ins
(i) Regular check-in with the team can help managers to spot early sign of
depression or mental illness. Furthermore, it also helps employees to stay on
track of the deliverables and will provide the avenue for them to quickly
address challenges they faced to the managers, and thus, the managers can
help unblock.
(ii) For instance, my experience within emb.arc in PETRONAS, we have daily
check-in around 30 minutes the first thing in the morning. This check-in is
where everyone in the team will update their tasks of the day, and address
challenges, and get clarity or discuss solution to the challenges with the team.
I found this a good practise as it helps foster teamwork and alleviate work-
related stress when you are able to address and solve the challenges quickly.
(iii) Moreover, they also conducted “Pulse Check” bimonthly, to check on the
team members well-being. It is a set of questionnaires that all have to answer,
and later they will present the outcome of the feedback to the management,
for their intervention and direction based on the survey. Some of the
questions in the survey if I recall correctly:
(a) To rate mental health status for the past 2 months;
(b) Asking what emb.arc should continue and should stop doing and why;
(c) Asking the frequency of the team attending meeting during lunch hour
and after 6p.m in the last 2 months;
(d) Asking the team whether the manager and leaders promote work-life
balance within the team;
(e) Asking the team whether they think that the management act based on
the previous “Pulse Check”;
(f) To nominate team member(s) that you think contribute extraordinarily to
the team and to state the contribution (Focused Recognition).
(iv) I honestly think this regular “Pulse Check” is important as the managers and
leaders of the team will get a more thorough and honest feedback of the
team’s well-being. And most importantly, I know that they try their best to
accommodate based on everyone’s feedback, and I experienced it myself
that the feedback that I gave was acted upon from emb.arc top management.
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4. New Ways of Working Assistance
(i) Ever since COVID-19 pandemic hit, organisations have to adapt to remote
working. It is not easy for the organisation as well as the employees as they
need to set-up a home office. Any support or financial assistance from
organisation to the employees to set-up a home office would really help and
taken some burden off their shoulders. Some organisation give a one-ff
allowance for the employees, while some choose to provide a proper desk
and chair and send to employees’ home.
(ii) At PETRONAS, all eligible employees who are at the level of Senior
Managers and below are entitled for the New Ways of Working (NWOW) and
Connectivity Assistance, where they received financial assistant since June
2021. This is a gesture of goodwill from the organisation and to take the
employees’ mind off some of the concerns around internet connectivity and
other utilities costs incurred while working remotely.
5. Self-assessment Tools
(i) Sometimes, most of the
employees do not realise that they
are distress and have a poor
mental health state. Thus,
organisation should provide and
communicate to all the emotional
health self-assessment tools to
help employees self-evaluate
whether they should look for
professional help.
(ii) PETRONAS has a dedicated team under Group Health, Safety and
Environment, where they will be responsible for the group’s mental health
programme. Below is the email blast that all PETRONAS employees
received regarding self-assessment for mental health.
6. Intranet sites
Company’s intranet is the one important site that employee will have to visit every
day as daily work related requires them to get through the intranet first. Hence,
increasing the visibility, via formal and informal communication, of intranet sites
with information about emotional well-being offerings and links to resources
would be the best forum of communication and information. Organisation should
leverage on the intranet to share tips and tricks, for instance resources on how
to effectively work from home (e.g. how to ensure you take breaks, good habits
of successful remote employees, emphasizing that kids, pets and background
noise in conference calls are accepted during this new reality), webinars and
podcasts on wellness topics and many others. Below is the example of those
information shared in myPETRONAS (intranet):
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C. Support Within PETRONAS
1. Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
myFriends is a comprehensive and personalised EAP programme that improves
physical and mental health. PETRONAS advocates a holistic wellness model,
integrating support for mental wellness, physical wellness, occupational wellness,
financial wellness, social wellness and spiritual wellness. This programme is
partnered with Naluri, a digital healthcare provider who is pioneering next-
generation digital therapeutics through digital health coaching and support. Naluri
brings together digital transformation tools and a multidisciplinary team of
professional coaches and counsellors to PETRONAS myFriends to help
employees achieve their healthiest and best self.
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2. MIND-A-CARE (First Aid for Mental Health)
It is a handbook developed by the Occupational Health team of Group Health,
Safety and Environment to promote awareness and destigmatizing of mental
health. It is intended to assist employees in recognizing early signs of mental health
issues so they can be addressed promptly. The handbook will guide employees on
how to assist others step by step while helping people based on scientific evidence.
This guide is designed to help lessen stress when encountering an uncomfortable
situation or experience, and assist employees in ways to effectively help and cope
with colleagues or friends that may be going through difficult times.
3. Mental Health Chatbot
PETRONAS Unified Search and Personal Assistant (PUSPA) is a chatbot used in
PETRONAS. Usually after employee log in to Microsoft Teams when they start
working, they have to clock in their attendance via
PUSPA in Microsoft Teams. And PUSPA will ask
the employee emotional feeling for the day. If the
employee state feeling ‘overwhelmed’ or ‘sad’ for
three consecutive days, PUSPA will advise the
employee to go to myFriends or contact Naluri
(certified counsellor) to seek help. This will at least
trigger or let the employee know that there is help
and support provided by PETRONAS, they just
have to reach out.
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D. Conclusion
1. Mental illness is rising in every country in the world. Mental health should not
become a taboo topic, given the surmounting pressure and challenges employees
are facing nowadays. Employees’ well-being is paramount to organisation’s
success, as they are the human resource that run the organisation.
2. The COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on organisations and
employees has exacerbated the stress, anger and fear employees feel.
Employees’ lives, both professionally and personally, have been altered in ways
and these are taking a toll on both physical and mental health. Yet, employees
have been resolute in delivering their duties despite their own hardships.
3. Employers have to take a serious approach in addressing and managing mental
health issues as it is an illness that can be treated and prevented, just like any
other physical illness. Leaders must play a vital role to eliminate the stigma
surrounding mental health and must provide a psychologically safe environment.
All leaders and managers must exercise their discretion with empathy to ensure
employees can balance their personal and working time. In today’s unprecedented
environment, leading with empathy is critical now than ever.
4. Last but not least, with the right support from the organisation towards mental
health management and employees’ well-being, a conducive and healthy
workplace culture and environment can be created, which in turn will increase
employees’ performance and productivity, and make them want to stay with the
organisation.
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Kompilasi Laporan Peserta
PROGRAM
PENEMPATAN SILANG (PCF)
SESI 2021 / 2022
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