Like most businesses, construction abruptly stopped once enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was enforced.

“I left a bit early a day before the ECQ,” FRS Construction Corp. managing director Cheryl V. Feliciano wrote in an e-mail to BusinessWorld. “We also sent the staff home a little bit earlier than usual.”

All their construction projects — the majority of which are DMCI projects — in Metro Manila have stopped, while their provincial projects continued but only until the end of March when quarantine was gradually imposed in the provinces.

As the lockdown passed its 70-day mark and restrictions have been modified in some areas nationwide, she continues to work from home and begins her day at 9 a.m.

What is your preferred meeting method and why?
We don’t do video meetings as I only need to talk to our president (my dad) or specific staff individually. Viber and e-mail is what we normally use to send documents and get approvals.

Where is your home office?
I have a small room which has always been my office room at home even before the ECQ.

Do you take breaks?
I read the news; help with my daughter’s school work (because her school year ended on April 30); do some crafts; meditate; and pray.

What difficulties or challenges did you experience? Any distractions?
Wi-Fi connection has been excellent so I didn’t have any problems with that. It was mostly the added process of e-mailing back and forth since we’re not physically at the office.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from working from home?
Make sure all physical files/data have an electronic version and are updated regularly. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

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