Employees, companies welcome WFH setup as ‘new norm’ evolves

May 7, 2020 | 6:41 pm

With the government extending the enhanced community quarantine to May 15 in select regions, provinces, and cities, including Metro Manila to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Philippines is joining the worldwide trend of encouraging people to work from home (WFH) wherever feasible to intensify social distancing.

Research recently released by Lenovo shows that employees and businesses are adapting to work from home arrangements, with smart technologies having already enabled the rise of a global workforce that stays connected in a work-from-anywhere world.

“Our survey suggests that the employee experience was already changing before the pandemic hit,” said Michael Ngan, president and general manager of Lenovo Philippines. “For example, in the past 15 years, the number of those regularly working from home has grown 159% in the US and the same increase is happening in other markets. While our current situation is extraordinary, we are seeing a real willingness from workers to adapt and adopt flexible work arrangements. This confirms that corporate technology investments are paying off, as most people now feel productive at home and believe that the workforce will move more in this direction once the crisis has passed.”

The Lenovo study, which looked at employee attitudes towards WFH in China, Japan, Germany, Italy, and the US, found that a majority of employees (87%) felt at least somewhat ready to make the shift to WFH when required. Most had already been either encouraged (46%) or required (26%) to WFH as part of COVID-19 mitigation measures as these countries were among the most hardly hit by the pandemic. Furthermore, 77% expect that companies will either encourage or at least be more open to letting staff work remotely in the future.

Telecommuting in the Philippines

Even when the quarantine is lifted, the Philippine government is expecting reduced economic activity as a result of the public’s hesitation to engage. In addition, a pro-work from home stance has already been raised as a solution to traffic woes, particularly in the capital region of Metro Manila. The Telecommuting Act (R.A. 11165) was signed into law to allow employees to conduct work at home or remotely outside the workplace.

The move to telecommuting is also a welcome development to the nation’s rising gig economy which thrives on hiring employees on a flexible and freelance setup through online platforms. The Philippines currently ranks sixth in the world and is the fastest-growing market for the gig industry, revealing a 35% year over year growth in freelance earnings as reported in financial services company Payoneer’s 2019 Global Gig-Economy Index.

With the freedom to work anywhere, flexible schedules, the opportunity to prioritize work according to personal schedules, plus the ongoing pandemic, the gig economy in the Philippines is expected to see tremendous growth this year. All these reiterate the need for companies to invest in smarter mobile technologies designed to bolster employee productivity at home or outside the office.

Smarter technology, digital natives

Worldwide, the rapid adoption of WFH policies has been made possible by the increasing sophistication and affordability of smart mobile technology, which has enabled many employees to work when away from their desk.

Changing workforce demographics play a part too. The Millennials and Generation Z employees who make up nearly 60% of the workforce today grew up with video on demand, networked video games, and video communication platforms. These digital natives are driving the development and adoption of technology for remote working and collaboration.

The ‘race for talent’ has also put organizations under significant pressure to rethink their workspace, technology, and culture to attract and retain the best people. A 2018 Harvard Business School global study of 6,500 business leaders found that over 60% predicted that employee expectations for flexible working will significantly affect the future of work.

A human resources consulting firm recently revealed that a majority of employers are still hiring talent, despite the anticipated business impact from the coronavirus outbreak. In late February 2020, 44% of respondents said that they already offer remote working as an employee benefit to either all of their staff or select employees and functions.

“At a time when all companies need to navigate uncertainty and keep their business running, technology enables them to keep moving forward. Companies need to adjust now and ensure their employees have the video tools, technology, and training required to succeed today and in a future where more remote working may be the norm,” Mr. Ngan added.

Lenovo’s Tips for a Productive Remote Workforce

– Get the tech in place: The team will need the right technology for remote work. Laptops need to be easy to carry, seamlessly integrated with the corporate infrastructure, and installed with video conferencing technology and other collaboration tools. Accessories like noise-cancelling headphones and additional large monitor could also be essential for some workers.

– Hold a team meeting at the same time every day: When teams are working remotely, there’s nothing more important than ongoing communication. Going beyond official emails and work updates, a scheduled team meeting to discuss daily priorities will help everyone stay on track.

– Make video conferencing the new normal: Video conferencing and content-sharing tools keep employees connected across town or around the world and help them avoid feelings of isolation. Employees appreciate the engaging style of video, but they need to have the right technology and the confidence to use it.

– Keep a team chatroom open all day: A single open group chatroom will likely see more chatting than the video channel because it allows more casual shop talk, water-cooler chats, and late night ‘you had to be there’ jokes. Younger professionals will be especially comfortable in this medium, helping others to get on board.

Encourage flexible work schedules: As COVID-19 impacts schooling, childcare and other services, let your workforce know that you understand that they may be juggling work and home responsibilities in new and challenging ways.

UAAP shows support for ABS-CBN after shutdown

May 7, 2020 | 6:28 pm

LONG the home of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) through the ultra high frequency channel S+A, member schools of the collegiate league moved to show its support for media giant ABS-CBN following its forced shutdown of its broadcast operations early this week.

The schools issued their respective statements on the forced closure, lamenting the turn of events and how it was a big blow, among other things, to the flow of information especially during these trying times with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Filipinos need ABS-CBN now, especially now during these urgent times of the pandemic, when the information provided by our country’s broadcast journalists spells the difference between life and death for our citizens, most of whom still get their news from television and radio,” said Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Jet Villarin, SJ in a statement.

“We urge our lawmakers to act post-haste to approve the ABS-CBN franchise and restore its broadcast,” he added.

It was a testament shared by the University of Santo Tomas, which described ABS-CBN as “a constant companion of Filipinos here and abroad.”

“The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas laments the order to stop ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations, as it is a clear disservice to the Filipino people, in time of the pandemic, when information, delivered fast and wide, is key to saving lives,” UST’s statement read.

On the part of Far Eastern University, the school said the timing of the closure could not have come at the most inopportune of time, particularly how a large number of employees could lose their jobs.

“In the face of a public health crisis, the unemployment of the network’s employees aggravates their economic and health situations as well as those of their families. They need a government that understands their plight,” FEU’s statement read, referring to the 11,000 people that ABS-CBN employs.

It went on to urge the network to exhaust all legal actions to resolve its current predicament.

On Tuesday evening, ABS-CBN stopped operations of Channel 2, DZMM, MOR and other regional television and radio stations, in compliance with a National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) order.

The order was issued after the expiry of its legislative franchise on May 4.

As ABS-CBN shut its operations, S+A also ceased broadcast.

S+A has been home to the UAAP for 20 years. It also broadcast games of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Premier Volleyball League and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as well as events of ONE Championship, among others.

For now, ABS-CBN officials said not thing is definitive yet as far as their sports broadcast is concerned but that they are exploring their options. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

UFC 249: Ferguson vs Gaethje to air on FOX Sports on Sunday

May 7, 2020 | 6:27 pm

UFC 249, the return-to-action event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship after taking some time off because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, will be aired over FOX Sports in the Philippines on Sunday, May 10.

Happening at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, UFC 249 will be headlined by the interim lightweight title clash between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. Co-headlining is the UFC bantamweight championship fight between reigning champion Henry Cejudo and challenger and former champ Dominick Cruz.

The event was originally set to take place on April 18 but was postponed because of COVID-19.

The Florida event will be one of the first to restart in the mainland United States, which is still in the thick of the fight against the highly contagious respiratory disease.

“I can’t wait to deliver some great fights for the fans,” UFC President Dana White said in a statement of their return. The UFC will follow the event up with two more cards on May 13 and May 16.

The UFC said the events will be closed to the public and will take place with only essential personnel in attendance.

Others in the main card of UFC 249 are heavyweight Francis Ngannou against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, featherweight Jeremy Stephens versus Calvin Kattar and heavyweight Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan de Castro.

Broadcast of the main card of UFC 249 begins at 10 a.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo with Reuters

Heavily restricted NBA practices set to resume this weekend

May 7, 2020 | 6:26 pm

NEW YORK — National Basketball Association teams are expected to get the go-ahead to reopen practice facilities for limited use as early as Friday, less than two months after the coronavirus outbreak forced the suspension of the season.

With head and assistant coaches barred and scrimmages forbidden, the workouts are unlikely to resemble business as usual for the NBA but would nonetheless be a step towards normalcy for a league whose season was upended in dramatic fashion in March.

Players will be required to wear face masks inside team facilities, “except during the period when they are engaged in physical activity,” according to a league memo.

Teams must also thoroughly disinfect any equipment used, from basketballs to weight-room equipment.

Modifications to stay-at-home orders could play a factor in which teams can resume workouts, with some US states reopening and others maintaining strict social distancing procedures.

The Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are among those considering opening facilities right away, according to media reports, with Texas and Colorado stay-at-home orders having expired.

With much of the professional sports calendar on hold, many leagues across North America are considering whether and how their seasons could resume.

Major League Soccer returned to training on Wednesday with strict rules in place, while NASCAR plans to resume competition on May 17 without fans.

The NBA was among the first to see its season impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, with games called off at the last minute after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus in March. — Reuters

Coach Thibs

May 7, 2020 | 6:26 pm

It’s easy to understand why Tom Thibodeau wants to coach again. He’s a hoops lifer — always has been, and always will be. It doesn’t matter that he was a relative flop in his last stop; he had dual roles with the Timberwolves, and he couldn’t even sniff mediocrity in both. He drafted poorly and made questionable deals as president of basketball operations, including that which had him shipping Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Kris Dunn to the Bulls for what turned out to be a short rental of erstwhile favorite Jimmy Butler. More tellingly, he couldn’t coax any semblance of consistency on either end of the court from resident stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins and the rest of his roster as their head coach; his offensive and defensive predilections were anachronous to the prevailing pace-and-pace style of play.

All things considered, that he proved unable to live up to expectations with the Timberwolves may well be why he’s itching to get back to the hot seat. He certainly beats just about everybody else when it comes to the effort he puts into honing his craft. Even after he was unceremoniously dumped early last year, he remained in circulation; he kept in touch with peers and attended practices of other teams, and even went to the MIT Sloan Analytics Conference — seemingly not quite his cup of tea given his old-school habits — as a panelist last March. He just can’t stay away from the sport, and, at first glance, appears to want to change with the times.

That said, Thibodeau’s previous successes are why he continues to be at or near the top of lists of candidates to fill vacancies for bench tacticians. He’s said to be on the radar of the Rockets, Nets, and even Hawks and Bulls. Above all else, though, the Knicks seem most interested in hiring him, and not just because he has a close relationship with newly installed president Leon Rose. The latter, apart from formerly being with the Creative Artists Agency, which handles his affairs, figures he will bring a winning culture to the dysfunctional franchise. At the very least, he’ll certainly try to instill a nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic.

At this point, the choice seems to be Thibodeau’s to make, although the Knicks present the best risk-reward ratio on paper. Expectations won’t be as high as those of, say, the Rockets and Nets, who have established stars and can’t help but cast moist eyes on the hardware. Moreover, the fit is better; it’s a stretch to believe he won’t encounter difficulties integrating such mercurial figures as James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving into his my-way-or-the-highway system. In any case, he will need assistants more attuned to fostering smooth interpersonal ties and esprit de corps.

Thusly, conventional wisdom is on Thibodeau landing with the Knicks. Regardless of his decision, however, he needs to truly show a willingness to adjust to the times. Else, his wearing out his welcome sooner rather than later is an equally safe bet.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

alcuaycong@bworldonline.com

Five ways to keep employees engaged during the lockdown

May 7, 2020 | 3:54 pm

Social distancing has become the norm for the general public these days– and unfortunately, it’s creating more than just physical distance. The lack of physical interaction among employees may create a strain in their relationships, thereby challenging the dynamics and productivity of organizations.

Fortunately, there are ways to compensate for this lack of contact. Angeli Recella, startup incubation manager for non-profit organization Makesense Philippines, shares five kinds of activities that your team can try.

1. Weekly alignment

To help set goals and track past results, set a weekly alignment with your team. Before you start, put up a public Objective and Key Results (OKR) board for everyone’s awareness and appoint at least one OKR “shepherd” for the meetings. They will be accountable for making the meetings more efficient every time you hold them.

Your team can try holding quick meeting—composed of all updates without explanation—based on the Scrum method, especially if you’re already applying it. “They will just say, ‘This is what I’ve done, this is what has not moved, and this is what I need help in,’” said Recella.

She also suggests using EOS Worldwide’s GWC form, when delegating tasks. GWC stands for “Do they get it, do they want it, and do they have the capacity to do it.”

“This is a good time to nurture people and make sure that they grow within your culture and capacity,” Recella said. “And how I translate that is that if operations are on a halt, or if it’s slowing down right now, this is a good opportunity to upscale or rescale your employees.”

2. Online game nights

As they say, work hard, play hard—and that definitely doesn’t stop just because there isn’t any outside nightlife to enjoy after work with colleagues. Following this tradition, online game nights will help your team relax from work and get to know each other better.

Before every session, assign a game master who will pick a game—such as these which work well on video-calling apps—and organize the logistics. This includes setting the time, which Recella suggests to be around two hours sandwiched between operational work hours.

“Now more than ever, you cannot separate the individual from their work, because they’re literally working from their homes,” she said. “If you want to get to know each other, this is a really good time because it mixes the work and the personal life, and you see them in a very different context.”

3. Virtual coffee chats

In lieu of the “water cooler conversations” in a physical office, holding virtual coffee chats can help your team forge new work relationships. Choose two random employees who could be from different teams or departments, provide them with some discussion points, and leave them to chat for 45 minutes up to an hour. These sessions can be held twice a week or just every other week, depending on your team’s time and capacity.

As a manager, it’s also a good time to conduct a stay interview among your employees, which will help you find out why they’re still with your company. Recella suggests using EOS Worldwide’s Delegate and Elevate form. “This usually gives you a good gage on how well [your employees] align with not only their jobs but also the overall mission and vision of the company.”

4. Pre-meeting icebreakers

In case you can’t afford to hold virtual coffee chats, pre-meeting icebreakers are a great alternative to stay updated with the team. Before getting down to literal business, each team member will be given a minute to answer a question, which can be taken from websites such as this one.

“When you do this before you start the meeting, it reconnects you to the people that are actually behind that decision-making process,” said Recella.

It also helps iron out any conflicts between teammates. “I always remind people this: Conflicts are not bad. There are healthy conflicts, and most of the time, you really have to get through conflicts so that you can breed creativity and increase employee buy-in.”

5. Disconnect hours

These uncertain times have bred adverse effects on mental health and productivity, “[These are] usually because of information overload and something that is now being called ‘moral fatigue’: The usually relatively smaller decisions that we used to make before… now more of big decisions to make because of the context,” said Recella.

Because of these factors, it’s more important than ever before to set boundaries for work and personal life. She suggests mandating employees to disconnect from the internet for a few hours a day. “You can just watch TV, cook your own food, read, or bake… This is really just for you to have a clearer mind before you restart for work.”

Singaporean AI predicts ‘end’ of pandemic

May 7, 2020 | 2:18 pm

By Argie C. Aguja
Senior Features Writer, The Philippine STAR

A prediction paper released by a Singaporean university projects how long until COVID-19 reaches the last expected case in a particular country, including the Philippines

As the world struggles with the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a forecast released by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) last April 29 aims to shed light on when the pandemic might end in some countries, even in the Philippines.

DATA-DRIVEN PREDICTIONS

Using an artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithm to study and analyze the most recent available data on total confirmed cases, total deaths, new confirmed cases, new deaths and population figures, the SUTD has been able to project the infection curve and generate a best guess of probable dates on when it believes the coronavirus disease will “end” or reach the last expected case in a particular country.

The predictions provide three alternative estimates of end dates in the order of conservativeness:

– the date to reach 97% of total expected cases

– the date to reach 99% of total expected cases, and

– the date to reach the last expected case.

Here are the projections on some countries in Southeast Asia.

Singapore – The city state of Singapore has a 97% chance of seeing the virus end by May 9, 99% on May 15, and 100% by June 10.

Philippines – According to the AI algorithm, the Philippines is 97% likely to see the virus end by May 12, 99% by May 23, and might be 100% virus-free by July 8.

Indonesia – Indonesia is seen to have a 97% probability of the virus ending by May 26, 99% by June 7, and 100% by July 30.

Malaysia – According to data, the algorithm estimates that Malaysia has a 97% chance to see an end to the virus by May 6, 99% on May 19, and 100% on July 8.

Vietnam – Vietnam has a 97% chance of seeing the pandemic end in their country by April 18, 99% on April 29, and 100% by May 14.

Overall, the global projection believes that most of the world will be free from the pandemic on December 1. However optimistic as the predictions may seem, the forecast is still subject to change depending on a variety of factors like virus mutation, population movement, and government response to the crisis.

OTHER COVID-19 FORECASTING EFFORTS

The SUTD’s prediction is just one of the studies conducted to shed light on the ever-changing trends of the ongoing pandemic. Other more systemic COVID-19 forecasting efforts are spearheaded by academic institutions around the world, including the University of Washington (https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections), University of Texas at Austin (https://covid-19.tacc.utexas.edu/projections/), Imperial College London (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mrc-global-infectious-disease-analysis/covid-19/) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (https://idss.mit.edu/research/idss-covid-19-collaboration-isolat/).

The Singaporean study is refreshed with updated data from different countries to estimate the pandemic life cycle curves and provide theoretical ending dates, with codes provided by Milan Batista and data from Our World in Data. Because of the input of updated data, predictions are also expected to change as a result of variations in real-world scenarios over time. The whole projection can be viewed at https://ddi.sutd.edu.sg.

Disclaimer: Due to data limitations, not all countries are included in the analysis. It is strongly suggested to drop the earlier predictions for the countries no longer included due to the rapid changes in real-world scenarios. The list of countries reported will also vary daily depending on data.

PhilCare posts 21% income increase as company banks on smarter healthcare to drive growth

May 7, 2020 | 1:32 pm

MANILA – Philhealthcare, Inc. (PhilCare), one of the Philippines’ most preferred health maintenance organizations (HMOs), posted a net income of P130.6 million for the 12-month period that ended on December 31, 2019.

The amount is 20.9 percent or P22.6 million higher than the P108 million it earned in the same period in 2018.

Based on the company’s annual financial statement, the HMO’s revenues went up to P2.68 billion, 15.8% or P367 million higher than the previous year. Benefits, claims, and expenses also increased to P2.5 billion, 15.3% or P332 million year-on-year.

“We are really happy that our efforts in 2019 bore fruit, from the aggressive sales of our innovative products like our prepaid healthcards to the new partnerships we formed and the new sales channels that we have opened. All these have contributed significantly to the increase of our bottom line,” said PhilCare president and CEO Jaeger L. Tanco.

“I’m particularly proud that PhilCare has pioneered prepaid healthcards in the market. This was the result of our 1st Wellness Index done back in 2014. We learned back then a lot of Filipinos did not have access to healthcare coverage because they didn’t have corporate health benefits. We, then, decided to develop sachet-type products that are more accessible and affordable, and it truly made a difference,” he added.

Apart from prepaid cards, PhilCare is taking on new innovations by banking on technology that improve the way healthcare is delivered.

Among these is the DigiMed service, which is a form of medical teleconsult, which should make a more pronounced impact as the nation embraces the new normal.

The DigiMed service on the HeyPhil app has so far received around 1,500 digital consultations a month. It has also recently launched DigiMed PLUS, a web-based telemedicine application that allows members access to numerous specialists through video call.

“It is with great confidence that we assure our members, partners, and stakeholders that regardless of the present economic condition, PhilCare has remained resilient and we continue to be steadfast in our commitment to provide the quality of healthcare and service that we have been known to deliver,” Tanco said.

“PhilCare has always been a company that takes pride in being at the helm of innovation. As the nation gradually prepares itself for the new normal, we continue to gain momentum, seeking for opportune possibilities to leverage change to our advantage, as we dedicate ourselves in fulfilling our mission of making quality healthcare services available to every Filipino,” he added.

PhilhealthCare, Inc. (PhilCare) is among the top two most preferred HMOs in the country today. It distinguishes itself from other health maintenance organizations (HMO) in the Philippines by advocating wellness as a more holistic approach to health.

This is achieved through PhilCare’s sustainable health plans, PhilCare 360, and its technology-enabled customer experience. PhilCare offers a wide range of health care plans to serve the different requirements of individuals, group, and enterprise accounts.

PhilCare pioneered the country’s first Wellness Index in 2014. Based on the findings of that study, PhilCare introduced the very first prepaid health plans in the country. From prepaid to comprehensive coverage, PhilCare’s extensive line of products covers hospitalization, out-patient and emergency healthcare needs across a nationwide network of hospitals, clinics, and physicians.

PhilCare 360, on the other hand, provides members with updates about health information, preventive measures against diseases and illnesses, and lifestyle trends that promote health and wellness. Meanwhile, PhilCare’s tech-enabled customer service efforts involve their accessible website and e-commerce, their call center that’s available 24/7, and its HeyPhil App where members can ask queries and request for a Letter of Authorization (LOA).

PhilCare’s commitment to promote wellness among Filipinos makes it an essential pillar of Maestro Holdings, a grand concord of four of the biggest and respected financial companies in the Philippines. Under the Maestro’s baton, PhilCare joins four of the most recognizable names in their respective industries: PhilsFirst, the first domestic non-life insurance company in the country; PhilLife, one of the most trusted insurance providers in the Philippines; PhilPlans, one of the leading financial solutions companies providing pension, education, and memorial programs.

PHL economy declines for first time since 1998

May 7, 2020 | 11:43 am

Following 84 quarters of uninterrupted growth, the Philippine economy shrank for the first time since 1998 in the first quarter of 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported earlier this morning.

Using the new base year of 2018, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 0.2%, a reversal from the expansions of 6.7% and 5.7% in the previous quarter and in the first quarter of 2019.

This marked the first time the economy declined since the three-percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 1998.

The first-quarter result was lower than the 2.9% median estimate in a BusinessWorld poll of 11 economists conducted last week as well as the government’s 6.5%-7.5% target range, albeit this was based on the previous base year of 2000. Economic managers earlier said they are assessing the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the stringent measures imposed to contain it before revising official targets.

Among major economic sectors, agriculture and industry posted declines of 0.4% and three percent in the first quarter, a turnaround from their respective growth rates of 0.5% and 4.9% in the same quarter last year.

Bucking the trend was services, which grew 1.4% in the first quarter. This was, however, slower than last year’s 7.1%.

On the expenditure side, household spending recorded a flat 0.2% growth, slower than 6.2% in the first quarter of 2019.

Government spending grew by 7.1%, slower than the 17% growth in the previous quarter, but faster than 6.4% in the first quarter of 2019.

Private investment, which is represented in the data as capital formation, posted an 18.3% decline compared to a 9.8% expansion in the same three months last year.

Exports and imports of goods and services also contracted to three percent and nine percent, reversing from their respective growth rates of 4.2% and 8.9% last year.

Gross national income – the sum of the nation’s GDP and net income received from overseas – posted a 0.6% decline in the first quarter compared to growth rates of 5.8% in the previous quarter and five percent in 2019’s comparable three months. – Lourdes O. Pilar

How to get better at video conferencing

May 7, 2020 | 10:38 am

The world is on lockdown. But while stay-at-home directives are in place, work must continue, bringing rise to the necessity of conference calls. Overnight, video calling went from infrequent, emergency measure, to the daily driver of corporate communications.

Successful video conferencing is a combination of etiquette, discipline, and good will. Here are tips on how you can transition smoothly from face-to-face to virtual calls:

Choose a software

The most popular video conferencing solution today is Zoom, but there are a lot of other mainstream choices as well: like Cisco Webex, Skype, and Google Hangouts. Each has their pros and cons, with a combination of free and premium options. So download the apps or desktop clients and find the one that fits your firm’s needs best.

Test the software

Check if your equipment is working. Get a feel of the software even before your meeting. Don’t be the person who disrupts a presentation because your dog starts barking and you don’t know how to mute your microphone. Utilize Zoom’s test feature. WebEx has a Personal Room that can also be used for testing. In Skype, click your profile picture and then select Settings > Audio & Video Settings. There should be a camera preview under the Video section. You can also look for Sound Test Service in your Skype contacts to test audio quality.

Minimize bandwidth use of others

Poor bandwidth equals pixelated screens and choppy audio. If you’re expecting a video call, make sure the smart devices in your home aren’t hogging the connection. If you have a family member bingeing on Netflix, you might want to invite them to take a break.

Mind your surroundings

Avoid harsh, direct light and make sure that the light source is in front of and not behind you to avoid plunging your face into a shadow.

PCMag’s lead camera analyst Jim Fisher stresses that “Soft fill on your face is all that matters.” Choose a neutral backdrop or at least avoid one that is too distracting.

Ensure your face is zoomed in close enough so everyone can read your facial expressions. Keep the web camera within your line of sight.

If you’re the organizer, be clear from the start that videos will be on during the meeting so participants have ample time to prepare.

Avoid audio feedback

Close the door if you’re near a noisy street. Inform your family about your scheduled calls so they know when to turn the volume of the TV down. Use equipment such as a bluetooth headset or gaming headphones if available. And avoid rooms with high ceilings or other features that create too much echo.

Inform everyone of the agenda

Video conferences with at least a loose agenda and schedule are better because they keep things more efficient. People come in prepared with their insights, questions, and suggestions. Plus, it allows for more regimented turn-taking and thus reduces the possibility of people talking over each other.

Engage your audience

If you’re set to make a presentation during the call, create audience engagement by changing the pace and tone of your voice. Emphasize key words and use pauses for effect, advises Adrian Dearnell, a Forbes.com contributor and former business and finance TV anchorman.

He also advises using simple and easy-to-read visuals, as well as showing your face as often as possible and your PowerPoint as little as needed. Keep an eye out too on the live chat feed and answer relevant questions.

Focus on the conversation

It’s obvious when someone mentally checks out of the conversation to check their email – even if they try to be subtle about it, so don’t do it. Besides, studies show that trying to do multiple things at once cuts into performance. Researchers at Stanford found that people who multitask can’t remember things as well as their more singularly focused peers. Close any tabs that might distract you and stay present.

Mute your microphone

As much as possible, mute your microphone when you’re not the one speaking. This is important because most tools for group video conferencing prioritize the visual feed of the person speaking. When using platforms that automatically switch videos to whomever’s talking, your face will be popping up every time you make a noise, even if it’s just you munching down on your afternoon snack.

Break up a large group

Moderators will struggle in video calls with more than five active participants. Virtual conferences are challenging enough as it is, and things can get unmanageable when people start interrupting each other, especially if there’s a lag in the connection. Consider breaking up a large group by assigning participants into smaller breakout rooms for a portion of the meeting. This promotes more creativity, engagement, and inclusion. Zoom and Webex both have this feature.

Have a backup plan

No matter what program you use, have a backup plan in case something goes awry. You and your team can choose to use an alternative app, for instance, or just switch to an audio-only call. Remember too that not each and every collaboration requires a video conference.

Even beyond COVID-19, it seems that video calls are here to stay. Make it work for you and your team by mastering the basics of virtual meetings.

External trade plummets in March

May 7, 2020 | 12:32 am

By Mark T. Amoguis
Assistant Research Head

THE COUNTRY’S international trade performance fell significantly in March as the restrictions imposed to arrest the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the middle of the month led to exports and imports shrinking to multi-year lows, the government reported on Wednesday.

Preliminary trade data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed merchandise exports in March contracting by 24.9% to $4.53 billion compared to a 2.8% growth in February and a 0.1% uptick recorded in March 2019.

Likewise, merchandise imports fell 26.2% to $6.91 billion in March, deteriorating from an 11.6% decline in February and a 12% growth observed in the same month last year.

The March export fall broke three consecutive months of growth and was the lowest in nearly a decade, or since the 27% contraction logged in September 2011.

For merchandise imports, March marked its 11^th straight month of contraction and the steepest since the 28.3% fall posted in August 2009.

Trade deficit in March was recorded at $2.38 billion, lower than the $3.34-billion gap in the same month last year.

The country’s total external trade in goods — the sum of export and import goods — was $11.44 billion in March, 25.7% less than the $15.40-billion haul in the same month last year. So far, total trade reached $38.98 billion, 10.4% less than $43.50 billion in January-March 2019.

For the three months to March, exports were down 5.2% to $15.72 billion, well below the 4% growth target for 2020 by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), an interagency body that sets macroeconomic and fiscal assumptions of the government.

Meanwhile, the merchandise import bill dropped 13.6% to $23.26 billion on a cumulative basis against the DBCC’s eight-percent growth target for the year.

That brought the year-to-date trade balance to a $7.54-billion deficit, smaller than the $10.34-billion shortfall in 2019’s comparable three months.

Exports of manufactured goods, which account for nearly 80% of the total exports that month, slumped 27% year on year to $3.57 billion from $4.90 billion last year. Total agro-based products sales were also down 4.6% to $448.32 million in March.

Electronic products, which made up more than half of the total March export sales, decreased 24% to $2.44 billion. Semiconductors, which account for almost three-fourths of electronic products, went down 22.7% to $1.81 billion.

Exports of forest, mineral, and petroleum products likewise fell by 45.6%, 15.5%, and 16.7%, respectively to $17.56 million, $405.38 million, and $14.27 million.

On the import side, raw materials and intermediate goods, which contributed 38.4% to the goods imports bill in March, sank 25.6% to $2.65 billion year on year.

Capital and consumer goods also went down to 26.5% ($2.24 billion) and 21.9% ($1.19 billion) in March, respectively. Imports of mineral fuels, lubricant and related materials contracted by 32.2% to $783.09 million.

TRADE DECLINE ‘UNDERSTANDABLE’
In a statement, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions in production supply chains and global trade flow led to the country’s trade decline in March.

In a phone interview, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport) President and Chief Executive Officer Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said the slump in external trade was “clearly” attributed to the lockdown.

“Export-oriented companies were closed including our suppliers… Even [for] those who remained open, operations are only maintained at 30%. Obviously, [the decline] is understandable,” he said.

Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion, chief economist at UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. (UnionBank), said the COVID-19 outbreak “paved the way” for the softening of global trade, particularly for those with huge trading partnerships with China, where the outbreak originated.

“It was a gradual decline of merchandise trade for January and February culminating to a sharp decline in mid-March as the larger part of the Philippine economy was virtually shut down, halting almost all economic activities initially,” he said in an e-mail.

The government’s trade growth targets will likely be missed this year, according to analysts.

“There’s no way [to achieve those targets]. We’re lucky to break even by the end of the year,” Philexport’s Mr. Ortiz-Luis said.

For UnionBank’s Mr. Asuncion: “It will definitely be difficult to meet these government-set growth targets.”

“Unless a vaccine is eventually discovered and successfully administered to the sickened population this year, trade going back to pre-COVID-19 levels or better remains to be a challenge,” he added.

For ING Bank N.V. Manila Branch Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa: “We expect months of sustained contraction in the immediate term as lockdown stymies manufacturing and business activity. Subdued global demand should ensure trade in 2020 will be disappointing,” he said in a note to reporters.

In a statement, acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said trade in goods may recover next year, “but this will depend on how fast we can contain the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its economic impact through government policies to support affected industries and workers.”

IMPACT TO GDP
The slump in external trade will “definitely be a big hole” in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), Mr. Asuncion said.

“Although trade is not zero between January and February this year, merchandise trade has obviously declined dramatically due to COVID-19. Overall, 2020 Q1 GDP growth may decline a third of what was originally expected before the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Philexport’s Mr. Ortiz-Luis said that in the past, an increase in exports by three to four percent tends to increase GDP by one percent.

“Under this exceptional situation, I don’t know if that’s true,” he said.

A BusinessWorld poll of 11 economists yielded a 2.9% median growth estimate for the first quarter, cooling from the 6.7% growth in the last three months of 2019 and 5.7% in the first quarter of 2019.

Should this materialize, this would be the slowest expansion in a decade or since the 1.8% pace recorded in the final three months of 2009.

The PSA will report the first-quarter GDP data today.

Philippine trade year-on-year performance (March 2020)

May 7, 2020 | 12:32 am

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