How the COVID crisis has changed the way we work and shown that quick access to HR documents is crucial.

On March 16, 2020, a community-wide enhanced quarantine (ECQ) was imposed in Metro Manila and other parts of the Philippines. This move was part of the government’s efforts to flatten the COVID19 infection curve.

While rules were eased starting May 16th, restrictions were still put in place for the ‘modified enhanced community quarantine’ (MECQ).

During the ECQ, a civilian’s movements were restricted. They could only go out for necessities – getting groceries, medicines, going to the hospital, sorting their banking needs. That’s it. Only frontliners, as defined by the government’s IRR, were allowed to regularly go out and proceed with business as usual. 

When quarantine protocols were modified, the MECQ presented new challenges for workers returning to their workplace. To report to work, they had to present the following: 

1. Their city-issued Quarantine Pass
2. Two, or at least one valid Government ID
3. Their Company ID stating their office’s address for verification
4. And a signed Certificate of Employment (COE)

The fourth requirement might sound basic. However, in the Philippines, where traditional HR processes are still a norm, securing a signed Certificate of Employment during ECQ can be difficult. Here’s why:

Employees still have to email HR to request for a copy of their COE. Even during regular business days, this takes days for HR to produce as it is not considered their top priority. Most of the time, they would rather be focused on running payroll and getting pay and benefits right.

Issuing HR documents such as COEs is a time-consuming administrative task that is often overlooked and under-appreciated… until it becomes a requirement for everyone.

Such is the case now, at least, in Metro Manila. Without a COE proving that you work at Company ABC, you’ll be sent home, penalized.

Having access to your HR documents 24/7 is not just a ‘nice-to- have’ perk. It is a necessity – regardless of circumstances. 

So this is how we do it at SpinifexIT. 

Anytime, anywhere, on my mobile phone or laptop, I’ll just log in to my SuccessFactors for instance. I’ll click a tiny box that says Strato, and then select “Certificate of Employment.”

I’ll download it or mail it to myself, so I’ll have a copy of it with me all the time. 

I didn’t have to contact our HR Manager, I didn’t have to wait for a few days to get a copy of my document.

I just logged in, downloaded – and then printed. Done.

This is why applications and solutions developed with a built-in Employee Self Service (ESS) option should be put under the spotlight more.

Times like these where we have to be self-sufficient may be ‘rare,’ but here we are now.

Aspects of what we’ve dreamed of as part of “the future ways of working” will be integrated to business as usual during and after COVID-19.

The best practices we apply now to improve the employee experience by giving them better access to their Employee Lifecycle Documents should be part of the ‘new normal.’ Not just because it’s convenient, but because it simply works.

Not using SAP SuccessFactors?
Strato Documents can create and send your employee documents with a MS Excel CSV file or a Google Sheets link as its own data source.

If you’re interested in Strato to give your employees easy access to their most needed documents, contact us at [email protected].