For those that are fortunate, the lockdowns brought about by the pandemic have given many an opportunity to connect with the things that they are passionate about. Some people are exercising, reading, gardening, cooking, baking, and even coloring in adult coloring books, as well as pursuing other forms of arts and crafts.
According to a number of research,pursuing these activities will help an individual in achieving a mental flow of stability, in releasing stress, and in expressing oneself.
Global outsourcing companyTDCX Philippines recognizes this, so in an effort to ensure that their employees are able to channel their energy into productive and healthy pastimes during this quarantine, it recently launched the “What’s Your More?” project, a sub-initiative that is encapsulated in its #BeHappier campaign launched in 2018 that aims to raise morale and satisfaction among its employees.
In a series of videos featuring the What’s Your More? initiative (https://youtu.be/QxFXMvgor7I, https://youtu.be/-VpY3yTiBf0), TDCX employees or TDpeeps, share stories of what they’ve learned about themselves during quarantine and how they’re finding ways to break up the day and keep their minds active now that they’re working from home.
More importantly, these videos shed light on their goals and passions outside of work, even though the world around them has temporarily ground to a halt.
Erik Varona, for one, was finally able to practice a series of jiu-jitsu movements called Animal Flow, something which he has been trying to do for a couple of years now. “It involves a lot of core movement, core power and that’s why I wasn’t able to do it before. However, I was able to complete it this quarantine period,” says Erik.
Kevin Dorongon and Rhinnon Pamintuan, on the other hand, are using their free time to care for plants.
“My place is so full of inspiration. My current propagations actually help me keep sane during the quarantine period,” says Kevin.
“I love plants, and since 2017 I started sharing this interest with other people by posting it on my social media accounts,” quips Rhinnon.
With all the tragic things that are happening in the world as a result of the coronavirus, now might seem like an unusual time to talk about being positive. Yet staying positive is a core ingredient in the recipe of successful coping in a crisis.
For Rane Gatela, who is also a YouTube vlogger, it is important to create small moments of happiness and to share these with others.
“When this pandemic happened, I already acquired the drive I lost back then and now I’ve been uploading video blogs consistently. Aside from the fact that this is my diversion whenever I feel bored, I’m also able to spread good vibes and positive energy to other people, which is what we all need right now,” he says.
Jazel Zamudio feels like the pandemic has also given people a lot of time not only to spend time with their loved ones but to finally be doing the things that they have always wanted to do but never got around to learning.
“As for me, it’s learning how to make digital portraits. During this quarantine, I realized that I have a lot of time in my hands so I might as well get myself a drawing tablet, and I started to learn this medium little by little.”
Through its “#BeHappier” campaign, TDCX underscores how putting a premium on employee satisfaction helps drive customer success. Its people-oriented corporate culture, shaped by the values of teamwork, initiative, courage, innovation, and trust, encourages accountability and positive reinforcement among every member of the organization.
“Remaining steadfast to the principles behind #BeHappier has also helped us in so many ways,” TDCX People Director Vanessa Maningas says.
“During the pandemic, to push for this idea may sound counterintuitive but sticking to it enabled us to laser focus on what truly matters most at such a critical time—our people. With or without the pandemic, we know that happy people produce happy results. As a BPO company, the best formula for success always starts or entails putting people first.”
And who’s to say that Erik, Kevin, Rhinnon, Rane, and Jazel can’t continue to pursue their hobbies even after distancing restrictions ease up?
“This pandemic has really taught us a lot of things, but also it made me realize that we can still be happier, either by learning a new hobby or relearning an old one,” says Jazel. To learn more about TDCX and their open positions, go to tdcx.com/careers or check out their social media accounts @tdcx.philippines.