Leaders in the Workplace and in the Home: Teleperformance Philippines shares tips for women leaders in International Women’s Day event

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In celebration of International Women’s Day, Teleperformance hosted a virtual event that highlighted the struggles and triumphs that women leaders face given their unique roles of being both leaders at home and at work.

Shared in a livestream on the Teleperformance Philippines Facebook page, the event aimed to engage participants in a discourse on problems and possible solutions to the glass walls women face in their careers on a daily basis, along with how to juggle their dual leadership roles. Organized by TP Women, topics such as work-life balance, the importance of having men as allies and creating a gender inclusive corporate culture were discussed through panel discussions and a pledge for gender equality.

Leadership in two arenas

Women continue to face many cultural and social barriers that can prevent them from pursuing leadership roles. According to a report by LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021, almost half of Filipino women (46%) working from home have struggled to juggle work and family life during the pandemic, especially working mothers. Similarly, 42% said their duties at home are a barrier to their career development.

Meanwhile, a 2020 study conducted by ILO with Philippine companies on human resource challenges on attracting and retaining high performing talents, work and family flexibility is important to a Filipino career woman, more so, a determining factor if she will accept or be prompted to leave a job.

To help women be more effective leaders both in the home and workplace, representatives of TP Women offered these five tips:

Equip yourself with the right tools & ask questions

To encourage other women to be their authentic selves, leaders themselves need to be equipped. “Try and study what you don’t know,” advised Michelle Carbonel, Senior Director of Recruitment Sourcing Department. “Self-knowledge is very important. Don’t be afraid to ask your team questions on how you can help them and what goals they would like to achieve to create that safe space for them.”

Never be afraid to acknowledge your accomplishments

“As women, sometimes, we could be a bit meek, and we want to be a 150% confident before we step it up or before we lay down our cards in any setting. So I dare everyone to really think about their accomplishments and don’t be afraid to let the world know about it,” said Ellora Du, Contract Center Manager. “No one else can celebrate your success except you, so grab every opportunity that presents itself. Boost your confidence and make known to the world what women are capable of.”

Know your Strength

“Always remember you have a voice,” said May Cordeta, Director of Training. She reminded women not to be shy to bring their ideas to the table and to create that conversation with themselves that they are good enough. “Nothing is too big or too small and the only one limiting you is yourself. Make sure you are heard and empower yourself to make your presence known,” shared Cordeta.

Create clear boundaries

When it comes to work-life balance, Tanya Famador-Japitana, Executive Vice President of Client Operations believes there should still be a certain time spent for work, for family, and for oneself. “Set clear boundaries and be intentional with your time – this would help improve your mood when you are with your family, leading to a better you at work as well.”

Decide what you want to do for yourself and know that it’s okay

Above all, TP Women leaders agreed that women empowerment is all about being able to choose. Affirm yourself that whatever or whoever you want to be, whether that is being a housewife or an astronaut or both, that it’s okay. “Women have the ability to decide what to do for themselves—deafen your ears on how society continues to dictate how women should act and what women should be,” Famador-Japitana said.

Also present at the event was Teleperformance Philippines’ Senior Vice President for Human Capital Resource Management Jeffrey Johnson, who shared how his mother and grandmother, who were both strong women, showed him how capable women could be.

Launched in 2019, TP Women is an initiative that is dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women in Teleperformance, while also serving as a community and support system for women within the organization.

Spearheaded by Tanya Famador-Japitana, TP Women seeks to address women’s issues in the workplace and help drive positive change, standing behind diversity, inclusion, and gender balance and supporting equal opportunity and participation at all levels and in all aspects. TP Women is part of the company’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) program, which highlights its commitment to its people, supporting initiatives that promote women empowerment, inclusion of professionals with disabilities, and supporting LGBTQIA+ communities.

“TP Women isn’t just about women in leadership. It’s about women supporting each other and equally, about men in our organization doing their part to support individuals to maximize their potential. That’s why at TP, I’m committed to supporting all of the women in the organization and being a reliable ally to ensure that we provide equal opportunities in work, in leadership and across the organization,” said Mike Lytle, Chief Executive Officer of Teleperformance US, Canada and Philippines.

Teleperformance Philippines is the first company in the country to receive three consecutive certifications from the Great Place to Work® Institute through a comprehensive evaluation process that involved an anonymous survey of over 34,000 of their employees.

Those who want to get more insights on women as leaders can check out this link of the event at: https://www.facebook.com/teleperformance.philippines/videos/150680063573686/

 e Teleperformance website at teleperformance.ph

Six tips to help female leaders achieve their goals

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As more and more women take top leadership roles, it becomes even more apparent that they are just as capable of being strong commanders in politics, business, health, and beyond.

Women are capable of being strong commanders

in politics, business, health, and beyond.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, offers goal-setting tips for female leaders who want to achieve more for themselves and for the people around them:

Write your goals down. 

Using a visual tool, such as writing, makes goals more tangible and gives you a clearer picture of what you want to achieve, be it in life or at work. When you write down your goals, not only do you become emotionally engaged, but you are also able to set deadlines and actionable steps on what needs to be done to achieve them.

Say no to fear. 

For many years, most women lived in fear of being judged and talked down to, thus preventing them from reaching their full potential. Break down these barriers by focusing on yourself: practice positive self-talk, never be afraid to ask for help or a second opinion when you’re doubting yourself, and don’t be concerned about what other people might think.

Turn weaknesses into strengths. 

Society has ingrained in women that their capabilities are limited. Use this as motivation to turn weaknesses as opportunities for self-growth. If a project you’re working on didn’t work the first time, consider another approach until you reach your goal. If you hit a roadblock, think through the problem. Just don’t give up and walk away.

Delegate and utilize people’s talents. 

Working closely with a team helps you know their strengths and skills and gain different perspectives. Their talent is a strategic asset, so keep them involved and encourage them to pursue creative ways to utilize their skills to achieve your shared goals.

Invest in yourself. 

It’s natural for women to wear many hats. Even with so much on their plate, they are flexible, agile, and able to take on many challenges. As a female leader, you’re more than capable. Start by learning more, develop new skills, or explore your creative side. When you know more, you’re able to discover your limitations or explore different ways to realize your goals or ambitions.

Celebrate your wins. 

Achieving your goals takes a lot of work. So revel in the feelings of pride and satisfaction when you’ve accomplished a goal. Take time to celebrate your little wins with the people who have helped you get to where you are. You deserve it!

In AXA, we recognize the important role played by women not just at work but also at home. Since January 2017, AXA has implemented the global parenting policy, which provides 16 weeks paid maternity leave and four weeks paid paternal leave for newborn parents.

As part of AXA’s corporate social responsibility, we launched Finlit 101: What’s Your Game Plan, which aims to provide grassroots training on the topics of financial planning, savings, and investment for public schools, universities, cooperatives, and micro-finance institutions. Through this program, AXA is able to empower educators and women in local communities to raise awareness on the value of savings and to highlight the importance of insurance in proper money management.

In observance of International Women’s Day and National Women’s Month, AXA Philippines participated in the global theme of #ChooseToChallenge through social media posts of CEO Rahul Hora and other members of the executive leadership team. As an internal campaign, employees were encouraged to post a “Choose to Challenge” statement on Workplace@Facebook to raise funds for the Virlanie Foundation, an NGO that cares and provides for young girls and boys in need of protection.

To know more about AXA Philippines, visit www.axa.com.ph.

Celebrating the #WomenOfLRT1

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Every year around the world, March 8 is celebrated as International Women’s Day serving as a tribute, a platform, and a call for concrete, sustainable, and inclusive actions towards gender equality. At the height of the global pandemic, many women frontliners bravely took on the challenge of playing important roles in helping the country navigate through the new normal. Displaying resilience amidst unsettling conditions and determination to continue providing quality service despite tougher struggles, women have continuously shown the power to lead and thrive even in a difficult situation.

Within the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), many female team members have proven their strength to overcome personal challenges and continue to excel in a rather male-dominated industry. In support of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW)’s #WomenMakeChange theme for 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration, here are some stories about the #WomenOfLRT1 to inspire and empower more women to be agents of change.

Lou Ambrosio

Lead Station Supervisor

Having spent nearly 15 years in the rail industry and working for LRT-1, Lou has the task of properly leading the team that directly interacts with customers, including station supervisors, tellers, and other personnel directly performing their functions within the station. With the goal of delivering a reliable and quality customer service to the riding public, the weight on her shoulders is pretty daunting.

As a front-liner, the pandemic has been challenging for Lou. “Isolation, contact restrictions, and economic shutdown completely changed us. For me, the first challenge I had was ensuring the safety of my family back home (in the province), the basic needs of my family, the thought of not seeing them due to travel restrictions, and the probability of getting and being sick due to the lack of responsiveness and carelessness of others. Second, the fear of losing my job due to the economic crisis. Lastly, the challenge to implement protocol and measures in the performance of my job and the thought of how to go about the situation confronted and tested my personality. This pandemic is a totally different experience and routine for me,” she says.

But like a true leader honed by years of experience, she managed to allay her worries and fears. “Being the kind of person who always looked on the brighter side of every situation, facing these times with self-care and care for others, and keeping my strong faith in God are some of my best weapons in overcoming these adversities.”

Christine Cunanan

Train Operator

It’s not every day we get to see a woman train operator, but Christine has bravely stepped up to the challenge amidst the risks and responsibilities entailed by the job. Working in a male-dominated industry, the pressure of being a woman train operator will always be there. But with the ongoing pandemic, the anxiety just doubles with the added risk of contracting the virus due to potential exposure.

But Christine is lucky to be working with her LRMC family. “I am very thankful to the company for providing and ensuring the health and safety of employees in our workplace,” she says. Christine also adds the extra measures she takes to make sure that she is able to accomplish her job well and ensure her safety. “Drivers must be cautious and must know the basic health safety protocol in this pandemic like proper wearing of face mask, face shield, proper disinfection, and keeping a safe distance,” Christine says.

Florence Bautista

Head of Human Resource and Admin

As the primary caretaker of LRMC’s employees, Florence has to look after the well-being and concerns of team members. “Although stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns have always been there, this pandemic brought the employee’s mental health to the forefront,” Florence says. As a general solution, she ensured that communication lines between management and employees—from top to bottom—remain open at all costs. “As a leader, I can never overemphasize the need to consistently reach out and communicate to our employees,” she says, marking the importance of communication, albeit virtual, at a time of physical distancing.

As the concurrent head of human resources and administration, there is obviously much on Florence’s plate as it is. But when the pandemic happened, the challenge became even tougher. “None of us had imagined that something like this would come, the sudden shift in work culture has brought a lot of challenges for HR,” says Florence. This includes their abrupt transition to working remotely/out of office work, which has somehow slowed down their operations as a company. But teamwork, as one of LRMC’s core values, grew stronger and allowed LRMC to continue performing the work that had to be done despite the challenging times. In some ways, the pandemic made the team stronger with team leaders increasing the check-in with their team. The human element in any crisis cannot be ignored, and LRMC’s HR team made sure to support team leaders in addressing concerns.

Melca Samson

Head of Buildings and Facilities Section & Infrastructure Division Manager

As the concurrent head of LRMC’s Buildings and Facilities Section, and manager of the Infrastructure Division, Melca plays a massive role in handling the overall management of tracks, buildings, and facilities and ensures all project and construction works are done on time. Like Lou, Melca’s main struggle during the pandemic was balancing responsibilities between work and home. “This pandemic has not been easy for everyone, indeed painful and worrying for me at times. There’s a lot of changes in my plans, I cry sometimes when overwhelmed with a difficult situation. But I need to be strong and adapt to the new changes and face the responsibilities,” she said.

Despite her predicament, Melca has managed to keep herself on track. “I stop, set and list down my priorities, slow down, and focus on the important things first. I’ve also learned to love myself and find a simple source of joy through gardening and planting.” Thanks to a new hobby, she was able to keep these worries off her mind and focus on her tasks at hand. “Seeing my plants growing can put a smile on my face and can be a happy conversation topic with my away husband and children. Watching funny videos on YouTube and Netflix movies with my youngest son is also another reason for me to laugh and have quality time with him.” Through it all, she has also kept her faith and determination to become even better both at home and at work.

Jireh Canoy

Head of Maintenance Planning Section

Working with a more optimized team of engineers and the unavoidable work-from-home scheme during the pandemic, Jireh found it challenging to juggle work and family responsibilities. “As a working mom, I have also been worried about my health and also for my family,” Jireh adds.

Despite the new challenges, Jireh has managed to harness strength from all her past experiences. “I overcome all my struggles with my faith in God,” she says. Jireh also focused on having a more positive outlook in dealing with her problems both at work and at home. “Second, I found my passion. I really enjoy the current job I have now despite all the challenges I faced during the pandemic.”

These few remarkable stories of women from within the LRMC prove that when women are given the right opportunities, they can thrive and excel in so many ways. Along with a good combination of their faith and resourcefulness, these inspiring women prove that even in a man’s world, there is nothing that a strong, resilient, and reliable woman cannot do.

10 Finds for Every Kind of Woman at the Shopee’s International Women’s Day Fair

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Is your bestie one of these women? This March 8, make her feel special with gifts up to 90% off that she’ll truly love

MANILA, MARCH 6, 2021 - Every kind of woman is worth celebrating no matter what they choose to do in life. Whether she’s a boss babe or a wonder mom, each one is special and can be a wonderful inspiration for little girls out there. They all represent different facets of womanhood and chase after equally important dreams.

This International Women’s Day, show your appreciation for all the strong, independent ladies in your life. Shower these women with sweet, thoughtful products tailored to their interests. Shopee’s International Women’s Day Fair features the perfect presents up to 90% off. What better way to honor the different kinds of women you love than with the wonderful gifts below? 

Everything a girl boss needs to stay on top

The high-flying career woman is a go-getter who knows what she wants to achieve in life. Dressed in her absolute best, she grabs the attention of the room and knows how to take charge. She needs fool-proof beauty products to help her look put-together during stressful, meeting-filled days at work. L'Oreal Paris Excellence Fashion Parisian Cool Ash Hair Color will give her tresses rich, vibrant color minus the damage, thanks to its protective serum and conditioning balm. For bold, well-groomed eyebrows, Teviant Eyebrow Duo in Highness provides a smooth, highly pigmented formula that’ll keep each hair in place.

Baby essentials to keep the super mom flying high

Supermoms can do everything. From juggling their career to taking care of their newborn baby, we don’t know how they manage to do it all. That’s said, it’s not without its challenges—such as bottle feeding! Help out your mommy friends with functional baby-feeding gifts. For instance, they can easily disinfect two baby bottles at once with the 59S UV Sterilizing Mommy Bag. Through UVC LED Disinfection technology, the product eliminates 99.9% of germs, viruses, and bacteria. For moms on the go, Philips Avent Bottle Warmer conveniently heats up milk in less than three minutes. This thermos can keep its contents hot for up to six hours.

Workout-ready gear for the fitness enthusiast 

The fitness buff is into cycling, yoga, pilates—you name it. They’re your go-to buddy for all workout-related activities because their energy and enthusiasm are contagious! Get them geared up for your next Zoom workout together. Moving Peach Fitness Long Sleeve Sportswear’s quick-dry, spandex fabric is perfect for both yoga and high-intensity exercises. Keep them feeling cool and fresh throughout each workout with Lactacyd Feminine Wash All Day Care, which is formulated with natural milk extracts. 

Essentials to protect female frontliners

Filipina frontliners are today’s modern heroines. They sacrifice their health and risk their own lives to take care of the country. While they’re out there fighting a health crisis, equip them with the necessary battle gear. The Ilwoul Nano Fiber Mask provides respiratory protection with 4 layered filters. Each light, breathable mask is washable up to 20 times. You can also help keep their hands virus-free with Nippon White Ginger Hand Wash. Its non-drying formula keeps hands squeaky clean and lightly scented with white ginger.

Makeup haul to keep the beauty junkie on fleek

The beauty junkie comes to your rescue during beauty emergencies, such as sudden breakouts or broken nails. More than that, she is an artistic soul who simply wants to create beauty. So what do you get someone who already has everything in her makeup stash? Keep her stocked up on basics such as highlighting powder and mascara! Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder is infused with ultra-reflective pearl pigments to give her skin a glowing finish. Meanwhile, Maybelline Falsies Lash Lift Mascara promises clump- and flake-free length and volume with its double-curved lifting brush and fiber-infused formula.

Shop for all these products and more at Shopee’s International Women’s Day Fair and enjoy discounts of up to 90% off. For more information, visit https://shopee.ph/m/international-womens-day-fair. 

Don’t forget to top up your ShopeePay! Make your shopping experience more convenient and rewarding when you shop, buy load, and pay bills with ShopeePay.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.