EPM: The Filipino manager’s post-pandemic tool for managing teleworkers

• Main Author: Julongbayan, Julio Benigno T.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: Telecommuting—Philippines; Performance standards—Philippines; Employees—Rating of—Philippines; Supervision of employees—Philippines; Human Resources Management
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdm_comlaw/10
• Institution: De La Salle University

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, the Philippines had its share of the impact as the country saw the majority of its white collar workforce forced into teleworking. Teleworking as the International Labor Organization defines is the “use of information and communications technologies (ICTs), such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers, for work that is performed outside the employers’ premises” (Eurofound & ILO, 2017). Teleworking for the Filipinos started as prolonged isolation within the confines of our houses and has transformed into working from different locations far from Central Business Districts (Adel, 2021; France-Presse, 2021) as the quarantine guidelines continuously changed and vaccination programs were rolled out. Teleworking arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic have had an effect on employees. This is seen in ongoing analyses and studies, often linking teleworking during this period with challenges in maintaining work-life balance, and both physical and mental health (Oakman et Al, 2020). As the growing body of studies conducted prior and after the pandemic focused on how the changes have affected employees, there seemed to be a lack of interest for the perspective of Managers resulting to an opportunity for further studies as highlighted by Ravid et al (2020) on their typology review of related literature on the subject of Electronic Performance Monitoring (EPM). EPM is the application of technology to manage performance, protect companies’ assets and interests, ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and ensure the adherence to health, safety, and security protocols. Similar to the impact of teleworking on Managers, EPM from a Manager’s perspective is also an area of opportunity that has yet to be academically explored. This thesis, written during the course of the pandemic, aims to tackle and respond to Ravid et al’s invitation to explore the managers’ perspective by conducting a qualitative and quantitative study on whether Filipino managers who have experienced telework during the COVID-19 pandemic will have a positive attitude towards EPM and will they have the behavioral intent to use it.