BEING PROUD TO YOUR COMPANY

(The following story was published in 2011 3rd quarter issue of JAL Focus, a company newsletter)

Proud means a positive emotion of self esteem, self worth and self affirmation which is the result of praise, admiration and independent self reflection.  When you achieve something outstanding or overcome a huge challenge, you have the right to feel proud of yourself.  We feel proud parent with our kids’ achievements in academic and curricular activities in school, likewise we feel proud son or daughter to our parent’s good reputation, name, achievements and legacy.  Our patriotism exudes whenever we heard positive feedback about our country’s history, culture, customs, news and achievements; the same way if we become the national pride of our country when we brought honor and pride, whether it is in science, arts, literature, sports, music, and entertainment. 

In our job, to be proud of your company is a self-fulfillment and accomplishment that you can credit to your personal confidence and career success.  But on how to be proud to your company is something that needs general acceptable and substantial basis, significant assessment and thorough consideration.  In my previous employment, I was proud to become part of the company that gives instant good impression to be one of their employees.  Every time I wear the office uniform that symbolizes our corporate identity, I feel the sense of pride that I am making a positive initial impression due to my company’s good reputation.  Why not, because to be able to employ in a company that not every hopeful applicant can pass the examination and tough panel interview is the culmination of the extensive job search that can be proud of.  True, working in a top company is an honor and pleasure that you’ll feel flattered to belong and represent their respected name.  I did not mean it but it served a status symbol.  Compensation may not the main thing but the honor and privilege that always accorded to you are always at stake. 

Usually, it is in top and well-known companies that have the benefits package that we are looking in terms of compensation, experience, supervision, trainings and opportunities.  These companies are not only keeping eyes on their products, services and lucrative profits but also formulate and implement fair policies, profess fully in line of the stated ethics and core values of organization, respond to their customer responsibilities and value the welfare of their workforce.  These reasons make the employees to become proud of their company.  But this is not always the case.  There are some new and starting small business whose employees are contented, loyal and in high spirit in rendering their service.  They can even vocally express their gratefulness, take the pride in working and promote the decency and integrity of their company.  Although they are employed in an unknown small establishment but the respect they are getting from their boss is flattering, these workers will most likely give their full loyalty and support to the company.  It maybe a small company but the bureaucracy is so professional in many ways, this will make the employee to motivate further himself and inspire himself to hone his craftsmanship.  If the rights of small employees are recognized and valued their welfare and contribution, then the employee has no other recourse but to repay with kindness, good service and lend his hands in nurturing the corporate growth.  After all, it starts with the good choice of employees to climb up the top, to become well-known company and eventually to be the leader in the industry. 

On the other hand, the opposite of proud is shame.  It is always difficult to represent a company that has a lot of weaknesses, whether it is big or small company.  Some companies are doing business as usual but tend to overlook the requirements of their bonafide employees, infringe the rights of the workers and protect their interest at the expense of the employees.  There is nothing to be proud of with an unprofessional manager.  If the company is just after the profit, it will give a team of employees who are merely working just for the sake of the monthly earnings and living the belief of better than nothing. 

Everybody wants to take great pride to become part of any company, department, division, unit or group that has good background, great reputation and high respect.  Being proud to the company has been the guiding dogma of every employees, hopeful job applicants and even those brain drain. Most often, it gives a sense of pride to be identified in a prestigious, well-known, respected and big company, whether direct or indirect.  But it doesn’t need to be rookie, old-timer, veteran, multimillion or small-time company, what it only takes is the respect you are getting from each other.  I am fortunate to have a company to be thankful, confident and proud of.

By Alex V. Villamayor

September 5, 2011

WELCOMING PAPERLESS OFFICE

The following article was published in The Arabian Sun Vol. LXVII, No. 13, a Saudi Aramco weekly newsletter.

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One day, I asked our hardworking janitor about the amount of garbage he collects in a day from our building.  Approximately, it ranges an average of 7 kilos of trash bags which most of them are paper materials like thick reports in A3 and A4 sizes, folded or crumpled newsletter, shredded documents and paper cups.  From these data I can conclude that office cannot run without papers. 

In my points of view, a paperless environment in the office is still impossible even at this point of our modern age.  We have to admit that in some offices, there are still situations that documents and reports are just necessary to have hard copy for record and file.  And in some cases, our work is easier if we are working on with hard copy rather than on soft copy. 

This reality results us to have thick and huge storage of papers in our desks and filing room.  And unconsciously we are eventually contributing waste and harm to our environment.  However I came to realize that if it is not possible to have a full paperless office environment, we can still possibly control to increase these bunches of papers in our office. 

I would like to share personal opinion which I am trying to apply in life.  Trusting that I may somehow encourage some readers and together we become partner to take care the environment:

1. Let us consider first the environment before printing any documents by asking ourselves if it is really important and necessary to print.  There are already million tons of paper wastes we put in the dump, let us not contribute more with these unnecessary paper copies.

2. If it is unavoidable to print, then you may consider saving it later for more usage.  You may keep them for a while for recycling purpose by using the other side of it when reproducing or printing new documents for internal use.  You just need to cross out the original print and choose only those not confidential in nature.

3. Go back to your filing room and check those boxes of old files that are ready for disposal or destroy.  Some of them can be reuse instead of shipping them for disposal.

4. Practice the electronic services which are time and cost saving methods, boost productivity, save space, easier documentation and keep personal information more secure.  Digitizing paper-based documents such as E-8000, e-leave and even e-publication and e-card are major breakthrough that greatly reduced paper works and materials.

5. Maximize the Digital Multifunction System machine (DMS) which not only photo copies and prints but can faxes and scans.  It avoids having to discard the hard copies making the office closer towards the paperless office environment.

6. Initiate paperless policies in your office because doing this all alone by yourself will not greatly impact to your paperless target.  Set up time lines and milestones so that eventually your entire office is almost paperless.

Turning your office into a paperless workplace can help you reduce waste and cost, benefit the environment and eliminate the clutter on your desk and filing cabinets.  Papers are biodegradable products but if we dump them in large volume will somehow harm our environment.  Actually, it is in a rare occasion I use the Aramco paper cups when I am taking a cup of coffee or tea and I have my seven-year old mug instead - this is a simple gesture of my warm support to the paperless office world.

By Alex V. Villamayor

Dhahran, KSA

January 8, 2012

CHESS SA KABATAAN

Isang kahanga-hangang katangian ng isang bata ang magkaroon ng kusang loob na pagkahilig sa paglalaro ng chess.  Dahil isa itong palatandaan ng pagiging mapag-isip, matiyaga at maingat na katangian ng isang tao na nasa napakamurang edad pa lamang.  Ngunit mas higit pa rito, nahuhubog sa paglalaro ng chess ang anumang potensiyal ng isang bata.  Dahil napapalawig niya ang pang-unawa sa kahalagahan ng oras, pag-hawak sa sariling paniniwala at pag-gamit ng diskarte.  Inilalarawan ng larong chess ang kanyang kabutihan at kagalingan sa kanyang kasalukuyang ginagawa.  Sinasalamin nito sa mga kabataan ang katangian ng isang bata upang maging isang siyang kapakipakinabang na mamamayan. 

Mabuti din na kagiliwan ng isang bata ang paglalaro ng chess dahil ipinapakita nito ang pagkakaroon ng mga palatandaan sa isang bata upang maging isang magaling na pinuno ito sa darating na panahon dahil sa kanyang malakas na pag-gamit ng isip sa pagpapagalaw ng kanyang mga tauhan.  Ang larong chess ay pag-iisip, pagpaplano at pagpapagalaw sa mga kilos ng maraming tauhan ayon sa kanya-kanyang papel na minamaniobra ng isang tao lamang – ang manlalaro.  Kinakabisa ng naglalaro ang mga papel ng bawat piyesa.  Saulado niya ang mga kalakasan at kahinaan ng bawat piyesa, alam niya ang dapat na galaw ng bawat isa.  Inaalam ang mga kakayahan, tungkulin at responsibilidad ng mga nito at patatakbuhin niya ang matagumpay na pag-usad ng kanyang buong tauhan tungo sa isang misyon. 

Kung ilalapat sa totoong buhay, sa paglalaro ng chess ay nahuhubog ang kakayahan ng bata na mapa-igting niya ang kanyang kakayahang mamuno dahil natututunan  niya kung paano niya gamitin ang kakayahan at kahinaan ng kanyang mga tauhan.  Inaalam ng isang pinuno ang mga katangian, tungkulin at responsibilidad ng bawat tauhan niya upang malaman niya kung saan lugar niya ito nararapat ilagay.  Sa pamamag-itan ng mahusay na diskarte ng isang pinuno, alam niya ang papel sa buhay ng kanyang mga tauhan at ginagamit niya ito upang isulong ang kagalingan ng kanyang nasasakupan.  Inilalarawan ng chess ang mga taktika sa pakikipaglaban upang iangat at ipagtangol ang isang kaharian, katulad ng pagdala at pag-alaga sa isang grupo, samahan at kumpaniya. 

Ang mga batang mahilig maglaro ng chess ay kadalasan kinakikitaan ng kahusayan sa akademiya.  Madalas ay nakakasama sila sa mga nagunguna sa kanilang pag-aaral.  Ito ay sa kadahilanang natututunan nila na paganahin ang isip hanggang sa kayang maabot nito, gumugol ng maraming oras at magtiyaga hanggang matutunan ang pinag-aaralan.  Nagiging malakas din ang kanilang loob na mag-aral nang mag-isa at sa pamamag-itan ng sariling pagpapasiya ay napapaunlad nila ang kanilang katalinuhan at karunungan.  Nagkakaroon din sila ng lakas ng loob na makipagpag-usap kahit sa mga mas nakakatatanda sa kanila dahil nagkakaroon sila ng kumpiyansa sa sarili. 

Magandang magkaroon ng interes ang isang bata sa paglalaro ng chess dahil nakakatulong ito sa mga magulang sa pag-disiplina sa kanilang mga anak.  Katuwang ito sa pagtuturo sa bata upang maging masikap sa pag-aaral, mailayo sa mga hindi magandang bisyo at magamit ang mga oras sa isang mahalaga at kapakipakinabang na bagay.  Katuwang din sa pagpapalaki ng bata na sa malusog nilang pag-iisip ay matutunan nila ang kahalagahan ng pagpapagana ng isip sa mga sitwasyon na kinahaharap nila sa araw-araw.  Ang chess ay hindi isang madaling laro.  Para sa mga mayroong natural na interes sa paglalaro nito ay hindi ito hadlang ngunit para sa mga gustong sumubok na buhayin ang kanilang interes sa paglalaro nito ay kinakailangan nila ang dedikasyon at disiplina upang matutunan at maisapuso ang kasiyahang nakukuha sa paglalaro ng chess.

By Alex V. Villamayor

November 25, 2011