Connectivity during COVID-19 is crucial, GCash CEO says

The pandemic has changed virtually everything -- especially the way people work.

With the firm directive to “stay at home,” individuals and companies alike have come up with different schemes to continue operations—from furniture companies, delivery services, and telecom services—every business in the country are trying to find new ways to cope with the “new normal.” 

What the pandemic has translated to, in the corporate world, is the increasing implementation of remote working schemes—utilizing technology to maintain workplace culture, the rise of so-called Zoom parties, as an effective alternative to the usual office banter and the ever-present online green orb that has everyone analyzing and predicting what the future of office culture looks like for the Filipino.

As the country continues to struggle against the coronavirus, with the Philippines still suffering from losses the ECQ has incurred—there’s a looming question in every Filipino’s mind: What will change?

Industry innovators like Martha Sazon, the newly appointed CEO of GCash-operator Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), see this situation as an opportunity to further strengthen interpersonal relationships between colleagues.

GCash is more relevant than ever, Sazon said at ReStart, a live learning series powered by Project Ripple Philippines, that gathered leading executives from different industries to discuss how to improve work-from-home processes during these tumultuous times.

“We're in a good place as a business because we're in demand, and we are able to help other businesses as well,” she added. “We have successfully gone through a major platform migration without having to be physically together.”

Globe and GCash continue to launch necessary services catered to a community going through the “new normal,” aimed at creating ways to provide the Filipino people comfort, ease, and convenience during these uncertain times.

“We complement the shift in online behavior, as we offer safe and secure cash transactions," Sazon said.

As the world continues to understand and adapt to the new environment the pandemic has thrust upon people, Sazon recognizes how employees of Mynt have continued to work through this crisis, creating and thriving in a world of digital collaboration despite being apart.

True to Mynt’s core values, fostering inclusiveness through financial technology to bridge the gap between the banked and unbanked, connectivity has always been Sazon's main concern.

“It requires a lot of checking in, mental health is very important,” Sazon emphasized. “People try to cope differently.”

There are over 700 Mynt employees as of today, and almost all of them are working from the comforts of their own homes. Mynt conducted a survey on how it can further help employees adapt to this arrangement.

Weekly activities such as non-related engagements like games and creative contests were also provided to ensure the mental health of Mynt employees. Leaders also engage in online huddles and provide learning activities to help each employee grow. Town Hall meetings are also being held on a regular basis.

Zoom sessions with GCash employees have become more than just virtual meetings for productivity, Sazon said. They also include “kumustahan” sessions that have helped her maintain and boost the morale of her team.

"We need to reimagine the way we operate, and with that comes new skills, it’s about helping each other so we can cope with the new skills we need," Sazon added.

Despite the firm emphasis on social distancing, Sazon believes that work at GCash cannot be done alone, even with the physical hurdle of not being able to be in close proximity to each other.

“Above all the safety and well-being of our employees remain our priority, we need to keep our employees highly connected,” Sazon said.

Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc.

GCash is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, kindly visit https://www.gcash.com/.