KUCHING: The recent implementation of the movement control order (MCO) by the federal government has affected most people either for the better or for the worse.
Despite the challenges, Malaysians are holding together in an effort to reduce the impact of Covid-19 in the country.
While some are working harder than ever in the frontline against the virus, others are enjoying the comfort of working from their own home.
During a survey among young working people, New Sarawak Tribune discovered that while working from home provided many advantages, it was not without its own unique challenges for those having to work remotely.
Nevertheless, most of those interviewed agreed spending quality time with their families was a delight.
For draughter Rachel Remus, 26, working in the comfort of her home allowed her to quickly adjust to the change of environment.
“It’s quite welcoming as long as you are disciplined in carrying out your designated tasks. It is not as bad or worrisome as one might think. With the technological advancements of today, most work-related documents are just a click away,” she said.
Rachel said the situation had made her realise the possibility of utilising digital medium to carry out professional business affairs.
Melissa Kuek, 26, an auditor, said the change would require some time to get used to.
“It is quite difficult to have to be on the phone during working hours to answer clients’ queries with all the distractions at home.
“Nonetheless, the perks of spending time with my family and having home cooked meals are very much welcomed,” said Kuek.
She added that some obstacle of working from home included difficulties in communicating with clients and the inability to go through their documents.
Similarly, auditor Sabrina Ku, 26, said complications of communicating and discussing work with her clients were affecting her work arrangements greatly.
“The situation is delaying all audit procedures as most client files are stored in the office with limited soft copies for reference,” she said.
However, Ku explained that the comfort of working from home whilst spending quality time with her family was a positive change when compared to her previous hectic daily lifestyle.
Administrative officer Adam Abu, 26, said, “Honestly, working from home has not affected much of my work due to the flexibility of my job.
“Working from home has not been challenging for me as I brought back all necessary documents needed.
“The ability to communicate with my colleagues through WhatsApp had also been a great help,” he explained.
Adam added that as of late, he had been able to spend more quality time with his family.
“The overall situation had been a blessing in disguise for me and I’m sure, for many others as well,” he said.
For chemist Jocephine Joyce, 26, the MCO brings no significant changes to her work.
“It has not affected me that much as everything can be done online with the office servers easily accessible from home. This has made it easier for me to work from home,” she said.
She added not having to brave the traffic jams was an added bonus.
An environmental executive, Jessie Chan, 26, said with the help of the internet, she was able to work at home without any issue.
“I have copied and downloaded the files I need from the office servers so that my work flow is not affected. Communications and teamwork through technology are the key to smoother work flow while practising social distancing.
“However, I am still struggling to overcome the comfortable environment of home which easily distracts me.
“On a positive note, there is no need for me to be caught in long traffic jams which can quite tiring.
“I can use the time and energy saved to enjoy some nice home cooked meals and do exercises.
“Enjoying more quality time with my family has made me realise that I should never take things for granted and must love more those who are precious to me,” she said.
Sales executive Racheal Entayang Kudang, 25, said the MCO had disturbed her work arrangements as her company had no way of monitoring the work done by her and her team.
“The management is coming up with a solution to monitor our work. It could take some time for us to adapt to the new system.”
Racheal added working from home had reduced her expenditure on leisure and given her time to take proper care of her mental and physical health.
Corporate consultant Faith Imaan Eusoff, 25, said proper time management had enabled her to quickly adapt to the conditions of working from home.
“I am also able to pay more attention to my own health as well as that of my family. The challenges of coping with this situation means I am capable of adjusting and adapting to any future circumstances,” she added.
Administrative officer, Deborah Andrew, 30, said, “I can get used to this. It is manageable and also gives me time and space for myself.
“Besides that, I don’t have to worry about my make-up and what to wear,” she said.
Deborah was also pleased to spend more quality time with her family while working at home.
