BPO sector batting for expanded work-from-home policy

WESTEN BUREAU:

In a move designed to grow the sector and provide additional jobs, the Government is now looking at expanding the work-from-home policy in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, which could result in some 30 per cent of the sector’s workforce working from home.

A mandatory work-from-home order for public-sector workers, which was instituted shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, came to an end on December 31, 2021. However, under a special arrangement, the Government allowed some BPO companies to have some of their staff working from home.

The work-from-home arrangement, which has been working well for the BPO sector, even as other sectors struggled, has been roundly endorsed by the sector through its umbrella organisation, the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ), which has made it clear that they want to see the policy remain in place in the over 100 BPO firms across the island.

The position taken by the GSAJ has prompted the assembling of a high-level technical committee, which comprises key personnel from the Ministry of Finance, Customs, the Special Economic Zone Authority, Tax Administration Jamaica, and the GSAJ to fashion a BPO work-from-home policy, which they hope will get the blessing of the Government.

The committee has had two meetings to date, and is now preparing for a third, where a framework proposal from the Special Economic Zone Authority is slated to be examined.

“What we are doing is looking at the framework for the long-term development of the policy,” said Gloria Henry, vice-president of business processing outsourcing and logistics at the Port Authority of Jamaica. “We have an extension to December 2022, but a long-term policy looking at a 70:30 ratio is what we are working on now, meaning 70 from the office and 30 from home.”

While her organisation’s focus is on Jamaica, the vastly experienced Henry said what they are proposing falls in line with the direction that is being taken globally.

“Work from home is not just for business continuity strategies any more, it is helping the sector to launch new campaigns very quickly,” explained Henry, in speaking to the need to have an established policy position to support their bid to have 30 per cent of the BPO employees working from their homes.

“In fact, it has helped us to grow rapidly,” said Henry, referencing the success already enjoyed from the existing arrangement. “It has also provided opportunities for persons, like single mothers, who would not normally consider working in the BPO sector.”

Henry, who is also the immediate past president of the GSAJ, told The Gleaner that under the work-from-home order, more single mothers are now able to work and still function within their respective households.

“One entity told us that their single-mother population in the contact centre has grown by some 17 per cent. It is helping with increased productivity, because persons don’t have to struggle with commuting and being entangled in traffic,” explained Henry. “If they have small children or if they have elderly parents that they are caring for, they can be at home doing that while they are earning.”

In announcing the end of the work-from-home order, which was under the then Disaster Risk Management Act, Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the country that productivity was very low because of the measures instituted to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

“There has been a lot of concern about the loss of productivity that this measure is having. We need to get back to normal, but of course, to do so safely. This is not to say that we’re abandoning work-from-home totally; it will be an option, but not a requirement,” said Holness.