BPOs billet workers in city hotels

CEBU, Philippines —  It is business as usual in some hotels in Cebu City, albeit with very low occupancy rate, as they accommodate outsourcing employees that are billeted by their companies in city hotels.Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association (HRRAC) president Carlo B. Suarez said the

decision of BPO companies to house their employees in hotels served has somehow saved some hotels within the city whose businesses are on the brink of losing revenues due to the imposed community quarantine.

Suarez, whose family owns the Cebu Grand Hotel, said BPO firms are getting at least 40 rooms per company to let their workers stay for a month.

Despite the gloomy business situation in the hospitality sector nowadays, Suarez said these outsourcing firms’ decision to convert hotel rooms as temporary offices for their employees provided relief to the business.

He added that what most hotels and resorts are doing now is keeping the regular employees at work, some are working from home, but the contractual workers like those in housekeeping, food and beverage are being taken cared of by their respective employment agencies.

Each hotel management on the other hand has their own measures and strategies on how to stay afloat in this health crisis, but what emerged as a good news for some city hotels are the decision of BPO companies to house their employees in the hotels.

Cebu IT BPM.Organization (Cib.O) managing director Wilfredo Sa-a Jr. said that while there are outsourcing companies in Cebu which managed to let their employees work from home, some on the other hand are facing difficulties to implement the WFH option due to lack of reliable internet connections of some employees.

Aside from reliable internet connection in order for employees to work from their homes, outsourcing firms also are bound by privacy, in which transactions are highly classified and need utmost security.

Besides, before a BPO company can implement WFH for their employees, they still need the consent from their clients abroad.