by wpgeekssales | Sep 17, 2020
Eastvantage NEO
Eastvantage’s New Employee Onboarding, also known as NEO, is the online HR onboarding app for new employees joining Eastvantage. NEO was developed as a means to have a seamless process in welcoming new hires remotely and is targeted to become Eastvantage’s cloud-based HRIS, or HR Information System. This web application that is developed internally facilitates all HR onboarding processes, making remote hiring seamless.
Accessible online via a secured link, the onboarding app gives ease of access for employees in different aspects.
Important contacts, dates & links
Welcoming new employees remotely has never been easier. The new employee will get an introductory email that contains HR personnel contact information, the new hire’s start date, and orientation date. It also has the orientation meeting link and the link to EVOX, Eastvantage’s integrated platform for working from home. And of course, it has the link to Eastvantage’s HRIS.
Securing information
The NEO Web Application is Eastvantage’s HRIS that is compliant with the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act (DPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The web app gathers all employee information necessary for him or her to start employment. It includes personal information, contact details, payroll information, and other important details that are stored in a secure database of Eastvantage.
Pre-employment requirements
Traditional submission of requirements are now gone. Employees would just need to upload pre-employment requirements and they would be all set. This includes all necessary government documents, membership forms, valid IDs, and more.
They are given a certain period of time to complete the pre-employment requirements, and the NEO web application allows them to jump right back to where they left. There are also reminder notifications being sent to employees about the incomplete information.
Seamless Onboarding for Working from Home
NEO is Eastvantage’s response to working from home due to COVID-19. Employees started working from home in March of this year, and we had continuous hiring all throughout. Being 100% operational in the midst of the pandemic, the online HRIS will be a seamless onboarding process for the new hires.
Eastvantage continues to evolve in providing comprehensive HR and administrative solutions to its employees, even in changing times. This is just one of the ways how Eastvantage continues to achieve and exceed the goal of providing optimum service and maintain high operational excellence.
by wpgeekssales | Sep 9, 2020
Web development projects cover a broad spectrum of tasks, technologies, and many other components. Regardless of these factors, there are common key practices that remain relevant in web development that beginners and experienced developers alike can use to ensure the optimisation of their projects.
Stick to standard practices
When developing code to a site, make sure to follow the standards so that your users will not get lost. Stick to the standards of having the company logo at the upper left corner, contact buttons on the upper right, a standard navigation map on all pages, and visible hyperlinks and call to actions. People are likely to seek familiarity in a site and it’s best if their habits are not messed up and so that they won’t feel uncomfortable in navigating your site.
Make use of test environments
When conducting developments to your site, it is important to avoid website failure that can occur in the process. Test environments are created for this purpose so you wouldn’t have to risk messing up the working website and make sure everything is in place when it’s time to implement the updates.
Use Commenting
When several people are working on the same project, things will run much faster and it will be much easier if you can avoid spending too much time working on someone else’s code. This is why it is highly recommended to add some comments. This will let others, and yourself in the future, to understand what the code is for and how it works in an instant.
Limit dependency on third-party components
Using frameworks and third-party components can pretty much simplify your development project, but take it with a grain of salt. Being too dependent on these components may hurt you when you decide in the future to stop using it for reasons like having restrictions of some functionalities in favour of paid options.
Prioritise security
This is something that can not be neglected. Data protection can be taken into account in the development process on many levels, including https connection, access permission allocation, and database protection.
Mobile-friendliness is a must
It’s common knowledge that a large percentage of users use mobile devices in browsing websites. Always bear in mind to create a responsive design so that the interface looks good on any device. This includes minimising distracting elements that are not essential to the website.
Optimise your site performance and page speed
Having a brilliantly designed website can lose its effectiveness if it takes too long for its pages to load. People may not be patient enough to wait and it is easy to return to the search results and jump on the next site. To avoid that, always keep the page speed in check, and make sure that it is not sacrificed in creating a better-looking website.
Web Development Expertise
Web development is one of Eastvantage’s expertise when it comes to technology projects for our flexible delivery models. We have a decade of experience managing multiple accounts from which such best practices are encouraged. Eastvantage continues to provide meaningful jobs to Filipino talents. Check out our careers page to see our open tech job postings.
by wpgeekssales | Aug 24, 2020
Eastvantage Operational Excellence, also known as EVOX, is the online employee and team management tool for Eastvantage, a leading outsourcing solutions provider based in Manila, Philippines. EVOX was developed as a means to empower EV employees by letting them take control of their work-life through a simple, integrated platform. This internally-developed, cloud-based system facilitates self-direction and two-way communication for associates and managers alike.
Accessible online via evox.eastvantage.com, the employee portal gives ease of access for employees in different aspects.
Accurate timekeeping
Managing schedules and attendance, employees have their own dashboard where they can clock in and clock out for their workday. They also have the ability to view their time logs for the previous months since their employment.
Facilitates payroll
It seeks to eliminate disputes on schedule, log-ins and outs, overtimes / undertimes, and more by facilitating a systematic and automated process. This results in more accurate timekeeping that in turn translates into you receiving the correct salary each payout.
Internal communication channel
Employees never miss out on any important announcements within the workplace and get to know different venues wherein they can get involved in professional and social activities.
Workplace tools
Employees can book meeting rooms, send employee referrals to recruitment, browse and book e-learning courses, data privacy information, they’re all here in EVOX.
Integrated Platform for Working from Home
EVOX has been live for two years, used daily by Eastvantage employees, and continuously improved by Eastvantage developers. However, the employee portal’s importance and impact has been immensely felt when the employees started working from home in March of this year.
Being 100% operational in the midst of the pandemic, the online biometrics has been the go-to tracking system for employees’ daily logs and attendance. The global shift to working remotely has accelerated the necessity for highly secure, off-premise systems access to ensure the same level of security as that of an in-office environment. EVOX provides this advanced digital tools and technology for remote employee monitoring.
This is just one of the ways how Eastvantage continues to achieve and exceed the goal of providing optimum service and maintain high operational excellence.
by wpgeekssales | Aug 17, 2020
Many different business sectors have shifted their setting from the usual on-site office locations to remote ones due to the government-sanctioned quarantines all over the globe this year. In the case of BPO companies in the Philippines, it is not uncommon to have up to 90% of the workforce working from home.
Effectively managing operations in a remote setting is essential to ensure the quality and productivity of the output expected from the business’s accounts. Adapting to this new normal is important to keep the operations running smoothly.
Key Points in Remote Management
Tools for the Job
Having the right tools is important in every job. Most of the remote workers will likely be working from home for the first time, where resources can be limited. The equipment provided is not only limited to the hardware and applications needed for a task, but also a secure connection and an open channel for technical support.
Flexibility
Being flexible in managing an operation is more important now that the playing field has somehow changed. Working from home is completely different from working at the office.
Focusing on the output may have just become the better management tactic in this situation, as focusing on the old work processes may not be the ideal in adjusting to this new work environment.
Regular Communications
This is essential in any business, and it is even more so today. Meetings are usually done online with platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet proven to be very effective for larger meetings. Of course, the courtesy of scheduling in a mutually convenient time to all the attendees is still important.
Having monthly company-wide assemblies is also a great way of keeping the community together. It provides a great opportunity to give updates to the associates to the plans and the steps the company is taking, and conduct surveys to get information and suggestions from the associates firsthand on how well the company is doing and on what areas it can improve on.
Having a business continuity plan ready will help a company adapt easier in this new normal. This has been especially true when Eastvantage shifted its workforce to a work from home setup in most of the accounts, and has been successful in managing operations and team performance. The remote setting and its proper management have become essential in keeping our associates safe while keeping the company 100% operational. For more of these insights, check out the Eastvantage blog.
by wpgeekssales | Apr 15, 2020
Staying at and working from home may limit your exposure to viruses, but you can always use an extra boost of immunity. Cooking your own food and taking healthy snacks prepared yourself are great (and safer) ways to get the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy while on quarantine. So, when you go on your next supply run, grab these food items to help your body fight viruses and prevent infections.
Citrus fruits
Vitamin C-rich fruits are the go-to food items to boost the body’s immunity. Vitamin C can increase the production of white blood cells, which are the body’s front liners in fighting infections. Have some ice-cold fresh lemonade or orange juice. Papayas and kiwis, although not citrus fruits, are also great sources of vitamin C. Give your neutrophils a boost while getting refreshed!
Yogurt
Yogurt has live and active cultures – the good bacteria that stimulates our immune system to fight diseases. The plain ones are the most effective. Be watchful of the sugar content of the products when getting some.
Almonds
Almonds and many other nuts are packed with healthy fats and Vitamin E which are also great for boosting our immune system.
Poultry
Chicken noodle soup and tinola (clear broth chicken soup) are well known to improve symptoms of a cold, but they can prevent you getting one, too. Poultry such as chicken is rich in vitamin B-6 that helps in the production of our red blood cells.
Red bell peppers
Beta carotene is one of the resistance builders in our body and also keeps the skin and eyes healthy. A great source of beta carotene, red bell pepper is also packed with vitamin C. Load up on red bell peppers the next time you cook chicken afritada (chicken braised in tomato sauce) or chopsuey (Chinese stir-fry vegetable dish).
Broccoli
This wonder vegetable is packed with vitamins A, C, and E, fiber, and antioxidants. You can also make a variety of dishes out of it. It is great cooked in oyster sauce with beef, prawn, pork, or chicken. But plain steamed broccoli is the best, as the nutrients are locked in.
Garlic
Garlic is known to help fight infections and to have other immune-boosting properties. Most every cuisine has garlic, and the Filipinos love it. It’s added to almost all stir-fried dishes, and of course, to our favorite fried rice.
Ginger
Ginger has a reputation to be a remedy of sorts to many kinds of illnesses. It is known to decrease nausea and inflammation. This may be why many of the comfort foods we eat when we get sick are effective – like chicken tinola and sinampalukan manok (chicken in tamarind broth). Other dishes that use ginger include pinakbet (stir-fried native vegetables in shrimp paste), ginisang munggo (sauteed mung beans), and many more.
Spinach
Spinach has Vitamins A and C, as well as beta carotene that boost our immune system and make us stronger. Add a little twist to your next omelette or pasta dish and make it healthier with spinach.
Turmeric
Speaking of healthy twists, there’s the turmeric. Usually used for curry recipes, you can add it to your adobo (meat or vegetables in soy sauce and vinegar marinade) for something different. You can also make mixed herbs rice with it. It is known for its anti-inflammatory properties just like gingers.
There’s a lot of things you can do to stay healthy, efficient, and productive this community quarantine. For more work from home tips, visit Eastvantage insights.
by wpgeekssales | Apr 8, 2020
Working from home has become the new normal for many of us as we fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and it has made us quick to realize how our office workstations are really better designed for a comfortable and productive workspace.Here are some tips to keep your workspace at home set up as effective as the ones you’re used to.
Good Lighting
It’s important to protect our eyes while working, especially since we don’t immediately feel any damages that’s being done to it. Don’t create an atmosphere that is too bright, but avoid dim lighting as well so you won’t strain your eyes. Position your workplace where the lighting won’t cause glare.
Don’t set up your workstation directly under a bright light – it’s not good for the eyes. It will also likely raise the temperature while you’re working making it uncomfortable for you and bad for your computer hardware as well.
Desk Arrangement
You probably can’t recreate your office workstation but you can do your best to make it as comfortable as you need. Have your frequently used items within reach – your notes, pens, planners, phone, or headsets. Elevate your monitor at eye level or at a comfortable level if you’re using a laptop so you won’t strain your neck.
Chair and Posture
When you’re staying at the same position for long periods of time, feeling discomfort naturally happens. It’s easy to move around in the office with your swivel chair. Being in the comfort of your own home though, you can get much more creative in dealing with this.
Make use of pillows or put your feet up if you’re more comfortable that way. You can experiment as much as you want until you find a comfortable position. Ideally, find a position where you can work with your arms at a 90-degree angle, feet resting on the floor, a comfortable cushion while sitting, and have a nice lumbar (lower back) support.
Take a Break
Take time to stand up, stretch, and move around when you can. If you’re on a call on your phone, take this time to stand up and walk around. Make yourself another cup of coffee, refill your water bottle, take your bathroom breaks. It’s actually advisable to have a minute or two of stretch breaks as frequently as every half an hour.
Ergonomics is all about arranging your workplace for an efficient working environment. Just follow these simple tips to make your workplace at home an efficient and comfortable one – and get as creative as you want! With this kind of comfort and efficiency, you’ll bound to be more productive! You can also check out our article on tips to stay productive while working from home.
For more articles like this, check out Eastvantage insights.
by wpgeekssales | Mar 25, 2019
A global business-English learning platform experiences success with multi-lingual Filipino talent
It’s 10pm in Manila and for the most part, the entire operations floor is quiet. Looking out the floor to ceiling glass windows, the sky is dark as the city falls asleep, but against this background the nocturnal frenzy of activity in the skyscrapers around the central business district is contrasted.
Rika, an Italian Learning Specialist, dials the number of a senior executive for a food corporation based in Milan. With the rise and fall of her Italian, she gently reminds the person on the other line about the proper channels by which he could access the most useful modules for his training. She asks him about the reason for having missed some online modules, and with soft taps on her keyboard she takes notes on the system database, which will get routed to Silicon Valley, where the language coaches and client management team is headquartered.
When the sun rises, her team mate Ronald begins his day with a call to a manufacturing manager in Shanghai. He speaks in confident Mandarin, trying to draw out insights as to what the learner’s main goals are, whether it’s to converse better verbally, or to improve his diction and pronunciation.
He ends the conversation with a reminder about how the learner can initiate contact anytime via email or chat, if he encounters any resistance at all to the success of his learning course.
Robust talent pool of experienced multilingual customer support agents
Both Rika and Ronald are Filpinos born abroad to expat parents, and eventually made their way back to the Philippines as grown-ups. With almost 10% of the population of the Philippines living and working abroad, theirs is a common story. Like many Filipinos, they can switch between English and Tagalog fluidly, but with an added third language fluency drawn from their family background. Other team members, meanwhile, are mixed race or foreign passport holders with permanent residency in the Philippines.
“As far as I can remember I have been speaking and thinking in Mandarin, having been educated in Beijing since I was 5 years old. When I went back to the Philippines, I realized there was such a demand for bi-lingual English-Mandarin Chinese speakers that I decided to try my luck in the outsourcing industry. This was way back in 2013.”
The next shifts through the day will see 15 more multilingual customer support agents coming in, and at its busiest time the floor hears a cacophony of languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Italian, German, Spanish, French and Portuguese. You could swear you were in a UN convention if you closed your eyes.
Old business, new approach
Our client is no stranger to innovation. While the current operations setup hints at Silicon Valley startup agility, in actual fact the company is over 2 decades old. As the largest business English training firm globally, it has had its fair share of ups and downs, mergers and acquisitions, until ultimately it stabilized under the leadership of the current CEO who had the vision of centralizing delivery from a strong regional hub. This move is borne out of a desire to achieve organizational agility, crafting a response to changing customer demands, and carrying out strategy at scale.
Supporting operations and back-office functions
The client team is composed of 23 people, with profiles ranging from education support to back-office specialists in HR and finance. With a 24/6 shift, the team is responsible for delivering support to different regions, including Europe, the Americas, South and East Asia, and Southeast Asia.
With such a diverse group, the key to making offshore staffing work is in putting strong operational support in place.
As standard client onboarding procedure, Eastvantage assigns an Operations Business Partner to act as a conduit between the onshore and offshore teams. Charisse, a seasoned team manager has been tasked this role since the client partnered with Eastvantage in 2018.
“The most critical part of my role as an Operations Business Partner is to make the onshore client feel as if they’re within the same office as their offshore team. We need to remove the natural uncertainty our clients feel by having a highly visible operational support layer. This is an added value service that is pretty unique to Eastvantage in the outsourcing industry in the Philippines.”
With a big team operating in 3 shifts, it’s imperative to maintain standards across the key metrics of workforce management, attendance, performance, quality and employee retention.
Going beyond operations
95% of the pioneer team members from the first quarter of operations are still with Eastvantage. With such specialized profiles, it is important to keep the team engaged in the workplace.
“Apart from our work being quality and engaging, the reason why our attrition numbers are so low is that we feel valued and supported in the organization, both by our counterparts in the US and the management here in Eastvantage. There’s also so much opportunity to engage with our colleagues outside of the work we do,” Alvin, the Team Leader says, “I think that’s so important to teams to keep them working at their best.”
“Happy employees produce happy customers.”
Interested to learn more about how you can make our Staff Extension services work for you? Email us at info@eastvantage.com or send us a message.
by wpgeekssales | Nov 26, 2018
When you’re outsourcing to the Philippines, one of the many upsides of this venture is to save on costs. You would want a seamless experience in all aspects — especially in terms of transitioning your teams. You’re probably eager to tap into the world-acclaimed Filipino talent pool and start focusing on your core business functions again. When you’re ready to reap the benefits of outsourcing, falling in line for business permits and paying fees to government agencies should be the last thing you worry about. Instead of worrying about the legwork and the potential hassle of old-school paperwork — you can skip to the good part by looking for this specific keyword instead: PEZA.
What is PEZA?
Also known as the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, PEZA is an agency from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) created to promote investments into the Philippines. It specifically provides assistance to foreign entities in facilitating business operations of investors within selected areas in the country, which are called PEZA Special Economic Zones. Once accredited, business with PEZA certificates are entitled to fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. This is on top of the prospect of avoiding certain taxes and experiencing a more efficient processing of necessary permits and registration requirements.
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Related Video: A look into PEZA-accredited Eastvantage Offices
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PEZA Incentives
In order to qualify for PEZA accreditation, your business must be in the following verticals: Export Manufacturing, Information Technology (IT) Service Export, Tourism, Medical Tourism, Agro-Industrial Export Manufacturing, Agro-Industrial Biofuel Manufacturing, Logistics and Warehousing Services, Economic Zone Development and Operation, Facilities Providers, and Utilities.
Each of these enterprises are entitled to their own sets of incentives. To give you specifics, we would be focusing on IT Service Export below:
FISCAL INCENTIVES
- Income Tax Holiday. This is applicable for certain number of years which translates to 100% exemption from corporate income tax.
- Tax and Duty-Free for Importation. This is for importation for IT equipments and parts.
- Fees & Dues Exemption. This covers wharfage dues on import shipments on equipment.
- VAT zero rating. This incentive is for local purchases of goods and services, including land-based telecommunications, electrical power, water bills, and lease on building subject to compliance with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and PEZA requirements.
- Exemption from Government Payments. This covers all government imports, fees, licenses or taxes.
- Exemption from Expanded Withholding Tax
NON-FISCAL INCENTIVES
- Simplified Trade Procedures. Import and export procedures are aided by Electronic Permit System and Automated Export Documentation system.
- Employment for Foreign Nationals. Non-residents can be employed in the country by PEZA-registered Economic Zone Enterprises in supervisory, technical, or advisory positions.
- Special Visa Privileges. This means a Special Non-Immigrant Visa with Multiple Entry Privileges for the following non-resident Foreign Nationals in a PEZA-registered Economic Zone Enterprise. This includes investors, officers, and employees in supervisory, technical, or advisory positions. This benefit is extended to spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age.
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Related Infographic: Benefits of Outsourcing to the Philippines
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Outsource to the Philippines the right way
As of November 2017, there is a total of 379 operating economic zones in the country — ensuring a spot for business owners who want to establish their business roots in the Philippines. Hence, Eastvantage makes a very practical outsourcing partner in the country. You can outsource staff extension or experience our premium managed services. Whether you want business incubation, B-O-T, and incorporation services, you can become a PEZA-accredited company through Eastvantage. Not only are we PEZA-accredited, but we are an experienced and dedicated knowledge process outsourcing company that wants to take your business to the next level.
Let us walk you through our business solutions and get in touch with us today.
You can also view this blog post in SlideShare.
Source Link
PEZA
by wpgeekssales | Oct 1, 2018
When you’re planning to establish or expand your business in the Philippines, your next step would be to determine the right city to plant your roots. Even if you’re just aiming to outsource or even if you’re simply going to try co-sharing spaces, it’s important to remember that location can be one of your best strategies. If you want to be able to recruit and retain the best talent in your field, having “Bonifacio Global City” or BGC in your job description might do the trick.
Why BGC?
A simple Google search might tell you that BGC is a popular business district in the country. You might have second thoughts about it because it’s more pricey than other cities in the region. However, BGC still stands out from the rest because of these simple but practical reasons:
The cost is worth it
Last 2011, the World Bank ranked Taguig the 3rd city in the country in terms of Ease of Starting a Business, and 2nd in terms of Ease of Dealing with Construction Permits and 6th in terms of Ease of Registering a Property. It is no wonder that big companies like Coca-Cola, Hewlett-Packard, Sony, and Globe are all based in BGC.
As of 2017, the average property price per sqm was P117,439 for condominiums and P77,102 per sqm for townhouses. The median price for 2-bedroom condominiums is at P3,000,000. It is lower compared to Makati (the most popular CDB in the country), which has P134,725 per sqm and P132,164 per sqm respectively.
BGC might be the slightly cheaper option, but it is the better choice — especially when you get down to the following details…
The place is worth it
BGC is known for its new buildings, its eco-friendly environment, and its various options to fulfill one’s work-life balance needs for both employees and employers alike. It’s got a wide array of restaurants, plenty of residential options, gyms, malls, and museums. Its streets and buildings are peppered with art, too. BGC has a cornucopia of essentials for the perfect urban lifestyle where work and play meet in between. Should you decide to visit the Philippines, rest assured you’re going to enjoy your stay in BGC.
When you’re outsourcing to the Philippines, you’ll discover how candidates gravitate towards the opportunity of working in a place like BGC. Whether you’re here to work, visit, or even live — you’ll quickly find out why Bonifacio Global City is one of the reasons why it’s more fun in the Philippines.
