Companies, such as in information and tech sector, that still allow work from home, remote, telecommuting or hybrid setup have started requiring their employees to return to the office. Many employers are getting blowback. While management may argue productivity and socialization as few of the factors for this decision, employees may highlight the following advantages of work from home setup. Save on Rent Renting (or leasing) makes the highest expenses for companies who don’t own office spaces. For example, office space on one of the towers located in the central business district might cost you tens to hundreds of thousands. Just imagine if you could just use those huge savings from rentals to the following:  Advertisement to improve your market reach Buy stocks Buy your own office space Employee skill development such as education and training Healthcare insurance for your employees Invest in another business Software for business Tools for productivity Utilities Utilities comprise electricity, gas for heating, internet and water. All of these can cost you thousands of pesos if you compel or require employees to return to the office. Telecommuting means saying goodbye to monthly bills that can add to your stress. Remember you need one of your staff to process bills and that can take away precious effort, money and time. Cleaning Services Renting an office can add an additional cost - cleaning services. Since your staff occupies your office, you’ll need to keep the floor, ceiling, workstations and windows clean. And that calls for janitorial or cleaning services. Now that’s another bill. Improved Employee Retention Resigning employees can hamper your production. Although you can always hire another employee, remember that retraining a new staff doesn’t mean you can always get the same quality of service. On top of that, think about the cost and time of retraining new employees. Promoting work from home can help you retain talents who need more time with their family, and take care of their babies or ailing relatives. Reduced Absenteeism Flexible schedules can give more time to your employees who have personal obligations that could demand taking days off. Returning employees from sick leave can bounce back to work easier compared to commuting employees. Reduced Tardiness Traffic jams can hamper your staff’s ability to arrive on time. Even though they can adjust their time or wake up early, it’s very taxing and tiresome for you to deal with bumper to bumper traffic. By the time you and your staff arrive on-site, you’re already wasting precious time and energy. The solution to traffic? Make work from home a permanent work setup. Reduced Payroll Costs Although it’s likely you can’t get employees who like reduced salary in exchange for a flexible workplace, a research shows that almost ⅓ of employees will want remote work over a pay rise. So, instead of a pay raise, why not reward your employees with work from home.

Layoffs refer to the reduction of staff size due to slow business or initiatives to save money. Layoffs can be permanent (the complete cessation of employment) or temporary (the cutting back of employment with an understanding that the employee’s position will be restored at a specific time. If you’re an employee potentially facing such problematic situation, it’s good to know the possible drivers of job insecurity. Buyout A large and powerful company can buy out smaller companies. They could buy the majority shares (in corporations). The larger company may replace or retain the employees of the acquired company. Employees of the acquired company could be terminated if their positions are redundant. If terminated, the employees will receive 30 to 60-day notice and notice of their rights, procedures, and severance benefits. If the employees wish to be retained, they might be transferred to other departments or hold a new position. Cost-cutting due to economic downturn Wages form one of the largest operational expenses. To save overhead and operating expenditures, the company will ask employees to resign in exchange for separation packages and employment search assistance. Those employees that perform redundant roles or perform unsatisfactorily are prioritized for layoffs. Employees who aren’t easy to replace will most likely be retained in the skeletal force team. Industry decline This refers to the slow economy of a specific industry - Agriculture, Commerce, Logistics, Information Technology, Healthcare etc. Pandemic, supply and demand and technological trends can impact industries. For example, two decades ago, landline phone boots and long-distance calls abound but as soon as the smartphones and internet advances came, the commercial telcos of the 1990s came into decline in the early 2000s. Project ends Projects are temporary. They may last from months to a year or so. When projects end, the participants’ employment ends. The participating employee or consultant will receive a regular salary or benefits until the end of the project. Examples of project-based employment include: Construction project - bridges, residential apartments, and tower Research project - Geological and social surveys Web development project for 1 year - A landing page and subpage for a pharmaceutical company Relocation A company may close down its branches in a country and transfer its assets to its remaining offices in the originating country. An organization could relocate because of cost-cutting and diversion of funds to the newly focused product and services segment. The company may not relocate employees due to redundancy and savings. Staff redundancy We have already mentioned the term a couple of times above. When staff perform identical tasks for a long-term project, their output becomes redundant, hence providing little value to the company’s goals. If an organization faces a slow business or possible bankruptcy, it may slash its workforce.

The Philippines constitutes a large population of citizens who work abroad. Some of these are working on working visas and others are already dual citizens. Others have already immigrated to other countries and given up their native-born citizenship. Most Filipinos go abroad for economic reasons or tourist purposes. Whatever the reason is, knowing the pros and cons will help you decide before going abroad and avoid costly mistakes. PROS Higher salary Usually, the salary abroad is higher than offered in the home country. Such an offer could be twice or several times higher than the local ones. Depending on the position and company, the package could comprise free accommodation, transport and meals. A chance to travel and see the world At some point in your life, you might already dream of going to other countries. If you’re living in a tropical country, you may already have a desire to travel to temperate countries such as Japan, France, the United States, Canada and Australia. These countries have four seasons - Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter. Experience other Cultures Culture refers to the characteristics and knowledge of a certain group of people’s arts, cuisine, music, religion, and social habits. Travelling beyond your country’s borders will let you appreciate other nationalities and cultures. Learn another language Of course, you can learn a foreign language while in your country, but living in other countries will create more learning opportunities. You can meet native speakers of your target language. For example, you get more immersion in learning Japanese when you live in a Japanese neighborhood. An opportunity to assume other citizenship Perhaps this is the best perk of working abroad. If you’re in a country that allows a fast track to citizenship, a couple of years and residence status can lead to citizenship. You can also take dual citizenship if your current country of residence allows that. Example of countries that allow dual nationality includes Canada, the United States, France, and Spain. CONS Leaving your home country and family is heartbreaking Anxiety and sadness will slowly creep in once you start to say bon voyage and goodbyes to your family - parents, siblings, spouse, children, fiancé. You’re now in the situation where you’ve to get used to the new situation of leaving your comfort zone - the daily routines. Adjustments to long distance relationship Whether to your family or to your partner, being miles of land, borders and oceans apart can make you feel nostalgic and homesick at the same time. The feeling of separation can be eased by modern techs such as Messenger, Facebook, Skype, Zoom and other instant messaging or video conferencing apps. Safety issues You may never know what lies ahead in the country of your destination, especially with their hospitality and treatment to foreigners. You have to make sure about these situations: Peace and security - Is the neighborhood in the country’s locality safe? Are there wars, terrorist activities, discrimination, gang wars, and anything that can put your safety in a precarious status? Employer - Does your upcoming employer follow labor laws and the employment contract? Does the contract exist? Do they pay you the right salary, overtime and promote a healthy working environment? The upfront cost Moving to other countries is expensive. You have to get ready for everything - documents, money and personal things before you ride a passenger plane. The only things you won’t mind are those fees that job agencies and employers have to pay as mandated by the government labor agency (the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment). The following are the requirements you have to keep in mind though: Accommodation (Hotel, motel, apartment) Cost: Depending on the work destination Agency processing fees Cost: Depending on the agency Government-mandated benefits: Pagibig, Phil health and SSS Cost: PagIBIG, PhilHealth (2,400/year), SSS Legal papers: Police clearance Cost: (100~300), NBI clearance (100~400) Medical examination Cost: Depending on health conditions, clinics and hospitals Pocket money Passport Cost: P950~P1,500 Placement fees Travel accessories - Travel bag clutch bag, clothing

Flying is fun. You see the clouds, enjoy the view of miniature cities below, reach different cities, and landmarks across continents that were only in your dreams when you’re still attending history and geographical lessons. If you’re a frequent flier, you’ll love watching flat screens while eating inflight catering cuisines subject to the specific country and airline. The increase in tourism, airports, and advances in air travel leads to more jobs in aviation. If you’re a new graduate, a mid-career person or planning to take a college degree, this article listed some of the careers in the aviation. Air Traffic Controllers Air traffic controllers guide pilots and their craft to land safely. Here, you work in airport towers where you have a full view of the runway. You’ll use equipment such as radar screens, controls, two way-radios, and telephones. Your daily life in this job includes: Direct inbound and outbound air traffic such as aircraft taxiing, airport workers, baggage and maintenance vehicles. Guide pilots with flight directions and changes during emergency landings due to bad weather and aircraft trouble. Keep telephone and radio contact with other nearby control towers, area control centres and terminal control units to manage aircraft movement. Transfer departing or outbound flights to other traffic control zones. Receive control of arriving or inbound flights. Issue flight clearances. Customs Officer If you like to contribute to the welfare of the country and guarding borders against illegal trade and making sure everyone is paying the right taxes at the airport then this job is for you. You’re tasked to collect customs duties (taxes), prevent illegal trade of contraband items and flow of dangerous objects. You could work either at the airport, seaport or land border. Your daily working routine includes: Ask passengers to open baggage and check the insides to ensure no contraband gets through the airport whether it’s inbound or outbound. Prohibited items include illegal drugs, illegal wildlife goods, pornographic materials, explosives, weapons, and chemicals (e.g. mercury) that can damage aluminum. Another part of your routine is to ask passengers to place electronic devices, shoes, food, and liquids on the trays. Check and make sure that outbound and inbound passengers only bring the allowed cash amount. An excess of a certain amount (over $10,000) violates the anti-money laundering law. Operate X-ray machines - Here, you’re trained to watch hundreds of luggage come and go to X-ray machines and ensure no illegal items go unchecked. Ask passengers to comply with security checks - Here, you may frisk the passengers. Flight Catering Cooks Cooks, chefs, stewards and commissaries make the delicious inflight meals. The team comprises the following positions: Menu planners - They are chefs that design garnishes and do costing to minimize expenditures and implement food standards. They may perform administrative tasks such as interviewing applicants and overseeing food preparing operations. Commissaries - They are the front-liners who portion ingredients, cook hot food, mix salads and place meals into individual plates, cups and bowls. They may retrieve ingredient supplies from the warehouse. Flight Catering Dishwashers and Warehouse Staff Flight catering support involves the dishwashers and warehouse staff who make flight catering possible, orderly and efficient. Dishwasher - Load soiled utensils into dishwashers and dryers and sort them. Warehouse staff - These guys receive ingredient deliveries, sort items and retrieve them for inflight catering staff. Flight Catering Trolley Worker A flight catering trolley worker is responsible for getting those inflight meals into the aircraft. Here, you will use a trolley containing trays of passenger food made and prepared by cooks at the airport. You’ll work wearing a hairnet and following sanitary standards (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point). Before loading the trolleys, you have to double-check if the quantity and quality conform with the declared list. Afterwards, you’ll push trolleys inside the catering truck or food loader and unload them inside the plane. Then, you have to detail the handover to the cabin crew about the quantity and quality of the declared menu. You’ll work for companies that are either subcontracted by the airline of a subsidiary by the airline company. Flight Steward (Flight Attendant) Flight stewards are among the frontlines of the aviation industry. They face the customers, greet them with pleasantries, attend to their needs and ensure that passengers have a pleasant flight from take-off to landing. Flight attendants perform the following routines and tasks: Great and guide passengers who can be in the boarding gate and inside the plane. Demonstrate how to use the Emergency Oxygen System (EOS). Serve welcome drinks, snacks and dishes depending on the flight duration and menus. Guide passengers towards their assigned seats and ticket class (First, Business and Economy). Guide passengers on how to use the entertainment system and amenities inside the plane. Provide headsets. Retrieve used utensils. A flight steward can be rewarding as it offers you an opportunity to reach different places, airports and countries depending on your airline’s route. The qualification for this job will need specialized training in an aviation and flight attendant school. Commonly, most airlines may require you to finish a degree in Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management. Airlines are strict in requiring applicants to be presentable - physical appearance or grooming. While there’s a glamour vibe linked to this job, being a flight steward is stressful as it involves you to deal with different passengers who can be uncooperative, disrespectful or ungracious, cope with sporadic hours and flight cancellations or delays, and help passengers put their bags up quickly. Earning as a flight attendant can let you live a middle-class lifestyle or more depending on the airline company size and position. Immigration Officer Immigration officers constitute the country’s frontline of safekeeping the country’s border against illegal immigrants, human trafficking and blacklisted individuals. Like the customs officer, this position is a government one. Likely, you’ll work for your country’s immigration agency. Here, you’ll be facing hundreds to thousands of inbound tourists, businessmen, politicians and celebrities. You might be posted at the airport or seaport. A day in your job includes: Checking passports of inbound and outbound passengers – Here, you’ll stamp departure and arrival stamps on passport pages, check visa stamps, validate visa stamps via a computer database and refer flagged and blacklisted individuals to the immigration office. Query inbound and outbound passengers - You may ask a person these questions: For inbound foreigners, “What is the purpose of your stay? Are you travelling alone?” For outbound citizens: Who is your sponsor in that country? Do you have a return ticket? Operate profiling devices - Some airports in affluent countries use advanced iris and facial scanners to profile inbound and outbound passengers. A blacklisted person (due to visa violations and offences related to the host country’s laws) can be flagged when he or she is scanned by such devices. Operate passport scanners - Passport scanners complement the immigration officers’ job, so basically, these machines do the job. Pilot Perhaps pilots (along with stewards) are the most visible jobs in aviation. They are professionals who trained hundreds to thousands of hours flying different models of Airbus and Boeing planes.  Pilots also train on a flight simulator before flying the real aircraft. This career is highly paid but it comes with a great price - most pilots came from affluent families as the required flight training hours can be expensive. You’ll work for passenger and cargo airlines. The daily routines include: Check the aeroplane cockpit/dashboard. Request take-off and landing clearance from the air traffic controller. Fly the plane to the destination. Keep in touch with other aircraft and air traffic controllers. Monitor electronic instrumentation panels such as radar. Airport Baggage Handler Airport baggage handler comprises the airport employees tasked to sort baggage according to flight number and airline. You’ll work in a large facility where machines and very long (about several kilometer-long conveyor belts sort and transport hundreds of pieces of luggage. You may use trolleys and vehicles to load and take out items. Baggage Acceptance Crew This position entails accepting passengers’ baggage and weighing them on a weight scale. You’re a part of the airline company’s ground crew and posted at desks with mini-conveyors. Your job is safe to keep, sort and tag baggage. Also, you’ll ensure that each baggage complies with the baggage weight allowance and limit.

Boring jobs refers to occupations with little creativity and excitement opportunities. You can imagine such work killing the time or seeing the clock and wishing that your shift comes to the end. Boredom can result in job dissatisfaction, high attrition rate and low productivity. This list can help you assess the drivers to a monotonous atmosphere. Lift Operator Lift operators make sure that visitors, tenants, residents get to the right floor. They may use two-way radios or the elevator’s alert system in case of emergency. Most of the time, they will just sit and listen to music. They’ll receive a dose of anti-boredom rush whenever they build rapport with passengers or hear their favorite music. But most of the time, the cycle of pressing a button, letting passengers in and out gives this job minimal career advancement. Tollbooth Fee Collector In countries where manual toll payment is used (non-RFID), tollbooth fee collectors or cashiers process hundreds to thousands of motorists. You’ll have to quickly process each motorist, assign the correct charge for the different vehicle types. The repetitive cashiering and sitting at the booth for 8 hours a day can make this work boring. But a plus side of this job is that you’ll be greeting and meeting numerous people. Factory Worker A classic example of a boring job is a factory worker. Here you could be assigned to packing, canning, sardines processing or product assembly line of a manufacturing or production plant. An 8 to 12-hour shift might mean bad posture, repeating the same motion over and over again, and having to stand for long period of time. Security Guard For the most part of this job, you’ll be standing or sitting in your security cubicle or booth. There you’ll be guarding, greeting customers, checking bags, populating records. You may also stand at the entrance and open the door for customers. Transcriptionist Doctors, lawyers and other industries outsource their mundane tasks overseas, including transcribing. The task of a transcriptionist is to listen to spoken words and sentences or audio recording and transcribe them into grammatically and factually correct paragraphs and documents. While you’ll use your attention and grammar skills here, in the end, you could get overwhelmed by the repetitive tasks. Buckingham Palace Guards A special brigade or force protects the royal family queen of the United Kingdom. These bearskin and red-tunics wearing guards stand at the entrance and hold a rifle. They march back and forth at the main entrance, secondary entrance, aisle and hallways. These guardsmen need to express a professional level of discipline while marching and dealing with possible troublemakers. But the repetitive nature of this job makes it one of the most boring jobs. Bagger Baggers are entry-level jobs posted at supermarket cashier stations. Here you’ll take the correct plastic or paper bag for the customer’s goods. You will tie cardboard cartons and make sure they are resistant to tampering and rough handling. You may also assist them in their vehicles or transport terminal. Housekeeper It is one of the most backbreaking and tiring jobs. Housekeeping isn’t fun when you have to repetitively keep rooms tidy and neat, and use the same equipment all day. On top of that, the constant back bending to arrange bedsheets and pillows makes this job not only boring but also difficult. Data Encoder Sitting in front of the computer and typing texts from paper to computer will surely send your mind into daydreaming. Typing and scrolling your mouse can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome or sprained wrist. Call Centre Agent While handling customers' queries and solving their problems can improve your speaking and customer service skills, when such a cycle is made over and over again, boredom follows. Add to that, you have to deal with rude customers. Unpleasant and non-challenging things can make working uninteresting.