For the second year in a row, Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC) was recognized by HR Asia as one of the Philippines’ Best Companies to Work for in Asia. HR Asia, Asia’s most authoritative publication for senior HR professionals, investigates best practices and inner workings of companies to understand what distinguishes them from the rest. Based on HR Asia’s Total Engagement Assessment Model (TEAM), AMC effectively showcased that despite a global pandemic, Alagang Alaska shines through.
First, Our People
The day before the Philippines was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to COVID-19, the important decision was made to give all AMC employees’ salaries in advance in order to prepare for the strict lockdown measures put in place. Office-based employees were immediately allowed to work from home, while a skeleton workforce was implemented in AMC’s plant in San Pedro, Laguna. In order to prevent virus transmission within the factory, free accommodation and meals were provided for employees. On top of these, all employees were provided with care kits containing vitamins, isopropyl alcohol, and face masks.
Second, Our Processes
In the face of uncertainties brought about by “business unusual,” we focused on our processes being functional and effective. After fully transitioning to work from home arrangements, we fully equipped employees with the technology, tools, and platforms needed for communication and collaboration. All employees were given connectivity subsidies to ease the burden of transitioning to working at home. Everyday huddles by the Management Team enabled us to solve business problems that came up in almost a daily basis. Regular engagement within different teams followed suit, enabling support and giving energy to employees amidst the pandemic. A few weeks after the ECQ, we were back on our feet reviewing, adjusting, and realigning the initiatives we have lined up for the year, in pursuit not only of our 2020 goals, but also our long-term objectives.
Third, Our Purpose
Because of the fears and worries that came with the COVID-19 situation, the risk of burnout became higher. Our employees who are also parents had the additional responsibility of adjusting to online learning for their children. To help address these, webinars discussing mental health and wellbeing were organized for our employees. Fit-for-purpose workshops and learning moments focused on how to collaborate, engage, and lead in an uncertain world were also prepared as part of our continuous learning objective.
Additionally, a big part of our purpose is to extend care and assistance beyond the company whenever and wherever we can. To date, AMC has donated more than Php 22 million worth of milk products to ensure Filipinos have access to quality nutrition during the pandemic. On top of that, we have continued our social responsibility commitments: the Alaska School Milk Feeding Program, the Alaskabuhayan livelihood project, the Alaskalikasan packaging redemption project, and the Alaskarunungan digital literacy project.
Despite the challenges that a global pandemic presented, we stayed true to our principles: we put our people first, focus on our processes, and we remain guided by our purpose. This is how we win, the Alagang Alaska way!
You can watch the full clip of Alaska Milk Corporation’s HR Asia Best Companies to Work For 2020 message right here: https://youtu.be/L3vtN7NWaPM