Company Core Values: Compassion

We're down to our final episode on our Company Core Values series! Kiezia sits down with no one better to share their expertise on Compassion, but the veteran call taker Irish.

Transcript

CACTUS CHAT PODCAST_CORE VALUES_COMPASSION
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Kiezia: Welcome to the Cactus Chat Podcast. We're now down to our last episode for this series where we're going to interview our awardees for core values. And with me today is our gorgeous guest, Irish. How are you? 

Irish: I am good. Welcome to the show. Thank you. 

Kiezia: So she, she is our awardee for our core value compassion and very excited to talk about compassion and also programs that. Irish did on a Pac Biz. So can you tell me about yourself? 

Irish: Hello everyone. I'm so glad I'm here and it's actually a bit, a little nervous, but I'm glad I'll be able to share what I've been doing here in practice. My name is Irish and most of my colleague calls me Mommy Irish. And I've been with Pac Biz for five years, running six.

And as I said, up until my retirement years. And of course, I'm a call taker here with one of our taxi accounts. And one of the highlights of my employment is actually The creation of our Be A Blessing charity, which is mainly sponsored by Pac Biz. 

Kiezia: Yeah, and we will be talking more about that. How did you start working at Pac Biz?

Irish: When I started with Pac Biz, it was just because my brother was working here and he invited me to work here and When I started, it was from sales, I was transferred to a lot of accounts and then I was transferred to an e commerce account, that's where everything started, when I felt like I found my home.

Kiezia: Oh, so you felt like you found your, your home at Pac Biz? 

Irish: Yes. 

Kiezia: Right. So, so what, what Drew drew you to Pac Biz? 

Irish: During that time? They have very good benefits compensations. Yes. That 

Kiezia: during the time? 

Irish: During when they started they had this benefits that you cannot find in any other, because I belong to. Top 100 agents.

And I think some of the new agents are not aware that we were able to, we are free of some of the benefits like SSS, PhilHealth. And I was one of the lucky ones. So I, aside from the fact that I felt like I found my home, it's economically very helpful to me. 

Kiezia: Yeah, why Pac Biz is a home for you? 

Irish: Because it's a place where I really felt that I can be who I am.

Because us people, we, we have changes in our moods and everything. Everyone accepts that, and they know, I think like everyone are willing to understand and willing to give you chances. Which in, I'm not comparing, but from my past experience, I never experienced that. They will not some companies would not allow you to like consider your family situations like that.

Kiezia: Yeah. 

Irish: So that's why I stayed here. 

Kiezia: Yeah. That's what understanding and also doing something about the situation. So I think we, we do have compassion that impact this and accordingly we will be talking. about today. So how do you integrate compassion into your leadership as a leader of the BAB initiative?

Irish: Initially I just want to share that when Be A Blessing was created, it was just a simple thought of sharing. Like a five sack of rice to someone because it was during the pandemic when a lot of people were posting in Facebook asking for help, asking for diapers, asking for milk, but that person asked for anyone who needs a massage.

He was a blind massage therapist. So right there, then I He earned my respect because he is he, he belongs to the PWD, but he's trying his best to earn, not begging for money. So I had this thought and I shared that to my colleague. Right. That was how Be A Blessing started actually during the pandemic.

Kiezia: So 

Irish: we're running four years now. 

Kiezia: Yeah. 

Irish: And it was just a simple. And by that, when I shared it to my colleague, my teammates, one idea, here comes another idea of adding canned goods and then an idea of surprising them. And then that's when it all started. So the whole team was created and we decided to do it every month.

So that's just it. 

Kiezia: Can you, can you share an example where showing compassion made a difference? 

Irish: For me, when our small charity was created, it has made a difference because our compassion is not just limited to all the employees of Pac Biz, but we are also reaching out to the community. We have help not just within Dumaguete, we have help outside Dumaguete like Tanjay, Ayungon, we went to Sibulan, we've reached out to a lot of people and it's not just a small group, but as a company, we are continuing to do that. And we've been, we are going to be four years now this year. 

Kiezia: Yeah. How did it made a difference on these communities, these people? 

Irish: As I have noticed, when we started after like a few, a year or two, Some companies are doing what we are doing as well.

Yes, although not entirely our, we don't have the same goals because sometimes we give school supplies. We give Ayuda like rice. And sometimes we do feedings, but there are also some companies in Dumaguete who are doing that. Aside from that, because in a company, we really cannot stop people from growing.

And I have colleagues, I have my teammates before who are now working from another company. But you know what, when they see some people who are struggling, they would mention me or they would send me a message asking, maybe we can help these people. So they think that we have that capacity to help these people because whenever they see struggling people, they really tend to mention the team.

And I also we also have people outside of the company who are supporting us. That's one thing that we are so proud of because aside from back base, we also have outside sponsors. That's why we are able to help a lot of people. All right. 

Kiezia: So how do you, how do you show compassion to your colleagues during challenging times or have you encountered that? 

Irish: Yes, because we had a colleague before who met an accident and During that time, we were, it was just a small organization. It's just limited to us, our team. So we had this agreement that when the pay comes, we are going to share some amount so we can give it to our colleague.

So that has happened. It's not just once when we have a colleague who has so it has, like, it has become a tradition that whenever someone is struggling, everyone really shares whatever they can. 

Kiezia: Yeah, can you share a story or something memorable about somebody that you helped? 

Irish: Yes, we have helped a child somewhere in Sibulan.

And since we have limited funds by that time, what we did is, we asked people to share not, Everyone, not outside, but within the company, we ask them to share whatever they can like diapers, vitamins, dress, food. And that really happened. Everyone was willing to give. And there are even some that we did not ask for, but they offered it here and foods that are not just the basic ones.

They wanted that girl to experience or to try something new, the good food, because they She was, they said that it was Hydrocephalus.

Kiezia: Ah, yeah. 

Irish: Yes, that child. 

Kiezia: I remember that. I think it was the first outreach that we did. One of the first outreaches. Okay. How do you believe a compassionate workplace, positively affects overall productivity and well being?

Irish: Personally, it's, we cannot really stop that. There are times in our shift that we tend to like be stressed out with, not just with colleagues, but it really happens. It's not, [00:09:00] it's not the nature of the work, but it really happens to ourselves, especially to me. I work from home and I'm a mother whenever I have a call, like I work from home and I do.

I do a lot of multitasking and I feel stressed out, but before each end of the month, there is always something, I always have this goal that at the end of the month, there is something good that's going to happen because of our monthly schedule for the CC. 

Kiezia: Yeah, so you always look forward to the... 

Irish: we are looking forward to doing it.

Yes. Yeah. Actually same here. I always look forward to be a blessing activity of each month. 

Kiezia: Did you feel that Pac Biz is a compassionate workplace? 

Irish: Yes. If not, because of Pac Biz, I, that activity wouldn't reach until it's fourth year, especially because one of my, most of my teammates who created that are  no longer here with us.

They're working in other company. So if I was not impacted, it was just like, it went away with the pandemic. Right. So, 

Kiezia: yeah definitely. So what was your motivation to continue the Be a Blessing? 

Irish: Mainly because I have sponsors. 

Kiezia: Ah, you have Pac Biz. 

Irish: Yeah, I have Pac Biz and their sponsorship really inspires me to continue what we have started way back 2020.

Kiezia: Were you always into doing outreaches, even before? 

Irish: Growing up, I wanted to help, just like I think everyone else would think, like, the term, if I will get rich, I will really help. But then I realized there was a point in my life when I was sharing food to the street children. At the back of my mind, I was like, I, I am so grateful that I have this capacity to share even if I'm not yet rich.

And I can only do that because of Pac biz. 

Kiezia: Yeah, I think everybody can, can share, even if they, you don't have to be, to be rich. Everyone has something to share, a little something to share. It doesn't have to be grand or big. Before we end this series, could you offer a piece of advice to our listeners?

Irish: Okay. Just a piece of advice. Whenever we see. Not just struggling people, but anyone main thing that I always, or it's what I always do is what I would feel if I were in their shoe and I am grateful that I am where I am. So I always have this gratefulness and when you are thankful of what the smallest thing that you have, you always feel blessed to be a blessing to other people.

Kiezia: Nice. Thank you. It's been a pleasure to be chatting with you, Rish. And I really appreciated you for your contribution to Pac Biz and the community. Thank you so much to our listeners. So that concludes our series for this podcast on core values of Pac Biz. And see you next time.