by Assunta Ng
Northwest Asia Weekly
The verdict is out. My employees just voted against returning to work in the office. My judgment is…
Six Northwest Asia Weekly/Seattle Chinese Post employees have been working from home since March 2020, while six other employees come to the office on different days of the week. Those who stay in the office work as the heads of company operations, while those who work remotely are in charge of editing.
In fact, I know their votes even before they send them. I still want their responses to ensure they have a voice and a chance for me to understand and appreciate their feedback. Some people gave me opinions that I hadn’t considered before.
One of the reasons they did not return was fear of deteriorating public safety in the Chinatown International District (CID). Half of them said they felt unsafe with homeless people near 8th Avenue and South King Street. Can she “walk around town without worrying about someone stabbing me in the back or hitting me?” Most people, however, feel safe working in an office. “Wearing a mask should be optional,” one said.
Our office has been closed to the outside world since March 2020, and my staff believes that the office should remain closed as the pandemic has not stopped. What I didn’t expect was that it became easier to run our operations with our doors closed. We are not a retail business. We don’t need traffic to grow our business. Every business transaction is done by phone, email or text message. We save a lot of manpower by not dealing with unnecessary interruptions. We also save on operating costs because we have fewer people in our offices. It also saves us the hassle of managing an office, such as dealing with internet or computer issues. The pandemic has not only simplified our operations, it has also increased our efficiency.
Dim Sum items from a local business, entertaining my staff at a press conference. (Photo by Xinhuanet)
But our closed offices do impact business in the community. Our tribe used to buy groceries or other essentials after get off work or during breaks. For the past 22 years, I’ve treated my team to snacks and pastries at my Wednesday press conferences.
Some use services in the CID, such as doctors and accountants. While this may be a small percentage, it could increase if other ID businesses also close offices or decide to reduce hours. I know of two doctors who have reduced office hours in favor of telehealth and working from home more.
Pros and Cons of Remote Work
The obvious benefits of working remotely are many, including reduced stress and flexible working hours.
“There’s no rush to go to work and no rush to go home,” said one of my team members. “It saves money and time commuting.” Some people need up to two hours of commute time.
Photo by Han Biao
No need to “go to the office on a snowy or rainy day”, how wonderful that would be! Another said. Twenty years ago, we used to drive our employees to and from get off work on a snowy day. Bad time, really!
Even happier for people who drive is how much they can save on gas and “protect their car from wear and tear”.
Before the pandemic, an employee who lived in Everett was paying $7 a day for the bus. If you have to pay for childcare, that’s another expense. Fortunately, the children of my staff are all grown up.
One said: “Hahaha!”
Another said she had time to “enjoy life more. Do outdoor activities during the day, especially when the weather is nice. Who wants to sit in an office when the weather is nice outside?” With flexible hours, she can travel more many.
Only one person said working from home is boring. Despite having more flexible hours, she doesn’t like working from home. “Despite more potential issues with communication and coordination, I don’t feel working from home is very productive” Working away from home.
Gaining new skills is another benefit, writes one team member. Since working remotely, she has learned how to download software such as Zoom videos and has become proficient with word files she has not used before.
My team also improved their translation skills from English to Chinese. I am amazed by their creative graphics and bold layouts. The reason is that they can’t rely on peer feedback as they can in the office. They teach themselves, explore and experiment. The more they rely on themselves, the more confident they become.
One said she misses the community. Another missed the “food options in Chinatown”.
Others crave communication, chat, and emotional and social support with colleagues.
Should we reopen offices?
Photo by Han Biao
Most oppose reopening offices due to rampant Covid.
“At first, the communication between the teams didn’t seem very effective, but we adapted quickly,” one wrote. We talk a lot on the phone and use Zoom every other week for the China Post team.
“I was pleasantly surprised at Assunta’s ability to adapt to it,” wrote another. “I think if I had proposed remote full-time work (which I wanted) before COVID came along, the answer would have been, ‘Hell no!'”
Editor Ruth Bayang (left) and publisher Assunta Ng (photo by Han Bui)
She might be right. I have evolved, everyone on my team has evolved. Through constant communication, we simplify the seamless transition from the office to the home. …to keep our publications running smoothly, even with unexpected challenges.
Now, I am fully supportive of remote work. Seeing my gang actively working from home and both papers reporting on time, what more could I ask for! ? OK! Alright alright!
Should we even keep offices?
Three out of six voted to keep it.
“It’s home to our hearts,” one replied.
“It’s a symbol of the newspaper’s 40 years here!”
“Clients will have more confidence to see our offices.”
Those who strongly opposed it wrote: “No, unless it’s something you think the surrounding community wants. I don’t think it makes sense financially to keep it open. We’ve been operating for almost two years, why would you want to pay for these utilities? Paying for business, supplies, etc? Rather than renting out space to generate more income.”
These are thoughtful comments. No need to push the answer now. We will know then.
Assunta can reach assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
