In Accenture, an essay writing contest has been recently launched to enable regular employees to express how proud they are working in the company. In a two-page essay, they must be able to answer the question "Are you a proud Pinoy Accenture employee? Why?" Today, in fact, is the deadline.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't make it. For some reason, I couldn't write when there's pressure involved, when there's a deadline to beat.
Sakit ko na yata ito. That is why I don't see myself pursuing any career in writing. And it makes me sad.
Although I wouldn't be able to submit any entry, the question lingers in my head nonetheless. It's like last song syndrome. It keeps repeating in my mind. It makes me reflect deeply on something: Am I really proud as a Pinoy Accenture employee?
I have been with the company for only barely two months. It might be too early to say that I am indeed proud. But so far, really, I've never been prouder. The company is progressive in every aspect - from compensation and benefits, to security, to international certifications, to global interconnectedness, to processes and tools, to programs related to innovation, etc. But I guess the primary thing that makes me proud working at Accenture are the people I actually work with. I've never seen any group of people who is as devoted to their work as these people. For us working at Accenture Procurement, we wouldn't get compensated for OT rendered unless we're able to accumulate at least 16 hours of OT - the company would pay us on our 17th hour and every hour after that- still subject to tax of course. Thinking about this policy from an outsider's point of view, we virtually don't get compensated at all for extra "labor" time, which typically totals less than 16 hours come payout cut-off (in the Philippines, you get paid on the 15th and 30th of the month).
But I was amazed one weekend when I went to the office to pick something up. My whole team was there - working passionately. I asked them if they were aware of the policy regarding OT, that we would only be compensated for our 17th hour of OT, and all that. They said yes - and they didn't care. All they wanted to do was to finish their work on time - to ensure that the requests are fulfilled on schedule and that our customers and clients also meet their respective project deadlines, deliverables and budgets. I was made to realize how our role was critical to achieving these. I was humbled. I learned something from them. While I was concerned about how OTs benefit (or not benefit) me at Accenture, my colleagues (and many of them are actually reporting to me) in contrast think of the people we serve within Accenture. While I was in a way being self-centered, they on the other hand were altruistic.
I believe time is the greatest gift any employee can offer to a company. I have seen how my team mates freely give their time and devotion to the company without even thinking of monetary compensation. I guess many Pinoys do. In local parlance, we call that "malasakit" (solicitude). And such work ethic is what makes me proud about working at Accenture.
