Family Day Spotlight: Two Couples and a Sibling. The Fab Four at LifeLabs B.C.
Meet the hardworking quartet at LifeLabs, whose family ties run deep. Rogel and Miriam Dorado, along with Elinor and Rico Garrovillas, aren’t just colleagues—they’re a dynamic mix of siblings and spouses with a combined 76 years of tenure at LifeLabs!
To dive into their story, prepare to keep up—as the writer, even I had to keep track of who’s who.
Rogel and Elinor
Rogel and Elinor, siblings by blood, are integral to the LifeLabs family. Elinor, the youngest of four children, was the pioneer, joining LifeLabs in 1999. Initially eyeing a role as an Equipment Specialist, her experience as a Med Tech in the Philippines led her to a position as a Laboratory Technical Assistant in Hematology. She then referred Rogel, her brother (who formerly works as a Mechanical Engineer in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia), for a role in Facilities Maintenance, where he’s now a seasoned B.C. Facilities Tradesperson since joining in 2007.
Miriam and Rogel
Rogel’s partner in both life and work is Miriam. They met in Saudi Arabia where their family begins. Miriam, who has a background in healthcare, found her calling at LifeLabs in 2001. “With my previous work experience in healthcare and being a new immigrant in Canada, I grabbed the opportunity to join LifeLabs and wanted to gain more knowledge in a different healthcare field, like laboratory services in a new country. Elinor, my sister-in-law, was already working with LifeLabs; she encouraged me to apply and gave me that extra push of confidence to work with LifeLabs.”
Elinor and Rico
Elinor’s husband, Rico, completes this power duo. Childhood sweethearts from the Philippines, they embarked on their professional journey together at LifeLabs. Rico, enticed by the chance for growth and proximity to home, joined the Materials Department in 2011, transitioning to full-time a year later.
These fantastic four have found harmony between work and home life, a balancing act they’ve graciously shared with us to celebrate Family Day.
What are some of the advantages of working alongside your family members? Are there any unexpected perks or challenges?
Rogel and Miriam: We carpool to work and go home at the same time when our schedules permit; knowing that our family members are in a safe work environment and knowing each other’s work schedule so we can see each other occasionally during our shifts is a bonus.
A challenge, though, is when our schedules conflict for looking after the kids, such as when they need to be dropped off/picked up for school and related activities. We also share one car, so driving to and from work when our shifts are different makes things challenging.
Elinor and Rico: Having double dental and extended health with the same insurance company is definitely an advantage!! Also, since we see each other at work every day, we can communicate easily and quickly.
Can you share some memorable moments you’ve had together at LifeLabs?
Rogel and Miriam: Working together has made planning a birthday party easier for my husband. He can contact my coworkers to come and celebrate with me and my family without me knowing!!
We also fondly remember attending year-end party events, like Christmas, Service Award ceremonies, LifeLabs departmental Holiday lunch/dinner, and LifeLabs Filipino potluck Christmas Party.
Elinor and Rico: Winning LifeLabs contest and raffles as a couple and having lunch together at work.
Rogel and Elinor: We like sending pictures of ourselves attending LifeLabs parties/celebrations to our parents.
Are there any running jokes about everyone working at LifeLabs?
Elinor: When we take breaks at the same table, coworkers will say we’re having a “Family Reunion.” And when Rico and I have lunch together in our favourite spot at the cafe, some people joke around and yell, “Love birds”!
Miriam: When our kids were growing up and deciding what they wanted to do, we told them they could always work with LifeLabs in a different department so everyone would be there and have their specialty. We’d joke that we could all take one car to work and save gas!
How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance while navigating personal and professional relationships?
Rogel and Miriam: We try to avoid discussing work at home, take vacations together and take time off with family members. We also enjoy each other’s company doing activities such as gardening, walking, and going on adventures together! And, of course, love for each other is the binding substance.
Elinor and Rico: We define work time as separate from personal time so that we can respect each other’s work/duties and spend quality time together during break!
Rogel and Elinor: We ensure that we maintain communication as brothers and sisters as well as our children. We make sure that our children are bonded as a family.
Will there be future generations who will also join the team?
Elinor: Who knows! We have three kids, the last of which is just finishing high school, so it is possible!
STRONGER TOGETHER
Their journey at LifeLabs began at different points in time, and it was not just about finding a job but also about finding a home away from home. A family member’s encouragement to join speaks volumes about LifeLabs’ culture and camaraderie.
Cheers to the fab four who agreed to enlighten us on this Family Day and remind us that the best chemistry isn’t found in beakers but in bonds of family and teamwork.
LifeLabs’ is grateful and inspired by our team members for sharing their stories. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journey at LifeLabs is to ensure that all individuals feel accepted, respected and valued.
Our collective community benefits by fostering an equitable and inclusive culture for the team members, customers, and partners. The journey to reinforce DEI commitments has demonstrated that at LifeLabs, we are indeed Stronger Together.