Introduction: Why Company Culture Matters More Than Ever
In the Philippines, where relationships, values, and social harmony deeply influence workplace dynamics, company culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a key driver of performance, engagement, and retention. With talent mobility on the rise, especially among Gen Z and millennial employees, organizations must go beyond compensation and benefits to create an environment where employees feel valued, connected, and inspired.
A positive company culture shapes how people behave, collaborate, and commit to their work. It defines the emotional experience of working in your organization. When culture is clear, positive, and aligned with core values, it becomes a competitive advantage. In a 2022 study by Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a strong company culture is critical to business success. Locally, the JobStreet Happiness Index (2023) found that Filipino employees rank “workplace environment and culture” among the top three reasons for job satisfaction.
This article explores how Philippine companies can intentionally build and sustain a culture that empowers people, strengthens teams, and fuels long-term success.
1. Understand the Filipino Work Ethos
Before building culture, you must understand the cultural context:
- Hiya (shame) and pakikisama (getting along) influence behavior, often discouraging open dissent.
- Bayanihan spirit promotes teamwork, generosity, and community.
- A strong sense of family and loyalty shapes expectations around relationships and support.
- The Filipino resilience mindset encourages adaptability and hard work despite challenges.
Implication: Culture-building in the Philippines must emphasize inclusiveness, trust, shared purpose, and emotional intelligence. Companies that ignore these social dynamics risk alienating employees or creating unproductive tension.
2. Define and Communicate Core Values
Your values should go beyond posters and reflect the behaviors you want employees to model. Values become cultural anchors when they are clearly articulated, aligned with actions, and reinforced at all levels.
How to Do It:
- Engage employees in identifying core values through workshops and surveys.
- Limit to 3–5 values that are easy to remember and culturally resonant.
- Translate values into observable behaviors (e.g., “Respect” = listening without interrupting, being on time for meetings).
Tip: Revisit values during performance reviews, onboarding, and team meetings to keep them alive. Ensure leaders are modeling the values in their daily behavior.
3. Hire for Culture Add, Not Just Culture Fit
Look for candidates who enhance your culture rather than merely match it. “Culture fit” can sometimes lead to homogenization, whereas “culture add” brings in diverse perspectives that strengthen the organization.
Best Practices:
- Include values-based interview questions such as, “Tell me about a time you helped a colleague beyond your formal role.”
- Conduct behavioral interviews to understand how candidates align with your mission.
- Involve cross-functional teams in hiring to assess alignment from multiple lenses.
Avoid: Hiring only those who think, talk, or act like existing team members. Diversity strengthens culture and fuels innovation.
4. Promote Psychological Safety and Open Communication
Employees must feel safe to express opinions, ask questions, and admit mistakes. In Filipino culture, where respect for hierarchy is deeply ingrained, promoting psychological safety requires deliberate effort.
Action Steps:
- Train managers to lead with empathy, avoid micromanagement, and encourage idea-sharing.
- Encourage “kumustahan” check-ins in both formal and informal settings.
- Normalize feedback and post-mortems where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
- Create anonymous suggestion channels to gather uncensored input.
Why it Matters: Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety is the #1 predictor of high-performing teams.
5. Celebrate Wins and Recognize Contributions
Filipino employees value recognition and appreciation. Regularly acknowledge efforts—not just outcomes.
Ideas:
- Weekly “Salamat Moments” in team meetings
- MVP or “Katuwang sa Tagumpay” awards
- Public shoutouts on Slack or Viber
- Service anniversaries and birthday celebrations
Tip: Recognition doesn’t always have to be monetary. A heartfelt “thank you” or lunch treat goes a long way. Consider creating peer-recognition systems to allow colleagues to recognize one another.
6. Support Work-Life Integration
In the Philippines, many employees are breadwinners or caregivers. Respect for personal time and flexibility is crucial to building a sustainable culture.
Culture Boosters:
- Avoid after-hours communication unless urgent.
- Offer flexible work arrangements (per DOLE Telecommuting Act).
- Provide wellness leaves, birthday leaves, or caregiver leaves.
- Organize virtual and in-person bonding events.
Result: Employees with work-life balance are more engaged, productive, and loyal. In a 2021 PwC Philippines report, 58% of employees who left their jobs cited lack of flexibility as a key factor.
7. Build an Inclusive and Diverse Workplace
Diversity makes culture stronger. Promote inclusiveness across gender, age, religion, disability, and region. In a multicultural country like the Philippines, regional identities also play a role in work norms and expectations.
DEI Initiatives:
- DEI training for leaders and staff
- Inclusive hiring policies (e.g., PWD-friendly, LGBTQ+ inclusive)
- Safe spaces or Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
- Subtitles or translations for company communications in regional languages (e.g., Bisaya, Ilocano)
Philippine Model: Globe Telecom’s culture includes gender transition policies and inclusive benefits. Accenture PH has active ERGs across multiple diversity categories.
8. Develop Leaders Who Model the Culture
Culture flows from the top. Leaders must embody the values and behaviors they expect. In Filipino organizations, “pakikisama” and “utang na loob” (debt of gratitude) shape expectations for leadership support and fairness.
Leadership Habits:
- Walk the talk—show humility, fairness, and integrity.
- Be accessible and responsive.
- Prioritize people in decision-making.
- Provide coaching, not just commands.
Tool: Include culture-based KPIs in leadership evaluations, such as inclusivity ratings or team feedback scores.
9. Create Rituals that Reinforce Culture
Rituals and routines anchor values into daily work. They provide structure, familiarity, and an opportunity to celebrate.
Examples:
- Monthly “Kape at Kwentuhan” with the CEO
- Friday wins board or eKudos email blasts
- Quarterly value awards
- Virtual town halls and gamified culture quizzes
- Start-the-week rituals like “Mantra Mondays” or prayer circles (if aligned with company ethos)
Pro Tip: Use local symbols and language (e.g., “Bayanihan Board,” “Kapamilya Corner”) to strengthen cultural resonance.
10. Build Purpose into Work
Employees want to know their work matters. Connect their roles to a larger mission.
Ways to Infuse Purpose:
- Share client success stories that were enabled by team efforts.
- Involve teams in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities.
- Allow employees to suggest passion projects or innovations.
Example: A logistics firm in Davao links warehouse work to ensuring essential goods reach remote communities—building pride and purpose.
11. Onboard with Culture in Mind
The first few weeks are critical for culture assimilation. Don’t just train for tasks—introduce values, people, and rituals.
Checklist:
- Culture-focused onboarding videos
- Meet-the-team sessions
- Culture mentors or buddies
- Participation in a CSR or social event within the first month
Tech Tip: Use digital tools like Everything at Work HRIS or Notion for onboarding modules and culture playbooks.
12. Measure Culture and Act on Insights
Culture should be actively managed, not assumed. Use data to track cultural health.
Metrics to Monitor:
- Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
- Culture alignment in engagement surveys
- Attrition reasons linked to culture
- Participation in cultural programs
Example: A fintech startup used monthly pulse surveys and discovered employees felt disconnected due to remote work. They introduced “Culture Circles”—small group chats hosted by leaders—and improved their eNPS by 19% in 3 months.
Conclusion: Culture is the Unseen Engine of Success
Creating a positive company culture in the Philippines is about intentional leadership, consistent reinforcement, and shared values. It goes beyond perks—it’s how people treat each other, solve problems, and grow together.
A great culture doesn’t happen by accident. It is designed, nurtured, and protected over time. By aligning culture with purpose, recognizing contributions, and respecting the lived experiences of Filipino workers, companies can create workplaces where people love to belong and are inspired to perform.
Cited Sources:
- Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends (2022)
- Google’s Project Aristotle Study on Team Performance
- Republic Act No. 11165 – Telecommuting Act
- Globe Telecom Corporate Sustainability Reports
- Harvard Business Review – Culture as a Strategy (2022)
- PwC Philippines Workforce of the Future Survey (2021)
- JobStreet Happiness Index – Philippines (2023)
