As organizations across the Philippines continue to consider, adopt, and refine hybrid work models, new research from Qualtrics (Nasdaq: XM) reveals having flexibility in working hours is the most important new arrangement to workers in the country (selected by 74%) – far ahead of having an option to relocate to the city (30%) or near the office (18%), reduced schedules (20%), and the amount of days required to be in the office (8%).
At a time when local employers are navigating a significant shift in the traditional ways of working, findings from the Qualtrics 2022 Employee Experience Trends are an important reminder of the need to align the employee experience with people’s expectations in order to enable teams, and attract and retain talent in competitive job markets.
There is a strong preference for working remotely in the Philippines, with respondents saying they would be most satisfied working five days remote and zero in the office (58%) – this is closely followed by four days remote / one day in the office (55%) and three days remote / two days in the office (52%). In contrast, less than 40% of respondents would be satisfied if asked to work more than four days in the office.
One of the most pressing challenges for employers in the shift to hybrid is prioritizing long-term employee wellbeing and setting clear guidelines for ways of working. Despite the Philippines reporting some of the highest levels of wellbeing globally (81%), findings from across Southeast Asia suggest the current levels of wellbeing are not sustainable. As a result, it is important for local employers to continue adapting and refining their programs and offerings to meet employee needs in hybrid environments.
Enabling teams with improved technologies to fulfill their roles in hybrid environments should also be a strategic focus in 2022. Only 35% of respondents said the technology provided meets their expectations. Investing in improving technology in the hybrid workplace will pay off in many ways. Beyond helping drive productivity, the Qualtrics research shows employees’ who are satisfied with the technology available are almost five times more likely to be engaged at work.
Unlike most countries, employee intent to stay with their current employer for the next 12 months has remained flat in the Philippines compared to a year previously (2021: 70%, 2022: 71%). For employers wanting to increase retention in the current job market, ensuring that employees felt like their career goals could be met was identified as the top driver of intent to stay. Prioritizing wellbeing, creating a culture of belonging, and enabling a customer-centric focus were also important. This means learning and development programs, wellbeing initiatives, and enablement must be key pillars in the new hybrid models being adopted.
The Qualtrics research reinforces the importance of regularly listening, understanding, and acting on employee feedback to ensure employee needs are being met as part of the transformation underway. By better and more frequently understanding the complete employee experience delivered – from the technology used through to the drivers of retention – organizations can quickly and confidently design new and improved offerings aligned to changing employee expectations.
“To successfully navigate the shift to hybrid, and effectively compete in the race for talent, businesses across the Philippines must continue to adopt new mindsets, and define and iterate their ways of working. As seen in the Qualtrics research, addressing the challenges faced are not as simple as setting new work schedules or boosting engagement. People have varied needs in today’s working environments, meaning the ability to quickly and easily identify and respond to the issues having the biggest impact with tools like Qualtrics is a significant advantage,” said Lauren Huntington, Employee Experience Solutions Strategist for Qualtrics in Southeast Asia.
