Filipino Work Culture: Tales from the Front Lines

Introduction

In a different chapter of my life, one of my jobs was to get along with people from around the world. Technically speaking, I was even appointed by Congress to do this!

Understanding and getting along with different cultures in high-stakes situations is something I feel very comfortable with.

You can totally fuck things up by not understanding the nuances of personal and professional culture!

For example, did you know the way Indian people shake their heads, is COMPLETELY different than what you might expect?

I wish I would have had this video early in my career - it would have saved me a ton of stress.

Filipino Culture

Since people from the PH are a common source of high-quality/low-cost talent, I figured I would pull together my thoughts on their business “culture”.

Download this, and give it to anyone on your team who works with people from the Philippines!

It will be a lifesaver.

One note - I am INTENTIONALLY being very broad.

Not every single person will fit neatly into these descriptions.

If you cannot appreciate someone speaking in generalities without getting your panties in a bunch, then you should definitely unsubscribe because we wouldn’t be friends.

I’m going to talk about “assistants” here - some of these characteristics will be more or less common in other roles.

Communication

Expect them to call you ‘Ma’am’ or ‘Sir’.

Suppose they have never worked with a foreign employer. In that case, most Assistants will start by calling their foreign employer ‘ma’am’, ‘miss’, or ‘sir.’ This is normal and encouraged in the Philippines, a hierarchical society. Just let them know it’s ok to call you by your first name, and they will get used to it

They try to avoid confrontations as much as possible

Filipinos go the extra mile to maintain peace and harmony within their home and workplace. They prefer to avoid open criticisms and disagreements. Foreign employers might find arguments one-sided - conflict avoidance is a cultural norm.

Filipinos may use subtle cues or delay a task as opposed to expressing any form of disagreement.

While it is not very efficient, once you understand the context, you can work towards helping your Assistant communicate effectively.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Deliver criticism positively and privately

• Probe into situations, especially if you notice a change in productivity

• Be aware of nuances

• Ask questions

They will say yes - A LOT!

Foreign employers tend to make the mistake of hiring Assistants to do specific jobs like scheduling and then assigning them completely random tasks.

Filipinos are very agreeable and tend to say "yes" to almost everything. However, employers must provide precise instructions and more resources to avoid frustration.

Make sure to ask them if they have questions or if they fully understand your instructions.

Unless trained, a single assistant cannot handle everything from updating a website to managing your calendars. Start small and provide them with training for tasks you want them to be familiar with.

They will say yes and struggle if you aren’t careful.

Filipino communication is less direct and precise.

One of the characteristics of Filipino is that there is a tendency for sentences, phrases, or words to have several meanings.

For example, a ‘yes’ may also mean a ‘maybe’ and an ‘I’ll try my best’ can mean ‘I’m not sure. Filipino also tend to make use of a lot of non-verbal cues.

So what can you do?

Questions phrased to elicit exact answers are very helpful.

For example, instead of asking, "Why were you unable to finish this task today?" you can move things along faster if you frame your question as: "Which part of this task makes you feel stuck?"

Watch out for long pauses, lack of enthusiasm, tone, body language, and delay in responses to confirm if your Assistant has yet to fully understand a specific task.

Filipinos are very expressive

They use many emojis, abbreviations, and exclamation marks, especially in chats. If you don't like this - be sure to tell them!

Filipinisms

Filipinisms is a 'coined terminology' for loosely translated English phrases that most Filipinos use.

They may use phrases like:

• “for awhile” means “hold on for a minute.”

• Fill up instead of filling out forms

• Using plurals: informations, stuffs, datas

• “It’s for free” instead of “it’s free.”

• “comfort room break” instead of “bathroom break”

If your Assistant will be interacting with customers, provide templates for them early in the process to avoid confusion.

If you want them to use American idioms and language constructions, you need to teach them (Or use AI… as I do)!

Work Culture

Filipinos prioritize job security/stability.

Filipinos generally seek positions in larger organizations that offer stability and long-term benefits. In addition, the longer a business has been operating and the more visible its' branding, the more attractive it will be to Filipino employees.

Filipinos are motivated by both monetary and non-monetary benefits and reward systems.

Companies that can provide non-monetary benefits such as vacation leave, medical care, housing allowances, or bonuses are frequently favored over companies that offer higher wages but none of the above.

They prefer structure and processes.

Many Filipinos succeed more in a highly structured, process-driven, controlled environment.

This is because many Filipinos thrive in a structured and organized environment where they know what is expected of them.

They are skilled at following processes and protocols and excel when they have clear guidelines and objectives to work towards.

However, this can sometimes be a challenge in a startup or entrepreneurial setting where the work is often more fluid and flexible.

It can be difficult for them to adapt to the uncertainty and ambiguity that is often inherent in these types of environments. You need to provide clear direction and guidance (and things like Notion templates & checklists!)

Filipinos are intelligent and dynamic.

Consider your Assistant’s personality and work style as much as their skill when hiring them. You will be dealing with this person daily, so it would be better if your work styles complement each other.

Keep in mind the difference in working hours and be flexible

The Philippines is 12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, so most Assistants work late at night to be available for US-based clients.

Therefore, setting expectations early on regarding work hours and schedule flexibility is best.

Don’t force them to stay up until 5 AM unless their role requires it.

Family

Holidays are important to them!

Filipinos celebrate a lot more holidays than Americans.

The biggest holidays in the Philippines are Christmas, New Year's Day, Holy Week (including Good Friday and Easter Sunday), All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. Other important holidays include Independence Day (June 12), Labor Day (May 1), and the Feast of the Black Nazarene (January 9).

These holidays are celebrated nationwide and often involve religious ceremonies, family gatherings, and cultural events.

Decide early in the process if your Assistant gets local holidays or takes time off during US holidays.

They're family-oriented

Filipinos have solid ties to their extended family members and live close to each other. Grown kids commonly stay with their parents in multigenerational households.

While this does not directly affect a potential employer, it is essential to note that Filipinos appreciate flexibility in situations that may need their immediate attention.

Filipinos also consider their colleagues a second family and form strong bonds. So if you have other members within your team, feel free to introduce them.

I hope you put these tips to great use. Drop me a DM on Twitter if you have any questions.

Happy Outsourcing!

Jon

P.S. - I’ve been working 1 on 1 with business owners on using offshore talent & systems - it’s been fun. Let’s talk about it.