By Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Reporter

Companies seeking to build an engaged workforce must ensure that workplace values are reflected in employees' day-to-day experience through leadership, learning opportunities, and support systems, according to an executive at Thermo Fisher Scientific's Global Business Services (GBS) Manila site.

"Culture is only meaningful when people experience it every day," Restie Ramirez, GBS Shared Services Center Manila site lead and accounting operations director at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said in an e-mail interview with BusinessWorld.

Ramirez noted that many young Filipino professionals view continuous learning, a sense of belonging, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact as essential components of a fulfilling career.

Growing engagement challenges

Employers face mounting pressure to improve employee retention and engagement as they navigate workforce shifts and technological disruptions such as artificial intelligence (AI).

A 2026 Gallup report showed that the share of employees who consider themselves engaged dropped to 20% in 2025, down from 21% in 2024. The report also found that disengagement continues to impose economic costs through reduced productivity and weaker organizational performance.

According to Robert Walters' Talent Trends 2026 report, nearly nine in ten employers in the Philippines report declining workplace productivity driven by widespread employee disengagement. This decline is attributed to "quiet cracking" — a state in which workers fulfill their daily responsibilities while feeling internally demotivated or emotionally strained. More than 38% of Filipino professionals say they experience this condition very frequently.

The findings underscore why engagement has become a business concern rather than only a human resources issue, particularly for service-oriented organizations that depend on consistency, collaboration, and specialized knowledge across teams.

Investing in people

"That's why we continue to invest in our colleague's development through learning programs, coaching, leadership support, and experiences that help them build new capabilities," Ramirez said.

He emphasized that workplace culture should be demonstrated "through the way leaders listen, teams collaborate, and colleagues are empowered to grow and contribute," rather than through isolated or one-off initiatives. Leaders, he argued, should foster an environment where collaboration emerges organically rather than depending on employees' personal sacrifices.

"As leaders, our responsibility is to create an environment where these values can thrive sustainably," he said. "That means providing clear direction, investing in learning and development, listening to our colleagues, and equipping teams with the tools and support they need to do their best work."

Technology as a complement

As companies adopt digital tools, technology should complement rather than replace workplace relationships, Ramirez said. "Technology helps us work smarter, but trust, empathy, and collaboration are what enable us to create meaningful impact."

Organizations should concentrate on helping employees adapt through continuous skills development rather than viewing technology primarily as a labor substitute amid the growing adoption of AI and automation, he added.

"While AI can accelerate how we analyze information and improve efficiency, it cannot replace the qualities that make people indispensable: judgment, accountability, empathy, and critical thinking," Ramirez said.

He noted that Filipino workers have demonstrated "resilience, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace change," qualities that could help organizations navigate digital transformation when paired with investment in employee development.

The World Economic Forum has projected that while technological change will displace certain jobs, it is also expected to generate millions of new roles globally by 2030, with employers identifying skills development and reskilling as among their top workforce priorities.

Scaling culture with growth

Ramirez acknowledged that maintaining a positive employee experience becomes more difficult as organizations expand, making leadership development and career opportunities increasingly critical.

"As our GBS Manila site continues to grow as a strategic hub supporting global and the Asia-Pacific region, our priority is to ensure that growth is matched by an exceptional colleague experience," he said.

For shared-services operations supporting multiple markets, sustaining culture during expansion also requires consistency in how managers communicate expectations, develop talent, and provide support across teams.

The organizations that will succeed in attracting and retaining talent, Ramirez concluded, are those that invest in people "as intentionally as they invest in business growth," while creating workplaces where employees can continue learning, pursue meaningful opportunities, and see clear paths for career advancement.