The Philippine Work Culture: How to Deal
Working in the Philippines can be one of the wackiest things you’d ever experience in your life!
If you are new to the country, in the midst of adjusting your lifestyle and struggling with the sunny weather, you may also have difficulty in working in the Philippines. Here is a very simple guide on how to deal with the working culture here in Philippines – from the most serious to the craziest things!
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Build bridges.
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Sharing about your favorite things can be a good start for a conversation. (Photo by: Tiana via Pinterest)
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Filipinos are known to be hospitable, cheerful and friendly people. These characteristics help the people they meet feel comfortable and confident enough to gain friends. At work, having a good relationship with them creates a more vibrant working environment and a great chance of increasing productivity. How do you build a relationship with your colleagues? A simple chit-chat during coffee break will do.
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Celebrate your birthday at work.
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Pancit for Long Life! Photo by: Matthew Mendoza via Flickr
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The Philippines is a very colorful country – and so is the icing on a birthday cake. Yes, the joyous Filipinos are known to work hard…and party even harder! Work has never been an excuse not to celebrate special occasions in this country. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: people here find various reasons to celebrate life! So, how do you celebrate your birthday at work? At exactly 3:00 PM, gather your teammates and offer some merienda: a few snacks or, if you’re feeling generous, a bilao of Pancit Bihon (noodles)! They say, eating pancit on your birthday signifies a long life so, why not give it a try?
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Join the conversations before meetings are held – no matter how silly.
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We still mean business. (Created by: Camille N.)
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Working in the Philippines will expose you to different kinds of funny stories from your colleagues. If you are used to very serious meetings, you’re in for a shock: in the Philippines, intriguing and interesting stories and experiences are (unofficially) part of the agenda, from the first dance performance of their child in a school fair to dealing with annoying people while commuting. So how do you deal with the silly conversations? If time was spent too much discussing on these things, don’t hesitate to remind everyone regarding real business. More importantly, though, don’t hesitate to share yours.
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Punctuality and Overtime
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Time is Gold! (Photo by: Rasmus Andersson via Flickr)
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As much as possible, most Filipino employees don’t like to render overtime since they are very keen on spending their time on other things: their families, their friends…or even the gym. Going overtime means sacrificing time for other things that they already have planned in advance. However, Filipinos are also used to using their time quite freely. Sometimes, a meeting is delayed for about 5 to 15 minutes as most Filipinos usually see the time set for these appointments quite flexible. How to deal with this? You can try to meet them halfway and give them free reign when it comes to scheduling as long as they can deliver and execute the tasks you need them done. If it is against your work principles not to stick to a strict schedule, though, then try imposing a respect time policy in your office.
With these simple tips, dealing with your peers at work is sure to be easier. Don’t forget to do your work with a smile.
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Article by Camille Nunez
