2020 was a challenging year for most people and organizations in the Philippines. But from its ashes rose a unique breed of heroes, who stood bravely to face and overcome the most unfavorable circumstances and went beyond self to care for and provide the needs of others.
Great Place To Work® honored the heroism of Filipino workers and employers and recognized the Philippines Best Workplaces™ 2021 last March 3, 2021.
These companies have the highest levels of trust and most inclusive cultures in the country.
They not only survived 2020, but have seized the opportunity to become better—to courageously connect in new ways, to deepen their commitment to their communities, and to get creative in how they care for their people.
Watch the replay of Philippines Best Workplaces™ 2021 Live Reveal
Special Message from the Department of Labor and Employment
"There is no greater partner in honoring the heroism of Filipino Workers and Employers than Great Place To Work® Philippines. I am indeed very thankful to our workers who continued to trust in the government and its capacity to deal with the crisis. My admiration also pours out to the kind employers who did not only save jobs but also supported the government's response to COVID-19. Rest assured, DOLE will be there when you need us. Congratulations to all the honorees of the Philippine's Best Workplaces™ 2021. May your exemplary deeds serve as inspiration to others."
Sec. Silvestre H. Bello III
Departmet of Labor and Employment, Philippines.
Learn more about the Philippines Culture Leaders and the people at our top three Workplaces
Philippines Best Workplaces™ 2021
#1 DHL Express
DHL Philippines Implemented strong safety protocols and care for people who contracted COVID-19 to minimize the chances of exposure, alternate schedules have been implemented to ensure that their front-line staff is protected without interrupting the service they provide. Care kits consisting of primary needs such as alcohol, vitamins, and daily hygiene items were being provided as well to all confirmed COVID cases. The DHL Medical Team consistently calls and checks the status of all reported sick and on quarantine employees to check on their conditions and to provide medical advice.
Employees who live far from their place of work were given temporary accommodations whether inside the DHL facility or in a nearby hotel. Free shuttle service was also provided, and front liners were allowed to bring DHL vans home. When food establishments and markets were closed, employees who were reporting for work were also provided free meals.
“Receiving this recognition from an esteemed organization such as Great Place To Work® drives us to continuously improve as ‘Employer of Choice’ – enhancing our engagement with our Internal Superheroes, honing our agility to ensure their safety and wellbeing, and honoring their contributions to our network and our customers.”
Nurhayati Abdullah
Country Manager, DHL Express
#2 Synchrony Global Services
Demonstrating the true Bayanihan spirit, at the start of the lockdown, close to 1,000 Synchrony employees volunteered to be housed in nearby hotels to help operations.
Synchrony ensured that their skeletal workforce was housed in world-class hotels, ensuring their comfort. Protecting their employees was of paramount importance, they covered 100% of sick days for anyone with COVID-19, health insurance coverage for COVID-19 were provided their employees and dependents.
Synchrony has always believed that caring for their employees also means caring for their families. This year’s Family day was celebrated virtually with 9,115 viewers, featuring virtual fun and game activities, the performance of local guest artists and rewards & recognitions to show appreciation for the great work of our employees.
“It’s an honor to be recognized as one of the Best Workplaces™ in the Philippines. Caring for one another, especially amidst the challenges we faced in 2020, demonstrates the big heart that we have for our people and for our company. This is a tribute to Synchrony’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and employee development, and it reaffirms that when we work together, we can make our culture even stronger. “
Liwayway Langit
SVP & Business Leader, Synchrony Global Services Philippines
#3 Canva Philippines
Canva had three philosophies at the onset of the pandemic.
One, they won’t let anyone lose their jobs. Two, they will remain committed to the company goals and make them happen. And three, they will channel their resources to help each other and the community.
Guided by these, they provided their staff with generous benefits to work remotely, on-site food and beverage perk to daily food stipend to ensure employees can have food delivered safely, and facilitated transportation to relocate employees back to their family homes or nearby provinces. Not stopping there, Canva shared its software to support tens of thousands of teachers, students and non-profits as part of the Canva For Education and Canva for Nonprofits programs.
“This award goes to the people that make Canva such a wonderful place to work, despite the isolation and remoteness brought by the pandemic. Winning this award again reaffirms us that no matter how the world keeps changing, you’ll never go wrong by putting your people first.”
Alvanson So
Country HR Head, Canva Philippines
#MyCompanyMyHero
As we celebrated the heroism of Filipino workers and employers, we heard the stories that made organizations great amidst the global pandemic. These are the heart-warming tributes for colleagues and leaders that became their employees heroes in the past months.
Follow the hashtag #MyCompanyMyHero in social media to see more stories
“When the going gets tough, we draw inspiration from those around us to keep on going.”
Igniting Hope through the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation
Despite education being a basic human right, not every child has the privilege or access to enjoy this right. The Great Place To Work Certified™ community in the Philippines is committed to creating a better experience not only for their people but also for the society.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in schools shut all across the world. Our public education system was not built, nor prepared, to cope with a situation like this. In line with our event theme, “Heroism”, the Great Place To Work Certified™ community have collaborated to support our charity of choice, the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation (YBH). Their advocacy is to improve children’s access to education and make it easier for them to go and stay in school, especially during this time.
We are supporting YBH’s “Educational Hub” (E-hub) initiative by providing underprivileged communities with laptops, stable internet and printer kits, which will allow students, teachers and parents, who were mostly affected by COVID-19, to still advance their learning despite the limitations that the pandemic brought about. Great Place To Work® is delighted to have raised enough resources to contribute 3 e-hubs and 3 boats to this endeavor.
These e-hubs will continue to provide constant support to learners for years to come and sustain their educational goals on a long-term, from primary to college levels. The e-hubs will also keep the community connected, up to date on community affairs, may be used as a communication tool for emergencies and provide a wealth of resource for teachers and adults who are pursuing education.
We are honored to receive the support of Great Workplaces as we advance in our shared mission of building a better world by making education accessible For ALL™.
We wish to thank the following Great Place To Work Certified™ companies for joining us in this worthy cause
