From ‘death by overwork’ to ‘humane’: New generation reshaping the workplace — experts

For decades, the archetype of a great job in the Philippines was stable employment in a well-known brand, predictable hours and a visible boss in a physical office, says Great Place To Work Philippines, which sets the benchmark for high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures in the country.

In the past, loyalty at work was measured through longevity, said Jayzel Ravelo, managing director of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

“Commitment means personal sacrifice. Working through exhaustion, pushing yourself to the limit and showing up even if you are not feeling well,” Ravelo added.

But while past generations have passed down the tradition of hard work, today’s generation is teaching the older ones the value of life-work balance. Hence, today’s “best workplaces” are operating on a very different template: flexible, trust-based and increasingly borderless, says Great Place To Work Philippines.

“Obviously, what has changed nowadays is people are expected not to sacrifice their well-being for loyalty. They remain committed to excel and to contribute, but they want it to be sustainable and humane,” Ravelo explained in her opening keynote speech at the recent Best Workplaces in Philippines 2026 awarding ceremonies in Conrad Hotel Manila. The recognition was based on insights from over 241,000 employees representing more than 450,000 workers nationwide, making it one of the most comprehensive workplace culture studies in the Philippines, powered by the globally recognized Trust Index Survey.

“Dying for our own health or families can feel almost selfish or disloyal. Yet this is exactly the paradox and HR (human resources) in the public sector will have to deal with every day, and the truth is we continue to wrestle with this paradox today, and we don’t have everything figured out. We still ask a lot from our employees. We remind them that we are public servants, and that means we need to work harder — to keep improving, to excel and to give our best in what we do. We still challenge them to stretch, to aim higher, to take responsibility for the quality of their work and the impact of their decisions.”

Work-life balance is easier said than done, but at BSP, it means committing to excellence “without becoming toxic;” “without forgetting that behind every role is a real person with a life outside of the BSP.”

A “great place to work,” hence, is “where we can push for excellence and at the same time, make sure that our people are supported, respected and cared for as they meet those demands,” said Ravelo.

“It means making sure that when we say, ‘Give your best,’ we are not leaving them to carry the burden alone. We ask our people to rise to the call of the public service and at the same time make it our responsibility to stand behind them, to equip them and to take care of them as they do this work. And so for this reason, the BSP is also heavily invested in people’s well-being to keep our people healthy, grounded and whole.”

Ravelo then shared the various programs that promote employee well-being at BSP.

“First, we have created spaces and opportunities for our people to engage in activities beyond their day -to-day roles. We support and subsidize different employee organizations in sports, hobbies and other shared passions. We do this mainly to help our employees engage in activities that help them stay active, connected and renewed,” she explained.

“We have clubs for the arts, basketball, pickleball, triathlon, eSports, among many others, and these communities give our people a place to stretch themselves, build relationships and practice teamwork and discipline in different arenas. In sports, you learn to push hard but also to play fair, to respect the rules and to respect your opponents in the same way we want our people to strive for high performance while remaining fair, ethical and respectful.”

The key, she noted, is “Excellence with integrity, not excellence at any cost.”

“So in the one hand, these activities are extracurricular, but these employer organizations are part of building the discipline, balance and resilience that good work requires. And then second, we have allowed the reimbursement of certain expenses incurred for physical and wellness. This is a clear signal that caring for one’s health is not just a personal responsibility in the BSP… By helping employees invest in their own fitness and well-being, we are also investing in sustained, ethical and excellent performance.”

While, as employers, it is all right to keep asking one’s people to work hard, to keep growing and to excel, it should be never in a way to forget their limits or that they are human, Ravelo opined.

“Just as in other serious pursuits, human pursuits, whether in sports, the arts, or any demanding craft, we want our people to aim high and give their best, but still play fair, honor what is right and respect themselves and those around them — their families, friends, their communities.”

More than just a venue for generating income, a workplace is where employees can achieve “a deep sense of purpose” for themselves and their nation.

“It is a place where accountability is real but so is compassion; where we demand results but never at the expense of integrity or our humanity.”