Top 6 Cultural Traits and Values That Make Filipinos Ideal Remote Workers

The Philippines is one of the world’s top outsourcing hubs for good reasons. High English proficiency, solid communication skills, strong government support for the industry, and globally competitive technologies and infrastructures are some of the factors that attract businesses to hire Filipino talents.  

But what sets the Philippines apart are its people and culture.

Penbrothers CEO and Co-Founder Nicolas Bivero has been working with Filipinos since he moved to the Philippines 12 years ago. For him, the Filipinos’ innate ability to adapt to new environments and their eagerness to grow are their greatest strengths in the workplace.

Planning to hire remote workers in the Philippines? Keep reading to know more about the common Filipino cultural traits and values that can add value to your team.

 1. Hardworking

Filipino talents are sure to go above and beyond to fulfill their responsibilities. Deeply rooted in the culture of having strong family ties, Filipinos work hard to support their loved ones financially, so they can have a more comfortable life.

Nicolas has witnessed how passionate Filipinos are about their work. His negative perception of Filipinos quickly changed when he started working with them. 

“I was in awe with their hardworking nature,” he says. Sometimes, his Filipino colleagues would give up their weekends and holidays to complete critical and urgent projects.

2. Highly Adaptable

The Philippines has an immense affinity to Western culture, being under the Spanish and American rule for four centuries. This makes the Filipino workforce culturally compatible with many countries on the other side of the world.

Moreover, Filipinos communicate well in English, the global language of business. This cultural trait makes it easy for them to adapt well to other cultures and collaborate effectively.

Another notable Filipino work behavior is the eagerness to learn, Nicolas shares. They adapt easily even in difficult situations because they are not afraid to ask questions and embrace changes at work.

Related article: Offshoring to the Philippines: A Viable Solution to Global Talent Challenges

3. Fun and Engaging

The Filipino hospitality is apparent when you work with a remote team in the Philippines. You can count on Filipino employees to maintain camaraderie, show enthusiasm and interest in their tasks, and be driven to help their company succeed. 

Nico continues to enjoy his work in the Philippines with his Filipino colleagues who are always full of energy.  Even with the normal daily grind, his peers find a way to inject fun and keep everyone engaged at work. 

4. Compassionate and Respectful 

Filipinos value interpersonal relationships at work. They tend to always help others rather than prioritize their own needs. They’re also very considerate and mindful of how their words and actions may affect others.

These traits foster fairness and teamwork in the workplace. When you have Filipino workers on your remote team, you can rely on them to bring out the best skills and talents that the whole team has to offer. 

Of all the Filipino cultural traits Nicolas has observed, he considers Pakikipagkapwa-Tao—the value of treating people with compassion, empathy, and respect—the strongest asset. 

Penbrothers, the company he co-founded with Guilherme Faria, has Kapwa-Tao (kinship) as one of its core values. This has established the company’s culture that promotes diversity, inclusion, and respect.

5. Resilient

Weathering a storm literally and figuratively is one of the Filipinos’ strongest suits. They see challenges as a learning opportunity, enabling them to do better next time. 

Nico has seen the resiliency of Filipinos while balancing excellence and urgency with patience. He has learned through them that foundational changes take time to show visible results, and that one should remain calm despite setbacks and just trust the process.

6. Resourceful and Innovative

Filipinos are quick on their feet to come up with solutions. They show resourcefulness through many hardships, rising above one adversity after the other. 

Filipinos bring long-term solutions, not just temporary fixes. They prevent a mistake or problem from happening again by addressing them thoroughly. Filipinos think outside the box—they’re not afraid to try new things that could bring positive outcomes. 

In the workplace, Filipinos recognize that not everything will turn out as planned. Instead of just dwelling on problems and putting the blame on others, they proactively find out the causes and come up with solutions accordingly. 

During the transition to remote work in the wake of the pandemic, Nicolas saw how his Filipino peers were quick on their feet, looking for the sustainable solutions to their current situation. He attributes their smooth transition to the resourcefulness of his Filipino team at Penbrothers.

Final Thoughts

More than the highly valued communication skills, diverse skill sets, and cultural compatibility, Filipinos’ unique cultural traits and values are truly what sets them apart. Through their hard work, resilience, and innate resourcefulness, more and more companies across the globe continue to discover the value of having Filipinos in their team. 

If you’re looking to outsource or scale your business with Filipino staff, we can help you get the top 3% talent in the Philippines. From HR services, finance, and accounting to creatives and IT support, get access to high-quality and cost-effective Filipino talent pool.