Week 1 Letter: Listening First – What Our People Told Us

Do you truly LISTEN?

This is 1 of our 12 week Founder's Letter series focused on understanding what a Human Centered Workplace mean for the Filipino Workers.

We started with the simplest (but hardest) thing: listening. We asked people to describe what a Human Centered Workplace is for them. We asked people what made them feel alive at work.

Here’s what we heard...

"A space where u could express yourself authentically, with respect and you are respected in return"

"Where employees feel and see that they have a future career in the company"

"Yung may malasakit, may concern for the individual"

"When employees are being heard, there's empathy"

On the other hand, we also asked what what made them feel small or less valued.

“When I would hesitate to talk because I don't feel safe speaking up.”

“I feel not trusted to do my job well.”

“Sometimes I feel like just a number.”

What surprised us was how much people who can influence shaping the kind of workplace that prioritizes people already knew what needed to change. All they needed was to listen—and act.

Some examples we've seen along the way:

• Companies that launched "listening surveys"—but after employees bravely shared their feedback, nothing actually changed. No updates. No follow-through. Trust quietly eroded.

• Teams that set up town halls or open forums—but leaders dominated the conversation, missing the chance to really listen to what was unsaid.

• Organizations that talked about employee well-being, but still rewarded only long hours and "grind culture," making people feel guilty for taking care of themselves.

Good intentions without concrete action can occasionally be more damaging than silence. People can tell when they are listened to but not genuinely valued, and they recognize when promises seem insincere.

Listening is not a one-time event. It’s a commitment—to keep hearing, to stay humble, and most of all, to act.

And that's where real change starts: Not in the grand plans or big announcements, but in the small, consistent ways we show that people matter—every day.

Here are a few tips...

• After surveys or forums, summarize what was heard, thank people for their input, and clearly communicate what actions will be taken—or explain why certain changes aren't possible yet.

• Many managers want to listen but don't know how. Simple training on active listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence can make a big difference.

• Create small employee committees that regularly meet with leadership to represent different voices across the company, not just department heads.

• Instead of asking employees why they left, ask them why they stay—or what might make them consider leaving. And listen carefully.

• Make "listening and responding to employee needs" part of leadership evaluation, not just business results. Reward it.

• Sometimes listening is about watching: noticing body language in meetings, seeing who speaks up and who stays silent, spotting patterns in engagement and energy.

• After meetings, project completions, or changes, ask short, simple questions like, "What worked for you? What didn’t?" and adapt quickly.

• When employee suggestions shape a policy or new initiative, call it out: "This change happened because you spoke up."

This Week’s Takeaway

Listening isn’t a one-time event—it’s a culture. And it’s one of the most powerful tools in designing a human-centered workplace.

Your Turn!

Have you made space to truly listen this week—to your team, your co-worker, yourself?

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Feel free to share!

'Til my next letter,

Marby