NOT JUST A PLACE TO WORK, BUT WHERE PEOPLE FIND THEIR CALLING

Having been in the technology industry for over 20 years and counting, I’ve been exposed to various company cultures and environments not only in the Philippines, but across Asia. Our industry is known to be fast-paced and is one of those that struggled with diversity. Forbes even published an article in 2015 about the lack of diversity in tech, where women and minority representation was seen as not just a pipeline issue but that of culture. This might have been what pushed many tech companies to shift and adopt a more inclusive workplace.

At the height of this transformation, one company which I am very proud to be a part of didn’t need to. HP always had diversity and inclusivity ingrained in its DNA, even in its early years as a tech company. I’ve experienced first-hand how HP cultivates talent—regardless of age, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation. As a Filipino homegrown talent, I had opportunities to gain regional exposure before leading as the managing director for the Philippines and Pakistan.

This experience led me to continuously advocate for a “great place to work” mindset by embracing diversity and inclusion, competency and adopting a “fire in the belly” approach. This means cultivating our people’s passion for work as the main driver toward success.

Culture of inclusion and putting people first

We have promoted a progressive company ever since Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded HP in 1939. They advocated the “HP way,” which exhibits a mindset of trusting and respecting individuals, achieving our common objectives through teamwork and encouraging flexibility and innovation.

This mindset has been guiding us as we strive to become the launching and landing pad for the best and brightest minds in the world. The culture of finding strength in one’s individuality and having that openness to welcome and form diverse teams is what inspired us to design a graduate program called HP Spark. In this effort, aspiring talents from six countries, including the Philippines, are given the opportunity and training to develop skills, become leading corporate citizens and work with the wider business in other markets. The program opens opportunities for interns and fresh grads to pursue success at HP. In fact, Enrique Lores, HP’s president and chief executive officer, himself began his career at the company as an intern.

Beyond honing talents and providing endless possibilities, as a leader, my other priority is to look out for each one’s well-being. With remote and hybrid work becoming the new normal, we make sure that our teams are given the resources to guard their well-being and productivity. I believe in creating an environment powered by technology that allows my people to work and grow personally and professionally, in a way that best suits their work styles and lifestyles. This ensures that they easily overcome disruption to thrive, be productive and feel empowered to bring their best to the table— no matter where they are.

These safety and well-being programs should never be just a good-to-have but a must-have. At HP, we’ve implemented the HP Spirit and Well Beyond program for physical and mental health support and balance, requiring visitors and employees who need to go on-site to practice enhanced safety protocols, and offering free training that involves risk assessment tools, office ergonomics, and health and safety comfort guides.

Business with a purpose

Recently, HP Philippines was recognized as a top employer by Great Place to Work, the global standard and the world’s largest study of workplace excellence. Each year, the research surveys over 100 million employees around the globe to help organizations become great places to work for all.

More than 100 HP employees participated in the survey and shared their feedback and experience working at the company. Over 95 percent of HP employees said they feel welcomed; feel treated as a full member regardless of their position (96 percent); and feel that they are being treated fairly regardless of their race (95 percent). Overall, and I echo them in expressing this, they are proud to tell others they work at HP (99 percent). This goes to show that I am not alone in believing that HP is not just a place where people work, but where they find their calling. It’s that feeling of fulfillment that by doing our job, we become a part of something greater—of creating technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere.

Contrary to the popular opinion of the tech industry being an advanced world distant from human connections, I personally believe that at its core is a human-centric purpose of serving and putting people first. I’ve learned this at HP. More than recognizing our people’s roles as integral in the overall operations of the company, we understand that they are first passionate individuals who want to bring life-changing impacts to the community. We are proud of the work they do every day, even as we continue to face global challenges. We keep our eyes focused on the ambition to create the company we want to work for and the world we want to live in.