Glassdoor’s 2026 Worklife Trends report has sparked global conversations about workplace trust, layoffs, hybrid work preferences, AI’s impact, and changing worker attitudes. While this U.S.-centric dataset influences HR practices and expectations worldwide, it is crucial to ask: how well do these trends reflect the real experiences of Filipino and Southeast Asian workers? This analysis compares Glassdoor’s key findings with local research, regional surveys, and academic insights to highlight what Philippine employers should prepare for.
Glassdoor 2026 Worklife Trends: A Philippine & Southeast Asia Reality Check
Leadership–Employee Disconnect: Verified in the Philippines
Glassdoor identified a rise in mentions of “misalignment,” “distrust,” and “miscommunication” between leadership and employees in its 2026 Worklife Trends report, based on analysis of user reviews and workplace commentary globally, as summarized by Forbes’ coverage of the report. This trend resonates with Philippine data where trust strongly drives employee loyalty, yet communication gaps often exist in practice.
Great Place to Work Philippines emphasizes that respect, credibility, and fairness from leaders are core to building trust, which is crucial for retention and engagement. Additionally, Ateneo de Manila University research on employee readiness for change shows that leadership style and organizational culture can misalign with employee expectations, underscoring a real disconnect in many Filipino workplaces.
For companies—particularly those with complex or multi-company structures— inconsistent messaging can significantly erode trust and loyalty. This makes transparent, respectful, and aligned communication essential.
“Forever Layoffs”: High Job Churn, But Different in PH
Glassdoor describes a pattern of frequent small layoffs rather than large mass layoffs as part of its 2026 trends narrative. In the Philippines, available data shows the country leads Southeast Asia in both hiring and layoffs, indicating high job churn rather than a simple story of growth.
JobStreet report summarized by BackendNews notes that the Philippines recorded the highest hiring and layoffs in the region, reflecting a dynamic but volatile labor market for 2024.
This aligns with InsiderPH’s coverage of JobStreet’s findings, which highlights strong hiring intentions alongside significant workforce reductions.
However, the specific claim that layoffs are mostly small events involving fewer than 50 workers is not clearly documented in Philippine official data. Given that most Filipino businesses are small or medium-sized, even a single separation may feel like a major layoff event internally — and cultural recovery can be slower and more sensitive in such organizations.
RTO vs. Hybrid: Filipino Workers Prefer Flexibility
Glassdoor reports that hybrid and remote workers globally may face slower career advancement scores compared to their on-site counterparts. In the Philippines, local data confirms that workers strongly value flexibility, even if promotion impact metrics are not yet fully measured.
A study highlighted by Kadence shows that around 52% of Filipino workers operate in a hybrid setup and 27% work fully remote, with nearly 90% reporting improved well-being as a result.
However, there is no Philippine-specific dataset demonstrating a clear promotion disadvantage for remote workers, so any career penalty remains speculative at this stage. Smaller firms still rely heavily on physical presence for visibility, decision-making, and exposure to leadership.
AI and Employee Satisfaction: Minimal Impact So Far
Globally, Glassdoor finds that AI currently has only a negligible effect on overall employee satisfaction, with very small rating differences between AI-impacted and non-AI roles.
In the Philippines, companies are still more focused on hybrid work arrangements, digital collaboration tools, and workflow modernization than on aggressive AI deployment.
A discussion on remote work and digital transformation by KDCI underscores that most shifts center on remote enablement and digital infrastructure rather than advanced AI replacement of roles.
Thus far, there is no strong evidence that AI is a major source of dissatisfaction in the local context — though this may change as adoption accelerates. Employers still have an opportunity to design a proactive AI transition strategy anchored in upskilling and transparent communication.
Job Seekers Willing to Accept Imperfect Offers
Glassdoor’s 2026 report notes a global drop in job-offer refusals, suggesting that more candidates are accepting offers even when not ideal. While there is no direct Philippine dataset on offer refusal rates, multiple indicators suggest that local job seekers may be more willing to “settle” due to economic pressure and market volatility.
The JobStreet Southeast Asia labor report highlights strong hiring alongside sizable layoffs, reflecting a competitive yet unstable environment where job security is paramount.
Academic discussions in journals such as the Economic and Labour Relations Review document how many workers shift to gig and platform work when traditional roles do not meet their expectations.
These patterns imply that Filipino workers may accept less-than-ideal offers to secure income — raising early turnover risk if expectations are not managed through realistic job previews, clear progression pathways, and strong onboarding.
Early-Career Wage Growth: No Clear Philippine Data Yet
Glassdoor projects that workers with 0–4 years of experience may see real wage recovery by 2026. In the Philippines, there is limited public data directly mirroring this trend, though hiring surges across Southeast Asia suggest strong demand for young talent.
JobStreet’s labor market reporting indicates active recruitment across levels, which can open opportunities for early-career professionals even if wage growth statistics lag behind.
For employers, positioning their organization as a “launchpad” for young professionals — through structured development programs, mentorship, and clear progression pathways — offers a strong competitive advantage while formal data matures.
What Philippine HR Leaders Should Do Next
Glassdoor’s 2026 Worklife Trends provide valuable signals, but Philippine HR leaders must interpret them through local evidence and cultural context. Trust and leadership alignment remain critical; high job churn demands sensitive cultural management; hybrid work is widely embraced but unmeasured bias risks exist; AI’s impact is still emerging; economic realities push workers to accept imperfect roles; and early-career development is more opportunity than confirmed trend.
By grounding decisions in data from Great Place to Work Philippines, Ateneo research archives, JobStreet, and other industry studies, organizations can move beyond imported narratives and craft people strategies that truly match the Philippine workplace experience.
ASK Framework Roadmap: Interpreting Glassdoor’s 2026 Trends for PH & SEA Workplaces
A — ALIGN
- Align leadership communication norms with employee expectations to address the widening trust and misalignment gap identified both by Glassdoor and local PH research (GPTW PH).
- Align workforce planning with PH’s high-churn labor market — design responsive hiring, redeployment, and transition systems (JobStreet SEA Report).
- Align hybrid and flexibility policies with cultural realities: Filipino workers overwhelmingly value flexibility, but organizations must set clear expectations and visibility norms (Kadence Hybrid Work Study).
S — STRENGTHEN
- Strengthen leadership capability in communication, transparency, and psychological safety — the top differentiators tied to trust and retention.
- Strengthen data literacy: use pulse surveys, trust indices, and early churn signals to detect culture risks.
- Strengthen organizational readiness for AI by establishing ethical guidelines, upskilling pathways, and role-impact assessments (KDCI Digital Adoption Insights).
K — KICKSTART
- Kickstart a communication reset: conduct quarterly leader–employee alignment checkpoints to close the trust gap.
- Kickstart hybrid fairness initiatives — e.g., meeting equity, output-based evaluations, and equal access to promotion opportunities.
- Kickstart a “Future Skills Roadmap” for early-career talent, aligned with projected wage recovery and SEA hiring trends (InsiderPH Report).
- Kickstart AI awareness and pilot programs with employees as co-designers — ensuring satisfaction stays stable as adoption grows.
Conclusion
Glassdoor’s 2026 Worklife Trends offer valuable signals — but Philippine organizations must translate them through the lens of culture, trust, hybrid realities, and economic pressures unique to our region.
By applying the ASK Framework (Align • Strengthen • Kickstart), leaders can close trust gaps, stabilize culture during high churn, and prepare their workforce for hybrid and AI-shaped futures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the leadership–employee disconnect look like in PH workplaces?
In many Philippine organizations, employees value respect, fairness, and clear communication, but experience mixed signals, delayed updates, or top-down decisions. This gap between what leaders say and what employees feel creates mistrust and lower engagement.
What is layoff–churn and how does it affect PH and SEA talent?
Layoff–churn refers to markets where hiring and layoffs are both high. In the Philippines, this means workers frequently move in and out of roles, so culture stability, onboarding quality, and fair separation practices become critical for trust and employer brand.
How are hybrid work shifts shaping the Philippine workplace?
Local surveys show Filipinos strongly prefer hybrid and flexible work. Many report better well-being and productivity, but organizations are still formalizing policies, visibility norms, and promotion criteria for hybrid and remote workers.
Is AI already affecting employee satisfaction in PH and SEA?
Not significantly yet. Most companies are still focused on digital workflows and collaboration tools. AI adoption is in early stages, so satisfaction is shaped more by workload, leadership, and flexibility than by AI replacement of jobs.
Why are Filipino workers willing to accept imperfect job offers?
Because of economic pressure, family obligations, and a volatile job market, many jobseekers prioritize income security over perfect fit. They may accept roles with misaligned pay or scope, which can later fuel early turnover if expectations are not managed well.
Will early-career workers in the Philippines really see wage growth by 2026?
Glassdoor projects wage recovery for workers with 0–4 years experience, but PH-specific wage data is still limited. However, strong hiring across Southeast Asia suggests good opportunity for early-career talent, especially where firms invest in skills, mentoring, and clear career paths.
ASK Takeaway — Applying the ASK Framework to Glassdoor’s 2026 Trends:
- Align communication norms, hybrid expectations, and workforce planning with PH realities.
- Strengthen leadership trust, transparency systems, and readiness for AI-driven shifts.
- Kickstart fairness initiatives, future-skills pathways, and culture resets that restore employee confidence.
Explore more leadership insights at our cornerstone page:
ASK Framework: Align • Strengthen • Kickstart
