PHL tech, government employees cite high work satisfaction

Filipino employees in the technology and public sectors have the highest levels of work satisfaction and happiness amid global uncertainties, according to the online job platform Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines.

“We see that the technology sector continues to lead the country with a massive 90% happiness rating, followed by the public sector at 82%, “Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines Managing Director Dannah Majarocon told  BusinessWorld  in a Zoom interview.

“Workers feel a clear connection to the macro-purpose, while enjoying superior career progression pathways, as well as geographical flexibility,” she added.

On the other hand, the industrial or manufacturing sector has the lowest happiness at 66%, followed closely by administrative, customer service, and sales at 70%.

“Workers here tend to face rigid routines with limited output over their day-to-day duties, causing a steep drop in overall fulfillment and happiness,” she said. “What really drives satisfaction is the attachment of their day-to-day activities to the overall purpose or mission of the organization.”

While purpose is one of the key drivers of employees’ happiness, salary remains a top consideration as living expenses rise due to economic conditions.

The report showed that 66% of the surveyed workers listed higher salaries among their top five adjustments that can further lead to happiness.

“Skyrocketing cost of living pressures do make financial stability top of mind,” she said.

“I may be happy as an employee in my current sector, but keeping in mind that my future costs or upcoming costs that are continuously rising will, in the long run, impact happiness for me,” she added.

Beyond monetary value, the company underscored that employees associate low salaries with a lack of corporate recognition, low fulfillment, and limited control over day-to-day role design and flexibility options.

“While the survey does say that overall 77% are satisfied and the Philippines is one of the highest rated, there is still more to do on the salary side,” she said.

Data from the platform’s Workplace Happiness Index: Philippines 2025 showed that the country ranked second-highest in workplace happiness in the Asia-Pacific region, with 77% of local employees reporting being “somewhat happy” or “extremely happy” at work.

With more employees satisfied with their roles in the technology and government sectors, Ms. Majarocon noted that more workers may shift and upskill to get into these industries.

“Naturally, when you have more peers who talk about how happy they are at work, regardless of whatever workplace survey, the natural recommendation will come in,” she said.

“The good news is the tech sector is continuously growing for the Philippines,” she added. “Therefore, the jobs available and the opportunities available for talent are also continuing to grow.”

According to the IT & Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry is expected to generate $42 billion in export revenues and increase headcount to 1.97 million in 2026. — Almira Louise S. Martinez