In the Filipino workplace, pakikisama plays a significant role in shaping team interactions, especially in remote teams. The term refers to maintaining harmony, building strong relationships, and prioritizing group harmony over personal interest—values deeply ingrained in Filipino culture. For Filipino employees, pakikisama involves effective communication, avoiding conflict, and fostering a good relationship with colleagues to support collective success.
These cultural values impact decision-making, workplace dynamics, and productivity across various industries. Understanding the concept, its root word, and how it connects to Filipino work culture helps managers lead with empathy and create better collaboration, especially in international teams.
What Does “Pakikisama” Mean in Filipino Culture?
The word pakikisama comes from the root word sama, which means “to go together” or “to join.” In Filipino culture, this idea goes beyond just working side by side. It reflects a deeply ingrained cultural value that emphasizes social connection, group effort, and shared responsibility.
More than politeness, pakikisama means actively adjusting to group norms to preserve unity. It’s a conscious choice to prioritize shared goals over individual preferences. This sense of smooth interpersonal relationships is essential in the Filipino workplace, where collective success often matters more than individual achievements.
How Pakikisama Shapes Behavior in Remote Work
In remote teams, pakikisama often shows up in the way Filipino employees interact. There’s a strong tendency to avoid conflict or open disagreement, especially during team discussions. Speaking up too directly might be seen as disruptive to group harmony, so concerns may not always be shared immediately.
Team members may also downplay their own contributions to highlight group achievements. This reflects a workplace culture where collective success is valued more than individual praise. Communication styles focus on maintaining a good relationship, which can make feedback indirect but still rooted in respect and collaboration.
The Hidden Risks of Misunderstanding Pakikisama
While pakikisama promotes harmony, not fully understanding it can lead to communication gaps or misinterpretations—especially in cross-cultural teams.
Silence doesn’t always mean agreement
In many Filipino teams, staying quiet in a meeting doesn’t always mean someone agrees. It may be a way to maintain harmony or avoid conflict. Managers who don’t understand this cultural nuance might assume alignment when there are actually concerns that need to be addressed. This can lead to gaps in communication, decision-making, and follow-through.
Feedback may be softened or withheld to avoid tension
Because preserving harmony is key, feedback may be carefully worded or withheld altogether. Leaders unfamiliar with this tendency risk missing red flags unless they proactively create safe, structured avenues for input.
Mistaking harmony for passivity can lead to missed red flags
Pakikisama can sometimes be misunderstood as passivity. In reality, Filipino team members may prioritize smooth interpersonal relationships and respectful collaboration. Ignoring this difference may cause managers to overlook early signs of concerns, low morale, or unclear expectations—affecting productivity and team success.
How Founders Can Align with Pakikisama—Without Losing Clarity
Understanding pakikisama helps leaders build stronger Filipino teams, but it’s important to keep communication clear. Founders can respect Filipino values while still making sure expectations, concerns, and feedback are shared effectively.
Create feedback systems that preserve face and harmony
Filipino employees often value harmony over confrontation so that direct criticism can feel uncomfortable or even disrespectful. To align with this, founders can create feedback systems that feel supportive instead of harsh. Using anonymous surveys, guided reflection forms, or written feedback with clear examples can help team members share concerns or receive input without damaging relationships or creating tension.
Use group praise and gentle correction techniques
Praising the team builds camaraderie and aligns with the value of collective success. When addressing problems, it helps to focus on solutions rather than blame. Gentle correction methods—such as highlighting a challenge as a shared learning point—protect group harmony while improving outcomes. This supports strong relationships and keeps communication styles respectful and productive.
Encourage open discussion through safe, structured check-ins
Regular check-ins help build trust and allow Filipino team members to speak up. Instead of open-ended requests like “any concerns?”, try structured formats with clear prompts and optional anonymous input. Use structured weekly check-ins with prompts like: “What’s one thing we can improve this week as a team?” or “Is there anything we missed that you’d like to revisit privately?”
This balances respect with transparency. It also encourages open communication and allows employees to raise concerns, especially in a culture that values maintaining harmony and avoiding direct conflict.
Real-World Example: How “Pakikisama” Affected Team Dynamics
A U.S. startup founder managing a remote Filipino team noticed team members often stayed silent during strategy calls. He assumed they were confused, but in reality, they disagreed with the approach and didn’t want to disrupt group harmony. This created misalignment and delayed key decisions.
Communication and engagement noticeably improved after the team introduced anonymous feedback templates and group-based recognition. Filipino employees began sharing suggestions more openly. Their sense of pakikisama remained strong, but now it supported collaboration rather than silence. The team became more engaged, and productivity improved.
Tips for Leading Filipino Teams with Cultural Sensitivity
Respecting Filipino work culture starts with understanding what motivates team behavior. Leaders who recognize the importance of pakikisama and adapt their approach will build stronger, more loyal teams.
Start with relational connection before diving into critique
In Filipino culture, building a good relationship before discussing concerns builds trust. Starting conversations with check-in or a bit of personal warmth helps team members feel seen and respected. This relational approach makes feedback easier to accept and supports long-term collaboration.
Use positive-first feedback structures (e.g., “praise–adjust–praise”)
The “praise–adjust–praise” method is especially effective with Filipino employees. Starting with something the team member did well helps ease into the adjustment. Ending with encouragement reinforces that the feedback is meant to support—not criticize. This method maintains group harmony while helping improve performance.
Invite feedback privately to ease discomfort
Filipinos may hesitate to speak up in group settings out of respect or fear of disrupting harmony. Offering one-on-one channels like private messages or scheduled check-ins gives team members space to express concerns honestly. This approach respects cultural values while still encouraging effective teamwork and open communication.
How Pakikisama Can Be a Superpower in Remote Teams
When understood well, pakikisama doesn’t just prevent problems—it helps remote teams thrive. It creates an environment where collaboration feels natural and where group success becomes a shared priority.
Promotes strong team loyalty and unity
Filipino employees value relationships built on mutual respect and a strong sense of belonging. Pakikisama supports workplace dynamics centered on collective effort, which can encourage stronger team connections and long-term commitment. This value helps reduce turnover and builds a more profound commitment to shared goals.
Reduces interpersonal tension in cross-cultural environments
Because pakikisama encourages maintaining harmony, Filipino team members often step in to smooth over tensions and avoid unnecessary conflict. This approach often works well in cross-cultural teams, helping reduce tension caused by communication differences that can lead to misunderstandings. Filipino values like respect and group harmony help balance interactions and foster more effective teamwork.
Builds a stable, long-term offshore culture
In remote setups, culture must be intentional. Filipino work culture, with its focus on smooth interpersonal relationships and group support, brings stability to distributed teams. Over time, pakikisama can help create a sense of community across remote teams, which supports stronger collaboration over time.
Lead with Empathy, Manage with Context
Understanding pakikisama’s meaning in workplace settings is essential when building offshore teams in the Philippines. It’s not about avoiding hard conversations—it’s about making those conversations happen with empathy and cultural awareness. Filipino culture places a high value on trust, respect, and group connection.
When leaders align with these values, they often see improved communication, stronger relationships, and better team engagement. Managing Filipino teams effectively means recognizing that smooth collaboration comes from honoring cultural nuances and the team’s shared goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pakikisama mean in the workplace?
It means valuing group harmony, avoiding conflict, and working together as a team in Filipino work culture.
How does pakikisama affect communication styles?
It leads to more indirect communication focused on maintaining good relationships and avoiding tension.
Is pakikisama only found in the Philippines?
Pakikisama is a Filipino concept, but its values of harmony and collaboration can benefit teams in various industries worldwide.
Why is pakikisama important for remote Filipino teams?
It fosters teamwork, loyalty, and smooth workplace dynamics, especially in cross-cultural remote setups.
How can managers support pakikisama while giving feedback?
They can use positive-first feedback methods, gentle corrections, and private check-ins to align with Filipino values.
References
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- Church, A. T. (1986). Filipino personality : a review of research and writings. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13383160
- Enriquez, V. G. (2013). From colonial to liberation psychology: The Philippine experience. https://philpapers.org/rec/ENRFCT
- Jocano, F. L. (1999). Working with Filipinos a cross-cultural encounter. https://tuklas.up.edu.ph/Record/UP-99796217604684887?sid=123813517
- Pe-Pua, R., & Protacio-Marcelino, E. (2000). Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology): A legacy of Virgilio G. Enriquez. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 3(1), 49–71. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-839X.00054
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- Villero, O., Macaerag, I., & Burke, N. J. (2014). Pakikisama: lessons learned in partnership building with Filipinas with breast cancer for culturally meaningful support. Global health promotion, 21(1), 68–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975913514463
