‘Great Resignation’ isn’t over in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Almost two-thirds of Filipino employees are considering to change jobs this year, pushing businesses into heightened competition for talents.

According to the 2025 Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study by global risk management and insurance brokerage firm Aon, 64 percent of survey respondents from the Philippines said they were either in the process of moving to another employer, or might seek new employment in the next 12 months.

The survey was conducted in August 2024 and covered 263 respondents from the country.

READ: ‘Great Resignation’ continues as quarter of workers look to change jobs – PwC

With tight competition for talent, Aon said this highlighted the need for a strong focus on total rewards to support employee retention strategies.

Aon Growth Lead for Talent Solutions Josef Ayson also said that competition for skilled talent was increasing across the country.

“This affects not just Manila, where the right talent is more readily available, but also in cities like Cebu, Davao and other islands within the archipelago,” Ayson said in a statement on Thursday.

“In such an environment, managing and retaining employees is important for firms to remain competitive,” he said.

He added that compensation strategies based on the latest data and analytics from their own organizations as well as the market, could help companies make more informed decisions on attracting and retaining employees in today’s evolving workforce landscape.

According to the study, the top five valued benefits of employees in the Philippines are medical coverage, paid time off, work-life balance programs, career development and retirement savings.

Cris Rosenthal, strategic advisory lead for Health Solutions for the Philippines at Aon, cited a growing expectation for employers to provide medical coverage and support for mental and financial well-being with the continued economic volatility and the rising cost of living.

“Employers must rethink their approach to employee benefits balancing wages with flexible benefits to attract and retain the talent they need,” Rosenthal said.

The report found that 65 percent of employees believe that employers should help employees save for retirement and long-term needs.

Moreover, 58 percent of workers believe that employers must provide financial education.

In 2021, a record number of employees quit in America, called as the “Great Resignation,” a trend that spilled to other markets around the world.