Breaking Down Canva's Culture of Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance. In the Filipino workplace, the myth of work-life balance is told around campfires of underpaid, overworked, and sleep-deprived corporate slaves. But somewhere in Metro Manila, Canva Philippines is proving that myth might be a reality. Canva Philippines has been listed on so many Best Workplace lists that we’ve lost count, and they probably have too. Perhaps because at this company, work-life balance is a way of life and not just a buzzword.
At Canva, the work-life balance culture is led by the Vibe team—which is, quite literally, responsible for setting the vibe. And only good vibes are allowed here. The Vibe team is essentially an elevated version of HR: they organize events, clubs, and even room layouts, all of which are designed to create a productive environment for the huge team. Because at Canva, work-life balance isn’t denigrated.
Canva's painted staircases (left) and the visitor's entrance (right) where guests can collect their freebies.
Changing the Culture
“Our culture, first and foremost, is dictated by the kinds of values we have. [Our] six values are to empower others, be a good human, be a force for good, make complex things simple, pursue excellence, and set crazy big goals and make them happen,” said Canva Philippines’ country manager Yani Hornilla-Donato. “In my mind, I like to think of them as [just] two values. It's really about just being a good person and doing your best work—so that you can do excellent work.”
Canva’s unique culture is experienced from the get-go. Before an employee even sets foot inside the brand’s massive office, he or she's already getting a taste of the kind of environment he or she is entering. Inclusion is at the heart of Canva’s hiring process as the company strives to hire people from all walks of life. Then once onboarded, these new “Canvanauts” aren’t just dropped into the deep end. They join sessions to understand the culture, values, diversity, and inclusion that drive this ship, says Hornilla-Donato.
Canva's cafe is completely free, and you can order using an internal app.
Work-life balance doesn't happen with just one policy but multiple policies intended to create a healthier culture. At Canva, management has implemented a number of policies to ensure work-life balance, starting off with giving everyone a flexible work setup. Employees can work from home, the cafe, or more ideally, inside Canva’s massive office.
“It's up to you as long as you're able to be productive in your choice,” shared Hornilla-Donato.
To make up for the lost time during the pandemic, Canva also doubled down on team events and celebrations, satisfying the need for connectivity that its employees desired. Working remotely can give individuals reasons to disassociate from their workplace. With more connectivity-focused events on the calendar, a company might give its employees more reasons to stay than to go.
As for messaging after hours, Hornilla-Donato shares that while there’s no written policy, there are unspoken rules of decorum that Canva employees follow: “I think there's a lot of respect and awareness amongst each other. We respect, for example, that lunch hours are sacred.”
Employees receive free meals, and the pantries are always fully stocked.
Setting the Bar
Work-life balance might be the buzzword of the year, but the reality is that not all companies can pull it off, especially in Asia, which is notoriously bad at work-life balance. All the more reason that Canva is a unicorn in that respect.
“It’s not [difficult]. It's not easy, [either], but I think the word I'd use would be more inspiring, because [we’re] trying to change the norm. [We’re] not perfect by any means, but the intentions are there,” shared Hornilla-Donato.
If a company needs an example of how to implement work-life balance culture, then look no further than Canva.
“I'm really proud to be part of a team who tries to make that happen and set an example. It’s nice to be able to set the bar and be able to be a good example, not just [internally], but to other companies who might want to do the same but just don't know how to where to start,” shared Hornilla-Donato.
At the end of the day, work-life balance just means putting your workers first and caring about their health. “It's really more of setting boundaries so that people remain productive, but at the same time, healthy, and they're ultimately happy with their work. We don't want them to burn out,” shared Hornilla-Donato.
The outdoor areas give employees space for a breather.
Office Goals
Canva’s office takes up five floors in Coherco Corporate Center, 116 V.A. Rufino St, Legazpi Village, Makati, Metro Manila. Like the Canva headquarters in Sydney, Australia, the Philippine office is located at the center of a community, away from skyscrapers and bustling streets. The minute you enter the building, you’ll be directed to stairs, not an elevator, to give you that morning exercise you missed. The building’s staircases are all painted in the same bright colors as the Sydney offices. And like the Sydney offices, Canva Philippines’ office floors are assigned special themes.
The third floor’s theme is Filipino games, where there’s hopscotch that the company lawyers and accountants can use on the way to their meeting rooms. The fourth floor’s theme is Filipino flora and fauna, while the fifth floor’s theme is Filipino food where you can reserve the Halo Halo meeting room. The sixth floor houses the company’s massive dining hall that features a restaurant/canteen where Canva’s full-time F&B crew cooks everyone’s free meals... for free. The office even has its own internal app called the Calven App to take your orders. On the side of the sixth floor is an outdoor area where Canvanauts can practice their pizza-making skills after hours. The seventh floor, which has the theme of ethnic tribes, leads to a large balcony for employees to enjoy the fresh air.
The in-door gym comes with free towels.
On all five floors, employees can use any of the standing tables and state-of-the-art desktops. Each level's open floor plan is decked out in plants, murals, and mini-pantries. And once again, all the food is free. As if all of that wasn’t enough, employees can work out at the in-office gym with a trainer, or head to Washington SyCip Park or Legazpi Active Park nearby for a group exercise session.
Parents can leave their children in the daycare areas around the office, and fur parents can bring their pets to work. And if you’re having a bad day, you can use Canva’s special break room where the clock doesn’t work so you can recalibrate and release any stress. Or maybe just scream into the void, but we doubt there will be any screams of work frustration in this office.
With an office like this, who wouldn’t be productive?
Now, there’s really just one question left to ask. May opening ba d'yan?
