How Hiya and Resilience Might Be Hurting You At Work

"Kaya pa?". Ask any Filipino employee this question and the answer will very likely be "Kakayanin." While resiliency is an admirable trait, there's a duality in this Filipino value and others that can also be detrimental, like, say, in the workplace.

Filipinos ranked first in Southeast Asia as the most stressed out employees, with 45% saying yes when asked if they experienced daily stress "a lot of the day", according to Gallup's 2023 State of Global Workplace report. While some of the common stressors are linked to financial concerns like low pay, employees who bring to work too much of Filipino values like resilience and hiya can also upset that work-life balance everyone aims to achieve, according to mental health tech company Mind You.

How too much of hiya, resilience can lead to workplace burnout

There's nothing wrong with being accommodating and resilient, which can make the best employee there is, but Filipinos should learn how to strike a balance especially at work where they are prone to possible burnout.

"Each Filipino value has a duality, puwedeng positive, puwedeng negative. 'Yun yung tinatry naming i-explain sa employees. Resilient ka kasi kailangan natin 'yun pero hanggang saan ka dapat maging resilient?" Mind You's senior psychologist Rea Celine Villa told the media during a roundtable discussion.

"Mahilig mag-multitask. The job of three people tapos isa lang ang employee... and then parang tatanggapin mo na lang kaysa wala kang work."

Filipinos also can't say no, (no) thanks to the concept of hiya, or shyness which can even translate to shame or embarrassment.

"Hiya should be good kasi you're accommodating, you're considerate. But hiya to the extent na overload ka na tapos tanggap ka pa rin nang tanggap... Minsan proud ka maging Filipino because of our values, but it can also hurt us in the end," she said.

Villa recognized why it's difficult for Filipino employees to say no, and it can be attributed to the inflation and lack of work tenure (or what labor analyst Rene Ofreneo called a pandemic of informality where workers take on multiple jobs—even when there's no job security—just to make ends meet.)

These stressors contribute to the likes of low productivity and presenteeism (or when an employee is physically present but is mentally clocked out), even burnout.

Also read: To be the Best Employee, I Gave Up Boundaries: Lessons From Corporate Slavery

How to save yourself from workplace burnout

It's not about being ungrateful you have a job; it's more of establishing boundaries and understanding that even work has its limits. By recognizing that, you can stay at the top of your game—in both work and life.

Here are some tips from Life Coach Philippines' Hasmin Miroy as discussed in an earlier interview.

Learn how to say 'No'

Boss gives you another project on top of your overwhelming workload? Refuse politely. It's called healthy boundaries to keep yourself sane when dealing with a heavy workload.

Prioritize rest and recreation

Take a break, walk the dog, go out on a hike, schedule a spa day, or allot half a day in bed to catch up on reading your book. A good R&R (and a mental health break to boot) boosts happy hormones that will keep you energized physically and mentally.

Talk to someone

It's okay to not feel okay, and talking to others can help you find coping mechanisms that works for you. It's also perfectly okay to seek help so you can process it effectively, said Mind You CEO Yuri Marshall.

"If you share [your challenges] with a therapist and the therapist says it's common, people go through these challenges, these experiences, they can't do that in their personal life... that's where therapy comes into benefit."

From: Spot