HR on the Edge: The Risk of Ignoring the Rise of the ‘Polygamous Worker’ in the Philippines

Disclaimer from the Author:
Using a variety of frameworks and best practices that I have come across during my academic and professional career, this article is a study and reflection of my PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE. The given examples and figures are conceptual in nature and should be regarded as guiding principles rather than actual situations or fully verified data.
Instead of using this content as a final source for operational frameworks or policy implementation, readers are encouraged to use it as a reference for investigating concepts and tactics. Although the insights are intended to stimulate critical thinking and comprehension, neither official government procedures nor empirical research serve as their foundation.
When applying these ideas to actual circumstances, users should use caution and look for additional information or expert advice. 

In the Philippines, there was a time when a steady job was the ultimate goal. For decades, workers like Tito Ramil gave their lives to one company. He punched in at 8 a.m., punched out at 5 p.m., stayed loyal, paid his dues, and walked away with a modest pension and a few plaques at retirement.

Thirty years ago, climbing the corporate ladder was a badge of honor. It meant stability, security, and status.

But now? That ladder looks rusty-and dangerously unstable.

The Career Crisis HR Can't Ignore

Today's workforce is not merely evolving-it is mutating. AI is automating jobs faster than HR can hire. Inflation is outgrowing pay brackets. Talent is shifting abroad to freelance gigs that pay better, while loyalty is increasingly seen as career suicide.

Even graduates from the top universities in the country-UP, Ateneo, La Salle-go straight to careers they thought were worthwhile, only to find their earnings minimal. Barely enough for rent, much less for a decent life.

This is the modern Filipino twist: Diversify. Adapt. Hustle.

The Rise of the Polygamous Worker

Meet Ate Maricel. Full-time at the BPO at night, selling secondhand clothes on Carousel during the day, and creating TikTok content over the weekend while nurturing her garden as a plantita. The "polygamous worker" is an emerging population of the Philippine workforce, especially among millennials and Gen-Zs.

For these new generations, employment has been viewed primarily as a method of making money. Not so for Ate Maricel, who refuses to get caught in any rut.

The HR Risk: Losing Relevance

The danger for HR leaders today is simple: if we don't adapt, we will be left behind.

Companies still built around traditional employment structures—9 to 5s, long service awards, career ladders—are struggling to attract and retain top talent. While HR policies emphasize “loyalty” and “stability,” the workforce is thinking “flexibility” and “exit plan.”

Here’s the hard truth: your next best employee may not want to be full-time. They might be looking for hybrid setups, project-based work, or creative room to build a side hustle on the side. If your policies don’t support that, they’ll go somewhere—or work for themselves.

What HR Needs to Rethink

1. Flexible Work Models
   Stop resisting remote work, output-based evaluations, and asynchronous teams. The best talent now values time more than titles.

2. Side Hustle Friendly Culture
   Allow employees to explore passions outside work without judgment. You’re more likely to retain a happy, fulfilled worker than a stressed-out loyalist.

3. Career Growth That Actually Pays
   Promotions should come with meaningful pay bumps. Recognition without compensation doesn’t retain talent anymore.

4. Mental Health and Wellbeing
   The hustle is real—but burnout is, too. HR must actively support wellness to keep the human in human resources.

5. Reimagine Loyalty
   Loyalty is no longer measured in years of service but in moments of impact and mutual respect. Think partnership, not ownership.

Bible Verse to Anchor This Shift

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time…”
— Ephesians 5:15–16 (ESV)

In a world of disruption, wise stewardship of time and talent is a must—for workers and HR leaders alike.

---

Conclusion: HR’s Role in a Multi-Income World

HR must become the bridge, not the barrier. The rise of the polygamous worker isn't a threat—it’s a signal. A call to rebuild systems that no longer work and to support a workforce that's redefining what success looks like.

Adapt or fade. Support or lose. The choice is ours.