In many workplaces, employee engagement is about scheduling events or sending out surveys. But for Eden Manalo Uchayan, CHRP, CHRM, it’s something far more personal—and far more challenging.
Now based in a Muslim country and working with employees of multiple nationalities, Eden faced a unique obstacle: how do you create a sense of unity among people with different beliefs, backgrounds, and work sites?
“It’s really very challenging with different nationalities,” she told Financial Adviser PH. “But praise God—we started in 2023 and up to now, all employees are looking forward into it.”
Eden is referring to the annual team building she initiated. What began as a bold proposal in a culturally sensitive environment has now become a unifying force for the entire company—from head office staff to employees in remote project sites.
“The employees from HO to the different project sites, now they are close to each other,” she said. That closeness didn’t exist before—and for many, it changed how they saw their coworkers.
Behind the scenes, Eden credits her success to a leadership style rooted in careful observation. “First, I observed how these people interact with each other,” she explained. “Most employees have been working here since 2000—so yeah, it’s very challenging but fulfilling.”
This sensitivity to workplace dynamics has also guided her passion for recruitment and employee relations—two HR areas where she feels most at home.
Her daily responsibilities reflect this: from recruiting key roles like engineers, architects, and department managers, to handling medical insurance across various categories—labor, staff, managerial, and dependents. But it’s the employee concerns, especially from those in lower positions, that she always makes time for.
“All daily concerns of employees from lower positions are well taken care of,” she emphasized.
Through it all, Eden never seeks recognition—but the appreciation from employees hasn’t gone unnoticed. “When they appreciate me for helping them and supporting them… I am not expecting any thank you or what, but they really appreciate.”
Her journey proves that real engagement doesn’t begin with events or perks—it starts with empathy, presence, and a willingness to understand people on the ground.
And in a diverse, deeply rooted organization, Eden is quietly rewriting the rules of employee connection—one relationship at a time.
