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"Our biggest lesson was that work-life harmony is not about working less but about creating the conditions for people to do their best work sustainably," shares Freddy Liew, Manager/P&C at Philip Morris Singapore.
Work-life harmony is not simply about working fewer hours. It is about creating the conditions for employees to perform sustainably while managing their personal commitments, according to Philip Morris Singapore. This belief helped drive the introduction of a 4.5-day workweek, which encourages employees to prioritise meaningful work, plan ahead and collaborate more effectively across teams.
The initiative forms part of the organisation's broader approach to employee experience, alongside structured Collaboration Days, transparent people practices and employee-led ideas to improve working arrangements. By combining flexibility with clear accountability, Philip Morris Singapore aims to foster a culture where wellbeing and business performance reinforce one another.
Following a gold win for ‘Best Work-life Harmony Strategy’ and silver for ‘Best Rewards and Recognition Programme’ and ‘Best Organisational Change Leadership’ at the Employee Experience Awards 2026 – Singapore, Freddy Liew, Manager/P&C at Philip Morris Singapore, shares the lessons behind the organisation's approach, the importance of building trust during transformation, and why HR teams should rethink employee development in the age of AI.
Q Tell us about the biggest insight or lesson that influenced your EX approach this past year.
"The 4.5-day workweek gives me more quality time with my family and greater flexibility to manage personal commitments without having to fit everything into the weekend. I work closely with colleagues across multiple time zones, many of whom only come online later in the Singapore afternoon. This has encouraged us to be more intentional about how we work, prioritising what matters most, planning ahead, and collaborating more effectively across teams. While we remain flexible and responsive to business needs when required, this initiative has shown that high performance and personal wellbeing can go hand in hand. It has helped create a culture built on trust, accountability, and outcomes rather than simply hours worked."
Jessica Tannuwidjaja, Technical Senior Analyst, Philip Morris Singapore
Our biggest lesson was that work-life harmony is not about working less but about creating the conditions for people to do their best work sustainably. This insight was one of the key drivers behind our decision to introduce a 4.5-day workweek. We recognised that when employees provided with greater flexibility together with clear accountability and supported in managing both personal and professional commitments, they are better positioned to remain engaged, productive, and responsive to business needs.
At Philip Morris Singapore, this approach reflects our commitment to putting people at the centre of transformation. As Philip Morris International is redefining its future globally with an ambitious vision of delivering a smoke-free future through developing scientifically substantiated smoke-free products, we believe the employee experience should also evolve through progressive ways of working that challenge traditional norms.
Alongside initiatives such as structured Collaboration Days and transparent people practices, the 4.5-day workweek reinforced our values of care, trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We learned that when employees understand not only what is changing but why it matters, wellbeing, performance, and engagement become mutually reinforcing outcomes rather than competing priorities.
Q How did you bring leaders, managers, and employees together to support the execution and success of the initiative?
For this initiative and all new initiatives, we start with multi-pronged communication approach starting with Leadership Team sensemaking sessions, cascaded through managers via structured dialogues so concerns could be contextualised for each team. Brown bags, Q&A platforms, and Success-Pivot-Improve (SPI) sessions gave everyone a voice and normalised open conversations about challenges and opportunities. Managers were also equipped through dedicated capability-building programmes, from pay conversation training to Growth Activation workshops, so they could model transparency and empathy during periods of change.
Meanwhile, peer-to-peer recognition tools, Staff Club activities, and employee feedback channels ensured employees were active participants - not just recipients - of the experience we were building.
Together, these efforts created a shared sense of ownership across leaders, managers, and employees, which was critical to the initiative's success.
Q What challenge behind the scenes tested your team the most, and what did it teach you about building stronger employee experience programmes?
Our toughest challenge surfaced through internal survey data: despite strong participation and trust, some employees expressed concerns about balancing experimentation with existing performance expectations. This was compounded by a lean team navigating intensified workloads during a period of significant business transformation.
It taught us that capability-building alone is not enough. Before employees can innovate, organisations must create an environment where employees feel comfortable contributing ideas, challenging assumptions, and learning through experimentation. We addressed concerns through open dialogue, transparent communication, and visible leadership support, helping employees build confidence in proposing new ideas and speaking up when support was needed.
One encouraging outcome was seeing employees become more willing to test unconventional ideas once that foundation was established. For example, employees proposed piloting "Focus Friday" practices and experimenting with shorter, more purposeful meeting formats to maximise the benefits of the 4.5-day workweek. While relatively simple, these employee-led ideas demonstrated a growing confidence to challenge existing ways of working and seek better solutions.
In many ways, this mirrors Philip Morris International's own transformation journey. We are embracing bold thinking, experimentation, and the courage to be a game changer in the industry. We learned that creating a thriving employee experience requires the same growth mindset.
Q As you reflect on the journey, what does this recognition at the Employee Experience Awards 2026 mean to you and your team?
This recognition is incredibly meaningful because it validates years of intentional, and often invisible, work: the difficult conversations, the policy redesigns, the willingness to listen to feedback, and the commitment to continuously improve. For a lean team, being recognised across multiple categories affirms that meaningful employee experience is not defined by scale or budget, but by consistency, authenticity, and the courage to evolve.
More importantly, it reflects the values that guide us as an organisation. The achievements recognised by these awards were only possible because leaders, managers, and employees embraced a shared commitment to making the workplace better for everyone. It is a proud moment for the entire organisation and reinforces our belief that when we invest in people and empower them to thrive, business transformation follows.
Q Finally, as employee expectations continue to evolve, what is one area of EX you believe HR teams will need to rethink in the year ahead?
We believe HR teams will need to rethink development and employee enablement in the age of AI. Employees increasingly expect learning, support, and career growth to be personalised, accessible, and embedded within the flow of work, rather than delivered only through standalone programmes.
For us, this means moving beyond simply giving employees access to new technology and creating opportunities for them to build the confidence and practical skills to use it in their everyday work. One example is AI Ignite, which Philip Morris Singapore and Malaysia collaborated on. We held a 12-week, gamified AI capability-building programme designed to take employees from AI awareness to practical application. Through team-based challenges, collaboration and experimentation, employees learned by applying AI rather than simply learning about it.
The programme brings this to life through activities ranging from AI learning modules and certifications to creating AI-powered videos, sharing prompts and use cases, and developing solutions using approved AI tools to address real business needs. Throughout the program, employees are encouraged to use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies, governance requirements, and applicable data protection obligations.
Of course, while AI is a powerful tool that can amplify outcomes, our AI journey is driven by people.
"People remain at the center, with human judgment, curiosity, courage, and care continuing to matter most."
Ultimately, the opportunity for HR is not simply to digitise existing processes, but to create an environment where employees can continuously experiment, learn and apply new technology with confidence.
Done well, AI can help people work smarter and spend more time on the distinctly human aspects of work, including creativity, collaboration, innovation and problem-solving.
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
Lead image / Provided
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