“Chaotic.”

That’s how Filipino-Japanese entrepreneur Christopher Matsumoto described the state of Human Resources (HR) in the Philippines. With many companies treating HR as an administrative function, the industry struggles with inefficiencies, outdated management styles, and a disconnect between employees and management.

Recognizing these challenges, Mr. Matsumoto (or “Chris” to his colleagues) and his high school friends set out to transform HR into a force that fosters workplace empathy and productivity.

“In my previous business, the main challenge with initial clients was their approach to people management. HR was administrative, not strategic. It operated reactively, rather than participating in key decisions. We believed HR should be integral to strategic planning, as every action impacts employees,” Chris said.

Determined to reshape HR’s perception in the Philippines and understanding that employees are a company’s most valuable asset, he worked to act as a “referee” between management and staff, ensuring employees felt “seen and heard.”

“Nahirapan kami kasi it took a lot of convincing na ganun dapat yung approach sa management, whereas sanay sila sa traditional, top-down [methods],” he said.

Chris and his peers also identified a market gap—while many Filipino HR consultancy firms provided shared services for American–owned BPOs, no firms focused on helping local businesses.

This marked the beginning of the country’s first full-service HR consultancy firm, HR Spectacles in late 2018. Their logo, an owl with glasses, symbolizes smart, thoughtful, and empathetic decision-making.

HR Spectacles’ efforts gained recognition from RTWPB-NCR, which invited the enterprise to take advantage of training programs under the Productivity Toolbox, including “Incentivizing Performance: Productivity and Performance-Based Incentive Schemes.” This program helps MSMEs establish workplace programs to boost worker productivity and enterprise performance to generate additional revenues or savings that can be shared with workers as incentives.

Chris said the training program formalized and mapped out all the HR Spectacles’ incentives, helping them realize the overall incentive structure they had. He likewise emphasized that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), should continuously seek knowledge rather than rely solely on existing practices.

“A lot of MSMEs like us will benefit from attending these programs [and trainings] because we often lack the knowledge, manpower, or expertise to run efficient operations. These trainings provide guidance and inspiration from shared learnings,” he said. He also encouraged other MSMEs to join RTWPB productivity training programs.

“Applying bite-sized learnings can enhance operations by 1% or 10%. The key is to push forward with innovation and improvement,” he added.

For Chris, winning the 2021 Productivity Olympics further validated HR Spectacles’ hard work.

“Finally, beyond our clients, a government body also believed in what we do. Showcasing our work publicly and receiving recognition from NWPC and DOLE gave us the confidence to continue. Kumbaga, mas nagkaroon ng meaning ang ginagawa namin for employees and clients,” he said.

As the company evolves from a micro enterprise to a growing small business, Chris envisions expanding their services to larger corporations and international clients while exploring opportunities across Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead, Chris hopes HR Spectacles will inspire more organizations to embrace empathetic people management, fostering workplaces where employees can thrive. Pag Produktibo, Aasenso!