Vietnam is not yet a great place to work
While Vietnam boasts low unemployment, world-class test scores, and rising exports, turnover is high, productivity is low, and trust in organizations is fragile.
This white paper breaks the silence and tackles the real gaps behind the buzzwords.
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Why we’re not yet a great place to work
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What gets lost in translation between growth and human capability
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Why do old models and copied solutions keep failing
"If we want innovation, inclusion, and progress, we must start where people spend most of their lives: at work."
Why This White Paper Matters
Why Vietnam Must Become a Great Place to Work —
From Organizations to Nation
Vietnam is entering a pivotal era. As the country transitions from labor-intensive growth to value-driven development, it faces one undeniable truth:
To build a strong nation, we must build great workplaces.
This means not just improving conditions inside individual companies, but rethinking how Vietnam, as a whole, enables people to thrive in their work across every sector, every stage of life, and every corner of the country.
Beneath the Buzzwords: What’s Really Holding Us Back
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High staff turnover despite low unemployment
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Labor productivity is among the lowest in Asia
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Cultural silos and command-and-control mindsets
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Training is disjointed from real work
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Policy inconsistency creates a trust deficit
What This Report Busts, Breaks & Builds
Our Breakthrough Model
The 5 Core Enablers – Designed for Vietnam, not copied from abroad
A cohesive model for organizational transformation based on Vietnamese values, cultural dynamics, and strategic realities.
The Enablers
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Core Mindset
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Core Motivation
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Core Competence
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Core Technology
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Core Governance (aligning all other core enablers)
Rooted in Vietnamese Values, Not Just Imported Best Practices
This white paper celebrates what makes Vietnam unique — its people, spirit, and culture. We don’t copy models; we transform them through a local lens. Learn how national identity can be a strategic advantage at work.
A New Lens for HR, Strategy & ESG Alignment
The white paper bridges the gap between culture, performance, and sustainability. Redesign your workplace to be human-first and business-smart. ESG becomes not just a responsibility — but a real competitive edge.
Practical, Not Just Inspirational
It’s more than vision — it’s execution. You’ll find actionable strategies, mapped on ONE PAGE, that leaders can use immediately. Because real change happens when insights turn into impact.
Data-Driven, Yet Human-Centered
We combine insight from global benchmarks with stories from Vietnamese workplaces. You’ll see how local teams are already leading the way. Get inspired by what's possible when data meets empathy.
Designed for Leade, Loved by Teams
This white paper speaks the language of leadership — but transforms team experience. In just a few hours, you’ll rethink how you engage, align, and empower your people. Because great workplaces start from within — and they start now.
Breakthrough Framework: The 5 CORE Enablers in an organisation
Discover the five core pillars—Core Mindsets, Motivation, Capabilities, Technologies, and Governance—that empower them to achieve their goals with excellence, in ways that fit the unique logic and demands of any business model (By Respect Vietnam)
“For too long, we’ve decorated problems with buzzwords instead of solving them. This white paper finally says what many leaders think but rarely voice: that we must break with convention if we want true innovation at work.”
Bob Nguyen, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Public Governance Innovation
A Call to Action
This is not just a theory paper. It’s a practical guide and reflection tool for founders, CEOs, HR leaders, and policymakers who believe that Vietnam’s best resource is its people — and that people only thrive in organizations that are designed to evolve.
If Vietnam’s next 10 years are to be defined by innovation and global value creation, then mindset and culture are not soft issues — they are the bedrock of business success.
Let’s invest in that foundation — not just with capital, but with heart-led vision and mind-driven action.
