GoTyme expands employee share ownership program

MANILA, Philippines — Digital lender GoTyme Bank is planning to make nearly all of its employees as shareholders, a move the company said would strengthen accountability, improve customer experience and help accelerate its growth ambitions in the Philippines.

In a statement, GoTyme Bank and the GoTyme Group said they are expanding their existing share ownership program to all eligible employees in good standing, subject to regulatory approvals and application requirements.

The program is expected to extend share ownership to more than 90 percent of the bank’s employees through future share grants, giving workers a direct stake in the company’s long-term growth.

The move is uncommon in the Philippine banking industry, where employee share ownership programs are typically limited to senior executives and top management.

The digital bank said the broader ownership structure is intended to encourage employees to think and act like business owners, particularly those handling direct customer interactions.

GoTyme Bank Philippines CEO Nate Clarke said the initiative is expected to help improve execution and deepen employees’ commitment to the brand.

“Ownership changes how people operate. When our team members think like owners, they move faster, go the extra mile for customers and are more protective of the GoTyme brand,” Clarke said.

He added that the expanded share ownership program could also help the bank compete for talent in the local market.

“In the Philippine market, broad-based shares are a significant differentiator for talent attraction. But more than talent attraction, this is about creating a sense of ownership that translates to a team that is 100 percent locked in on creating the best experience for our customers,” Clarke said.

“We believe this move will help accelerate our goal of building the largest and most loved bank in the Philippines. When we achieve that goal, our people will rightfully share in that financial upside,” he added.

GoTyme – backed by the Gokongwei Group and South Africa’s Tyme Group ­– has been rapidly expanding its presence in the Philippines as digital banks continue to compete for deposits, payments and lending customers through app-based services and lower-cost banking products.