In today’s workplace, experience, for employees and customers alike, is emerging as the strongest currency of growth. Beyond efficiency and processes, organisations are recognising that how people feel, connect, and interact ultimately defines business success.

This theme was at the centre of a recent conversation at the Darwinbox BOX Experience, where HR leaders share insights on transformation, change, AI, and the role of technology. Cheryll Ruth L. Agsaoay, Senior Vice President and HR Group Head at SM Supermalls, speaking to Vikrant Khanna, VP & Global Head, Value Management, Advisory & Presales, Darwinbox, said, “Experience is really the new currency.”

At SM Supermalls, one of Southeast Asia’s largest retail groups with 88 malls and over 7,500 employees across the Philippines, this mindset has been deeply embedded into its people and business strategy. For millions of Filipinos, these spaces extend beyond shopping and leisure to reflect a sense of community and belonging. Thus, Agsaoay believes that it is a strong platform for redefining experience at scale. 

 

Experience-led growth - evolving together through transformation

In her leadership role at SM Supermalls, Agsaoay has been recognised for bridging HR, business outcomes, and employee experience in the face of rapid change. “I remember when I was hired in 2019, they were looking for somebody to partner with the president to usher in a more progressive view about people, organisation, and culture.” The appetite for change already existed in the company, but Agsaoay saw the need to make it inclusive across every level. “We had to make sure that this passion for evolution and innovation should be spread from the leadership team down to the most junior members of our organisation. And how we do it is really about leadership disability.”

So, she took the initiative to encourage dialogue - discussions, candid interaction with the President, and institutionalised something called “coffee town halls” regularly across all divisions and all 88 branches.  “Even if you don’t have something big to cascade, you have to maintain consistent and open communication with the people. That is very important, so that everyone feels included in the change we are going through.”

This discipline of dialogue has shaped the company’s commitment to growth alongside customers, partners, and employees alike.

“You have to maintain consistent and open communication with the people. That's very important, so that everyone will feel included in the change.” Thus, for SM Supermalls’ 40th anniversary, their rallying message is reflected in the slogan, “Evolving with you.”

“Our rallying message is that we are evolving with you to usher in a new era for SM super malls, for our customers, our talent partners, and our employees,” said Agsaoay.

With the change in talent and customer base, SM Supermalls have also elevated their business model. “We are evolving spaces for retail. It's more than just shopping. It's about the experience our customers and tenant partners will have in doing business with us. We grow as they grow, and similarly, for our employees, as we grow the business, we grow the people,” Agsaoay shared that this dynamic is championed by the entire leadership team, including the president, beyond just HR. 

 

Experience as the new currency: where EX meets CX

In fact, SM Supermalls’ commitment to employee experience has impacted and shaped customer experience to a great extent. This is reflected in Agsaoay's statement about experience being the new currency. “It's very important for us to look at experience two-fold, employees and customers,” said Agsaoay. She shared how management flexibility enabled her to experiment and be open about her views. This approach led her to take on responsibility for Customer Care, where transformation is unfolding along similar lines to HR: starting with basics, building strong foundations, and now moving into AI-empowered solutions.

 

Evolving with Darwinbox: a partnership of purpose

To sustain this new era of experience, SM Supermalls needed the right technology foundation. After a two-year search, the company chose Darwinbox. Darwinbox’s AI-native integrated HCM platform, which streamlines HR processes across recruitment, onboarding, performance management, payroll, and employee engagement, has been helpful in driving SM Supermalls’ evolution in employee experience and laid the foundation for its broader transformation.

“We wanted to make sure that we get it right for the partnership to be beneficial - both for the partner and for us, Agsaoay explained. “What I love about our partnership so far is the responsiveness. This is more than just giving a technology to us, but really working with us. And if there's something not meeting the needs, then we work on it together. It's really, really a partnership.”

Through Darwinbox, SM Supermalls has been able to bring agility and consistency to employee experience, while building a platform that can evolve alongside its people and business needs.

 

Purpose as the heart of experience - CX to EX

For all the focus on systems and innovation, Agsaoay is clear that purpose remains the most powerful driver of experience. This is the very sentiment she wants to gift her employees for Christmas. 

“I would like our employees to continue working with a happy heart. The happy heart comes in when you understand the purpose - how your job in the day-to-day daily grind links up to the bigger picture. Because we are working for a company that can really make an impact on the lives of millions of Filipinos. So you know your purpose, and for that, you can have joy in the work that you do.”

 

Building better EX and CX: lessons from SM Supermalls x Darwinbox collaboration

The SM Supermalls' journey demonstrates how technology can serve as the backbone for experience-led growth. By leveraging emerging tech like Darwinbox’s AI-native integrated HCM platform, the company has been able to align HR, employee engagement, and customer care, creating a seamless link between employee and customer experiences. This has helped SM Supermalls transform experiences, drive engagement, and deliver meaningful impact for both employees and customers alike. For HR leaders, the message here is that employee and customer experiences are not separate agendas, but two sides of the same coin.