2025 Labour Day Commentary: Designing Work That Works Through The Builder Mentality

Attributed to Nicholas Kontopoulos, Vice President of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan, Twilio

Labour Day isn’t just a moment to appreciate hard work—it’s a chance to rethink the future of work and the work environments we’re building.

In today’s fast-moving world, it’s not enough to just show up. We need to ask: Are we evolving as fast as the world around us? This mindset—what leading business thinker Gary Hamel calls the urgency of change—is at the heart of the builder mentality.

In my recent conversations with senior IT leaders, one theme keeps coming up: many organisations don’t resist change due to a lack of capability, but because they’re hesitant to let go of long-standing habits and familiar ways of working.

At Twilio, we believe in the idea of builders. Builders challenge the status quo, driven by a deep desire to make things better—for business, for people, and for the future. They step outside their comfort zones, embrace new ideas, and push boundaries to create environments where people feel valued, empowered, and ready to shine.

Building is about being open to new ways of doing things. It means believing in freedom, using every available tool, and not being tied down by rigid systems. Feedback loops and regular check-ins provide real-time insight into the employee experience, helping organisations support growth and lead with intention. But for this to work, employees must also embrace constructive feedback—even when it’s hard to hear—as a vital part of personal and professional growth.

Based on a 2024 report by the Institute for Human Resource Professionals and SkillsFuture Singapore, demand for AI-related skills surged by 97% from 2021 to 2022. Across Asia Pacific, interest in AI is high, but access and opportunity aren’t evenly distributed. Building is about fostering adaptability: empowering employees with transferrable skills so they can pivot quickly, act with purpose, and dive into work that matters in an increasingly AI-driven world. Customised training and mentorship, supported by real-time communication, help create inclusive pathways for growth.

True innovation is rooted in trust: the most groundbreaking ideas and products emerge when teams trust each other and their collective potential. Trust fosters creativity and risk-taking, and it grows through intentional, meaningful connections. High-performing teams aren’t afraid to say “I don’t know” and lean on each other’s strengths. A team culture built on a genuine desire to help each other succeed creates powerful ripple effects. There’s real fulfilment in seeing people thrive, and this energy lifts everyone.

Building is also about supporting autonomy and creating space for growth. A 2024 Zoom survey found that 84% of organisations in APAC have already embraced hybrid or remote working models. Twilio’s ‘Open Work’ framework is a strong example of how autonomy, when supported by smart structures, can enable better decision-making, strengthen teamwork in distributed environments, and drive meaningful outcomes.

This Labour Day, let’s go beyond recognising the hustle—let’s commit to building cultures where change is embraced, where growth is purposeful, and where people shine. Let’s build workplaces that truly work for everyone.