[Watch]: What's it like at Grab?

Grab Editorial
. February 2, 2024

Heart, Hunger, Honour, Humility: Known as the “4Hs,” these values are core to Grab’s company culture.

The company’s co-founders Tan Hooi Ling played a huge role in defining and living this culture. “I hope we never lose sight of it,” is Tan’s wish after stepping down from her operation roles at the end of last year. [2:35]

In this final part of a video interview series with Tan, she discusses the essence and evolution of Grab’s company culture with Chief Technology Officer Suthen Thomas and Chief Product Officer Philipp Kandal.

Defining company culture

When Grab first started out in a small office with just 30 employees, much of the focus was placed on survival, innovation, and establishing a foothold in the market. However, as the company grew, culture became a critical factor that would define the organisation’s trajectory. [0:52]

“Culture started to become a problem when we were going through a hyper growth phase. We were doubling our headcount every year. And we hadn’t yet learned the lesson that culture needed to be tended to like a very intentional garden.”

Co-founder, Tan Hooi Ling

It marked the start of intentionally building the company’s culture. Today, the 4Hs guide how employees should lead, collaborate and approach challenges. 

Living culture through immersions

Grab’s company culture is more than abstract values. It includes specific practices, such as what the company calls immersions. Grabbers spend significant time on the ground with Grab’s driver- and merchant-partners, understanding the pain-points of their business and how they generate income through Grab.

(Read more: Cutting down the time delivery-partners wait at food outlets)

Chief Product Officer Kandal highlights immersions as a big part of Grab’s commitment to stakeholders and consumers, and one of the most effective instruments to foster Grab’s culture. [2:00]

“Grabbers would sit in a restaurant and time when the drivers arrive, making sure that our data science models, which predict when the food is ready, are becoming better.”

Philipp Kandal, chief product officer

Watch the full video to find out what makes the culture at Grab unique. 

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Komsan Chiyadis

GrabFood delivery-partner, Thailand

Komsan Chiyadis

GrabFood delivery-partner, Thailand

COVID-19 has dealt an unprecedented blow to the tourism industry, affecting the livelihoods of millions of workers. One of them was Komsan, an assistant chef in a luxury hotel based in the Srinakarin area.

As the number of tourists at the hotel plunged, he decided to sign up as a GrabFood delivery-partner to earn an alternative income. Soon after, the hotel ceased operations.

Komsan has viewed this change through an optimistic lens, calling it the perfect opportunity for him to embark on a fresh journey after his previous job. Aside from GrabFood deliveries, he now also picks up GrabExpress jobs. It can get tiring, having to shuttle between different locations, but Komsan finds it exciting. And mostly, he’s glad to get his income back on track.