HRM 15.1 by HRM Asia

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TELSTRA: TALENT INCUBATOR ENGAGING EMPLOYEES AT CLUB MED FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES

ISSUE 15.1

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EDITOR’S NOTE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam

Dear HRM readers,

ASSISTANT EDITOR Shalini Shukla-Pandey

JOURNALIST Sham Majid DIGITAL JOURNALIST Roshni Kapur SUB-EDITOR Paul Howell PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATOR Azimah Jasman SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amos Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Paul Lozano SALES DIRECTOR Steve Lye ACCOUNT MANAGERS Edwin Lim Jolene Ong Ryan Kwa Shamaine Chua MARKETING MANAGER George Smith MARKETING EXECUTIVE Rafiq Jalil MANAGING DIRECTOR Kaveri Ayahsamy PHOTOGRAPHY BY Frank Pinckers (pinckers.com) PRINTED BY Times Printers Pte Ltd PUBLISHED BY

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15.1

new year brings fresh hopes and aspirations. Many of you could be seeking greater challenges and opportunities, or a boost in your paycheck for a job well done. According to a survey by Aon Hewitt, ‘career opportunities’ and ‘pay’ remain the top two engagement drivers in the Asia Pacific. The salary conversation is often a delicate one that benefits from prior planning. In this issue, our experts shares tips on broaching this topic with finesse. On the other side of the fence, we look at HR’s role in the negotiation process and provide a nifty checklist on some points to consider. Employees today are also more agile, adaptive, and eager to find new ways to grow. In our story, “Stop going on cruise control”, we look at the opportunities that you can help create for employees seeking more nontraditional career paths. At Bloomberg, for example, it is common for employees to craft new paths in collaboration with a new business or market need. This issue of HRM also comes with a special two-page summary of the HRM Asia-Center for Creative Center Talent Sustainability Survey. Find out how leaders and employees both play a critical role in building a thriving talent ecosystem. Do continue the conversation by signing up for our MYHRM communities at www. hrmasia.com I wish you the very best in the New Year and look forward to hearing your views and suggestions!

Sumathi V Selvaretnam Editorial Director, HRM Asia

MICA (P) 206/07/2013

ISSN 0219-6883

Read something you like? Or something you don’t? Perhaps there’s some insight we haven’t considered? Have your say on HRM’s news, features, and contributions by emailing: info@hrmasia.com.sg

ISSUE 15.1

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CONTENTS 15.1 COVER STORY 22 “Hey boss, time for a raise?”

Plenty of staff naturally think they deserve a bigger pay check. HRM considers how HR can handle these sometimes tricky requests.

FEATURES 10 Talent Incubator

The best employees like to be stretched and presented with new challenges. Successful leaders create a work environment that is conducive for them to thrive and grow, says Andrew Wildblood, Head of AsiaPacific Enterprise, Telstra Global Enterprise and Services

17 Family-friendly workplaces

In today’s tight labour market, work-life strategies are no longer just good-to-have, but an important edge for companies to recruit and retain talent. HRM learns how flexi-work arrangements can help improve both employee satisfaction and productivity

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28 Engagement from start to finish

Singing and dancing employees, staff that sit down to eat with guests and participate in activities with them: these are the things that make Club Med no ordinary resort. Sham Majid checks out the HR strategies behind its successful Bintan property

32 Stop going on cruise control! In today’s ultra-competitive working world, employees are picking up new skills and immersing themselves in a wide array of positions to remain relevant and adaptable. HRM investigates how companies are facilitating these endless career roadmaps

28 36 Hilton: Moulding young minds

With Gen Y making up 25% of the world’s population (200 million in China and 500 million in India) and quickly becoming an important source of talent and growing consumer base, it becomes prudent for Hilton Worldwide to make the group a key focus in its talent development and management strategy. Vice President – HR (Greater China & Mongolia), Lawrence Lee, tells us more.

40 Boosting productivity through technology

Manpower is a scarce resource in most SMEs. Automating routine HR processes, employee services and menial tasks has helped Timbre Group channel its employees’ time and efforts towards more meaningful pursuits.

42 HR goes high tech

According to a recent study by Bersin & Associates, “lean, technology-enabled, and welltrained HR teams are able to

take advantage of modern talent practices and partner with business leaders to drive impact”. HRM finds out how HR can select the right technology to drive business strategy

46 HR from the classroom

Every month in this section, HRM speaks to a young and precocious university talent hoping to carve out a career in the HR industry upon the completion of his or her studies

48 Targeting customers through staff

A new approach has created transparency amongst the team at Wearnes Automotive, and motivated staff to improve customer service levels. CEO Andre Roy shares his brainchild with HRM

52 It’s time to Lo Hei!

Are you pondering potential venues to indulge in the tossing of “Yu Sheng” with your staff this Chinese New Year? HRM shares some potential ideas and tips for firms looking to kick start 2015 on a prosperous note.

REGULARS 4 News 15 Leaders on Leadership 39 In Person 39 Resources 50 An HRD Speaks 51 Twenty-four Seven 56 Talent Ladder 57 HR Clinic ISSUE 15.1

HRMASIA.COM

NEWS

ASIA

SINGAPORE

HONG KONG

MARKETING EXECS WANT NEW EMPLOYMENT FOR 2015

ASIA’S FIRST LGBT WORKPLACE INCLUSION INDEX LAUNCHED

Marketing professionals in Singapore may be sourcing for new jobs as they kickstart 2015. According to a recent study, half of marketing professionals in Singapore are considering a switch of jobs in 2015. Forty per cent of marketing professionals in Hong Kong and Malaysia respectively are also aiming to leave their jobs in the beginning of 2015, with the figure standing at 43% in New Zealand. The recent findings were derived from A Very font Christmas study conducted by specialist recruiter Font. The job dissatisfaction rate among Singapore marketing professionals was also the highest among the countries surveyed.

The main reason behind the current job dissatisfaction of marketing professionals across Community Business, a not-forAsia-Pacific was attributed to pay profit organisation focusing on and benefits (39%), followed by a corporate responsibility, has launched lack of professional development the Hong Kong Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender opportunities (26%) and long (LGBT) Workplace Inclusion Index. This is the first and working hours (17%). only benchmark in Asia focused on corporate policies “It’s important to re-evaluate and practices for creating inclusive workplaces for your professional goals for the year LGBT employees. Companies operating in Hong Kong ahead, but professionals must think are invited to make submissions for their inclusion long-term and try to until the end of February 2015. work with management Designed to drive the adoption and to solve any problems promotion of best practice, the index is of workers in Singapore do before deciding to structured around categories of equal their job searching mainly change jobs so they opportunity policies; diversity training; by mobile don’t find themselves corporate culture; and advocacy. Source: Hays in the same position a In addition to recognising those year later,” said Priya companies that are leading the way, Bala, Regional Director, Font. the index provides companies with a credible tool “Managers and HR teams to assess and communicate their progress on LGBT (should) communicate with staff workplace inclusion. about development opportunities “With the call for changes in legislation and a and company plans – if employees more visible LGBT community, not just in Hong can see where their career is Kong but across Asia, attitudes are changing,” headed, they are more likely to said Fern Ngai, CEO of Community Business. stay committed and motivated to “Companies can no longer ignore the issue of LGBT develop with the company.” inclusion in their workplaces, and they have a The study roped in 276 critical role to play in achieving greater acceptance marketing, digital, communications and equality for LGBT individuals.” and creative professionals across The results of the Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia Inclusion Index, to be run every two years, will be and New Zealand. announced in May 2015.

40%

ASIA

GRADUATE TALENT WAVERING

SHORT-TERM INCENTIVES MATTER

Two out of three graduates regret accepting job offers as soon as they start in the role, and one-in-four say they expect to leave their first employer within a year, a new report by CEB has found. It says businesses are losing out on strong graduate talent by focusing too heavily on grades and technical skills. Five in six hiring managers believe their new graduate hires lack the skills and knowledge they need. But instead of changing their hiring strategies, CEB says companies are wasting millions on ineffective and poorly targeted recruitment programmes, only to have to re-hire for 25% of graduate positions within 18 months. To achieve a win-win situation, both young job seekers and businesses need to reconsider the way they are screening jobs and candidates respectively.

To stay within tight budgets yet effectively motivate their skilled workforce, some employers are shifting employee compensation from a fixed-pay approach to one that relies on variable compensation to a much greater extent. According to Mercer’s 2014 Short-Term Incentives around the World report, the scope of short-term incentives depends on an employee’s role and the region in which the company operates. “Short-term incentives can be effective in keeping the workforce motivated while focusing employees’ behaviour and performance on metrics that relate to the organisation’s success,” says Samantha Polovina, the Mercer Principal responsible for the report.

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ASIA

NEWS

MALAYSIA

TALENT COMES HOME Increasing demand for IT professionals, the localisation of the workforce, and the return of Malaysians from jobs overseas are among the issues that will shape Malaysia’s recruitment landscape in 2015, according to recruiting consultant Hays. It says the top 10 talent trends for 2015 are: • Localisation of the workforce: This has caused salary demands to increase in areas where there are skills shortages. • Malaysian returners: Malaysians who have lived, worked or studied overseas are favoured by employers, especially global companies that are choosing Malaysia as their regional or global hub. • Boost to IT jobs: Many financial services firms are setting up development, data and shared services centres. However, despite the demand for IT specialists, locals often still lack the niche skills required. • The continued rise of shared services centres: The shared service industry will turn to the commercial arena to obtain the core finance skills required to move up the business value chain and develop technical processes and analytics functions. • Implementation of Goods & Services Tax (GST) on April 1, 2015: Sales and finance candidates with additional knowledge of GST will be needed to facilitate sales, pricing

and payment processes. • The need for strong communication skills: These are in particular demand for shared service centres, where team leaders and managers work closely with local businesses in the region. • Mobile optimisation: A focus on mobile-optimised content and social media marketing will fuel jobs growth for suitably qualified and experienced candidates. • Big data in the workplace: HR experts will interpret data relating to talent attraction, engagement, retention, performance and satisfaction, and use it to make strategic talent acquisition decisions. • Emphasis on data and business security: Malaysia began the implementation of the Personal Data Protection Act in 2014, fuelling jobs growth in the audit, legal and compliance sector as firms re-assess their data collection policies. • Growth of mobile employee value propositions: More candidates are doing their job searching mobile, so it’s prudent for employers to optimise their careers sites and develop their mobile plans.

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NEWS

INTERNATIONAL

EUROPE

MEN MORE AMBITIOUS ON SALARY

DREAMING OF A PRIVATE OFFICE

It may pay to have employees working in private offices. It appears there is a prominent According to a recent European research ‘aspiration gap’ between men and study, workers are more pleased and women in the UK. engaged when they are blessed with a According to new research by job private office. search engine Adzuna.co.uk, 35% Research agencies l’Observatoire Actineo of British men aspire to command and CSA polled employees in five nations a salary of more than £100,000 per (the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, annum in their working lives, as and Germany) about their work climates opposed to only 15% of women. and what they deem to be the most crucial On the flip side, the survey also aspects of their particular offices. than four people. found that women were more Staff in the Netherlands were the most The French were the least content content on lower salaries. Close satisfied workers of markets surveyed, with their existing work climates, with a to a third (30%) of women told the with approximately 91% of respondents relatively low 78% of respondents there survey they would be satisfied with there claiming they were “satisfied” with citing satisfaction. a salary of between their working environment, In France, 88% of respondents in private £20,000 and £30,000. and 27% of those claiming they offices claimed they were content, as Only half as many men were “very satisfied”. opposed to 67% in open, communal ones. (15%) said they would All in all, workers are more Across the board, one of the most crucial of global workers would be pleased at this level joyful when they are provided factors in workplace harmony was intergive up junk food for a of salary. with their own space. office relations. week in order to have an Male workers tended Around 97% of Dutch In all five nations surveyed, a majority extra day of vacation to articulate greater respondents claimed they of respondents (from 64% to 81%) claimed Source: Expedia’s 2014 confidence when it would be content in a private that their relationships with co-workers Vacation Deprivation Study came to their career office, compared to 88% of formed the most important aspect for goals, with 36% of men their countrymen who were quality of life at work. thinking they would meet their content in communal workplaces of more The study comprised of 2,500 people. aspirations at some point over their working lives. Just 16% of women felt they would be able to UK complete their career goals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the survey found that salary level was the top workplace frustration for male employees, with 31% of the Had a rough day at the office and thinking of grabbing a burger or a chocolate to cheer respondents selecting it as their yourself up? According to a new survey, that less than healthy meal is a common biggest concern. Men also worried strategy for employees across professions and industries. about advancement prospects and On the other hand, workers who adopt a positive outlook to their job choose healthy work-life balance. lunches such as salads and low-calorie sandwiches. Women expressed the most Over three quarters (77%) of the 2,000 British workers polled claimed their mood at concern about their chances of work ‘definitely’ impacted on the meal they ate during the day. promotion, with 38% of the female Half said they always plumped for a super-healthy lunch on days their mood was respondents citing this option. happy and positive. Salary was the second most But as soon as they experienced a bad day, more than half (54%) ditched plans to common response among women. consume healthy lunches, and instead chose to eat burgers, curries, or pizza. The survey assessed the A tough day at work was the overwhelming reason for this “comfort eating”, with attitudes of over 1,000 UK workers. 72% of adults confessing to doing it. The normal worker will eat fast food at their desk 38 times in an average year because they are in a bad mood, with 45% saying the worse their mood, the more generous their food choice. Forty five percent of those polled said their usual weekday lunch was “quite fresh”, but 30% cited their work lunches as being “fatty” or “greasy”. According to the survey, the humble sandwich is still the most popular meal to obtain, with chocolate ranked as the most “desirable” lunch food.

54%

TOUGH DAY AT WORK = UNHEALTHY FOOD

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INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

Coaching on the run

GLOBAL

REVEALED: EMPLOYEE FEELINGS ON TECHNOLOGY It’s been well-documented that technology is something employees can rarely live without. Now, the recently unveiled 2014 Dell Global Evolving Workforce Study has shed light on several more interesting trends of employees’ technology-use. According to the study, 62% of employees deem the desktop computer to be their primary business device while at work, but when doing work from home, laptops are used as often as desktop devices. The study also found that the office is still the main venue for working. Some 97% of workers spend at least some time in their employer’s office during a typical working week. On average, workers in developed markets are spending 32 hours per week in the office, as compared to 26 hours for workers in emerging markets. While office-based employees believe they work best in an office at their desk (76%), 48% signalled they are also commonly interrupted there. Nearly one in five employees wears headphones or earbuds in the office to stop these interruptions, and that

usage doubles for those who believe they are commonly disturbed. According to the study, 64% of workers globally conduct at least some business in their homes outside of working hours. Workers in emerging nations are increasingly expected to be accessible at home, with 83% saying they check work email after hours, as opposed to just 42% of workers in developed markets. The study also looked at potential future technologies. It found that 92% of staff expect voice recognition technology to replace the keyboard. Some 87% expected tablets would completely replace laptops, and a further 87% predict they will be able to communicate with computers through hand gestures. Dell and Intel commissioned TNS, a global market research and market information group, to conduct The Global Evolving Workforce Study. It featured 4,764 full-time employees of small, medium and large-sized companies distributed across 12 countries: the US, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, China, India, Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa.

Dr Roland B Smith

Vice President and Managing Director, Center for Creative Leadership (APAC)

hen one thinks of coaching, the image of managers in an office environment is seldom the first image that comes to mind. Yet, many are surprised to find that professional athletic coaches share many common coaching techniques and practices with managers. In fact, the “coaching” style of management, when utilised effectively, may just provide the best results in improving and developing others. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®) believes that leaders can be more effective by adopting a coaching mindset and coaching skills. Instead of direct instructions or solutions, a coaching mindset focuses on allowing the person in question to take responsibility of the situation and its solution. Though this approach sounds ideal, how does it play out in reality, especially when most executives have time-sensitive schedules and cannot afford to hold personal “coaching sessions” for direct reports or peers? The answer – opportunity. In practice, the best “coaching” by managers and executives does not require appointments, only opportunities. Furthermore, when leaders add coaching to your repertoire of management and leadership skills, they enlarge the range of actions available; you encourage your direct reports to stretch themselves, to consider alternatives. And they create the opportunity for them to feel pride in accomplishment when they do make it work. Coaching approaches are not the best for everything (you still need to direct, organise, advise, and teach), but they are a valuable tool in your box.

CANADA

THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE CONUNDRUM Canadian employees simply cannot find a formula to effectively strike a balance between work and personal time. According to a survey from jobs portal CareerBuilder, close to a quarter of workers are toiling to find an effective work-life balance. Twenty-three per cent of workers claimed they were “discontent” or “very dissatisfied” with their work-life balance while only half said they were “content” or “very satisfied”. A significant 68% of workers disclosed they felt burned out in their job on occasions, and over one in 10 workers (13%) claimed they “always” felt this way.

When quizzed about the three most crucial factors of their employment, wages were cited most often (75%) by staff, followed by: • Job security: 70% • Work-life balance: 64% • Learning opportunities: 25% • The ability to make a difference: 21% • Autonomy in my position: 18% Money is preferred to extra time off. When probed if they would select a fatter pay-check over a shorter working week, an overwhelming majority of employees (71%) claimed they would plump for the extra dough. The survey was conducted online among 422 Canadian employees.

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LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

INF GRAPHIC

ANALYSING THE EXIT PROCESS Employee departures are part and parcel of the working world. But what are some of the push factors that lead to staff resigning from their job and how can organisations detect the signs before it is too late? HRM profiles the findings from the Robert Walters Focus Asia whitepaper, The Exit Process.

KEY LEARNINGS: Professionals are aware of their market value

Get to the root of employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unhappiness

Implement succession planning

Find out the real reason behind a resignation

Promote open communication

Top five reasons why professionals chose to leave a role and top five reasons why employers believe professionals chose to leave a role EMPLOYERS

Prepare for a counter offer

Implement feedback channels

Decreased work efficiency

Drop in quality of work

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Limited growth at the company

Approached by another organisation

Felt underpaid

No longer challenged

Unhappiness with line management

Felt undervalued

The corporate culture no longer fits

85% 58% 63% 44%

of organisations believe they are able to foretell when an employee is about to resign

of professionals did not tell their employers of their unhappiness before starting a job search

Source: Robert Walters Focus Asia whitepaper, The Exit Process â&#x20AC;˘ Some icon graphics are by freepik.com 8

Limited growth at the company

Felt underpaid

Learn to read the signs

Seemed distracted or disengaged

PROFESSIONALS

Z ZZ

Make use of the feedback

What were the top three telltale signs an employee was about to resign?

of employers who presented counter offers to resigning professionals were turned down

of professionals felt that their exit interview process was not worthwhile at all

W O N

E V I L

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LEADERS TALK HR

TALENT INCUBATOR Q

What is your most significant milestone at Telstra to date?

I have had a brilliant 15-year career. I worked and lived in London, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore. Over these 15 years, my highlight and milestone has got to be building out Telstraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business in Asia-Pacific, and entering new markets like Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia. We now have people on the ground in 14 countries in Asia-Pacific and 26 globally.

The best employees like to be stretched and presented with new challenges. Successful leaders create a work environment that is conducive for them to thrive and grow, says Andrew Wildblood, Head of Asia-Pacific Enterprise, Telstra Global Enterprise and Services

Sumathi V Selvaretnam sumathi@hrmasia.com.sg

What is your strongest leadership skill? Has your leadership style changed from the time when you first became a leader?

What is you biggest takeaway from your leadership experience, specifically in Asia?

My strongest leadership skill is my ability to spot talent, get the best out of people, and then build the environment for our people to succeed and grow. My leadership style has definitely evolved; I have been leading people for more than 10 years now. You learn from experience and the more senior leadership roles you take on, the more you realise the influence you have and how it helps in getting results from the people you work with. People, however, remain a constant, and I have always put my people first throughout my career.

My biggest takeaway is to continuously learn. The day you stop learning is the day you should do something different. People respect leaders who support and create

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the environment for success. This is the same in Asia as it is in Europe and Australia. You do, however, need to respect cultures, values and choose to invest time in your people to understand them as individuals, especially in Asia.

What are your top three people management challenges?

Telstra recently did a survey interviewing more than 4,000 executives across Asia and looking at what sets the most successful businesses in Asia apart. The results correlated closely to what my management challenges are. The number one people management challenge relates to talent, specifically identifying and acquiring talent across the 14 countries I manage. Second is the challenge of people management: constantly developing my top talent and ensuring they are stretched and ready for the next level. Third is fostering a positive work life balance for my team. The telecommunications industry moves at such a fast pace that many people risk burning out. I try to create an environment of flexibility where people can find the balance that works for them.

How are you overcoming these challenges?

I am overcoming my people talent challenge by investing more time meeting new talent and finding challenging projects and opportunities for

LEADERS TALK HR

BIO BRIEF Andrew Wildblood is Head of Asia-Pacific for Telstra Global, based in Singapore. Wildblood is responsible for driving sales strategy and business development for the Telstra Global’s enterprise team across Asia Pacific, as well as the pursuit of sales opportunities in emerging markets. Wildblood has filled a number of senior leadership roles across Telstra since 2001, most recently as Head of Sales, North Asia. Wildblood led the Telstra Global’s sales strategy and activities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Before relocating to Hong Kong in 2011, Wildblood was the Head of Sales and Marketing for Telstra EMEA. As a member of the senior leadership team, Wildblood was instrumental in re-structuring the EMEA business by focusing on growth in the European markets covering UK, France and Germany. From 2001 until 2009, Wildblood held various senior sales management positions in Australia working within Telstra’s Enterprise and Government division. Prior to joining Telstra, Wildblood worked in Kardex systems in the UK, where he mainly focused on the financial services industry. Wildblood holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of Liverpool in the UK.

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LEADERS TALK HR

my existing talent. On work-life balance, Telstra has introduced a new policy of “All Roles Flex”, where people can select or choose to be flexible with their work environment and the hours they work. We also enable this through the collaboration and communication platforms and technology solutions we sell.

Why is flexible working going to be so important in workplaces of the future?

Me Myself I I like: Family, friends, sports and a healthy life I dislike: World tension, war and selfish people My inspiration: My wife and children My biggest weakness is: An inability to say no In five years’ time I’d like to be: Happy, healthy and doing a challenging job that I continue to learn and be stretched in Favourite quote: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein

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Could you tell us a bit more about “All Roles Flex” and how employees have responded to it? Flexible working is critical – not all people can work full time, or on a nine-to-five schedule. Our purpose with “All Roles Flex” was to adopt a new and disruptive position around mainstreaming flexibility that would amplify the productivity benefits, lift engagement, establish a clear market proposition, and also enable a new way of working, with technology linked very strongly.

This proposition is ground-breaking, in that across Telstra, all roles are now advertised as flexible. We also encourage working from home and other flexible working arrangements. The response to whether our employees feel like they have access to flexible working arrangements has gone up consistently over the last three years, between both men and women – that is a great thing. We are also able to measure the increase in overall engagement as the use of flexibility increases. People who

LEADERS TALK HR

“Diversity is also about diverse thinking styles, diverse backgrounds, making sure we are embracing anybody who wants to join the organisation” use flexible working arrangements are more engaged than people who don’t and people who use flexible working arrangements see a positive change in their ability to manage work pressure. All of these things add up to more engaged employees. Every organisation understands that having more engaged employees correlates directly to business performance and the bottom line, and we have certainly seen that at Telstra.

Employees are often motivated by different things. How do you recognise and reward them effectively? At Telstra, we are passionate about recognising, celebrating and rewarding the right behaviours and results. This is an important part of our journey to build a culture and an organisation that truly connects with its customers. All reward and recognition programmes are underpinned by our Telstra values and include traditional awards – such as our Annual CEO

Collaborate and Innovate Award acknowledging high performing individuals and teams – and “Pay It Forward”, which is a unique award linking recognition with Telstra’s sustainability priorities in the form of a personal, humanitarian gesture for underprivileged people.

Could you tell us more about Telstra’s focus on workplace diversity?

At Telstra, what’s critical is diversity across a number of spectrums. Gender diversity is really important to us, across all of Telstra and also across Asia. However, diversity is more than that. It is also about diverse thinking styles, diverse backgrounds, and making sure we are embracing anybody who wants to join the organisation. We are broadening our definition of diversity but we certainly have a lot of our focus at the moment on making sure we have got the right representation of women in our workforce and our leadership roles. We have a good representation of women in the workforce overall

– which has put us in a position of strength. Female representation among non-executive Directors on our Board was 33.3% at 30 June 2014. Last year, representation of women in executive management rose to 25.9%. We also saw positive promotion rates for women in Telstra overall, and a four per cent rise in the engagement of female employees. Women accounted for 41% cent of our graduate intake in 2014. We can’t grow in Asia, and we can’t be a talent leader in Asia, unless we are seen as an organisation that is embracing diversity.

What is your philosophy on employee engagement?

Does your athletic background have any bearing on your working style?

To continue to be successful in our ever-changing environment, Telstra needs to recreate itself from the inside out. It needs to build a culture that focuses on connecting with our customers, and ultimately, puts the customer at the centre of everything we do. Building an engaged workforce is a key strategic objective for our business. We are committed to making Telstra a truly great place to work – through a culture of customer service, collaboration, innovation, and of winning in the market. We need an engaged workforce to achieve these goals.

I love keeping fit. I travel nearly every week, try to run three mornings a week when I am away, and get out on my bike on a weekend. This is how I balance work and life. I usually get very creative thoughts when exercising, which helps me. I also draw a lot from sports; building and coaching high performance sports teams has many parallels in business.

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LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

How can leaders cajole the performance levels of disengaged or underperforming staff?

t Avnet Technology Solutions, we believe that highly engaged employees are those who are able to deliver the best solutions and services to our esteemed customers. Our staff are professional and dedicated. However, it is not uncommon that some employees may occasionally feel less motivated at work. At Avnet, we have a strong commitment to enriching the overall well-being of our employees by offering support in five key areas: career, financial, physical, social and community. At Avnet, we drive biannual Employee Engagement Surveys. These give us a pulse of the engagement level and job satisfaction on a regular basis. We also ensure that employees and their managers come face-to-face every six months to evaluate their performance and discuss goals for the future. At Avnet, this performance management programme is called

“iPerform”. Through this exercise, managers can identify who in their teams are underperforming, why, and how to better engage them by finding out what they are passionate about. Subsequently, they can devise a career plan that suits their level of achievement and further their developmental needs. While some companies measure the contribution of their employees by how much revenue they help to generate, at Avnet, we look beyond monetary achievements. Avnet adheres to the philosophy of “ValueBased Management” and ensures that employees are driven by what kind of value they bring to the workplace, rather than measuring performance based on absolute dollars only. By doing this, our employees know they have multiple levers to pull to be able to improve their overall performance.

JOSEPH FOO CHEW TUCK

Founder and Executive Chairman, Jason Marine

mployee engagement is an important issue within Jason. We are concerned when employees demonstrate a lack of interest or enthusiasm towards their jobs because we know that their performance will soon be adversely affected. We want our employees to be motivated and to realise their maximum potential. At Jason, we use a variety of approaches to engage staff. Leaders must spend time listening to employees’ points of view and understand the causes of disengagement or underperformance. We do this listening during town hall, department, one-on-one meetings with employees and through engagement surveys. When an employee underperforms, he or she should be informed and coached for improvement. Where there is a poor job fit, a leader should

WILLIAM CHU

President, Avnet Technology Solutions, Asia Pacific

determine the employees’ strengths and find a role or re-design the job to achieve a better fit. It is important to involve the employee in the goal setting discussion and co-create action plans so that the employee will take ownership and be motivated to strive for better results. Giving attention and monitoring the employee’s work progress will ensure they are on the right track and will further boost morale. Wherever possible, provide a partner or a buddy to guide the employee. Do not forget to recognise and reward the employee after they have put in the effort to improve their performance. Leaders play a crucial role. They have to be committed to engaging their staff. However, the benefits of high engagement are widespread and will make that effort worthwhile.

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WORK-LIFE BALANCE

FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES In today’s tight labour market, work-life strategies are no longer just good-to-have, but an important edge for companies to recruit and retain talent. HRM learns how flexi-work arrangements can help improve both employee satisfaction and productivity

Shalini Shukla-Pandey shalini@hrmasia.com.sg

amily-friendly workplace policies are increasingly becoming commonplace. Even US President Barack Obama recently called for paid parental leave and other family-friendly policies during the first White House Summit on Working Families last year. According to The Wall Street Journal, he told the audience of C-suite executives, labour leaders, academics and working parents, “there is only one developed country in the world that does not offer paid maternity leave; and that is us. “(That) is not the list you want to be on by your lonesome,” he added.

With a tighter labour market, companies often have to overcome the challenges of talent acquisition, development and retention on their own. “Many workplaces adopt family-friendly practices such as contract hiring and flexible work arrangements,” says Rebecca Teo, Director – HR, NTUC FairPrice. “It is crucial that efforts are made to help our employees manage work responsibilities alongside personal and family needs,” she says. “The value of a cohesive family unit cannot be overstated and a work environment

ISSUE 15.1

HRMASIA.COM

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Brent Tignor Regional Manager, Human Resources, Asia-Pacific Stepan Company

Carmen Wee Global Vice President, Human Resources (Software Business) Schneider Electric

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WORK-LIFE BALANCE CASE STUDY

“At IBM Singapore, we regard our employees as our greatest assets as we believe that a company is only as good as its people” Lim Ying Chia, Country HR Director, IBM Singapore

that promotes a healthy balance not only brings the best out in its staff but also creates a strong affiliation to the organisation, thus creating a workplace where staff wants to remain and grow over the long run.” One company that’s been championing family-friendly policies in Singapore for many years is IBM. The computer hardware company has been awarded the Work-Life Excellence Award over three consecutive awards periods and was most recently recognised for its “sustained” efforts in this space by the Tripartite Committee on Work-Life Strategy. “At IBM Singapore, we regard our employees as our greatest assets as we believe that a company is only as good as its people,” says Lim Ying Chia, Country HR Director, IBM Singapore. “We see ourselves as an ‘Innovator’s Innovator’; always reinventing ourselves and studying how, where, and when employees work.”

Family-friendly initiatives As a leader in innovation, IBM prides itself on using technology to meet employees’ work-life needs. For example, tools such as IBM Lotus Connections and Sametime are used for live file-sharing while IBM SmartCloud meeting software is used for web conferencing.

For employees who are constantly on the go, technology solutions such as Lotus Traveller, Sametime Connect Messaging, and Expertise Locator help IBMers stay connected to the business through their mobile devices. “In addition to technology, we make it a point to solicit the views of our employees through surveys such as the IBM Global Work-Life Survey and the IBM Dependent Care Survey,” says Lim. “The insights gleaned from such surveys help us to shape existing Work-Life strategies and programmes, as well as develop and implement new ones.” At the same time, IBM has a Global Work-Life Integration Council which meets regularly to review and discuss the company’s strategy and ensure it is meeting changing business and employee needs. “To date, several employees have applied for sabbatical leave for personal reasons,” says Lim. “These employees are fully supported, with every effort being made to ensure that suitable work opportunities are found upon their return.” Jacqueline Low, Chief Operating Officer, Hawksford Singapore, believes that having family-friendly initiatives will help employees to stay happy and committed at work: a win-win situation for the company.

IBM Singapore For over 15 years, IBM Singapore has successfully rolled out an extensive range of work-life strategy offerings throughout the organisation, including: • Flexible working arrangements With the approval of managers, employees may work a shorter work week with more hours in each day (10 hours a day for four days, instead of a fiveday week, eight hours a day) and choose their daily start and end times. • Telecommuting Close to 75% of the workforce is also mobile. This means that all employees have access to mobility tools and processes that allow them to work at a location convenient to them, any time. • Family Care Leave On top of mandatory childcare leave entitlements, employees can apply for up to five days of Family Care Leave, regardless of their marital status. This is used when staff may need time off from work to attend to family matters. • Employee Engagement Through the Employee Assistance Programme, IBM conducts regular lunchtime talks on various worklife topics such as “Getting a Good Night’s Sleep”, “Emotional Resilence” and “Positive Parenting”. IBM also holds a variety of daily fitness classes on its premises, including Cardio Toning, Zumba, Kickboxing, and Yoga. Employees are encouraged to bring their families along for IBM-organised activities such as movie screenings and community service events. This is aimed at strengthening family ties and encouraging colleagues to get to know one another better. • Childcare and Eldercare arrangements IBMers also have access to Worklife Essentials. This is a global on-demand resource and referral website for employees to learn how to better manage their work and personal responsibilities. • Nursing rooms To cater to nursing mothers, IBM has built lactation rooms onsite. These rooms are fully equipped with fridges, sinks, lockers, sterilisers, and private cubicles.

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WORK-LIFE BALANCE Family-friendly initiatives employed at Hawksford include flexible working hours and minimal overtime so that staff can enjoy dinner and personal time with their family. Management and colleagues participate in employees’ important personal events, including weddings and baby showers. Some employees work on a different structure of working hours due to family commitments. “We are open to such arrangements as long as it doesn’t affect their performance and work-flow,” says Low. “We are like a family and support one another, be it at work or on a personalbasis, as long as it’s within our means. Employees feel comfortable sharing their issues with us and this is the trust that we have built over time. “Essentially, we practice ‘empathy’,” says Low. “Open-communication within the organisation allows all employees to share their personal issues.” Even if some jobs don’t allow for family-friendly processes to be utilised, HR can still ensure employees strike a balance with work and home commitments, says Low. Firstly, HR should have constant communication with employees, so both parties can understand each other. Next, HR should observe and monitor if any employee seems different or out-of-sorts. Lastly, having a balance between working and playing hard should be encouraged, so that employees can share about work with their families and also talk about their families at work. With the help of its company-wide surveys, IBM has designed Work-Life Essentials – outlining all policies and activities with employees in mind. This information is readily available on the company intranet. All employees are also encouraged to have conversations with their managers should additional work-life flexibility be needed. “It’s a matter for both parties to work together and have good communication so that all parties understand each other

and the objectives that are being set,” Low explains.

Towards a family-centric work environment When looking to implement a familyfriendly work environment, it is prudent to note that work-life strategy is not a one-size-fits-all issue – a lot depends on the nature of business a company is in and its employee demographic. “Our IBM employee population is diverse and so we need to cater to a diverse set of needs. Our different worklife programmes reflect that,” says Lim. Teo agrees, saying that depending on the work requirements and nature of the business, companies need to look into customising an initiative that best fits them. “For example, under our flexible work arrangement, some staff may

work staggered hours while others may work from home once a week,” she explains. “The important message that everyone has to understand is to adopt an arrangement that suits them and not just compare with what others are doing.” Another critical success factor is to promote a supportive work environment. “For example, it would be rare for a manager to ask, ‘where are you?’ as our performance measurement system is based on outcomes and results of work done; not on the amount of ‘face time’ in the office,” says Lim. “It is our belief that IBMers are what make IBM,” says Lim. “With work-life integration, our employees are happier and more productive. Ultimately our clients benefit, our company benefits, and the individual benefits.”

CASE STUDY

NTUC FairPrice FairPrice was set up as a co-operative in 1973 with the social mission to moderate the cost of living. This was coupled with its commitment to give back to society in order to help build a better life for the community. “We know that families are the building blocks of our society and we have in place various efforts to help families in need,” says Rebecca Teo, Director – HR, NTUC FairPrice. “Internally, as one of the largest employers in Singapore, we strive to create a ‘Wonderful Workplace’ that supports them.” Some family-friendly initiatives at NTUC FairPrice include: • Ensuring the well-being and health of employees. “We invest to improve the well-being and health of our staff members. For example, we provide our full-time staff with comprehensive outpatient and inpatient medical benefits and also have in place a subsidised annual health screening for both full and part-time staff.” • Encouragement of family bonding and wellbeing. “We offer chalets at subsidised rates for our staff. Our staff also get two to three days of Family Charity Leave a year to celebrate auspicious occasions with their family or to do charity work outside of FairPrice. Staff are also entitled to two days’ parental care leave per year to take care of their parents.” • Providing flexible work arrangements. “For example, about 30% of our workforce are on part-time arrangements so that they can plan their work hours around family or personal commitments.” FairPrice’s commitment to cultivate family-friendly practices has garnered recognition from industry peers and the wider community. In 2012, the supermarket chain was presented with the Singapore Health Award (Gold) for its efforts in promoting and executing health and wellness-related policies, benefits, and activities for staff. In the same year, FairPrice also won the prestigious Best Workplace Award at the International Singapore Compact CSR Summit.

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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

‘Hey boss, time for a raise?’ Plenty of staff naturally think they deserve a bigger pay check. HRM considers how HR can handle these sometimes tricky requests

Shalini Shukla-Pandey shalini@hrmasia.com.sg

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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

n any employee’s life, there Most companies would have is in place for current deliverables, comes a time when a question performance reviews twice a year: employees should consider what else will dawn on them: “Am I being paid a basic calibration at the mid-year they can bring to the table to justify enough?” mark and a complete one, typically their request. The employee then has the at the end of the year. Alongside “This is especially so when we sometimes herculean task of going this process is typically a salary are talking about basic pay which is up to their line manager or HR adjustment and promotion review. typically ‘downward sticky’.” That department to ask those five little “If an employee feels that he/she is, salaries rarely go down. words: “Can I have a raise?” deserve a pay raise in addition to Bruno Marchand, Manager of “Career Opportunities” and “Pay” this adjustment, he/she should have Robert Walters Singapore, advises remain the top two engagement a discussion with his/her supervisor staff that HR professionals are more drivers for workers in the Asiaduring the appraisal and justify this favourable toward raise requests Pacific region. that are brought up a few According to the Aon months in advance, giving Hewitt 2014 Trends in Asiacompensation and benefits Pacific Employee Engagement, staff time to consider and “Career Opportunities” include it in the budget. was the number one driver, Still some companies • Have the employee’s appraisal review results in front of you to ensure both globally and in the may be more flexible in discussions remain factual and objective. region in 2013. their salary administration • Know the existing remuneration policies and pay practices. But “Pay” had a and would consider offparticularly higher ranking cycle adjustments, says • Speak to the individual to get a better understating of the situation. in Asia-Pacific compared Chua. “But most large • Know when to end the conversation – if the case isn’t strong enough, to the rest of the world, organisations would not HR should not string the employee along. and was valued notably in encourage such ad hoc • Be open minded and listen to the employee China, South Korea, and approaches, as they disrupt • It could be the right time to realign expectations Thailand. the system and structure Source: Andrew Norton, Regional Managing Director, Michael Page South East Asia The importance of of the compensation and handling a raise request benefits process.” as sensitively as possible therefore cannot be discounted. raise with his/her contributions in Making that conversation work facts and figures,” says Chua. Sometimes, employees face barriers When should staff ask? Sean Lim, Human Capital when it comes to asking for a raise. Some are of the mind that there Development Manager, Auric Group, These include a lack of negotiation never really is a “good” time for also believes that an ideal time skills and managers who may not staff to ask for a pay raise. to broach the subject is over an welcome the discussion, says Chua. Most established organisations objective review of performances, Other impediments include not have existing compensation and contributions and employee having an open mind-set and the benefits processes and structures value-adds during a company’s tendency to turn defensive when to ensure that employees are paid performance assessments. faced with rejection. Norton says fairly and according to market “Employees should have a good employees also fear being seen as trends, says Josephine Chua, understanding of their performance too financially motivated, and of Director – HR and Quality, Ramada and contribution when discussing asking only for the sake of asking. and Days Hotels Singapore At the subject of a pay adjustment,” “Employees need to be objective Zhongshan Park. says Lim. “When an equitable pay when discussing a pay adjustment,

How to handle a raise request?

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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

“Dissatisfaction amongst staff can turn into resentment towards the organisation or a manager” Andrew Norton, Regional Managing Director, Michael Page South East Asia

focusing on performance improvement and attributable contribution,” Lim explains. “You don’t want to justify this discussion on subjective grounds like role seniority or years in service, especially if adjustments are already in place to recognise these.” While staff may face challenges when approaching HR to talk about pay raises, HR should recognise these conversations as important. The chance that good quality staff are feeling dissatisfied should be enough to jolt HR into quickly opening communication lines. Dissatisfaction amongst staff can turn into resentment towards the organisation or a manager, says Norton. “The employees in question may also feel resentment towards other team members who they perceive are better remunerated than them, resulting in bad synergy and energy at the workplace,” he adds. Employees may also face a loss of interest, says Norton. “The job becomes just that – a job to pay the bills and nothing else. This can result in the individual becoming a burden for the organisation more than a valuable asset,” he explains. In companies favouring an open environment, employees should take the opportunity to discuss their work issues, including pay,

with their supervisors and HR department, says Lim. This allows the stakeholders to put the request into consideration and explain the rationale of why, when and how the company looks at the matter from an organisational viewpoint. “Not raising it will not resolve the issue and more likely escalate the matter into other misunderstandings and engagement issues,” Lim warns.

HR’s role as discussion moderator Faced with a raise request, HR should have some kind of compensation policy so that decisions don’t have

to be handled in a one-off, spurof-the-moment fashion, says Dick Grote, author of ‘How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals’. Lim suggests HR develop an in-house framework that clearly defines the competencies or parameters for consideration during such conversations. “This allows the discussions to focus on real objectives and less likely to deviate towards subjective measures, ensuring stronger parity and clarity for the process,” he explains. At Auric Pacific, HR has prescribed a standard cycle for performance reviews, increments and pay raises. This is clearly communicated and followed through to ensure transparency, impartiality and meritocracy. “Employees understand what we look for and supervisors can more objectively discuss the parameters,” Lim elaborates. Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore conducts competitive benchmarking regularly. External reports with similar industry data are also purchased to ensure the hotel keeps itself abreast of developments in the market.

HR checklist When faced with an employee that’s asking for a raise, HR has to be prepared to answer the following questions: • What are the achievements of the employee? Does that justify a salary increase? • What are the practices in the industry? Is the employee fairly paid? • What are the usual practices in the company? • What is the motivation of the employee asking for the increase? Is it only about money? • Can we afford to pay this raise? • Can we afford to potentially lose this employee? • What is the timeline for feedback? Source: Bruno Marchand, Manager, Robert Walters Singapore

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Singing and dancing employees, and staff that sit down to eat with guests and participate in activities with them: these are the things that make Club Med no ordinary resort. Sham Majid checks out the HR strategies behind its successful Bintan property

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Sham Majid sham@hrmasia.com.sg

HR INSIDER

hen the tour bus made its way inside the sprawling gates of the Club Med Bintan Island Hotel complex, my partner and I were greeted by a strange sight. There was around a dozen people of various nationalities performing a choreographed dance. As we made our way out of the bus and past the two rows of dancers, we were officially welcomed to the resort by a person who labelled herself as the chef de village (village chief). She made a quick introduction of herself as well as that of the GOs (Gentil Organisateurs) who participated in the dance. If you are already befuddled by the terms just mentioned, fret not. For Club Med, a French corporation of vacation resorts which boasts around 70 “villages” around the world, along with operations in over 40 countries, standing out from the pack is a key part of the corporate ethos. “We are not just selling a ‘stay’ but also an experience at Club Med,” explains Marina Bianconi, Vice President of HR, Club Med. “There is also the element of human adventure, and people actually come back to stay at Club Med because of the GOs.”

Understanding the terms In order to fully comprehend the uniqueness of the Club Med fabric, one has to be versed with its history and culture. According to Bianconi, Club Med’s founders Gilbert Trigano and Gérard Blitz created the concept of a resort that simply personified a “village” whereby guests can meet their neighbours and those helping to create their experience, such as the bakers. In fact, Club Med was built in 1950 with the aim of making people happy as much as making money, explains Bianconi. “When the chef de village welcomes guests into his village, he or she is essentially welcoming the guest home,” she says. So, who actually is the chef de village?

“The chef de village is actually the general manager of every resort,” elaborates Bianconi. GOs on the other hand, uphold the Club Med Spirit which is difficult for competitors to copy, says Bianconi. GOs serve as ambassadors of the Club Med spirit and hold leadership positions in different aspects of the philosophy. “GOs travel extensively and change resorts every six months to a year,” says Bianconi. “They are exposed to a variety of languages and cultures and this makes it easy for the GOs to communicate with guests of all nationalities.” According to Bianconi, the perks of the job for a GO include sharing meals with guests, engaging in different kind of sports within the resorts, and travelling the world. In fact, during our recent trip to the Club Med resort in Bintan, my partner and I were joined by GOs during all our meals. They engaged in friendly conversations with us, genuinely wanting to know more about our lives and how they could assist in any aspect of our two-night stay at the resort. The Club Med jargon does not end there. GEs (Gentil Employés) are local people who are not mobile, live close to the resort , know the product and country and possess an important local touch, says Bianconi. “A key difference is that GEs are the local staff and GOs are the mobile

AT A GLANCE Total number of employees at Club Med (Singapore): 75 (13,000 worldwide) Size of the HR Team (Singapore): 8

Key HR Focus Areas: – Setting up of digital talent acquisition strategy – Development and training for commercial staff – Continue to improve the well-being of staff because staff are living with Club Med

staff or managerial staff managing the GEs,” she adds. In addition, GMs (Gentil Membres) refer to customers or guests at the resort. Last but not least, Club Med boasts of its own dance: the very dance that welcomed us and every arrival to the Bintan property. Known as “Les Crazy Signs” or “crazy signs”, this dance is led by the GOs at varying intervals during the day and evening. “Guests can decide to just watch or participate as well when the GOs are dancing,” explains Bianconi. “Humans are shy by nature but Club Med has the added ability to help guests create links with one another.” With GOs participating with guests in activities during their stay, Bianconi discloses that there is a serious “job hazard” associated with being a GO. “They are so used to smiling and greeting strangers within resorts that they continue to do so even when they come back home in a normal social situation,” she laughs.

Trailblazing through the tourism quandary While it may appear to be all fun and games at Club Med, Bianconi explains that the company is not insulated from the issues currently plaguing the global tourism sector. “More hotels and resorts are opening, especially in emerging markets, and the war for talent is raging in Asia and around the world,” she says. Interestingly, Bianconi notes that while Westerners and Japanese people are historical consumers of leisure travel, she says they are now seeing more local people such as Chinese and Indonesians travelling for leisure in the Asia-Pacific region. “Therefore, there’s pressure on manpower to attract and retain talent,” she remarks. Bianconi also says that new methods of communication, such as digitalisation for both clients and potential applicants, are becoming cornerstones of the tourism sector.

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HR INSIDER

WHO’S WHO IN HR

MARINA BIANCONI VP of HR

JOEL GABON

JOSEE DESJARDINS Regional HR Manager (Villages)

ADE CHANDRA

Regional HR Learning and Development Manager

Regional Talent Acquisition and HR Manager (Hotel Services)

PATTI CHUA

YUKO MOMO WATANABE

Regional HR Manager (Leisure Services)

Regional HR Executive

CLAUDIA KOH

LAURA FRAGAPANE

Regional HR Administrator

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HRMASIA.COM

HR Intern

“The question is how to find talent through ways such as social media and referrals from friends,” she explains. While Bianconi states “it’s a long and bumpy road”, she adds Club Med has been aware of these changes and challenges emanating from the tourism sector for several years. She says “managing people” is a very fluid concept and Club Med needs to acquire new competencies in HR. Hence, she stresses that HR must become more skilled in technology in particular. “In Club Med, we plan our strategy every year, and knowing how to plan our manpower is critical,” Bianconi explains. The strategy includes plans to create more resorts, requiring more people to satisfy the chief goal of guest satisfaction and therefore placing HR at the apex. Club Med also formulates capacity plans to ensure it can secure the right people for each of the resorts, says Bianconi. For example, the organisation provides mobility to its teams whereby every six months to a year, talents are moved around their resorts. Essentially, Bianconi explains the concept of GOs staying within the resorts is unique for guests. “When we open new resorts, we need to hire the best talent to be GOs and the Club Med know-how is linked to its people,” she says. “It is therefore challenging for us to ensure we follow our strategies at a worldwide level to be sure that we are be able to retain talent.” Bianconi also discloses a specific competitive advantage Club Med has over its counterparts. “Club Med is very vocal about talent mobility and doesn’t shy away from liaising with governments of different countries and their immigration departments to secure work permits and visas for staff moving within its network of resorts,” says Bianconi. “We prove to the immigration departments that we exchange people. Not only do we bring foreigners into your country, we also take their

countrymen out to other countries so they can gain experience as well.” Bianconi adds Club Med will still continue to exchange talent even if it encounters problems with visa approvals. “It is part of the global strategy of Club Med, not just HR,” she adds. “We want to be an employer of choice in the hospitality space and this is one way we add value to our staff – mobility and the chance to work with 21 different nationalities.”

Understanding the Club Med culture Although Club Med underwent a change of strategy 10 years ago, from being a mass market resort group to a more upscale offering, the culture of the organisation continues to be dictated by Club Med’s five worldwide values. Thse are: multiculturalism, a pioneering spirit, kindness, freedom, and responsibility. Multiculturalism espouses the notion that both clients and staff discover new cultures, welcome differences and open their minds to different ideas. Freedom allows an individual to be empowered, think out of the box, and “dare to create”. Responsibility entails competence and conscience, personal involvement and commitment when undertaking a role. In fact, sustainability also falls under this value. “When we open a resort, we always think of how it can be a sustainable development,” says Bianconi. “We have built schools within the countries where our resorts are and have also promoted interaction with young people and people with disabilities.” Pioneering Spirit refers to staff showing the way, having a vision, possessing innovative ideas and implementing them to satisfy essential customer requirements. Last but not least, being kind is part of Club Med’s signature and brand, explains Bianconi. “Club Med’s first and foremost aim is to bring happiness to people and this is very strong in our culture,” she says.

HR INSIDER Bianconi shares an interesting anecdote which has epitomised Club Med as being one of the pioneer drivers in innovation in the hospitality sector. “I have a friend doing an MBA course and in a speech from her professor on hospitality, he said, ‘Do you know when the last innovation in hospitality was?’” she explains. “Nothing’s been done since Club Med happened.”

Club Med Numbers

Identifying and grooming talent

• 86% of staff say they developed professional skills at Club Med

So how exactly does Club Med secure the manpower required to fulfill the plethora of roles within its resorts worldwide? Like all major hospitality players, Bianconi admits Club Med has to tackle the issue of finding and recruiting talent, especially since recruitment is spread out throughout 10 countries such as Thailand, Japan, Maldives, Malaysia, South Korea and Australia. “In resorts, we offer more than 100 different types of jobs,” explains Bianconi. “Sixty percent of jobs are hospitalityrelated, while 30% have a leisure and/or entertainment focus.” This amounts to around 300 to 600 staff per resort tending to 500 to 1000 clients every week. According to Bianconi, each resort is like a mini organisation and it can be a challenging affair. Hence, the two main talent sources come from local employment and the exchanging of talent from different cultures, she says. In terms of graduate talent development, Bianconi explains Club Med is an excellent place for talent to secure first-time jobs. This is aided by the organisation investing significant resources in training and helping to strengthen the pool of local staff, she adds. “We work a lot on training and we also have a university of talent (an internal school for Club Med),” elaborates Bianconi. “We have experts in their own jobs coming to give training to staff.” According to Bianconi, Club Med also provides these experts with a train-atrainer programme so they gain new

• 17 nationalities on average per Club Med village • Almost 70% of GOs and GEs have learned a foreign language while working with Club Med • 52% of staff consider the Club Med experience as “a springboard to the future” • 90% of staff would recommend the Club Med experience to their friends and family

• 95% of staff confirmed they experienced “a human adventure” at Club Med Source: HR Press Kit 2014/2015

competencies when they train. Training is based on three areas: technical skills, soft skills and management skills. Technical skills encompass aspects such as how to cook and how to make beds, among other functional tasks. For example, high level chefs in France provide training to staff in the Maldives, says Bianconi. Soft skills are deemed to be extremely important for hospitality staff. These include quality of service and Luxe service training. According to Bianconi, the Luxury Attitude that works with a famous French brand visited Club Med’s new resort to teach Club Med’s staff how to make a difference in service, using a luxurious French touch. Lastly, management skills are utilised to accelerate leaders’ skills. The “Manager by Club Med” programme is a one and a half year course that creates a common culture base of management and inscribes a uniform way to react to situations, among other lessons. Bianconi says 60% of staff in Club Med around the world received some form of training in 2013. Bianconi also reveals that internships are plentiful in the industry, including in Club Med. “I started in Club Med as an intern myself!” she says.

Rising through the ranks Despite being a global hospitality player, Bianconi says Club Med prides itself on vigorously pushing its internal mobility, citing many success stories. There is even a Singaporean chef de village among the organisation’s management ranks. “There is a clear vision of a career path for staff and we identify our high potential staff from both our resorts and offices,” she explains. According to Bianconi, the average age of staff at Club Med is 27 and these young people are given the chance to lead people early on in their careers. “Our general manager was promoted at a very young age of 32 years old,” she says. “That is our strength: to engage people and to give them the opportunity to lead staff and the company in general.” While GOs are generally at the forefront of engagement with guests, Bianconi says local GEs are not left out of the picture. Club Med often organises family gatherings and staff parties for these local staff. The notion of “work hard, play hard”succinctly captures the essence of the typical Club Med employee, she says. “Work productively, but also smile and laugh and for example, if GOs like golf, they can supervise guests when they are golfing,” explains Bianconi. Nevertheless, she concedes that with GOs being afar from their families, they do sometimes wish to switch to a more stable lifestyle. “This is fine because two ex-chef de villages have now moved up the ranks to report directly to the Chairman,” remarks Bianconi. As my partner and I prepared to bid farewell to Club Med Bintan after a relaxing and enjoyable weekend, we were afforded another glimpse of Les Crazy Signs. The GOs danced one last time before we boarded our bus back to the ferry terminal. At Club Med it seems, engagement starts before you step off the bus and ends only once you are back in it.

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CAREER PATHWAYS

STOP going on

CRUISE CONTROL! In today’s ultra-competitive working world, employees are picking up new skills and immersing themselves in a wide array of positions to remain relevant and adaptable. HRM investigates how companies are facilitating these endless career roadmaps

Sham Majid sham@hrmasia.com.sg

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re your staff ready to switch to “autopilot” mode having been happy and comfortable at where their careers are at? They may be wise to reconsider. The era of employees resolutely sticking to just one job vocation during the course of their working life has been well and truly consigned to the history pages.

CAREER PATHWAYS From a retention perspective, career advancement opportunities were ranked second in terms of importance for both employers and employees in Singapore. The notion of the modern-day employee who is nimble, agile and adaptive is succinctly surmised by Sue Olivier, Asia-Pacific Regional Talent Development Director for advertising, marketing and public relations agency Ogilvy & Mather. “We think of our agency career paths less like ladders and more like a climbing wall – different people being on different tracks, but with the ability to move onto a different track at any time,” she says.

An open ticket to career development While formulating career pathway structures at the beginning of an employee’s tenure used to be unthinkable for firms, it starts at the hiring process for Ogilvy & Mather, says The potential for career Olivier. advancement was the “We are a communications agency offering services across a number of disciplines (including attraction driver for employers in Singapore advertising, public relations Source: Towers Watson and one-to-one marketing) 2014 Global Workforce all under one roof,” says Study and 2014 Talent Management and Rewards Olivier. Study- Singapore “So we need our people to embrace all of these disciplines, although they might be assigned to only one at a time.” In addition, Ogilvy & Mather has a cell structure for managing clients – grouping similar clients (such as those in the fast-moving consumer goods space) together in a cell, serviced by a multidisciplinary team. According to Olivier, this forms a much According to the Towers Watson stronger team and gives each member of 2014 Global Workforce Study and 2014 the cell exposure to other disciplines. Talent Management and Rewards Study“Cell members operate as a real Singapore report, the potential for 360-degree team, focused around the career advancement was the number client’s business, not the business unit one attraction driver for employers in profit and loss, allowing each member Singapore, while the same aspect was to bring their unique or specialist skill ranked as the fourth attraction driver to bear on the client’s business,” says for employees. Olivier.

number one

“The cell feels like a small agency: it’s nimbler, more entrepreneurial and more fun.” Bloomberg, a global business and financial news provider, also adopts a flexible and open stance when it comes to career pathways for staff. “Because of the nature of our industry and the entrepreneurial spirit of the company, we have a very unique corporate culture and a relatively flat organisation,” says Vandna Dawar Ramchandani - Head of Asia-Pacific Recruitment, Bloomberg. “This means employees can have many different career pathways and possibilities at Bloomberg - across departments, specialties, geographies and business areas.” While she says some employees follow traditional paths, it is also common for Bloomberg workers to craft new paths in collaboration with a new business or market need; try out new opportunities that leverage a skill set; experience an area of expertise that positions them for a role; or seize a new market opportunity which requires new talent and resources. PPD, a global contract research organisation in the pharmaceutical industry, also prides itself on a clear job framework that explains and details career paths at various management and professional levels, says Haley Hopkins, Executive Director of Asia-Pacific HR for PPD. According to Hopkins, the career pathways at PPD involve formal training, on the job learning, and development of personal skills. Many in-house and online training programmes help to guide each employee. “An employee works with their manager to decide on his career progression and then works towards it,” explains Hopkins.

A buffet of career pathways The Towers Watson 2014 Global Workforce Study - Global revealed that only 38% of employees in Singapore polled said their organisation provided opportunities to advance their career. ISSUE 15.1

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CAREER PATHWAYS Furthermore, only 43% of workers in Singapore claimed their firm provided useful career planning tools and resources. From an employer’s point of view, the study found that only 47% of companies in Singapore had defined career architecture and levels as components of their career management programmes, while only 33% of firms in Singapore said their managers were effective in explaining possible career opportunities (see: boxout). Bloomberg employees need not worry about this notion however. Ramchandani says Bloomberg’s Career Adviser programme enables employees to connect with global colleagues who can share their own career paths and stories. “We use historical job transfer data to reveal the paths that have been travelled for employees to view, and we are working to make this a visual tool and resource for our employees around the world,” explains Ramchandani. “We help our employees see where their skills may be transferable.” Ramchandani explains that by having robust job descriptions and an understanding of what it takes to be successful in various groups, employees can align their own skills, interests and aspirations to the needs of the business. “There are hundreds of Bloomberg employees who have had a diversity of career pathways in our company, transitioning and adapting across departments from sales to news to customer service to analysis and even leadership training, operations, technology and HR roles,” she says. Over at Ogilvy & Mather, Olivier identifies a range of career pathway frameworks for employees to rise through the corporate ladder. One such pathway Olivier says has been running for the past five years is the Graduate Fellowship Programme. “It offers top graduates across the region an eight-week introductory course that familiarises participants with all functions,” she explains. This is then followed by a rotation programme and an ensuing placement in the discipline of their choice. 34 ISSUE 15.1

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Singapore’s take on career management According to the recent Towers Watson 2014 Global Workforce Study and 2014 Talent Management and Rewards Study- Singapore report: • 39% of employees believe their company makes effective use of technology to deliver programmes that help them advance their careers • 30% of companies have an articulated career management philosophy • 28% of firms monitor the effectiveness of their career management programmes • 28% of companies believe their managers are effective in conducting career development discussions

For creatives, Olivier says the “Lucky 8” programme welcomes eager young talents who are keen to work in advertising. For three months, they are put on day-to-day live projects and given a chance to work on some of the biggest brands in the world. At the end of the programme, these participants hold an exhibition of their work and decide if they want to seek a creative career in the agency. The organisation also offers secondments to other offices, teams or clients for a few months at a time. “These allow people to gain new experiences or perspectives which can be brought back to the team upon their return,” adds Olivier. PPD’s career development strategies also comprise of many different programmes across different regions. According to Hopkins, two such programmes are Global Leadership for senior management and the Key Talent Programme for junior management. “These help us in retaining the best and the brightest,” says Hopkins.

All in their own hands Taking charge of one’s own career has become something of a norm for employees, although the 2014 Talent Management and Rewards Study – Singapore report unveiled conflicting sentiments between employees and employers in Singapore. Only 16% of employers in Singapore polled said they wanted staff to take ownership of their own careers, while the figure stood at 51% for workers in Singapore. Meanwhile, 67% of employers in Singapore stated they wanted employees and managers to have “joint ownership”, as compared to 38% of employees. Hopkins says PPD firmly believes that an employee needs to take ownership of their own career. “It is very much an employee-driven process based upon a partnership between the employee and manager,” she explains. According to Hopkins, the developmental objectives are decided and recorded in a Career Development Plan and ongoing discussions around career possibilities and learning experiences take place throughout the year. “PPD HR makes employees aware that their managers or HR cannot fulfil their career aspiration if they do not take the initiative,” explains Hopkins, adding that HR Generalists work with managers to stream developmental opportunities for their teams. Likewise, Ramchandani cites that assuming ownership of one’s own career progression “is a hallmark part of our career development initiative at Bloomberg”. “We have always motivated employees at Bloomberg to make their mark and it is actually a core part of who we are,” says Ramchandani. Bloomberg encourages staff to take ownership of their work and foster a positive work environment that is supportive of employees taking initiative. “For example, we provide support at the organisational level – through tools,

CAREER PATHWAYS resources and programmes,” explains experiences that one acquires over the The PPD Job framework also provides Ramchandani. course of their career and not about the long-term career growth options to Meanwhile, Ogilvy & Mather employees formal progressions or titles they have employees in every possible way, says can ask for a “Path to Growth” had,” she says. Hopkins. assessment – either one-on-one, or as “This differentiates us and encourages “If the employee wants to move to a 360-degree assessment, says Olivier, our employees to define success the management role, they will have a adding that 360-degree assessments are differently than in other organisations.” different career ladder that is clearly done for all senior positions. Olivier also espouses the notion that defined; whereas employees wanting In addition, the company’s intranet due to the size and structure at Ogilvy & to specialise in a particular space will has published policies and guidance for Mather, there are many opportunities continue in that professional field,” anyone interested in a transfer. They across the organisation. she elaborates. have access to either the HR Manager “Employees may choose to go ‘deep’ In addition, Olivier adds that the agency or talent lead for a career (with a single client, for has also converted some of its specialists discussion. example) or ‘wide’ (more to “intrapreneurs” within the agency. “All job descriptions are general management-based “These would typically be people who posted on the intranet for all roles),” she elaborates. would have wanted to leave the agency to of companies in Singapore staff to see,” she explains. “If you work on a global establish their own start-ups,” she says. had defined vertical career account for example, you “We partner with them to design paths as part of their career management programmes. Sideways anyone? could go from working in the agreements that will allow them to Source: 2014 Talent Not every employee, however, local office on the account create their start-ups within the Management and Rewards aspires to rise through the to the regional team for that Ogilvy structure.” Study - Singapore report corporate ranks and slip on a account and possibly end up Bloomberg also recognises that managerial gown. on the global team.” management is not for everyone, says In fact, lateral and parallel career Olivier says that should general Ramchandani. paths are increasingly being touted management appeal to an employee, She explains that the organisation as options for employees wishing they can be asked to run a cell, or a consists of many employees who are to embark on something different, discipline, or an office. product or technical experts or sales people without necessarily being burdened More often than not, she says the who are highly regarded by their clients. with managerial responsibilities. organisation sees a combination of “These highly valued employees are A lateral switch means a worker these options. often individual contributors,” adds shifts to a similar position in the “Someone may start off going deep Ramchandani. company, usually with a similar wage into an account, then switch to more “We try to make this message range and a job title at the same level. general management, and then go back transparent - that ‘up is not the only The employee’s job functions do alter to an account,” explains Olivier. way to succeed’ - and that one can however, therefore providing them with “We encourage this, because each have a robust and fulfilling career new chances and a new enthusiasm. ‘tour’ gives you a different perspective at Bloomberg without moving into a The 2014 Talent Management and and access to a different set of skills.” management role.” Rewards Study - Singapore report highlighted that 43% of companies in Singapore had defined vertical career paths as part of their career management programmes. Employees do not always have to be obsessed with moving up the corporate ladder. Instead, In addition, 26% of firms defined switching sideways is also a viable career path option. But when would a lateral move be relevant? lateral career paths, while another They include when: 26% had dual career paths for people • You may fancy more challenge but not added responsibility as you are already burdened with managers and individual contributors challenges outside your work life as part of their career management • The functions your unit does are being outsourced, but you are not willing to leave the firm programmes. • You are attending courses or finishing a degree and do not want the burden of a promotion presently Ramchandani acknowledges that in a • You are getting ready for an eventual switch and want to spend time in a functional unit where you relatively flat organisation, lateral and do not possess much experience parallel moves are very common. “In fact, we describe career Source: Barbara Reinhold, Lateral Moves: When Do They Work? (Monster.com) development as a combination of

43%

When is it time to move laterally?

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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Hilton:

Moulding young minds With Generation Y making up 25% of the world’s population (including 200 million in China and 500 million in India), it is quickly becoming an important source of talent as well as a growing consumer base. Lawrence Lee, Vice President of HR (Greater China and Mongolia) with Hilton Worldwide, says the hotel group is making this demographic a key focus in its talent development and management strategy

Shalini Shukla-Pandey shalini@hrmasia.com.sg

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raining is critical for the service industry. It means both business and brand performance can be maintained at a very high level. Hilton Worldwide, for instance, sees a direct correlation between training and its customer feedback on service standards. “Training has also been critical in some of the hotel’s revenue maximisation initiatives and making sure they deliver results,” says Lawrence Lee, Vice President – HR (Greater China & Mongolia), Hilton Worldwide. “Finally, training is the backbone to our talent development efforts which are critical in the supply of talent to support the development of the company.” Every Hilton hotel has a dedicated training team which conducts an annual training needs analysis, leading to a training plan with clear objectives based on the hotel’s business needs. Typically, the hotel training budget will be between two and four per cent of annual payroll costs, says Lee. The training standard in Greater China, where Lee is based, is to achieve 44 training hours per team member per year. “This is consistent for all of our more than 15,000 team members in Greater China,” he explains. “We have also completed almost 4,000 training places in our regional training programmes this year.”

Developing the young One of Hilton’s key engagement strategies to engage talent is to focus on the Generation Y workforce. Hilton has put in place a number of successful programmes, including the Management Trainee Programme and its Hotel School Alliances to engage and attract young talent to join the hotel group. The Management Trainee Programme is a one-year course designed to prepare young talents for an enriching career. Each trainee gets

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

a chance to work in all departments before deciding to establish their career in one specific area. “It has been very successful, attracting almost 20,000 applicants in the last three years,” says Lee. “We are very stringent in our assessment and selection, and have handpicked around 200 management trainees to join us over the last three years.” The school alliances that Hilton has built up in Greater China has also helped the hotel chain to cultivate and attract young talent. “In this region, we have grown from one to 14 school alliances in the last three years,” says Lee. “Our management teams train the students for one year under the Hilton Class Programme, and they then join us for a ten-month internship programme. “In 2014, we had around 2,000 interns joining our hotels in Greater China, with about 40% of them staying on after their internship.” As part of the development roadmap for the young talents who have joined Hilton, the hotel has a host of inhouse management development programmes (MDPs) to develop staff from the supervisory level up to general managerial level. The series of MDPs begin with building supervisors, who are given introductory and then intermediate management skills for team leaders. The last module focuses on core leadership skills for heads of departments. The General Manager development programmes (GMDPs) focus on developing identified talent from fresh graduates and team members to eventually become senior management and general managers of hotels. All the in-house programmes are designed with the personal and career needs of the team member in mind. The development programmes employ a variety of learning methods, ranging from lectures to webinars and development

Hilton Worldwide University To supplement the development of young talent, Hilton has its own Hilton Worldwide University which offer more than 2,500 courses available. “Hilton Worldwide University is an online learning system for our team members,” says Lawrence Lee, Vice President – HR (Greater China & Mongolia), Hilton Worldwide. “The resources include brand education, professional development courses, and operational offerings designed to give team members the skills and knowledge needed to perform effectively. All resources can be found easily and are often just one mouse click away.” Hilton Worldwide University resources are selected and developed according to six core

centres. Learners are also assigned mentors to guide them in their progress. Hilton recognises the importance of mentoring and coaching for young talents and has put its own in-house mentoring programme into place. In-house mentors (senior leaders) are assigned to personally look after the growth of individual team members. The team member is assigned a mentor who acts as a supporter, coach and career guide. The mentor and mentee interact regularly over a period of time, Lee explains, with these interactions driven by a written plan with clear and specific goals. “Effective learning often involves a blend of activities over the duration of the mentoring relationship,” Lee says. To further develop its understanding and engagement with staff, Hilton Worldwide jointly organises conferences with prominent hotel schools. One example is the Women in Leadership conference, to be held in March this year. It aims to engage and inspire women to achieve their potential in the hospitality industry.

competencies. This ensures alignment across the global organisation and allows employees to focus learning that supports Hilton Worldwide Values: • Living the Values • Collaboration • Customer Focus • Judgment • Leadership • Results Focus “All team members are on a learning management system which is the foundation of the Hilton Worldwide University,” Lee explains. “They have easy access to their learning assignments and learning history through the learning management system.”

“Our annual Global Team Member Survey has revealed that one of the main reasons our team members are engaged is because of our company values and culture,” says Lee. “We believe that organising events like the Women in Leadership conference builds on our values to be an inclusive employer that encourages and supports diversity.”

An Employer of Choice In the past three years, Hilton Worldwide has picked up more than 10 awards for its HR practices, including inclusion in Universum China’s Top 50 Most Attractive Employers list for last year. The Universum awards are based on independently conducted student surveys, highlighting the appeal of Hilton Worldwide as an employer of choice for university students. The hotel chain’s learning and development programmes have indeed raised the profile of Hilton Worldwide as an Employer of Choice in Greater China, says Lee. “They have helped us build up a strong reputation in the industry as well as in the market.”

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ADVERTORIAL

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info@glidespartners.com www.accountability.asia www.ozprinciple.com No 7 Kaki Bukit Road 1, #01-09 Eunos Technolink, Singapore 415937

IN PERSON ADRIAN HO HR Manager, Riverview Hotel

Years in HR?

I have been in HR for 17 years.

Why HR?

It was accidental. I landed my first job doing administration in the shipyard. Fortunately, I was groomed by my then HR Manager, who was both my mentor and ‘igniter’. After that, my interest and passion in HR grew and I have never looked back, enjoying many aspects of HR.

Why Riverview?

Experiencing both the harshest and public-facing sectors, I was given the opportunity to enter the hotel sector at mid-level management. Without prior exposure, Riverview presented both an opportunity and a challenge, as it is an established hotel, directly managed by the owner. It is an opportunity as it is a pre-requisite for the incumbent to possess prior hotel experience, while it is a challenge as many practices require updating to keep up with the talent constraints of today.

Biggest Achievement?

To have been part of the tripartite effort in enhancing the employability of older workers. Working with employers, various associations, the National Trades Union Congress and other stakeholders, I had to operationalise re-employment frameworks and provide feedback for policy-makers to craft the re-employment legislation. With this, I got to witness first-hand the policy-making, and the execution and constant finetuning of policies, which HR practitioners constantly do as business partners.

Family?

Staying with parents who are ageing, it is a delicate balance between work, family and social commitments. Weekends are dedicated to family, occasionally taking part in leisure activities which I enjoy to keep both body and mind alert.

What happens after hours?

As we mature, social and business networks matter. However, health is important too and ensuring sufficient quality rest is therefore, a must.

BOOK REVIEW

Weeding out the dangers H

R professionals and company heads – have you ever worried about how operations and business can be brought down by reckless employee actions? The possibility is a very real one in every organisation. Fortunately, Employee Risk Management: How to protect your business reputation and reduce your legal liability is a perfect read to fireproof against it. Written by Helen Rideout, a qualified barrister boasting 20 years’ of work experience in HR, the book covers everything one should know about employee risk management. In particular, it zooms in on how the actions of workers and others within a firm can end up being detrimental to the organisation. It also offers a simple and legally-sound process that allows employers to recognise, manage, and lessen the potential threats and dangers that arrive with every worker, including contractors, volunteers and interns. The maiden chapter introduces the theme of employee risk management before it progresses to other chapters such as organisational context, preassessment groundwork and carrying out an employee risk assessment among others. Each chapter also features a dedicated summary to allow readers to pore over the key lessons and pointers gleaned from the reading material. The book is also laden with best-practice advice and tips for HR professionals, business heads and leaders on how to defend their company reputation and avoid legal problems. Employee Risk Management: How to protect your business reputation and reduce your legal liability is a definite must-read for those interested in safeguarding their business and also wanting to learn how to detect and alleviate employeerelated threats.

Title: Employee Risk Management: How to protect your business reputation and reduce your legal liability Author: Helen Rideout Publisher: Kogan Page Price: $75.00 before GST

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SME SPOTLIGHT

Boosting productivity through technology Manpower is a scarce resource in most SMEs. Automating routine HR processes, employee services and menial tasks has helped Timbre Group channel its employees’ time and efforts towards more meaningful pursuits

ancy being served dinner by a flying robotic waiter? This is soon to become reality by the end of this year, and is one of the innovative ways in which the Timbre Group is alleviating its manpower crunch. Called “Infinium Serve”, the robotic solution will serve food and drinks from the Timbre Group’s bars and kitchens directly to customers. “This will allow us to serve our customers faster and most importantly, it gives our staff more opportunities to engage and converse with customers. This creates an ideal situation because we can now focus on building customer relationships,” says Lilian Ng, HR Manager, Timbre Group. The robots will also enable staff to take on higher value tasks, thereby optimising staff deployment, and increasing morale and overall productivity, Ng says. The Timbre Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Infinium Robotics in October last year, enabling its robotic endeavour to take flight. Both companies are seeking productivity-related government grants to offset the cost of deployment.

Automating the mundane Scarce manpower and limited resources are an ongoing challenge for the Timbre Group – a home-grown SME. It employs some 135 staff who are spread across various operations, including five live music and bar venues. Ng says the operating processes at Timbre’s outlets once tended to be ad-hoc, reactive and largely dependent 40 ISSUE 15.1

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Sumathi V Selvaretnam sumathi@hrmasia.com.sg

SME SPOTLIGHT on manual paperwork and human intervention. “This resulted in human errors, redundant work, low productivity and valuable time and manpower wastage, which could have been channeled towards more effective and rewarding activities.” Employee morale also took a dip as staff members were frustrated by the excessive time and resources spent in managing a large number of ad-hoc HR tasks, Ng says. “These ranged from tracking individual staff movements, to rewards and promotions, payroll and leave management.” An integrated electronic HR system called “Timbre People” has helped alleviate these staff woes. The platform is a comprehensive and convenient one-stop solution for managers, operational staff and employees to access, manage and perform HR tasks anytime, anywhere, says Ng. “Through an intuitive and accessible management portal, Timbre People aims to enhance existing HR workflows into a paperless and seamless experience, empowering both the employees and management to make the best decisions for the growth of the organisation and its people,” she explains.

Employee engagement Continuous staff development and career progression are keys to employee engagement in a competitive marketplace. The Timbre Group helps staff draft individual training development plans so that they can constantly upgrade their skillsets. Workshops, seminars and courses are then put in place to boost staff development. “Staff members have the opportunity to take on different training and work experiences,” Ng says. The Timbre HR System has enabled staff to understand the enhanced career pathways of service and kitchen roles, and look forward to having career progressions, with enhanced pay packages and benefits.

Staff members are developed according to their job scopes and routes of advancement, says Ng. “There is also a clear salary differentiation for staff salary grades. A performance management system is also in place to ensure that each staff member will be rewarded and recognised fairly.” The company also offers training and education sponsorships to encourage employees to upgrade themselves, says Ng. Ensuring that employees receive the right compensation and benefits is also crucial for long-term retention. Besides providing fair salary compensation, the Timbre Group offers enhanced staff benefits such as term insurance, co-medical insurance and specialist benefits. Employees also receive baby and marriage bonuses. Those who do not take medical leave are also rewarded on a quarterly and annual basis for making the effort to live healthily.

Championing productivity SMEs often have to do more with less. The Timbre Group is constantly seeking ways to up its productivity levels. “The process towards productivity improvement initiatives is a continuum, and not a destination,” says Ng. In line with this, The Timbre Group identifies and trains potential stakeholders throughout the various departments to champion productivity improvement efforts over the long run. Once selected, these productivity improvement champions are trained to spearhead cross-functional projects and initiatives to constantly review and improve workflow and organisation processes. For example, one of Timbre’s managers is currently working on a project that aims to increase sales and keep labour costs low. “With the involvement of productivity improvement champions throughout the organisation, Timbre Group can cultivate a positive, sustainable mentality of innovation and learning, across functions and across people,” Ng says.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

The Rise of Fake Degrees

Pass or Fail? Matthew Glasner Managing Director, South Asia Pacific, First Advantage

ducation is considered central to human development. About 60 per cent of the world’s youth population, aged 15 to 24 years reside in APAC. Academic credentials are essential to any candidate as they open the doors to a wide range of career opportunities. Those who are unable to pursue their respective educational choices may be tempted to turn to the ‘degree mill’. The increase in the number of students opting for fake certificates has given rise to a new industry of phony university. The trend is rampant in countries like China, Philippines and India to name a few. A candidate in China can get a degree or master’s certificate at a cost of 200-300 yuan ($44-66). 1 In February 2014, the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore charged 25 foreign employees for submitting forged academic certificates to obtain work passes to work in the country. Screening a candidate’s qualification is extremely important to ensure that one hires the right talent. According to First Advantage’s Q1 2014 trends report, 18.9% of the discrepancies in the Asia-Pacific region are related to education of employees. A reliable background screening company helps the employers to protect the integrity of their hires. These companies are seen to take an international perspective and as different industries are continuing to emerge, pre-employment screening is becoming a major tool for workforce planning. The recent surge in education fraud has drawn the attention of the employers and more are engaging background screenings services providers to get the best talent on board. For a copy of the latest 2014 APAC Employment Discrepancy Trends Report, email Chin Wei Chong at weichong.chin@fadv.com. 1

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http://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/Pages/PressReleasesDetail. aspx?listid=543

HR TECHNOLOGY

HR GOES

HIGH TECH According to a recent study by Bersin & Associates, “lean, technology-enabled, and well-trained HR teams are able to take advantage of modern talent practices and partner with business leaders to drive impact”. HRM finds out how HR can select the right technology to drive business strategy

Shalini Shukla-Pandey shalini@hrmasia.com.sg

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here’s been an increasing proliferation of new executive job descriptions borne out of the global influence of big data. Businesses are looking for leaders who can not only understand the massive amounts of information available to them, but also identify the threats and opportunities that come as a result of this evolving landscape. According to a list of the most important data skills by global executive search firm CTPartners, the demand for specialist data analytical skills is increasingly growing. The top four skills set to be required in 2015 are: people analytics skills; business data analytics skills; digital risk analysis skills; and personalisation skills (see: boxout).

HR TECHNOLOGY Kathryn Yap, Managing Partner of CTPartners in Singapore, says that the challenge for companies in Asia is the need to continually fast-track digital innovation and ensure they have leaders with the skills and savvy to pull together all the data that is being generated. Technology has evolved and so should HR processes, says Serene Lam, Managing Director, CareerBuilder Singapore. “With the availability of technological resources, employers should tap into them to help streamline and tweak their recruitment methods and HR processes,” she explains. “These solutions, which include software to track and analyse jobs applications, and promote efficacy and efficiency. “In the long run, the adoption of technology in HR processes would also translate to a reduction in costs.” Indeed, the globalisation of business and technology has presented new opportunities for HR, with the whole world suddenly opening up as a potential talent pool. According to LinkedIn’s 2015 Global Recruiting Trends Report, digital and social tools take the lead when it comes to promoting employer brands in Southeast Asia. Right after company websites, online professional networks such as LinkedIn have become the most effective tool in spreading the employer brand (56% of respondents cited this). This is followed by social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, at 53%, and word of mouth (through family and friends) at 51%. As the use of online professional networks becomes more prevalent, companies are also recognising the need to promote their digital presence on mobile-friendly platforms. More than 40% of respondents say this is a priority. On the other hand, 44% acknowledge the importance of getting onto the mobile bandwagon, but have not actually started yet. Proper implementation of technology can also simplify and assist in analysing data in decision-making, says Denny

Top four data skills for leaders in 2015 • HR – People analytics skills Leaders can harness this data to measure performance on employee engagement, development, recruitment, retention, work efficiency, compensation matters and return on investment. • Operations – Business data analytics skills Leaders should work smarter by identifying and deploying the right analytical tools, working with senior executives to interpret new findings, and tapping on new opportunities for the business. • Risk management – Digital risk analysis skills Leaders will have to partner with business units to effectively balance consistent, organisation-wide strategies with potential digital risks. • Customer relationship management – Personalisation skills Leaders must be proficient in integrating the knowledge gained from customer behaviour analytics into timely customer engagement and marketing strategies. Source: CTPartners

Husen, Senior Manager – Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services, EY. It is proving an important tool in areas such as payroll processing, record management, training, and performance management.

Using technology in HR HR can employ various kinds of technology in its day-to-day activities to improve its own productivity. For instance, software-as-a-servicebased systems can lower costs invested in HR, Lam says. She notes that CareerBuilder Singapore’s expanded portfolio helps customers maximise recruitment without affecting their bottom lines.

The package includes “Talent Network”, which provides a ready pool of qualified candidates and ensures that organisations have a higher visibility on search engines such as Google. It also provides data on target candidates by analysing search information from more than 50 verticals and industries. “To help recruiters to gain insight on their sourcing channels, which would lower recruiting costs by streamlining processes, organisations may also consider using ‘Broadbean’,” says Lam. “It is a job distribution, candidate sourcing and big data analytics software that addresses the influence of social media and new technology on the recruitment industry.” Another good strategy is to leverage technology for training purposes. The ability to access company information and training programmes from remote locations eliminates the need for trainers to work directly with employees on every single training programme, says Husen. “Some interaction will always be required, but training in virtual classrooms and/or online courses makes it possible for HR professionals to train a large number of employees quickly and to assess their progress through the system,” he explains. “Technology also enhances efficiency on administrative tasks,” he adds. “This allows HR professionals to focus on other strategic HR initiatives.” The key to implementing any system or solution is to make sure that what it can do is in line with the business requirements and direction, says Husen. “A well-implemented system, leveraging technology for effective implementation of HR processes, will provide the organisations with competitive advantages from its HR function.”

HR and IT bond HR deals with very private and confidential data that is often not as protected as it should be. “HR professionals need to understand the importance and the ISSUE 15.1

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HR TECHNOLOGY CASE STUDY

level of sensitivity of the data they are handling,” says Husen. “Appropriate protection and procedures should be implemented to secure this data. “With the Singapore Personal Data Protection Act now being enforced, Standard Chartered has adopted a best-in-breed approach to its technology platforms. Here are a protecting this sensitive data should be few examples of the technology the bank uses: at the front of mind,” he adds. • Portal – A single employee portal is used to enhance employee experience by providing a single Just recently, it was reported that point of entry to the majority of underlying HR systems. This allows the bank to free up time for employee data was leaked, alongside more strategic HR tasks. future film releases, from a hack • HR information system – This “golden source” of people-related data in the bank drives endof Hollywood studio Sony Pictures. to-end global people processes such as hiring, team movement, talent management, succession Information security software company planning, performance management, rewards and benefits, and general HR administration. Identity Finder found more than 47,000 social security numbers of past and • Payroll – Specialist payroll vendors are used for processing payroll, drawing on information and present employees on file-sharing data contained and maintained in the HR information system. sites. Personal information, salary • Learning management system – Facilitates the delivery of a multi-channel learning strategy, data and addresses of workers and aligining learning collaboration, sharing, and structure to the regulatory requirements of the bank. freelancers were also found. • Engagement tool – Engagement data is confidentially collected and analysed with a view to Identity Finder chief executive identifying and acting on areas of both strength and weakness. Todd Feinman told technology website Cnet that they had found staff • Data warehouse – Typically, the most important data that feeds into predictive talent analytics contracts, termination dates, reasons resides not in HR but in the lines of business. Connecting business performance data with for termination, and other private HR employee data and financial and cost data is the ultimate goal to allow HR to push the information. The majority of the possibilities of business performance. documents were Microsoft Excel files • Data analysis and data visualisation tools – Cutting edge tools are used to view HR data that were not password protected. over time to highlight tends and insights. Statistical tools have been used to develop forwardSecurity breaches involving the looking predictive models for attrition. removal of sensitive employee data have also hit other large employers including Morrisons and US firm Target. “This is a common theme for HR and IT need to discuss, plan and to work more closely with the business corporations today,” Feinman told implement security requirements in to determine its requirements, and Cnet. “They think they are protected by order to mitigate potential breaches provide the analysis. Provide a service firewalls and perimeter security, but both internally and externally. rather than an extract.” the border is becoming blurred, and For example, access controls can HR must also reduce the number attacks get through.” be placed on certain of tools and solutions created by end Bigger corporates are now documents to limit the users, to which HR data is fed. “At increasingly getting their HR number or designation Standard Chartered, we are looking to Social media is becoming more and IT departments to work of people who can access implement Digital Rights Management acknowledged for its value as a recruitment medium, from closely to ensure the security them. in 2015 to protect those documents or 20% of hirers in 2012 to of sensitive data. However, Lee Slater, Chief data which ‘must’ go out, preventing in a lot of small and medium Operating Officer – HR, further distribution or printing, and enterprises, these two Standard Chartered, including digital timestamps for in 2013 departments are still not believes HR needs to start destruction in line with retention Source: CareerBuilder Singapore collaborating, says Husen. closing the gaps and get requirements,” Slater explains. “HR professionals need to a state where no raw Standard Chartered is also working to focus on protecting data is fed directly from on a privacy programme, linked closely sensitive data,” Husen reiterates. core platforms like the Bank’s HR to the data lifecycle. “With this in mind, HR should information system. “We take HR data privacy very collaborate with IT to develop and “HR must stop providing ‘data seriously, and we’re leading the way implement the appropriate security dumps’ to users to conduct their own in this space across the organisation,” measures.” analysis,” says Lee. “Instead we need says Slater.

Standard Chartered

24%

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HR YOUNG GUNS

HR FROM THE CLASSROOM Every month in this section, HRM speaks to a young and precocious university talent hoping to carve out a career in the HR industry upon the completion of his or her studies.

What attracted you to HR? Why are you studying it? My first brush with HR was an unpleasant one in my first job experience immediately after my A levels. Although I had almost no experience in HR at that time, I could easily list out a number of things I felt I could have done better if I had worked in the HR department. Through that bad experience, I realised first-hand how HR policies can have a direct impact on employee satisfaction and in turn, the overall performance and culture of a company. In addition, I often find myself playing the role of a mediator during conflicts and I find that I am comfortable in analysing difficult situations and providing guidance to my peers. I think these traits are especially relevant to HR. HR also provides a unique environment where I can further hone and develop them.

What aspect of HR do you hope to specialise in upon graduation? I would really like to specialise in the area of HR analytics. Being an undergraduate in Information Systems at SMU with a second major in Organisational Behaviour and HR gives me a unique perspective on how analytics can possibly disrupt (in a positive way) HR as we know it today. Having worked on analytics solutions, I have seen how analytics plays a critical role in key business components such as Marketing. I envision that HR analytics will have huge potential in improving and

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helping HR managers make more informed decisions in areas such as talent management, recruitment, training and development, and retention.

The top three things you want from your HR career Firstly, I would like to hone my skills sufficiently to become an expert in the HR analytics field so that I can make use of analytics to predict internal HR trends for my company. Secondly, I would like to work as an HR analytics consultant and provide strategic advice to organisations on analytics best practices that can be applied across the HR field. Lastly, I would like to be a mentor to those who are interested in pursuing analytics in HR and provide them with insightful guidance based on my experience.

Joey Zeng Ying Final year student, Second major in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources, SMU School of Information Systems

What challenges do you anticipate? As analytics is still relatively new to HR, I foresee challenges in shifting the mindsets of HR professionals and normalising the usage of analytics in the decision-making processes. It will indeed be a challenge to not only be able to identify key matrices for analysis, but also to be able to draw clear lines between systemmade decisions and human-made decisions.

My HR career five years from now I would work towards becoming a specialist in HR analytics but before that, I would like to expose myself to

different projects in different areas within HR to gain more experience and greater insights. I think having broader experience will better prepare me for furthering my career in HR analytics.

Hobbies and inspiration I like travelling because it increases my exposure and gives me the unique opportunity to learn new things about different people and cultures. Having said that, I also appreciate the pleasure of just picking up a book and spending some quiet time alone to recharge over a cup of tea.

Is HR analytics the

NEXT BIG THING? By Joey Zeng Ying

n September 2014, Gartner released a survey, which identified analytics as one of the top 10 strategic technology trends for 2015. Big data and analytics are the buzzwords in many industries and many HR professionals are also beginning to understand the true value of analytics for their sector. HR analytics, talent analytics and workforce analytics – all these terms are used interchangeably and they all refer to the application of statistical techniques and combined use of qualitative and quantitative data for predictive insight and decision making to support the management of people in organisations. The ability of a company’s HR team to leverage on analytics to bring out the best in its workforce and improve operational performance can help it gain a competitive advantage over others in any industry. According to a study conducted by Deloitte in 2013, the HR function in 86% of the surveyed organisations focused primarily on operational reporting and only four percent were able to perform predictive analysis about their workforce. If your organisation has invested heavily in HR analytics and has been successful in producing predictive analysis about your workforce, congratulations, you are at the top of the game. However, expect more competition as companies are now beginning to jump on the bandwagon and will be investing in analytics in the next two years.

assessment of the company’s “HR health”, such as employee satisfaction, by looking at data such as employee surveys, workforce data and even feedback gathered through employee engagement programmes. While a simple survey may seem to be an obvious solution, it only indicates the happiness index of the employees. Analytics however, takes HR professionals one step further as they can identify which is the specific group in a particular department or position that is unhappy or experiencing low employee satisfaction, and what are the root causes of it. Such insights can then lead HR into taking appropriate actions to tackle the problem. Analytics enables HR professionals to act more efficiently and accurately in addressing troubled spots or looming gaps that affect the “HR health” of the organisation.

More efficient and accurate assessment of HR in the organisation

Challenges in implementing HR analytics

Analytics in HR enables better

The implementation of HR analytics

Predictive insights, quicker response The use of analytics in HR delivers strategic insights that give decisionmakers the information they need to carry out their actions. Imagine how powerful it would be to be able to predictively identify employees who might be leaving the company in the months to come and the likely reasons for their departure. This could potentially put HR one step ahead and allow for a faster and more informed engagement with these employees.

is not without its challenges. There is presently a shortage of talent in this area to unlock the great potential of HR analytics because such skillsets have yet to be well developed. Additionally, to train a HR analytics specialist requires a great amount of time and resources. Currently, not many tertiary institutions offer multi-disciplinary training like the Singapore Management University does, so it will take time for a talent pool of specialists to grow. Another challenge is data inconsistency. MNCs may have fragmented databases that make it difficult to provide a good analysis of the firm. These two challenges can however, be solved over time. The human mind is constantly changing and adapting to current circumstances. How can we ensure that analytics keeps up with this? Analytics may be able to identify the right talents to groom and give insights into what their appropriate career path could be. However, it should also take into account possible scenarios such as family or relationship issues. It would therefore be quite important that we create a more dynamic analytic infrastructure that looks into every aspect of talent. This will help us gain more well rounded insights. Analytics opens up huge opportunities for the HR sector. I look forward to the time when I can join a HR team in this exciting and innovative period as we leverage on new technologies to overcome the challenges ahead.

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HIGH

IMPACT HR

TARGETING CUSTOMERS THROUGH STAFF A new approach has created transparency amongst the team at Wearnes Automotive, and motivated staff to improve customer service levels. CEO Andre Roy shares his brainchild with HRM

Shalini Shukla-Pandey shalini@hrmasia.com.sg

he automotive industry has been taking learnings from the hospitality industry and engaging staff to focus on customer-led service. “We recognise that the hospitality industry has long been centred on customer service, with huge investments in training and established processes,” says Andre Roy, CEO, Wearnes Automotive. “One of the learnings from the hospitality industry is having a clear vision that is cascaded down all levels within the organisation. “This shared vision can only thrive through an ‘ownership’ concept; that is: making staff feel they are accountable for the success of the company and that each plays a contributing role to the company’s performance,” he says. The other learning has been the importance of training. Training is central to the goal of continuous improvement and is proving paramount in ensuring a level of consistency in service deliverables, as well as in attentiveness across different touch points of the service experience. 48 ISSUE 15.1

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Nipping dissatisfaction in the bud Wearnes Automotive, a leading luxury automotive retailer holding distributorships and dealerships for brands including Bentley, Jaguar and Volvo, has positioned itself as a leader in the field through a focus on forward-thinking and an emphasis on customer satisfaction. “Only through constant feedback from customers and understanding their expectations can we achieve a competitive advantage in the industry,” says Roy. “However, just meeting expectations is not enough for us, we want to continually challenge our staff to exceed customers’ expectations. That’s why we seek to obtain immediate feedback through our real-time customer feedback system instead of waiting for weeks (for) traditional surveys.” Wearnes has developed the Wearnes Customer Online Response and Engagement (CORE) tool, a feedback system that aims to resolve any issues or dissatisfaction that a customer has before they leave the service centre.

A brainchild of Roy and his team, Wearnes CORE complements the existing customer feedback survey, allowing the company to assess its performance, but also enabling service staff to act straightaway. Using iPads, Wearnes CORE solicits instant feedback from customers through a simple two question survey. First, customers grade their overall experience as “impressive”, “good”, or “could be better”. If the customer clicks on “could be better”, the survey will probe further on the specific areas of concern, whether it’s due to people issues, amount of time taken, costs, or other matters. At the same time, an email alert or text message is sent to senior management and the service manager. This allows the team to address any customer concerns immediately. “The involvement of senior management ensures an appropriate level of focus and allows us to prioritise resources in our service recovery,” says Roy. “In the majority of the cases, the

service manager is able to speak to the customer even before they leave the service centre.”

True brand ambassadors Wearnes CORE has helped to keep staff motivated to deliver best-in-class customer service. Wearnes achieves this by providing a clear vision to all staff on the objective and benefits of the system, says Roy. “With the buy-in from all staff concerned, they are then led through a training session which coaches them on the operation of the system, the process of data collection, and the analysis of the survey results,” he explains. Most importantly, employees are led through the change in mind-set that needs to occur with such realtime feedback from customers. It requires quick actions to address or change processes to avoid repeating the same problems, Roy says. Results have been promising and staff members have been receptive to the new customer feedback system. “They understand that the platform will help them to do a better job and provide them with instantaneous feedback,” says Roy. “This real-time survey has become a part of our working routine and has helped to resolve most issues that we face on the spot, with customers walking away satisfied.”

Towards empowered and accountable staff A new approach at Wearnes has created transparency amongst the team and motivated staff to improve customer service levels. “The all-encompassing customer satisfaction system, Wearnes Customer Online Response & Engagement (CORE) allows a regional overview, enabling us to ensure consistent service levels across the network,” says Andre Roy, CEO, Wearnes Automotive. “Every touch point between Wearnes staff and our customers has to deliver a certain quality of service, so we become synonymous with great customer care and keep our clients coming back.” When a customer says their experience “could be better”, an SMS and email alert are immediately sent to the brand’s service manager as well as senior management. This allows the team to address any customer concerns immediately. This system promotes transparency across the organisation and motivates staff to give their best. Roy says it has also instilled a greater sense of urgency amongst staff as they endeavour to resolve any dissatisfaction or service lapse before customers leave the service centre. There is even a central screen in the showroom displaying live feedback, which means everybody is made accountable towards achieving a high level of customer satisfaction, he adds. “Now that we have successfully rolled out across seven markets, our next phase is to conduct further studies on plans to introduce a similar model in all our car showrooms to improve customers’ experience at the points-ofsale,” Roy says. “At the end of the day, it is extremely reaffirming to leave the office knowing that we have done a good job; not seeing any flashing red lights on the monitors.” ISSUE 15.1

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AHRDSPEAKS

Performance management vs. potential assessment M

ature organisations are able to segregate discussions on individual performance and potential assessment, allowing talent to grow in the organisation beyond their current role. Performance is almost always rated via key metrics to determine achievement level opposite fulfilled targets whereas potential on the other hand is the observed frequency of behaviours desired (or undesired) for a particular level and role in the organisation as demonstrated by the individual concerned.

So it becomes important for HR to build a strong understanding of performance management standards within organisations, to ensure that the performance conversation does not leak into the potential discussions and vice versa. At Coca-Cola, we manage the two processes quite independently wherein performance becomes one of the inputs to determine investments needed for our hipotential employees. We also ensure that business results are sustainable and for that measure, we look at performance in totality based on

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business objectives achieved; or the ‘Output’ and Leadership behaviours demonstrated; or the ‘Inputs’ of the managers to achieve their ‘Output’. This approach also helps to avoid ‘rater biases’ creeping into the performance rating process since we can differentiate managers with similar business achievements based on the quality of ‘inputs’ they provide to the business individually. This process also allows us to evaluate any overlap between our hi-potentials and hiperformers, thereby reviewing the contributions of our A-players.

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Gaurav Sharma HR Director, Coca Cola

SEVEN

9:00AM Start of a normal day in office. The first few minutes are always about checking to see if there are things on my table that need to be cleared.

10:00AM

Jayesh Menon Regional HR Leader and Director, Asia-Pacific, Itron

I try to utilise my mornings by clearing off emails and making necessary calls to my team members. The calls may either be part of the schedule or impromptu calls. This is to ensure that I understand what is going on and if I can be of any help to my team. It is also a time to follow up on some of the key activities that might be going on in different countries around the region.

12:00PM Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lunch time and the best

time for me to personally socialise with my colleagues.

1:00PM The random time, where either the overdose of food makes you sleepy or the socialisation makes you feel all excited. I normally keep this time to check on what is happening around the world that might be relevant to me.

1:30PM This is the time that I normally allocate for meeting with external vendors and other stakeholders.

2:30PM The business partnering time. I normally get pulled into business meetings as an HR business partner or

I get involved in coaching, interviewing, or giving feedback.

4:30PM Time to wrap up the day by checking my emails and task sheets which I normally fill in as and when I have something on my plate. This helps me to close the day in office and helps me to organise my calendar for the next day as well as for other days depending on what has come up. Though I wish my day goes exactly as I have described above, it may not necessarily be like that. There are days when I am travelling, speaking at events (HRM Asia seminars included!), having visitors, entertaining last minute requests and having regular late night calls.

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MICE

IT’S TIME TO

LO HEI ! Are you pondering potential venues to indulge in the tossing of “Yu Sheng” with your staff this Chinese New Year? HRM shares some potential ideas and tips for firms looking to kick start 2015 on a prosperous note

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Sham Majid

sham@hrmasia.com.sg

MICE

magine unveiling a snake to employees during a company Chinese New Year (CNY) party in the Year of the Snake, or bringing a white horse to last year’s festivities? If you are one of those organisations that have already decked out grand plans for CNY festivities, you’re definitely not alone. Patricia Yong, Director of Marketing Communications, Marina Mandarin Singapore, says more and more organisations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular, are jumping on the CNY party bandwagon. “We saw a 10% increase in bookings in 2014,” says Yong. Trevor Fong, Head of Marina Management, Keppel Land Hospitality Management, concurs. He says Marina at Keppel Bay has witnessed a rising trend of firms renting out their venues for CNY parties each year. “However, it is not as popular as Christmas or year-end parties,” says Fong.

A modernised “culture” While aspects such as the tossing of “Yu Sheng” are steeped in rich Chinese tradition, Fong says not all company CNY dinners are hosted against traditional backdrops. “We have seen an increasing trend of companies moving away from Chinese restaurant settings and ballroom banquets for CNY luncheons and dinners,” explains Fong. In fact, he says there is a good mix between pre-CNY celebrations which signify the closure of business operations for the festive period, post-CNY luncheons to celebrate the commencement of business operations, and “Lo Hei” appreciation dinners for clients and employees during the 15-day celebration period. Nevertheless, Fong adds several deep-rooted Chinese customs are still epitomised during company CNY events. For example, he says that based on Chinese values and beliefs in welcoming, many companies usher in the Lunar New Year by cruising out to sea.

Topaz Room at Marina Mandarin Singapore

“We have received a good response from private companies to host on board our yachts, as cruising symbolises a smooth sailing journey for the year,” says Fong. “Apart from leisure cruising, companies can also opt to add teambuilding elements to the programme, such as cooking their own dinner while sailing before ending the day with a grand celebration dinner.”

CNY party concepts According to Yong, companies usually consider a wide range of CNY-themed party ideas when planning for their own bash. She says it really depends on each host’s requirements. Events can be elaborate with acts such as dragon and lion dances. “We keep the theme lively and include all options whenever possible,” says Yong. Fong reveals that many firms have chosen Marina at Keppel Bay for its unique event venues and waterfront views. “Dining concepts and parties for employees held at our marina tend to be more fun as our packages are highly customisable with options such as live entertainment, games, DJ and MCs as well as photo booths,” says Fong. Apart from offering exclusive

packages for CNY banquets at the waterfront event venue spaces, Marina at Keppel Bay also offesr lunch and dinner cruises with Lo Hei onboard its fleet of three luxury yachts. “We offer customisable packages for buffet or sit-down banquets at our venues,” he adds. For example, there are “Lo Hei” luncheons or dinners comprising of a lavish buffet spread with a wide selection of beverages to choose from. In addition, Chinese and western menus can be arranged, says Fong. Meanwhile, there are also options for up to 12 people to dine aboard The Admiral motor yacht with Lo Hei buffet. “The package includes a four-hour charter, buffet spread, alcoholic beverages and personal butler who will on board for an exclusive experience,” adds Fong.

Top tips As when planning for all types of parties, firms should abide to certain conventions when conjuring up a CNY party. Fong, who says Marina at Keppel Bay organises and executes around six to eight of such parties during the CNY period, advises organisations to indulge in something engaging and dynamic. ISSUE 15.1

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MICE

CNY party with a birthday bash CNY parties are already deemed to be glamorous and memorable affairs, but what about combining one with a birthday party? Irene Tan, Director of Catering, Sheraton Towers Singapore, says one client organised just such a combination to celebrate their daughter’s fourth birthday along with the new year. According to Tan, the hotel was asked to put together a lavish party for 50 guests in the grand ballroom, which can actually hold up to 250 people. “The theme was Walt Disney and no expense was spared in throwing a whimsical party with festive touches,” says Tan. “Our expansive foyer was set for a grand entrance – from a long red carpet lined with rows of floral balloon sculptures to life-sized nutcracker mascots by the doors. A team of professional performers was engaged to give life to Disney characters, namely the seven princesses.” Adding a twist to the feast, she explains, was an extravagant Chinese five-course lunch, served up on an elegant western long table. “The guests were in awe when the enormous ‘geoduck yusheng’ was served and were further impressed when our associate gracefully recited festive blessings as he prepared the dish,” she adds. “It was a perfect start to the evening as everyone offered auspicious greetings for the New Year while joyfully tossing the yu sheng.”

“We usually recommend companies keep things fun rather than have a formal sit-down banquet as CNY parties are also a great opportunity for bonding and interaction among employees,” he explains. According to Fong, it is also necessary to note that prices tend to be more expensive during the CNY period and that some caterers do not operate on some days. Hence, he advises organisations to plan their CNY parties in advance, ensuring the preferred venue is available. Yong also sounds a note of caution when it comes to choosing a date for a corporate CNY function, saying that organisations should avoid days when colleagues will likely be celebrating with their families, unless of course, their families are invited too. Fong also issues a pointer on the cultural idiosyncrasies of CNY. “CNY is regarded as a cultural festival, hence it is good for corporate event planners to understand the taboos and traditions observed, such as avoiding black table cloth and chair covers which on other celebratory occasions may be regarded as elegant,” he explains.

Irene Tan, Director of Catering, Sheraton Towers Singapore, says during CNY, most companies preserve traditional beliefs and are very particular about auspicious connotations. For example, Tan says Sheraton’s banquet setup features auspicious festive colours like red and gold, as these symbolise good luck and wealth respectively. The inclusion and exclusion of particular numbers are also at the forefront of planning. “The hotel avoids the use of the number ‘4’ as it is almost homophonous to the word ‘death’ in Chinese,” reveals Tan. “The banquet menu prices are deliberately in even numbers as Chinese believes that good things come in pairs. We also include the digit ‘8’ as it sounds similar to a Chinese word which means ‘to prosper’. In addition, Tan says the festive menus are especially curated to include ingredients that are deemed auspicious, such as fish and black moss. “The service associates will also be extra careful to avoid breakage as it is perceived to be a sign of misfortune,” she adds. ISSUE 15.1

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TALENT

LADDER Che Yaneza Vice President of HR, Primer Group of Companies

Che Yaneza was recently appointed Vice President of the Primer Group of Companies’ HR Department. Prior to this, Yaneza was leading the talent development efforts at Singapore’s biggest media organisation. At the beginning of her five year stint with Mediacorp, she was working with an aggressive change management initiative, which she says gave her a lot of fulfillment in terms of results and new learnings. But changes in priorities were also inevitable. When an opportunity presented itself in the form of an exciting and competitive industry, Yaneza made the decision to move on and join the Primer Group, a Southeast Asian premium brand retail and distribution organisation. Her career has now spanned two decades across different roles and industries. Yaneza is an industrial engineer by education with a Masters in Innovation from the Singapore Management University. She spent the first 10 years of her career in quality and business process management. After that, she was offered a global HR management role which eventually paved the way for her current position. A significant number of years were focused on talent management, HR business partnering and organisational development, which also included several projects on cultural transformation, competency development and human capital management. At Primer Group, Yaneza aims to deliver new meaning to her deliverables.

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Usha Baidya

HR Vice President, Asia Middle East and Africa (AMEA), BT

BT recently announced the appointment of Usha Baidya as the new HR Vice President for Asia, the Middle East and Africa. She is responsible for managing HR across the region. Baidya has more than 15 years of HR experience, along with seven years at various business units of BT Global Services. These include the UK and Government and Health portfolios. She was charged with helping these organisations grow through various programmes aimed at creating fulfilling and rewarding careers for staff. Prior to joining BT, Baidya held a number of senior HR positions at Vodafone Global Services in the UK and Germany. Her experience working in multi-cultural environments puts her in an excellent position to plan and oversee BT’s talent strategy to ensure the company now gives the best support to customers across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Talent acquisition and retention are ongoing challenges for all organisations but this is particularly acute within the information communications technology sector where fast-paced innovation and transformations are the norm. “BT is a melting-pot of culture, language, skills and experience,” said Baidya. “Our role within HR is to find the right balance so that our employees will find their stay with us fulfilling at the professional and personal levels. I am very pleased to be part of BT’s drive to create a sustainable, harmonious and diversified work environment for over 4,000 people across the region.”

Yvonne Corpuz Global Chief Learning Officer, Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ

Yvonne Corpuz has assumed the position of Global Chief Learning Officer with the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. In this newly-created position in the Global HR Office (GHRO), Corpuz has been tasked with establishing the Global Talent Development function. She will lead this function to develop a holistic global learning and development strategy that effectively leverages global leadership programmes and creates integrated learning solutions to build organisational capability that is aligned with business priorities. Corpuz joined the Bank of TokyoMitsubishi as a General Manager in 2008, and pioneered the Asian HR Development Centre. In 2012, she was appointed General Manager of the Asian HR Office, based in Singapore. In her new role, she will divide her time between the bank’s Tokyo Head Office and Singapore. In her more than 30 years’ experience as a HR practitioner, Corpuz has held regional and global HR leadership roles across a variety of locations. Before joining Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, she was with Standard Chartered Bank, and based in Hong Kong. Her assignments included being General Manager of Learning and Head of Organisational Learning for Hong Kong and Japan. Prior to that, she was part of the American Express HR leadership team for 16 years, based out of the Philippines, Hong Kong, Sydney and Singapore. Her last stint in American Express was as the Head of Global Talent Asia-Pacific, including Japan and Australia.

HRCLINIC What business acumen does HR need? e often read about leaders who have the uncanny ability of always making the ‘right’ calls. What is it about these visionaries, who more often than not beat the odds when others have failed? Business acumen, or what Warren Buffett calls ‘business sense’, lies in the ability to draw from effective intelligence and networks. “What gets measured, gets done.” In the flux that people and organisations operate in today, businesses keep ahead by building a cohesive culture that can connect people from various demographies and skillsets.In many ways, HR plays a critical enabler role in supporting this business strategy. As much as enabler functions can draw lines in the sand about the roles we play, we exist in a symbiotic relationship with the line – that is, to support the business as a trusted advisor and to deliver quality, timely and insightful analysis. A part of this is the ability to develop and manage effective relationships,

to build and maintain an effective intelligence management system, and to utilise this intelligence to create business opportunities for the organisation. This goes back to my earlier reference about making the “right” decisions. With an effective intelligence management system, HR can support this in several ways: having the right governance structure, the right people processes, and most importantly, the right people in the right roles. This will help the organisation make effective and enlightened decisions that drive the business strategy in a unified direction.

Yan Renyi

Senior Manger, Talent Management, Group People and Organisation IMC Pan Asia Alliance

Ask our HR experts. Email your questions to sham@hrmasia.com.sg

In-house Recruitment Opportunities

Head of HR and Administration, Singapore

Manager, Learning & Organisational Development

› Highly hands-on and business partnering scope › Rewarding and challenging roles

› Strategic and operational HR scope › Rewarding, challenging and hands-on role

› Challenging and exciting role › Make a difference today

Representing multiple global organisations, we seek dynamic and passionate specialist Recruiters to join them in various level of roles.

A respectable and growing organization, our client has an immediate need for a consummate HR Professional to lead its people agenda and the administration function for its Singapore operation.

A leading industrial organization with global footprint, our client seeks a dynamic Learning & Organisational Development expert to be part of their regional team.

As Leader, you will conceptualize, implement and manage recruitment process, sourcing and employer branding strategies. You will build an effective talent strategy for the operation that aligns with business’ objectives and growth, establish and manage strong partnerships with internal and external sources, lead a team of recruiters and manage recruitment metrics.

Dual reporting to regional Vice President, HR and Country Manager, you provide advice and assistance on full spectrum HR including recruitment, compensation & benefits, employee relations and employment law, learning & development. As a trusted advisor, you will partner closely with leadership team on all HR matters and drive change in the business. You will continually develop and implement policies and processes to support these changes, and together with your team in providing quality HR services to the business.

As subject matter expert, you will develop, review and implement Learning & Organisational Development strategies including talent development and management, leadership development and employee engagement. You will work closely with business leaders to provide solutions that strengthen the competitive advantage and enrich internal talent in support of the organisation’s business objectives and growth. As a Change Agent, you will design and drive employee engagement initiatives to ensure smooth assimilation into the culture.

As Recruiter, you will perform end-to-end recruitment process from partnering with stakeholder to qualify requisition to strategising sourcing strategies and employee on-boarding. For leadership role, you have minimum 10 years relevant experience and 5 years for Recruiters. Those with hybrid in-house and agency experience are preferred. Demonstrated ability in stakeholder management and dealing with ambiguity in a matrix working environment, high level of initiatives, results-oriented , excellent interpersonal and communication skills to interact with employees at all levels are successful factors.

You are degree-qualified in HR or Business Administration with minimum 8 years experience in HR leadership capacity. Demonstrated ability in stakeholder and vendor management, and dealing with ambiguity in a highly matrix work environment is mandatory. Those with change management, merger & acquisition HR related experience and strong project management skills are preferred. You are a leader with coaching and mentoring skill, willing to be hands-on and possess excellent personal and communication skills.

Reference number: MH/JD48147 Contact person: Maureen Ho (Reg. No. R1105976)

Reference number: MH/JD42250A Contact person: Maureen Ho (Reg. No. R1105976)

You are degree qualified with minimum 8 years of dedicated Learning & Organisational Development experience with a good mix of operational and strategic exposure. Experience working in a demanding and matrix reporting environment is preferred. You are hands-on, energetic, and possess excellent interpersonal, communication and project management skills. Reference number: MH/JD47740A Contact person: Maureen Ho (Reg. No. R1105976)

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Your Human Resources recruitment specialists To apply, please go to talent2.com and search for respective reference number. For a confidential discussion, you can contact Maureen Ho for the relevant position in our Singapore Office on +65 6511 8555  linkedin.com/company/talent2

Allegis Group Singapore Pte Ltd Company No. 200909448N EA Licence No. 10C4544

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Frazer Jones Global HR Recruitment As specialists in HR recruitment, we work with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading HR talent to place them into some of the most sought after, interesting and high profile HR jobs, helping to secure the next phase in your career. We work with our clients to source and search for the very best people working in HR, anywhere in the world. If you are looking for your next opportunity, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of the team. For an overview of our current opportunities, please visit frazerjones.com or alternatively please see below a snapshot of our current roles:

Senior HR Manager HR Executive

Malaysia

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Senior Analyst .

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Recruitment Specialist

SS199241

SS198871

Singapore

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Work for us Building on the success weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve enjoyed in Asia in 2014, we are looking to make some additional hires to our team in Singapore. We are currently seeking a senior HR recruiter to join the Singapore team. If you are interested in this opportunity please get in touch, we would welcome an initial discussion with you. For more information, please contact Fiona Nesbitt at fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com or Samantha Soh at samanthasoh@frazerjones.com alternatively, call the team on +65 6420 0515.

frazerjones.com @FRAZERJONESHR FRAZER-JONES

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GLOBAL HR SEARCH & RECRUITMENT

MICHAEL PAGE HR Manager

Regional HR Manager, SEA

Total Rewards Senior Manager

› Leading FMCG with global opportunities › Potential career progression

› Strategic position with high visibility › Esteemed multinational corporation

› Meritocratic and people centered culture › Newly created role

Our client is a market leader in the FMCG industry with a growing presence in South East Asia. They are looking for an HR Manager to support the regional office in Singapore. Reporting to the Group HR Head, you will assist development and implementation of HR strategy for manpower planning, employment regulatory compliance, compensation and benefits review and to assist with the execution of business expansion plans in the region. To succeed in this role, candidates shall have at least 7 years of experience in HR with strong exposure as a generalist. Prior experience in a multinational with FMCG industry exposure is a plus. You are hands-on, effective in communication and resilient dealing with fast-paced environment.

Our client is an industry leader in their field and has experienced unrivalled growth in the last 3 years. They have aggressive plans to grow multi-fold by 2018. You will report directly to the APAC HR Director, and will be tasked with the strategic alignment of HR policies across the group in the South East Asia region. Leading a team of 2, you will be tasked to business partner with various stakeholders to provide critical and constructive feedback that will help align decision with the company’s vision. Ideally, you should possess a minimum of 10 years of HR experience with renowned multinationals in a business partnering role.

Our client, a leading American multinational operating in the FMCG industry, is looking for a Total Rewards Senior Manager to support the SEA and Middle East markets. Based in Singapore, you will be reporting to the Global C&B Vice President in the US. You will align C&B policies and frameworks, supporting a head count of 2,000. You will ensure compliance and competitiveness of the C&B structures and recommend relevant changes to maintain compliance to employment related regulations. You should come with 7 years of C&B experience, strong foundation of APAC compensation practices and experience in the retail industry, managing sales incentives plans.

Please contact Eugene Wong (Reg. no: R1331128) quoting ref: H2478640 or visit our website.

Please contact Sean Tong (Reg. no: R1110029) quoting ref: H2530800 or visit our website.

Please contact Domi Di Marco (Reg. no: R11439720) quoting ref: H2543540 or visit our website

To apply for any of the above positions, please go to www.michaelpage.com.sg and search for the reference number, or contact the relevant consultant on +65 6533 2777 for a confidential discussion.

Get Connected. Stay Ahead.

Specialists in human resources recruitment

Human Resources

#15349 Licence No.: 98C5473 Business Registration No: 199804751N

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EMPOWERING YOUR CAREER HR Shared Services Manager

HR Project Manager (APAC) – Merger and Acquisition

Team lead role Growing industry Career progression and learning

Good career progression Fast growing MNC Attractive salary package

Our client is a global leader in healthcare and nutrition. For their dynamic and expanding operations in the region, they are looking for a HR Shared Service Manager.

Our client is a global technology company. After acquiring a new business, they are looking for a project manager with HR integration and M&A experience to help them implement and harmonise regional HR processes.

Reporting to the Regional HR Director, you will be responsible for a wide range of HR functions, such as expatriate management, HR policies, benefit administration, performance management, budget preparation and employee surveys. You will manage a team of 2 HR Executives who oversee payroll and HRIS system.

Reporting to HR director (APAC) you will be the project lead for HR framework and process implementation. You will play a key role in talent attraction and management, change management and employee interaction, compensation and benefit review, as well as HR policies and procedures in the region.

To be successful in this role, you should have a degree in relevant discipline with 8 years of HR experience and at least 2 years in managing a team. You must have hands-on work experience in expatriate management. Candidates with shared service background and knowledge of payroll will be preferred. You should have strong communication skills, flexibility to adapt to changes and ability to work in a dynamic environment.

To be successful, you should have a degree in relevant discipline with minimum 6 years of experience in HR project management. You should be a self-starter with good understanding of local and regional laws and regulations. Candidates available on short notice will be preferred.

If you meet the above criteria, please email your detailed CV in word format to priya_prakash@kellyservices.com.sg. Your interest will be treated in strictest confidence.

If you meet the above criteria, please email your detailed CV in word format to priya_prakash@kellyservices.com.sg. Your interest will be treated in strictest confidence. Priyadarshni Prakash EA Personnel Registration No. R1325491

Priyadarshni Prakash EA Personnel Registration No. R1325491

Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions globally. For more than 35 years, Kelly in Singapore has been partnering the finest

local companies, key government agencies as well as some of the world’s most respected multinational companies to deliver the best talent in the market. Kelly’s centralised recruitment hub makes nearly 8,000 placements in Singapore last year. Complementing our general staffing capability, Kelly also offers great expertise in the sourcing of specialised professionals across technical disciplines such as Engineering, Technology and Science, as well as functional specialties for Finance, HR, Sales & Marketing, Procurement and Banking.

kellyservices.com.sg

Kelly Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd | EA License No. 01C4394 | RCB No. 200007268E

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts Hr manager (Business partnering) lead and drive critical Hr frameworks and policies

Hr Director - fmcG shape the local Hr strategy

A renowned international educational institute is looking for an engaging and driven HR Manager to take on a start-up opportunity to build key HR initiatives and oversee HR operations for the expanding organisation. Reporting to the HR Director, you will work closely with respective Heads (academic and non-academic) within each school to align global wide company policies and procedures and ensure business process efficiency. With more than ten years of relevant HR Generalist/Business Partner experience, preferably within a private educational setting, you will be highly academically qualified. You will also have strong business acumen and HR operational experience, with a high level of professionalism and thoroughness.

A fantastic HR leader opportunity exists with a fast moving consumer goods organisation. You will make a true impact in this global organisation with brand presence in more than 80 countries worldwide. Overseeing a team of HR specialists, you will roll up your sleeves and connect with the work force on the ground, as well as advise senior leaders across the globe on their human resources strategy. You must have a minimum of 10 to 15 years of relevant experience in a leadership position and speak at least one Asian language at a mother tongue level. You must be degree educated and have experience working in a multinational organisation in either a country or regional role.

training & Development manager (lifestyle retail) spearhead excellent training practices An exciting opportunity exists for a Training & Development Manager to join an established Lifestyle Retail MNC. Reporting to the Business Director, you will oversee talent development for the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retail workforce in Singapore. This encapsulates instilling commercial and operational know-how to the team. A Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree graduate with about eight years of relevant training and development experience, you are competent in stand up delivery and strategic planning and implementation skills.

Hr Business partner private equity exciting opportunity to lead from the front This formidable name in the world of private equity has an impressive portfolio of assets in Asia and beyond. An experienced HR Business Partner is required to support senior leaders within this organisation. You can think on your feet and support leaders with hard data analysis to support their business decisions. You will have strong communication and influencing skills. Degree educated, you will ideally also have an additional qualification in compensation and benefits or talent management. A background in banking, finance or private equity as well as fluency in Mandarin and a second Asian language is essential.

please contact ash russell, tamara sigerhall, chris lui, keith lim or sean Wong at hr.singapore@hays.com.sg or +65 6303 0721.

hays.com.sg

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