HRM 16.5 Being Avid Storytellers

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HR INSIDER: CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL HR’S ROLE DURING TRANSFORMATIONAL TIMES

ISSUE 16.5

Price inc. GST $9.95

BEING AVID STORYTELLERS

AT TREASURY WINE ESTATES

ST Jobs.sg

EDITOR’S NOTE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam ASSISTANT EDITOR Sham Majid JOURNALIST Naadiah Badib SUB-EDITOR Paul Howell PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATOR Ezzaty Nazurah Zainal SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amos Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Paul Lozano SALES DIRECTOR Kristine Chan ACCOUNT MANAGERS Edwin Lim Gabriel Gilleon Koh MARKETING MANAGER George Smith MANAGING DIRECTOR Joanna Bush PHOTOGRAPHY BY Frank Pinckers (pinckers.com) Ted Chen (tedchenphoto.com) PRINTED BY Times Printers Pte Ltd

PUBLISHED BY

Proudly owned by Diversified Group of Companies

HRM Asia Pte Ltd 60 Albert Street, Albert Complex #16-08 Singapore 189969 Tel: +65 6423 4631 Fax: +65 6423-4632 Email: info@hrmasia.com.sg

16.5

Dear HRM readers,

I

n today’s fierce war for talent, an organisation’s need to convey a powerful story in order to attract potential hires has never been more pressing.

This month’s cover story with Andrew O’Brien, General Manager of Treasury Wine Estates in Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa, epitomises that theme.

Being the globe’s largest listed wine company, O’Brien shares how the organisation leverages on storytelling to build the exposure of its stable of more than 80 wine brands.

Sticking with this theme, this month’s HR Insider features the team at Changi Airport Group, an organisation that definitely knows a thing or two about employer branding. After all, it won the STJobs Award for Best Employer Branding at the 2016 HRM Awards.

This issue also happens to be our Employment Law and Compliance Special, and we look ahead to what HR can expect from the upcoming Singapore Employment Claims Tribunal.

How would your organisation react if an employee acted as a whistleblower? Does it have measures in place to protect that particular staff member? We shine the spotlight on employee whistleblowers and examine how organisations can safeguard them from reprisals.

This issue of HRM Magazine also dovetails nicely with our upcoming HR Summit 2016, which will take place on 17 and 18 May. We hope to see you all there in what promises to be two days of dynamic and informative sessions, bringing together the best international and local minds in HR and management strategy to connect, learn, discuss and network.

On a personal note, I would also like to take this opportunity to express my and HRM Asia’s heartfelt thanks to our former Editorial Director Sumathi V Selvaretnam, who has left the company after six years.

She has now relocated to Europe with her husband and young daughter in tow, and we wish her the very best of luck in her future endeavours.

Best Regards,

Sham Majid

Assistant Editor, HRM Asia CONTACT US:

MICA (P) 065/07/2015 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 16.5 HRMASIA.COM

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CONTENTS 16.5 COVER STORY 14 The power of a story As the largest listed wine company in the world, Treasury Wine Estates boasts over 80 wine brands within its ranks. Andrew O’Brien, the organisation’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa, says the company aims to be a passionate storyteller for each of its distinctive products.

14 FEATURES 20 Soaring the skies

Singapore’s Changi Airport was recently crowned the best airport in the world by Skytrax for the seventh time in sixteen years. In this exclusive interview, HRM finds out more about the people who power its well-oiled operations.

26 Protecting at all costs

Reporting a concern about a risk or wrongdoing at work should be a relatively easy matter. However, employees are still hesitant to speak up. HRM finds out how HR can resolve this issue.

26

30 Coming to grips with the Employment Claims Tribunal

Mohammed Reza and Shaun Lee, from JWS Asia Law Corporation, outline what to expect from Singapore’s new Employment Claims Tribunal.

34 Toe the line

As organisations are subjected to tougher manpower and employment

2

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20 laws in Singapore, HR departments are having to quickly get to grips with more complex and technical compliance issues, as HRM finds out.

38 Workforce management during transformational times

Lim Zhi Rong, Regional HR Business Lead, Asia-Pacific for Mondelēez International, shares strategies and practical tips on how HR can drive commitment during transitional periods.

41 Fighting dark clouds

56

In today’s stressful and high-pressure working environment, the mental wellbeing of employees is intrinsically linked to their physical wellbeing.

HRM explores how HR can spearhead the charge to boost mental health at the workplace.

45 Road to productivity

Maintaining employees’ productivity levels at work can be a challenging issue in organisations. What are the causes of these roadblocks and how can employers overcome them? HRM finds out.

54 Bosch: Building an executive pipeline

As Bosch ramps up its efforts to ensure the roughly 280 positions in its global Junior Managers Programme are filled, plans are also afoot to boost the programme’s headcount in Singapore specifically.

56 HR Young Gun

Every month, HRM speaks to a young university talent hoping to carve out a career in HR upon graduation.

58 360° talent cycle

From onboarding experiences to leadership continuity, Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore At Zhongshan Park has unique talent management strategies in place for every stage of an employee’s career.

REGULARS 4 News 12 Leaders on Leadership 44 HR Clinic 48 Talent Ladder 49 In Person 49 Resources 51 An HRD Speaks 51 Twenty-four Seven ISSUE 16.5

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NEWS

4

ASIA

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

INDIA

STAFF JUMPING SHIP

REFERRALS IMPEDE PROGRESS

Employers in Australia and New Zealand may want to start complimenting their staff more when they do a good job.

Otherwise, they may well scoot off to find for another role with another boss.

According to Hays’ Staff Engagement: Ideas for Action report, 62% of employees would search for another job if they did not feel valued at their workplace.

It appears that organisations also understand the importance of appreciating their employees; 87% of employers said making sure each employee felt treasured was a “very important” or “important” part of engaging their workforce.

The same proportion claimed that recognition when workers perform well was “very important” or “important”.

Tellingly, in both aspects, more than half the employers conceded that they needed to do better.

The report also revealed that 97% of Australian and New Zealand employees claimed a feeling of being cherished was a “very important” or “important” engagement factor for them.

In a massive hint as to why valuing employees is so crucial, a whopping 87% said they would go above and beyond their regular duties if they were made to feel cherished by the company they worked for. An additional 12% would “maybe” do the same.

“It costs nothing to recognise the work of your team,” said Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia and New Zealand.

“Letting your staff know that their hard work and successes are valued has a huge impact on staff engagement, loyalty and morale.”

Deligiannis stressed that ultimately, the phrase “thank you” will make a significant impact.

The Staff Engagement: Ideas for Action report polled 396 employers and 800 jobseekers in Australia and New Zealand.

Corporates in India believe that referral programmes are actually doing more harm than good.

According to the Referral Programmes Breeding Mediocrity report by TeamLease Services, over 49% of corporates think that referral programmes hamper innovative thinking within the company.

The study found that although referrals make up just five percent of overall recruitment, they have a much stronger effect on the operation of the firm.

About 44% of the companies polled felt that referral programmes created a herd mentality and a sense of

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complacency within the workforce.

The report also found that those onboarded through referral programmes are not always keen to link up with colleagues, which leads to a negative work climate.

In addition, 52% of referrals were motivated primarily by monetary rewards.

“Referral programmes may have 50 percent better retention, however with the inherent limiting factors like scale, informality and survival instincts, it is high time organisations relooked at the methods to acquire quality talent,” said Kunal Sen, senior vice president, TeamLease Services.

HONG KONG

WHEN BUSINESS GETS AWKWARD What would you do if a professional was crooning away on karaoke during a business meeting?

This bizarre act left one respondent to a recent survey by Regus stunned and speechless.

But it is just one of the many surprising and disconcerting practices business professionals around the globe have faced while in Hong Kong, the research found.

Other key anecdotes from the Hong Kong survey revealed that: • Introductions to the whole family as a preamble to business and conversing about personal lives can sometimes surprise western visitors • Lateness, bowing and different mindsets towards sneezing and coughing in the workplace can also be a challenge • Pets in the office and suits with shorts can lead to embarrassment.

“Although business travel has certainly contributed to broadening people’s horizons

and lessening the impact of culture clashes, there are still some elements of business etiquette that can surprise travellers and leave them looking sheepish,” said Natina Wong, country manager of Regus Hong Kong.

“For some cultures, any physical contact, such as cheek kissing, is out of bounds.

Navigating the complexities of human relations while doing business abroad can become time-consuming and complex. Fortunately the openmindedness and experience of business people worldwide means that these rarely amount to any serious embarrassment.”

ASIA

NEWS

Far East Hospitality: Meeting relocation demands

ASIA

EMPLOYEES RISK OBESITY An alarming proportion of workers in Asia-Pacific are undertaking sedentary lifestyles and not engaging enough in weekly exercise.

The Nutrition At Work Survey by global nutrition company Herbalife, found that a staggering nine out of 10 employees in Asia-Pacific spend at least six hours a day sitting at their desk. Five out of 10 consume lunch at their work desk between two and five times per week.

Indonesia possessed the highest proportion of employees working their way through lunch, with 71% having their meal in front of the computer two to five times weekly.

When it comes to exercise, the survey showed that the majority of AsiaPacific’s workforce (83%) exercise less than three times per week, with six out of 10 amassing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a day at their office.

Employees in Hong Kong are the most inactive, with 66% of the workforce there exercising once a week or less, and seven out of 10 employees

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

Arthur Kiong

Chief Executive Officer, Far East Hospitality

O

recording less than 30 minutes of physical activity a day.

However, there is a determination to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle, with nearly seven out of 10 workers (67%) aiming to lead a more energetic life.

Nevertheless, the majority of them acknowledged that they find it tough to exercise during work days.

“While a majority of Asia-Pacific’s workforce want to lead healthy, active lives, there are tangible constraints preventing them from doing so,” said Frank Lamberti, Herbalife Senior Vice President and Managing Director, North Asia.

The Nutrition At Work Survey was conducted in March with 5,500 fulltime workers in 11 Asia-Pacific markets.

ver the years, Singapore has seen a growing number of serviced residences, thanks to an influx of business travellers. This demand is closely linked to industries that rely on foreign talent and skills who require mid to long-term accommodation, such as financial services, engineering and IT-related projects.

HR managers today face an added challenge, having to stretch accommodation budgets in the midst of modest economic growth, without compromising on the travelling employees’ safety and wellbeing.

The Far East Hospitality group of serviced residences is able to meet this growing demand with an effective solution compared to traditional hotels, providing great value and service ranging from housekeeping services, fully-equipped business centre and kitchen, to free shuttles provided to key central business district locations for the convenience of our guests.

For business users in particular, our serviced residences offer quantifiable benefits, starting with excellent locations in prime areas such as Orchard, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. With a minimum booking of seven nights’ stay, Far East Hospitality also offers shorter stay options and lease flexibility, all while setting the industry benchmark for luxury residences in Singapore and abroad with various accolades.

HR managers can also look forward to the launch of Oasia Residence, Singapore in the third quarter of 2016.

Located in the west coast of Singapore, and within close proximity to business parks and education institutions, the Oasia Residence, Singapore will be well-suited to the business traveller while meeting the rising demand for serviced residences in the area.

INDIA

DIVERSITY IN BALANCE PLANS It is not enough now for Indian employers to hand out customary sweeteners when it comes to enticing and keeping talent.

According to a recent survey undertaken

by Kelly Services, employees are increasingly sourcing ways to craft an optimal balance in their personal and professional lives.

The survey found 69% of talent in India view flexible work arrangements as positively affecting work-life balance. This figure is above the global average of 63%.

In India, employees selected from a range of perks and work programmes they felt were crucial to attaining work-life balance.

Their most favoured flexible work schedules and arrangements were working remotely or telecommuting (69% of respondents found this crucial), limits or restrictions on working outside typical business hours (45%), wellness programmes such as on-site fitness centres, stress-reduction programmes (41%) and cultivating an environment of friendship in the workplace (34%).

“The talent workforce in India is increasingly demanding work-life balance in their professional lives with flexible work arrangements at the top of their wish list,” said Kamal Karanth, Managing Director, Kelly Services India. “Now more than ever, companies operating in India need to keep up with innovative global practices to provide greater flexibility in the workplace, in order stay relevant in the competitive global fight for talent.”

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NEWS

MORE ENGAGED, MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEES.

INTERNATIONAL

UK

WORKING NINE TO... THREE? Six out of 10 UK employers believe that cutting an employee’s working hours from the usual eight hours to six hours could be beneficial for the business.

This was according to a survey by Crown Workplace Relocations.

When asked if they would consider such changes, 36% of respondents answered, “yes, possibly” and another 26% said, “yes, definitely”.

This is in comparison to 25% who thought, “probably not” and 14% who ruled out the idea completely.

Major cities in the UK also supported this idea, with 67% of businesses in Birmingham, 70% in London and 88% in Glasgow.

Four in 10 bosses said they believe their employees would be just as productive in six hours as in eight hours.

They favoured the shorter work hours because it would allow staff to have more leisure time. A better work-life balance would boost employees’ mental and physical wellbeing, strengthen their personal

WE CAN HELP.

relationships, improve creativity and reduce absences at work.

“The introduction of a six-hour working day has already been implemented by some employers in Britain with many reporting positive results – including improved employee focus and productivity,” said Barry Koolen, Regional Managing Director at Crown Workplace Relocations.

“Historically the British eight-hour working day was created to encourage a work-life balance and these findings suggest we may soon see a new cultural shift towards a six-hour working day.”

US

STAFF EXPECT TO KEEP ON WORKING American employees may be required to commit to the workforce for a longer part of their lives.

According to survey by YouGov, 55% of US employees who are not yet retired expect to have to work past the age of 65 in order to make ends meet.

Of this group, 65% were from households with annual incomes under US$50,000 while a further 37% were those in households with incomes over US$100,000.

Some 30% did not expect to work past the retirement age while 15% said they were unsure.

In addition, 50% of the respondents believed that it was primarily their responsibility to ensure they had sufficient money for retirement.

However, 37% stated that it was the government’s responsibility.

Well-being support for 48 million employees across 56,000 organisations in 200+ countries and territories.

Learn More at:

www.workplaceoptions.com 6

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INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

US

CANADA

WHY WORK E-MAILS WASTE YOUR TIME

RISE IN WHISTLEBLOWERS

Seventeen percent of the time spent on work e-mail is believed to have gone to waste.

This was a key finding from a recent Robert Half survey.

Respondents were asked, “What is the primary timewaster when it comes to email?”

Their responses were: • Spam: 39% • Being copied on irrelevant messages: 27% • Receiving messages that could be better delivered another way: 19% • Long, rambling messages: 14% • Don’t know: One percent “Spam can be addressed by using filters and technology to prevent unwanted email but the other issues often boil down to good judgment, “said Paul McDonald, Senior Executive Director for Robert Half.

“Keeping your messages short, relevant and actionable will improve the chances your emails are read and responded to quickly.”

Canadian workers have been reported to be among the most trustworthy of workforces.

An Ernst & Young (EY) survey revealed that one third of Canadians believe that bribery and corruption “happen widely” in businesses across their country.

An overwhelming 92% of them believed that prosecuting individual executives would help deter things like bribery, fraud and corruption.

This is above the global average of respondents at 83%.

“Canada has always scored well in similar fraud surveys and this one is yet another indication that Canadian business leaders have a good understanding of what’s right and wrong in comparison to their counterparts from other countries around the world,” said Mike Savage, EY’s Fraud, Investigation and Dispute Services Leader.

UK

FIRM INTRODUCES NAP TIME AT WORK A UK-based people management software company – BrightHR – has recently introduced “nap time” for employees in a bid to boost productivity.

It has created a sleep room in its Manchester office to allow staff to take part in a new study to test the power of napping on the job.

The room is designed to have a soporific effect on staff, with the temperature, lighting and ambience customised to induce sleep quickly.

A king sized bed, with the latest mattress technology, has also been installed to ensure that employees enjoy a restful nap.

By encouraging staff to take a short nap during office hours, the firm hopes that employees will be able to concentrate better, have higher energy levels and boost their creativity at work.

GLOBAL

LOW EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT LEVELS Only 36% of employees globally are “highly engaged”, according to a new survey by the Korn Ferry Hay Group.

According to this report, there is now a “critical need” to improve employee engagement around the world.

Eighty-seven percent of the survey’s respondents attributed their overall engagement levels to the link between an organisation’s social responsibility efforts and leadership development.

However, 59% of respondents said their firms already linked the two factors.

“Real leadership development doesn’t happen in the classroom. That just sets the stage,” said Keith Halperin, Senior Partner of Hay Group.

“The real development happens on the job, and in today’s world, employees are looking for organisations that are giving back to the community.”

“Where there’s purpose, there’s a sense of meaning.

There’s a sense of value.

Opportunities to give back and serve are perfect places to develop leadership.”

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INF GRAPHIC

How successful are your firm’s employee engagement initiatives?

An organisation’s focus on employee engagement can create a significant impact to its overall growth and success.

HRM reveals some insights from the recent Harvey Nash HR Survey 2016

DID YOU KNOW

Are you optimistic of your employee engagement strategies?

50%

30%

YES

NEUTRAL

Ways to enhance employee engagement Promoting a positive, open culture

83% 70%

Staff events Flexible working practices Staff forums Creative reward structures

53% 47% 45%

20% NO

How do you measure employee engagement?

Opinion surveys Retention levels Others*

* Others include: informal feedback, performance review curve, employee development dialogue

Top reward initiatives 71%

Healthcare benefits

37%

Discount schemes

Source: • Harvey Nash HR Survey 2016 • Some iconographics are by Freepik.com and VectorOpen-Stock.com 8

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82% 59% 12%

Flexible

55% benefits 32%

Nonmonetary

23% of respondents believe employee engagement contributes to organisational success

14%

of respondents identified employee engagement as their top HR priority

1 in 3 HR professionals are not satisfied with HR’s image

ROBERT WALTERS ADVERTORIAL

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Is gender diversity the metaphorical elephant in the workplace room today? Recruitment firm Robert Walters shares a taste of its Empowering Women in the Workplace whitepaper that seeks to gain a deeper insight into the gender diversity conundrum

J

ust as a myriad of cultures make up the fabric of the Asia-Pacific region, conversations and sentiments on gender diversity vary considerably.

Our Empowering Women in the Workplace whitepaper explores the topic of gender diversity and examines its effects on grooming the female leaders of tomorrow. It draws on the sentiments of white-collared professionals working across Asia-Pacific and provides recommendations on what organisations can do to empower the next generation of female employees into leadership positions.

We take a look at: • Career priorities of working professionals; • How female leaders are regarded in the workplace; • The need for equal representation of female leaders within an organisation; and • What companies can do to empower women in their careers

Is there a need for gender diversity?

There have been numerous studies on the positive effects gender diversity has on team performance and success.

In a 2014 study entitled Diversity, Social Goods Provision, and Performance in the Firm by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, economist Sara Ellison found that having a more diverse group

of employees meant a more diverse set of skills, potentially resulting in a better functioning office and team.

Eighty percent of women we surveyed think they are under-represented in leadership positions in their business.

In the whitepaper, we look at some key initiatives companies can undertake to empower women and to develop a new generation of female leaders to create more diverse and successful teams.

Mentorships have been reported to be most helpful in four areas: career planning, coaching and guidance; protection and career risk management; and increasing aspiration levels and providing a role model – according to a 2012 paper entitled Career mentoring for women: New horizons/Expanded methods by the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in the US.

Identify motivational factors Understanding what candidates want out of their careers during job interviews will allow hiring managers to better assess the resources and training required to help empower them within the organisation. This leads to a lower attrition rate and better employee satisfaction.

Encourage women to lead by giving them something to be accountable for Cultivate an environment where women are encouraged to lead special projects.

This gives them an opportunity to showcase their skills and increase their visibility within their business.

In some cases, it also helps to build up their confidence and make them more certain of their capabilities.

Harness the strengths of diverse teams Gender bias is still prevalent in many workplaces today. Managers who empower their employees by focussing on their strengths will achieve greater results and help develop high-potential workers into leaders.

Mentoring for success Women believe in the value of mentoring programmes or sponsorship at senior management levels to aid them in their career development.

Start gender diversity from the top Whether it is the controversial gender quota imposed in management boardrooms or diversity-related performance indicators, leaders at the top of every organisation should take the lead in ensuring the views and needs of all employees are well-represented.

This is an excerpt from Robert Walters’ “Empowering women in the workplace” whitepaper. Read the full whitepaper at www.robertwalters.com.sg ISSUE 16.5

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NEWS

HR MARKET ROUNDUP

NETWORK FOR DATA PROFESSIONALS Global provider of data management and analytics platforms, Cloudera, has announced a new initiative entitled, “Big Analytics Skills Enablement” (BASE).

This is an industry-led ecosystem that is designed to groom a future workforce of data professionals.

BASE pulls together both industry players and academic institutions to equip more people with the required skills for work in areas like big data and analytics.

The initiative also encompasses elements whereby trained data professionals will be matched to opportunities across sectors where skills are required.

Presently, organisations such as Dell, Intel and Microsoft have stepped forward to join the BASE initiative in Singapore.

Academic institutions such as the National University of Singapore and Institute of Technical Education have also joined to provide training in data skills.

In addition, Cloudera has garnered support from Itel International to match trained data professionals to the right job vacancies.

“At Cloudera we see a clear shortage of skilled data professionals across industries,” said Doug Cutting, Cloudera’s Chief Architect.

“We see an opportunity for us to play a catalyst role to bring various bodies into a collaborative effort, much like the open source community did when it was creating Hadoop.”

“This collaborative innovation will help us bring new data-enabled talent into the market through skilled professionals who can leverage the tools and actualise data for business and the community.”

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DISCREPANCIES IN CVs A rising number of employers in AsiaPacific are completing background checks on incoming recruits, and many are finding discrepancies in their claimed backgrounds.

According to First Advantage’s 2016 Annual Trends Report, the overall screening discrepancy of candidates in Asia-Pacific was 17.3% in 2015.

This was a slight decrease from 2014 which saw 17.9% of screened candidates being flagged.

Discrepancies in dates of employment were found in one out of 12 applicants’ backgrounds, while discrepancies in designations and job titles were found in one out 19 applications.

Other common employment discrepancies included employment history, eligibility for rehiring, and last-drawn salaries.

Regionally, the Philippines registered the highest rate of discrepancies with 74%.

China trailed closely behind with 72%

followed by Australia and New Zealand (65%), Hong Kong (45%), Malaysia (40%) and, Japan and Korea (36%).

Singapore was ranked the lowest with 35% of employers carrying out background checks on employment verifications.

The energy and financial sectors saw the largest single industry discrepancy rates with 26% and 19% respectively.

This was largely due to the established and thorough background screening processes in these industries and the high number of checks conducted per candidate.

SUPPORT FOR SINGAPOREANS ABROAD Singaporeans abroad can look forward to receiving enhanced support when seeking employment on their return home.

Robert Walters Singapore has launched a campaign entitled, “Balik Kampung” meaning “homecoming” in Malay.

In this campaign, the organisation hopes to engage overseas Singaporeans who may be looking for job opportunities back home.

The move comes after the implementation of the Fair Consideration Framework in August 2014, which asked employers to place a stronger focus on hiring domestic talents.

According to Ivy Low, International Candidate Manager, Robert Walters Singapore, the initiative is unique to the recruitment company.

“It fully utilises the group’s international presence and networks to address a prevailing recruitment challenge in the market by creating our very own internal pool of overseas Singaporean professionals,” she said.

Through this programme, employers will be able to leverage

on a new pool of Singaporean candidates and build a long-term local talent pipeline for their companies.

“We would like our proactive approach and unique branding of this local talent outreach programme to be a formula for success in developing the core Singaporean workforce and creating awareness around attracting overseas Singaporeans back home as a viable strategy to survive the talent crunch,” Low added.

“We are also pleased to be able to benefit from having an established global presence and internal infrastructure to administer this campaign.”

LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

How can leaders successfully guide employees through business transformation and restructuring?

A

t the heart of business restructuring lies the notion of discontinuous thinking – identifying and abandoning the outdated rules and fundamental assumptions that underlie current business operations.

Effective communication throughout the transition is key to a leader’s success in continuously addressing employees’ concerns while also acting as a coach and motivator, which can help to mitigate the negativity and apathy that may arise.

People need some reason to perform well within the restructured processes.

It is not enough to simply put new processes in place: leaders must motivate employees to rise to the challenge of these processes by supporting the new values and beliefs demanded. In other words, management must pay attention to what goes on in people’s heads as well as what happens on their desks.

Changes that require shifts in attitude are not easily accepted. Merely giving speeches isn’t sufficient. New

management systems must cultivate the required values by rewarding behaviour that exhibits them. But senior managers must also give speeches about these new values, as well as demonstrate their commitment to them with actions and their personal behaviour.

Leaders face different challenges and opportunities depending on transition types. On the other hand, participants in a turnaround often know what the problems are, but do not what to do about it. In a start-up scenario, employees are likely to be more excited and hopeful than members of a troubled group facing failure.

To reinvent their companies, leaders must create an ambidextrous organisational culture where exploration and exploitation of new products, procedures, and policies are happening at the same time. If a culture is built where change is part of the fabric of the organisation, employees will be less negative to any transition or restructure.

B

SONYA MADEIRA Founder and Managing Partner, Rice Communications

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usiness transitions and restructures are normal phases that organisations of all sizes have to go through. For a rapidlygrowing business such as Rice Communications, we’ve had our fair share of changes and movements, most recently with the expansion of our operations to include the Myanmar and China markets.

One of our account directors needed to relocate to Myanmar to lead our venture into the new territory, which meant that her Singapore team had to be restructured. We quickly communicated this change within the entire team; hence, team members provided the management with feedback that was vital in ensuring that such a change would not negatively impact client servicing.

Ultimately, business leaders must imagine themselves in the shoes of

CETIN SEKERCIOGLU

President, Asia, Millennium Hotels and Resorts

their employees and, especially for smaller organisations, let them take part in the conversation. It’s about communicating business objectives, explaining why changes are necessary, and predicting the impact that such changes will bring to each employee. Open communications also present the opportunity for business leaders to solicit inputs from employees and address any gaps resulting from the imminent changes.

Overall, business transitions and restructures are all aimed at meeting business objectives that are meant to benefit the entire organisation.

When change is properly communicated with employees, they adapt more quickly, cooperate during the transition process, and align themselves with the business objectives more effectively.

LEADERS TALK HR

THE

POWER OF A STORY Q

Tell me about yourself. How did you find yourself in the wine industry?

As the largest listed wine company in the world, Treasury Wine Estates boasts over 80 wine brands within its ranks. Andrew O’Brien, the organisation’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa, says the company aims to be a passionate storyteller for each of its distinctive products

If you ask people what they’d say about me, being driven and competitive are certainly two of those things.

I probably ended up in this industry through my family history. I was How would your employees born in country New South Wales describe you? in Australia but I moved to Adelaide I would like to think that they when I was about eight years old and I would also say I am approachable. ended up studying there.

As you can see in the office, I have South Australia is the home of the an open door and encourage a flat Sham Majid Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale wine structure. sham@hrmasia.com.sg growing districts.

We are not a huge business here; My parents have a passionate love there are only about 40 people in the of wine and I think it all started from there. One of my great office. I think my staff would say I am quite positive and that I passions after coming out of college was enjoying wine; so I am able to have a laugh and an enjoyable time at work. coupled that passion with a job in the industry.

At the end of the day, we work in the wine industry. We do I started off with a company called Rémy Martin which not get up every morning to save lives. What we do is make, is a very famous French firm that looks after champagnes market and sell great products which people enjoy. and cognacs. I started off with them in a sales role and then went into a marketing role in South Australia and How would you describe the culture of the wine industry? continued from there.

It is a funny business because ultimately, it is agricultural. To make wine, you need to grow grapes; What is your leadership style? you need to then ferment those grapes; and you need to I see myself as a very collaborative leader. I am bottle them. very focused on culture; something that is very From there, we then take those products, which are made important to me and certainly to this business. I like to in many countries, and we really market them and bring them think that I set a good example for my employees and that I to life through branding. Our job is to really build brands, create a fairly positive environment here. That is also very particularly here in Asia. I suppose at the very core of it, we important here in Asia in particular. are storytellers. Our job is to really tell the stories of these It is fair to say that I am also very driven and competitive. great brands, and there are some amazing stories.

Q

Q

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Q

LEADERS TALK HR

BIO BRIEF

With over 20 years of experience in the global drinks industry, Andrew O’Brien began his career with TWE when he first joined Southcorp Wines as a Fine Wine Ambassador in 1994.

Since then, he has held various senior leadership roles including General Manager of Southcorp’s Fine Wine Division in Australia, General Manager of the Fosters Group based in New Zealand and General Manager of Sales for TWE Australia.

In 2012, O’Brien was appointed the General Manager of South East Asia, India, Japan and Korea and has been based in Singapore to manage, grow and develop the South Asian, South East Asian, Korean and Japanese markets.

He has earned a solid reputation and outstanding track record in nurturing strategic business partnerships and fostering long-term sustainable growth in emerging market conditions which to date, has seen his team and business almost triple in size.

As a result, O’Brien has also now expanded his geographical focus to also include the markets of Middle East and Africa.

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LEADERS TALK HR

Q

Treasury Wine Estates employs more than 3,500 people around the world in four regions. What are some key HR challenges for the organisation?

I came here about four years ago and I think the main challenge for us has been that Treasury Wine Estates itself isn’t necessarily an “employer of choice” in Asia.

People know our brands. So, when you say Penfolds, Wolf Blass or Beringer, people will say they know those brands.

But, they don’t know that the owner behind those brands is Treasury Wine Estates.

Our first challenge is better establishing ourselves an employer of choice in Asia. The other challenge is getting great local talent.

We have found it increasingly hard, particularly here in Singapore and in the region. I think these are the two big HR challenges.

Q

Why do you think it is tough to get local talent?

To be honest, we often struggle with this. In fact, we recently had a meeting with the Economic Development Board (EDB) to discuss what we need to do to overcome the issue, as well as other opportunities. Trying to find talent, particularly in marketing, sales, finance and HR, is actually proving to be quite difficult. However, it is something we haven’t given up on and we are working with EDB and recruiters because ultimately, we feel that it is better if we can get local resources into the company. As an organisation, we have grown significantly. With 3,500 employees worldwide; our market capitalisation is nearly AUD$6.9 billion and we are a top 50-listed company in Australia. We are also now the largest listed wine company globally. This business here in Singapore was in a much smaller office in Newton four years ago and since then, we have tripled our size in terms of people.

Finding the right local talent is something that we are certainly committed to as we continue to grow.

Q

How does your organisation navigate around the different cultural aspects in the regions?

I think this is probably one of our specialities. The region that we work in here (Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa) has a multiplicity of markets. What we’ve been very good at is exactly in this aspect of managing cultural differences.

To start with, we have about 45 people around the region who come from 16 different countries. Hence, we ourselves are very culturally diverse.

From there, it is about making sure we have the right people to advise us and the right people on the ground to work with.

It also requires a lot of homework and understanding of legal, cultural, and even religious issues.

It is something I think we have grown a pretty good muscle for.

Q

How would you describe your company culture?

From a corporate point of view, it is about being collaborative, positive and focused.

ME MYSELF I I love: Spending time with people across all aspects of my life - family, professionally, and socially I dislike: Lost opportunities. I pride myself on my negotiation skills and believe a win/win is almost always possible if you hang in long enough and listen well My inspiration is: My uncle who sadly passed away too early. He was a dynamic and charismatic man who inspired me to join the hospitality industry at a young age My biggest weakness is: I’m a man occasionally prone to excess. I’ve had to watch my consumption over the years of all things gastronomic!

In five years’ time, I’d like to be: At the top of my game but at the same time having achieved a better work/life/health balance Favourite quote: “Wine should be taken frequently and not seriously” – Anonymous. It’s such a great quote, and I wish I knew who the source was!

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LEADERS TALK HR Certainly here in the region and across the business, we are very respectful but very competitive at the same time.

We are very big on collaboration and we have to be, given the diversity of the organisation. We have very big ambitions to grow in this office, this region and in Asia, and our growth trajectory is significant.

We really create a very positive environment for everyone to excel and grow. Going back to the point of not being too serious, instead of having a reception area like a normal corporate organisation would have, we have a wine bar!

We like to have a little bit of fun too, because it is a great product and it is about being social and having an enjoyable time trying out the different brands.

We try to create a culture where there is an opportunity to have a bit of a laugh and to spend some time together.

Q

It’s not all about wine at Treasury Wine Estates. The company also engages in internal sports activities independently organised by its employees, says Andrew O’Brien, General Manager of Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Africa at Treasury Wine Estates.

“For example, there is tennis Tuesdays, badminton Wednesdays, and running Thursdays. These sports activities which are organised by our internal “social club” have become embedded into our culture,” he explains.

So, which sports has O’Brien signed up for?

“I’m a bit of a tennis player so I join in on tennis Tuesdays,” he says.

“I’m not a runner; so I don’t do running with the guys on Thursdays. In fact, I’ve now just started taking up badminton on Wednesdays with the group.”

How do you interact with your staff?

I interact on many levels. From a base point of view, we have a number of communication vehicles.

That can be as simple as a monthly newsletter that I send out to the team to give everybody an update, since we are quite spread out between Africa, the Middle East or different parts of Southeast Asia. It is something that is penned by me in a very relaxed manner just to keep everyone updated about what is happening in the region. I travel a lot, so I often write about what I’ve seen on my travels.

We also have organised town halls as another communication vehicle to get all of the team together, whether be it in person, on the phone or through video links.

That’s also to update all employees on what is going on corporately, globally and what the business is up to. At the same time, we also share some wins, some opportunities, and some celebrations with the team.

On top of that, we also have bar sessions. On Thursdays and Fridays, we like to open up the wine bar and I take it as a personal opportunity to spend some time with everyone in the team. I think it is a great time to be in a relaxed and social environment where we can get a feel about what’s happening with the team.

Q

Balancing wine with sport

What kind of career progression programmes do you have in place?

We have a centralised HR function based out of Australia. Within that are some fantastic programmes.

We have an amazing leadership framework and development programme that has been organised and it is now up to us to embed it into each of our regions.

The thing I like about it is that it really gives our employees control over their own development. It is very much based around how we and our employees use that to drive their careers. It really empowers them to take ownership of their careers.

In addition to that, we have recently embarked on a programme using an external firm which we’ve called “Veraison”. That considers our top 40 high-potential talents globally who are seen as the next senior leaders of our organisation. We bring them together three times over the space of nine months and work through individualised programmes over who they are, and what can make them a better person, which will therefore make them better leaders.

Q

What is the most challenging aspect of your role?

I think it is the multiplicity of markets. There are just so many different countries, continents, and consumers with different set of laws, market entry regulations and levels of maturity. That’s probably the piece which is exciting because that means we’ve got to be agile, entrepreneurial and we’ve got to do things quite differently.

As much as it is probably the most challenging thing, it is also the most exciting. I think that’s what attracts great people here too, because there is never a boring moment.

You’re always doing something different with a different country and market.

One of the exciting things for us right now is that we’ve taken on the African region and we haven’t really had a very established business there at all. We’re embarking on opening up 15 different countries in Africa.

But just as exciting is working in a mature market such as Singapore, with many more mature wine consumers.

Q

What is your top tip for aspiring leaders?

Be authentic. Be willing to have the difficult conversations and don’t steer away from that.

Having difficult and courageous conversations is really important in this day and age.

You should also stay true to your beliefs.

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HR INSIDER

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HR INSIDER

SOARING THE SKIES Singapore’s Changi Airport was recently crowned the best airport in the world

by Skytrax for the seventh time in sixteen years. In this exclusive interview, HRM finds out more about the people who power its well-oiled operations Sumathi V Selvaretnam sumi@hrmasia.com.sg

AT A GLANCE

Total number of employees: 1,800 Size of the HR team (Singapore): 53 Key HR priorities: - Recruitment - Employer branding - Leadership development ISSUE 16.5

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HR INSIDER

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true Singapore icon, Changi Airport is in a phase of rapid growth at the moment, with Terminal Four as well as retail and lifestyle complex Jewel Changi Airport both due to open in the next few years.

Another major project in the works is Changi East, a plot of land that the Changi Airport Group (CAG) is developing to build a three-runway system and supporting infrastructure, as well as the 10 million square foot Terminal Five. This multi-billion dollar facility is projected to be ready in the later half of the 2020s.

Having the right talent to match this scale of growth and development is a priority for the HR team at Changi Airport, says Justina Tan, Senior Vice President, HR, CAG. “Good talent is in short supply and that is definitely a key challenge and an area of focus,” she says.

The group has an internal staff strength of 1,800 but works together with a wider community of 40,000 airport employees across its three terminals. The fourth one is due to open in the second half of 2017 and preparations are already underway for employees to become operationally ready. “Project teams have been formed and hiring is taking place so that the team is ready for operational testing,” shares Tan. CAG places great emphasis on workplace diversity as it generates fresh perspectives and new ideas that help it stay ahead of the competition.

Tan says this diversity is reflected in its hiring practices. CAG reaches out to a wide range of education institutions and participates in various career fairs to interact and take in suitable candidates with different interests, specialisations or experiences. They could be scholars, fresh graduates, or experienced hires, she says.

“We hire people who share the same DNA; people who will ascribe to our value system.”

A strong employer brand Changi Airport reached a significant milestone when it won its 500th best airport award in November 2015.

However, CAG is not content with just being a leader in its field. It is also constantly striving to be an employer of choice so that the best talent come under its wing.

Building a strong employer brand is a key focus area, says Tan. “The company brand should be a reflection of what the company stands for both externally and, even more importantly, internally,” she explains.

When CAG created its formal employee value proposition, it asked its own employees what they were looking for. “It must stand for something that we can deliver as this makes it authentic, and that’s what guided us in its development,” says Tan. “Changi is a place people can call home and that is what our employees feel about our brand.”

Innovation to boost productivity Imagine a waste-bin that alerts cleaners when it is full and ready to be emptied? This was one of the new technologies introduced by CAG’s Innovation Lab, which looks at mid-to long-term innovation efforts that could improve overall operational efficiency at Changi Airport.

In another trial, the lab also tested the use of battery-operated janitor trolley carts in the terminals, relieving cleaning staff of the need to push heavy trolley carts manually.

In addition to the application of new technologies to enhance airport processes, the lab looks at the redesign of facilities and offerings to meet the needs of the changing passenger demographics.

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According to Tan, employees are also brand advocates. “We have a team of brand ambassadors who are able to articulate our brand through events that we host, such as career fairs. People hear from employees themselves and not just HR or marketing.”

Such sharing sessions give people a sense of what goes on behind the scenes of a successful airport. “For example, someone might not know what a person does in an airport operations role,” says Tan. “We launched a series of brand videos and asked employees to talk about their area of work, to let potential candidates know what could be some areas that they could consider.”

CAG is always seeking new ways to engage its target audience. Last October, it conducted an SG50 Amazing Race in the airport for top local students to gain insights about the airport and find out more about the scholarship programme that CAG offers.

CAG’s dedication towards its employment branding efforts also impressed the judges at this year’s HRM Awards, where it won the STJobs Award for Best Employer Branding.

Helping careers take flight Career growth and development are critical for the long term retention of employees, especially in a competitive marketplace.

Understanding this, CAG places a lot of emphasis in actively developing the careers of its employees.

Supervisors anchor one-on-one career conversations with employees to discuss their aspirations and what is needed for them to reach their goals.

Specific priorities and actions to be taken in the year, which could include changes in current job assignments or training, are then jointly identified and incorporated into the development plan for the year ahead.

Leaders at all levels make a critical

HR INSIDER

difference in any organisation, says Tan, making leadership another priority for the HR team at CAG. All people managers in the CAG Group undergo a leadership milestone programme when they reach three critical leadership junctures. These junctures take place when they progress to become, firstly, a manager of individual contributors; then a manager of other managers, and finally an enterprise leader.

“It is a journey of self discovery, where they get to think through their own leadership style,” says Tan. Programme participants also gain a better understanding of the business, and are exposed to case studies on challenges that they have been through themselves. The programme is complemented with training modules on people management skills.

As CAG runs a complex business, it is also critical to onboard new employees in the right way, says Tan. Leaders who enter the organisation at the “Manager of Managers” and “Enterprise Leader” levels undergo an onboarding programme called “Accelerate” within their first six months at the organisation.

CEO Challenge This initiative encourages employees to get creative and submit original ideas that can boost profits, cost savings and productivity.

The winners receive a monetary award as well as the personal satisfaction of seeing their idea positively impacting the organisation.

One idea that won was to use the horticulture displays in the airport as advertising space to generate additional revenue.

The programme accelerates the recruits’ understanding of the business environment as well as the principles and thinking that guide business decisions. Heads of divisions as well as top management members facilitate this programme, which in turn forms part of their own leadership development as they engage and grow the new leaders who come on board.

Rewards and Recognition When Changi Airport won its 500th award last year, all the leaders in the organisation spent time serving coffee to employees in appreciation of

their contributions. This is one of the non-monetary avenues to show staff appreciation that can go a long way, shares Tan. In addition to long service awards, CAG also honours its employees with “core value” awards. Here, employees nominate their peers who best display the company’s core values in their daily work. “We hear a lot of heart-warming and touching stories about employees who have run the extra mile,” says Tan. Their stories have been compiled into a book entitled “Extraordinary”.

When it comes to staff benefits, employees in a diverse workforce have different needs, says Tan. For example, older workers appreciate health benefits while their younger counterparts might prefer travel perks.

Understanding this need, CAG offers its employees flexible spending accounts that they can use to claim for a variety of health, family and leisure benefits.

These include travel expenses, laptops, sports equipment, childcare fees, insurance premiums, and books.

Employees aged over 35 also receive a wellness spending account which they can use to claim funding for health screening packages.

WHO’S WHO IN HR

JUSTINA TAN

Senior Vice President, Human Resource

GOH HWAI KAR

Vice President, HR Business Partnership

FONDA TAN

Vice President, Rewards & Performance Management

SHIRLEY CHEONG

Assistant Vice President, Talent & Development

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Employment Law AND Compliance Special PROTECTING EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWERS LOOKING TOWARDS SINGAPORE’S EMPLOYMENT CLAIMS TRIBUNAL HR’S ROLE IN COMPLIANCE

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EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

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PROTECTING EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWERS

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PROTECTING EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWERS

EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

PROTECTING AT ALL COSTS Reporting a concern about a risk or wrongdoing at work should be a relatively easy matter. However, employees are still hesitant to speak up. HRM finds out how HR can resolve this issue Naadiah Badib

naadiah.b@hrmasia.com.sg

T

he risk of corruption in an organisation is heightened if the act of reporting wrongdoings is not supported and protected.

Employees are usually the first to recognise misconduct in the workforce and other acts concerning their organisation’s workplace practices.

A recent study by The Software Alliance revealed that more than four in five (82%) employees in the UK would blow the whistle on their bosses over illegal or unethical practices at work.

Workers were found to be most likely to blow the whistle on acts such as

bullying (73%), fraud (70%), theft of company property (61%), embezzlement (58%), tax evasion (45%) and failure to meet industry standards (44%).

When asked about what would prompt them to blow the whistle on their employers, 42% of respondents claimed they would do it due to moral obligations, while only seven percent would do so for a financial reward.

Interestingly, staff in Hong Kong have been reported to be steadfast in raising the alarm about misconduct or corrupt practices in their organisations.

According to a study by law firm

Three steps to minimise workplace misconduct • Adequately resource compliance and investigations functions, so that they can proactively engage before regulatory action is taken • Establish clear whistleblowing channels and policies that raise awareness of reporting mechanisms, and also encourage employees

to report misconduct • Undertake regular fraud risk assessments, including an assessment of potential data-driven indicators Source: Global Fraud Survey 2016

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PROTECTING EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWERS

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, nearly two-thirds of management level employees have blown the whistle before.

A further 36% said they would consider doing so in the appropriate circumstances.

Some 21% of employees would go directly to regulators to address misconducts, external organisations (nine percent), media (four percent) or social media (three percent).

“Employee whistleblowers are often subject to retaliation such as intimidation, dismissal or violence from those who are engaged in the misconduct,” says Rossana Quagliana, Head of HR, Grey Group.

“This intimidation in turn, might prevent companies from discovering employeerelated wrongdoings at the early stages.”

“Hence, it is extremely important to have measures in place to ensure effective protection for whistleblowers.”

Joanne Chua, Account Director – Southeast Asia Robert Walters Singapore notes that organisations should encourage more whistleblowers to come forth to raise issues that they have observed.

“If their identities are not protected, they will be deterred to step out as they can be the subject of intimidation or violence in the workplace,” she explains.

Dual perspectives Whistleblowing is a double-edged sword for any organisation, Quagliana stresses.

“It encourages an open organisational

culture and helps combat wrongdoings, safeguards integrity, enhances accountability, and supports a clean business environment,” she explains.

“On the other hand, a company’s reputation can be negatively affected through whistleblowing.”

Chua says whistleblowers can help to improve processes within the organisation.

“They are able to maintain the integrity of the organisation, protect the reputation of the company to external stakeholders, and be instrumental in ensuring compliance processes are being adhered to,” she shares.

On a larger scale, the Global Fraud Survey 2016 found that 51% of respondents in emerging markets consider bribery and corruption as frequent wrongdoings that occur widely in their country.

In fact, some 42% of them said they could justify unethical behaviour in a bid to ensure that financial targets are met.

Interestingly, almost half of employees polled in the survey stated they would be prepared to engage in at least one form of unethical behaviour to either meet financial targets or to safeguard a company’s economic survival.

Programmes in place A report by Santa Clara University revealed that internal whistleblowing programmes should consist of three main objectives. They are:

Misconduct drives employees away Employees in Asia-Pacific could be driven away from a company if it is found to be participating in a corrupt business.

A survey by Ernst & Young entitled, “Fraud and Corruption – driving away talent?” found that 80% of staff claimed to be reluctant to work for companies that are involved in bribery or corrupt practices.

Rob Locke, Lead Partner of Ernst & Young’s Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services, notes that a strong leadership strategy is vital to ensure employees feel their company is working ethically.

“More broadly in Asia-Pacific, where the labour market is highly competitive and it is already difficult to recruit and retain staff, the findings should be a wake-up call to businesses,” he said.

“Only five percent of all respondents said it would make no difference to their willingness to work for an employer if the company was found to have been involved in bribery and corruption.”

“It is essential that companies comprehensively address this via strong ethical leadership and a cohesive fraud prevention framework, with up-to-date and well-enforced internal controls, policies and procedures.”

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• To encourage employees to bring ethical and legal violations they are aware of to an internal authority so that the issue can be resolved; • To minimise the firm’s exposure when employees circumvent internal mechanisms; and • To let staff know that the organisation is serious about adherence to codes of conduct.

However, the report noted that not all programmes can be easily implemented.

Firms can expect to face several barriers, including a lack of trust in the internal system, misguided union solidarity, and the unwillingness of employees to be “snitches”.

In addition, some employees may have to consider personal setbacks.

They include the fear of retaliation and the fear of alienation from their peers.

In its Annual Report and Accounts 2014/2015, global news and entertainment business BBC disclosed its unique approach in whistleblowing.

The firm implements a policy that enables a confidential and thorough communication through a number of means.

A whistleblowing hotline is one such method. The hotline is made available to all staff and is administered by an independent company to ensure anonymity.

“Each incident or suspicion reported is independently investigated in a confidential manner,” the report said. After which, a response is communicated and appropriate action will then be taken place.

Grey’s parent company WPP influences its organisation through its Code of Business Conduct.

This aims to set out standards where employees are required to behave in both a corporate and professional manner.

“We are committed to acting ethically in all aspects of our business and to maintaining the highest standards of honesty and integrity,” Quagliana shares.

In addition, the firm developed internet-based training modules as part of its employee induction programme.

This programme covers ethics, privacy and security, with the objective of

PROTECTING EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWERS providing guidance in making the right decisions and acting properly.

Another approach Grey adopts is its “Right to Speak” scheme.

The independently operated communication channel ensures that complaints are addressed by the relevant people in the event an employee feels uncomfortable raising an issue publicly.

Identifying whistleblowers There are several approaches that HR can take to promote and protect whistleblowers.

Quagliana suggests that HR can help by promoting a culture of strong ethics, integrity and compliance.

In fact, its code of conduct ensures that these areas are supported.

“Openness and clear communication help employees understand that they are able to raise their concerns without fear of reprisal,” she says.

EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

Largest whistleblower award Does it pay to be a whistleblower? The answer may be in the affirmative.

The US Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced a record award of more than US$10 million. This will be presented to any whistleblower who can provide key original information that leads to a successful enforcement action.

“A whistleblower can be anyone who observes unlawful behavior like support staff, interns or personal assistants,” said Rob Garson, a partner at GS2Law. “You don’t have to be an executive or a trader to be a whistleblower.”

“HR ensures that whistleblowers and the information they share are kept under strictest confidentiality.”

“HR also plays an impartial role so that employees feel comfortable with coming forward.”

One effective measure Chua suggests is to implement internal processes for employees to speak up confidently.

Such a channel can encourage staff to be able to raise malpractice concerns to

their management.

She also advises firms to prioritise employees and ensure that there is an appropriate venue for them to speak up.

“Most companies should aspire to ensure staff feel enabled to voice their concerns,” adds Chua.

“If any individual wants to raise their concerns confidentially, companies should make every effort to keep their identity a secret.”

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EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

Coming to grips with the

Employment Claims Tribunal

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EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

Mohammed Reza and Shaun Lee, from JWS Asia Law Corporation, outline what to expect from Singapore’s new Employment Claims Tribunal

Y

ou have received an allegation of misconduct against one of the managers in your company. Following a thorough investigation, you have concluded that the allegation was true and that the manager’s termination for cause is justified.

You accordingly advise your company to summarily dismiss the manager. One consequence of summary dismissal is that the manager will not be entitled to salary in lieu of notice.

Currently, if the dissatisfied manager brings his salary dispute to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Commissioner for Labour, they will be turned away because Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) earning more than S$4,500 a month are limited to seeking recourse through the courts.

The dissatisfied manager therefore faces the difficult choice between foregoing the unpaid salary or commencing court proceedings, which can be protracted and might only be cost-effective if the disputed sum is substantial. However, with the proposed establishment of the Employment Claims Tribunal, which is expected to become operational sometime this year, the dissatisfied manager may have a new option for commencing proceedings against your company.

The tribunal aims to expand the avenues for dispute resolution to all employees, particularly PMEs, by providing an expeditious and costeffective way of resolving salary disputes with their employers. This is significant because, according to the Singapore National Employers Federation, 30.1% of Singapore’s resident workforce in 2014 were PMEs. Depending on the nature of your company, the proportion of PMEs in the workforce may be even higher.

The idea for a tribunal was first mooted in April, 2014. However, further

details were only released by the MOM in its call for public feedback and pursuant to its consultation paper of February 25 this year.

What we know The tribunal will hear salary-related claims (including claims for contractual bonus payments) for all employees, including PMEs, regardless of their salary levels. Workplace grievances such as unfair dismissal and discrimination are presently excluded from the tribunal’s jurisdiction.

However, there will be a claims limit of $20,000. A higher “claims cap” of $30,000 will only apply to cases that have undergone a formal mediation process (either the Tripartite Mediation Framework for PMEs or MOM conciliation pursuant to the Industrial Relations Act). The MOM’s public consultation paper suggests that while mediation is a necessary precondition to an employee lodging a claim in the tribunal, only mediation in certain forums will lift the claims cap to $30,000.

Employees will have to file their claims within one year from the date on which it arises. If the employment relationship has been terminated, a claim must be brought within six months from the end of that employment.

The tribunal will be a division of the State Courts, similar to the Small Claims Tribunal for civil suits. Employment claims will be heard by tribunal adjudicators, who are expected to have a strong appreciation of the employment and industrial relations landscape here in Singapore.

Issues to note The claims caps of $20,000 or $30,000 is not insubstantial for salary-related disputes. However, higher claims ISSUE 16.5

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EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

will still need to be heard in court.

Companies looking to enforce an employee’s restrictive covenant or prevent staff misuse of confidential information will also need to seek the courts’ assistance.

It is still unclear whether parties that appear before the tribunal can be represented by external lawyers.

Proceedings before the Commissioner of Labour (or the Small Claims Tribunal) do not permit this.

However, even if a company is not allowed to be represented by external lawyers, there may still be merit in seeking external legal assistance, which can help by reviewing documents, assessing the legal merits of a case, preparing submissions for the tribunal and working with the in-house team to present the company’s case.

Stipulating mediation as a mandatory precondition to lodging a claim can be viewed as a net positive for companies, as it provides an early structured process to resolve disputes before a formal tribunal hearing.

It is expected, though not certain, that there will be a right of appeal for a company that is dissatisfied with the tribunal’s decision. However, even if such a right of appeal exists, it might be limited to appeals on questions of law or jurisdiction.

What HR needs to do The tribunal marks an interesting development in the resolution of employment disputes in Singapore.

Once the tribunal is in operation, companies’ HR and in-house legal teams should be prepared for an increase in claims by employees and former employees. The more costeffective and expeditious the tribunal is in resolving disputes, the lower the barrier is to a disgruntled employee making a claim.

The complexion of salary-related claims that companies will face will also change. Claims before the Commissioner for Labour presently are necessarily lower-value claims.

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The types of claimants are currently only limited to those covered by the Employment Act, that is non-PMEs earning less than $4,500 a month. With the advent of the tribunal, companies will likely face higher value and more sophisticated claims. Companies may therefore wish to formalise their standard operating processes to seek a waiver of claims by departing employees, where appropriate.

MOM’s public consultation paper has indicated that the jurisdiction of the tribunal will be confined to salary-related disputes. The tribunal’s jurisdiction is envisaged to cover statutory claims provided for in legislation such as the Employment Act as well as salary-related claims “expressly provided in monetary terms in employment contracts”.

HR may therefore expect the company to face claims from employees and ex-employees for non-payment of salary or salary in lieu of notice, overtime payments, unauthorised deductions from salary, non-payment of contractual bonuses, unpaid commission claims, encashment of unused leave upon cessation of employment, and failure to make CPF contributions.

As regards to claims relating to unfair

dismissal, discrimination, harassment or whistleblower retaliation, such workplace grievances claims will not be determined by the tribunal.

We will only know the exact ambit of the tribunal’s jurisdiction when the relevant legislation and rule are released. Even then, HR should expect an initial period in which the tribunal works out, through the cases it decides, the scope of its jurisdiction and the types of cases that it will and will not deal with.

To use the hypothetical situation from the beginning of this commentary, the manager would be making a salaryrelated claim for non-payment of salary in lieu. However, this dispute could concurrently be viewed as an unfair dismissal claim. The tribunal is likely to have to decide whether such a case will fall within its jurisdiction.

HR and in-house legal teams will necessarily play a frontline role in managing employee exits and defending the company from salary-related claims in the tribunal. To the extent that companies take a decision to summarily terminate an employee for cause, they should be prepared to have that decision and its rationale scrutinised by a tribunal adjudicator.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Mohammed Reza Director, JWS Asia Law Corporation Mohammed Reza is a Singapore-qualified advocate and solicitor. Consistently recognised as one of Singapore’s best litigation lawyers by legal publications, he is “noted for his expertise on multi-jurisdictional financial and funds disputes”.

An experienced litigation and arbitration advocate, Reza is frequently sought out to advise on and litigate employment law cases concerning termination of employment and enforcement of non-compete agreements in particular. He also advises on anti-bribery and corruption issues.

Shaun Lee Supervising Associate, JWS Asia Law Corporation Shaun Lee is a Supervising Associate in the Dispute Resolution practice at JWS Asia Law Corporation. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His practice includes regularly advising and representing domestic and international clients in dispute resolution strategy and arbitration.

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EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

HR & COMPLIANCE

TOE THE LINE As organisations are subjected to tougher manpower and employment laws in Singapore, HR departments are having to quickly get to grips with more complex and technical compliance issues, as HRM finds out Sham Majid sham@hrmasia.com.sg

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HR & COMPLIANCE

EMPLOYMENT LAW AND COMPLIANCE SPECIAL

T

he recent announcement by Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo that the government will legislate a second week of funded paternity leave for all fathers of Singapore citizen children born from January 1, 2017, has been the latest in a series of compliance-related issues facing HR departments in Singapore.

Weeks earlier in March, the Ministry of Manpower also revealed that from April 1 this year, all organisations have had to issue itemised pay slips and Key Employment Terms (KETs) to all staff covered under the Employment Act. Coupled with other significant compliant-related issues such as Employment Passes and the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), it is no coincidence that meeting these strict compliance requirements is at the forefront of HR departments’ minds.

Placing paternity leave in the spotlight Lynn Pua, Head of HR, Southeast Asia, Jardine OneSolution, says as part of her organisation’s continuous efforts in ensuring that it stays true to work-life balance, it has offered the additional paternity leave allowances since the announcement.

“HR communicated to all staff about this enhanced benefit, as our top management are advocates in fostering an environment where parenthood is celebrated and that it needs the collective effort of all,” she says.

Pua says her company acknowledges that its business unit heads may be concerned about the extra leave affecting manpower needs and, to a certain extent, productivity levels.

“Thus, we require our father-to-be employees to give at least three months’ advanced notice to their superiors and HR for work arrangements and staffing schedules,” she explains.

“We are mindful and underline to the eligible staff that the added paternity leave needs to serve the purpose of allowing fathers to be more involved in bringing up their children.”

While this is based on the trust and

“Ensuring compliance is a key aspect of the HR function and cannot be viewed as just any other administrative task” Jaya Dass, Country Director, Randstad Singapore

integrity of male employees, Pua says the company will take firm action against those who misuse the advantages.

Serene Wai, HR and Administration Manager at Hawksford Singapore, says her firm also implemented the two-week paternity leave even before it has been made into law.

“The team heads and relevant employees will ensure that work is handed over properly before going on leave. This is particularly important since we are in the client service industry,” she states.

“In this society where it is very common for both parents to be working, we felt that fathers should get the two-week leave so as to spend time with the newborn and to share the load of parental care,” says Wai. Jaya Dass, Country Director, Randstad Singapore, explains the increased paternity leave will likely not have any substantial impact on either larger organisations or Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

She says companies are increasingly aware that the costs of replacing staff outweigh the costs of retention initiatives, and are already looking at improving retention rates.

“This is even more common for companies operating in industries with skill gaps,” she says.

“Paternity leave is also likely not going to be taken in larger blocks, but instead spread out over the year, offering

parents flexibility around child-care responsibilities.”

“Businesses and their staff can try to reach a mutual agreement to minimise long-term absences, which in turn, can help reduce the impact on critical business operations.”

Deep mastery of foreign employment The Fair Consideration Framework is another major aspect of HR compliance in Singapore.

It details fair recruitment requirements for firms in Singapore, including advertising on the national Jobs Bank and inspection of organisations with suspect hiring procedures.

One recent change in terms of the Jobs Bank advertising is that for Employment Pass applications filed from October last year, the accompanying advertisements must include published wage ranges.

Those who do not comply, and proceed to make an application to recruit a foreign professional, will have those applications turned down by the Ministry of Manpower.

Wai says Hawksford Singapore ensures that job advertisements are placed on the official Jobs Bank website and that it makes strong efforts to interview local candidates.

“A web tool is used to determine if the foreign candidate qualifies for a work pass before we offer the job,” she explains.

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HR & COMPLIANCE

Nevertheless, Wai says it is hard for her company to ensure that whatever the candidate has declared is true and factual, especially with regards to qualifications.

Hence, she reveals that her organisation encourages internal promotions and transfers.

“We also have referral programmes in place to encourage employees to refer someone they know to work for our organisation,” she says.

“We have always given fair consideration to locals and more than 80% of our workforce is Singaporean or a permanent resident. We have followed the required procedures when hiring foreigners and will give opportunities to locals by advertising on the Jobs Bank.”

Likewise, Pua says her organisation’s hiring managers are mindful of the clear expectations for them to consider Singaporeans fairly for job opportunities.

“While we expect to take a longer time to fill up positions, especially in our sector where local talent is lacking, we do not compromise by disproportionately hiring foreign professionals. This is particularly important as the ratio of local and foreign employees is one of the key considerations in our manpower reports to ensure we comply with the rulings,” she states.

Dass stresses that an Employment Pass application is not just about the paperwork. Rather, it’s about ensuring that an organisation has looked for local talent for the role and is able to justify hiring outside of the local workforce.

“The corresponding submissions must reflect this justification,” she says.

“Secondly, understanding tax implications as well as work rights, from the salaries and notice periods to what aspect of the labour law applies to each hire is important. The application forms are simply reflective of this information.”

She says it all boils down to companies being familiar with Ministry of Manpower guidelines and regulations.

For example, if companies depend on foreign talent for their expertise, they need to have a member of their HR division properly qualified on legislation 36 ISSUE 16.5

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and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) policies in this area.

“Ensuring compliance is a key aspect of the HR function and cannot be viewed as just any other administrative task. Not appointing a HR function to this process will only backfire on an organisation if they approach the employment and application without sufficient understanding of work visas,” says Dass.

Pua explains Jardine OneSolution ensures that the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act is understood by both its HR department and individual hiring managers.

Job advertisement blunders The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) has listed words and phrases on its website for companies to avoid when it comes to posting job advertisements.

These include aspects such as nationality, language and gender, among others.

Nationality

Avoid using: • Non-Singaporeans and [specific nationality] “preferred”, “welcome” or “only” • Singaporeans and [specific nationality] “preferred”, “welcome” or “only” • Singaporeans and permanent residents or locals “preferred”, “welcome” or “only”

Language

Avoid using: • Bilingual in English and Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil • Native English language-speaking • Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil-speaking • Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil-speaking is an advantage • Tagalog or Thai-speaking

Gender

Avoid using • “Strong guys needed” • “Preferably female” • “Female-working environment”

“Necessary education is given should any party be unsure of the guidelines or if there is anyone trying to beat the system,” she says. “HR observes all regulations and overrules any non-compliant acts. Our internal audit ensures compliance towards employment acts and it is the company’s philosophy that all stakeholders understand the laws and regulations.”

Nevertheless, Pua says one of the issues her firm is observing is the potential validity of job advertisements in the Jobs Bank being open to Singaporeans. She says the advertisements can appear less attractive to locals.

“Another possible issue could be the trick enacted into meeting the eligible criteria, such as incorporating a variable component into monthly fixed wages to qualify for the minimum salary,” she explains.

Difficulties ahead According to Wai, smaller SMEs may find it difficult to be compliant in terms of the key recent changes to the Employment Act, (such as the issuance of itemised payslips and keeping employee records) since they may have tighter controls on budget and manpower.

“Singaporeans may need to lower their expectations and contribute more in order to stay competitive in the diversified labour market,” she adds.

From Pua’s perspective, while the Fair Consideration Framework was implemented to force organisations to seek out Singaporeans first, it is questionable if the requirement is sufficient and effective enough to nudge employers to take the step to hire more Singaporeans.

She says this is because, there is no obligation for employers to share their placement data; hence, the postings in the Jobs Bank may not be genuine.

On the other hand, with the Singapore workforce largely made up of professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETS) of varying backgrounds, Dass says this means the country is made up of a workforce that is diverse, with differing hiring packages available.

IBM SINGAPORE PROFILE

Moving towards the next recruitment frontier A

s organisations globally fiercely compete with each other in today’s ongoing talent warfare, it has become imperative for recruiters to foster more personal relationships with both active and passive candidates in order to entice, cultivate and retain these talents.

In light of this, IBM has recently introduced several key talent acquisition tools designed to exactly serve this purpose.

The new solutions combine email marketing, marketing automation, candidate relationship management and web traffic analytics technology from IBM Commerce into IBM Kenexa talent acquisition services to enable recruiters to amass more data on potential candidates and undertake personalised discussions before extending an offer.

IBM’s new solutions can assist recruiters in widening their outreach across a plethora of channels, while also offering analytics to help them track and comprehend job searching behaviour.

With access to marketing technology from IBM

For more information IBM Singapore 9 Changi Business Park Central 1, The IBM Place, 486048 Tel: 1800 418 1000 Web: www.ibm.com

Commerce –including IBM Marketing Cloud, IBM Digital Analytics and IBM MobileFirst – - through IBM Kenexa, recruiters can construct a complete profile of a candidate throughout the job search and proactively engage with top talent to help foster lasting candidate relationships.

Specifically, the new solutions comprise of: • Candidate relationship management, which allows recruiters to automate personalised experiences with prospects; IBM Kenexa Lead Manager actively tracks and engages with internal and external candidates and tracks the success of their recruitment tactics • Candidate Web Traffic Analytics, which permits recruiters to measure and

monitor talent acquisition traffic to gain insights that they can utilise to enhance candidate engagement and experience, and recruitment effectiveness • Mobile Recruitment, which allows recruiters to construct a single unified recruitment experience across a variety of channels to help streamline and simplify the application process “Today, top candidates expect a high-quality recruitment process—the same quality experience they receive as a consumer. They want more feedback and transparency – from the time they start considering a career change to when they submit an application and accept a job,” said Debbie Landers, general manager, IBM Kenexa and Smarter Workforce.

“IBM’s new solution helps companies redefine the recruitment experience and ultimately target the right candidates and improve the experience for everyone involved.”

Ellen Pickle, senior director talent, Fossil, explained that over the last five years, there has been a shift in how recruitment is no longer about the role but rather, of the brand.

“Before someone is interested in a specific job, we at first want them to fall in love with Fossil and want to work here,” said Pickle.

“Recruiting is all about marketing and we try to create an emotional appeal with our brand. This marketing-led approach is focused on building our capability for the future, not just filling a job.”

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Workforce management during transformational times

T

ransformation seems to be the latest buzzword in the corporate scene.

In a speech that Minister of Manpower Lim Swee Say made at the International Management Action and Singapore Management Consulting Awards in October last year, he said transformation was an important process in the life cycle of any organisation, industry and 38 ISSUE 16.5

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Lim Zhi Rong, Regional HR Business Lead, Asia-Pacific for Mondelez International, shares strategies and practical tips on how HR can drive commitment during transitional periods economy. Only through transformation can we ride the waves of opportunity, instead of being submerged by the waves of change. This way, we prevent stagnation and decline in the shorter term, and

sustain growth in the longer term.

The government also announced the Industry Transformation Programme during Budget 2016.

This is an initiative that seeks to transform more than 20 sectors in Singapore to help drive productivity and innovation, invest in skills and promote sectoral manpower planning.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR In March 2016, I participated in the HR Network Forum held at LinkedIn’s AsiaPacific Headquarters office alongside other progressive HR thought leaders.

I made the point that companies don’t go through restructuring today. They go through transformation for tomorrow.

Business partnering during transformational times In light of this context, it is critical for HR to build up capabilities in “Transformation Business Partnering”.

HR leaders can ask themselves some questions, including: Is the company at a stage of focusing on accelerating growth and investing heavily on previously untapped markets?

Or, is the company going through a turnaround business situation to save a business that is not delivering against targeted top line revenue growth?

Understanding the “latest business status” is key to comprehending what kind of business partnering is required.

In an accelerating growth scenario, the focus could be on identifying talent strategies for entering new markets, scaling up recruitment and integrating new employees for the following year.

In a turnaround scenario, the focus could be on rallying employees’ morale and supporting business leaders to undertake difficult decisions on personnel.

HR needs to stay abreast of the latest business status to be a vital and relevant part of the organisation.

Transition coaching During transformational times, companies are likely to make a significant number of personnel changes and talent appointments. Some examples include: Did the company promote someone internally to take on a larger role? Did the talent acquisition team recruit an external director for a commercial leadership role? Are selected employees taking on regional roles for the first time due to the transformation?

These are classic examples of career transitions for employees going through an organisational change.

HR can proactively map out and identify the individuals who are going through career transitions, and provide specific coaching for them. Business

leaders who are going through career transitions tend to fall into an action imperative trap and look at solving only low-hanging fruit problems in the early stages of their moves in a bid to establish credibility quickly.

They react quickly because they think it is perceived as decisiveness, especially when speed is of the essence to win in the marketplace.

However, it is important for HR to counsel business leaders that it is more important to understand the new ways of working, and invest time to know the team and think for the long haul.

In such instances, HR can be a trusted transition coach, partnering business leaders and coaching them on the common pitfalls for anyone going through a career transition as well as the positive actions one can take to accelerate learning.

This is in-house executive coaching with a huge impact!

Driving commitment I read the book by Price Pritchett entitled Firing up Commitment during Organizational Change with great interest, and I love the part where the author explains that in times of organisational change, loyalty can be outdated and high morale may be unrealistic.

What companies need and can do is to drive commitment. Employees may go through the change curve during transformational times and experience denial first, then fear, and then acceptance before arriving at “commitment”. The good news is that business and HR leaders can help employees arrive at that commitment stage faster.

Firstly, businesses have to need their

people. Let your staff know and feel that they are valued even more so in times of transformation. These are times when people can shine, demonstrate their agility, and prove that they are able to contribute in a fiscally challenging macroeconomic environment. It adds to their learning and their résumé. It is akin to a badge of honour; a feather added to their caps.

Next, it is important for leaders to have and demonstrate empathy during such times. Feel what your employees are feeling as though their feelings are your own. Leaders with high empathy are able to see the world through employees’ eyes and share their perspectives.

Leaders can help employees find the right phrases to express their feelings and give them a voice to express the support they need at work.

Last but not least, be the safety net for your people. Build trust by letting your people know that they should continue to have the courage to act and innovate.

Transformational times call for people to step up, rise to the challenge and push for innovation to break the bottlenecks of limited resources.

Choose to invest efforts and promote commitment with your workforce during any organisational change. Business and HR leaders can lead the way to generate that much needed dose of commitment.

Conclusion I would like to end with this great quote from Price Pritchett: “Some quit and leave. Others quit and stay. Their names are still on the payroll but their hearts don’t come to work. Re-recruit everyone you have decided to keep. Generate commitment”.

We can grow together in transformational times.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lim Zhi Rong is the Regional HR Business Lead for the Asia-Pacific region with Mondelēz International, the world’s largest global snacking company and makers of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolates, Oreo Biscuits and many other global brands.

Prior to Mondelēz, Lim first started his career with Singapore’s state-owned investment holding company, Temasek Holdings, where he was the HR business partner for the Investment Group. He subsequently joined The Linde Group where he took on a Regional Talent Management role in Singapore and a Country HR Leadership role in the Philippines. Lim was also shortlisted as one of the finalists in the Best HR Leader category during the 2016 HRM Awards.

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CORPORATE HEALTH

FIGHTING

dark clouds

E

dgar Tham, Director and Sport & Performance Psychologist, Performance Leadership, says work can have either a positive or negative effect on mental wellbeing.

For example, he says work can provide a sense of fulfillment, income, and also self-esteem. However, it can also have negative effects in the form of excessive or poorly managed workloads and stress.

“Mental health at the workplace is the state of mental wellbeing of an individual who is able to develop to their potential, thrive and work productively, and build positive and trusting relationships with colleagues, all while being able to cope well with the stresses of the workplace,” says Tham.

Eve Persak , Chief Nutritionist at CelliHealth, says mental health in the workplace context is a concept that holds broader and deeper meanings.

In today’s stressful and high-pressure working environment, the mental wellbeing of employees is intrinsically linked to their physical wellbeing. HRM explores how HR can spearhead the charge to boost mental health at the workplace Sham Majid

sham@hrmasia.com.sg

“We believe it refers to the emotional, cognitive, and social sense of wellbeing of the employee – how he or she thinks, feels, and acts while at work,” explains Persak.

“This is often reflected in the approach to daily responsibilities and relations with clients, colleagues, and the company as a whole.”

An organisation’s management can get a sense of company-wide mental health by observing what CelliHealth calls “The Four Ts” of tone, turnout, timeliness, and turnover (see: boxout).

Facets of mental health Tham says employees generally acknowledge there is increasing stress at the workplace due to demanding work pressures and, at times, conflicts with colleagues and team members, as well as with bosses.

“However, at a more crucial level, it is the lack of knowledge of coping and intervention to deal with this workplace stress that is the missing link,” he says.

“Many HR executives and managers may not be adequately equipped to recognise ISSUE 16.5

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CORPORATE HEALTH ineffective work performance caused by an inability to cope with stress and anxiety, and other mental health risks.”

Max Wait, Product Specialist – Stress Management, CelliHealth, says worklife imbalance, exhaustion, illness and substance abuse are among the key mental health issues currently observed in Singapore workplaces.

“2014 reports from the Ministry of Manpower suggest that Singaporeans work the longest hours in Asia and globally. And the workday does not end when leaving the office. Over half of Singaporeans confess to taking work home over three days per week,” states Wait.

When it comes to illness, Wait says workers and organisations may underestimate the connection between mental and physical health.

“Short-term stress weakens the immune system, leaving employees vulnerable to illnesses such as colds and flu,” he explains. “Prolonged stress complicates self-care, progressively damages the body, and plays a proven role in the onset of chronic diseases.”

Without other coping skills or support systems in place, employees may turn to alcohol or nicotine to offset work-related stress. “This can lead to dependence or full­blown addictions, with severe mental and physical health consequences,” Wait adds.

Current gaps While mental health is becoming an increasingly important aspect of workplaces today, Tham reveals that it is very difficult to assess mental health presently. This is because it requires employees to be honest when completing mental health surveys or assessments.

“Most employees may not be comfortable with or may dislike participating in surveys. Some reasons may be due to the lack of trust of how the information will be used. Some may worry that such information may be used against them,” he says.

“As such, HR departments and stakeholders may be reluctant to conduct mental health checks or surveys.

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In order to ensure better success, proper implementation and effective communication are crucial.”

Another issue is the lack of general understanding about common mental health issues, such as anxiety disorder and depression, at the workplace.

“Not many companies are equipped with the knowledge and capabilities to support mental health at the workplace.

This may be due to the fact that mental

Work environment risks for mental well-being Edgar Tham, Director and Sport & Performance Psychologist, Performance Leadership, says a workplace setting can pose risks for the mental wellbeing of those employed there.

The risk factors include: • Physical factors such as material hazards, noise, dust, and dirt • Insufficient control and support to manage the demands of work • Poor relationships among colleagues and bosses • Perceived imbalance between effort and rewards of work

health is a relatively new concept among many companies in Singapore,” explains Tham.

“HR departments and stakeholders need to be better equipped for mental health interventions, because such interventions may not be an important performance indicator (KPI) for HR departments or even the management at the moment.”

Wait cites a lack of awareness, acceptance and reactivity as current gaps preventing organisations from assessing and combating mental health at work.

He says time-pressed workers seldom pause to take stock of their own mental health.

“Negative emotions such as anger, irritability, sadness, and panic can get swept under the office rug. Many staff members may not know the warning signs of depression or anxiety to look for or understand the severity of these conditions in the long term,” Wait explains.

Problems particularly occur when workplace stress becomes so pervasive that employees perceive it to be a cultural norm.

“Many companies have standard policies for how to respond to mental health crises. However, few have preventative health and wellness programmes to support staff on an ongoing basis,” Wait says.

Abundance of strategies Tham says that for most companies, the idea of boosting mental health at the workplace is still in its infancy.

“While most organisations recognise the increasing stress and anxiety level among their workforces, mental health intervention is still very dependent on having the time and resources available,” he states.

Tham says his firm, Performance Leadership, typically approaches an intervention from several dimensions, including emotional management, positive thinking, and building confidence, mental toughness, and resilience.

CORPORATE HEALTH At a basic level, his organisation conducts pre-assessment surveys, typically with HR and stakeholders to determine the issues and company objectives and also to customise specific programmes that better meet those needs.

“We offer a wide variety of programmes covering adversity quotient and mental resilience, social and emotional intelligence, positive psychology, anger management, overcoming obstacles, building trust and relationships, and better understanding self and others,” Tham explains.

“These may be in the form of talks and workshops to enable employees to be more knowledgeable, empowered, and to be able to cope with workplace stress better. In addition, we also conduct post-training assessments and interviews with key personnel to ensure actual implementation of knowledge and skills.”

Wait says CelliHealth is Singapore’s first health and wellness company to offer preventative healthcare via a mobile platform, making healthcare more accessible for individuals.

“Rather than waiting for employees to reach out for help, CelliHealth puts help directly at their fingertips,” he states.

Its users can complete a basic health screening and answer questions across its four key pillars: nutrition, fitness, stress management (mental wellbeing), and social support.

“Employees are then provided with information, recommendations, and tools to suit each of their unique wellness needs and goals. Within the Stress Management pillar specifically, every user receives a bespoke programme with techniques clinically proven to enhance psychological and emotional wellbeing,” Wait explains.

“Individuals are able to track daily mental health indicators, such as perceived stress levels, sleep duration and quality, – and are supported by in-person Wellness Workshops and an online personal health coach via instant messenger.

Advice also consists of complementary information ranging from dietary recommendations to help boost mood

CelliHealth: “The Four Ts” Eve Persak, Chief Nutritionist, CelliHealth, says management can gauge an organisation’s overall mental health by assessing what it calls “The Four Ts”: tone, turnout, timeliness, and turnover.

• Tone — What is the overall spirit or attitude of your team? Are your employees positive and proactive in their assignments? Or do your staff instead seem apathetic, hesitant, or pessimistic?

• Turnout — Are your employees “present”? This can literally refer to meeting attendance or workday absences. However, this can also include mental presence. Do your employees listen attentively and engage? Or are they drowsy or distracted in the boardroom or at their desks?

• Timeliness — Delayed arrivals to the office or meetings, postponed appointments, missed deadlines, and belated electronic correspondence – these may indicate an employee’s inability to keep up with the company pace • Turnover — Satisfied employees stay. Unsatisfied employees do not. How well or poorly a company retains its talent over time speaks volumes for the mental health status of the company as a whole and beat fatigue, as well as fitness plans that help energise mind and body.

“Most importantly, CelliHealth’s commitment to excellence ensures that all content and advice is curated and filtered by our team of experts – medical doctors, registered dietitians, and certified professionals in the counseling, exercise physiology, and public health fields,” adds Wait.

Top tips So what are some tangible steps companies can take to enhance the mental well-being of their staff?

From Tham’s perspective, more education is required on two fronts: for stakeholders and for HR and management.

“Stakeholders need to recognise the importance of mental health in their employees to ensure a happy and productive workforce, which can translate to a reduction in operating costs,” he says. “This message has not yet fully impacted most stakeholders, especially local companies.”

“For HR and management, they must be more vigilant and be able to recognise employees at risk. Not recognising and addressing employees at risk may result in significant work impairment in the long term.”

Tham also stresses that firms should recognise that mental wellbeing assessments are as important as physical

health screenings for early detection and intervention.

“Encourage employees to do a yearly mental wellbeing check by doing the Singapore Mental Wellbeing Scale,” he suggests.

Thirdly, he says employees must be surveyed on mental health educational topics they wish to attend so that their perceived needs will be met in some way.

Persak from CelliHealth says that given the sensitive nature of mental health issues, employees may be reluctant to share their concerns; hence, HR should initiate the dialogue on employee mental health.

“Give every employee a clear understanding of the organisation’s approach to mental health, so that they view the company as a partner in their wellness journey,” she explains.

Companies also need to invest in support services for staff, she cites.

“To offset costs, the Singapore government offers organisations Workplace Health Promotion grants to implement employee mental health programmes,” says Persak.

Last but not least, firms must empower employees and offer them qualified and customised guidance to promote targeted behavioural change.

“Equip them with readily-available tools to monitor daily progress. Lead them toward an improved mental outlook and a healthier way of life,” she adds.

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CLINIC HRCLINIC HR

How can HR relocation managers stretch their accommodation budgets to the fullest?

W

ith a global economy that demands companies relocate the right talent to different markets, HR managers have the added responsibility of budgeting for talent mobility.

When HR managers evaluate choices for long-term accommodation, hotels are often an expensive solution.

Our advice is to look beyond traditional hotels, and consider serviced residences. This offers employees an apartment that feels like a home away from home, with access to fully-equipped kitchens, living areas and even business centres, with the added convenience of housekeeping.

For employees travelling with their families, HR managers have the option to choose a two-bedroom serviced apartment, allowing them to enjoy the experience with their spouse and children without the price tag of a hotel suite. Additionally, some serviced residences organise monthly activities for guests to make new connections, which helps them to adapt to the new country.

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Choosing a location situated in prime areas close to the office is important. Otherwise, HR managers can look for residences that offer shuttle services that connect employees to their workplaces. Serviced apartments that are within walking distances from supermarkets or shopping centres provide a convenient alternative when shopping for essentials.

HR managers should negotiate corporate rates to enjoy privileged pricing, especially when housing several employees. By ensuring that relocated talent are happy and comfortable in their new environments, HR managers get a maximum return on investment, while saving on costs.

Arthur Kiong

CEO, Far East Hospitality

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

CORPORATE LEARNING

ROAD TO PRODUCTIVITY Maintaining employees’ productivity levels at work can be a challenging issue in organisations. What are the causes of these roadblocks and how can employers overcome them? HRM finds out Naadiah Badib

naadiah.b@hrmasia.com.sg

E

mployee productivity is one of the key factors that contributes to an organisation’s success.

Inevitably, employers want to get the most from their employees.

However, despite having a positive working environment and competitive salaries, workers may still find themselves in trouble when it comes to delivering high

productivity levels throughout the work day.

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CORPORATE LEARNING

basis, while 54% stated they felt only “somewhat” productive.

“There is no denying that all of us are in pursuit of instant gratification in our daily transactional activities,” says Christina Ho, Head of Executive Development Services, Marketing Institute of Singapore (MIS).

“This puts constant pressure on companies, as well as employees, to reinvent work processes and get more from the same amount of resources in shorter periods of time.”

“Being productive is essential to get things done faster, better and smarter, and to meet the the demands and increased expectations of customers.”

On a personal level, Alex Linh, Professional Certified Coach, Executive Coach International, notes that productivity reflects an individual’s fulfillment and job interest.

“If the job gives enough values and learning, employee productivity goes up as a reflection of their interest and creativity in the job,” says Linh.

On a smaller scale, productivity reflects how well a team works together and how well they are managed.

“Productivity becomes the best indicator for effectiveness and workability among team members,” he says.

Productivity roadblocks

“Every management style has its Having too many different responsibilities own shortfall,” he explains. was listed as the top factor that derails an “Hence, it is essential to recognise employee’s productivity at work. and work on your own management This was a key finding from the style accordingly.” same survey by Wrike, which saw Additionally, individual job scopes 60% of employee respondents stating can also pose some problems for this reason. certain staff.

Other contributing “Too narrow a job factors also included scope does not allow the rate of workflow an employee to learn (49%), e-mail responses and grow,” Linh says.

(40%), unclear “Too big a job scope priorities (31%) and will overwhelm an procrastination (30%). employee.” was listed as the top factor that derails an employee’s productivity at work Gathering from Ho has a different Source: Survey by Wrike his experience, Linh perspective. says there are three According to predominant reasons her, the many that affect an employee’s productivity. factors that drive productivity can be The first is a non-conducive categorised into “company-driven” workplace. “The physical environment and “employee-led”. where one works determines a lot “Through our many projects working about their productivity. It is similar with numerous companies, we realised to a person hiding in a cave at work that the root causes are usually weak where one is comfortable enough to corporate cultures, poor technology give their best,” he shares. infrastructures, and more importantly, “Messy, noisy, intrusive workplaces a mismatch of an employee’s skillsets and tense social environments can to the tasks on hand,” she explains. become a great distraction that reduce “These factors reinforced each an employee’s productivity.” other, which led to poor performances Bad management was also identified and a lack of motivation among the as a key cause. employees.”

Having too many different responsibilities

Steering progression

Who is your source of motivation ?

Seventy-five percent of employees who have a “best friend” at work believe they are able to take anything on, a survey by O.C. Tanner Institute has found.

This is in comparison to 58% of those who do not have a good friend at work.

In fact, 72% who have someone they connect with at work are more satisfied with their jobs than those who don’t.

According to the report, millennials are most prone to feel this way when compared to other generations in the workforce.

“Having a best friend at work is indicative of a larger social wellbeing,” said Gary Beckstrand, Vice President of the O.C. Tanner Institute.

“That wellbeing means you’re having mostly positive interactions with other people and often relate to subjects that are not.”

“In turn, it helps to relax work environments and make the job more fun, even when tasks get stressful.”

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Aside from boosting functional competencies and skillsets, the courses at MIS seek to instill mindset and behavioural changes in employees.

Some of the institute’s programmes include courses that target increasing sales productivity and performance, speed thinking, time and stress management, as well as knowledge management strategies for increasing organisational performance.

MIS also takes an individual’s career development into account.

It offers personal leadership programmes where participants are coached on how to motivate themselves and others to reach peak performance.

CORPORATE LEARNING

“By providing tips, tools and templates which are practical and easy to apply, participants are able to experience positive results immediately,” Ho explains.

“This ‘instant gratification’ reinforces the change in the employee’s behaviour and mindset for continuous improvement – a mutually beneficial and rewarding outcome for the company and the employee.”

Executive Coach International, takes on a different approach.

Training and workshops there are customised according to the different group sizes in a bid to enhance communication, leadership skills and self-direction.

They also offer one-on-one coaching sessions which are catered to individuals who have a clear picture on their required areas of improvement.

Executive Coach International also implements the “Courage to Create” programme. This is conducted in a group setting that allows individuals to understand their own values better.

Monitoring productivity There is no one-size-fits-all solution to measuring productivity, as employees are engaged in performing different functions and activities with various levels of complexities.

This is a key point Ho stresses upon.

“The conventional methods of monitoring productivity through the use of key performance indicators are no longer sufficient, while 360° appraisal systems are proving to be more resource-exhaustive than is worthwhile for their purpose,” she says.

“If it is not executed properly, the latter can do more harm than good.”

“Performance indicators need to be simplified, yet kept robust enough to capture both quantitative and qualitative aspects of employees’ multi-dimensional skills across the entire value-chain.”

One of the strategies which companies can adopt – in addition to

“If the job gives enough values and learning, employee productivity goes up as a reflection of their interest and creativity in the job” Alex Linh, Professional Certified Coach, Executive Coach International

what they already have – is employee engagement strategies, she adds.

Aside from key performance indicators that are measured at the individual-contribution level, companies are advised to take a step further in assessing the engagement level of their employees.

In this way, highly-engaged employees are more motivated to seek ways to raise productivity, value-add to their jobs, and align themselves to

Perks of a mobile workforce Workers that don’t need an office to get their work done are usually more productive.

According to a survey by Workmobile, 72% of workers have claimed to be more productive when working mobile.

Fifty-two percent of companies confirmed that this approach has improved their workforce’s productivity.

However, working mobile does not mean working less.

Some 63% of respondents claimed that this meant longer working hours although 26% said they did not mind the overtime.

achieve business goals.

Linh suggests employers should be more open to direct communication.

This can come in the form of checking in with employees and asking them how well they are doing in their jobs.

“Ask your employee how they are and they will give you the most honest feedback about their productivity and enhance good relationships and positive behaviours at work,” he shares.

Companies are also advised to measure each employee’s individual skill set.

They can do so by creating an objective scale that allows them to understand how an employee is moving and growing in their role.

“Assessing their learning and skill sets allows managers to understand what motivates individuals in the team and their commitment to the job and the organisation,” he adds.

Additionally, Linh emphasises on the importance of keeping track of traditional performance indicators.

“At end of the day, it is still about getting the job done,” he concludes.

“If your employee constantly does not hit their targets, you have a huge problem to handle.”

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TALENT

LADDER

Nitin Seth

Sai Yew Yeoh

Tan Ai Sim

Nitin Seth has been named the Chief People Officer of Flipkart.

He will lead the HR function at the online marketplace, and will partner with the leadership team to build an organisation for the future.

He will also foster a distinctive culture to fuel business performance.

In his new role, Seth will report to Binny Bansal, CEO and co-founder of Flipkart.

Before this, Seth was the Managing Director and Country Head for Fidelity International in India where he was responsible for the company’s offshore operations across India and Tunisia.

Prior to that, he was with international consultancy McKinsey & Company, where he was the Director of the group’s global knowledge center in India.

Seth brings with him more than two decades of experience in entrepreneurship, strategy, consulting, operations management and business process redesign.

Commenting on Seth’s appointment, Bansal said, “Nitin brings with him a unique mix of cross-sectoral experience, deep understanding of business, entrepreneurial DNA, and a long track record of building and nurturing winning teams.”

“I am confident that Nitin will play a key role in enabling the team at Flipkart to fulfill our long-term mission of transforming commerce in India through technology.”

Yeoh Sai Yew has moved up the ranks to become Head of the People Department at Air AsiaX. His responsibilities include covering all aspects of HR in the organisation. He will also wear the hat of Group Head of Rewards for the whole AirAsia group. In addition, he will become the HR adviser for AirAsia India’s HR function.

He has been with AirAsia group since 2010 where he has mainly led the group rewards function.

Most recently, Yeoh was the Group Head, Rewards and People Services at AirAsia. He held this role for four years after holding the position of Head of Rewards and People Services.

Yeoh brings with him a total of 17 years of HR experience.

He has worked in various industries, including retail, telecommuncations, information and technology outsourcing, banking shared services, and leisure and hospitality.

In the early stages of his career, Yeoh said his roles were geared towards that of an HR generalist.

He was the HR Relationship Manager at Scope International, and the HR Manager of the Computer Science Corporation.

However, over the past 10 years, his positions have been more focused on HR rewards.

On his new appointment, Yeoh said he will place a strong emphasis on talent development and aims to improve HR customer service and boost staff productivity.

Schneider Electric Singapore has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Tan Ai Sim as HR Director.

In this new position, she will cover all aspects of HR but will have a special focus on employee engagement, talent management and promoting Schneider Electric’s employer value proposition.

Prior to Schneider Electric, Tan spent eight years at Lenovo where she was the HR Director and supported the Southeast Asia sales and marketing business.

In total, she has gathered 22 years of HR business partnering experience across the technology industry, working with multinational companies such as Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.

Tan hopes that her new role will allow her to grow both personally and professionally.

“At a personal level, I am very excited to be part of Schneider Electric as it is one of the world’s most ethical companies (awarded six times in a row

by Ethisphere Institute),” she said.

“At a professional level, I have always been in regional roles, and this country role with Schneider will certainly give me a good perspective of our operations in Singapore.”

“As a Singaporean, I am keen to see how we can showcase the great work that Schneider Electric is doing globally to help position the organisation as an employer of choice to talents based in Singapore.”

Chief People Officer, Flipkart

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Head, People Department, AirAsiaX Berhad

HR Director, Schneider Electric Singapore

IN PERSON PIERRE CADORET

Talent Acquisition Lead, Asia-Pacific, Shutterstock

How many years of HR experience?

I have 11 years of recruitment experience, both in agencies and “in-house” within the information technology industry, with nine years working on Asia-Pacific markets.

Why HR?

I discovered my career in recruitment when I started working in London. It was an industry that was hiring a lot of foreigners to work on their respective markets. I am a curious person by nature and enjoy gaining insights on people and businesses.

The recruitment function allowed me to explore different aspects of businesses from many different standpoints.

Why Shutterstock?

It was an exciting opportunity to start building something from the ground up, and to develop a regional sourcing strategy for such a vibrant and growing company.

Biggest achievement?

Professionally, my big achievements are always made out of a multitude of smaller ones. An example of these small achievements, for me and the organisation, is when I close roles with exceptional candidates who go on to become top performers.

Personally, my biggest achievement is convincing my wife to marry me (it’s our fifth anniversary this year)!

After hours?

BOOK REVIEW

Reinventing leadership at work G

ame Changers at the Circus offers a refreshing outlook from the usual textbooks and business books.

Author Jean-Francois Cousin provides readers with an easily understood narrative that acts as a leadership framework.

Written in two parts, the book first unveils a compelling fable about the transformation of a sluggish circus, where animal leaders are stirred to organise the greatest performance possible from their teams.

Cousin describes some common types of team members and illustrates what it takes to inspire each of them to personal greatness.

The unusual story-format enables readers to think by themselves and draw parallels to their own realities.

The second part provides a more formal leadership workbook. It offers real measures that leaders and their teams can adopt to transform workplaces into a high-performing organisations.

Here, readers can grasp how insights from the fable can work together to help groups of people to reach common goals.

In addition, the book introduces several reflection and action plan, exercises for readers to understand and apply insights into their own working lives.

Written in a succinct and unique manner, Game Changers at the Circus is an interesting thought-provoking book that every business bookshelf should find space for.

I enjoy spending time with my wife, preparing gourmet meals and watching television to relax from work. On weekends and holidays, we love exploring neighbouring Asian countries together.

Our next trip is to Japan!

Title: Game Changers at the Circus

Family?

Publisher: Candid Creation Publishing

My wife and I have a big fluffy cat. His name is Jon Snow.

Author: Jean-Francois Cousin

Price: S$37.30 (Before GST)

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MANAGING CONFLICTS AND POOR PERFORMERS MASTERCLASS The Essential Guide for HR and Line Mangers to Identify and Mange Disputes at Work

26 - 27 May 2016 | Singapore 26 - 27 May 2016 | Singapore

Webster’s dictionary defines conflict as a sharp disagreement or opposition of interests or ideas. Anytime people work together, conflict is a part of ‘doing business’. Conflict is a normal and natural part of any workplace. When it occurs, there is a tendency for morale to be lowered, an increase in absenteeism and decreased productivity. It has been estimated that managers spend at least 25 percent of their time resolving workplace conflicts – causing lowered office performance.

Typically there are two responses to conflict: run away (avoidance) or ‘battle it out’. In either case, we often feel uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the results because no resolution has been achieved. By learning to constructively resolve conflict, we can turn a potentially destructive situation into an opportunity for creativity and enhanced performance.

The Manging Conflicts & Poor Performers Masterclass is specially designed to provide practical skills that enable you to manage conflicts and turn any difficult situation around. You will be able to identify the sources of conflicts and understand people’s confrontational behaviour. Throughout the program, strengthen your negotiation and communications skills in any difficult situation and learn the guiding principles when handling inappropriate behaviour at the workplace. Led by Tess Brook, a communication specialist and conflict coach, she will bring you thru the phrases of confronting conflicts to solving the conflict and moving further to motivating individuals.

This masterclass will be delivered in an interactive professional environment. Concepts and ethical dilemmas will be explored through group exercises, case studies and discussion. You will also be involved in short demonstrations on theory, practical exercises with case studies.

Led by:

Learning Objectives

Tess Brook

Director COHESIVE CONVERSATIONS

• Founder of the blog, The Trouble with Talking, that provides a fun examination of communication breakdowns and a more serious exploration of the relationship between communication and credibility.

• Worked in the construction and mining sectors for 15 years which then migrated into large scale Change Management roles across various industries.

• Chair for Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA) Queensland Chapter.

• • • • •

Understand the fundamentals of relationship dynamics and conflict situations Adopt a professional and appropriate style of behaviour when handling difficult people and situation Learn 8 guiding principles for managing inappropriate workplace behaviour Equip yourself with the manager & organization toolkit to managing poor performers Empower yourself and boost your confidence in dealing with conflict situations

Supported By:

Contact Me to Register: Azrielle Looi | Tel: (65) 6423 4631 | Email: info@hrmasia.com.sg

AHRDSPEAKS

Employer branding is a mirror W atch brands spend billions of dollars on advertising to excite consumers about their new products. There are many brands available and the key challenge is to create a magical brand. Not all are successful.

Similarly, as HR, we need to ask ourselves, our board members and senior management teams about how valuable our employer brand is?

Effective employer branding is the combination of market research, advisory services, communications and marketing to achieve both a credible and desirable brand position.

• What is your brand promise?

Organisations with strong employment value propositions (EVPs) provide very strong financial outcomes and greater commitment

SEVEN

levels to employees than those with less strong EVPs and lower remuneration costs. Candidates are a lot happier to jump to organisations where they have a strong connection with the brand with a smaller premium.

• Do your homework first: Insights and analytics provide a data-driven perspective that can empower HR teams to understand their employer brand, based on both real-time and historic data. Do you know what your competition is doing and how they are attracting talent? Do you know what are the expectations of millennial workers?

• Advertising communication is key: Doing well without anyone knowing about it may be noble,

7.00 AM Coffee is what gets me going first thing in the morning. A cup in hand, and I am ready to face the day’s challenges.

I use this time to read the latest industry news or updates while commuting to work.

John Augustine Ong Singapore Learning Lead, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group

but it is not terribly sensible. So if you believe you are good, say how good you are - simple and straightforward. More HR people shy away from saying how good they are than any marketer, which reflects in the approach and work as well. Advertising the brand proposition is key. Use it wisely and it will pay off tremendously.

• Walk the talk: It is such a simple concept. Your communication and marketing sets a level of expectation in people’s minds. That’s called a “brand promise”. If the customer experience does not meet that level of expectation, then your reputation will suffer. Live the promise every time and everywhere.

So how does your brand measure up?

our counterparts across geographies.

Anish Singh HR Director, Global Sales, Southeast Asia and Australia Marketing and Unilever International, Unilever

2.00 PM

I head out to get my lunch so I can reach back to the office before the lunch crowd spills out into the Central Business District area.

Most of my engagement meetings with stakeholders and partners are held in the afternoon. We discuss anything from learning needs to outcomes and exploring potential tie-ups with our learning partners.

9.00 AM

12.00 PM

5.00 PM

I typically reserve my team meetings and any activity that involves brainstorming or problem solving for the morning. We discuss upcoming initiatives and help each other to find new ways of tackling challenges.

We also attend regular practice meetings with the wider learning community, where we share best practices with

Powering through emails that came in during the morning and preparing for any meetings and discussions for the afternoon.

We also organise regular lunch and learn sessions on a range of topics, such as professional skills technical capabilities for our staff, so I will often be actively involved in organising and attending these sessions.

Besides clearing emails, I would typically allocate some time for my own learning, either through e-learning or training videos.

11.30 AM

7.00 PM I pack up my bags and head home to spend some quality time with my family, and I make it a discipline not to check my inbox until my child is sound asleep.

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HRM CONGRESS HIGHLIGHT

POST EVENT REPORT

Taking recruitment to the next level

In March, HRM Asia was proud to present the New-Gen Recruiting Congress 2016 which enabled HR professionals to share best practices and case studies on how to tackle the talent crunch

H

RM Asia hosted the New-Gen Recruiting Congress 2016 on March 9 and 10 in Singapore.

The highly-engaging event, held at the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, featured a lively group of HR leaders discussing strategies to bring their recruitment to the next level.

The participants and speakers also brainstormed new solutions to a wide range of recruitment challenges being faced.

There were many fruitful and lively discussions on strategies where speakers, panellists and moderators shared how they created the best-fit frameworks, teams, and practices for their organisations. These worked to compress the hiring cycle, improve outcomes and deliver high performing employees.

The first day featured an exciting panel discussion featuring leaders from GlobalFoundries, Cisco and Philips. They shared insights on recruiting for hard-to-fill positions and how to tap onto new talent pools.

Michael Wright from Group M also presented a case study on how a media network uses gamification and information technology to attract, engage and retain the new millennial workforce.

On Day Two, participants enjoyed an in-depth discussion on increasing the quality of hires and how organisations can measure the value added by

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their recruiting partners and hiring managers. The discussion was brought to another level by integrating strategic workforce planning with talent acquisition, and provided a framework for how a company can forecast the talent it needs to meet business demand.

The Congress closed with a series of three interactive roundtable discussions on three separate topics: “Making your organisation a great place to work”; “Recruiting for niche talent”; and “Outsourcing your recruitment function”.

HRM Asia would like to extend a very special “Thank You” to all speakers who took time out of their busy schedules to share their experiences, thoughts, and case studies. It is through the support of our amazing line-up of speakers that we are able to continue to strengthen our programmes every year.

UPCOMING CONGRESS HRM Asia is proud to be your partner in your professional development. We bring you quality conferences and training and we have many exciting congresses and masterclasses in the upcoming months.

Mark your calendar now!

• Conducting Workplace Investigations & Compliance 10 – 11 May 2016 • Managing Conflicts and Poor Performers at the workplace 24 – 25 May 2016 • 10th Annual Employment Law Asia Congress 20 – 21 June 2016 • Indonesia Employment Law Workshop 28 June 2016 • Malaysia Employment Law Workshop 29 June 2016

HIGH

IMPACT HR

BOSCH:

Building an executive pipeline As Bosch ramps up its efforts to ensure the roughly 280 positions in its global Junior Managers Program are filled, plans are also afoot to boost the programme’s headcount in Singapore specifically

F

urther expanding the footprint of the Junior Managers Program (JMP) in Singapore is a key part of the mediumterm agenda for German engineering and electronics giant Bosch.

Jane Tham, Senior Manager, HR Robert Bosch (Southeast Asia), says Bosch is aiming to add another three trainees in Singapore during 2016, adding to its current pool of nine.

“Each year’s number of vacancies is planned far in advance and reviewed yearly to ensure an optimal supply of 54 ISSUE 16.5

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trainees,” explains Tham.

The JMP is Bosch’s way of building its talent pipeline for the future, with those joining this programme being trained and groomed for executive positions within the organisation.

First introduced in Singapore in 1999, Tham says the JMP is kept highly standardised worldwide to maintain the same quality, intent, and objective of the programme.

“However, slight deviations and customisations may be considered,

Sham Majid sham@hrmasia.com.sg

depending on the candidate’s needs and goals,” she states.

Stringent selection According to Tham, Bosch takes a holistic viewpoint on its JMP applicants that goes beyond just having aboveaverage academic results.

“As future leaders of the company, they must be able to demonstrate leadership traits and potential, which could be in activities outside of their curriculum.

Having a broadened horizon through

overseas exposure is also advantageous for a multinational and multicultural company such as Bosch. In Singapore, Bosch has over 30 nationalities under one roof,” she elaborates.

With the JMP specifically targeting and grooming young talents, candidates must have less than three years of working experience.

“The selection process for JMP is a more stringent one (as compared to the typical hiring process) that involves an additional layer of assessment and checks at the HR level,” says Tham.

Programme-relevant criteria such as international mobility are also considered, and candidates may be subjected to tests or case studies as part of the assessment process.

Custom pathways In collaboration with HR, each trainee’s programme path is also designed by their designated mentor within Bosch. It is based on the trainee’s maiden target position after the programme.

“Imperative sectors will be defined at the planning stage that is forecasted at least one year prior to recruitment,” says Tham.

She says Bosch’s global and Singaporean branches are seeking candidates who are well-rounded individuals with IT and software skills, as well as those who are engineering and business graduates.

“As such, management trainees can look forward to various positions and roles across the company’s diverse business divisions,” Tham explains.

“These could be corporate functions such as HR, controlling, and logistics that support the business divisions’ growth in the region, as well as in the research and software development that will drive Bosch’s competencies and expertise in the Internet of Things.”

Immediate training priorities Two key training imperatives will be immediately inculcated into JMP trainees in Singapore: leadership and holistic exposure.

Tham says that when future leaders learn from the bottom up, they better comprehend a corporate culture that orients towards values and sustainability rather than short-term profit maximisation.

“Trainees undergo further leadership development through classroom training and simulations, while also receiving guidance from their respective mentors who are in senior management,” she adds.

When it comes to adding a holistic element, Tham says JMP participants alternate between plants, divisions, and corporate departments, and will also complete a compulsory overseas posting.

Participants use their own initiative to assume tasks associated with day-today work and projects and have access to their own training budgets. The goal is for junior executives to undertake leadership responsibility for a department eight years after joining the programme.

“The holistic exposure that JMP trainees will undergo is invaluable to both the company as well as the individual,” Tham says. “Their decisionmaking process will be one that considers multiple facets, while their leadership is grounded on the company’s values of fairness, credibility, and trust.”

Creating history in Myanmar Among the beneficiaries of the JMP in Singapore is Jacob Seet (1st from right of

picture), who in January 2015, had the pleasure of being the first-ever JMP trainee to undertake a rotation in Myanmar.

Bosch established its presence in Myanmar in April 2013 but the country is still in the process of opening up its economy.

Seet says his stint in Yangon was particularly challenging due to the lack of systems and processes which people take for granted in Singapore.

He says this presented an opportunity for him to experiment with new business concepts and steer the team’s sales and marketing strategy.

“What was especially meaningful for me was when being placed in a fastpaced and uncertain environment, I was able to exercise my judgment and take calculated risks on a daily basis, thus sharpening my business acumen in the process,” says Seet.

“By overcoming fresh obstacles every day, I found myself to have grown in confidence and built a new willingness to accept failure as a learning opportunity.”

Seet adds that the experiences gathered from his Myanmar stint have been “tremendously satisfying, both professionally and personally”.

Making waves in Stuttgart Amanda Lim: The time I spent on my overseas rotation in Stuttgart, Germany, was a memorable and invaluable part of my JMP experience – both professionally and personally. Being at the corporate headquarters gave me insights into the Bosch Group that I would not have had if not for the programme.

Supporting worldwide compensation projects brought my understanding of compensation topics to a much deeper level. Furthermore, being able to meet and network with the policy makers themselves allowed me to understand the company’s direction and philosophy on a wide range of HR topics.

Bringing that experience and knowledge to my current HR role in Singapore has proved to be immensely helpful when considering the broader impact of my work beyond the local level.

Richard Chang: My overseas posting in Stuttgart, Germany, has rounded up my international exposure spanning the US, Europe, and Asia at an early stage of my career – I am currently based out of Singapore for our operations into the Asia-Pacific region.

Having lived and worked in different parts of the world, I now have a better appreciation for cultural nuances and a glimpse into differing perspectives around the world.

This exposure is benefitting me on a daily basis as I deal with various international colleagues and customers on the projects that I am working on, and understand differing expectations or requirements because of cultural and mindset differences.

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HR YOUNG GUNS

HR FROM THE CLASSROOM Every month, HRM speaks to a young university talent hoping to carve out a career in HR upon graduation

What attracted you to HR? Why are you studying it?

I am attracted to a career in HR because I think HR plays a strategic role in a company, especially since employees are a core component of most organisations.

I also have a passion for developing and nurturing others, and most of the community work that I have done involve mentoring youth and tutoring children from less privileged backgrounds.

Studying HR at National University of Singapore (NUS) is interesting and I get to learn a diverse range of theoretical knowledge and practical skillsets, from motivational theories to conflict management skills. I hope to be able to apply this knowledge in the workplace in the future.

What aspect of HR do you hope to specialise in upon graduation?

After graduation, I would like to specialise in either recruitment or learning and development. Being in recruitment would allow me to interact with different people, and to determine if their skills and personality are suited for the role in question. As a learning and development professional, I will be an important motivator for many Generation Y employees. I am very interested to learn how organisations craft and implement their strategies.

The top three things you want from your HR career?

Firstly, I want to contribute positively and meaningfully to the organisation that I join, through identifying, motivating or retaining talent.

Secondly, it would be great if I could develop my career in an organisation with a flat culture that values open

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communication and teamwork. I believe that I will be able to grow and thrive better in an environment that supports such values.

Thirdly, I hope to be able to achieve good work-life balance, as I think it is important to set aside time for things that are important to me. This would include my family, church, volunteering, and pursuing my hobbies.

What challenges do you anticipate?

One challenge that HR has been facing and which I anticipate will continue, is the challenge of the shifting mindsets that HR is not merely a cost function of an organisation, but also, a strategic one. Although the traditional cost-centre sentiment is slowly shifting, with HR playing an increasingly strategic decisionmaking role in organisations, I believe it is still a significant challenge that HR professionals face. I realised this during a recent HR Case Competition that I participated in, where a common question from the judges was how to achieve buy-in from the top management. This is particularly important since many HR strategies involve up front costs and will not yield immediate financial gains.

Another challenge for HR is the ability to harness the advantages of diversity. This is especially pertinent in Singapore’s context, with the government encouraging businesses to hire more mature workers due to our ageing population and shrinking workforce. Increased diversity in the workplace might be a boon or bane to an organisation, depending on whether the organisation manages to foster a culture that embraces diversity.

Amanda Chiam Third-year business student, First Specialisation in Management and Human Capital, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore Your HR career five years from now?

Although I want to begin my career specialising in either recruitment or learning and development, I aspire to be a HR business partner in the future.

This will allow me to work alongside the senior management in developing HR strategies that would support the overall business direction and objectives.

Hobbies or inspiration?

I love music, so I like to play the piano and figure out melodies in my spare time. It helps me to relax during stressful periods and is also a way for me to express my emotions. I draw inspiration from knowing that tough times don’t last. During difficult times, this helps me to persevere and build resilience.

Harnessing multi-generational diversity in the workplace:

Realistic or idealistic?

By Amanda Chiam

I

n Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s 2015 National Day Rally address, he announced that the re-employment age would be raised from 65 to 67 by 2017. This is aligned with the goal of making Singapore a model for successful ageing, against the backdrop of a greying population and a shrinking workforce.

Increasingly, organisations find themselves having to manage employees from multiple generations— from Generation Y graduates to Baby Boomers. This leads us to the question of how HR can support organisations in maximising the value of such a multigenerational workforce.

Differences between generations Generation Y employees are seen as achievement-oriented, creative, socially responsible, and electronically networked. On the other hand, older employees seem to value social recognition, and are perceived as reliable, committed, and experienced.

In the workplace, motivation factors also differ between Generation Y and older employees. Generation Y employees seek meaningful and challenging work, and are motivated by career and personal development opportunities.

Rather, their goal is to build transferrable skills and experience that will benefit them when they progress to other roles or organisations in the future.

In contrast, the older generation seeks stability at work, and appreciates opportunities that allow them to continue developing their skills to stay relevant in the workforce.

Pros and cons of a diverse workforce A multi-generational workforce

brings to the organisation a variety of perspectives and ideas.

Employees can learn from one another’s strengths. For example, older employees may master technology skills from Generation Y employees, while those workers may glean important lessons from the wealth of experience that older employees possess.

However, this diversity also has its drawbacks. Firstly, different working styles and attitudes between Generation Y and older employees might result in misunderstandings.

Furthermore, younger employees might feel uncomfortable managing older employees, while older employees might be unwilling to submit to the authority of someone perceived as less experienced.

Here are some challenges and solutions that HR is likely to face in harnessing multi-generational diversity: • How can HR leverage on the advantages while managing the disadvantages of diversity?

Encourage open communication and feedback-giving sessions, while creating more opportunities for personal interaction between employees. For example, organisations can consider catering lunch in the office twice a month, giving employees of various age groups the chance to interact with one another over a meal. With increased communication, misunderstandings are less likely to occur.

• How does HR develop talent management strategies that cater to employees of different generations?

Identify and understand what different employees want. For example, it might be challenging, meaningful, but also fun

design work for Generation Y employees.

Show them how their work will equip them with useful experience and skills that will benefit their professional development.

As for older employees, tap on their experience and provide them with social recognition such as praise for good performance. Offer them opportunities for consistent skills upgrading and training. However, organisations should exercise caution when categorising employee work motivators by generations, as this might result in over-generalisation.

• How does the organisation create an employer brand that appeals to employees of different generations?

The organisation needs to walk the talk when it comes to valuing diversity. This should be championed and led by the top management. For example, instead of retrenching older employees during economic downturns, top management can invest in upgrading their skills such that they may continue to contribute meaningfully to the organisation.

With the top management demonstrating that it values multigenerational diversity, such a culture will permeate through the organisation.

Also, recruitment and selection policies should be fair and transparent, ensuring that there is no age discrimination during the hiring process.

Conclusion By understanding the generational differences, tailoring HR policies to suit diverse needs, and creating a culture that embraces diversity, I believe we are one step closer to making multigenerational diversity a reality.

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SME SPOTLIGHT

360˚ TALENT From onboarding experiences to leadership continuity, Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore At Zhongshan Park has unique talent management strategies in place for every stage of an employee’s career Naadiah Badib

naadiah.b@hrmasia.com.sg

W

hen Days Hotel Singapore and Ramada Singapore first opened in 2012 and 2013 respectively, the hotels had a specific goal in mind.

Like other organisations in the hospitality sector, Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore aimed to attract and retain good talent, boost their productivity, and ensure that a reliable talent pipeline was maintained.

“As a young organisation, we believe that our people are the strongest asset,” says Tony Cousens, General Manager, Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore.

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plan, which is strongly supported by the HR and management team.”

“We look far ahead to ensure that there is bench strength to help drive our performance to even greater heights.”

Pressing issues Upon its debut, Josephine Chua, Director of HR and Quality, Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore, noted that bringing in talents and ensuring the right job fit while recruiting en-masse was an underlying challenge.

With the back-to back openings of both hotels, employees were found to have experienced fatigue and stress.

Their motivation and drive were also dropping and this was manifested in a surge of attrition in June 2013.

Onboarding roadmap As part of an effort to build a strong core among teams at the hotel, standard policies and procedures were designed.

At Ramada and Days Hotels, a great focus is channeled into ensuring that the stage is set right from the beginning.

The HR team makes it a point to provide a warm welcome to each new hire by assisting them to settle in and to give an orientation of the unique workplace.

“Although these may seem like small matters, they are actually important steps that help build the foundation for a new person to ease into a new life,” Chua says.

There are many layers to the hotels’ onboarding programme. Orientation occurs at two levels: company and department.

New employees are required to understand the organisation’s history,

SME SPOTLIGHT A helping hand At Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore, senior management is always on hand to help their employees when in need.

To show their commitment to work-life integration for all associates, employees in senior positions voluntarily reduced their annual leave from 21 days to 15 days.

The difference has been redistributed among other staff to ensure that they have sufficient rest and personal time.

In turn, employees have been found to put their best foot forward in their job roles and provide better services to guests during the course of their work.

CYCLE service standards and performance management matrix.

They also need to grasp their departmental-specific procedures, processes and personnel.

In addition, new staff and the entire team are brought together to have lunch at the cafeteria so as to foster strong bonds and relationships.

At the end of the orientation, Cousens meets up with every new associate to welcome them and to get to know them on a personal level.

Career development To advance employees and retain them in the company, Chua noted that sharing lateral and vertical career movements are just the tip of the iceberg.

Ramada and Days Hotels works towards an efficient career development system by bringing in experts to train both the HR team and key stakeholders on the implementation of the schemes.

As such, a talent development and retention programme, called Master of Experience Learn and Progress (Me Leap!) was launched.

This is targeted to fast-track associates in the front office and housekeeping departments with opportunities for exposure in food and beverage, finance and reservations.

In line with this scheme, a new job role, “Master of Experience” was conceived to provide for employees who are ready for cross-deployment and to also allow better resources management.

Succession planning A crucial step towards an organisationwide sustainability was the systematic approach crafted to ensure leadership continuity in key positions.

This 360-degree assessment starts from the hotels’ General Manager, the executive committee and their next levels.

Tony Cousens engaging in an impromptu sharing session with an employee

The system also seeks to align succession planning with business objectives.

As of 2015, the hotel has completed succession plans for executive committee members, head of departments and each of their section leaders.

“The interest in their career plans; and support given to them by our General Manager and HR by putting down concrete plans in developing them demonstrated clearly to them the organisation’s sincerity,” shares Chua.

An example of this plan was for a talented key player who was “highly mobile” and “sought after by many industry players”. Some plans that have been laid out include putting this talent as a project leader for regional events and to draw up a clear career progression journey for the talent to progress to senior positions within the company or with a sister property.

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Human Resources Business Senior HR Executive Senior Mobility Advisor Partner (Learning and Development) › Global MNC in the medical devices industry › Newly created position

› Well known MNC in the logistics industry › Newly created position

› Leading MNC in the mining industry › Advisory role

The Human Resources Business Partner is primarily accountable for managing the Corporate HR Function and driving / executing the global people strategy.

A Leading MNC with strong presence in the logistics industry, our client has an urgent need for a senior executive with learning and development experience.

The successful candidate will support functional areas of human resources and serve as a strategic and tactical business partner to all organizations and employees in Singapore. You will also work closely with the HR head to implement policies and initiatives.

The successful candidate will support and be involved in the design of training and development framework for entities in Singapore. You will also support the Head of HR in the effective delivery of the overall Learning & Development strategy.

Degree qualified with a minimum of 10 years relevant experience ideally in MNCs and in the manufacturing industry. Ideally, you will have proven success in strategic initiatives planning and execution globally. You are hands on, self motivated and flexible operating in a fast paced environment, and possess strong communication as well as influencing skills.

Degree qualified with 3-5 years of relevant experience in a training and development experience. You will have demonstrated ability in designing training curriculums for employees of all levels. Those sound knowledge of training and development principles and practices are preferred. You thrive in a fast paced, result-oriented environment requiring high degree of flexibility and possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Reporting to Regional Global Mobility Manager, you are a trusted business partner and subject matter expert to deliver operational excellence and advice to the APAC region. You will work in partnership with the Service Delivery Centre in respect of assignment initiations, assignment documentation and payroll related activities. Working with all key stakeholders, including vendors, to ensure Global Mobility service delivery is effectively delivered to customers, you will also manage complex tax processes, engaging with relevant stakeholders to achieve compliance, and ensure governance and compliance with all policy, tax and immigration requirements.

Reference number: JO/JD53090 Contact person: Jennifer ONG (Registration Number R1324297)

Reference number: JO/JD 53090 Contact person: Jennifer ONG (Registration Number R1324297)

Reference number: NC/448814 Contact person: Niharika Chaturvedi (Registration Number R1104291)

1143/11_15

You will have at least 5 years of mobility experience, preferably in MNCs and in a complex organization. You will have strong experience in global mobility principles and policies and possess good stakeholder management skills. You will also have in depth experience in resolving issues in a legislative context across multiple jurisdictions. You are hands on and have the ability to build strong partnerships with both global and local vendors.

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 Talent2 Singapore Pte Ltd. Company Reg. No. 200909448N EA Licence No. 10C4544

 linkedin.com/company/talent2

Opportunities for Life

An Allegis Group Company

RGF HR Agent Singapore Pte Ltd EA Licence No. 10C2978

Head of Talent Management

Senior / Learning & Development Specialist

• Role is based in Malaysia • High engagement with the business

• MNC in the Industrial Technology Sector • Exciting opportunity that has been newly set up

Our client is a European multinational company with global presence. They are currently seeking a dynamic Talent and Development professional to oversee all talent initiatives for the Asia Pacific region.

Our client is a well known global MNC and due to expansion plans, they have created a new role.

Reporting to the VP of HR, you are an integral leader overseeing the full suite of talent activities partnering in-country HR Managers. You will manage talent pipeline in support of its strategic people agenda through implementing the most effective talent acquisition and development solutions; lead overall talent strategy such as talent management review and programs, executive learning, succession management, executive talent attraction and assessment for key talent across Asia.

You should be a graduate in HR Management and preferably worked within a matrix team environment with at least 15+ years of relevant talent management experience.

You are a transformational manager who is excellent in managing internal/external Talent Framework and has strong communications skills with proven track record in people strategy. Candidates should have relevant experience working with global corporations and those with consulting experience will be a plus.

You will build the Local Learning Centre modelled after its 5 Global Centres; review and develop learning framework; work with stakeholders to identify L&D needs and implement global, regional and local training initiatives. This includes program & vendor management, content design, post training follow up & evaluation, manage quantitative & qualitative control through quarterly reporting for the region and develop metrics to measure effectiveness. Other responsibilities involve identifying, sourcing and evaluation of L&D programs/ providers, manage budget and external funding. You would also be involved in talent management and support regional HR projects.

You should process a degree in HR or Business Administration with 5 – 8 years of relevant experience, along with the ability to engage senior stakeholders.

Experience in management systems for learning would be beneficial. A strong work ethic, drive and passion to execute projects would be essential.

To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to Li Li Kang at lili.kang@rgf-executive.com.sg

To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to Grace D’Castro at grace@rgf-hragent.asia

EA Personnel Registration No. R1108467

EA Personnel Registration No. R1108252

RGF is the global brand of Recruit Holdings, the world’s fourth largest HR and recruitment services company and the largest in Japan, generating over US$13 billion in annual revenue. For more than 50 years, RGB provides comprehensive HR and talent acquisition services which include retained and contingency executive recruitment and market mapping, senior to staff level specialist and contract recruitment as well as payroll services. RGF operates in more than 45 locations across 26 cities in 11 countries and markets in Asia with in-country specialist consultants.

Winner, The Executive Search Company of the Year 2015 and for the second year running, The HR Recruitment Company of the Year 2015.

RI ASIA

www.rgf-hr.com.sg

SINGAPORE VIETNAM INDIA INDONESIA MALAYSIA PHILIPPINES THAILAND CHINA HONG KONG TAIWAN JAPAN

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Headquartered in Singapore since 2003, Kerry Consulting is Singapore’s leading Search & Selection firm.

Our consulting team is the most experienced, and amongst the largest, in the ASEAN region.

We offer positions in the following sectors: Banking & Financial Services Commerce Finance

Energy & Commodities

Engineering & Supply Chain Healthcare & Life Sciences Human Resources Legal

Sales & Marketing Technology

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www.kerryconsulting.com | Returning the Human to Resourcing

Senior Compensation Analyst, APAC

Talent Acquisition Specialist, APAC

US MNC New APAC Position Located in the West

Pharmaceutical Industry APAC Position Dynamic Environment

This US company, a leader in supporting healthcare products within the pharmaceutical industry, is seeking a Senior Compensation Analyst, APAC—a newly created position that reports to the headquarters.

This leading US MNC within the pharmaceutical industry is now seeking a Talent Acquisition Specialist to support its growth in APAC, particularly within the North Asia market.

This newly set up Singapore subsidiary of a strong global bank, which arises from the MD’s initiative to build a team here, is seeking an Office Manager to support its growth and expansion.

Reporting to the Talent Acquisition Director, you will manage the full talent acquisition life cycle, which includes sourcing, screening, selection, and onboarding. You will partner hiring managers to build effective sourcing, assessment, and closing approaches with an ability to manage expectations.

Reporting directly to the MD, you will be tasked with full responsibility to manage office, HR, and administrative needs within the organisation.

You will be responsible for all Asia-Pacific compensation issues related to base pay, incentive plans and payments, and salary level.

You will partner HR leads in the region to resolve compensation issues and recommend compensation strategies. In addition, you will work with other compensation teams to align salary and incentives across the region. On top of that, you will perform annual benchmarking and salary range design for APAC. You will be degree qualified in a relevant HR domain with at least 3 to 5 years of analytical compensation experience. You will also be a detailed and meticulous individual who’s highly proficient in Microsoft Excel.

You will be a HR professional with at least 6 to 8 years of demonstrated successful experience in recruiting a variety of positions at all levels, including corporate roles. You will also possess the necessary experience to manage the full recruitment cycle. In addition, you will possess good computer skills and proficiency in using ATS and social media channels. Ideally, you would have past success in leveraging social media platforms to build candidate pipelines.

To apply, please submit your resume to Joy Seow at js@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and the reference number of JS10047. We regret that only shortlisted applicants will be notified.

To apply, please submit your resume to Joy Seow at js@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number JS10027. Due to high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Reg No.: R1107886

Reg No.: R1107886

Head of HR, Indonesia Work Location in Jakarta Strong Global Reputation with a Rich Heritage Dynamic and High-quality Environment This European agriculture company, which has a very strong presence in Asia, is seeking a Head of HR to be responsible for Indonesia operations and to support expansion plans.

Reporting to the Regional Head of HR, you will be overseeing Human Resource needs for operations within Indonesia. You will also share expertise and provide strategic solutions to the business with a hands-on approach. You will effectively be in a role that encompasses strategic and operational elements.

You will be a senior HR professional with at least 8 years of HR experience across the full spectrum of Human Resource. You will be confident and dynamic, and possess very good communication skills in English and Bahasa Indonesia. Ideally, you would possess team management experience, which is essential to the success of the role.

To apply, please submit your resume to Junchen at jc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title.

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Type of Work: Permanent Region: Indonesia Reg No.: R1328933

Office Manager Subsidiary of a Strong Global Bank Challenging Role with Good Exposure Opportunity to Make a Real Impact in an Organisation

You will have at least 5 years of work experience with a strong office/HR/administrative/finance background, preferably in Banking and Financial Institutions. You will also be a mature self-starter and effective communicator with setup experience.

In addition, you will have experience in office/facilities management, vendor selection, office planning, as well as exposure to basic Human Resource functions.

To apply, please submit your resume to Junchen at jc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title.

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Type of Work: Permanent Region: Singapore Reg No.: R1328933

Regional HRBP (with a focus on C&B) – Global Chemicals Organisation

Group C&B Manager

Global Chemicals Organisation Newly Created Head Count Exciting Growth Potential

Global Organisation APAC Coverage Excellent Career Platform

This global chemicals organisation, a well-regarded MNC that is growing very quickly in the region, is seeking a HR Business Partner for its regional office headquartered in Singapore to support its ambitious growth plan.

This well-known European company with a strong global footprint, as well as an entrepreneurial and passionate culture, is seeking a new Group C&B Manager to be based in Bangkok.

Reporting to the APAC Head of HR, you will adopt a balanced approach towards both the implementation of strategic initiatives and operational execution.

You will create and manage specific C&B programmes and solutions to attract, motivate, and retain top talent within the Company. You will also act as a Business Partner, from a strategic standpoint, and handle operational responsibilities.

You will be an experienced HR professional who has relevant experience in Compensation & Benefits.

You should be familiar with working in fast-paced large multinational environments and possess a mindset that’s ready to resolve problems in the face of ambiguity. You should also have the gravitas to influence the business in a commerce sense and be willing to ‘roll up your sleeves’ if needed.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at finian@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title. We regret that only shortlisted applicants will be notified.

(Based in Bangkok, Thailand)

Working with the Chief Human Resource Officer, you will be responsible for planning, designing, developing, and delivering an overall total rewards strategy and Group rewards strategies to drive a high-performance culture. You will also work closely with various functional heads on sales incentives to ensure consistency across the Group and competitiveness in the market.

You should be an accomplished Total Rewards professional with a strong blend of technical expertise and stakeholder skills. You should also be ready to ‘roll up your sleeves’ and adopt a hands-on approach. A regional track record across Asia would be highly preferred.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at finian@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title.

We regret that only successfully shortlisted applicants will be notified.

Reg No.: R1104310

Reg No.: R1104310

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EXPERTS IN HR TRANSFORMING HR CAREERS Regional Talent Acquisition Specialist

Regional Benefits Consultant

An exciting opportunity has arisen within this fast-paced, dynamic FMCG company for a Regional Talent Acquisition Specialist. Reporting to the Manager for Talent Acquisition, you will have experience working on the recruitment of senior-level positions on a regional basis. Your extensive stakeholder management skills and maturity in handling senior-level candidates will be key to your success in this role.

A newly created role for a Regional Benefits Consultant has arisen in a reputable financial services corporation to support its growth in the region. Partnering with the business, you will deliver benefits design and implementation across the region. Your extensive stakeholder management skills will be the key to your success in this role. Ideally, you should have at least 5 years of relevant benefits or rewards experience.

Contact Kelly Shia (Registration ID No. R1552203) at kelly.shia@hays.com.sg or call +65 6303 0721.

Regional L&OD Business Partner A newly created opportunity has arisen within a global life sciences organisation for a Regional Learning & Organisational Development Business Partner to build up the regional framework across the Asia Pacific & Japan region and roll out global initiatives. You should have over 8 years of relevant experience, ideally from a similar industry and from a global company. Strong experience in designing and implementing management development programmes is preferred.

Contact Ash Russell (Registration ID No. R1109296) at ash.russell@hays.com.sg or call +65 6303 0721.

hays.com.sg

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EA License Number: 07C3924

Contact Edwin Lee (Registration ID No. R1546591) at edwin.lee@hays.com.sg or call +65 6303 0721.

Talent Manager, Asia (Hospitality) A growing hospitality MNC is seeking a Regional Talent Acquisition Manager to set up and head its talent acquisition operations in Asia.

You will be instrumental in leading a team, overseeing the full spectrum of talent acquisition, both at corporate and property level. As the successful candidate, you should have minimum a degree with over 10 years of commercial talent acquisition experience in both agency and corporate settings.

Contact Sean Wong (Registration ID No. R1101782) at sean.wong@hays.com.sg or call +65 6303 0721.

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