Human Resources Malaysia, Q3 2014 by Human Resources Online

The smart HR professional’s blueprint for workforce strategy

humanresourcesonline.net

BUILDING YOUR DREAM TEAM TAKING TEAM-BUILDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL PAGE 18

HOW NESTLÉ KEEPS ITS PEOPLE STRATEGY CURRENT AFTER 148 YEARS PAGE 12 OPINIONS CONTROLLING CREATIVITY IS INNOVATION NATURAL OR CAN IT BE FORCED?

IN THE INTERIM INTERIM MANAGEMENT IS NO JOKE RM12 / Q3 2014

KDN PP 17051/09/2012(030949)

OFC_HRMY_Q314_sub.indd 1

24/9/2014 10:00:58 AM

DEVELOPING HUMAN CAPITAL ACROSS ASIA

ASIAN INSTITUTE OF FINANCE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES 2014

BUILDING A STRONGER ORGANISATION THROUGH TALENT AND CULTURE by Professor David Ulrich Father of Modern Human Resources

Wednesday, 15 October 2014 3.15 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. Sasana Kijang, Kuala Lumpur What builds competitive advantage? Is an organisation’s competitive advantage based on its products and services or are its people the key to the sustainability of a business? Can a sustainable organisation be built one person at a time, via effective talent management and human capital strategies? The Asian Institute of Finance presents the Distinguished Speaker Series with Professor David Ulrich, the internationally recognised management and human resources guru, who will share with us how talent can be identiﬁed via the following formula; Competence x Commitment x Contribution. To register for this complimentary event, please RSVP to events@aif.org.my by 10 October 2014. .....................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Asian Institute of Finance is a think tank focussed on enhancing human capital development and talent management across the ﬁnancial services industry in Asia. Established by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia, AIF believes in attracting, developing and retaining talented individuals towards ensuring the development and sustainability of the industry. For more information, visit www.AIF.org.my

ASIAN INSTITUTE OF FINANCE Unit 1B-05 Level 5 Block 1B, Plaza Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, 50470 Kuala Lumpur. T | +603-2787 1999 F | +603-2787 1900 E | enquiry@aif.org.my

AD TEMPLATE.indd 1

23/9/2014 9:59:47 AM

Q3 2014 « CONTENTS

COVER STORY 12 Q&A How does a 148-year-old company keep up with the times? Nestlé’s HR director, Uzma Qaiser Butt, talks us through its three-pronged strategy for success.

Features 18 Building your dream team Shifting business needs have made it necessary for team-building processes to evolve. What can HR practitioners do to navigate these changes and successfully measure their effectiveness? Akankasha Dewan finds out.

24 Charting the future of corporate learning Akankasha Dewan talks to senior HR leaders on how corporate training methods have evolved, and what implications these changes hold in the future.

30 A home away from home They’re not just a “nice to have”, they’re an important piece of the puzzle for HR with mobile staff. Sabrina Zolkifi finds out how the right (or wrong) serviced apartment can affect productivity.

Opinion 36 Learning & Development Gen Y employees don’t always have to be a headache. All you need is a bit of common sense, says Chew Han Guan, corporate L&D manager at Singapore Technologies Aerospace.

38 People Issues Give, receive, repeat. Dushyant Ajwani, of American Express, explains how Reward Blue helps build a culture of recognition.

39 Unconventional Wisdom

So you want to be an interim manager? Bernard Cruz, group HR director at Jebsen & Jessen SEA, looks back on his experiences and lessons learned.

41 Upwardly Mobile Julie Woods-Moss, CEO of Nextgen Business and CMO of Tata Communications, asks whether creativity is a “natural” process or something which can be forced. Any suggestions or tip-offs for Human Resources? Email rebeccal@humanresourcesonline.net

ARBOR

It’s all about PEOPLE

Bespoke Human Resou rce Recruitment Solutio n s

www.arbor-recruitment.com Tel: 603 22977447 Keep Growing

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia «

01_HRMY_Contents_Q314_sub.indd 1

24/9/2014 9:29:05 AM

SGSALES0420 HHN4 HR Magazine Sept 210x280mm R1_path.pdf

3/9/14

11:54 AM

EDITOR’S NOTE

editor Rebecca Lewis

Having faith in your staff

deputy editor Sabrina Zolkifi journalist Akankasha Dewan contributors Dushyant Ajwani Chew Han Guan Bernard Cruz Julie Woods-Moss regional art director Shahrom Kamarulzaman senior designer Fauzie Rasid regional marketing executive June Tan

senior event producer Ang Yoke Han head of event services Yeo Wei Qi senior executive – event services Renee Phua senior account manager Karen Boh account managers Ben DeRegt audience managers Manuel Almira Yang Kai Lin

publisher Mike Parsons regional finance director Evelyn Wong group editorial director Tony Kelly group managing director Justin Randles

SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE

Human Resources Malaysia is published quarterly by Lighthouse Independent Media Pte Ltd. (KDN PP 17051/09/2012 (030949). Printed in Malaysia on CTP process by Atlas Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd No. 2 Persiaran Industri, Bandar Sri Damansara, 52200 Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur Tel: 03-6273-3333. Subscription rates are available on request, contact the Circulation Manager by telephone: +603 2072 0355 or by email to: subscriptions@humanresourcesonline.net COPYRIGHTS AND REPRINTS. All material printed in Human Resources is protected under the copyright act. All rights reserved. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the prior written consent of the publisher and the copyright holder. Permission may be requested through the Singapore office.

Soul-searching. What does this mean to you? To some it might be what they call critically assessing themselves from time to time to better understand their beliefs or why they feel the need to act a certain way. To others it might be a much longer process of deep introspection, and a larger examination of one’s consciousness. This analysis of one’s self can be hugely cathartic, but it can also be painful. A true soulsearch involves asking tough questions, and confronting things you might not want to. Now, without wanting to get too carried away with the spiritual (we are a business magazine, after all) I often find myself in a position where soul-searching is needed. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to ask yourself the important questions. I try and soul-search a couple of times a year. It’s not something I always actively do, but it is something that’s worthwhile thinking about. For this reason, I particularly enjoyed this month’s Q&A cover story with Nestlé’s HR director for Malaysia and Singapore. Among the many insightful things Uzma Qaiser Butt said in her interview, one of my favourites was that the company refers to their younger employees and management trainees as “soul searchers”. “They’re searching for what fits for them and what’s right for them, and this is something we really understand,” she says. From an L&D perspective, she says management training is a confusing time for young staff, who are eager to take the next step, but are often unsure of themselves and desperate for approval from senior leaders. “We have faith in people growing, and finding their way through confusion, and we want to help them along the way.” Personally, this is the sort of attitude which I believe creates true, strong leaders and forwardthinking, innovative companies. It’s a recognition of the need to nurture to create solid leaders, but

allowing people to be people – to make mistakes and sometimes take a little bit more time to get to the place you need them to be than you’d like. Their promise, she says, is that they allow staff the space to search for what they want. This frame of mind also, I feel, matches the growth of Malaysian talent as a whole. As the country focuses on maturing economically, demographically and socially to reach its overall goal of being a developed nation by 2020, the talent available needs to be nurtured, and the development must be long-term to make sure Malaysia is filled with the bright, passionate “soulsearchers” it very much needs. Sure, you need to push (forcing university grads to pass English to graduate is a step in the right direction) and the journey will be tough, but, as our cover star says, don’t give up. “At the end of the day, your top talent are the ones who will give you a competitive edge, so don’t give up on their development.” Enjoy the issue.

Photography: Stefanus Elliot Lee – www.elliotly.com; Hair & makeup: Vanida Yam Yen – vanidamakeover.blogspot.com

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in Human Resources are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Singapore: Lighthouse Independent Media Pte Ltd 100C Pasir Panjang Road, #05-01 See Hoy Chan Hub Singapore 118519 Tel: +65 6423 0329 Fax: +65 6423 0117 Hong Kong: Lighthouse Independent Media Ltd Unit A, 7/F, Wah Kit Commercial Centre, 302 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2861 1882 Fax: +852 2861 1336

To subscribe call: (65) 6423 0329 or go to: subscriptions@humanresourcesonline.net

Rebecca Lewis editor Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia «

03_HRMY_EdsNotes_Q314_sub.indd 3

24/9/2014 9:39:40 AM

hrbulletin

News from humanresourcesonline.net rceso

C CHINA BANNED CIVIL SERVANTS C FFROM FASTING

ARE YOUR STAFF CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU PAY THEM? According to a poll by CareerBuilder, thre three quarters of American employees believe they have to earn between US$100,000 and $150,000 per ann annum before they can feel content and successful. More than ha half (56%) said they would feel content if they received be between US$75,000 and $100,000. “The survey ssupports past research suggesting the US$75,000 threshold th is particularly signiﬁcant, as this level allows households in most areas of the country to not only get by, but enjoy an ideal lifestyle and a secure futur future,” said Rosemary Haefner, vicepresident of hu human resources at CareerBuilder. “Inte “Interestingly, what workers would ultimat like to earn does not necessarily ultimately factor into what they need for a successful succe career.” In fact, 78% of respondents said they do don’t think they need to earn US$100,0 or more to be successful. The US$100,000 survey also rev revealed that for the respondents, success is relative to the type of work they do or their current career stage.

WANT TO BE A BETTER LEADER? It’s no easy task being a leader, and sometimes everyone can use a pickme-up. Here are ﬁve inspirational quotes to help you become a better leader: “I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention.” Diane Sawyer “Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.” Mark Twain “I ﬁnd that the harder I work, the more luck on I seem to have.” Thomas Jefferson n, “It is better to fail in originality than, to succeed in imitation.” Herman Melville “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growingg others.” Jack Welch

Th holy Muslim fasting month has just The passed, but China was thrown into the pa spotlight in the lead-up after it reportedly sp banned civil servants from fasting. ba According to several news reports, including the South China Morning Post in aand AFP, the commercial affairs bureau of TTurfan city wrote on its website that “civil sservants and students cannot take part in ffasting and other religious activities”. Other government bodies also ssupported the ban in the Xinjiang region, which is predominantly Muslim. The state-run Bozhou Radio and TV university even said on its website it would “enforce the ban on party members, teachers, and young people from taking part in Ramadan activities”. Rights groups in the region have spoken up against the ban, adding it will add conﬂict to the area. Xinjiang has been plagued with violence over the past few years, most of which was related to discrimination against the Muslim Uighur ethnic group.

BNP PARIBAS’ ‘GOOD D NEWS’ $8.9 BILLION FINE Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, especially ecially if it comes with a hefty price tag. However, after BNP Paribas pleaded guilty to breaking sanctions against pariah regimes and brea agreed to a record breaking $8.9 billion fine, CEO agre O Jean-Laurent Bonnafé called the incident “good news”. Jea In a memo to staff, he said: “The difficulties that we aare currently experiencing must not affect our plans for tthe future. “This is good news for all staff and for our clients. ents. It w will enable us to remove the current uncertaintiess that are weighing on our group. We will be able to put behind us tthese occurrences, which belong to the past.” The bank said it had “ample” resources and would ould be able to pay the fine, although Bonnafé personally apologised pologised to aanalysts and investors in a conference call. “We deeply regret the past misconduct that led to this settlement.”

Ready Software Ready Claim Ready Email Ready Timesheet

Ready Pay

Ready Leave

Ready Staff

Ready PayAdvice

Ready Asset-Audit

Ready Form

Ready Asset Ready Notice Board

» HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

4-5_News_Q314_sub.indd 4

22/9/2014 6:56:35 PM

TINDER BOSS IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUIT

ARE YOU A FAMILY FRIENDLY EMPLOYER? If you’re a working parent wondering which companies will best support your need for flexible working, we’ve got just the list for you. Through a competition this year, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Women’s Development Secretariat (WDS) and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) have identified the most family friendly employers in Singapore. According to the results, the top five companies for mothers are: EY, Hitachi Asia, Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific, Jardine OneSolution, and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The most enabling companies for fathers were also identified: Absolute Kinetics Consultancy came top, followed by CGG Services (Singapore), FedEx Express Singapore, Carlsberg Singapore and Environmental Resources Management. Barclays Capital Services was also given special mention as the company with the most supportive supervisors, ervisors, while DBS Bank was recognised as the company with the most supportive ve colleagues.

HERE’S TO VERY LONG WEEKENDSS Billionaire Carlos Slim believes three-day ay work weeks are the secret to being more re productive and having a better work-lifee balance. Slim, who is one of the world’s richest hest men, said at a conference: “With three work days a week, we would have more time to relax; x; for quality of life. Having four days [off] would be very important to generate new entertainment activities and other ways of being occupied.” He is not the first to suggest a four-day r-day work week. In the UK, a doctor said a four-day working arrangement would combat stress and reduce unemployment. A four-day work week was also practised in New Zealand during the financial crisis, with many bosses agreeing it allowed them to provide more flexible working arrangements and avoid making staff redundant.

You would think the CEO of a dating app would know how to act around the ladies. ular mobile dating app Tinder has been suspended from The co-founder of the hugely popular dent of marketing accused him of sexual harassment his job after the former vice-president and filed a lawsuit. Whitney Wolfe claims Justin Mateen called her a “slut” and a “whore” inn a series of text messages, which were presented in official court documents. She also alleges Mateen een harassed her after they broke up, adding him m and another co-founder, Sean Rad, revoked herr cofounder status because five founders ers was “too many” and because she was female. After the suit was filed, Rad sent a memo out to staff, to clarifyy the company “did not discriminatee against Whitney because of her age or gender, and her complaint paints an inaccurate picture of myy actions and what went on here”.

SINGAPORE’S JOBS BANK KICKS OFF The National Jobs Bank was officially launched on 14 July making it compulsory for all employers in Singapore to advertise a role paying less than S$12,000 a month on the site for 14 days before they can offer those positions to a non-local. Since launching in its beta stages in May, the Jobs Bank had more than 16,000 job jobs when it officially launched. The portal is managed by the Workforce Development Aut Authority (WDA), and will support the Fair Consideration Framework, which began on 1 AAugust. sed to roll out the Jobs Bank as an additional res “WDA is pleased resource to com ng job matching services available to support local job seeke complement existing seekers. The Jobs Bank is intended to benefit all workforce segments and we seek to bui build an inclusivee portal that caters to a wide spectrum of employment and ma ds,” said Ng Cher Pong, chief executive of WDA. manpower needs,” “We wouldd like to encourage all employers and Singaporeans to em eir hiring and job search efforts through the Jobs Bank.” embark on their

Corporate Intelligence Advisors Sdn Bhd

17 & 18 November 2014

Proudly Organized By

Discover The Modern Breakthrough In Developing Leadership Ability of Driving The Retention Rate To ﬁnd out more, please email kevin@cia-global.com Tel: +6082 363 686 www.cia-global.com

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia «

4-5_News_Q314_sub.indd 5

22/9/2014 6:56:56 PM

WORK LIFE » People GET INTO THE BOSS’S HEAD

Dick Van Motman Chairman and CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Southeast Asia Tell us about your experience with Dentsu Aegis Network so far? The experience has been great. I was previously leading the team at DDB China Group. When Dentsu came knocking, it wasn’t anything I had considered before. Dentsu’s model is quite different than the rest of our industry. Our competitors are mainly decoupled organisations or decoupled media and digital companies, quite siloed. Dentsu, however, runs a convergent model. And I think that model is very suitable for this day and age. This is mainly because technology has made it possible for you to be everywhere instantaneously. Therefore, integration and speed become important. And that’s the model they have built in Japan and in pockets in Asia and are trying to replicate it on a more global scale. This is why I thought it was a very interesting role because it’s not just about playing a different game from an advertising point of view. It is also a transformational management job. What do you enjoy most about work? The fact that it’s about “shaping” on every level. When you work in advertising or marketing it doesn’t matter what you did yesterday. It is always about topping that the next day – coming up with a new solution. So, technically every day the challenge and the frustration is the same – it is a blank sheet of paper. But because Dentsu is on its way to becoming a more dominant global player after establishing Dentsu Aegis Network outside of Japan, it is about helping shape a 113-year-old company with a very venerable reputation and track record that wants to do something new and innovative. That’s what I like most. How would you define your leadership style? Particularly in the service industry, which advertising is, you employ talent based on their capabilities and potential. So just identifying and hiring high potentials is not enough – it’s how you organise them. I think nowadays the way to do that is via culture and technology. Technology has a big role to play. It’s more about unleashing the talent rather than controlling the talent. 6

How do you ‘unleash’ the talent? It’s all about how you bring them on board. What are the working environments where you can get the best out of them? That is the challenge in Asia, where you have slightly more shy cultures. The challenge lies in making sure people are willing to give their best and speak out. It’s not just about saying it, it’s about doing it. For instance, when I visit an office, I hold a town hall meeting. I sit down with staff and share the state of the union with them. There’s nothing better than actually sniffing out an office and getting hands-on with the people. Now that our operation is starting to get bigger, it becomes more challenging to be everywhere. But I do think it is important to get a finger on the pulse, because nothing beats having your feet on the ground. What’s the toughest decision you’ve had to make as a boss? If I look at my last 25 years, the most important thing I’ve learnt is you shouldn’t procrastinate when making tough decisions. Because when you do, you always realise you should have made them earlier. That’s what I tell myself every time I need to make a big decision. A lot of big decisions have to do with changing people, and you realise later that a lot of people are aware that decision needs to be made and are looking at you to make it. You should simply do what you feel is right, and do that sooner rather than later. How do you motivate staff? I’m a performance-driven person, but I do like to joke a little, and enjoy a bit of lightheartedness. I also keep an open-door policy as much as possible. Also, in society, you have influencers, transmitters and receivers. I think it is important to be aware which people are socially important in a company - the social connectors - and to be close to them so you get the information about the mood is within the company, how certain people are doing, and then take up action if necessary. I also give handwritten birthday notes to my first line of reports and key staff under them. I do think a personal touch is important.

go purely from HR to a CEO without bottom-line experience is very hard. Do you think the HR function is disconnected from the business? If I had an HR lead who thought his function was disconnected, then I would have to ask myself some questions. For me, HR is a very strategic part of the business. I like to call my functional leads my partners, and it is very important to look at these functions as partnerships. This implies that knowledge needs to flow and it involves a healthy degree of sharing of business issues, as opposed to engaging with the person on his or her own area of expertise. I don’t think that gets the best out of everyone. My talent partner needs to know the business issues we’re struggling with, because only then can you put the talent part into perspective. So it’s not about whether HR leaders could make it to CEO, but what kind of HR leaders could make it to that level. And those are mainly HR leaders who are firmly embedded within the business issues via their own function and are willing to go outside their area of expertise and take, for a period of time, a P&L responsibility. What is the future of HR? People are our business, and I view an agency as a football team. You’ve got to select the right people for the right position and then you’ve got to make them play a unique game. But like every football club, you have transfer seasons. You need to grow talent from within, and therefore HR is at the centre of our company. We need to make sure we never see the function purely from an admin point of view, but more as a talent management function which helps to build a culture, which helps in performance management and in collaboration. I see the talent management doing multiple things.

What do you do to re-energise yourself? I remind myself that stress is part and parcel of the job. I also have an informal network of friends and we come together once or twice every year over a long weekend and talk about each other’s businesses and what we go through. Industry forums help, too, and for a long time I employed a personal coach and spoke to him once a month. Can HR leaders can make it as a CEO? I think certain HR people ccan definitely do that. It all depends whether you have bottom-line responsibility somewhere in your experience. To

» HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

6_Suitetalk_Q314_sub.indd 6

24/9/2014 9:48:17 AM

People WORK LIFE

SpacialAwareness

INSIDE DBS’ MODERN HERITAGE HUB DBS Bank was recently crowned Singapore’s most valuable brand , so it’s no surprise its local offices at DBS Asia Hub, DBS Asia Central and DBS Asia Gateway have all been designed to reflect its New Asian roots. Tan Sor Cheng, managing director and group HR shared services and risk, HR at DBS Bank, said the company’s new work environment “mimics a communal hive that turns the workplace into a collaborative and innovative working space for employees”. The office at DBS Asia Central boasts flexible and free-form areas for employees to work and relax. “These informal spaces, known as Social Hubs, are set against panoramic views of Singapore’s new skyline,” Tan said. “They encourage spontaneous interaction, exchange of ideas and help foster stronger relationships among employees.” Tan says through good communication, recognition, development and support, DBS Bank has been able to create a great workplace for employees to grow professionally and personally. “The bank’s new offices and supportive environment have gone down well with our employees, with many appreciating the spaciousness,” she says. “Some of them also choose to hold their discussions at the social hubs instead of the meeting rooms, as they believe that it promotes creativity and allows for better interaction.” She adds they have seen employee engagement scores improve over the years, and have been awarded the Gallup Great Workplace Award in 2013 and 2014. “In terms of design, it is very important that the space represents the message, goals and values of your organisation,” Tan says. “It is also essential to gather feedback from employees so that you can create a great environment that supports their growth and development .”

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia «

7_SpacialAwareness_Q314_sub.indd 7

10/9/2014 3:44:46 PM

WORK LIFE » HR by numbers

Sleeping on the job Singaporeans are among the most sleep deprived people in the world. According to research by Jawbone (the makers of a digitised wristband which tracks sleep) Singaporeans are only getting an average of six hours and 32 minutes sleep per night. However, this is still more than places such as Tokyo and Seoul, where workers get less than six hours a night. The lack of sleep could be linked to long working hours – a recent report by eFinancialCareers found the majority of Singaporean finance professionals work beyond their contracted hours, with 43% remaining contactable while at home, over weekends and on holiday.

Six hours 32 minutes is the average amount of sleep a Singaporean has each night.

10%

of workers in Dubai are still asleep by 11am.

6:29am

is the time most Australians wake up for work.

78%

of financial service professionals in Singapore work beyond their contracted hours.

Source: Jawbone; eFinancialCareers

» HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

8_HRByNumbers_Q314_sub.indd 8

10/9/2014 3:44:26 PM

People WORK LIFE

ldem175_GLFPrintAd242x90mm_Generic_SG.ai 1 9/3/2014 12:21:13 PM

15 minutes with ...

tr y

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK? To do something that will benefit the employees, the organisation, the community at large, and the nation.

2,031 Organizations 48 Countries us

CAN YOU DESCRIBE A REGULAR WORKDAY AT YOUR COMPANY? My day is filled with strategic discourse with my immediate subordinates as well as stakeholders, including the management team. Networking and relationship-building with industry partners are part and parcel of my job and these are usually done through mutual meetings, over tea, etc. This is when a lot of insightful discussions and business collaborations are attained.

1,528 HR

In d

WHAT IS THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU HAVE RECEIVED? When given a challenging task do not complain, but give your best to deliver it. If your best is not good enough, don’t get disheartened or give up, but make the effort to ask and learn from those who can coach and guide you.

13,124 Leaders

WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE BETTER WITHIN HR? HR must move away from becoming merely a service provider to become a strategic partner to the business. To achieve this, HR professionals must strive to enhance their knowledge and capability; know the business, and build networks and relationships internally as well as externally.

Gen de r

ize yS an p m Co

evel der-L Lea

HOW WILL HR EVOLVE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? We are currently living in a VUCA world (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) and this demanding business environment will continue to stay in the many years to come. To survive, we need a strong leadership team, perseverance, determination, resilience and swift decision-making and reaction times, to name a few. HR will need to play a significant role, transforming itself so it’s able to support and provide actionable insights to the business to achieve its goals.

Find out what the world is saying about leadership.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE HR AS A PROFESSION? I like to deal, network and build relationships with people, so naturally HR management was one of the core subjects I studied. I have always been passionate about HR, and for this reason I took up HR as a profession.

Global Leadership Forecast 2014|2015

Senior VP of HR PETRONAS

atu s

Raiha Azni Abdul Rahman

High-Potential St

snapshot

Gene ratio n

Be one of the ﬁrst to receive the report!

Visit www.ddiworld.com/glf2014

FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE TO DATE, WHAT DO YOU THINK HR CAN DO BETTER TO PLAY A BIGGER ROLE? Attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining our talent in the organisation, which is fundamental in supporting and sustaining the business growth and expansion. I CAN’T WORK WITHOUT… the support from my superior, my subordinates, as well as my constituents. They are the primary building blocks for me to become who I am today.

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia «

9_Snapshot_Q314_sub.indd 9

10/9/2014 3:43:14 PM

WHITE PAPER » Leadership

WEEDING OUT THE UNDESIRABLES

Asia Pacific – Bosses and hiring managers need to be more vigilant in their hiring process if they wish to avoid hiring a candidate with a background discrepancy. According to Employment Screening Trends Report: Asia Pacific, Q1 2014 by First Advantage, Singapore saw a 10.42% year-on-year increase in discrepancies. The country was behind only Australia and New Zealand. Nearly one in five of all Asia Pacific employees were also identified as having some form of background discrepancy, according to data drawn from 300,000 employment background verifications and reference checks conducted by First Advantage in APAC from January to March 2014. “With more and more multinational companies expanding their footprints in Asia Pacific, the challenges associated with hiring the right candidate have increased,” the report stated. “Some of the key challenges in hiring suitable candidates are continually changing regional legislation surrounding anti-corruption, data privacy and consumer protection.” It added the total number of checks done per case in the APAC region had gone up from four checks in Q1 2013 to five in Q1 2014. This increased number indicated a higher level of awareness among companies about

Countries

Percentage of employers screening candidates

Australia

23.38%

New Zealand

23.38%

Singapore

18.78%

Source: First Advantage Employment Screening Trends Report: Asia Paciﬁc

background screening services. The report said 18.9% of the discrepancies in the Asia Pacific region were related to the education of employees, while 54.6% were related to their employment history. It added more employers from different verticals in the Asia Pacific region were screening their candidates. Australia and New Zealand topped the list with 23.38% in Q1 2014, which was a significant increase from Q1 2013 when they stood at just 12.96%. This was followed by Singapore, which clocked in at 18.78% in Q1 2014. Almost three out of 10 (26%) employers in the Asia Pacific region were identified as conducting more than six checks and above. They were 11 times more likely to uncover a discrepancy as compared with those who conducted only two checks (3%) or five checks (9%).

The study also identified a growing trend towards “infinity screening” in which screening programmes are extended to include contractors and vendors and to introduce periodic rescreening of existing employees, accounting for a drop in discrepancy rates in certain countries. “Through this trends report, First Advantage seeks to help employers in Asia Pacific identify the current employment background verification trends and understand how they can optimise their screening programmes,” said Matthew Glasner, managing director of south APAC at First Advantage. “We are seeing a significant increase in discrepancies in the region and this further highlights the importance of using state-of-the-art screening practices that are available to ensure companies know who they are hiring, thereby mitigating the business loss associated with a wrong hire.”

10 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

10-11_WhitePaper_Q314_sub.indd 10

10/9/2014 4:38:33 PM

Leadership « WHITE PAPER

WHICH COUNTRIES ARE TALENT MOST ATTRACTED TO?

Global – In terms of desirability, countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Canada attract the greatest search interest from job seekers worldwide. According to a report by Indeed Hiring Lab, these three countries received the greatest mix of job seekers from other countries. The report also found that of the four emerging BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) only India was attracting talent from other countries globally. Coming in at 24th place of the 55 countries polled, Singapore scored an index of 1.6 out of 100 in the report’s location desirability index, with job seekers from India making up the largest number of candidates interested in a position in Singapore. “Director” and “head” were also the top two search terms used by Indian residents searching for jobs in Singapore. The countries with the highest location

desirability index were the US (100), India (31.3), the UK (28.7), Canada (17.7) and Japan (16). “People often think of only the local population as being competition for local jobs, but if a relatively large number of outsiders are also looking for jobs in that area then the labour market may be tighter than it appears,” said Tara M. Sinclair, Indeed economist and associate professor of economics and international affairs at George Washington University. The top five cross-border flows 1. US to India 2. India to US 3. US to Japan 4. US to Canada 5. US to UK Source: Where People Search for Jobs: Cross-Border Labor

“Significantly, we find that 27.8% of job seekers in the US are willing to make an interstate move and 9.1% of global job seekers are contemplating a cross-border move.” The US in particular received searches from all other countries studied, while the majority of searches to the UK stemmed from Asian and European countries. External searches to Canada were led by the Middle East and Asia. “This research is a fascinating look at the search patterns of job seekers all over the world,” Sinclair said. “The movement of a global workforce can help economies confront fluctuations in unemployment, distributing skilled workers where they’re needed most. This research adds to our understanding of intended mobility, helping employers target the portions of the global workforce that are relevant to their jobs.”

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 11

10-11_WhitePaper_Q314_sub.indd 11

23/9/2014 10:19:59 AM

PROFILE » Uzma Qaiser Butt

Uzma Qaiser Butt Human resource director Nestlé Malaysia & Singapore A recipe for success By SABRINA ZOLKIFI

Q Can you share the HR strategy within Nestlé? It’s really broken up into three parts. The first is leadership – what we have recognised is that we’re in a very highly competitive environment. Nestlé has been a very successful company in Malaysia and we’ve been here for 102 years now, and this means we know at present we are in the hearts and minds of every Malaysian. But the competitive landscape is no longer what it used to be and we can’t take our market leadership for granted in any way.

Q Before we talk about the other two parts of your strategy, how has Nestlé ensured leadership stays high on the agenda? Because it’s people leadership that’s really going to make a difference in a competitive environment, we have designed a leadership programme that we’re running with the Melbourne Business School for the top 300 managers in the company in Malaysia and Singapore. We’re working on a programme that’s going to last five months, and the idea is looking at how we can work with our leaders to ensure it’s people leadership that’s going to help us in the competitive environment.

Q You’re also redesigning the management training programme this year. What changes will be made?

We’ve had a management trainee programme in this market since 1988, and now we’re just redesigning some of its parameters for 2015. Last year we took in 45 trainees and this year we’re taking in about 35. We’re looking at redesigning our entry criteria and making it a little tougher because management trainees are the pipeline of our leadership. If you look at our leadership team at the moment, approximately half of them joined the company as management trainees. I myself did in 2001 in Pakistan. Most of the senior leadership in Nestlé have somehow joined us as management trainees, so this is an integral part of the Nestlé leadership development. We start really young.

Q What are you looking at? Fundamentally, it’s the entry criteria which is going to focus a lot more on analytical skills, and understanding what their learning capacity is and how easily they can get on the learning curve. We are going to be looking for quantitative skills and culture fit so that will be through observations of group work.

Q So, what’s your second HR priority? It’s to recognise and understand that a lot of our young talent would like to have an international experience in the early days of their career. Nestlé is a truly global company and that means there’s always

an opportunity for our staff to hop into another country and learn and contribute something to the markets they’re in. What we’ve started as of this year is an internal competition. We set up criteria and at the end of the year, we decide on the top five individual performers in our market who will have a guaranteed international assignment the following year. This could be anywhere from three months to three years, and we could place our employees anywhere in the world. We have a commitment from our colleagues in Europe and America to make sure our Malaysian talent gets this exposure, which is exciting for us.

Q And what is the third area?

VITAL STATS Uzma Qaiser Butt was appointed the human resources director at Nestlé Malaysia and Singapore at the start of this year. She was previously the company’s HR business partner for Africa, Oceania and Asia, and has been with Nestlé since 2002.

Recognising that we are also a worldleading nutritional and health and wellness company, and if our product portfolio is more and more about understanding the needs of the consumer and around health and wellness and nutrition, we want to represent that same mindset inside the company.

Q How is that culture of health and wellness carried out within the company? We have started a market health strategy, where we have internal trainings, and a change of menus in the canteen of our sites to make sure employees are aware of how they should manage their personal health. This has probably been

12 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

12-15_Q&A_Q32014_sub.indd 12

23/9/2014 10:18:13 AM

12-15_Q&A_Q32014_sub.indd 13

23/9/2014 9:44:20 AM

PROFILE » Uzma Qaiser Butt around for about a year, and it’s also a global initiative we’re excited to be a part of, seeing how we’re in Asia and facing a future where our health is going to be more and more important. It’s being responsible as a company because if we’re representing ourselves outside as a leading health and nutrition company, we certainly want to be that on the inside as well.

Q What’s the response been to that? It’s been positive. We have people who join free fitness classes in the head office, and we have safety talks, which is an integral part of our culture. We’re working towards what we call a zeroharm work environment. That means we are conscious of our movement, of how we walk, of whether we text on the phone while we’re walking, and of holding the handrails. We encourage our employees to use the staircase, so we also have nutritional information available on our stairwell walls which tell them how many calories they’re burning. It’s all very much in line with what Nestlé’s always been, which is to find ways to increase the quality of lives of people around us. And there’s an appreciation of that, without a doubt.

Q Have these efforts affected the bottom line? Employees who are emotionally affiliated – not only with where they work, but also who they work with – understand the purpose of the organisation, and that emotional affiliation goes a long way. It’s part of an honest relationship; it’s what we call emotional capital. When companies have employees who have high emotional capital, there will be productivity, and you get people who will go the extra mile without being asked.

Q Last year, Nestlé received an award for being the number one preferred employer within the FMCG sector. Can you share what that means for the company? That’s a matter of great pride for us. What’s critically important about receiving awards like that is we’re making an implicit promise, and we need to keep that promise on the inside. If our external perception with students who are starting out their career is that this is the best place to go, we’re very proud of that. We understand it’s happening because of

our brand, and people know and love our brand, especially in Malaysia. We must keep the promise on the inside.

growing, and finding their way through confusion, and we want to help them along the way.

Q What is the promise on the inside?

Q How has this new generation of

The promise is real responsibility from day one; working in a really complex environment and having somebody to support you through the process, while allowing you the space to search for what you want. Management trainees and younger employees are what we call “soul searchers”. They’re searching for what fits for them and what’s right for them, and this is something we really understand. The first few years for a management trainee are a time of confusion and ambiguity, but that’s fine with us. We have faith in people

workers impacted the culture? If you look at the employee generations, 51% of our staff have been with us for less than five years. That’s quite a significant number because when you look at the need for people to understand the culture, and the ways of working, we have quite the responsibility to train up these new people. Most of the 51% are certainly Gen Y – in fact, 39% of our management staff in Malaysia are Gen Y and 10% are Gen X. We’re beginning to get a lot of requests from managers in the business in terms of trying to understand Gen

14 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

12-15_Q&A_Q32014_sub.indd 14

23/9/2014 10:18:39 AM

Uzma Qaiser Butt « PROFILE Y and how they need to be managed, but the approach we want to take is the generations need to have an understanding of each other. Gen Y is not necessarily exempt from trying to understand how Gen X or baby boomers work, because everyone has to work together. We haven’t necessarily launched any training, but it’s an issue we’re absolutely aware of. It’s interesting because when people talk about Gen Y, it’s often about how people have to adapt to the younger staff. It’s a conversation that has to happen both ways. We can’t stereotype them, we can’t treat them like aliens – they are human beings, just with a different set of expectations, as once upon a time Gen X was. About 20 years ago, people were wondering how to deal with Gen X. And guess what? The world didn’t fall apart.

Q For companies seeing an influx of Gen Y employees, what’s the best advice you would give them? First of all, seek to understand. It’s very hard to suspend judgment; when we meet people, we walk in with a lot of stereotypes and unconscious bias in our heads. The first thing we should do is, on an individual face-to-face basis, seek to understand. I think that’s a human principle and not just a corporate principle. When there is behaviour you don’t understand, the first thing you must assume is that it’s reasonable behaviour and there’s a reason why this person is behaving that way. It’s much easier to dismiss and mock people than it’s to seek to understand them.

Q In your previous role within Nestlé, you were a project coordinator who reported to the head of HR for Zone AOA (Africa, Oceania and Asia). What was your biggest learning point from having to work across 18 markets? The first thing that does strike you is how the socio-economic culture of a country will affect the social and people issues inside a company. Looking at the economic landscape of the country can give you a fair idea of the sorts of issues which are represented inside it. We have some countries with loose legal landscapes and some with tighter ones, and all that certainly determines the HR agenda.

“At the end of the day, your top talent are the ones who will give you a competitive edge, so don’t give up on their development.” Q How does it affect the HR agenda? It’s affected by the talent, laws and opportunities in the country. That’s quite striking. But you also see similarities across the market.

Q How so? Gen Y is a global issue and everyone is struggling with the same questions. Other similarities which were nice to see was how common Nestlé’s language is globally. We’ve been around for 148 years, and have developed a common vocabulary.

Q Could you share examples of that? It’s really around talking about our values, which are the same across the world. We talk about being a company that thinks long-term, and time and time again you’ll come across people in the organisation who are not thinking about what’s going to happen tomorrow, but about what’s going to happen in five or 10 years. This is a principle that is present in our company from Australia to Kenya.

Q With technology and all its advances, has it been easier to keep HR strategies consistent across a large region? Technology allows the dissemination of information instantly, and in that sense no one can say they don’t have access to the right information. Technology has truly allowed access to information in a way we’ve never seen before. Your ability to prioritise becomes very critical now, especially in the presence of a lot of information. On the one hand, technology has helped us create and share consistent policies, but it’s also challenged our ability to prioritise and see what is right for each market. Technology can help with decision making, but you have to choose which decisions you want to make.

Q How do the leadership programmes at Nestlé tie in with succession planning? We do succession planning across the market, but specifically focused on what we call key positions. These are positions

within the company – at any level – which should never be left vacant.

Q So these are not necessarily senior positions? Not at all. For instance, you can think about our roles in quality or engineering. Even if the roles are not senior, you cannot be without an engineer in the factory. We do succession planning throughout the organisation, and a lot at the management level, but we’ve also identified critical positions. The senior leadership team speaks about the successors of these key positions at least twice a year to make sure they’re on the right path for development, so they will be ready to take on that position one day. That includes a number of things such as their leadership skills, their experience and their technical competencies. Are they technically able to do the job?

Q What critical experiences have they had to help them better judge situations? There are two parts to it: One is ensuring there is a pipeline, and ensuring what happens to the people in the pipeline. Are they getting the right exposure and training to get them ready? The horizon we look at is up to five years.

Q How do you then identify which positions are critical? This is through conversations with senior leaders in the markets. We give them definitions and criteria to establish. One of the simplest questions to ask is, “If this job was vacant, what would happen to your operations? Would you be able to patch it up really quickly or would you have a serious gap?”

Q What advice would you give your peers when it comes to succession planning? It needs to be consistent and persistent, and focusing absolutely on your talent without compromise. At the end of the day, your top talent are the ones who will give you a competitive edge, so don’t give up on their development. Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 15

12-15_Q&A_Q32014_sub.indd 15

23/9/2014 10:19:01 AM

SPONSORED ADVICE THIS ARTICLE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY PEMBANGUNAN SUMBER MANUSIA BERHAD

HUMAN CAPITAL IS THE ENGINE OF THE ENTERPRISE Introduction The centre of global economic gravity is moving away from the Atlantic – where it has been for the past 150 years – and tilting towards the Pacific. Globally, human capital is decisively the most important challenge for CEOs. In essence, human capital is the thread that forms the basis for strategic action. Asia is in the middle of a historical transformation. China has already become the “No.2” world economy and is increasingly determined to become “No.1”. India has also risen steadily since it gave up central planning, particularly in modern communications and information technologies. Like China, a population billionaire, India has also become a major player within the global power equation. Asia’s growth path as a whole is to regain the leading global economic position it once held some 250 years ago before the Industrial Revolution occurred. Indeed, the 21st century will likely become the “Asian Century”. By 2025, Asia is projected to be the home of at least three of the world’s five largest economies. By then, China, India and Japan will be sharing the top honours with the United States and the European Union.

and research institutions with numerous heavy industries, software companies, aerospace, telecommunications and defence organisations blended with gardens, parks, natural lakes and heritage architecture landmarks.

Dawning of the Asian century If Asia continues to grow on its current trajectory of the past 50 years, by 2050, our continent could account for more than half of the global GDP, trade and investment. Asia’s individual incomes could rise six-fold to equal the global average to match today’s European levels. At the same time, some three billion Asians currently mired in deprivation could become affluent in the future. But, of course, Asia’s ascent is by no means pre-ordained. Not only does Asia need to sustain the world’s highest growth rates, it must also mitigate environmental degradation. But most importantly, it must narrow the gap between rich and poor within big cities as well as small towns that are growing in many Asian countries.

Educate people: foundation of economic miracles During this last half-century, East Asia’s middle income countries achieved what the World Bank calls a “miracle of shared growth”. Due to East Asian governments’ heavy investment in public health, basic education and mass housing, while their economies were expanding at an unprecedented rate, they were able to dramatically cut down East Asian poverty. Throughout the 1980s, South grew by 9.1%, Taiwan 8.8% and Singapore by 7.3%. During the 1990s, Thailand and Malaysia’s growth ranged from 6.1% to 10.1%. This dramatic growth reduced poverty between the 1970s and 1990s. According to World Bank estimates, poverty in Malaysia declined from 18% to 2% and in Thailand from 26% to 11% in 1996. In China, the past 30 years of growth has improved the lives of 400 million people with the greatest mass emancipation from poverty the world has seen.

Modernising by invention and innovation From now on, modernisation will come about the hard way. As we know, the East Asian countries developed by learning from the states that had industrialised before them and by drawing from the reservoir of technologies instituted by earlier industrialisers. Through discipline, intelligence, hard work and determination, the best of the Asian “tiger economies” have caught up, or even surpassed, their colonial masters. For example, the average Singaporean is now richer than the average Englishman and TV sets made by South Korea’s Samsung are driving Japan’s Sony out from the global markets. But now that Asia has caught up, it must continue to modernise itself. Asia can no longer continue by copying and adopting accomplished approaches from other nations, but by innovating and inventing itself as the earlier modernisers had done. The imperative for the nations of Asia is stark and urgent. Asia cannot continue drawing lessons from another nation’s achievements. Asia must strike out in search of its own way to a better future. We will need many more Bangalores (a.k.a Bengaluru), regarded as the Silicon Valley of India. It is India’s proud showcase, and among the world’s top 10 preferred entrepreneurial locations. As an Asian metropolis, Bangalore is home to many famous universities

Surviving in the knowledge society In classical past, the means of production relied on capital, land and labour. But in our time, the strength of the modern economy lies in its human capital or educated citizens within “knowledge societies”. Today’s modern economic wealth lies in its human resources. We measure an economy’s potential through its human capital such as the quality and number of its top engineers, chemists, metallurgists, managers, financial analysts, researchers and innovators. Engineers are particularly important due to their roles as gatekeepers for new technologies to manage their upward progression. Critical masses of educated people have been the foundation of the “Asian miracles” during this last half-century. In today’s global society, knowledge is a crucial resource.

Blending new perspectives of NHRS with economic growth The world is turning into a global village due to the information and communication technology revolution. With the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) coming on stream on 15 December 2015, it’s now most timely for ASEAN countries to enhance the formation of socio-economic, cultural, professional networks and the National Human Resources Standards (NHRS) to encourage mobility of talent across borders and expand our co-operation to ensure a brighter future for younger generations. Malaysia, in crafting its NHRS, explained that: “Today’s human capital is seen as the ‘DNA’ of organisational and professional success and consists of competencies, knowledge and personal attributes embodied in the ability to perform work to produce economic value. At the individual talent level, it points to qualities gained through education, learning/development and experience.” Malaysia’s economic growth has once again trumped the market, with gross domestic product (GDP) accelerating faster than widely expected within the highest pace in six quarters thanks to strong export growth and robust private domestic demand. According to Bank Negara, Malaysia’s economy for the three months to June grew by 6.4%. In the first quarter of the year, the economy expanded

16 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

16-17_BrandedContent_HRDF_Q314_sub.indd 16

23/9/2014 9:43:40 AM

SPONSORS

PARTNERS

www.hre-awards.com/MY

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

FEATURE » L&D

As the business climate shifts, L&D functions are becoming more professional in their approach. Akankasha Dewan talks to senior HR leaders on how corporate training methods have evolved, and what implications these changes hold for the future.

24 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

24-29_Feature_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 24

23/9/2014 10:46:09 AM

L&D « FEATURE usinesses worldwide have woken up to the fact that change is the new and perhaps only norm today. In this age of rapidly evolving ideas, technologies and systems, many of employees’ fundamental relationships – within organisations and economies – are being reimagined and recreated in ways that challenge their usual assumptions. Because of this, the learning and development function has become even more integral in the process of equipping staff with the skills they need to deal with such change. But as conventional assumptions about what such training represents for a company shift, assumptions about the operations of the human resources functions handling such programmes also naturally changes. The issue doesn’t merely

stop at whether the function grows in importance or not, but rather about how the function grows. This involves a revaluation of both the department’s products and sources – in terms of what skills, knowledge and capabilities people will require, and in terms of how learning and development interventions can be delivered effectively amid this environment of change.

Becoming a better strategic partner A recent report by futurethink on the future of L&D programmes worldwide highlighted the immense need for L&D functions in the near future to be more in tune with the business objectives of the company. “If L&D groups want to truly get a seat at the executive table, there is a strong feeling among survey respondents that they will have to do a better job of being true business partners, offering courses that teach the topics that help management drive business, not just build foundational skills,” the report states. According to the survey, 44% said the role of L&D in their organisations could be described as that of a strategic business partner, something which resonates with A Mateen, vice-president of human resources at DHL Express, Singapore, Southeast Asia and South Asia. “Learning and development programmes have to align with and support the overall business strategy

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 25

24-29_Feature_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 25

23/9/2014 10:46:09 AM

FEATURE » L&D and goals,” he says. “There are two key aspects: foundational programmes that build a strong culture across the organisation based on shared values and those that advance specific functional and/or managerial competencies. “Both types of programmes have to exist in order to groom employees of today into leaders of tomorrow – capable managers or individual contributors who are also strong brand ambassadors.” To facilitate a greater connection between training programmes and the business objectives of the company, Eduardo Pérez Cejuela, senior HR director for Asia at Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, suggests improving the participation of senior leaders in L&D initiatives. Such participation is key also because it is precisely in developing leadership capability that staff development initiatives are increasingly targeted towards (74%), according to the corporate learning priorities survey 2014 by Henley Business School. With business unit leaders now requiring their teams to stay on top of competitive trends, analyse complex business situations and understand global markets, it is precisely such leaders who can provide the best training for their staff.

“Cross-border exchange and job placement programmes within the organisation have become more common” – A Mateen, vice-president of human resources at DHL Express, Singapore, Southeast Asia and South Asia

“A leader’s involvement in the whole life cycle of L&D planning is crucial,” Cejuela says. “In the designing phase, they are required to provide input on measurement criteria - for example, behavioural change and work efficiency - at the outset of each training programme. “At the implementation phase, it is about staying involved and remaining attentive to the progress of their employees. As a follow-up, they should continue to coach and mentor employees to ensure the newly acquired knowledge and skills are applied by the employees to drive the overall business objectives.” Brendan Toomey, vice-president of human resources for Asia Pacific at Hilton Worldwide,

agrees, adding that senior business leaders of companies should be at the forefront of learning and development programmes. “One of the unique features of our development programmes is the general managers and other senior leaders actually lead and deliver some of our training programmes. “For instance, GMs deliver the management development programme to heads of departments. They are also observers in these programmes which develop high-potential team members to director-level and future GMs. Often, these GMs serve as mentors to these team members through a company sponsored mentoring programme. “By doing this, we move the learning away from it being a HR-driven initiative and towards a partnership with the business. These GMs lend credibility to the programmes and inspire the team members through the sharing of their stories and experiences.”

Prioritising your training According to the futurethink report, if L&D programmes are becoming more businessoriented, then audience segmentation within training efforts has also increased over the years. Now, such business-targeted training is aimed towards those employees with high potential, who are viewed as the primary group for which training is prioritised. Managers and new employees followed this high-potential group respectively, with executives and the general employee population being the least important groups when it came to training and development. Toomey observes that changing business climates contribute to the necessity of having such distinctions. “We have a strong pipeline of hotels that are opening in Asia Pacific within the next few years. Hence, there is an urgent need to attract more talents into the company and to develop our existing team members,” he says. “We believe that learning and development plays an extremely important role in attracting quality talent into Hilton Worldwide, and also in retaining high-performing individuals.” In a general context, the high-performing employee is someone with the ability, engagement and aspiration to rise to – and succeed – in more senior, critical positions. But training such high-performing individuals isn’t without its fair share of

26 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

24-29_Feature_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 26

23/9/2014 10:46:10 AM

L&D « FEATURE challenges, the first being their competition with senior employees. “High-potentials generally are highly confident and full of enthusiasm,” Mateen says. “They are often impatient and want to be promoted to the next higher role within 18 to 24 months. Senior staff, on the other hand, may also expect to be given roles of higher responsibilities by virtue of their length of service. “These two groups of employees may expect learning and development opportunities to go hand-in-hand with promotions, that is, once the training is received they will get the bigger job that they are after. “However, these decisions are always made on current capabilities and job fit, which is a match in skills and competencies of candidates in running and those required in the role. Cejuela agrees: “The biggest challenge when training high-potential and senior staff is to understand their focus and needs in different stages of their development. In this day and age, the new generation comes in with different expectations, and it is thus crucial for leaders to address their concerns, and further motivate, engage and identify the right programme to bring out the best in them.” Therefore, honest and regular feedback and communication becomes integral in managing expectations of such employees. “This is where we, as HR leaders, need to be clear on how we communicate the objectives and even the timelines when people embark on these programmes,” Toomey says. “To ensure we meet the challenge of increasing mobility and succession planning, we, as HR leaders, together with the operations leaders, also run quarterly talent reviews of all our available talent in Asia Pacific. These serve to highlight available talent which is ready to move as well as roles in which they can move into.”

Changing the mode of training Keeping pace with technological change, L&D functions have also evolved rapidly over the past few years when it comes to the style of delivering content to better serve the global marketplace. All three HR leaders agree that moving forward, the most successful organisations will see greater flexibility and adaptability in learning styles to fit the diverse needs of all employees, whether they’re fresh out of university, Gen X or a Baby Boomer.

“A leader’s involvement in the whole life cycle of L&D planning is crucial.” – Eduardo Pérez Cejuela, senior director of HR for SABIC in Asia

“There is an increasing demand for convenience and accessibility,” Cejuela says. “In 2013, we continued to expand our resources and tools to develop global crosscultural competency, including company wide access to an online platform containing information and online training modules to provide easy access, in addition to classroom courses.” Mateen concurs on the use of a blended approach towards training, but highlights a few other modes of training that have become popular over the past couple of years. “Cross-border exchange and job placement programmes within the organisation have become more common,” he says. “They augment on-the-job training to provide international exposure and opportunity for learning. “A greater emphasis on development centres is also on the rise in recent years. “It helps provide for another avenue to identify and assess talents and high potentials across the organisation for succession planning.” Cross-functional training is also a method highlighted by Toomey, which complements the traditional classroom approach. “We believe people learn best when they are given cross-exposures to other functions, when they have mentors to guide them and when they are given projects to do,” he says. “This allows for maximum exposure to the business and senior leaders. “We have found that regardless of age, our team members have given good feedback on this method of learning, citing its applicability and relevance to work. There is still a place for traditional classroom training, but that probably constitutes around 20% of all our programmes.” But increasing the effectiveness of learning remains incomplete without a strategic process in place to measure the impact of learning. “Improving efficiency and ROI has grown to become a key theme in business organisations across the board,” Cejuela says. “The L&D function is no exception. There is expectation for measurement and results for investment in training, especially in terms of business and behavioural impact.”

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 27

24-29_Feature_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 27

23/9/2014 10:46:10 AM

FEATURE » L&D

CASE STUDY: CISCO SYSTEMS Akankasha Dewan speaks with Annella Heytens, vice-president of HR for Cisco Systems Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, about the company’s unique methods of ensuring senior management gets the development it needs. In a conversation about planning the future of any organisation’s functions, policies or structures, it is integral to take into consideration the capabilities and vision of its senior management. After all, any workforce, regardless of size, continuously looks up to this elite group of people to guide it through good times or bad. It is therefore little surprise that corporate L&D strategies are now becoming increasingly targeted towards high-potential and senior leaders, and will continue to do so in the near future. Getting the right visibility But it is precisely the significant weight these leaders carry which puts added pressure on HR to craft compelling and effective leadership development policies for senior management. “When you are at the management or leadership level, it’s not about being trained or developed, it’s about having the right visibility and exposure and networking,” says Annella Heytens, vice-president of human resources for Cisco Systems Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China. She recounts her perspectives on attending a highpotential training course for senior-level directors in the United States, which was a 12-week programme. “The course enabled me with an opportunity to meet my peers all across the company. That’s when you realise this is the space I play in, and if I wish to move up to a different level, these are the people I will be eventually playing with,” she says. “Having visibility into that is what is important because at the end of the day, if you don’t have such visibility, you actually don’t know how your job is developing and what you’re stepping into.” Enabling leaders with the visibility and exposure into where the organisation may be heading is an integral element to consider when planning L&D policies for such senior audiences. High-potential employees and senior leaders largely know what functional requirements their job entails, but it is often viewing the larger piece of the puzzle which is a skill yet to be fully developed. “What you don’t know is the softer side of the job, which is how you connect the dots between the different functions, the different teams, the different sites, et cetera,” she observes. “That’s the piece which is really important. It is not so

“When you are at the management or leadership level, it’s not about being trained or developed, it’s about having the right visibility and exposure and networking.” much the course, but rather being able to connect all the dots.” High-potential training sessions, such as the one Heytens attended, are therefore helpful in exposing leaders to the visions and viewpoints of their colleagues and seniors. Finding a common platform Such sessions provide leaders of different functions the opportunity to get together and share their thoughts on the rapidly shifting business landscape on a common platform. “Leaders have to understand the value of such programmes,” she says. “Change is happening really quickly, and technologies are developing rapidly. In our space, within the technological industry, they are changing almost daily. “So if you don’t have a focus on learning the new technology and what’s happening in the market, then you’re going to greatly miss out. “If you don’t do anything to accelerate at the same pace as technology changes, then you’re just going to be left behind. She says whether you do self-learning or courses, it’s important to put “double the amount of time” into learning about the changes around you. “In fact, if we were able to train our employees as much as we wanted, they probably wouldn’t even have time to go out and sell or do their work because there’s so much going on.” And it’s not just something faced in their industry, she says. This accelerated rate of change affects everyone, and to manage it, the directive and example needs to come from the top. “It always starts from the top, from the managers and the leaders to encourage and attend training.” Leadership participation from all functions of the business becomes even more integral when initiatives

28 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

24-31_Feature_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 28

22/9/2014 6:09:32 PM

L&D « FEATURE

rolled out solely by HR generate lower interest among employees. “HR is responsible for programme development and getting the pieces together so it functions like a process and a proper system, but at the end of the day, you have to have the business endorsement and manager accountability. “You have to put up a change management plan whenever rolling out any programme, paying attention to the details, who’s responsible for monitoring and evaluating whether the programme is really doing what it is supposed to do.”

“HR is responsible for programme development and getting the pieces together so it functions like a process and a proper system, but at the end of the day, you have to have the business endorsement and manager accountability.”

up for those slots on the day of the event, then they [the departments] get charged for it. “Sometimes you do have to take drastic measures if you wish to ensure that your programmes do get rolled out smoothly.” They also have a system whereby they notify the manager’s manager if their employees don’t attend training programmes. “That way, there is some level of accountability,” she says. Cisco’s talent management team also puts together a training calendar, which is updated regularly on the company’s website. This shows employees all the courses they are required to take in a quarter so they can plan their training schedules ahead of time. Such a tactic is beneficial for senior leaders involved in multiple learning programmes across functions. “There is still the functional learning which needs to be attended to,” she says. “There is so much going on within our spaces that we try to accommodate everything, as much as possible, through planning, through things like penalising, scheduling it all in advance, and sending managers emails. “It is not easy when you have people doing two or three jobs and who are always doing more with less.”

Getting the leaders involved But getting such support and endorsement from senior leaders to participate and encourage learning is easier said than done. Heytens recounts a situation where leaders themselves prevented their staff from attending training sessions. “We have an initiative called Learning Day. It’s one whole day dedicated to learning, not just about technology, but learning in general. There is one specific topic assigned to this day – team-building, for example – and we get in external vendors to conduct the training,” she says. “Normally, an email goes out to all employees asking them to register for this event, and we did get everybody to register this time. “However, during the day itself, there were a few slots which were empty and we found out that managers of our employees themselves told their staff not to attend the training because they had to do X, Y, Z.” To prevent this kind of situation, she suggests it may be necessary for some slightly more drastic measures to be put into place. “What we did subsequently was that we started to penalise. If your employees register and they don’t show

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 29

24-31_Feature_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 29

22/9/2014 6:09:32 PM

FEATURE » Serviced Apartments

Serviced apartments are no longer a “nice to have” for companies and their mobile employees. As more organisations choose these abodes over other forms of housing, Sabrina Zolkifi finds out what the appeal is and how it impacts productivity.

30 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

30-34_Feature_ServicedAprtments_Q314_sub.indd 30

22/9/2014 6:34:00 PM

Serviced Apartments « FEATURE s the saying goes, there is no place like home. But in a world where there is high demand for employees to be on the move and, in some instances relocate both temporarily and permanently, some are forced to settle for second best. For HR leaders and travelling employees, this is where serviced apartments come into the picture. They provide clients with comfortable residences and a wide range of amenities to marry the best of both worlds. The Apartment Service’s Global Serviced Apartment Industry report for 2013/2014 reported Asia Pacific had seen a massive increase in serviced units over the past 10 years. It estimates the total number of units to hover at about 655,990 in more than 8,800 locations across the world. The report also found Singapore boasted the second lowest number of apartments per 1,000 business visitors (1.8), only lagging behind London at 1.2. A separate survey by Chesterton also found that at the end of 2013, Singapore had 5,835 serviced apartment units. The city state also experienced a small increase in occupancy rates – from 80.9% in 2012 to 84.5% last year. “This growth in demand has been fuelled by the global economic recession, particularly among corporates who have turned to serviced apartments as a cost-effective alternative to long-term hotel stays,” said the Apartment Service’s report. For many HR leaders, the decision to put employees up in serviced apartments is an easy one to make. “We want employees to feel that they have more space, privacy and a home from home,” says Rebecca Pearce, HR director for global operations in Southeast Asia at Dyson. However, companies which want to provide those luxuries to staff must be willing to fork out a little extra. According to Chesterton, the daily average rate for a serviced apartment unit in Singapore last year was $279. This is slightly higher than the average rate of gazetted hotel rooms in Singapore, which averaged at $263 in 2013, the country’s Ministry of Trade and Industry reported.

But HR leaders should be careful about being too fixed on cost and sourcing for the cheapest apartment. “Focusing purely on rate is not the way to calculate the real return on investment to the corporate,” Charles McCrow, of The Apartment Service, said in the report. Pearce agrees, saying: “Make your employees feel valued by giving them a good experience holistically. “Many of the employees may go on to live or relocate permanently to Singapore so make sure their accommodation gives them the right impression.”

Home sweet home Priscilia Yap, a mobility manager for an international sporting brand, says the deciding factor for her about whether an employee should be placed in a serviced apartment is the duration of their stay.

“Organisations may sometimes cave in to explore more cost-efficient temporary lodging options, or when the office is located outside prime business districts, there could be a need to look for alternatives other than traditional serviced apartments.” – Priscilia Yap, a mobility manager with an international sporting brand

“Typically, for temporary stays longer than two weeks, we would recommend employees to be put up in a serviced apartment,” she says. “This is especially so for employees relocating with families, as the amenities would provide them with better comfort such as kitchen facilities.” She believes this level of comfort has a direct impact on an employee’s productivity level when working abroad. “Generally, when the family’s needs are taken care of, it often translates to a more productive employee,” Yap says. Pearce adds this is true as well for all employees, regardless of whether they relocate with their families. “If you feel more at home you can concentrate on your day job more easily.”

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 31

30-34_Feature_ServicedAprtments_Q314_sub.indd 31

24/9/2014 12:57:05 PM

FEATURE » Serviced Apartments

Unlocking the right door: HR leaders should be careful about being too ﬁxed on cost and sourcing for the cheapest apartment.

Staying social There are also social benefits for employees living in serviced apartments rather than a hotel room. The former allows tenants to host social events and guests, something that many hotels may not be able to accommodate. Serviced apartments also often boast kitchens or cooking areas, adding to that “at home” feel which may be missing from other housing alternatives. Many also take care of the initial hassle of settling in, including subscribing for utilities, which foreign guests may struggle with. Additionally, serviced apartments may also offer guests services such as in-house laundry and transportation to nearby train stations or malls. When picking a serviced apartment for staff, HR leaders should keep in mind the residences’ proximity to the office, accessibility and leisure facilities, Pearce says. They should also keep in mind the ease of working with and dealing with the serviced apartment provider. Ideally, the serviced apartment should be one which has a guest services team to help employees settle in, while maintaining close ties with the company. However, despite the increase in the number of serviced apartments, HR leaders need to be wary. Serviced apartments are less strictly regulated in

Singapore, which has resulted in possibly more “wannabe entrants”, including private owners and developers, Chesterton’s report warned. “Instead of offering full-scale serviced apartments, landlords may offer apartments with services – bundling housekeeping and repair maintenance services,” it said. “It’s an easy task of taking a vacant residential property and putting a label on the door claiming that it is now a serviced apartment.” This is something Yap agrees with. “In Singapore, we have seen and continue seeing many new ‘serviced apartment’ offerings in the market or over the internet,” she says. “Organisations may sometimes cave in to explore more cost-efficient temporary lodging options, or when the office is located outside prime business districts, there could be a need to look for alternatives other than traditional serviced apartments.” Therefore, companies should not compromise when it comes to picking the perfect serviced apartment partner. She adds it’s important to research the establishment and make sure they’re in compliance with the necessary authorities, something which will also help weed out new players who are not certified to be legitimate serviced apartment providers. “After all, the employees’ wellbeing is of utmost priority,” she says.

32 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

30-34_Feature_ServicedAprtments_Q314_sub.indd 32

24/9/2014 12:57:36 PM

FEATURE » Serviced Apartments DO EMPLOYEES HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF SUPPORT IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES? On the off chance something does crop up, make sure employees and their families have a contact point they can get in touch with. This could be someone from the serviced apartment or your HR team. Having a single contact point will be very helpful during stressful situations.

Sabrina Zolkifi puts together a serviced apartment checklist when choosing temporary accommodation for staff. Picking a home can be stressful work, especially if you’re doing it on someone else’s behalf. When helping employees pick the best option for serviced apartments, there are a few things they should keep in mind. Here’s a checklist to help you the next time you find yourself deciding which apartment to choose.

ARE YOU BEING TRANSPARENT WITH COST? HAVE YOU ASKED ABOUT THEIR PREFERENCES? It’s easy to pick a serviced apartment and consider it a one-size-fits-all solution, but remember that at the end of the day, the people who need to be most comfortable are the employees. Sit them down for a quick chat to go through the housing arrangements, and see if there’s anything the company can do to meet their needs. It may be impossible to relocate them to another apartment or lease a separate unit to cater to their requests, but making an effort to show them you will do what you can to help will make the process smoother for the employee and their families.

Each company has its own set of policies when it comes to accommodation benefits. Some only provide assistance in finding a unit, while others may offer to pay for rent and amenities as well. Make sure HR, line managers and employees are clear which costs are taken care of by the organisation and which will come out of the tenant’s pockets. Also go through issues such as home repairs and renovations. The earlier you manage these expectations and rules, the less agony for everyone if something crops up.

DOES THE RESIDENCE PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS? While it may be important the apartment is located within amenities such as shopping malls, schools (for employees with families), public transportation and medical care, don’t forget to also check if the unit comes furnished. Household facilities such as in-house laundry and kitchen appliances may be small items, but can go a long way in making staff feel at home. Besides, it’s one more thing they don’t have to worry about, giving them more time to focus on their role.

34 » HumanResources 34 Hum man anResources Malaysia Malayssia i » Q3 22014 014 14

30-34_Feature_ServicedAprtments_Q314_sub.indd 34

22/9/2014 6:34:09 PM

Lighthouse Events, the events management division of Lighthouse Independent Media, has been bringing Lighthouse’s conferences, awards shows and internal meetings to life since 2006 - over 40 events annually in multiple formats through numerous markets across Asia. Staffed by a team of experienced and dedicated event professionals, Lighthouse Events is commited to understanding and delivering its clients’ strategic objectives. Lighthouse Events has the expertise and experience to conceptualise and manage any customised event, making sure its clients’goals are met on every occasion. Call us if you need a partner for:• Venue Sourcing • Destination Management • Event Conceptualization • Supplier Management

• Registration Services • Branding & Graphic Design • Event Production/Logistics Support

OPINION » Learning & development

Want to engage Gen Y? Use common sense CHEW HAN GUAN Corporate Learning & Development Manager Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd

Engaging and catering to different generations of employees is easier said than done. Chew Han Guan, corporate L&D manager at Singapore Technologies Aerospace, suggests using common sense and analytics to better engage staff of specific ages.

The global workforce is experiencing a phenomenon of change as one generation is passing the baton to the next. As with all change, there will be unknowns and as the dynamics unravel, the implications and consequences can become confounding and protracted. Gen Y and the currently dominant Gen X are like oil and water – they simply do not mix. They are two generations of contrasting ideals, ethics and pathos. Gen X believes in hard work and earning your way up, influenced by an era of post-industrial revolution values. Long working hours is still prevalently held as a virtue, especially in the Asia context. On the other hand, Gen Y can be distinguished by their creativity and resourcefulness, always seeking the most efficient way of doing things. Being born at the dawn of the internet era, they are used to information being readily available at their fingertips; Gen Y seeks the same pace and speeds in their life and work. This is only natural. Put the two together and you get the professional equivalence of: Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. With a lack of understanding on either side, at best you will get compromises after compromises, and at worst you can get confrontations , discords, grievances and ultimately turnover. None of the outcomes bode well for the individual and the organisation, resulting in disengagement, a lack of synergy and loss of productivity. As the negative perceptions on each party accumulates over time, the susceptibility to stereotyping increases. The false-consensus effect gets reinforced with each generation pigeon-holing the other as dysfunctional. This picture is arguably an exaggerated extreme in a time when Gen X still rules the workplace. But in years to come, as Gen Y grows in numbers, who is to say this will not run true, especially if Gen X remains unexposed and unenlightened about the seemingly elusive Gen Y. But the generational differences are surmountable. In fact, their collaboration is predisposed for success given the wider environment. Gen X has to deal with Gen Y on a personal level. Many Gen X have families or relatives who are Gen Y; be it a sibling, a son, daughter, niece, nephew or cousin twice removed. When you go to the movies, the cinema or a restaurant, chances are you may be served by a Gen Y part-timer. When you watch the television or read the news or read a book, Gen Y inevitably

Get on Gen Y’s level: Forget the bells and whistles, just use common sense.

contributes a part of that entertainment. Gen Y has come into the present and Gen Y will dominate the future, faster than you may imagine. In fact, for Singapore, projections show this will likely take place around 2025, which is just a decade away from where Gen Y forms the majority of the population of working age. Fortuitously, as described above, the motivation to understand, the necessity to interact with and the environment to practise in is engendered in many parts of life and also work. On engagement First, give Gen Y feedback informally and frequently. Gen Y respects authority, but they do not fear it. Their upbringing plays an important role in shaping this mentally. Gone are the days of child rearing which follows the axiom of “sparing the rod and spoiling the child”. Gen Y are reasoned with from a young age and guided to make the right decisions. The top-down approach without any explanation will not go down well. Mentor them and coach them and they may yet become a useful aide. Take a moment to share your experience. They will value that. The timeliness of feedback will sate their appetite to get information more than at the twice a year formal performance appraisal-cum-feedback session.

36 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

36-37_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 36

22/9/2014 5:53:19 PM

Learning & development « OPINION Second, they may challenge your ideas and instructions and provide you with alternative suggestions. The diversity of information they are exposed to makes them more open minded and creative. They start work with whatever knowledge or experience they have picked up. Hear them out and guide them to make the right decisions and give them a sense of autonomy by involving them in the decision-making process. Challenge them to prove their ideas and they might teach you a thing or two. It is perfectly possible for reverse mentoring to occur, especially when information technology and social media are concerned. Third, give them the opportunity to network and make the connections that will help them in their work. Afford them this freedom if they have the aptitude for it. Groom them to be effective communicators and tap on their vigour and energy to help you achieve your goals. Share with them the culture of the organisation and the personalities of the people in the company. Who knows, you might just win them over as your fan! On rewards and benchmarking Money is a necessary evil because it’s the basis of labour. A fair day’s wage for a fair day of work has been the maxim through the ages. The primary reason we work is to earn our keep. I believe in paying fairly and reasonably. A simple approach to this would be to use psychologist Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory to guide the compensation and benefits approach. As a rough guide, people earning wages to the left of the

median salary will tend to value monetary benefits more heavily, so pay them the market rate. There is little point in paying them less and agonising over the recruitment process again once they leave for a higher paying job. People earning wages to the right of the median salary earn a more comfortable keep, and they will demand more out of work. They will look for more job satisfaction. Pay them reasonably, within a decent percentage of the market rate, and develop a career path for them. While this holds true for all generations, in this new age, external equity is gaining more importance as information asymmetry diminishes. Gen Y can easily figure out what they are worth through a multitudes of channels, that is, on-line salary polls, published salary surveys, from fellow Gen Y peers who are more open to exchange information, browsing job offers and going for interviews. Conclusion The challenges ahead as the organisational demographic evolves will be an exciting and pivotal time and I believe a key criteria that will make companies successful in the near future will be how well the companies can tap on the unique characteristics of Gen X and Gen Y through purposeful efforts to harmonise and complement their strengths and differences. This article is written on a personal capacity and does not express the views and opinions of my employer.

Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 37

36-37_L&D_Q314_sub.indd 37

22/9/2014 5:53:24 PM

OPINION » People issues

Give, receive, repeat How American Express builds a culture of reward and recognition through Reward Blue.

DUSHYANT AJWANI Manager – compensation and benefits, Southeast Asia American Express

A good feeling: Help staff feel the love by managing rewards and recognition well.

Reward and recognition is a critical pillar of the “rewards” framework for any organisation and is the foundation to achieve engagement. To benefit both employer and employee, a carefully planned programme is necessary. The way American Express has built its reward and recognition programme – Reward Blue – is purposeful. The programme is available to more than 62,800 American Express employees across the globe and it delivers a consistent and uniform message to motivate and appreciate colleagues. It is simple yet effective and is based on three fundamental pillars: Praise employees for their efforts; offer rewards for meaningful results; and celebrate loyalty – a win-win formula. Praising efforts is a non-monetary way of appreciation, allowing employees to create, design and send fun animated eCards and eButtons to colleagues across all markets, recognising them for everyday tasks and congratulating them on great work. The intuitive and user-friendly online portal offers various themes for appreciation, such as leadership, congratulations, teamwork, innovation, customer service and encouragement. Reward Blue plays a pivotal role in bridging geographical boundaries and helps employees add a personal touch, even when they are hundreds and thousands of miles away from their colleagues. For example, an individual can make a customised eButton by picking a theme, colour, background and sending a personalised message to make their colleagues feel valued and special. Rewarding results allows employees to nominate colleagues for Blue Awards when they truly go above and beyond and perform exceptionally well. It is based on achievement of meaningful results and outcomes that have a significant impact on the project, team or business as a whole. Employees based in the UK, US and Canada have an elaborate catalogue of gifts to choose from based on the Blue Awards (Reward Blue currency) accumulated by them.

For other American Express markets, the Blue Awards are converted into local currency and paid out to employees as and when they receive the awards. The culture of recognition goes beyond praising efforts and rewarding results. American Express celebrates loyalty – service milestones of employees who have dedicated their careers to American Express. Employees receive a crystal award with a congratulatory message from the CEO. They also get to redeem gifts from the loyalty catalogue. The global recognition programme runs across different lines of business and staff groups to identify exceptional performers within each department and rewards them with prestigious awards such as the Pinnacle Award, Top Achievers Award and President’s Award. To reinforce a strong culture of recognition, American Express runs interactive and engaging campaigns to continuously educate and engage employees to appreciate great work. Campaigns and events such as build-a-button contest, employee appreciation month and global competitions help increase awareness and participation. One of the most popular campaigns is a global competition designed around a topical and popular world sporting event such as soccer or cricket. In the global competition, markets are pitted against one another and go into the next round based on the level of participation and engagement on Reward Blue during the competition period. The most engaged market will enter the top 16 and semifinals, and eventually the finals. The winning market receives a special award, as do the top givers in Reward Blue. These competitions not only help increase awareness of Reward Blue, but also help drive team recognition and camaraderie. The senior leadership are strong advocates of recognition and they consistently reinforce the message. Overall, Reward Blue provides strong foundational support to the rewards framework at American Express to motivate and encourage employees.

38 » HumanResources Malaysia » Q3 2014

38_PeopleIssues_Q314_sub.indd 38

22/9/2014 6:30:24 PM

Unconventional wisdom OPINION

So you want to be an interim manager, do you? BERNARD CRUZ, Group HR director Jebsen & Jessen SEA

Being an interim manager calls for broad experience in HR and management. What are the lessons you can learn from this experience?

After being based in Malaysia for a while, I decided to head back to Singapore for a break. But things have a way of working out differently from whatever you planned. I got a call from a consultancy about helping a company set up its HR systems. The office was near enough, a plus point to me at the time as I wanted to also spend more time with family. This was a European company and it was ramping up its orders and I was being brought in to handle two things. First, I was tasked with managing recruitment alongside two other staff and second, I had to create a set of policies and procedures for the company, in line with its corporate culture. I thought to myself, “I’ll do this for three months and then, I’m out of here”. In my mind, this sort of role was something I used to handle 15 years ago and it wasn’t something I wanted to spend a long-term basis on. It seemed a good fit for where I was at that point in time and it was interesting enough. This was my first foray into interim management. So I worked on it, in the three-month period and just as I was leaving, the chief executive called me in and offered me the global HR lead role. I was a little wary about how this was going – I had other offers at the time and it really wasn’t something I had expected to get into. I think me proving myself, familiarisation with the laws and regulations, having that generalist background and that level of familiarity with the Asia Pacific market is what led to this offer. It looked to be a management decision and truth be said, the global role did indeed pique my interest. And so, I accepted. An interim management role is one that calls for broad-based experience in management and human resources. I believe the person who takes on a challenging role such as this must go through the mill and develop the experience and expertise in general management and human resources. I believe a key strength is firstly developing business skills and really coming to grips with the business environment. You need to learn the business and the financials. Of course, there are all the other areas you need to include such as training and development , employee relations, learning and development. Maybe that’s why this sort of role is not very common here in Asia. I believe that people here don’t have the necessary ambit as opposed to those overseas. However, in the Asian culture, we tend to think of things like interim management towards the tail-end of our career. We look at securing our jobs, working till we’re 50 and then maybe, just maybe, we may consider interim management. At that point, you don’t need that level of job security . At that point, you also are able to bring that experience to bear. But I don’t think like that.

Bridge the gap: Interim management is a difﬁcult but rewarding experience

Moving forward, what kind of advice can I give you? I would say, learn the business, understand the financials and be a part of the business. Don’t step outside and watch what’s happening from the perimeter. Why should you know about EBITDA and P/L statements? You need to see what’s really happening. You need to put things in context. I have always believed HR people should go to courses on finance , like a course on finance for non-finance personnel. When I join an organisation, I have two fundamental “must do’s” with it always. First, I want to spend time with the sales guys, perhaps for two months. Then I would spend a further month with the chief financial officer. This lets me get to know the business and the financials and it will really begin to make sense when you start to work with them as you’ll see the relevance, connection and context. Fundamentally, HR has always been a reactive department and always a cost centre. You’ve heard the cry in any downturn: “Let’s cut down on training.” But if you really think about it, it’s the best time to hone in on that one area. Bring the good people in and when things get back on the up and up, you’re ready to rock. I can’t stress enough the need to bring credibility to yourself and to your game. The days of HR in the backseat are over and we are increasingly going to be seen as the CEO’s right hand. The next generation will see this happening. Q3 2014 « HumanResources Malaysia « 39

39_Un.Wisdom_Q314_sub.indd 39

22/9/2014 5:46:00 PM

15 OCTOBER 2014

SINGAPORE MARRIOT HOTEL

ASIA’S MOST IMPORTANT COMPENSATION & BENEFITS EVENT