ABOUT WORKPLACE STRATEGY SYMPOSIUM 2022 29 SEPTEMBER 2022 | 9AM – 12:30PM HKT | IN-PERSON, HOTEL ICON BROUGHT TO YOU BY Join us together with our esteemed panel of speakers and presenters who will share their expert insights, give real-life advice and answer questions on how you can understand, navigate and apply talent management, employee satisfaction, and reward ideas & strategies that are scalable; answering the HR needs of your organisation. Registration and speaking enquiries GERARD TIMBOL Senior Events Producer +852 2695 gerardt@humanresourcesonline.net6604 REGISTERFREEFOR
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 1 COVERSTORY CONTENTS Jul-Sep 2022 FEATURE ALL ABOARD THE PEOPLE ANALYTICS TRAIN 14108643RegularsEditor’snoteSuitetalkSnapshotWhitePaperSpacialawarenessHRbynumbers40LastWord FEATURE THE DOS WELLBEINGEMPLOYEEDON’TANDsOF AWARDSEXPERIENCEEMPLOYEE2022 A wrap of all the big winners at this year’s Employee Experience Awards. 32 PEOPLE ISSUES Is an unlimited leave policy the way forward for the future workplace? 28 38 GOING, GOING, GONE! HOW HR LEADERS ARE COPING WITH ASIA’S GREAT TALENT SHORTAGE 2016 To subscribe call: +852 2861 1882 / +65 6423 0329 or subscriptions@humanresourcesonline.netemail: publisher & managing director Evelyn Wong editor-in-chief Aditi Sharma Kalra journalist & bilingual sub-editor Tracy Chan englishJamessub-editorFoster graphic design Julia Li advertising sales Karen Yung Sally Hui circulation Deborah Quek marketing Cyrus Ching event production Gerard Timbol Selina Kwok Lemuel Cheung event services Melissa Tam Sharon Chu officeIrenemanagerWong Human Resources is published quarterly by Lighthouse Independent Media Ltd. Printed in Hong Kong by Apex Print Ltd. Subscription rates are available on request, contact the Circulation Manager by telephone: +852 2861 1882 / +65 6423 0329 or by email to: COPYRIGHTSsubscriptions@humanresourcesonline.netANDREPRINTS.Allmaterialprinted 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 Hong Kong office. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in Human Resources are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Hong Kong: Lighthouse Independent Media Ltd Units 1804-1805, Seaview Commercial Building, 21-24 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2861 1882 Fax: +852 2861 1336 Singapore: Lighthouse Independent Media Pte Ltd 100C Pasir Panjang Road, #05-01, See Hoy Chan Hub, 118519 Tel: +65 6423 0329 Fax: +65 6423 0117
A GOLDEN ERA OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
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“In the past, we emphasised on experience,” explained Shum. “Going forward, experience will still be important, but we have to be realistic in a way that we need to have the necessary skills and knowledge that are more important than experience.”
“Experience would pick up after a staff settles down in the post. So we probably need to revise our career ladders and identify internal talents in order to cope with any potential employee attrition,” she explained to HRO’s Tracy Chan as part of the cover feature.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 3 EDITOR’S NOTE
In the pages ahead, you’ll find the winning secrets of the EXA champions from this year’s ceremony, so you can adapt and ideate their best practices for your context. As always, we’ve greatly enjoyed putting together this edition for you, and we look forward to your inputs for 2023. Please write in to us at editorial@humanresourcesonline.net with your feedback. Enjoy the read.
Every leader we spoke to this past quarter is doing just that. “A lot has been said about the ‘Great Resignation’ in the last couple of years,” says interviewee Amanda Gervay, Senior Vice President, People & Capability, Asia Pacific, Mastercard, in the feature starting page 20. “But I think of it more as a ‘Great Re-evaluation’ – a moment in time where people are questioning just how they want to spend their working lives.” This, to us, signals an upheaval equally for HR professionals, most of whom are embracing the new trends as an opportunity to re-build and re-look at their employee value proposition. This is why this edition comes to you packed full of insights on how HR leaders across Asia are revamping initiatives to engage and energise the workforce as hybrid goes Nancy Shum, Human Resources Director of Urban Renewal Authority (URA), understands the need to continuously build skills needed for URA’s specialist expertise, and is rethinking the very definition of internal mobility to open up opportunities for staff.
Call it the brain drain, a new wave of emigration, the globally-cited ‘Great Resignation’, or the latest phenomenon borne from TikTok titled ‘quiet quitting’ – one thing is amply clear. The world of talent has been overhauled. We’re seeing a mammoth shift in employees’ priorities and what they Owingvalue.tothese megatrends, organisations are pulling out all stops to secure the loyalty and engagement of the talent they wish to retain on priority. What talent values today goes beyond the traditional employment proposition of role, rewards, and recognition. Into the wishlist, you’ll now find flexibility, freedom, and trust firmly implanted. Knowledge-driven employees want an employer who genuinely cares for their wellbeing (where health & safety is but one pillar), as much as they demonstrate care for the environment and the community in which they operate.
Aditi Sharma Kalra Editor-in-Chief
One of the other highlights for the team this past quarter was the debut of our Employee Experience Awards (EXA) in Hong Kong to a packed gala audience comprising the most progressive teams in the city. This was an idea that we developed in the thick of the pandemic and the reason was –we wanted to recognise the unsung hero of HR in a world where everything around us changed – and that is, a beautiful, consistent, and memorable employee experience.
Asia is a critical focal point of expansion for SevenRooms. We identified Hong Kong as an important market because it offers abundant growth opportunities within its booming hospitality sector. However, these are challenging times, especially as the pandemic continues to impact how we live, work, move, and interact with one Launchinganother.ina new market is exciting and humbling, but challenging at the best of times. We cannot simply replicate what has been successful elsewhere, we must expand with a team and strategy built for Hong Kong. We need to put down roots locally by building relationships, hiring staff, and connecting with local customers, communities, and stakeholders. Doing that requires a talented team, belief in our product, and our ability to use this to empower the local region. It requires hard work and commitment, but this motivates us to start and scale our local presence.
Brain drain is a real concern in Hong Kong at the moment. How are you and the team preparing to manage these talent-related challenges?
What have been the top challenges and opportunities during your expansion into Hong Kong’s hospitality sector?
How closely do you work with your Chief People Officer, and what matters are the most pressing to address?
Our Chief People Officer, Paul McCarthy, has one of the most important roles in the entire company, as he has been instrumental in creating our peoplefirst programmes. He and I work closely together – as he does with everyone in the company – from the CEO to a new hire.
Paul Hadida, General Manager, APAC, SevenRooms
Being a flexible, empathetic, people-first company, is our priority, and how we intend to overcome talent-related challenges. Doing so means a wholehearted commitment to our philosophy of hiring the right people, for the right reasons. With that in mind we offer a work from anywhere, anytime model, which means we’re not limiting opportunities to only those within a short commute of our offices.
For us, it’s very important to constantly evaluate the health of our team, ensuring that nobody feels overworked, stressed, or isolated. And, if they do, we find solutions to help them. As we expand in Hong Kong and Singapore, Paul and I are working together to manage the headcount in the region and ensure that we have the right processes in place to hire the best people for our open roles. How do you take care of the wellbeing of your team and yourself? At SevenRooms, we recently introduced our ‘Fresh Start’ policy, where every new employee spends their first two weeks of employment as paid leave. This is to give people the time they need to rest and recharge before embarking on a new journey with Weus. also offer flexible work options so employees can prioritise work/life balance and spend time doing what truly matters to them. We find this helps employees to bring their best selves to work every Personally,day.spending time with my wife and two boys has been critically important in helping me maintain a healthy work/life balance. As Paul McCarthy says, “work can wait, your personal life can’t”.We receive incredible perks like monthly and quarterly stipends to spend on whatever fills up our cup, and meals out at SevenRooms’ clients. Whether I use it for a dinner out with my wife, towards ingredients for a Sunday barbecue, or even just contributing towards a bill, it shows that SevenRooms cares about its people. This is in addition to unlimited paid time off, which I’ve been able to use to spend extra time with my family.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 20224 WORK LIFE » Leadership
We want to democratise opportunity and make SevenRooms work around our employees and prospective hires, not the other way around. We want to be a tech company that people in Hong Kong want to work for, whether they’re in the middle of the city or are interested in a more nomadic lifestyle while restrictions continue. We have an optimistic viewpoint that people will return to Hong Kong as restrictions ease further, and we are investing heavily in the market as they continue to do so.
But HKPC’s passion isn’t restricted to technology – it extends to talent as well. This is why it is actively supporting Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T hub under the framework of the National 14th Five-Year Plan and related new initiatives by the HKSAR Government, by equipping the young generation with appropriate job skills and knowledge in new technology through various internship programmes.
Evidently, through such initiatives, HKPC cultivates employees who can unleash their potential to achieve higher and better.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 5 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY HKPC
The summer cohort of HKPC’s InnoTalent Programme 2022 sees interns being deployed across 14 divisions, such as automotive platforms & application systems, green living & innovation, robotics & artificial intelligence, smart city, smart manufacturing, etc. During this eight-week metaverse-themed learning
journey, interns will participate in a series of ‘FutureSkills’ training, field trips, job shadowing, and the aptly-named, ‘dare-to-try’ project presentation competition.
All these experiences help enrich their knowledge and pave their way for a career in I&T with a better understanding of the latest developments in the industry and the application scenarios of various new technologies.
The cultivation of innovation & technology (I&T) talent is critical to Hong Kong’s continuous economic growth under the digitalisation-driven new normal. Therefore, HKPC is paying enormous attention to the training of ‘InnoTalent’. Since its establishment in 1967, HKPC has been focusing on futureforward areas such as research and development (R&D), IoT, big data analytics, AI, robotic technology, and digital manufacturing to support Hong Kong enterprises and industries. This is being achieved through integrated advanced technologies and innovative service offerings.
“The I&T industry is now the dominant trend, making the nurturing of a new generation of R&D talent even more pressing. As the wave of digital transformation has heightened demand for the application and talent of R&D technology, HKPC takes on the task of strengthening the I&T talent pool and strives to equip young people with future work skills and broaden their I&T horizons,” says Mohamed Butt, Executive Director of HKPC.
HKPC’S ‘INNOTALENT PROGRAMME’ TAKES ON A SOCIAL MISSION TO NURTURE YOUNG TALENT FOR HONG KONG
With an overwhelming response of close to 1,500 applications from students across top-notch local and overseas universities, HKPC has shortlisted “the best of the best” students who demonstrated an innovative mindset, excellent communication and language skills, as well as strong interest in R&D. HKPC is one of the local organisations hiring the highest number of summer interns, 48 in total.
“At HKPC, tertiary students can obtain unique learning and practical opportunities, participate in different R&D projects and have in-depth exchanges with expert consultants, thereby giving full play to their abilities and applying what they learn, so as to make better career plans for the future,” says Eliza Ng, Chief People and Culture Officer of HKPC.
To further strengthen the local I&T talent pipeline, HKPC has also partnered with different universities and education institutes, including The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the City University of Hong Kong, and the Vocational Training Council, to incubate more InnoTalent in Hong Kong.
Through all-round internship programmes, Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) helps future-proof local and overseas tertiary students to engage in Hong Kong’s technology and reindustrialisation developments.
HKPC’s ‘InnoTalent Programme’ is one such campaign, fully devoted to equipping tertiary students with skillsets for future employability, thus expanding the pool of young R&D talent. This programme has put HKPC’s social mission of nurturing the next generation into action by creating hands-on experiences and learning opportunities for talent to equip themselves.
2. What was the most innovative HR campaign that you’ve worked on? In 2019, we launched the Asia Pacific Women in Lenovo Leadership chapter that saw Lenovo’s female leaders from across the region coming together to discuss how the company can take bold and decisive steps towards ensuring women’s voices are heard around the world. In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we held more than 20 training and networking sessions with over 1,000 employees in attendance. We also launched the Lenovo EDGE (educate/ develop/grow/excel) programme in AP, with 53 participants in the first cohort. On top of this, there is the ‘Wonder Women Series’ where we invite reputable female executives from Asia markets to share with our people their career journeys. Our female leaders also share their career stories, success mantra, and advice to the younger generations on career planning. These are part of our efforts to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace.
4. With a Central Asia Pacific (CAP)-wide remit, how do you keep employees engaged and create an inclusive working environment?
6. Is there a mindset that you believe HR professionals should do away with? Do not act like an elementary school principal. As HR professionals, we work with leaders to manage the people’s agenda and contribute to business success. We are not here to take on what people managers should do. Instead, we should provide resources to empower the people managers, so they can manage their teams effectively. Remember that your attitude determines your destiny. No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist, so do not wish for it. Work for it. Great things never come from your comfort zone; big journeys begin with small steps.
1. What are the different HR challenges you’ve faced around managing talent across the various sectors you have worked in? Different industries face different talent management challenges and opportunities at different times. These ranged from a lack of front line talent during the telecom expansion, or a desire for industry-specific portfolio analysts in the financial sector, and consulting solutions sellers in the technology sector, when transforming from hardware to comprehensive services and solutions. At Lenovo, we hire talent from different industries, bringing their diverse expertise to add value to our company. We also provide training to help our employees build the necessary skill sets.
As of March 2022, Lenovo’s global workforce is made up of 36% women, while in AP, we have increased the proportion of women in managerial roles by 3.2% since 2020. In 2022, Lenovo Korea was certified as a Great Place to Work ®
5. Who is the one person who has inspired you the most in your career, and why? My father. He worked for the same employer throughout his 40-year career. However, he took on a new role every three to four years. He showed me through practice what “change is the only constant” means. He said life is like a game of chess. Forethought wins. I still keep it as my success mantra.
LENOVOBELLACHANHRDIRECTORCENTRALASIAPACIFIC minutes with ...
There are more than 4,000 employees in the nine markets in the CAP region: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. We have been using virtual platforms to keep everyone engaged. For example, we launched the ‘People First’ campaign a few years ago around wellness, celebration, and giving back. Every year, we run an average of 100 programmes, 70% of which are online. This includes virtual workout sessions and fitness challenges. We also launched the ‘Me-Time’ video campaigns to showcase our employees’ work and personal aspects, as well as a virtual experiential learning journey on leadership mindsets for all the people managers in the region. We are a technology company driven by an inherently inclusive vision: ‘smarter technology for all’. Ultimately, there is no ‘all’ without inclusion. We remain committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in our workforce.
3. On the other hand, what is the hardest decision you’ve had to make as a HR leader? In workforce planning, we often struggle between investment and affordability. We need to ensure the productivity trends remain healthy and continue to improve while investments are in place to ensure business growth is sustainable.
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» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 20226 WORK LIFE » Snapshot
American Express’ HR strategy is based on three pillars – “deliver a great colleague experience, grow the best talent, and develop new ways of working to unlock enterprise value”. Tying these together is American Express’ commitment to deliver a great colleague experience every day which has enabled it to execute successful ‘Colleague Wellness and Rewards & Recognition’ programme. Recognising that colleagues were less visible to leaders and stakeholders whilst working at home during the pandemic, American Express developed a holistic reward and recognition strategy to ensure colleagues’ contributions and achievements are recognised and valued. Through its ‘Reward Blue’ tool, colleagues can celebrate each other’s great work and success in a dedicated ‘Colleague Appreciation Month’ with ‘Blue Awards’, which is a monetary award, and e-cards. When colleagues achieve a milestone anniversary every five years of service they receive a ‘Fan Mail’ to acknowledge their contributions.
For a diverse community like American Express which has over 60,000 colleagues worldwide, promoting diversity and inclusion (D&I) is strategically imperative. This is fully reflected in the formation of an ‘Office of Enterprise Inclusion, Diversity and Business Engagement’, which focuses on ensuring that the company backs its customers as well as its colleagues. The company embraces and celebrates D&I, ensuring that colleagues can be their authentic selves and develop a true sense of belonging at work. Initiatives include diverse customer offerings, inclusive leadership and unconscious bias trainings for colleagues, and achieving 100% pay parity for gender globally.
Believing in “the best way to back our customers is to back our people”, the payment service provider wants to co-create simple and great ways of working.
Beyond flexibility, ensuring colleagues’ wellbeing is also key to supporting them to deliver their best work under the new hybrid working model. American Express expanded its extensive health benefits to provide holistic wellbeing programmes to support colleagues. This includes thoughtful additions such as, family care leave, vaccination leave, and COVID leave. New resources have also been put in place such as onsite medical facilities, 24/7 mental health counselling and a telemedicine service ‘CareClix’, virtual yoga and meditation classes, and engagement activities such as a steps challenge.
As a globally integrated payments company, American Express’ mission is to provide customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Providing the best backing to customers, the company believes, is all about backing its employees, who it calls “colleagues”.
WHY AMERICAN EXPRESS IS OBSESSED WITH UNDERSTANDING THE COLLEAGUE EXPERIENCE AT A DEEPER LEVEL
The effectiveness of all these initiatives has been proven through outstanding year-on-year engagement and wellbeing scores.
The pandemic has proved how work can be done effectively in a virtual manner. But American Express believes that colleagues spending a portion of their time together in the office is important to preserving its special in-person culture. To build on efficiency and agility gained from working virtually, the company introduced a new way of working named ‘Amex Flex’ to provide greater flexibility for its colleagues to enjoy the best of both worlds. The majority of colleagues now work on a hybrid model which allows them to recapture the creativity, connections, collaboration, and relationship building of working together in person, while having the flexibility to balance their professional and personal lives.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 7 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY AMERICAN EXPRESS
Looking forward, American Express will continue to innovate and evolve its colleagues’ offerings to remain a great place to work and an employer of choice. Its promise to colleagues: “You lead the way, we’ve got your back.”
In 2022, Singapore ranked fourth among the top overworked cities, falling two spots from 2021’s rankings. Hong Kong also dropped from its number one spot, ranking second this year. Interestingly, Kuala Lumpur made the top five in third place, overtaking Singapore.
THE TOP FIVE MOST OVERWORKED CITIES IN 2022
The full list of the top five overworked cities is as follows: 1. Dubai 2. Hong Kong 3. Kuala Lumpur 4. Singapore 5. Montevideo Conversely, Kisi also ranked the top cities for work-life balance. The rankings were based on several categories such as the city’s work intensity, and liveability factors such as affordability and happiness, culture and leisure.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 20228 WORK LIFE» Whitepaper
The top 10 cities for work-life balance are as follows:1. Oslo, Norway 2. Bern, Switzerland 3. Helsinki, Finland 4. Zurich, Switzerland 5. Copenhagen, Denmark 6. Geneva, Switzerland 7. Ottawa, Canada 8. Sydney, Australia 9. Stuttgart, Germany 10. Munich, Germany In this list, Singapore was ranked 45th, while Kuala Lumpur was in 98th spot. A couple of spots away, Bangkok was ranked 96 th and Hong Kong took 93rd spot.
In this year’s study, Kisi set out to build on previous iterations by offering simulation comparisons between previous and current results. The same cities as 2021 and 2019 were therefore studied – all of which are renowned for their employment opportunities and lifestyle offerings. The results revealed how cities have compared over the past few years when vaccination rates were still low and mobility was more difficult.
Interestingly, Kuala Lumpur made the top five, finishing in third place, overtaking Singapore.
Hong Kong also features prominently. Here’s the full list, as reported by Arina Sofiah.
Global – Kisi has released its Cities with the Best Work-Life Balance 2022 report, comparing data on various cities’ work intensity, institutional support, legislation, and liveability – in essence ranking cities based on their success in promoting work-life balance for their citizens.
For international fashion lingerie and swimwear supplier, Hop Lun (HK), it is imperative to supply products that cater to consumers of all shapes and sizes. But such focus on diversity isn’t just restricted to its business – Hop Lun is equally dedicated to building an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) for its 33,000 employees globally.
Kwok points out: “We changed the name of our team globally from ‘HR’ to ‘People & Culture’. This is a better reflection of what we are now doing. We focus more on our people and culture building.”
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 9 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY HOP LUN
This young company, founded in 1992, believes in respect and fairness for everyone. This was especially relevant, given 83% of its workforce comprises women; 18 nationalities represent different cultures, backgrounds, and ethnicities; and the average years of service tallies in at 5.1 years.
Tying all of this together was a range of activities – such as, a 16-day ‘Orange Campaign’ initiated by UNWomen, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, unconscious bias training for all office employees and factory management team, and more.
This focus on people has certainly paid off. Half of the C-suite positions on Hop Lun’s management team comprise women. The team has set clear goals to close its gender gap in five years and is making good progress. Employees agree – with 89% saying they feel included and respected, and four in five (80%) affirming the company is committed to D&I.
Kwok affirms: “Hop Lun highly treasures our people and social sustainability. We believe that DE&I is one of the core focuses of the group as we operate in multiple countries with a diverse base of stakeholders including our people, our customers, suppliers, and business partners.”
Going forward, the team will continue utilising its global network to move the needle on DE&I from internal to external, by sharing its best practices with customers and suppliers.
自身表現獲得晉升」這家國際時尚內衣公司於2021年推出新評核標準，確保所有員工都能「純粹根據 合隆如何打造一個讓所有人都感到被包容的職場環境 國際時尚內衣和泳衣公司合 分享最佳實踐，致力從內而外推動多元、公平與共融。之一。」顧客、供應商和業務合作夥伴，因此DE&I絕對是集團的核心價值展。我們的業務遍佈多個國家，涵蓋多元化的持份者，包括員工、工指感到獲包容和受到尊重，八成人認同公司致力推動DE&I。距的明確目標，並正取得良好進展。員工對此表示認同，89%的員一半高管人員職位由女性出任，團隊亦已制定在五年內縮窄性別差文化』團隊，更好地反映出我們更專注於員工和文化建設的目標。」以及為所有辦公室員工和工廠管理團隊提供無意識偏見培訓等。合國婦女署發起的16天「橙色運動」、慶祝國際消除種族歧視日、Kwok表示，讓每位員工都有機會「純粹根據自身表現獲得晉升」。的重要性，正如其Global的年度暑假獎勵旅遊（因疫情關係延期）。假福利、混合工作選項、母乳餵哺友善措施、以及為所有員工而設價值觀，並推出政策以支持家庭友善文化，包括高於市場標準的年都感到獲包容的職場環境。年輕公司秉承公平尊重的原則對待每個人，致力打造一個讓所有人同文化、背景和種族，平均服務年資達5.1年。這家成立於1992年的性，員工來自18個國家，有不環境。公平與共融（DE&I）的職場球33,000名員工建立多元、求豐富多元，更致力為其全品為不同消費者提供合身的產隆﹙香港﹚有限公司一直致力。該公司不僅在業務上追合隆有83%的員工是女合隆推出DE&I路線圖，確保所有人事流程均能實踐體現這套除政策外，該公司於2021年推出的新評核標準也突顯了DE&IPeople&CultureDirectorAngel該公司亦舉辦一系列活動來宣揚這重要理念，例如響應由聯Angel指出：「我們將全球『人力資源』團隊改名為『人才與該公司以人為本的努力，顯然得到回報。現時合隆管理團隊有Angel堅定表示：「合隆非常珍視我們的員工和社會可持續發展望未來，合隆團隊將繼續善用其全球網絡，與顧客和供應商
A DE&I roadmap was rolled out to ensure the value was immersed in all people processes, including the policies in support of a family-friendly culture, such as above-standard annual leave policies, hybrid working & work-from-home options, lactation break policies, and ‘Summer Fun’, an annual incentive trip for all staff (which was subsequently postponed due to the pandemic).
HOW HOP LUN CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE FEELS INCLUDED This international fashion lingerie supplier launched a new competence model in 2021 which ensures everyone can “progress purely based on their performance”.
Beyond policies, DE&I was adopted as a core competency in the organisation’s new competence model launched in 2021. As Angel Kwok, Global People & Culture Director, says, it allowed everyone the opportunity to “progress purely based on their performance”.
The experience of wellbeing and sustainability starts from the reception area. Stepping into the office, employees and visitors are first greeted by a bright and welcoming space with a living wall of greenery.
“Quayside, situated in a prime business location, signals a new era of partnership between our two businesses, focused on providing the best possible experience for our customers,” said Andrew Merrilees, Managing Director, Bupa in Hong Kong. Added Hisham El-Ansary, Bupa’s Asia Pacific CEO: “The state-of-the art office space upholds our commitment to sustainability, helps unite our people, and promotes an agile working culture.”
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202210 WORK LIFE » Places
SpacialAwareness
Walking inside, Bupa has adopted a human-centric design, and integrated advanced technologies, to create flexible and social spaces that facilitate collaboration and communication among office-based employees.
Co-created by employees, professional architects, and designers from scratch, the new office realises the insurer’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and employee wellbeing.
In August, international healthcare company Bupa relocated its Hong Kong head office to the Quayside in Kowloon East, one of Hong Kong’s popular businessSpanningdistricts.more than 66,000 square feet with a contemporary in-floor staircase connecting two floors, the new headquarters is now home to three of Bupa’s business lines based in Hong Kong – Bupa Asia, Bupa Global, and its healthcare provision arm Quality HealthCare Medical Services.
The choice of location also reflects Bupa’s commitment to sustainability – Quayside is a LEEDcertified building fitted with eco-friendly and recyclable materials, as well as low-energy light fixtures and air quality sensors.
HOW BUPA IS INSURING ITS FUTURE WITH A CULTURE OF UNITY IN ITS NEW OFFICE
In line with its ‘One Health Mission’ to raise awareness of the connection between people’s health and the planet’s health, Bupa has chosen interiors that are certified with sustainability credentials and are fully recyclable at the end of their life, such as sustainable furniture and wood products.
Some of the highlighted features include optimised lighting that mimics natural daylight; ergonomic furniture; a dedicated wellness room for hosting wellness and recreational activities to promote physical and mental health; as well as a work café which serves as a comfortable venue for town halls and company events, and encourages employees to relax and be inspired.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 11 Places WORK LIFE»
In Hong Kong, as in across the region, DBS Bank prides itself on being a purpose-driven organisation by growing together with its employees, in both their professional and personal lives. “This is achieved by understanding their needs in different life stages, providing hyper-personalised solutions in their career development, and celebrating the moments that matter to them,” affirms Vince Wong, Senior Vice President, COO, Human Resources, DBS Hong Kong (pictured above, extreme left) There are several strategies the Bank deploys to create a great workplace where people can be the best version of themselves, are empowered to drive changes, and make a difference for fulfilling lives.
Starting with the youngest end of the talent chain is DBS’ Graduate Associate Programme (GAP) for Technology & Operations, a specialised two-year development programme for young talents who have just graduated and have less than two years of working experience. Selected candidates are placed on a fast-track progression, while outstanding individuals have the opportunity for regional exposure as well. A glance at the annual employee performance review shows that the hard work invested in this talent pays off – not only do they tend to perform above target, but they also contribute to building scalable infrastructure for the bank.
As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. What’s more, it equally understands the intricacies of providing an inclusive work environment where employees can develop professionally, thus making it an employer of choice.
HOW DBS HONG KONG IS BUILDING A RESILIENT WORKFORCE THAT CAN ADAPT AND PIVOT TO CHANGE
‘Be My Guest’ is another impactful initiative designed for colleagues to immerse in different functions in the Bank. This is achieved by experiencing a day in the life of a senior leader via leadership shadowing, understanding how a team works to develop by role workflow shadowing, or take part in a team’s townhalls, offsites and meetings via meeting exposures.
Such commitment to investing in the future of the talent landscape is not a one-off effort. It is the basis of its dedication to being a learning organisation, where employees are encouraged to take charge of their development by gaining exposure and experience, evaluate their personal performance by seeking regular feedback, and acquire new skills and knowledge as part of their learning journey. Known as the ‘DBS Growth Development Model’, this framework comprises the elements of education, exposure/experience, and evaluation. This model is powered by a number of industry-leading initiatives, one of which is the ‘DBS Learning Hub’, a dedicated career portal with personalised recommendations to facilitate employees’ professional development. It is a one-stop curated platform offering customised and recommended skills-specific learning solutions for employees. It integrates different learning resources such as LinkedIn Learning, book reviews, classroom trainings, research papers, TedTalks and videos.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202212 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY DBS
Vince shares: “A key focus would be to upskill and reskill our employees so that they are ready for the continuously changing landscape. Ultimately, we aim to develop a highly-engaged and future-ready workforce that delivers high performance.”
With a vision to become the “best bank for a better world”, DBS has not only embraced the future of work, workforce, and workplace, but also taken actions to empower employees and managers for it.
What’s clear from the DBS case study is that change is a continuous effort, not a one-time initiative. As important as it is to roll out new campaigns, it is equally important to follow through with actions and behaviours that demonstrate commitment to change and employee development.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 13
Further, the team kickstarted 2022 with the ‘Technology and Tools’ campaign. “This aims to equip our people to be the digital bankers of tomorrow by embracing new ways of working, with the knowledge and skills of how to leverage our digital tools,” says Vince.
Amidst all this, leaders are not left behind, and transformational leadership has, in fact, been on top of DBS’ agenda, given it is key to the Bank’s new way of working. “With the increasing emphasis on technology market competition posted by fintechs and shift of customer behaviours, the banking and financial industry has been undergoing transformation,” Vince explains. “In DBS, we aimed to organise ourselves in order to deliver customer value end-to-end by adopting a data-driven operating model.” This is why a change in skillsets was needed, as such artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) were brought in to the way DBS does business. Given these fundamental shifts in mindsets and behaviours, transformational leadership is imperative to DBS. In addition to all ongoing efforts to upskill and reskill the workforce to stay ahead of the curve, the Bank is leveraging data and digital, to continue investing in its people and empowering them with a personalised development journey. iGrow, a hyper-personalised platform powered by AI, has been rolled out this year to provide employees with learning recommendations that fit their needs by understanding their profile, so as to match the demand and supply of internal opportunities and maximise the impact of workforce agility.
“With this, our employees can enjoy the flexibility and continuity to meet the demands of work while taking care of personal needs. New work rituals and new norms have been introduced in the Bank to galvanise our people so that we are all aligned and can thrive in the new & now normal,” Vince affirms. Support has also been provided to employees to procure WFH gadgets for setting up their home offices; meanwhile, different initiatives including tele-medicine consultation and webinars have been introduced to take care of employees’ physical and mental wellbeing.
Evidently, policies at DBS haven’t been launched for the sake of doing something new – employees are truly supported and equipped in leveraging them. To take another example, an F3W internal resourcing hub has been launched where the emphasis is on providing employees and managers with guidebooks for hybrid working. This aims to facilitate managers and employees to form new behaviours and work rituals under the new normal.
Vince concludes: “Throughout the years, HR has been the strategic partner with the business to ensure human capital strategies are aligned with business operating needs. We continue to see ourselves as the guardians of DBS’ culture and values, which guides us through the way we do things.“Westrive to create a joyful work environment where people are proud to be part of a great team, and hence create amazing solutions and experiences to make a lasting difference to our customers.”
DBS’ focus on hyper-personalisation isn’t just limited to its learning programmes though – it is, in fact, the very foundation of its ‘Future of Work’ strategy. This started back in the thick of the pandemic in 2020 when a survey was rolled out to understand the needs and feedback from employees while operating in split locations or working from home. This was later elevated to a regional ‘Future of Work Taskforce’ with 80 members coming from different functions and regions to better address the changes brought about by COVID-19. In the six-month study, the taskforce reviewed the insights gathered from research, deep-dive experiments, and employee surveys, to roll out DBS’ ‘Future of Work’ strategy in 2021. Called the ‘Future of Work, Workforce & Workplace (F3W)’, this vision reimagines the future, embraces new ways of working, and identifies ways to thrive in the new normal. As part of this approach, a permanent hybrid working model has been implemented whereby all DBS Hong Kong employees have the flexibility of allocating 40% of their time to working from home (WFH).
residents
people
Source: Census and Statistics Department for the period mid-2021 to mid-2022. left the city. were mobile residents, who have stayed in Hong Kong for at least one month, but less than three months. Hong Kong’s estimated total population as at mid-2022. population fell by year-on-year. were born. one-way permit holders came to the SAR.
was
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202214 WORK LIFE » HR by Numbers 208,200 18,300 109,700 35,100 7,291,600
1.6% The
Apart from building a workspace up to the WELL Platinum standard, the group transformed the traditional office into an open and spacious one where staff across all levels sit together to facilitate two-way conversations. What’s more, by injecting a socialisation concept, the new office provides more collaborative spaces and social hubs, allowing staff to mingle and relax for better work-life balance and peer connection.
As part of the transformation, CCG enhanced its operational efficiency by upgrading technology facilities and incorporating a digitalised workflow. Employees can also participate in the decision-making and co-creation process, encouraging openness of new ideas and ongoing feedback, with the hope of building trust and enabling one another to grow and build a better version of “Chinachemthemselves.Group is more than simply a property developer,” affirms Choi. “Yes, we build welldesigned, high-quality homes and workplaces. But the motivation behind our value creation differs from most. We exist to make Hong Kong a better place to live, work, and raise its next generations.”
Operating in a labour-intensive business with a strong force of over 3,000 employees, promoting employee wellbeing is key to building a sustainable future for this business. Embracing the brand DNA as a developer of ‘places with heart’, CCG strives to create and safeguard a caring work environment comprising transparent management and a feedback culture. All of these is empowered by its ‘Workplace Transformation Project’.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 15 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHINACHEM GROUP
“The moment you realise how many lives this company touches daily, is the moment you realise what a difference we can make to the future,” says Donald Choi, Executive Director and CEO of Chinachem Group.
With its sights set on sustaining a culture of care and innovation, ensuring employees are healthy and heard have been top-of-mind amidst the unprecedented times.
CHINACHEM GROUP BUILDS A WORKPLACE WITH HEART
Legacy is no barrier to innovation, and a good example is Chinachem Group (CCG).
The well-established developer prides itself on making a positive impact on people, the community, and the environment through its core businesses. Its efforts in creating shared value (CSV) for years, and its enthusiasm in pursuit of excellence, innovation, and caring has never stopped.
Moving towards a more ESG-focused future, CCG’s efforts in driving changes, both in mindsets and behaviours, will continue with the launch of a number of in-house projects, such as Places with Heart Academy, and through cultural and employer branding. In this process, the role of HR will evolve from a business partner to an ESG champion to equip its staff members in embracing future challenges and opportunities.
們的聲音，是建立關懷創新文化的關鍵身處前所未有的時代，確保員工健康並用心聆聽他 華懋集團由心而發建立理想職場 傳承與創新，兩者並不相悖，而華懋集團正是一個好例子。這家享 導者，協助員工作好裝備，迎接未來的挑戰和機遇。（ESG）的未來，而人力資源的角色將從業務合作夥伴成為ESG倡及透過文化和僱主品牌推廣，邁向更注重環境、社會和企業管治推出一系列內部項目，例如「Places的下一代。」致力令香港成為更美好的家、更理想的工作環境，也要培育更優秀質而用心設計的居所與辦公室，我們擁有不一樣的信念和推動力，所能。鼓勵員工提出新想法和持續反饋，藉此建立互信，共同成長，盡展數碼化來提高營運效率，員工亦可參與決策和共同設計過程，以作與生活平衡，並建立更緊密聯繫。合作和互動空間，讓員工能夠互相交流，放鬆身心，實現更好的工而坐，以促進雙向對話。此外，新辦公室亦注入社交概念，設有更多傳統辦公室改造成為一個寬敞的開放式辦公空間，各級員工毗鄰以營造一個關懷的工作環境。透過其「辦公室轉型項目」致力培養高透明度的管治和反饋文化，集團打造可持續未來的關鍵。集團秉承「由心而發」的品牌DNA，甚多人互動接觸，所以能為未來帶來一定的正面影響。」熱誠從未間斷。值，為市民、社區及環境帶來正面影響，其追求卓越、創新與關懷的負盛名的地產發展商多年來一直致力透過核心業務及創造共享價華懋集團執行董事及行政總裁蔡宏興表示：「因為我們每天與經營一家擁有3,000多名員工的企業，促進員工福祉是華懋除建立一個獲得WELL白金級認證的工作場所外，該集團亦將作為轉型一部分，華懋集團亦通過升級技術設施和工作流程蔡宏興堅定表示：「華懋集團不只是地產發展商。除了建造優華懋集團將繼續致力推動思維模式和行為方面的轉變，並withHeartAcademy」，以
HRO acknowledges that understanding the entire scope of employee wellbeing and its complexities is no easy feat. So we checked in with pan-Asia leaders who share what employee wellbeing means to them, and how they are actively taking charge of the wellness conversation in their organisation. Here’s what we Societeuncovered.Generale: Busting stereotypes on what wellbeing means to the banking sector
With the results coming in through such initiatives, Arya cautions: “After spending tremendous efforts on formulating and implementing our wellbeing strategy, it is natural for us to be pleased and celebrate the achievements with the initial positive feedback from the However,employees.”thisleader recognises the greater challenge lies in how to continuously measure employees’ sentiment toward wellbeing strategies. For instance, Societe Generale has leveraged its annual employee engagement survey to do a pulse check on how well its strategy has been received. To understand the needs of specific employee groups, extensive focus group research with regional female staff was conducted, thereby helping to make concrete action“Don’tplans.assume your employees know everything,” is another important lesson she shares with us. Having a myriad of good intentions, an ambitious strategy from the management, and solid wellbeing offerings, doesn’t guarantee the message and availability of resources have been well cascaded across different levels in the company.
THE DO s AND DON’T s OF EMPLOYEE WELLBEING
Arina Sofiah speaks to leaders on what employee wellbeing means to them, and how they are actively taking charge of the wellness conversation in their organisation.
Awareness of wellbeing, as well the attitude and skill set to respond to different circumstances, is built through its monthly “Bounce Out” webinar series. This aims to educate staff on various wellbeing and mental health matters, ranging from stress management, to mindfulness, to resilience.
The banking industry has long been known as competitive, hectic, fast-paced, and performance-driven with less emphasis on ‘care’. But Societe Generale has safely steered clear of this image. “Employee wellbeing has been very close to our heart, even before the pandemic,” shares Mukta Arya, Managing Director, Chief Human Resources Officer, APAC If anything, the company’s approach has been further refined during the pandemic, wherein a virtual or hybrid team set-up, proximity managers emerged as the custodians of employee wellbeing and team dynamics, Arya points out. They can be the first to “diagnose any burnout and struggle” while directing team members to appropriate resources.
Among many initiatives, Societe Generale provides workshops to sensitise managers to potential health concerns, as well as workshops for line managers on supporting working parents to effectively manage the responsibilities in the workplace.
From the perspective of a people manager, employee wellbeing is ingrained in the way they take care of their team – from ensuring they aren’t working after-hours, to checking in on them at lunchtime, or signing up for an online fitness class together. From the perspective of an employee, they often look for practical benefits that suit their stage of life and lifestyle, perhaps flexible working hours, medical benefits, and even financial support. Evidently, employee wellbeing has personal significance to each individual.
“More often than not, employees may not be aware of the ‘helping hands’ available and easily come to an impression that ‘there is nothing to Mukta Arya
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202216 FEATURE » Employee wellbeing
ChiefManagingDirector,HumanResourcesOfficer,APAC Societe Generale
Marriott International wants employees to ‘take care’
In addition, Marriott’s hotels play an important role in driving physical wellbeing initiatives. For example, yoga classes are available at select properties to help associates relax and enhance focus. Marriott also organises an annual charity event in APAC called ‘Run to Give’ to raise funds for local charities even as associates stay active. The organisation has been running its own app-based wellbeing challenge since 2019. ‘TakeCare Level30’ helps associates form positive daily habits related to personal wellbeing, connecting with others, and caring for the environment. It also partnered with meQuilibrium to develop a clinically validated tool that offers highly personalised digital coaching sessions. “The scheme is proof that when you empower associates with the right tools, they embrace these tools,” he emphasises. As such, Marriott has seen more than 4,000 associates enrolled, and associates who have participated have seen improvements in their resilience, engagement, sleep, and behavioural health. Learning from the pandemic, Regan reminds all leaders to look beyond the consequences of the bottom line and remember the impact (of policies) on people. “This meant asking if our benefits were still relevant – were we offering the right things, at the right time, to the right people?”
On the other hand, it is equally important to communicate that the company has thoroughly considered employees’ feedback, even if not all of it has been accepted. The essence is to show the company is listening to and valuing employee feedback so that they feel free to speak up.
“Our desire is to ensure our employees feel respected and comfortable enough to talk about their wellbeing needs, and are able to practise their wellbeing priorities in both their work and personal Healthylives.”bodies, happy minds, and meaningful hearts at Procter & Gamble
Chief Officer,ResourcesHumanAsiaPacific InternationalMarriott
No wonder, the hospitality giant regularly reviews its wellbeing benefits to make sure they are still relevant and are changing with the times.
More often than not, employees may not be aware of the ‘helping hands’ available and easily come to an impression that ‘there is nothing to help’.
TaikitsadapornRegan
Marriott also has a network of TakeCare Champions comprising volunteers from the organisation, who are empowered to initiate wellbeing programmes at the local level.“Putting people first has been one of our core values for nearly 95 years,” he says. One example from the pandemic is recognising the time spent by working mothers on household responsibilities increased disproportionately compared with other groups. That meant, in places such as Australia, Marriott extended flexible working options to frontline staff, as well as provides confidential helpline and counselling services.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 17 Employee wellbeing FEATURE help’.” Do not underestimate the power of reminders (and don’t hesitate to repeat yourself), she encourages, as such publicity is pivotal to a successful wellbeing strategy.
A physician by training, with specialisation in occupational health and healthcare management,
A huge misconception is that employee wellbeing is HR’s job alone. In fact, it’s everyone’s job, and the key to a meaningful wellbeing strategy is embedding it into the company culture, affirms Regan Taikitsadaporn, Chief Human Resources Officer, Asia Pacific, Marriott International With this joint-ownership philosophy in mind, through its ‘TakeCare Culture’, Marriott encourages associates (employees) to look out for their physical and mental health, so that they are in the strongest position to help the people around them. Leaders and managers are held accountable for employee wellbeing, and ensuring the TakeCare culture thrives. As such, leaders need to lean in and recognise the needs of associates. “And so, we ask our leaders to be open to conversations about needs like shift preferences and working arrangements.”
Third is the philosophy that healthy people equal a healthy business. The intention to focus on wellbeing is as integral as any other part of building a team and running a business. As such, a big part of P&G’s strategy is in building the capability of its managers and supervisors, so they can play a significant role in taking care of their teams.
The second is the benefit of driving a consistent culture of mental wellbeing throughout an entire organisation.
“We have started integrating wellbeing discussions into our employee career conversations where each manager and employee must have a discussion about career, goals, and how best to support their wellbeing on a regular basis,” Dr Apte explains.
Dr Anurag Apte, Senior Director Medical, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Procter & Gamble (P&G), works closely with the region’s medical and HR teams to establish sustainable people-first programmes. This emanates into three essential factors for an effective wellbeing strategy.
development, and for collaboration, problemsolving, and invention to drive the business.
“Change becomes effective when leaders – from senior management to managers and supervisors – champion the topic on mental wellbeing and drive conversations to create psychological safety for employees.”
“Wellbeing resources will need to adapt accordingly to tailor to the different needs of every employee. External uncertainty will continue; we will have to ensure we make our employees agile, resilient, and ready to face these uncertainties,” he says.Signing off he reminds us that often, people have the impression that wellness programmes come with a hefty price, but there are ways to keep them affordable. “It often boils down to the intentionality of the programme and little gestures that promote a healthy work-life balance.
Remember, small incremental steps lead to a more transformational larger change,” he prompts.
“Planning for programmes may be timeconsuming, but by taking the time to have these conversations and broaden our capabilities and perspectives, we can truly curate programmes that produce results and make a difference for our people, business, and the community at large, in small and meaningful ways.”
Senior EastPacific,Medical,DirectorAsiaMiddleandAfrica Procter & Gamble (P&G) We have started integrating wellbeing discussions into our employee career conversations where each manager and employee must have a discussion about career, goals, and how best to support their wellbeing on a regular basis.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202218 FEATURE » Employee wellbeing
With that in mind, P&G’s employee wellbeing strategy focuses on three core areas: ‘Healthy Body’ which embraces holistic self-care, nutrition, and ergonomics; ‘Happy Minds’, which builds resilience within teams and improves their mental wellbeing; and ‘Meaningful Heart’, which fosters a better sense of community within teams. Dr Apte admits: “The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major obstacle in our traditional organisation programmes, but I believe that with challenges come opportunities.”Duringthis period, the strong focus on energy management continued, by coaching and helping employees to take care of their physical selves and leveraging technology and social connections to drive momentum on this. Today, while P&G is well-equipped for virtual working, it also believes that frequent connections in offices are critical for culture building, people Dr Anurag Apte
First, is the importance of taking a holistic and proactive approach to mental wellbeing. “From a prevention standpoint, we need to acknowledge the strong mind-body connect and take a holistic approach to address mental wellbeing.”
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 19 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY FTLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
FTLife Insurance Company Limited (“FTLife”) is one of Hong Kong’s most well-established life insurance companies and a wholly-owned subsidiary of NWS Holdings Limited. Since joining New World Group, FTLife has been keeping its brand promise “think beyond insurance” by reshaping the concept of insurance. The company constantly seeks to enhance customer experiences by harnessing the Group’s vibrant business ecosystem, providing customers with bestin-class life-planning solutions, from wealth management and succession to health, wellbeing and quality of life
Embracingenhancement.the“championing spirit”, FTLife has been upgrading the protection, services and experiences continually for our customers, supporting them to meet challenges and set new records in life.
A people-first culture has been the cornerstone of FTLife as it is believed that happy and engaged people are key to business success. With the provision of a pleasant and healthy workplace, employees can unleash their potential and increase productivity under an engaged working environment. And through various initiatives, such as free insurance protection, flexible work arrangement and employee assistance programme, FTLife has catered not only to employees’ physical health, but also their emotional, mental, and financial wellness.
FTLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED: A HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER WORKFORCE IS A KEY DRIVER FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS GROWTH Having a “championing been
“Be passionate about people and your job, and respect individuality,” affirms Juliet Cheung, Chief Human Resources Officer, FTLife Insurance Company Limited (pictured, right)
spirit” and can-do mindset have
As FTLife looks forward to its new chapter, embracing change and transformation is imperative to the company’s success, and the role of HR has evolved from one of focusing on operations to being a proactive and strategic planner. “To be responsive to market changes, we have to take initiatives to forecast market trends and provide strategic planning to company leaders related to talent acquisitions, employee retention, performance management, etc. Our strategy is to make a transformation from personal alignment to company values, which ultimately achieves organisational success,” Juliet adds.
Equally important is the role of diversity, inclusion, and respect. “We should always show care to our employees by listening to their voices and addressing their needs,” Juliet says. As such, employees’ voices are listened to via quarterly townhall meetings and employee engagement surveys. It also strives to cultivate a culture of appreciation by launching ‘employee wellbeing month’ to recognise employees’ efforts, and partnering with social enterprises to increase employability of disabilities.
key for the insurance company to embrace challenges and achieve success. 憑藉「贏得起」的精神和積極向上的思維，富通保險不斷迎接各種挑戰並取得成功 富通保險有限公司：建構更健康快樂的員工團隊是業務可持續發展的動力 富通保險有限公司（「富 現變革並最終與企業共創成功。」略規劃。我們的策略是將員工個人價值與公司的目標理念連繫，實勢，為公司領袖提供與人才招聘、人才挽留、績效管理等相關的策者。Juliet補充道：「為適應市場變化，我們必須主動預測市場趨必備條件，而人力資源的角色已從專注營運變成積極的策略規劃致力培養多元共融的文化。工的貢獻，並藉此與不同社會企業合作提高殘疾人士的就業機會，外，該公司亦舉辦「員工感謝月」以推動其關愛員工文化及表彰員大會和員工敬業度調查等溝通平台時刻聽取員工各方面的意見。此懷，聆聽他們的聲音，回應員工的需要。」富通保險透過季度員工等多項措施，全方位照顧員工的身心、情緒和財務健康。率。富通保險亦透過免費保險保障、靈活工作安排和員工支援計劃健康的工作間，讓員工在一個理想的工作環境下盡展所能，提升效擁有敬業樂業的員工是企業成功的關鍵，因此致力建立一個愉快示：「要對人和工作充滿熱誠，並尊重每個人的差異。」的人生紀錄。服務和生活體驗，助客戶贏盡每個挑戰，刷新一個又一個屬於他們擁抱「贏得起」的精神，富通保險多年來致力優化各項保障、供完善的人生規劃方案。養生到優質生活，為客戶提戶體驗，從創富傳承、健康務生態圈優勢，持續提升客險融合集團旗下的多元業重新演繹保險概念。富通保insurance.」的品牌承諾，直秉持「Think世界集團起，富通保險一壽險公司之一。自加盟新司，也是香港最具規模的有限公司的全資附屬公通保險」）為新創建集團beyond富通保險有限公司首席人力資源總監JulietCheung堅定表富通保險一直以「以人為本」的企業文化為基石，該公司深信多元、共融和尊重同樣重要。Juliet說：「我們展現對員工的關隨著富通保險邁向新里程，擁抱變革和創新是公司成功的
“I think it was quite a norm in the last six or eight months that most organisations faced the same problem,” said Nancy Shum, Human Resources Director of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) “It was a bit upsetting to see some of the staff who have been working in the company for over 20 years, and who have progressed well in their career, leave. It affected morale, but in reality, we have to face Generally,it.”it was found that middle-aged employees, that is, those in the age groups of 30 to 40 were more likely to emigrate. However, from Shum’s observations, the brain drain was surprisingly seen among employees of all age ranges from the 30s, 40s and even 50s.
People decide to relocate for many reasons – personal development, family considerations, or a better living environment. Whatever the reasons behind it, local companies are often put to the same challenge: losing available and skilled talent. And some of the skills and roles may not be able to be quickly filled. Take the URA as an example, the core businesses of the statutory body are redevelopment and rehabilitation, as well as preservation, revitalisation, and retrofitting to accelerate urban regeneration. These types of expertise are unique to URA and not easily found in other companies. If too many employees in the same team leave at the same time, it will affect performance, albeit for a short while.
Call it the brain drain, a new wave of emigration, or simply the ‘Great Resignation’, but what’s clear is that talent is in short supply. In this exclusive, Tracy Chan talks to senior HR leaders from Hong Kong and Singapore to find out the challenges and best practices amid a global exodus of talent.
TALENT SHORTAGE
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202220 FEATURE » Brain drain GOING, GOING, GONE! HOW HR LEADERS ARE COPING WITH ASIA’S GREAT
The situation has undoubtedly been further magnified by the global pandemic. Health concerns, social distancing, and a change of working styles arising from the public health crisis, all drove people to reflect and reshape their personal priorities, leading to the phenomenon called the Great Resignation.
As the name suggests, a great deal of talent, for various reasons, are resigning from their current positions or even relocating from where they live in search of something that matters to them, and employers who can provide that.
In a highly competitive market such as Asia, what are the approaches adopted by HR leaders to tackle the outflow of talent and the fiercer-thanever war on talent? We talked to two senior HR leaders: Nancy Shum, Human Resources Director, Urban Renewal Authority; and Amanda Gervay, Senior Vice President, People & Capability, Asia Pacific, Mastercard, to find out.
For a highly mobilised international city such as Hong Kong where people can easily come and go, retaining talent seems to have become harder. This issue has become more prominent amid a recent wave of emigration, which has impacted businesses across different sectors in the city.
Even former Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam had to come out on 30 March 2022 and admit: “It’s an unarguable fact that we have a brain drain and some senior management of some corporates have left Hong Kong.”
A recent survey from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce showed that a total of 38% of companies surveyed said they had been adversely affected by the loss of emigrating workers to varying degrees.
Case study one: Urban Renewal Authority
From manufacturing to marketing, transport to trade, employers globally cannot find the people they need with the right blend of technical skills and human strengths. Talent shortage has been haunting employers, as the latest ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage survey shows three quarters (75%) of companies have reported talent shortages and difficulty hiring – a 16-year high.
UrbanAuthorityRenewal
“Fortunately we have our own succession planning, and talent assessment and pipeline initiatives,” Shum said. “But when we recruit or seek manpower resources, we have to follow some procedures and that takes a bit of time.”
“We are open and fair to people of every age and race. It’s also happening we engage retirees who hold a key expertise or skill that is in short supply – special education, industry know-how and niche experience – as consultants,” Shum said. “They don’t call themselves retirees, they are actually experts. They also form a very important part of our manpower pool. We call them consultants, in fact, we call them specialists.”
Nancy Shum
ResourcesHumanDirector
“If someone doesn’t want to be promoted, it could be because they don’t want added pressures in their family life. But after a couple of years, maybe your child becomes an adult and you have more time to pick up at work, and you can only do so provided you have the learning agility and the Meanwhile,potential.”asexperience will still be important, people with a wealth of information and knowledge are valuable assets for companies if their potential can be fully leveraged.
“It’s just like a spiral effect. If we lose a manager, the assistant manager may be able to get promoted, the senior officer may be able to be promoted to assistant manager, and the officer can be promoted to senior officer.
In an ever-evolving world, what is trending today could be replaced by something else tomorrow. As the lifespan of skills and knowledge is getting shorter, she believes learning agility is the most important thing to have.
“For example in terms of data visualisation tools, previously you were an expert in Excel, now that has been replaced by Tableau. Five years later, another new software will appear so our people need to be agile to adapt to new things.” On the other hand, we can’t forget about employees’ career aspirations being tied to their personal outlook. “People nowadays treat work-life balance so importantly that some of them put family first,” she said.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 21 Brain drain FEATURE
For every challenge, there are new opportunities, and this is no exception when it comes to the emigration wave. The gap opened by the exodus of talent may serve as a door for internal mobility, especially upward mobility for younger generations and junior staff.
“There are opportunities for them, especially those with generic skills and knowledge,” she agreed.
“We open the posts to other departments as they may have someone good who can Experienceapply.” versus skill This is a never-ending debate: when it comes to hiring or promoting an employee, which attribute is more important? A well-experienced person, or someone with less experience, but full of skills and potential? What kind of employees can bring more to the company?
“In the past, we emphasised on experience,” Shum explained. “Going forward, experience will still be important, but we have to be realistic in a way that we need to have the necessary skills and knowledge that are more important than “Experienceexperience.wouldpick up after a staff settles down in the post. So we probably need to revise our career ladders and identify internal talent in order to cope with any potential employee attrition.”
“Our clients who apply for building rehab are mainly elderly people, they cannot access our services via mobile easily and they don’t know how to fill out the forms.”
According to a recent survey by Michael Page, nearly three-quarters (73%) of Singaporeans surveyed are looking for new career prospects this year. Rather than leaving the country, employees in the Lion City tend to resign to look for a work style that better aligns with what they value. The COVID-19 pandemic, as we know, has significantly shifted the way people live and work, with people rethinking and reshaping
Seeing that equipping talent with the right skills and right knowledge is critical, URA strives to cultivate a positive learning environment to help new, existing, and rejoined employees, succeed in their roles.
Learning is all that matters
“So it (work-from-home) cannot apply to all jobs in URA yet – but we never say never! We are currently exploring the feasibility of flexible work arrangements towards new ways of working with our diversified job roles.”
Not everything can be remote Since the outbreak of the pandemic, remote working has become the new normal and many companies see this as a way out for employee retention. However, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
“We also value the people who help us build the training courses, because that is true subject matter expertise that can keep running via our platform.”
Further, since urban design and planning involves a lot of drawings, papers, graphics, and data, employees working from home may not be as productive as they would be in the office, simply because their home devices may not be powerful enough.
After all, in the face of an increasingly fierce talent landscape, companies need to be agile enough to build the right strategies, identify the right talent, and equip them with the right skills.
“Our learning platform was built two years ago, and it allows our subject matter experts to share their experience and knowledge either in a video or interactive e-learning programmes.”
“It may not be applicable to our organisation because of the kind of work we do. Our households are in Hong Kong and our staff have to visit the buildings physically,” she said.
Recently, the URA adopted a new talent strategy and will launch a new HR system later this year. This system will help the authority build a skillbased pool to understand what types of skills are lacking and identify talent who is suitable for internal transfer.
Through this platform, URA staff can access learning resources anytime and anywhere to learn by themselves as long as they are willing and have the time. In addition, there are mandatory learning programmes for all new and existing employees. Shum said the authority would keep revising the training curriculum to ensure employees are provided with the important skills or programmes they need.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202222 FEATURE » Brain drain
Case study two: Mastercard Zooming out from Hong Kong, its Asian counterpart Singapore also sees a similar, but slightly different scenario of talent quitting their jobs en masse under the global wave of the ‘Great Resignation’.
As Shum stressed: “We can never stop learning.”
Amanda Gervay Senior
Capability,President,VicePeople&AsiaPacific Mastercard
the change for flexibility and balance
As hybrid working is here to stay, she encourages businesses to look at new work models as an opportunity for attracting and retaining talent, rather than as an inconvenience. “It might require more careful management of human resources, but it also promotes a more resilient, engaged workforce,” she affirmed.
“A desire to compete is a natural human trait, but let’s not forget, so is co-operation,” she said. “Unfortunately, the nature of many workplaces is such that we focus too much on the former and not enough on the latter.”
To ensure employees feel included and connected, Mastercard conducts regular climate checks to monitor its workplace culture and has launched a programme called ‘Thrive’ to provide mental health resources, including paid-for therapy sessions, for employees.
A lot has been said about the ‘Great Resignation’ in the last couple of years,” she said. “But I think of it more as a ‘Great Reevaluation’ – a moment in time where people are questioning just how they want to spend their working lives. their priorities and career choices, and, as Amanda Gervay, Senior Vice President, People & Capability, Asia Pacific, Mastercard, said, “triggering an upheaval in the workforce”.
Under the new normal, the lines between work and home are increasingly blurring and people are becoming more focused on wellbeing. The working environment and culture, therefore, have become critical factors that influence employees’ stay-orgo decisions.“Ithasbecome critical for employers to invest in working environments conducive to wellbeing so that employees are not at risk of burnout, presenteeism, or low productivity,” she said.
In Gervay’s view, some of the trends and expectations that have surfaced over the past two years aren’t going to go away, such as the demand for flexibility and life-work balance. This is echoed by a recent Mercer report, and the aforementioned Michael Page survey, as both showed that people are willing to forgo pay increases or promotions for being able to work flexibly and have a better life-work balance.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 23 Brain drain FEATURE
“[We need to] continue to offer the flexibility and tools that allow our employees to balance their work and personal lives, and to do their best work,” she said.AtMastercard, under its ‘Flex Work’ programme, all employees are allowed to choose when to come into the office, and “work from elsewhere” for four weeks annually. By providing end-of-week flex time and quarterly meetingfree days, employees can also enjoy uninterrupted time to focus on work, learn new skills, or practise self-care.
Build a healthy and meaningful workplace
Gervay also pointed out that, among many factors that drive employees to quit, a not-souncommon driving factor is internal competition, which can breed unhealthy work environments.
“A lot has been said about the ‘Great Resignation’ in the last couple of years,” she said. “But I think of it more as a ‘Great Re-evaluation’ – a moment in time where people are questioning just how they want to spend their working Embracelives.”
“[By implementing such measures,] we’ve sought to give our employees greater autonomy over their time,” Gervay said. She believes in supporting the right balance of being together, while empowering employees with flexibility in work locations and work options that are best suited to them. This, she is clear, will “contribute to fostering an environment of trust, job satisfaction, and retention”.
Meanwhile, today’s employees are also reflecting on the meaning of their work, and looking to contribute to society outside of a pure business context – be part of something bigger than themselves. To engage employees in that sense, companies have to find ways to give them a greater sense of purpose.
“We provide opportunities for them to get involved in social justice issues and dedicated time off for volunteering work,” she shared. “We also have ‘business resource groups’, where employees with common identities or backgrounds can connect and support one another and their broader communities.”
To cultivate a culture of collaboration, Mastercard has put in place formal ways of evaluating and rewarding employees for demonstrating a “Decency Quotient”, a term coined by Mastercard chairman Ajay Banga to tell employees to treat their co-workers and community the way they would want to be treated.
Provide a clear internal development path with proper upskilling Gervay indicated that companies which can connect their employees to their desired career paths within the organisation, and equip them with the skills they need to grow, are likely to see better retention rates and build a more sustainable talent pipeline.
This not only helps employees to be better prepared for career progression, but also allows them to connect to the business future, which in turn, brings more sense of fulfilment at “Upskillingwork.helps individuals to tackle their work more effectively, and it gives them the ability to play a genuine role in helping to move a business forward.”
“We make sure everyone, from an intern to an executive, has the opportunity to be the best version of themselves by providing them with the resources they need to unlock a lifetime of learning and growth,” she affirmed.
Gervay believes this approach helps “discourage sharp elbows, and promotes the type of trust and teamwork that leads to innovation and impact on the business, our partners, customers, and, of course, one another”.
While governments and educational entities have a clear role to play in terms of providing skills, Gervay believes employers can get involved more actively. “Companies – where much of this change is being seen first-hand – really can help to lead the charge on upskilling.”
L&D needs to be considered a crucial element of talent retention because it impacts so many facets of the employee experience. L&D provides variety and mental stimulation, a greater sense of purpose, and bolsters an understanding that the business is investing in their workers – all of which contributes to employee satisfaction.
“There are two key parts to making internal mobility sustainable,” she explained. “Obviously, you need to give employees the ability to grow and progress internally, but you also need to give them a sense that these opportunities are within their reach.”
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202224 FEATURE » Brain drain
To raise employees’ awareness of the internal development opportunities, Mastercard held its annual career month across Asia Pacific to discuss performance and internal mobility, and to help employees plan their next step in theClearly,company.upskilling is key to enabling talent retention and development.
Along with other dedicated programmes such as ‘Women Who Lead’, ‘U Future Leaders’, and company-led training, Gervay said the company aims to support front line, mid-level, and senior leaders to develop skills and unlock their potential.
Through its AI-powered digital opportunity marketplace called ‘Unlocked’, Mastercard’s employees can take control of their career planning and progression by exploring potential career paths, developing new skills, receiving mentorship, and gaining more exposure within the organisation.
The pandemic has proven how technology can help break geographical constraints, allowing people to work anytime, anywhere, and everywhere. While it may not replace a face-to-face conversation, Gervay agreed that it does help companies to easily reach and recruit suitable candidates in other parts of the region or the world.
“L&D needs to be considered a crucial element of talent retention because it impacts so many facets of the employee experience. L&D provides variety and mental stimulation, a greater sense of purpose, and bolsters an understanding that the business is investing in their workers – all of which contributes to employee satisfaction.”
“We believe in providing everyone with fair and equal access to opportunities, regardless of where they are in their careers.”
Through a series of initiatives, such as ‘Relaunch Your Career’ and a collaboration with Mums@Work, a social enterprise working towards women’s career development in Singapore, Mastercard strives to bring these parents back into the workforce and empowers them in re-establishing their careers by providing them structured trainings.
TheConclusionexodusoftalent has undoubtedly presented a complex new challenge for companies worldwide, and Asia Pacific is no exception. This has urged business leaders and HR professionals to redeploy their talent strategies, and engage and motivate their employees in a more meaningful and sustainable way. Both the Urban Renewal Authority and Mastercard cases show us that being agile and adaptable is a winning recipe for addressing talent challenges. As most parts of the world are reopening, the war for talent will only exacerbate. Companies need to respond and act swiftly, or be at risk of losing their best talent in the intensifying competition.
“This new-found flexibility means we’re less constrained by geography in finding new talent,” she said. “So we can cast a wider net when we’re seeking to find the best employees for roles, while at the same time building more diverseApartteams.”from searching for talent beyond borders, companies can also tap into untapped or under-represented pools to fill up the gaps caused by the talent exodus, such as parents on a career break.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 25 Brain drain FEATURE
Expand the talent pool beyond boundaries
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202226 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY IBM
To understand employees’ needs, the company started by conducting an employee engagement survey, which revealed that flexible work options as well as having a space for socialising and networking were the top two priorities for IBMers. Aligned with the feedback, IBM decided to adopt a new, agile way of working and transform its 25-year-old traditional Hong Kong office to better convey the brand values, and ultimately a culture to support IBM’sUndergrowth.its workplace transformation project, the new office design no longer focuses on individual tasks, but on employees’ behaviours, in order to support and enhance business performance as well as ‘the whole person’. This resulted in an open workplace that embraces the neighbourhood concept and breaks boundaries between different units and functions through flexible space and removable building interiors.
HOW IBM REVAMPED ITS TRADITIONAL WORKPLACE IN HONG KONG FOR A NEW, AGILE WAY OF WORKING and yearly employee engagement surveys. All feedback is considered while making adjustments to the office accordingly. By taking a human-centric approach, the new office sees various facilities to enhance employee wellbeing and promote diversity and inclusion (D&I), including 100% height adjustable and ergonomic desks, a mother’s room, a medical room, relaxation/play/prayer rooms, and disabled-friendly/genderneutralBeyondtoilets.human elements, environmental sustainability is another focus for IBM when designing the workplace. With that in mind, the new office applied smart lighting and light sensors to reduce lighting power density; installed low flow faucets to reduce water consumption; reused existing furniture; recycled collected waste from colleagues; and used low volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission materials for renovation. IBM also participates in the landlord’s ‘Green Performance Pledge Programme’ to measure and jointly improve environmental performance.
With a focus on helping clients leverage the power of hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence (AI), boasting a highly skilled and engaged workforce is key to IBM’s success. This is why the globally integrated enterprise is committed to attracting and retaining the best talent in the industry worldwide, and creating an excellent workplace experience for all employees, who it calls ‘IBMers’.
“IBM’s HR priorities are grounded in the IBM vision and aligned with the IBM purpose,” affirms Hong. “We are focusing on experience & operational excellence, innovation for the business, and transforming IBM’s culture. While we deliver on this vision, we exemplify a growth mindset and entrepreneurial spirit, and consistently act as one HR team.”
While creating a great working environment, IBM will continue to recruit and select the best-qualified talents based on business needs and job-related requirements, and ensure all qualified applicants are assessed individually and equally with respect. With the launch of the ‘Early Professional Hire’ programme by IBM Greater China Group and the GCG development centre, the company aims to further bolster its leadership pipeline to prepare for future changes and opportunities.
Empowered by IoT technologies, the new design also supports blended attendance to serve different collaborative activities in both face-to-face and virtual formats, encourages communication and collaboration, and eventually contributes to forming the ‘One IBM Team’.
“There are several factors that influence employee experience,” explains Jing Hong, HR Leader, IBM Hong Kong. “Work-life balance offered by the company, and the technologies used every day to manage work responsibilities, but also the physical workplace. When employees have a great experience, they are more engaged which directly leads to better results.”
Comprising the elements of flexibility, collaboration, inclusion, sustainability and technology, the new IBM Hong Kong office aims to provide the best experience for ‘IBMers’.
Evidently, employee participation is essential in building a workplace that caters to different needs. To ensure thorough and timely communication, IBM set up a team of ‘Change Champions’ to facilitate conversations and feedback collection through town hall meetings, workshops, post-occupancy surveys,
Its ‘Hospitality Young Leaders Programme’ equips aspiring young talents with essential career skills in hospitality and deepens their understanding of Hong Kong’s unique history and culture.
And this cannot be achieved without the participation of the younger generation. As the hotel celebrates its 10 th anniversary this year, it is even more important to pass these positive values to the youth and help them to appreciate the diverse traditions and prepare them for the future. This well explains the reason behind the launch of its ‘Hospitality Young Leaders Programme’.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 27 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY TAI O HERITAGE HOTEL
During this 12-month comprehensive on-the-job training, local graduates are equipped with practical skills and knowledge in hospitality, heritage, cultural conservation, and sustainable tourism through cross-departmental rotations at the Tai O Heritage Hotel.
HKHCF TAKES LOCAL GRADUATES ON A MEANINGFUL LEARNING JOURNEY AT TAI O HERITAGE HOTEL
Heritage conservation is no easy task, neither is nurturing future industry leaders –yet both are essential. Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation (HKHCF), operator of the UNESCO-awarded Tai O Heritage Hotel, has managed to blend both priorities through its comprehensive graduate training programme.
Certainly, HKHCF’s training programme provides a meaningful platform to develop aspiring young people and work with the Tai O community to promote heritage conservation.
In addition to work-related initiatives, the young leaders will also support an array of community outreach and engagement activities, including docent tours and festivities to foster community bonding. For example, the hotel stepped up community support with community telemedicine services for people in Tai O and Lantau in March 2022.
The non-profit organisation believes the conservation of cultural heritage helps the community to build a sense of identity and strengthen bonds between people and places. Thus, HKHCF has revitalised the Old Tai O Police Station, a Grade II historic building completed in 1902, into the nine-room Tai O Heritage Hotel, in order to promote the appreciation of cultural heritage, as well as support the Tai O community.
深他們對香港獨特歷史文化的認識「酒店業青年領袖計劃」為有志投身酒店業的青年朋友裝備專業和實用技能，並加 香港歷史文物保育建設有限公司帶領本地大專畢業生 在大澳文物酒店開展別具意義的學習之旅 保育歷史文物並非易事，培育未來行業領袖同樣不容易，但兩者同 同時與大澳社區一起努力，共同保育大澳漁村。一步支援社區。酒店於2022年3月為大澳和大嶼山居民推出免費視像醫療服務進展及交流活動，包括導賞團及節慶活動，加強與社區的聯繫，例如實用技能和知識。培訓，掌握有關酒店業、歷史文物和文化保育、以及可持續旅遊的生可通過為期12個月的在職培訓，在酒店實習及接受跨部門在職人，鼓勵他們欣賞多元傳統，為未來做好準備甚為重要。適逢大澳文物酒店十週年誌慶，將這些正面的價值觀傳遞給年輕持大澳社區發展。推廣有關歷史建築的鑒賞，以及保護文物對社會的重要性，同時支署保育活化，成為提供強人與社區的聯繫，因此將1902年建成的二級歷史建築舊大澳警成功結合這兩大元素。香港歷史文物保育建設有限公司透過其全面的畢業生培訓計劃，等重要。作為聯合國教科文組織得獎項目大澳文物酒店的經營者，該非牟利機構深信保護文物有助建立大眾對社區的認同及加9間客房的大澳歷史文物酒店，藉此向大眾要實現推廣文物保育的願景，年輕一代的參與必不可少。今年這正好詮釋其「酒店業青年領袖計劃」的理念，本地大專畢業除工作相關的培訓外，青年領袖亦會協助籌備一系列社區外這項計劃為有志投身酒店業的青年朋友提供有意義的平台，
After a few transformative years, he observes that leaders are embracing a data-driven mindset even more now – dashboards are being developed at all corners of the organisation, there is a central analytics body, and there are greater demands for data and insights within and beyond HR.
Dr.Khamsa-ArdSanthipharp PhD, Chief People Officer
ALL ABOARD THE PEOPLE ANALYTICS TRAIN
“There are wins. There are pushbacks. Similar to every change management, the journey is long and we need to transform it one step at a time,” he says. He references what he shared with us back in 2020: “At the end of the day, transformation is not a ‘big bang’. It happens bit by bit via the small interactions with data and analytics that create the ‘aha’ moments daily.” That, he affirms, is still true.
PublicDevelopmentAnandaCompany(Ananda)
“You cannot solve all problems through data, but you can still get a lot out of it. Understanding employees’ stories through data will enrich career conversations by knowing their preferences, values, and motivations.” These are snippets from our conversations with HR and people analytics leaders – demonstrating more urgency than ever before. As Josh Bersin points out in his 2022 predictions, CHROs are going to be asked: Can you get me a view of how well our hybrid work programme is going? Which groups are most impacted by mental health challenges? Where are careers and skills changing the fastest, and what roles and jobs are falling behind? With that in mind, let’s build the foundation of our people analytics journey by reviewing experiences from your HR peers across the region.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202228 FEATURE » People analytics
It starts with embracing a mindset shift Arguably the biggest need brought about by the rise in people analytics is a mindset shift – from one that is driven by intuition, to one that is driven by data. At ASM, a supplier of semiconductor process equipment for wafer processing, the journey to instilling this shift in leaders and the workforce has “not been easy”, Singapore-based Daniel Kusmanto, Director, Digital & Analytics, ASM, notes.
“We are also growing in capacity and capability to respond to the increasing demand for more external data, deeper insights, and predictive analytics,” he Meanwhile,shares.Thailand-based Dr. Santhipharp Khamsa-Ard, PhD, Chief People Officer at real estate company Ananda Development Public Company (Ananda), agrees that with many businesses running on intuition for years, it is hard for some to move to a data-driven approach. He shares the common reasons why people are hesitant to adopt new technologies.
“The fear of the unknown, security concerns, the perceived risk of adopting the wrong technology, the fear of losing a competitive edge through late adoption, as well as the lack of skills and knowledge among staff, all of which requires ongoing time and financial commitment.”
This is where upskilling plays an important role in the shift in mindset, along with an understanding of technologies, and creating change agents in each department, the leader says. That brings us to a learning from Noppadol (Kenny) Chaiwong, Human Resources Director at beverage logistics specialist BevChain Logistics (BevChain) – that he and his team are embracing this mindset shift knowing that having facts on hand is useful in delivering needs or action plans to the management team. At no point are personal concernsKenny,presented.basedin Thailand, explains: “It helps us in determining the job strategy and responding quickly to our stakeholders.” Importantly, it gives the team confidence in supporting the business and finding a win-win solution based on the data available, along with a timely action plan. The opportunities and challenges No matter how big or small, the journey is never complete without some bumps and jumps. For Kenny, the opportunities lie in he and his team using the data derived to support business goals over the next few years, especially the impact of workforce management on financials, and ROI
Priya Sunil speaks to HR leaders across Asia, who are at different stations of their people analytics journey, but all have one common destination –improving the employee experience and contributing to business needs.
KusmantoDaniel Director, Digital & Analytics ASM
One thing we’ve learnt through all our conversations is the approach to people analytics has to be proactive, and not reactive. Leaders need to ask the ‘why’ of the situation, before working on the ‘what’. Daniel equates this to playing chess.
The same goes for people analytics, he says – monitoring the leading metrics regularly, applying predictive methodologies, drawing insights, and if feasible, playing scenarios, to advise on the next strategic moves that can either put the team in a better position, or prevent an issue before it happens. For instance, knowing the projected headcount can help advise leaders on talent interventions to be put in place now. At the same time, knowing someone’s engagement, productivity, and absenteeism levels could be an indication of the intent to leave, thus prompting leaders to take precautionary measures.
as the business grows. On the challenges front, Kenny shares, the team may require more research to ensure its data analysis report is updated and financially impactful to all stakeholders.
“The more we manage the data, the more we can learn and take tangible actions that will help the organisation by creating a sustainable solution,” agrees Kenny.
Of course, we cannot (and should not) measure and analyse everything. A thorough business-based thought process should help select what really matters.
“Of course, having in place some healthy, internal competition with small rewards can also help. And equally important is to apply regular monitoring and nudges – we need to have consistent follow-ups to drive adoption and cultivate the habit,” he says.
in driving a culture of continuous listening and improvement – beyond surveys and feedback forms, Dr. Santhipharp stresses. “We build the foundation of learning by trust. When we need change, listening to their (the employees’) concerns is important.” As such, what does it take for organisations to drive such a Startculture?byhaving the end in mind, Daniel shares. Paint a picture of what the end goal would be through regular insights on the workforce (including predictive), measurements of programme effectiveness, and an understanding of employee needs that can advise on HR policies/programmes.
“We have the entire view of the game, we line up our resources, and we understand the current situation. In our mind, we are doing some scenario planning, thinking two to three steps ahead, and then we make our strategic move while anticipating the next step.”
He also advises that HR involve someone (or a few people) responsible for managing the data analytics, as both the creator and champion. They can be the bridge for people to understand and utilise the data to remain on the right track.
Over at Ananda, Dr. Santhipharp is in the midst of implementing a people-pillar in data analytics – one that would engage associates across all generations. And while all of the concerns he shared earlier are valid, he believes technology, if used correctly, and at the right time, is a tool that can “reap vast benefits”.
Dr. Santhipharp notes the importance of the proactive approach undertaken at Ananda, where several teams come together to work closely on data analysis. “We listen to the needs of the business sectors, following which we design proactive action plans. Of the many approaches, we should focus on and select the right one.”
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 29 People analytics FEATURE
Additionally, Kenny and his team make it a point to inform the relevant parties of these insights, as in some cases, the line managers may overlook the root cause in their department.
Be proactive, not reactive
On Kenny’s end, the most important thing he has done is to gain the trust of the stakeholders, by working on the analytics efficiently. This means data of 100% accuracy, relevant resources referenced, an analytical pack that includes an action plan and timeline, and continuous updates and improvements to the analytics report.
A culture of Peopleimprovementcontinuousanalyticscangoalongway
Getting down to the nitty-gritty: Tech Data Cyl Lin, Director, Human Resources Singapore, HR Business Partner, MDC (Modern Data Centre) & Analytics, APJ, Tech Data, is a strong believer in how people analytics can help identify, attract, retain, and develop talent. She makes it a point to ask herself three questions – (1) If managers affect the productivity, engagement, and retention of employees, what is the monetary impact? (2) What are the key drivers of employee attrition and what drives retention? and (3) Can training impact productivity, and what is our ROI?
“The expectations of the people/HR teams have been elevated by business leaders to have adequate ability to analyse data, understand trends, develop recommendations, translate insights into actionable plans, and provide thought partnership with the business to navigate complex business models. Being proactive helps to anticipate potential changes and be prepared to address negative impacts.”
For example, if the team finds high attrition rates in some job functions or departments, it alerts the line managers on the percentage of their leavers and advises them to either reconsider their work itself, or any uncontrolled factor that may impact their department.
With its use, leaders are able to evaluate scenarios, such as benefits benchmarking by measuring pay differentiation ratios, and performance management effectiveness by measuring promotions’ success rates and training satisfaction rates, Lin shares. These insights can reveal how leaders align coworkers’ talent and skills with what the business actually needs. However, there are challenges to be overcome. “HR does not own all the data that are crucial predictors of talent outcomes. Each system comes with its own custodians and data taxonomies that lead to incomplete, inconsistent, and fragmented data.
Tech
Analytics goes beyond presenting facts, it offers insights into what the data represents, and how it reduces unnecessary biases and ultimately improves performance effectiveness.
“Shifting from intuition to becoming more data-informed has enabled me to unlock the power and potential of my team,” she notes. In doing so, she used the PROSCI Change Management methodology and ADKAR model to boost the team’s desire towards this development opportunity, and understand WIIFM (what’s in it for me?). She has also started to invest in data analytics literacy training to help her team embrace the mindset shift towards being a data-first“Analyticsorganisation.goesbeyond presenting facts, it offers insights into what the data represents, and how it reduces unnecessary biases and ultimately improves performance effectiveness.”
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202230 FEATURE » People analytics
Cyl Lin Director, BusinessSingapore,ResourcesHumanHRPartner,MDC(ModernDataCentre)&Analytics,APJ Data
The report is not only derived on a weekly or monthly basis, but is also included in regular roundtable discussions. “It’s not only about the culture, but also about the consistency,” Kenny concludes.
As such, Lin sees the need to spend time scoping, identifying, evaluating, and presenting the data; thus, she prefers taking a proactive approach to people analytics. “This allows us to have adequate time to plan ahead.”
Among a series of programmes developed using this feedback, the latest is the ‘Live my Life’ programme launched in 2021, which enables employees to discover jobs and departments outside of their own through cross-learning opportunities. The programme leverages resources such as lunch-and-learn sessions, internal career fairs, and webinars to widen staff’s understanding.
Building has always been the historical role of banks, in order to create the foundations for economic development. But Societe Generale goes a step further to build a better and sustainable future for both its clients and Throughoutemployees.its150+ years of existence, this leading financial services group has always believed in a people first philosophy, but this focus intensified manifold given recent global events and business environment developments. “A caring and responsible employer for employees’ wellbeing and employees’ long term career development” is, in fact, how Mukta Arya, Chief Human Resources Officer, Asia Pacific, Societe Generale would define the organisation.Forexample, when the pandemic continued to evolve in Hong Kong, addressing issues around business continuity and employee wellbeing became a priority. To counter that, Societe Generale adopted a threepronged approach, which included:
On the topic of career, another novel initiative is its ‘Returnship Programme’ tailor-made for candidates returning from their career break. This initiative helps them integrate back into the workforce and also bring fresh eyes to the organisation. Through this, the bank has welcomed six “returnees” in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan, whilst supporting them with networking, training, and Spearheadingcoaching.such initiatives, Arya is a firm believer in HR constantly challenging assumptions. She explains: “In many organisations, not only ours, with all the challenges arisen from COVID, HR has played a more important and strategic role in business decisions, tackling all the challenges in business continuity, employee wellbeing, staff retention, and new ways of working.
Beyond crisis management, the bank has prioritised holistic leadership development and continuous learning as key parts of its strategy to futureproof the workforce. Providing employees with a full suite of leadership development programmes is something the bank is striving for in the past few years. Holistic development opportunities are offered, ranging from short-term assignments (to allow employees exposure to different cultures in different locations, possibly different functions), to certification programmes relevant to their area of work, through to high-calibre talent
Trainees also benefit from face-to-face or virtual meetings with senior representatives as well as job shadowing.
• Flexible working arrangement to assure business continuity and employees’ wellbeing
• Financial support on hotel quarantine to allow staff to reunite with their families overseas, and • Support measures for staff, including but not limited to one-off cash allowance to support additional costs staff may incur due to COVID situations and family care leaves.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 31 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SOCIETE GENERALE
“All of these make the value of HR more visible (during tough times), compared to the good times. I foresee HR to further transform to a business advisor who can anticipate and cope with changes in the market and the workforce in advance, which equally requires HR to be nimble and agile.”
“The equilibrium between grooming the right talent and creating a positive workplace environment is the key to a progressive organisation,” says Mukta Arya, CHRO, APAC, Societe Generale.
RESPONDING TO TOMORROW’S NEEDS TODAY: SOCIETE GENERALE IS SUPPORTING TALENT IN DEVELOPING THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CAPABILITIES development programmes either in the region or in the global headquarters.Theseprogrammes are not being put in place for the sake of building a leadership portfolio but to demonstrate real results – for instance, a robust ROI study has been conducted for all its development programmes with encouraging ROI alongside a host of tangible benefits. All of this naturally ties back into employees’ career development, which the HR team rolls out using a user-centric approach that takes into account not only the learning methodologies, but also input from management, managers, and all staff.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202232
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 33
The grand gala dinner took place on 21 July 2022 at The Mira Hong Kong. The awards were judged by an esteemed panel of respected industry leaders to identify the best of the best in the HR arena. Human Resources Online would like to extend our gratitude to all our judges and attendees. Once again, congratulations to all winners and finalists! OF KONG’S INAUGURAL EMPLOYEE AWARDS
EXPERIENCE
Amid these challenging times, providing a great employee experience (EX) is key to building a more engaged workforce, which in turn, brings better business results.The launch of the Employee Experience Awards 2022 in Hong Kong aimed to reward top-notch HR teams, who have contributed to elevating the industry benchmark, and created a positive employee experience deeply rooted in the three pillars of EX: leadership, learning, and engagement.
A grand stage to recognise the unsung hero of HR – a beautiful, consistent, and memorable employee experience – provided by the best of the best HR teams.
HONG
MEET THE WINNERS
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202234 FULL LIST OF WINNERS: EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AWARDS 2022 HONG KONG Best Crisis Management and Leadership Marco Polo Hotels — Hong Kong GOLD Societe Generale SILVER The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel BRONZE Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy Hop Lun (HK) GOLD Ernst & Young Asia Pacific Financial Services SILVER Jones Lang LaSalle BRONZE Best ESG Strategy Ernst & Young Asia Pacific Financial Services GOLD Zung Fu Company GOLD Sands China SILVER AXA Hong Kong and Macau BRONZE Best Graduate Training Programme DBS Bank (Hong Kong) GOLD Tai O Heritage Hotel SILVER DFS Group BRONZE Best Holistic Leadership Development Strategy DBS Bank (Hong Kong) GOLD Under Armour Asia SILVER Societe Generale BRONZE Best HR Communication Strategy MGM China GOLD The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel SILVER Best Management Training Programme Sands China GOLD Societe Generale SILVER Best Career Development Programme Hong Kong Productivity Council GOLD DBS Bank (Hong Kong) SILVER Societe Generale BRONZE Best Learning and Development Programme Hong Kong Productivity Council GOLD The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel SILVER Societe Generale BRONZE Best Organisational Upskilling and Reskilling Strategy Sands China GOLD Hong Kong Productivity Council SILVER Societe Generale BRONZE Best Employee Wellness Strategy Zung Fu Company GOLD American Express International, Inc. SILVER Ergon Global BRONZE FTLife Insurance Company Limited BRONZE Best Employer Branding Sands China GOLD Ergon Global SILVER FTLife Insurance Company Limited BRONZE Best Flexible Working Strategy Marco Polo Hotels — Hong Kong GOLD DBS Bank (Hong Kong) SILVER Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited BRONZE Best HR Digital Transformation Strategy DBS Bank (Hong Kong) GOLD DFS Group SILVER Fidelity International BRONZE
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 35 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY UNDER ARMOUR
All these efforts have yielded great results and helped Under Armour build a sustainable talent pipeline. The targeted L&D approach has led to high satisfaction ratings from teammates of all levels. Meanwhile, the vast majority of APAC leadership positions in its 2021 ‘Talent Planning Session’ have more than one successor identified and are on trajectory for readiness. These have also helped Under Armour build a more diverse leadership team, with equal gender representation among leadership, as well as diversity in nationalities.
The regional HR function has also evolved into its current ‘HR pod model’, supported by various HR centers of excellence. This enables HR business partners (HRBPs) to become strategic counsellors to leaders and stay focused on business and talent needs. In this structure, HRBPs work closely with the business to formulate and drive the people agenda, and collectively make data-driven decisions with people insights and analytics.
“I envision building a world-class APAC HR team to partner and serve the needs of our teammates in the region, always ready and excited to take on whatever challenges that lie ahead of us” said Tan.
• UA Leadership Academy - equips new leaders with necessary skills and knowledge through functional trainings
Based on its ‘UA Competencies Model and Leadership Expectations’ framework, as well as the feedback received from engagement surveys and talent planning, the company has outlined a clear talent roadmap and accordingly rolled out various training programmes to help teammates grow and thrive.Among the courses offered under its ArmourU initiative, there are three core training sessions for leaders:
• Leading at UA - senior leaders at the director level or above practice their strategic and leadership skills
With a purpose to ‘empower those who strive for more,’ global athletic performance inventor, marketer and distributor, Under Armour (UA) is dedicated to enhancing the capabilities and performance not only of athletes and customers but also of its leaders and teammates.
• Talent Accelerator Programme - accelerates the growth of emerging leaders with high potential to be a successor on critical roles
Keeping people as a top priority, Under Armour has implemented different tactics to promote employee wellbeing and engagement. This
UNDER ARMOUR MAKES ITS TEAMMATES BETTER THROUGH A HOLISTIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Through various in-house programmes to cater to leaders at different stages, this global athletic performance company has built a robust talent pipeline to drive its future business development.
Sharing his vision for the future, Tan also stated: “I also look forward to the growth of all APAC teammates as we remain relentlessly focused on executing our mission and scaling the business in the region as ‘one APAC’ team. Under Armour’s mission is to make you better and that applies to our teammates, just as much as it does to our consumers.”
“It is crucial for us to build leaders across our organisation as we develop strong resilience and agility as one team to navigate today’s VUCA business environment,” says Shawn Tan, Senior Director, HRBP – APAC (pictured above, extreme right). This underpins Under Armour’s holistic leadership development strategy for teammates.
includes employee activities, like ‘Armour Day’, lunch-and-learn sessions, and fitness classes, and implementation of flexible work arrangements. One way Under Armour has supported work-life integration is through a corporate policy of no meetings on Friday after 2pm. Teammates can use this time to focus on their learning and development or plan and organise for the week ahead. This initiative has been greatly welcomed by all, as Under Armour continues to build and cultivate a culture of supporting teammates both inside and outside of work.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202236 Best Onboarding Experience The Hoffman Agency GOLD BEIJING-FANUC SILVER Best Response to COVID-19 Zung Fu Company GOLD DBS Bank (Hong Kong) SILVER Chinachem Group BRONZE Best Rewards and Recognition Programme American Express International, Inc. GOLD Sands China SILVER Societe Generale BRONZE Best Work-life Harmony Strategy Fidelity International GOLD Sands China SILVER Ergon Global BRONZE Most Innovative and Sustainable Workplace Zung Fu Company GOLD IBM China/Hong Kong Limited SILVER Sands China BRONZE FULL LIST OF WINNERS: EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AWARDS 2022 HONG KONG (CONTINUE) EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AWARDS GRAND WINNER Congratulations to all 2022 winners ZUNG FU COMPANY
ZUNG FU BELIEVES THERE ARE NO LIMITS TO WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER FOR BOTH PEOPLE & SOCIETY
All these efforts have helped Zung Fu make remarkable achievements in the fields of business, employee excellence, and ESG. Most recently, the company walked away with four gold awards and was crowned the Grand Winner at the inaugural Employee Experience Awards 2022 Hong Kong, organised by Human Resources Online
‘Key2Wellness’ is Zung Fu’s flagship programme to support employees’ wellness holistically. Flexible working arrangements, compassionate leave policy to allow colleagues to meet family members overseas, complimentary body checkups and professional doctor consultation advice before COVID-19 vaccination, high-standard sanitising procedures, and a sufficient supply of protective equipment at the workplace, are among the measures Zung Fu launched to build a safe working environment throughout the pandemic.
Zung Fu is also committed to help build a cleaner, greener and more positive future by 2030. To achieve this, the company has developed a three-pronged strategy that brings employee development, stakeholder engagement, and resource management together.
To realise the company’s resource management goals, Zung Fu has installed over 500 solar panels on its rooftops and adopted the BMS system to reduce electricity usage for air-conditioning. Furthermore, the company deploys recycling and upcycling machines, and actively recycles water for cleaning purposes.
On top of promoting good physical health, mental health is also of great significance to the company. As such, Zung Fu partnered with different parties to offer a 24-hour care hotline, online courses and training, mental health talks, and live webinars to help build mental resilience across the workforce.Inrounding up the wellness story, diversity and inclusion (D&I) are essential in helping all employees bring their best selves to work. This is why Zung Fu’s Chai Wan brand centre features a range of newly designed facilities, such as a gym room, a breastfeeding room, and disabled-friendly toilets to cater to different employees’ needs. The company also celebrated International Women’s Day to appreciate female staff’s contribution as well as to promote awareness of gender equality.
Through a wide range of initiatives to enhance employee and environmental wellness, Zung Fu promises to create exceptional journeys for all.
仁孚透過一系列措施提升員工和環境健康，承諾為所有人締造非凡旅程 仁孚致力凝聚力量，為員工與社會共創非凡旅程 仁孚行有限公司（仁孚）是怡和集團旗下附屬公司，為平治汽車香 並榮獲大獎殊榮。Online》主辦的首屆香港「員工體驗大獎2022」上勇奪四項金獎，業管治方面取得傑出成就。該公司最近在《Human潔用途。此外，公司亦設置回收和升級再造設備，以及積極以回收水作清裝500多塊太陽能電池板，並採用BMS系統以減少空調用電量。參與和資源管理三大方針實現這一目標。及更正面的未來，並採取三管齊下的策略，結合僱員發展、持份者著國際婦女節感謝女性僱員對公司的貢獻，積極推廣性別平等。乳餵哺室、無障礙洗手間等，以滿足不同同事的需要。該公司亦藉境，讓所有同事工作上盡展所能。討會，以增強員工的抗逆能力。小時員工關懷熱線、網上課程和培訓、心理健康講座和直播網絡研務求在疫情下營造安全的工作環境，全面保障員工健康。辦公室進行高規格的消毒程序、以及為員工提供充足的防疫裝備，同事接種新冠疫苗前提供免費身體檢查及專業醫療諮詢服務、為活工作安排、體恤同事與海外家人見面的需要而給予特別休假、為成長，重點不僅在於財務回報，更在於做該做的事。」示：「作為僱主與為人父母很相似，我們覺得有義務協助員工健康造非凡旅程，共創更美好環境。港及澳門的獨家代理商。仁孚承諾為客戶、合作夥伴、以及員工締員工福祉一向是仁孚的首要考慮。其人力資源總監麥昕忻表仁孚因此推出「Key2Wellness」計劃，透過計劃為員工提供靈仁孚亦相當重視員工的心理健康，並積極與各方合作，提供24作為促進員工健康的重要一環，仁孚致力營造多元共融的環仁孚的柴灣品牌中心配備了一系列全新設施，例如健身房、母此外，仁孚承諾在2030年或之前，建立一個更潔淨、更環保、為實現公司的資源管理目標，仁孚在其柴灣品牌中心天台安這一切努力使仁孚在業務、員工發展、以及環境、社會和企Resources
Zung Fu, a member of the Jardine Matheson Group, is the exclusive retailer of MercedesBenz in Hong Kong and Macau. It promises to create exceptional journeys not only for its customers and partners, but equally, for its employees and the environment.
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 37 THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ZUNG FU
Employee wellbeing has always been Zung Fu’s top priority. “Being an employer is similar to parenting,” says Kandy Mak, Head of Human Resources. “We feel obliged to help our employees grow and be healthy as that is the right thing to do, not just because of the financial returns.”
IS AN UNLIMITED LEAVE POLICY THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE FUTURE WORKPLACE?
The global pandemic over the past two years has further emphasised the importance of employee wellbeing, acting as a catalyst for the emergence of another new form of employee benefit: flexible vacation, unlimited leave, or the unlimited paid-time-off (PTO) policy.
While some will be willing and ready to push the limits, others might choose not to use any leave as a means to get ahead. If this behaviour is rewarded, then we are creating a company culture that does not encourage and value work-life balance.
Amid the global pandemic, the way we work has changed tremendously, pushing business leaders to embrace new values and cultures to attract and retain talent without compromising on productivity and the customer experience.
The advance of technology has sped up the uptake of flexible working, allowing employees to get away from a nine-to-five office-based work-life, and instead, be able to work anytime, anywhere, and everywhere.
One of the recent examples of an employer adopting this policy was investment bank Goldman Sachs. According to the Financial Times , the Wall Street bank adopted a new “flexible vacation” scheme effective 1 May 2022, allowing staff at the highest seniority such as partners and managing directors to “take time off when needed without a fixed vacation day entitlement” in order to “rest and recharge”.Asattractive as this perk may sound, can both companies and employees really benefit from such a policy? What are the concerns that companies consider when implementing such a policy? Let’s find out in conversations with HR leaders.
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202238 PEOPLE ISSUES » Unlimited leave
As attractive as it may sound, can both companies and employees really benefit from a flexible vacation policy? HR leaders share their views exclusively with HRO’s Tracy Chan and Aditi Sharma Kalra
The implementation of this new policy reflects the readiness of an organisation and leadership to engage a trusted and empowering culture.
Shift of power: From designated to “Flexibleself-determinedvacationand/orunlimited leave policy is a new way forward,” Connie Chua, Head of C&B APAC, Worldline Asia Pacific, told Human Resources Online “The implementation of this new policy reflects the readiness of an organisation and leadership to engage a trusted and empowering culture.”
Connie Chua Head of C&B APAC Worldline ResourcesChiefRajivPacificAsiaRHumanOfficerRamcoSystems
• Operational workflow management: How will the organisation ensure that productivity is not impacted, or there isn’t a scenario where too many people in the same team or within the leadership are out of office?
“We are moving towards being more inclusive and an improperly managed unlimited leave policy can end up creating inequality,” he concluded.
“While some will be willing and ready to push the limits, others might choose not to use any leave as a means to get ahead. If this behaviour is rewarded, then we are creating a company culture that does not encourage and value work-life Meanwhile,balance.”astheworld is gradually getting back on track, Rajiv said it may not be easy for senior leaders to fully leverage this policy.
And such flexibility, in the meantime, is especially attractive to the new generations of workers. With Millennials and Gen Z employees taking up a significant proportion of the current and future workforce, how to attract, engage, and retain this pool of talent, therefore, becomes a priority for management.
While it may seem like a progressive and employee-friendly policy, Rajiv said that it is risky if it’s poorly documented.
Traditionally, employees, regardless of their job level, are entitled to a fixed number of leave days for each employment year. By implementing flexible vacation/unlimited leave, it gives employees more flexibility and control over their working schedule, so that they can take care of themselves, and what matters the “Shiftingmost.theresponsibility of time-off applications to employees could potentially improve employees’ wellness and health as flexible time-off can help prevent burnout, and in turn, increase productivity,” Chua said.
• Cultural stance: Are managers encouraged to support this policy or are there specific guidelines in terms of what is expected to be the norm for employees to avail this? How much leeway do they have in balancing time-off with business demands?
A hierarchical privilege or universal benefit?
“Therefore, a major downside of implementing an unlimited leave policy is the potential for employees to be chastised for taking their vacation days. Without a definitive outline, it will be harder for employees to gauge how much vacation leave is actually acceptable,” he explained.
“The downside of implementing this policy may well be that employees take the flexibility for granted and subject the policy to abuse if the workforce is not mature enough in handling the flexible time-off responsibly.”
Q3 2022 « Human Resources Online Hong Kong « 39 Unlimited leave PEOPLE ISSUES
To take or not to take: That is the question Rajiv R, Chief Human Resources Officer, Ramco Systems, agreed there is an advantage to implementing an unlimited leave policy in terms of saving organisations money for any non-taken vacation days, however, he is concerned such a policy may bring in more cons than pros.
“Without a specific allotment of vacation days, there is no policy to encourage time away from the office. When everyone can take as much vacation as they want, it loses its appeal as a motivator,” he said.
• What is the objective behind the policy? Retention of young talent? Flexibility across the workforce? Or just another perk to boost the employer brand?
The implementation of a flexible vacation/ unlimited leave policy may bring out another issue: who is eligible? What are the criteria to determine the eligibility? Job title? Seniority? Or something else?
Having understood both the pros and cons of an unlimited PTO policy from HR decision-makers, the key things to look out for, from HRO’s point of view, are:
• How well documented is the policy? Does it list exactly who is eligible? Does it provide ballpark or benchmarked figures for the employees to have a rough idea?
However, like any other benefits, Chua cautioned this policy may backfire if it is not managed prudently.
“This population appreciates mobility, flexibility, and the freedom of choice. It will be a culture shift and game changer for the traditional organisation and leaders.”
Under the fixed leave day system, employees can have a reasonable expectation of the frequency of time-off for their colleagues and themselves. However, when there is no clear guideline and limitation on vacation days, people may hesitate to enjoy what they are entitled to.
“It will be difficult at this point in time, as normalcy is just returning with reference to working from the office. No organisation can function smoothly when too many leaders or managers are absent at the same time. Decisions are delayed, meetings are postponed, and emails start piling up,” he said.
OFFSETTING ARRANGEMENT ABOLISHED IN HONG KONG – HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
3. The Bill has no retrospective effect.
1. Starting from a date to be appointed (the transition date), employers can no longer use the accrued benefits of employers’ mandatory contributions (ERMC) to offset employees’ SP/LSP.
Consequential technical amendments are also made to the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Ordinance (Cap. 380) in respect of provisions on the subrogation rights of the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund and calculation of ex gratia payment for SP in cases involving wage reduction.
The abolition of the offsetting arrangement will also be applicable to:
• If an employee’s employment commenced before the transition date, the employer can continue to use the accrued benefits of the MPF contributions (irrespective of whether the contributions are made before, on or after the transition date, and irrespective of whether the contributions are mandatory or voluntary) to offset the employee’s SP/LSP in respect of the employment before the transition date (pre-transition portion of SP/LSP).
The “offsetting” arrangement could be expected to be formally abolished in 2025 following the full implementation of the eMPF Platform, which is being developed by the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority.
The offsetting arrangement could be expected to be formally phased out by 2025. Tracy Chan puts together a quick dossier for employers to bookmark.
MPF
The bill also amends the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) to make it clear that SP and LSP paid in accordance with the Employment Ordinance is not chargeable to salaries tax.
2. Employers can continue to use their voluntary contributions and the returns derived therefrom and gratuities based on employees’ length of service to offset SP/LSP from before or after the transition date.
After abolishing the offsetting arrangement, the provisions related to the Termination of Contracts of Employment, the eligibility for SP/LSP, the Part on Employment Protection under the Employment Ordinance will remain unchanged.
A 25-year subsidy scheme totalling HK$33.2bn will be introduced for employers to adapt to the new arrangement with a focus on supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Here are three highlights for employers to note:
A decade-long debate over the controversial abolishment of the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) offsetting mechanism has finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council (LegCo) passed the Employment and Retirement Schemes Legislation (Offsetting Arrangement) (Amendment) Bill 2022 on 9 June 2022.
• Overseas occupational retirement schemes of employees from outside Hong Kong which are exempted from the MPF System.
• Occupational retirement schemes under the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 426);
• The two school provident funds under the Grant Schools Provident Fund Rules (Cap. 279C) and Subsidised Schools Provident Fund Rules (Cap. 279D);
» Human Resources Online Hong Kong » Q3 202240 LAST WORD
It’s worth noting that the bill will not come into effect immediately. The Government will press ahead with the ancillary arrangements for abolishing the “offsetting” arrangement, including setting up the government funding programme, following up on a Designated Savings Accounts Scheme for employers to cope with future financial needs, and conducting extensive publicity with easy-to-understand information to help employers grasp the abolition of the “offsetting” arrangement and related ancillary measures.
The bill will prohibit employers to use workers’ pensions to make severance payment (SP) and long service payment (LSP). The passage is a significant milestone in enhancing retirement protection of employees in the city.
Trainer: DR ADRIAN LOW Award-Winning Stress Researcher, Chartered Psychologist, Published Author, Global Keynote Speaker, University Lecturer AGDEPPA Regional Project
Dr Adrian Low is a Chartered Psychologist in the UK and he has attained his Doctor of Psychology in I/O and Clinical Psychology from the California Southern University in the US. Dr Adrian is also a holder of the master’s degree in Education from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He received his B.A. in Religious Studies from the Hong Kong Baptist University.
BUILDING A WORKFORCERESILIENTMASTERCLASS A Practical Guide to Manage Stress, Nurture a Positive Mindset and Sustain Mental Wellbeing 8 & 11 November, 2022 | Virtual • Get a better understanding of the growing issue of mental health in the workplace • Build a business case for promoting employee wellbeing • Common forms of mental health issues and the impact of the workplace on wellbeing • Reduce the stigma around mental health • Developing a practical mental health framework and a sustainable company action plan • Manage employees with mental health challenges • Tackle work related stress • A Certificate of Completion endorsed by Hong Kong Association of Psycholog
paul.agdeppa@humanresourcesonline.netManager
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DISRUPTING TRADITIONAL NORMS OF WORK FOR PROGRESS 9am – 4:30pm HKT | In-Person, Hotel ICON 17+Expertspeakers 150+SeniorHRAttendees Research-backed12+sessions IN-PERSONQ&Asessions 12 October 2022 | Hong Kong InspireHR is HRO’s flagship conference in Hong Kong to be held on the 12 October 2022 and it is the must attend event of the year for HR leaders. This one-day knowledge-packed event brings together a carefully curated programme and expert line-up of HR leaders and technology influencers. Connect with the over 150+ HR leaders and be inspired by exclusive keynote presentations, in-depth panel discussions and your chance to be in a room with Hong Kong’s top HR leaders. SCAN DISCOVERANDMORE Registration and speaking enquiries GERARD TIMBOL Senior Events Producer +852 2695 gerardt@humanresourcesonline.net6604 Sponsorship and partnership KAREN YUNG Regional Business Development Director 852 2695 kareny@lighthouse-media.com6618
