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A virtual amazing race, capability transfer programmes, and even complimentary attraction tours: MatchMove, Rohde & Schwarz, and Merlin Entertainments share how they are committed to developing engaged and well-performing workforces.
For some organisations, being
progressive means a deeper focus on employees’ wellbeing, for others it is a greater emphasis on career development. We find out exactly what it means to three Singapore employers, in interviews led by Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP).
Case study: Matching and moving talent into the right roles with the right support
MatchMove’s Chief of People, Nicole Poon, believes in consistently improving collaboration and employee engagement, especially in a virtual-driven environment. At fintech company MatchMove, hybrid working was in place long before COVID-19 hit to cater to varied workforce needs impacted by traffic, time differences, and more, across all its offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In addition, flexi hours allowed employees to attend to home matters when needed, says Nicole Poon, Chief of People, MatchMove.
As such, videoconferencing was frequently used to conduct meetings, interviews, and employee activities.
So when the pandemic hit, Poon and the team agreed to look beyond business continuity planning – and into ways to improve the employee and job candidate experience. For instance, to increase collaboration and innovation while employees worked from home, the company introduced biweekly learning sessions, built up the learning library, adopted a new HRMS, and enhanced digital tools, in addition to new virtual team activities such as its very own ‘Virtual Amazing Race’, ‘MatchMove Got Talent’, tech hackathons, and more.
MatchMove also re-looked at its talent strategies to align with the new way of work and expectations. “We understood that our employees faced COVID-19 and work-from-home challenges, so we placed high importance on empathy and extending our support to them. We increased their insurance coverage and provided extra allowances,” Poon shares.
All these interventions bode well for MatchMove, allowing its diversified teams to “go global and act local”, Poon says.
“Having a diversified team has helped the group grow the business through local expertise and language, and made it more inclusive and respectful of cultural differences.”
Ultimately, the management and HR team live by one core message – One MatchMove – that permeates across its
Nicole Poon, Chief of People, MatchMove
MatchMove team
hiring, recruitment, and selection strategies. “If a talent has the skills and is the right fit for the company, we want them to work with us.”
Lessons learnt in the process
As with every journey, MatchMove’s was not short of its own challenges – and during the pandemic, talent attraction was one of them. With high demand for tech and digitally savvy talent all around the region, the talent war was well and truly underway.
This was good impetus for MatchMove to review its talent acquisition strategies to ensure it could attract the top talent for its business expansion needs, while standing up to other industry players. The newly launched HRMS came in handy, enabling Poon and team to study the data and analyse gaps to help with better and timely recruitment strategies.
What also helped the employer branding was MatchMove’s promise to “cultivate an innovative and knowledge-sharing environment”, driven by biweekly learning sessions that activated cross-departmental learning opportunities.
“By doing so, our employees are more aware of the functions of various departments, but more importantly, we want to build up understanding, empathy, and collaborative spirit across teams and departments,” Poon elaborates.
“Recent survey results on our learning sessions also showed that about 94% of staff have acquired new knowledge, and more than 87% found these sessions useful.”
Next up was employee retention, for which its ‘Marvels Appreciation Programme’ recognises employees with a choice of a gift that is commensurate with their tenure, starting from one-and-a-half years. Further, growth opportunities are provided for both horizontal (multi-skills) and vertical growth. In fact, MatchMove is also working with agencies such as the Singapore FinTech Association, Institute for Human Resource Professionals, and Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore to groom and grow Singapore’s local talent pool.
Navigating into the future
According to Poon, “the pandemic has taught us different lessons, but what stands out the most is the need to be agile, timely, and flexible in our arrangements”. “As we grow and expand to different geographies, talent acquisition becomes even more crucial. While our headquarters will remain in Singapore, we are looking to expand our product offerings and offices in multiple geographies globally,” she adds.
Incorporating this multi-fold growth, MatchMove is ensuring the human capital challenges of growing into a multinational company globally are identified and addressed. Thus, the employees in Singapore can look forward to gaining more exposure to the new growth initiatives in existing and new markets as the organisation expands overseas.
“The pandemic has not only accelerated digital adoption, but also brought a shift in traditional job descriptions and work profiles to modern-age roles, with a need to adapt to the new norm. It would be important to identify this shift and modify the hiring strategy accordingly that aligns with the company’s growth plans,” she concludes.
Insights: What it takes to attract the right talent
With capability transfer programmes and complimentary attraction tours, two organisations share how they are keeping the best talent in their pipeline. Despite both organisations being in two vastly different fields, let’s hear how the teams at Rohde & Schwarz and Merlin Entertainments are buckling down on talent acquisition.
Rohde & Schwarz
Technology solutions provider Rohde & Schwarz set up its first R&D lab in Singapore in 2008, with an aim to strengthen its R&D capabilities and develop new cutting-edge technologies and solutions for its customers. At that point, the organisation was admittedly facing a challenge in attracting talent with the right knowledge, skills, and mindsets suitable for R&D.
“The fact that there were few German speakers in Singapore also made certain business aspects – bridging cultural gaps, earning trust, interpreting documents, and fostering good collaboration within the organisation – a challenge,” says Zhang Zhixiang, Director of Human Resources, Rohde & Schwarz Asia.
Recognising the need to address these gaps in existing and future talents, the group developed and implemented the following programmes: 1. A capability transfer programme: 28 engineers from the Singapore office were sent to Germany for training, which would last anywhere from three months to two years, from 2008 to 2015. There was also a global attachment programme in Singapore from 2016 to 2019, where R&D engineers from the head office were sent to the Singapore office to co-ordinate internal development efforts. 2. ‘Poly Goes UAS’ programme: This initiative aims to build practice-oriented engineering talent for Rohde & Schwarz operations in Singapore. It provides eligible diploma holders a bond-free scholarship to obtain a degree at the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Germany, relevant work experience through apprenticeships, and a job in Singapore. To date, the organisation has groomed five scholars who have started work, and has six more in the pipeline.
3. Other student engagement programmes:
Rohde & Schwarz offers other scholarship opportunities in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich, and through the Singapore-Industry Scholarship to groom future engineering talents. The organisation worked with the Institute of Technical Education for student industrial exchange programmes in Singapore and Germany, as well as organised an annual engineering competition involving global student teams, where the winning team from Singapore would get a free trip to Munich to compete with teams there.
These efforts became the strong foundation on which Rohde & Schwarz tackled the 'Great Resignation'. Capability transfer programmes were restarted with international travel resuming, albeit on a smaller scale. The team also worked closely with various local tertiary institutions on integrated work or dual study programmes in addition to scholarships – some of these to be more clearly announced in the near term. It is hoped such efforts will help Rohde & Schwarz remain competitive in the new playing field for talent, Zhang affirms.
Merlin Entertainments
The team at Merlin Entertainments found itself in a similar situation. Merlin Entertainments’ Madame Tussauds first opened its doors in Singapore in 2014. As part of a global leader in location-based family entertainment, the group had established its presence in more than 25 locations. As such, talent acquisition was not a challenge given the “steady and high number of job applications to fill its roles”, says Yasmin Taylor-Tuma, HR Manager – Singapore, Merlin Entertainments.
However, in 2017, the organisation saw an increase in employee turnover – a result of slow career development, particularly in operational functions; as well as a decline in job applications because of increasing competition in the tourism industry as more attractions popped up.
Faced with this, the leadership team knew it was time to review the company’s talent acquisition strategy – not just to continue attracting talent, but to also remain competitive amid a tight labour market. It focused on three areas: 1. Employer branding: Current employees are encouraged, and even provided with platforms, to share their experience working with the attraction to help create a stronger employer branding. 2. Candidate experience: The organisation adopted a mobile-friendly recruitment platform to simplify the job application process, from four steps to one. Candidates are also invited on complimentary attraction tours to get a firsthand experience of their potential workplace and colleagues. 3. Career development: The group looks to develop its staff at Madame Tussauds through cross-functional training and job posting opportunities. It encourages knowledge transfer and talent retention by developing team members’ skill sets in other functions, and empowering line department leaders to train or nominate employees to be developed into trainers. Apart from that, Madame Tussauds also hires six to eight interns in hospitality yearly through its partnership with various institutes of technical education.
Today, these efforts have paid off for the team. With the new strategy in place, Madame Tussauds has seen 13% of its current headcount return to work for the business after having left for six months or less. At the same time, more than 60% of its interns moved into permanent part-time positions, with about 8.3% of the attraction’s current headcount comprising former interns.
Zhang Zhixiang, Director of Human Resources, Rohde & Schwarz Asia
Yasmin Taylor-Tuma, HR Manager – Singapore, Merlin Entertainments
MatchMove, Rohde & Schwarz, and Merlin Entertainments are part of the Human Capital Partnership (HCP) Programme. The HCP Programme is a tripartite initiative that brings together a community of exemplary employers in Singapore who have progressive employment practices in their organisations and are committed to developing their human capital. Visit tafep.sg to find out more about the HCP Programme.
Four things we learnt at the Total Rewards Asia Summit 2022, Singapore
Go beyond fixed compensation, bonuses, and sales commissions, and think about stock option plans, phantom shares, cryptocurrencies, and tokens. Event report by Lester Tan.
Human Resources Online
kick-started August 2022 with the Total Rewards Asia Summit 2022, Singapore, held at the Shangri-La Hotel on 2-3 August. The summit, or TRAS as we like to call it, hosted more than 200 HR professionals across two days of conferencing, networking, and roundtables.
The first day saw HR leaders from The Coca-Cola Company, Greenpac, TechnipFMC, Singapore Pools, and many more, take the stage for keynote sessions and panel discussions to highlight the latest trends in the rewards space.
The second day saw the attendees get up close and personal through personalised roundtable discussions across six different topics ranging from the workforce’s mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing, to managing its segmented needs. Here are some key highlights from the conversations.
Be innovative
Ng Zhao Yang, Local Principal, Employment Practice
Group, during the summit’s opening keynote session, said it was time for HR professionals to do away with traditional compensation and benefits (C&B) frameworks, and think beyond fixed compensation, bonuses, and sales commissions.
Ng sees a gaining popularity in rewards such as stock option plans, phantom shares, and cryptocurrencies, but also in “tokens” which employees can “earn by the side”, and redeem benefits they desire from the organisation’s own marketplace.
Putting his advice to good use was Cris Ponce, Total
Rewards Director – Bottling Investments Group, The
Coca-Cola Company. She shared how the beverage bottling company involved all employees to develop a C&B framework called the Special Measures Framework, which has proven to be relevant in today’s economic situation, and competitive in today’s inflated market.
The framework, she noted, covers five Cs (compliance, competitiveness, cost containment, consistency, and consolidation) across four pillars of work (engagement, rewards, infrastructure, and jobs).
Innovativeness, in the form of employee participation and contribution, she believes, plays a vital role in the battle for talent retention, especially in today’s era driven by fears of the the Great Resignation. Time the rewards
That said, having a full suite of rewards should not be the end-all solution.
In a panel discussion led by Steve Lim, Head of Group Human Resources, Greenpac, panellists – Laura Ann Yeo, Head of Sales & Marketing, AIA Singapore;
Derick Khoo, Director of Human Resources, Asia Area,
AstraZeneca, and Aaron Lim, Group Director of Human Resources, Park Hotel Group – urged HR professionals to be aware of rewards execution.
One panellist suggested HR professionals practise delayed gratification, which is to offer C&B “at the right point” and “in bundles”, based on the employee’s life stage or function. This is so employees are more aware of what the organisation has, so that they have what they need when they need it.
Another panellist reminded employers to treat talent through the “five love languages”, that is, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, and physical contact. This is important as it creates a level of personalisation and intimacy with the needs of employees – understanding what they genuinely value in terms of C&B.
Beyond that, the discussants concurred there is a need for “social contracts” to be established, a work discipline to not schedule a meeting during lunch hour, for instance, or sending an email after working hours, to be considered and abided by at the workplace.
Think far
Presenters such as James O’Reilly, Head of Sales, Unit4 Prosoft; Patrick Tcheng, Director of Total
Rewards, South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North
Africa, L’Oréal, and Michele Loh, Global Compensation Director, TechnipFMC all affirmed the need to have conversations around benchmark salaries and transparently letting employees know where they stand; removing performance ratings, but not performance conversations; considering pay transparency more seriously, and giving a budget to people/line managers so they have the autonomy to differentiate rewards among their talent.
Those are the more “personalised” elements of C&B.
Alvin Fu, Chief Corporate Solutions Officer, AIA
Singapore, in his presentation, called upon HR professionals to add more “purposeful” elements to their rewards offering. For example, linking existing – and future – C&B frameworks to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals around good health and wellbeing, gender equality, as well as responsible consumption and production. This way, it will “reduce inequality, and spur economic growth”.
Be inclusive
As the summit drew to a close, the presenters and panellists expanded that C&B should not be limited to monetary terms. Suppose we look at the workforce’s state of mental health, more can be done to “establish a strong employee wellness system”, especially with more workplaces featuring a multigenerational workforce with different needs and support required.
In his session, Theodoric Chew, Co-Founder and CEO, Intellect, explained how mental health is “not black and white, not yes and no”, but “usually a spectrum, circumstantial.” As such, it is important HR professionals and business leaders learn to openly address mental wellbeing at work, authentically, and empathetically. Only through such an approach will it be possible to create “a supportive, inclusive workplace with clear leadership opportunities for growth and good communication channels that can contribute to good mental health in employees”.
Be that as it may, Dr Tiffanie Ong, Chief Product Officer, Naluri, warned employers not to neglect their own mental health in the process – because “each one of us cannot pour from an empty cup”.
Human Resources Online would like to thank all speakers, panellists, moderators, and roundtable hosts for their immense time and mind space invested into leading the industry conversations. We would also like to thank all sponsors and partners for putting their innovative might behind this event and supporting HRO all the way.
Platinum sponsor
• AIA
Gold sponsors
• Intellect • Naluri • Unit4 Prosoft
Silver sponsors • LifeWorks • Virgin Pulse
Exhibitors
• Afeli • Giftano • GrabForBusiness • HSBC • Prudential Assurance Company Singapore
INTERVIEWERS’ GUIDE: WHAT TO DO IF A JOB CANDIDATE DISCLOSES A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION
Interviewers must know how to navigate the conversation appropriately to avoid being discriminatory or disrespectful.
When a job candidate discloses a mental health condition at the interview stage, it is important that interviewers know how to navigate the conversation appropriately, to avoid being discriminatory or disrespectful. Here are three simple steps that interviewers can take to demonstrate respect and sensitivity when communicating with such candidates.
1. Thank the job candidate for their openness Due to the stigma associated with it, it takes a lot of courage and trust to talk about one’s mental health condition. How interviewers respond is critical and can represent an organisation’s attitude towards hiring persons with mental health conditions. Avoid over-reacting, making insensitive comments or posing questions such as: “You don’t look like you have (mental health condition)”, “How did you get (mental health condition)?”, etc. Assure the candidates that the interview would focus on drawing out their abilities to do the job.
2. Be upfront about the job expectations It is important not to disregard a candidate’s application based on their disclosure. Make your expectations clear, allow the candidate to share how they would perform the tasks required for the position they applied for, and listen attentively for evidence of their abilities. To assess their abilities objectively, frame questions directly related to the selection criteria that is applied consistently to all candidates using techniques such as competency-based questions. Avoid making assumptions about their abilities due to their condition.
3. Share about your organisation’s inclusive workplace culture Check if the candidate requires any workplace adjustments. Not all persons with mental health conditions need accommodations to do the job. If workplace adjustments (e.g., flexible working hours, employee assistance programmes, and wellness ambassadors) are available, interviewers could state them. This helps to communicate the organisation’s commitment to hiring persons with mental health conditions (and any other disabilities), and encourages candidates to share if they need any accommodations.
If in doubt, let the candidate know that you need to check on their request for workplace adjustments, and this can be discussed further at a later stage. If their request cannot be met, help the candidate to understand the organisation’s considerations (e.g., the adjustment will incur excessive costs or will fundamentally change the nature or operation of the business, etc.), and explore other options with them.
In general, employers should exercise care and diligence in collecting sensitive and/or personal information. Organisations should not ask job applicants to declare personal information such as their mental health condition unless there is a job-related requirement.
If you require information that may be viewed as discriminatory, state your reasons clearly why you are collecting the information.
This article was developed by Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) in partnership with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). For more resources on how to conduct interviews in a non-discriminatory and respectful manner, visit tafep.sg.
Tracking HR’s industry moves
Who: Peter Lewis New role: Chief People Officer, DDB Asia d DDB Asia has appointed Peter Lewis as its new Chief People Officer. A talent management expert renowned for his empathy, intelligence, and sensibility, Lewis brings more than 25 years of experience working both client and agency-side, including over 10 years at the Financial Times. He also spent a combined 14 years at DDB in London and Singapore, managing teams across multiple offices.
Based in Singapore, Lewis will lead talent development, collaboration, training, and agency culture, including the region’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy in his new role. He will also support DDB Asia’s office leaders to develop talent and build thriving, diverse teams that epitomise the network’s core values – the Four Freedoms, and the Unexpected Works promise.
Lewis will work closely with Roisin Rooney, DDB’s Global Chief People Officer, and DDB Asia’s CEO David Tang, to “support the group’s teams to build a highperformance and high-happiness culture in every agency”. Who: Rajalakshmi Sivanand New role: Head of People & Culture, Compass India Development Centre
Who: Manik Banga New role: Head of Talent Acquisition, Compass India Development Centre d The newly appointed industry veterans at Compass India Development Centre (IDC) are Rajalakshmi Sivanand (above, left), and Manik Banga (above, right). They will head Compass IDC’s people strategy, including talent acquisition, engagement, and ensuring organisational development.
Their remit includes the three Compass IDCs located in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Gurugram, which represent the only three overseas development centres of Urban Compass Inc, a US-headquartered technology platform. The IDCs comprise a team of over 200 engineers across India with intent to further ramp up their hiring.
