Australia’s Top Recruiters
HCAMAG.COM ISSUE 16.02 16.03
The future of HR A ‘GLOCAL’ AGENT OF CHANGE Bosch’s ‘outlier’ head of HR
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TIME TO REJECT ACCEPTED NORMS Why 2018 is the year to move the dial on D&I
SALES VS SERVICE Time for a culture rethink?
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JUNE 2018
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CONTENTS
@HRDAustralia facebook.com/HRDAustralia
UPFRONT 02 Editorial
From personnel to happiness officers, has HR finally settled on a name it can live with?
04 Statistics
What sets apart a ‘thriving’ organisation from a run-of-the-mill organisation?
06 News analysis
Could more sophisticated use of data, combined with smarter technology and a re-examination of existing processes, enhance D&I outcomes?
08 L&D update
Western Union reveals its upskilling plans for a digital world
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS
In HRD’s second annual Top Recruiters Survey, we canvassed our readers for insights into what frustrates and what pleases them most about recruiters
10 Technology update
Hootsuite’s global head of HR outlines why content is king for employee advocacy
12 Expert insight
Joe Murphy says the initial steps taken are critical when any claim of bullying is made
20 SPECIAL REPORT
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RISING STARS 2018
From change management to technology rollouts, this year’s batch of rising stars proves that the future of HR is in exceptional hands
FEATURES
13 Head to head
Is HR responsible for culture?
PEOPLE
SALES VS SERVICE: TIME FOR A CULTURE RETHINK
What happens when the wrong organisational behaviours are being recognised?
70 Career path
Nada George says it’s not about having all the answers but about being determined to work at it until you do
72 Other life
When Phil Turner isn’t working as an HR manager, he likes to get his hands dirty
66 FEATURES
PATHWAYS TO THE TOP HCAMAG.COM CHECK IT OUT ONLINE
PEOPLE
‘GLOCAL’ AGENT OF CHANGE Rosa Lee has crossed continents to pursue her commitment to culture and people transformation. She shares her journey with Hannah Go
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Natasha Rasheed of Marriott International talks to HRD about creating memorable career journeys
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UPFRONT
EDITORIAL
What’s in a job title?
T
hose with long memories will recall a time when the HR department existed as the personnel department. It was very much a ‘necessary evil’ existing for the sole reason – or so it seemed – to ensure people filled out their hours of work correctly and were paid on time. That was some time ago. Since then of course the department has been rebranded countless times – perhaps most commonly as ‘culture’ and ‘people and performance’. There has been a persistent unease about ‘human resources’ – maybe because it puts human beings on par with machines or other commodities. More out there are titles like ‘employee happiness cultivator’ or ‘culture evangelist’. However, gaining traction today is ‘people experience manager’. It may be a little more subdued than those titles above, but it still nicely encapsulates
It’s difficult to execute on a fantastic customer experience if you aren’t first delivering a great employee experience what HR is meant to be doing in 2018: creating memorable experiences along every touchpoint of an employee’s journey. Indeed, Cathay Pacific’s HR department has rebranded under the banner of the very similar ‘employee experience department’, a title possibly inspired by Airbnb. Tony Reynolds, general manager of employee experience at Cathay Pacific, says it’s a natural progression for the company, which has always prided itself on exceptional customer experience. “It’s difficult to execute on a fantastic customer experience if you aren’t first delivering a great employee experience. In fact, I don’t think you can have one without the other,” Reynolds told me. He adds that knowing what matters most to employees – just like the airline knows what matters most to customers – has been critical to this overhaul. Crucially, it’s employee data that underpins everything Cathay Pacific’s employee experience team delivers. The company has also utilised design thinking to reimagine every potential touchpoint on an employee’s journey with the organisation. “This is the future for HR,” Reynolds said. “To operate in a way that marketing, sales and other functions have for years; to underpin almost everything they do with data.” On that optimistic note, it’s time for me to bid adieu to HRD’s readers, who journeyed with me through HRD’s own rebranding from HC several years ago. It’s been a pleasure leading this publication for so many years. It’s never been dull, and I look forward to observing where this fascinating profession moves to next.
www.hcamag.com JUNE 2O18 EDITORIAL
SALES & MARKETING
Editor Iain Hopkins
Marketing & Communications Manager Michelle Lam
Journalist John Hilton Editorial Assistant Hannah Go Production Editor Roslyn Meredith
ART & PRODUCTION Designer Marla Morelos Traffic Coordinator Freya Demegilio
Marketing Executive Alethea Dean Business Development Manager Matthew Nutt
CORPORATE Chief Executive Officer Mike Shipley Chief Operating Officer George Walmsley Managing Director Justin Kennedy Chief Information Officer Colin Chan Human Resources Manager Julia Bookallil
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES iain.hopkins@keymedia.com
SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES tel: +61 2 8011 4992 subscriptions@keymedia.com.au
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES matthew.nutt@keymedia.com
Key Media Regional head office, Level 10, 1–9 Chandos St, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia tel: +61 2 8437 4700 • fax: +61 2 9439 4599 www.keymedia.com Offices in Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, Denver, London, Toronto, Manila, Bengaluru
Human Resources Director is part of an international family of B2B publications and websites for the human resources industry HRD CANADA www.hrmonline.ca HRD ASIA hrdmag.com.sg HRD AUSTRALIA hcamag.com HRD NEW ZEALAND hrmonline.co.nz
Iain Hopkins, editor
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Copyright is reserved throughout. No part of this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the editor. Contributions are invited, but copies of work should be kept, as HRD Magazine can accept no responsibility for loss.
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UPFRONT
STATISTICS
The drive to thrive
Unlocking the potential of the workforce and staying ahead of disruption go hand in hand WHAT DISTINGUISHES organisations with an air of energy and vitality from those without? The transformation of work into a compelling experience, says a Mercer report. Yet only about half of organisations worldwide have committed to helping their employees thrive at work. “As digitisation and disruption shape the next decade of work, companies that develop people strategies around these forces today will be first in building the workforce for tomorrow,” said Garry Adams, leader of Mercer’s career
73%
78%
of engaged employees described of engaged employees said their organisation actively supported their workplace as promoting innovation collaborative working
business in the Pacific. “Thriving organisations do not happen by chance. They are deliberately designed and intentionally built [and] create an atmosphere that enriches the lives of their workforce by meeting their needs and empowering them to contribute.” Conversely, those that do not thrive fail to adapt effectively to external changes or to develop an internal environment that stimulates growth and innovation, and tend to have uninformed decision-making process.
60%
of employees rated their health as more important than wealth or career
13
is the estimated number of hours per month US workers spend thinking about money matters
TOP 10 GLOBAL THEMES Foremost among the key themes identified in companies committed to developing a thriving workforce were growth and learning. Additionally, organisations that focus on equity and efficiency in their talent processes apparently drive their people to thrive.
Source: Thriving in an Age of Disruption: Putting People at The Heart of Change, Mercer, 2018
JOB SATISFACTION
DRIVING CONFIDENCE
Two factors are predictive of job satisfaction and commitment: how energised employees feel day-today and whether they can bring their authentic selves to work. When both occurred, employees were nearly three times as likely to report job satisfaction.
Low employee confidence can lead to workers deserting, particularly in times of organisational change or distress. The confidence is driven by factors such as organisational agility, social responsibility, and compelling career paths.
Authenticity Low High
Prevalence rates
15% 50% 23% 12% De-energised
Energised Energy
Authenticity Low High
Impact on satisfaction and commitment
55% 30%
84% 63%
(N=824)
(N=2,707)
(N=1,221)
(N=638)
De-energised
Energised Energy
Source: Thriving in an Age of Disruption: Putting People at The Heart of Change, Mercer, 2018
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TRUST I trust senior leadership CONTRIBUTION My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment AGILITY My organisation responds effectively to changes in the business environment CAREER PATHS I like the possible career paths for me at my organisation TRUSTING ENVIRONMENT There is a climate of trust within my organisation
explains
79% of confidence & advocacy
Confidence in the future Job enthusiasm Willingness to recommend Desire to stay at my organisation
SOCIETAL IMPACT My organisation takes a genuine interest in the wellbeing of communities in which it does business Source: Thriving in an Age of Disruption: Putting People at The Heart of Change, Mercer, 2018
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THRIVE RESEARCH: TOP 10 GLOBAL THEMES Global
Asia
Europe
Latin America
North America
Career & development opportunities Learning opportunities Fair assessments Flatter structures Equity in pay and rewards Enablers for efficiency Positive working environment Analytics driven actions Employee involvement Connected/purposeful leaders
Source: Thriving in an Age of Disruption: Putting People at The Heart of Change, Mercer, 2018
ENERGISED EMPLOYEES
A THRIVING ENVIRONMENT
Large differences in the workplace experience are evident in the responses of energised employees compared to their de-energised counterparts. Those who are energised are much more likely to describe their organisation as one where growth and collaboration are hallmarks of the work culture.
Employee experience is shaped by day-to-day events and galvanised by work relationships, particularly with managers and leaders. Challenging work, the ability to make decisions, and a purposeful connection to colleagues are factors likely to result in fully invested employees
40
Promotes collaborative working 37
73
35
69
30
Provides me with coaching & development
34
Fosters an inclusive culture
68
Offers me flexible work options
66 63
25 31
Encourages internal mobility
63 63
27 25
TRANSACTIONAL EXPERIENCE
THRIVING EXPERIENCE
Relationship to work
PSYCHOLOGICALLY INVESTED
37
Enables quick decision-making (eg through simplified approval chains)
GROWING
69
PSYCHOLOGICALLY INDIFFERENT
Focuses on my health & wellness
Skill development
Actively supports innovation
Rewards a range of contribution (beyond just financial and activity metrics) Understands my unique interest & skills to help me find the best job match
78
DEPLETING EXPERIENCE
MONOTONOUS EXPERIENCE
63 De-energised
Energised
Responses in %
Source: Thriving in an Age of Disruption: Putting People at The Heart of Change, Mercer, 2018
STAGNANT Source: Thriving in an Age of Disruption: Putting People at The Heart of Change, Mercer, 2018
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UPFRONT
NEWS ANALYSIS
Shifting the dial on D&I Could more sophisticated use of data, combined with smarter technology and a re-examination of existing processes, enhance D&I outcomes? IN MAY, when a group of HR and business leaders gathered at a Workday roundtable event in Sydney to discuss what needed to be done to build more effective corporate D&I efforts, it was the comments of Elizabeth Shoesmith, CEO of the Inclusion Foundation, that captured the attention of the room. Shoesmith related the story of her husband, Scott, who lost his hearing at the age of eight – and his battles with blinkered thinking ever since.
finish the process on his behalf, she was told that was not allowed. “It was an insurmountable barrier that they weren’t willing to lower or negotiate about – even when it was patently obvious that something had to be done,” she told the room. “So we went round in circles. What that sort of mentality means for people like Scott is frustration.” Shoesmith urged the businesses in the room to look at their customer-facing and
“Part of HR’s role is to ensure they are creating an environment where it’s OK for people to self-select; that people feel safe in doing so” Jason Laufer, LinkedIn To cite just one example of where Scott has encountered seemingly neverending nonsensical corporate bureaucracy, Shoesmith mentioned his recent experience of dealing with an insurance company over the phone. Despite some level of hearing impairment assistance offered, it was not sufficient to see him through the whole process; when Shoesmith herself offered to
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internal processes – whether for conducting a work task, making a phone enquiry or using an ATM – through the lens of diversity and inclusion. Is each step of the process genuinely inclusive of all? Are there gaps along the way? Does the path simply trail off so that tasks cannot be completed independently? “Sometimes it’s only when we step back and look at the processes that we realise:
‘That’s stupid. Why are we doing it like that?’” she said.
Where to next? Beyond re-examining processes, experts predict the biggest breakthroughs will come from a more sophisticated use of HR data to hone and enhance D&I initiatives. Kim Cheney, head of HR at Paypal Australia, says data can help pinpoint the areas that need to be improved. “What problem are you trying to resolve? If you know the answer, then data can absolutely help. It enables you to pinpoint where you’ve got areas to improve on, where you’re doing really well, and can give you goals to strive for,” Cheney says. The next step in HR’s data evolution is to ‘cross-pollinate’ data sets from different areas of the business, in much the same way that marketing and finance teams have been doing for some time. Thomas Hedegaard Rasmussen, GM people analytics, insights and experience at NAB, previously told HRD that this capability could have a “profound effect” on D&I outcomes.
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HOW D&I DATA CAN BE USED
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To influence top leaders. Data can be presented in graphic and statistical reports in ways that are easy for leaders to understand. When armed with facts that are clear and actionable, decision-makers can tackle pinpointed issues and use resources appropriately. For multidimensional analysis. When tackling complex questions, organisations can use in-memory analytics, which are designed to deliver multidimensional analysis. For example, to tackle pay gaps, you may want to know if your minority employees receive raises at the same rate as the rest of the population. This question has many layers, such as rate of change across populations, whether performance standards are equal among populations, market pay rates, employee tenure and more.
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To identify who is a flight risk. Use predictive analytics to determine who is at risk of resigning. Recruiting diverse talent is one thing, but if your minority talent resigns, you haven’t done much to improve the diversity of your workforce. Predictive analytics can look at specific gender or ethnic populations to determine who is likely to resign. This information can be used to create initiatives to improve the work experience of those populations more likely to leave.
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“There’s no straight line from diversity to better performance or more innovation, as there are other factors that have an influence, such as how inclusive your organisation’s leaders are,” says Hedegaard Rasmussen. However, he adds that the data models are getting more sophisticated so the correlations
Despite the exciting future for big data’s impact on often-neglected areas within HR’s mandate, a word of warning about D&I data was voiced by Jason Laufer, senior director, talent and learning solutions, at LinkedIn. Laufer said the outcomes of data-led initiatives would only be as good as the data put in.
“You can look at gender or age or ethnicity, one variable at a time, but it’s super artificial because that’s not what the real world is like” Thomas Hedegaard Rasmussen, NAB are becoming easier to identify. “You can look at gender or age or ethnicity, one variable at a time, but it’s super artificial because that’s not what the real world is like. Modern organisations will look at each of these data components combined, and will also have data subgroupings within various organisational teams, and so on,” says Hedegaard Rasmussen.
“Data in D&I is dependent on people identifying themselves within a particular group,” Laufer says. “When it comes to areas like LGBTI or religion it becomes trickier as it’s more difficult for people to self-select into a particular group or subgroup. Part of HR’s role is to ensure they are creating an environment where it’s OK for people to
self-select; that people feel safe in doing so. From there, you can roll out D&I initiatives that you know are going to resonate with the individuals you have in your organisation.” Looking more broadly at technology, Laufer firmly believes it will provide solutions – if not all the answers – to address disability discrimination. “An example would be around flexible work arrangements,” he says. “How do you help someone with a disability who might only be in the office one or two days a week because it’s physically difficult? So what are we doing about video conferencing, file sharing, those sorts of technologies, to make it easier, or to ensure they have the right facilities at home to support them when they need to work remotely?”
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UPFRONT
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT NEWS BRIEFS Millennials seeking opportunities to learn Aussie millennials rank ‘opportunities for continuous learning’ as the fourth most important consideration when choosing a new employer, according to the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey. However, just 27% say their employers are helping them prepare for ‘Industry 4.0’, compared to 36% globally. “Young professionals are looking for learning that’s far broader than technical knowledge,” says David Hill, Deloitte Australia’s COO. “They are especially seeking the ‘soft’ skills they believe will be important as jobs evolve, such as interpersonal skills, critical thinking, judgment and creativity. Unsurprisingly, these are all skills less likely to be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence.”
Worid Economic Forum kicks off global IT skills drive The World Economic Forum is spearheading a global initiative to train one million workers in IT skills, with help from leading technology companies. SkillSET is a free online portal that will offer educational resources and training opportunities to equip workers with skills of the future. Founding partners Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Infosys, Pegasystems and Salesforce, among others, will provide public access to their respective IT training resources through the portal. The platform will provide modules on general business, digital literacy, big data, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, and other areas of the IT industry.
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Jobseekers who upskill more likely to be shortlisted Everybody in the workforce, from MDs to graduates, needs to upskill constantly in order to keep up with the technical skills relevant to their jobs, solve new problems and collaborate with peers to exchange knowledge, according to new research. A Hays survey of over 2,000 people found that 77% of employers are more likely to shortlist a candidate who has regularly upskilled. However, while 96% of the professionals regard upskilling as ‘very important’ or ‘important’, only a minority are putting in the work to ensure they keep up with the changing demands in their sector.
Time for L&D professionals to take on role of business partners L&D professionals must stop being seen as order-takers and instead take up the position of impactful business partners, according to Arun Pradhan, co-author of the DeakinCo Enabling the Future of Work report. “Now, successful businesses are being forced to increase their attention and reliance on L&D professionals and here lies the opportunity for them to carve out their role as a partner rather than an appendix,” said Pradhan. L&D professionals have an incredible opportunity to step into a muchneeded role at a time when the ability to learn and innovate is the new currency of success, Pradhan added.
Upskilling in the digital world Western Union is shaping the employee experience to respond to new ways of working in an increasingly digital world The nature of work is changing at Western Union. The financial services and communications company is responding to an increasingly digital world by evolving the capabilities of the workforce to lead real change throughout the business. Victoria Pickles, director of HR at Western Union APAC, says the company’s employees must learn new skills and change the way they interact with other workers. “Our people are having to think more, do more, and be more autonomous,” Pickles tells HRD. “But at the same time they also have to collaborate more. The changing way of working for me includes watching teams that previously may not have had anything to do with each other now wanting to collaborate.” Pickles adds that competitive pressure is requiring Western Union to be more agile and innovative, and to respond more quickly. Consequently, Western Union has to really focus on the elements that add value to the customer. “If we start from a customer-centric point of view – what is it you do that contributes to the value of a customer, and how much more of it should you be doing or should you be doing less? “I have seen the changing nature of work as a result of just that mindset shift,” Pickles says. So how is the HR team shaping the employee experience in response to an increasingly digital world? “Our employees have an expectation of a
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consumer-grade user experience in their work with us,” Pickles says. When they come to work every day, their expectations of line management and the HR teams are similar to what they expect to experience when they log into an app with a service provider, Pickles says. “If we are not delivering the same type of service, they feel like they are being left behind, so there is a big internal focus on making sure the employee experience is in line with the way we ensure our customers have a focus.”
“Our people are having to think more, do more, and be more autonomous” Moreover, Pickles says Western Union embeds a learning and development plan into everybody’s journey at the company, which is self-directed in terms of employees making sure they are invested in their own learning. “But it comes back to this idea of choice and providing people with options for online micro-learning if that is what they want,” she says. “We design a lot of in-house training – we are a heavily regulated industry, and so we have a lot of compliance training to make sure our 12,000 employees remain compliant in local markets.” She adds that performance management is a key part of the way Western Union stays current and ensures that staff achieve optimum productivity.
Q&A
Developing a ‘digital ready’ workforce Melissa Ries Vice president and general manager, APAC SKILLSOFT
Fast fact Millennials are primarily looking to their employers to help prepare them for the brave new world of work. Forty per cent cite their business as most responsible for educating them, versus 18% saying it’s the government, according to the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey.
What does it mean to be ‘digital ready’ as opposed to developing digital skills? We are on the verge of a technological revolution that is predicted to “fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another”, says the World Economic Forum. Equipping ourselves with ‘digital skills’ is increasingly seen as essential to maintaining future job security, but skills are really about the individual, and acquiring those skills is easier said than done when employees are consumed by day-to-day expectations and duties. What’s more, digital skills are evolving so rapidly that what’s relevant today will be outdated in five years. Change really needs to be driven at an organisational level, but the reality is that most companies aren’t prepared for this revolution. A Bersin by Deloitte study found that 90% of organisations believe their core business is threatened by new digital competitors, while 70% believe they do not have the right leadership, skills or operating models to adapt. Our focus needs to be on making entire organisations ‘digital ready’ rather than looking for skill sets alone – these have a place, but as part of a broader strategy that focuses on agility as well as catering to individual learning needs. How can companies train or adapt their workforces now when the future is so unpredictable? High-performing organisations who have their eye on ensuring sustainability are putting human resources and L&D at the forefront of business change. It’s very important that companies are continuously investing in new technology and supporting their employees in developing specific digital skills – things like basic coding, moving to cloudbased software, and assisting non-digital ‘natives’ to improve their computing skills. However, what organisations need most are thinkers who can successfully navigate change. Soft skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, people management and emotional intelligence will prove absolutely critical in the future. Centralised, on-demand learning programs that allow for self-guided and personalised learning experiences will also be essential to ensuring individual skill needs are considered and that organisations are adapting quickly to technological changes. Organisations should be working with HR teams to develop continuous learning pathways focused on soft and digital skills that are personalised to the individual.
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UPFRONT
HR TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
Why content is king for employee advocacy Underpinning Hootsuite’s social recruitment strategy is a commitment to memorable content – and it’s the employees who are co-creating this content
essentially individuals telling stories,” he said. The second component is strategic content, which Handford suggests is about under standing the EVP, and knowing what the strategic goals are. The Hootsuite HR team has also been mindful of the ‘what’s in it for me’ element; if employers are asking employees to participate in content creation or dissemination, there needs to be something in it for them. Hootsuite has created a Champions Program, which ‘trades’ professional development in areas
“The biggest piece of advice I can give is to always try to be authentic” Some of the statistics found in Hootsuite’s Global Digital Report 2018 are staggering. Well over half the world’s population now uses the internet, and a quarter of a billion new users came online for the first time during the past 12 months. More than 200 million people got their first mobile device in 2017, and two thirds of the world’s 7.6 billion inhabitants now have a mobile phone. What does all this mean for HR? Matt Handford, senior vice president of people at Hootsuite Global, said two undeniable truths emerge from the data. Firstly, from a recruiting point of view, tapping into social channels has never been more important. Secondly, HR must know their employment brand.
NEWS BRIEFS
HR also needs to be leveraging the countless employee advocacy tools on the market. These tools provide what Handford describes as “the opportunity for you to activate your employee base to authentically tell the story – what it’s like to work here”. Hootsuite’s team uses Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and their own Amplify employee advocacy tool. Handford’s team are adept at using both organic and strategic content to authentically tell the Hootsuite story. The organic material is unforced; it flows naturally in the form of written and visual content on business or social issues that are of interest to people in the company. “We’ve all seen this in our own social feeds; it’s
Chinese employers adopt mind-reading technology
Privacy concerns are being raised in China after reports surfaced that a number of employers have adopted mindreading technology to track the moods and emotions of workers. Electronic sensors that fit into hats and helmets are being used to measure emotion and ultimately drive productivity. The reports suggest sensors are being used to monitor spikes in emotion such as rage, anxiety and depression. However, a number of employers claim it actually benefits employees as leaders are able to monitor workers’ stress levels and adjust shift patterns and breaks accordingly. 10
like social branding acumen, social influence and technical skills with participation in EVP-aligned content development. Employees essentially volunteer for a 12-month commitment as Hootsuite Champions. “We spend a great deal of time listening and monitoring, understanding what kind of content is considered the most interesting and gets shared. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to always try to be authentic. If you try too hard and you’re too gimmicky, it’s so transparent now; people will switch off. It doesn’t mirror what’s actually happening. “It’s a double win for both of us – our employees are helping us to create great content and then allowing us to use their social reach, while they receive additional skills,” Handford said.
Keep a seat at the table for digital skills Workplace diversity should extend to ensuring those with strong digital skills have a “seat at the table”, says Yohan Ramasundara, president of ACS. Ramasundara told HRD that in order for companies to be in a position to embrace digital transformation, they need to have someone at the governance level with strong technical literacy. “Organisations that do not embrace digital will not survive the transition to ‘Industry 4.0’. It is time for large organisations to realise that the governance level must have these skills in order to guide the business.”
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Q&A
The factors of success Apana Damle Regional solution director – Core EC HRPayroll SYNCHRONY GLOBAL
Fast fact There is a new SAP SuccessFactors Go-Live every 12 hours.
What do you see as the biggest challenge and what is your advice for successful HCM implementations? The biggest challenge is changing the thinking from a process-centric view of ‘we have always done it this way’, to be truly ready for HR transformation. Customers must be prepared to invest in aligning their policies, strategies and operating model with their organisation’s vision. In my experience, effective change management is key to ROI on SuccessFactors implementations. Due to the rapid pace of emerging technology, looking at investment in HCM systems as a one-off activity is a thing of the past. Continuous improvement, uplifting technology and bringing everyone along the journey is paramount to success.
What skills/background/capabilities make a great implementation partner? Experience with implementations of all shapes and sizes, having gone through the challenges and pitfalls of those implementations and knowing how to overcome the issues to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
What is your biggest career achievement? I’ve been helping Synchrony Global model, prototype and launch a packaged end-to-end HR and Payroll SuccessFactors Solution, called Synchrony People, which accelerates delivery by significantly reducing the touchpoints for implementation.
Australian HR lagging behind in driving digital
HR leaders in Australia and New Zealand are behind their global counterparts when it comes to embracing technology to improve experiences at work, according to ServiceNow’s chief talent officer, Pat Wadors. In fact, one in six (16%) HR leaders say they do not use technology to improve HR outcomes, compared to just one in 50 (2%) of Japanese CHROs. Moreover, fewer than half (47%) of local HR leaders say the HR function is a driver of digital transformation at their company, significantly lower than in Singapore (64%) and Japan (65%).
It both expedites the value for our enterprise customers and provides a powerful preconfigured solution for small and medium-sized organisations. I’m proud to work with SuccessFactors because of their commitment to innovation and their customers. In addition, implementing the leading-edge SuccessFactors Payroll for 200,000 employees for the largest retailer in the southern hemisphere has definitely been a career highlight!
What have you been working on recently? I’ve been with Synchrony Global since it was founded three years ago by a group of leading cloud HRM consultants. I am responsible for helping design sophisticated business processes, architecting systems with complex integrations and interfaces, and working with customers to help pave their transformation road maps. Aparna Damle has over 17 years’ experience in implementing and managing SAP HCM components across multiple industry sectors, and is arguably one of the most qualified consultants in Australia. She has led numerous HCM implementations, with core functional and configuration skills across SuccessFactors EC and Cloud Payroll, SAP HR Payroll, Time Management, CATS, Leave, EH&S, Personnel Cost Planning and ESS/MSS.
Starbucks staff trained to recognise racial bias
At more than 8,000 coffee shops in the US in May, Starbucks rolled out an afternoon of anti-racism training sessions that called for collective dialogue and selfreflection. In those four hours, employees were clustered into small groups of three to five. Each group huddled around a tablet where they watched close to two dozen videos. After watching the videos, groups engaged in discussions on racial sensitivity. Workbooks were distributed to the trainees, who had to answer questions about self-worth and relationships and go over scenarios that could trigger a racially biased response.
App overload is costing productivity
More than two thirds of workers say they waste up to an hour a day just navigating between apps, while 17% take even longer to get through their tasks, a study by CITE Research and RingCentral shows. Nearly seven in 10 toggle between a variety of apps up to 10 times per hour. This amounts to 32 days, or hundreds of billions of dollars, lost each year to poor workflow management. More than 66% of workers surveyed are hoping for a single, unified system to support all their tasks and balance the need for cross-functional activity. www.hcamag.com
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Get it right from the start Joe Murphy outlines the critical first steps to address when a bullying complaint is made BULLYING: the mere word sends shivers down the spines of HR practitioners across our country. This reaction is not because the thought that someone has been bullied creates an immediate deep concern for that person (or a group of persons), as it should, but because the ‘bullying’ card is rolled out all too often in the workplace. Overuse of the term ‘bullying’ has had the unfortunate effect of causing practitioners to first ask: “Is it really?” And it can also lead to the poor management of a complaint at the front end of a process, tainting an investigation and sometimes the outcome too! Often the most important aspect of a complaint is how you respond to it in the preliminary stages. It is a mistake to let that little voice in your head drive the way in which you respond. The first rule is ‘Treat every complaint as a serious complaint and respond accordingly’. What this means is: Treat the complainant with respect and ensure they understand that you are taking their complaint seriously. Consider alternative work arrangements to ensure the health and safety of all concerned (complainant(s) and respondent(s) alike). Be careful not to treat the complainant in a way that is likely to be viewed as detrimental to them (unless it is absolutely necessary to do so) and at the same time treat any respondent(s) as fairly as you can. Any detrimental treatment can later feed into a claim that an investigation was predetermined (keeping in mind that suspension with pay may be a necessary arrangement where the conduct is serious enough and/or the risks cannot be reasonably managed otherwise).
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Immediately scope the investigation from a resourcing perspective. Don’t let the cost of outsourcing an investigation drive the decision to keep it in-house; the commercial impact and costs of a poorly resourced and/or planned investigation will far outweigh any cost-saving of keeping it in-house (although many investigations can of course be conducted in-house). Be sure to document your thought process to ensure you can prove later on that your motivations were lawful – if you have any doubts
Make sure you follow all reasonable leads during an investigation. If you ignore aspects of respondent’s response without following them up, this can later feed into a claim that the investigation was flawed. However, there does need to be a balanced approach and you do not want an investigator ‘chasing every rabbit down every hole’ (a diversionary tactic some respondents use). Throughout the investigation, ensure you review work arrangements to ensure complainants and respondents alike are being treated as fairly as is appropriate in the circumstances. Do not leave respondents on suspension for days and weeks without contact; this will likely lead to significant anxiety and could do far more damage to the employment relationship (if it is to continue). Make sure the investigation is conducted as quickly as is reasonable in the circumstances, without compromising its integrity. Make sure respondents are given sufficient information to ensure they can adequately respond to allegations made against them. This
Often the most important aspect of a complaint is how you respond to it in the preliminary stages about that, ensure you consult external advisers (business chamber, lawyers, consultants). A thirdparty adviser will usually offer ‘fresh eyes’ and an impartial view. You might also consider involving thirdparty bodies or regulators if the matter might constitute conduct more serious than the usual bullying complaints – for example, sexual harassment or more serious criminal allegations such as assault. The police might be an option if you believe criminal conduct has taken place. Consider whether a mediator is likely to assist, but be careful not to jump too quickly to mediation where an investigation should take place, and certainly do not walk away from a failed mediation with the view that attempted mediation is enough. A failed mediation can be just as compromising as failing to respond to a complaint appropriately or failing to act at all.
means dates, times, locations, persons present, and anything the respondent is alleged to have said (where it forms part of an allegation) should be put in direct speech and not general terms. Finally, you are not usually obliged to issue an investigation report but it is important that complainants and respondents are appraised of the outcomes. Don’t let false concepts of ‘privacy’ lead to a complainant being left hanging about whether their ‘bully’ has been appropriately sanctioned. Joe Murphy is the managing director of National Workplace at Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA). Serving business and only business, ABLA is trusted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and is the leading voice for business in the Fair Work Commission. Contact Joe on 1300 565 846 or joe.murphy@ablawyers.com.au if you have any questions raised by this article.
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UPFRONT
HEAD TO HEAD
Is HR responsible for culture? Is the vision of HR as the gatekeepers of culture still accurate in 2018?
Trudie Harriman
Head of people and culture, customer operations and offshore regions Qantas “HR may have once been seen as the gatekeeper of culture – thankfully this is not the case today. I believe we need to be a conduit that tells the story of our people’s experience, as well as a custodian of the levers that can help drive an improved culture, ensuring we support our organisational vision or objectives. “Ideally, HR leaders feel enabled and empowered to seek out data and insights from up/down, across and outside the organisation. “We use this knowledge to connect the dots for our leaders, to ensure that, through our people, we’re continually exceeding our customers’ expectations.”
Mas Bianchi
Executive director people, culture and brand Communicare “Culture belongs to everyone within the organisation. The role of HR is to be brave, to ensure that everyone, including the most senior members of an organisation, understands the importance of living the values, and their role in cultural alignment and infusion. “Culture can permeate through different forms, such as subcultures that exist as a result of people who have informal power and play an influential role in teams. While leaders have greater responsibility for culture, due to informal power structures and the existence of subcultures that can prevail and be enduring, culture belongs to all members of the organisation.”
Jarrod McGrath Founder and CEO Smart WFM
“They say culture is what happens when no one is looking. It manifests itself through our ideas, actions and words in the workplace, at home and throughout our everyday lives. In business and organisational culture, HR must play a key role because businesses are about people. “Technology can be a powerful force for change in an organisation’s culture, but it must be balanced and peoplefocused to ensure that change is positive. Communication between HR and leadership is vital here, and both the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital workforce might be served by a new role: chief workforce officer.”
INTERSECTION OF HR AND CULTURE Culture – perhaps loosely defined as ‘the way things are done around here’ – is the practical demonstration of a company’s core values. Should it fall on the shoulders of HR to develop and implement a culture, or is it the responsibility of the wider leadership team? What of cultures that are deemed ‘toxic’ – those with a rash of scandals at the top executive level or other high-profile failures? Should the HR department be regarded as responsible? And in a situation that is evolving rapidly, for example a start-up in the process of developing its culture, what is HR’s role in establishing this aspect of corporate identity?
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EXPERT INSIGHT
Brought to you by
PAYROLL
Single Touch Payroll: We’re in it for good! It’s been talked about for some time, but now that it’s here, STP transition should not be taken lightly, writes Jo Pratt of ADP FROM 1 JULY 2018, businesses with 20-plus employees (as at 1 April 2018) must submit Single Touch Payroll (STP) data to the ATO. The reality of this new era of near real-time transparency is bound to result in some changes to business processes. Remember, your employees will be able to watch their online income statement progressively update via MyGov as a result of the data you are lodging.
The ATO will be able to analyse and share (with other government agencies) what you’re paying your people and ascertain whether you are meeting your employer obligations. Now, are you beginning to think about the potential for going back and forth clarifying data with the ATO? Errors could be attributed to but are not limited to: • failure to adhere to the ATO file
When you authorise an STP lodgement you are making a legally binding declaration that the data being lodged is complete and correct The STP reporting highway STP data needs to be lodged on or before the day you pay your people. Each time you lodge data, the ATO will validate this data and may send errors back to you to be fixed. If you’re processing any combination of weekly, fortnightly and monthly payrolls, this quickly adds up to a data highway of back-and-forth reporting to the ATO. But it’s just payroll data, right? Well, yes, and it could require up to 83 different fields to be reported for each employee, every time you process. Let’s see how much data that could equate to if you’re running a fortnightly payroll for 200 employees and a monthly payroll for 100 employees. Payroll visibility via STP = Pay processes x employees x 83 fields So in our example this equates to: ((24x200) + (12x100)) x 83 = 498,000 fields (per annum)
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specification and formatting requirements not knowing when to report null payments invalid tax file numbers invalid ISO country codes on addresses failure to categorise payments under the specified STP categories • invalid ABN numbers • failure to send the correct ‘type’ of STP lodgement, eg Original Submission, Full File Replacement, Update Event • • • •
Be aware of business changes impacting STP reporting Each lodgement includes a globally unique BMS ID that identifies the payroll service provider for each combination of Employer ABN and PAYGW Branch. On MyGov your employee will see their payments made under each BMS ID and Employee ID combination.
Any change you make to the ABN or Employee ID may require the year-to-date data lodged so far to be transferred to a new ABN or Employee ID identifier, to avoid duplication of data in MyGov. Suffice to say, you’ll want to be working with an expert to help guide you through these situations.
Multiple versions of STP Payroll Event Service The ATO supports multiple versions of the STP Payroll Event Service. The latest version, PAYEVNT.0003 2018, has improved functionality, including shorter response time frames and partial file rejection for employees who fail validation. This means that valid employee data is accepted by the ATO and not delayed by employee data that has failed validation. The Australian Business Software Industry Association lists who is on which version (www.absia.asn.au). The ADP STP lodgement service is developed to the latest version to take advantage of the benefits mentioned above. When you authorise an STP lodgement you are making a legally binding declaration that the data being lodged is complete and correct. It would be wise to partner with a payroll provider that understands Single Touch Payroll and can guide you through the process, helping you to understand and correct errors in time. Also, be aware that if your payroll provider is calculating and preparing your payroll for a fee, they must be a registered agent (tax or BAS agent). ADP is a registered agent and has the capability to lodge on your behalf using our registered agent number. I hope these insights into STP give you some new points to consider in transition to STP.
Jo Pratt is the product owner for Single Touch Payroll at ADP Australia and New Zealand. From software to outsourcing solutions, organisations of all sizes take advantage of ADP’s deep expertise to free their teams and help them focus on driving greater business results. For more information, visit adppayroll.com.au or call 1300 961 734.
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HR Tech
19 September 2018 • The Westin Sydney
IS TECH THE FUTURE OF HR? Bringing you the future of HR with Australia’s leading independent HR tech event in September! • Over 200 HR and tech innovators • Network, engage and learn • Solutions including AI, automation, big data analytics
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PEOPLE
GLOBAL HR LEADER
‘GLOCAL’ AGENT OF CHANGE Rosa Lee has crossed continents to pursue her commitment to culture and people transformation. She shares her journey with Hannah Go
HEADING THE global HRM function at a 132-year-old industrial giant such as Bosch is certainly no mean feat. It has come with some unexpected challenges for Rosa Lee, who has moved across industries and countries to climb the corporate ladder. Armed with a law degree, an MBA and a breadth of leadership experience gained in large multinational companies, Lee now finds her home at the Stuttgart headquarters of Bosch as the senior vice president of corporate human resources. She oversees a wide range of functions, including talent acquisition and development, organisational development, global HRIT/HRIS, learning and development, and global HR steering. Lee’s most recent appointment is a mark of Bosch’s commitment not only to diversity but also to business agility and sustainability through intensive – and effective – talent development across its international operations. From promoting STEM courses to growing the talent pool in specific markets, to launching various graduate, apprenticeship and leadership programs, the company’s longterm outlook on talent enables it to continually embrace changes and swiftly adapt to its people and business needs. As a global HR leader, Lee has two areas of focus: guiding Bosch’s initiatives to grow a vast pool of international leaders that exhibit both global vision and strong local footing; and harnessing culture as a catalyst for change.
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HRD chatted to Lee about some highlights of her career, as well as her work at Bosch.
HRD: Can you tell us about your career journey and what attracted you to HR? Rosa Lee: I graduated as a lawyer, with a passion to help people and enable change. I think the legal aspect is very relevant in HR. Many lawyers are working in HR, especially in Europe, because an important aspect of HR is handling industrial and employee relations, which needs legal knowledge. Every HR
extremely technical business – a polymer business. A month after I joined as a director, I reached a low point in my career. The business was extremely technical, and I was expected to add value, given my role. It was a difficult time, but I never regretted that experience, because it helped me understand the ground rules for doing business and how HR can add value. The highlight is having been promoted two and a half years ago to this global role, which shows how Bosch is far ahead of most
“I’ve used my status as a natural ‘outlier’ to bring in fresh, non-traditional practices ... But if you overdo it, you won’t be able to appreciate the deeply rooted local practices” process is now linked to data privacy, which is a big thing in Germany and across Europe. With all the Internet of Things issues, work councils are concerned about how we’re advancing the technology for the business and, at the same time, still protecting our employees.
HRD: What has been the highlight of your career thus far? RL: I would say there’s a highlight and a ‘lowlight’. When I first ventured into business as a lawyer, I turned to a very traditional and
companies, especially in making ‘glocal’ leaders. When I say glocal, I mean local people assuming global responsibilities. I think Bosch has done wonderfully to strengthen the international market and provide leading examples of how diversity goes beyond the whole issue of women versus men.
HRD: How has your international experience helped you apply the concept of glocal at Bosch? RL: For a non-German in a German-
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PROFILE Name: Rosa Lee Company: Robert Bosch GmbH, Gerlingen-Schillerhรถhe Title: Senior vice president, corporate human resources Years in the industry: 24 Career journey: 1994 HR specialist, Coca-Cola China 1997 L&D manager, Honeywell China 2000 Director of training and development, Schindler 2003 HR manager, Greater China, DuPont 2009 HR manager, Asia Pacific, DuPont Applied BioScience 2010 Vice president, HR, Bosch China 2013 Senior vice president, Bosch China 2015 Senior vice president, global HR management, Robert Bosch GmbH
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PEOPLE
GLOBAL HR LEADER headquartered company, there are some natural advantages. I consider myself an ‘outlier’. I don’t speak German; I dress more colourfully compared to the locals, who are dressed more ‘seriously’. In Asia, we call each other by our first names, so people call me Rosa, but here, they would call me Frau Rosa Lee or Frau Lee. There are all sorts of differences. And I’ve used my status as a natural outlier to drive change and bring in fresh, non-traditional practices so people can see different working styles and best practices from outside Germany. But if you overdo it, you won’t be able to appreciate and integrate the deeply rooted local practices. Unlike in the Asian culture, where it’s all about ‘quick, quick, quick’ – no need to be
it perfectly but don’t intervene’ or ‘I have no capacity/resource to support you, because it’s not within my territory’. In the digital age, if you don’t collaborate, you’re dying.
HRD: Bosch has adopted project-based approaches for performance/people management, including the Scrum methodology and trialling team-led evaluations. How did this come about and where are you at right now? RL: That’s part of what we call the HR Lab. It all started with our power tools/home and gardening business unit. With the disruption caused by the internet, their business model was challenged by the emergence of DIY tools, with the lower prices and easy-to-use, less
“Combining cultures is a wonderful thing, if you’re able to do it well. But everyone has to be aware of cultural differences. That’s why we need communication” perfect, you get it out and then refine it later – here, with the Swiss watches and German cars, it’s about achieving perfection. I think combining cultures is a wonderful thing, if you’re able to do it well. But everyone has to be aware of cultural differences. That’s why we need communication.
HRD: What initiatives/programs are in place to address the culture issue? RL: For new Bosch leaders, we conduct transition workshops during their first six months for them to gain an understanding of people’s different backgrounds – culture, personal styles, work experience, etc. Regardless of where they’re from, all Bosch managers go through this transition workshop. We also have many town hall meetings with the bigger teams to cascade the strategies that the management team and I are working on. The purpose is to collaborate. At Bosch we are on the journey of overcoming silo thinking – things like ‘this is my turf; I can do
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sophisticated functions. Sites like eBay and Alibaba were putting the professional tools and DIY tools on the same page, and you’ll find some of the professional tools at a lower price. So the business needed to undergo a disruptive organisational change to catch up with users’ needs, enable faster development and produce a bigger and more flexible portfolio. They had to do away with the traditional ‘department’ structure, which they replaced with a purpose team and an action team. This also meant that HR had to redo the traditional structures, and existing HR solutions weren’t adaptable any more. Within two days, we established the HR Lab, which focused on using the Scrum methodology [see boxout]. Every two weeks, the team would develop a prototype after talking to users; the users would then give them feedback and they’d modify it. So far, they have developed six prototypes within six months, and we have implemented the team’s starting project in this business unit.
THE SCRUM METHODOLOGY What is often referred to as the Scrum methodology is more accurately described as a framework for people looking at how to quickly respond to project management issues, usually in the context of software development. Co-creators Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland defined it as “a framework within which people can address complex adaptive problems, while productively and creatively delivering products of the highest possible value”. As described in the Scrum guide, the idea is not to follow a step-by-step formula but rather adopt a structure that allows for a variety of techniques and tools to achieve a relatively ideal initial outcome, from which the team can continually work out additions and enhancements. The goal is to quickly set off with whatever information is initially available and roll out solutions, then adapt and adjust accordingly to any changes that may ensue. HRD: Who is involved in the HR Lab? RL: The users involved are not part of HR, so they do a lot of user interviews, which get translated to user insight, and confirm the insights with people from different business units. We also have external users, like DIY users. So now it’s not only HR but the team doing the hiring, because they know from the group work the critical competencies missing and the kind of people we need. We also moved from a yearly performance dialogue, a 90-degree session with the boss, to an individual-driven, 360-degree performance dialogue. This gives us self-learners, and people realise: ‘I’m driving my career, instead of having the boss tell me what to do’.
HRD: What achievement or accolade are you most proud of? RL: A member of my global team gave me a portrait – a painting of me, with the title A Colorful Driver of Change. I view myself as a change agent with a diversified background. I’m a non-German, an international leader, and I’m proud to be driving a lot of changes.
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS
From change management to technology rollouts, this year’s batch of rising stars proves that the future of HR is in exceptional hands ”THE BEST way to predict the future is to create it,” said the very prescient management guru Peter Drucker, who could not possibly have predicted the extent of the ambiguity and uncertainty that characterise today’s business world. Yes, the future can be daunting, but it can also be exciting. Deloitte provided a forecast to 2020 to map out the possible future of HR. In the HR 4.0 scenario, Deloitte predicted that most HR solutions would be highly automated and employers would be investing in recruiting and retaining the best talent. This would lead to customised offerings and a thriving relationship between employers and employees.
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HRD’s Rising Stars profiled in this report are clearly taking advantage of everything today’s working world has to offer, in order to build the innovative workplaces they will need in the future. Whether it’s undertaking delicate IR negotiations, implementing ground-breaking diversity and inclusion strategies, or even managing downsizing initiatives, a quick glance at some of the achievements of this exceptional group of individuals shows their worth. These future HR leaders are not afraid to step up to the plate. While their talents are varied, what unites them is fearlessness and a desire to blaze their own way in an uncertain world.
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RISING STARS INDEX NAME
COMPANY
Anderson, Nathan
Virgin Australia
21
Bayne, Sharna
La Trobe University
27
Bowers, Jason
Tenix Solutions
29
Bowra, Kristy
City of Cockburn
26
Buckley, Alena
Mondelez International
31
Clasohm, Olivia
Grundfos Pumps Pty Ltd
30
Dixon, Kylie
Queensland Health | Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service
22
Fraser, Georgia
REA Group
26
Kumar, Karishma
illion Australia & New Zealand
22
Lieschke, Jemma
Optus
32
Malady, Tahg
Superloop
23
Virgin Australia
Marcelo, Michelle
Sydney Airport
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Nathan Anderson joined Virgin Australia in February 2017 when he was completely new to the industry. Within the first quarter, he introduced a new recruitment process that was more efficient and increased the quality of candidates in the Flight Crew portfolio. Within six months the average time to hire for pilots was reduced to 10 weeks (from seven months) and a strong talent pool of qualified candidates ready to start on demand had been built. Within 12 months, the relationship with Flight Operations was the strongest it had ever been, and management’s faith in the recruitment team and process had been restored. Anderson was also put in charge of delivering the flagship pilot cadet program in 2017. This was the first time the business had decided to run an ab initio (no experience required) and an advanced program. Using a targeted and strategic campaign, the program ended up receiving over 2,500 applications, more than double the number in previous years. Virgin Australia had initially aimed to take six ab initio and six advanced cadets, but because of the quality of cadet applicants sourced, management decided to accept 10 ab initio and eight advanced cadets. Anderson was also nominated for a 2017 Virgin Australia CEO Award for outstanding work in the community. Outside of Virgin Australia, he regularly volunteers with the Children’s Hospital Foundation. He has also written and illustrated a children’s book, I Am, an inspiring book that teaches inclusion and diversity. A percentage of all profits of the book will go to local charities.
Maxwell, Annalies
Maven Dental Group
24
McCarthy, Natalie
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific
24
Quain, Shannan
Australian Bureau of Statistics
30
Rohrlach, Kaitlyn
Super Retail Group
32
Sartor, Eve
British American Tobacco Australia
32
Selleck, Amanda
Transdev
22
Simons, Daniel
Arts Centre Melbourne
24
Stanbridge, Hareta
eNett International
30
Tanswell, Ben
28
Tawil, Yvette
Bega Cheese
27
Thackeray, Ashlee
Pernod Ricard Winemakers
28
Tran, Linda
Retail Ready Operations Australia (Coles)
28
Whitton, Ellie
NEXTDC
25
Willsher, Ingrid
JLL
27
NATHAN ANDERSON Leader, recruitment
PAGE
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS KARISHMA KUMAR People and culture partner illion Australia and New Zealand
Karishma Kumar is responsible for driving the business strategy of financial data specialists illion (formerly Dun & Bradstreet) by managing countless initiatives related to talent development, engagement and retention, as well as organisational development and culture. Kumar has led a number of business reorganisation initiatives in line with transactions, acquisitions, and long-term growth plans. She was responsible for leading the HR due diligence process for the company’s most recent acquisition, successfully integrating all the new team members and merging the two companies’ policies and practices. Kumar also designed and implemented an integrated people metrics platform that provides critical people analytics for the business. She devised a suite of tools to help leaders analyse data trends and identify value-added initiatives that ought to be sustained. As an in-house expert on generating analytical reports, Kumar recently conducted a company-wide remuneration benchmarking exercise and presented an internal gender equity report. If that’s not enough, she also drives many of the company’s work-life initiatives, including managing the partnership with financial benefit providers and serving as ambassador for charitable organisations supported by illion.
KYLIE DIXON Industrial relations specialist Queensland Health | Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service
After working in various support officer roles, Kylie Dixon first ventured into HR as a senior HR adviser tasked with assisting in policy and legislation interpretation and advice, delivering training, as well as supporting ongoing change management processes, among other things. One particularly challenging and notable achievement for Dixon was coordinating the rollout of an enterprise workforce management system, which allowed line managers access to reporting, rostering and staff information in real time. This undertaking required extensive coordination across the service for the training and education of every line manager. During her five years in this role, Dixon also managed to complete a diploma of management and a diploma of human resources. The additional qualifications, mentoring and on-the-job training enabled her to take on a more senior position as HR business partner from 2015 to 2018, during which time she received training in public interest disclosures and anti-discrimination, which paved the way for her current role. In February, Dixon was appointed as industrial relations specialist with responsibility for providing strategic and operational industrial and employment relations advice.
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AMANDA SELLECK Talent acquisition project manager Transdev
Responsible for the early-talent streams at Transdev, Amanda Selleck is looking at an ambitious target by the year 2021 – to have 40% of appointments made up of young people under the age of 35. This means channelling all efforts into early-stage talent initiatives such as internships, graduate programs and internal early-talent programs. From the onset, Selleck was tasked with engaging managing directors from each of Transdev’s 10 subsidiaries to participate in the very first graduate program. With less than a year of service at Transdev under her belt, Selleck has already made a tangible contribution through a number of successful initiatives, mostly directed towards engaging with key education institutes to build relationships and strengthen Transdev’s employment brand. Earlier this year, Selleck presented at the University of Queensland, coaching students on how to handle video interviewing and increase their chances of getting employed. Selleck also worked with the University of Sydney’s careers team to send a student on a six-month internship at Transdev’s global head office in Paris. Finally, Selleck was involved in Monash University’s Industry Team initiative – a program that sponsored a group of three students to tackle a complex problem in the Sydney Light Rail business. The end result exceeded expectations.
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TAHG MALADY Talent and culture manager Superloop
Telecommunications infrastructure company Superloop was founded in 2014 and listed on the ASX in 2015. In 2017, the business acquired four companies and grew from 80 staff in three countries to over 400 in nine countries. Right from the start, Tahg Malady has identified communication as the key to maintaining the corporate culture, and this has become even more relevant with the rapid expansion. Moreover, being part of a young tech company, Malady is keen to continue using unconventional and creative ways of communicating, in order for the business to retain the positive momentum it’s had since its establishment. Malady is equally concerned with upholding the ‘purposed’ value, which means that every communication from HR has to be purposeful, transparent and down-to-earth, in order to gain employees’ trust and engagement. To achieve all this, Malady and the team have utilised a combination of screen capture, YouTube and Google Apps to create an all-in-one, free methodology for recording presentations and creating questionnaires to test knowledge, including playing with voice modulation to make presentations more interesting and engaging. To date, the Brisbane head office has the highest engagement score in the group, and Malady hopes that the other offices will soon follow suit as the team works to reinforce the corporate culture across all areas of the business.
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS ANNELIES MAXWELL HR adviser Maven Dental Group
As a key leader within the HR team at Maven Dental Group, Annelies Maxwell has been integral to the successful implementation of a number of HR/ business initiatives, including the recent Project Accelerate, which involved guiding business unit leaders through transformation efforts and driving high performance and engagement across all organisation units. To achieve this, Maxwell worked tirelessly to facilitate and influence strategic and functional changes, all of which have contributed to meeting business targets and reducing costs by around 10–15% across various business units. Not only that but her focus and commitment to employee engagement have led to a significant reduction in staff turnover, from 58% in 2016 to an estimated 26.5% for 2018.
DANIEL SIMONS HR business partner Arts Centre Melbourne
During his career at PwC, Daniel Simons spearheaded two leading industry events that significantly impacted large organisations – particularly the Big Four accounting firms – by helping to break down barriers and perceptions in the community and opening up experiences to candidates of different backgrounds. First was the STEM Academy, a two-day workshop designed to help STEM students understand how their skillset is relevant in today’s society. After consulting with university leads, Simons set up the academy to encourage more students to pursue higher education in STEM fields, and so help minimise the effect of ‘brain drain’ in the Australian labour market. Second was the Insider Evening, offered as a creative alternative to the traditional and less targeted career fairs that drew more ambivalent candidates than interested ones. The event instead allowed any individual genuinely interested in working at PwC to visit their office and get a good look at what the firm and its people are like. This creative approach elicited interest from candidates, even from those not actively looking for a role, and is now being replicated in other firms. Simons is now making a name for himself at Arts Centre Melbourne.
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NATALIE MCCARTHY Talent acquisition manager Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific
In 2012, Natalie McCarthy joined Wyndham Vacation Resorts Kirra Beach in sales administration and eventually transitioned to various HR roles at Wyndham’s corporate head office on the Gold Coast before her most recent promotion in March. One of McCarthy’s key responsibilities is reviewing industry data and research, particularly on generational motivators and global recruitment trends, and how these can improve efficiency of existing processes and inspire innovative ways of attracting and retaining talent. Having identified a gap in Wyndham’s employer branding efforts, McCarthy has been working extensively on a project over the past year, with the help of the creative services and marketing teams, to develop an attractive employee value proposition and a suite of branding collateral. The project is geared towards building brand recognition and loyalty and enhancing talent attraction, in line with the company’s growth across the region. In 2018, McCarthy was handpicked by Wyndham’s president to form and chair the company’s first Millennial Board. Made up of a group of innovative thinkers, the board meets the president every month to brainstorm, review and provide new perspectives on a wide range of projects and processes happening across the business.
www.hcamag.com
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ELLIE WHITTON People and culture adviser NEXTDC
As people and culture adviser, Ellie Whitton is passionate about hiring the best talent, leaving no stone unturned in her search for A-list players for the business. Her tenacity, keen eye for potential, and strong judgment, along with her ability to partner effectively with hiring managers, have resulted in multiple successful hires for NEXTDC, a telecommunications services provider.
Apart from demonstrating her expertise in recruitment, Whitton has also developed her capability in change management, an area she has excelled in and contributed to significantly. She has been integral to the change process on multiple businesscritical projects, collaborating with leaders and bringing change management best practice into play. Whitton was also responsible for designing and implementing a holistic curriculum, incorporating varying learning styles and taking into consideration key business needs in order to develop well-rounded leaders and people managers.
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS KRISTY BOWRA Human resource business partner City of Cockburn
Kristy Bowra was initially recruited as HR business partner for the city’s state-of-the-art Aquatic and Reaction Centre (ARC), then in its final stages of construction. During this time, Bowra worked with ARC’s manager to create the organisation structure, identify training requirements, develop the cultural make-up, and address industrial relations issues related to a greenfield operation. Perhaps the most critical part of Bowra’s work was to design and lead the recruitment and onboarding process for 300-plus employees, which also included creating a best-in-class rostering and time and attendance system. Bowra coordinated the development, testing and implementation of a third party biometric-based rostering system that could accommodate the operational requirements of the centre. Following the immensely successful implementation of the system, Bowra has been seconded to lead its implementation in every unit of the city. Since the ARC began operations, it has received over one million visitors within the first 12 months and was recognised with the Chief Executive Officers Team of the Year Award in 2017.
GEORGIA FRASER HR business partner REA Group
As an HR business partner, Georgia Fraser has had the mammoth task of turning around one of the core group function teams that was experiencing high staff turnover and low engagement. By strengthening leadership capability and ensuring targeted action planning in hotspot areas, she has managed to reduce turnover by 18% and increase engagement to 84%. More importantly, overall team sentiment has significantly shifted, to the extent that people outside the team now actively seek out opportunities to join the team. Most recently, Fraser led the company’s change program to expand into the financial services industry. This involved managing the integration of a newly acquired business into REA Group, while maintaining engagement scores of 93% throughout the transition. Fraser continually demonstrates proactivity through initiatives like ‘Manager Hot Topics’, which successfully increased leadership capability during a tricky harmonisation project for one of the largest employee portfolios. Through this project and across all facets of her work, colleagues report that Fraser balances commerciality with a pragmatic approach that always keeps the company values at heart.
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MICHELLE MARCELO Senior adviser, people and performance Sydney Airport
Michelle Marcelo recently assumed business partner responsibility for three of Sydney Airports’ core aviation service teams. She has delivered a number of significant improvements to the systems and processes that underpin the life cycle events of employees, focusing on implementing bespoke HR systems that revolve around talent acquisition, onboarding, performance and learning management. One of Marcelo’s recent accomplishments involved overseeing the transition to a digital learning management platform for organisational learning, which has resulted in greater collaboration between managers and team members when it comes to training. Marcelo also oversaw the end-to-end L&D program that covered a range of core capabilities, such as safety leadership, managing change, coaching, effective communication and presentation, and corporate governance. In addition, Marcelo leads the performance culture program, which witnessed a 96% adoption of performance plans and reviews for 2017. She managed the implementation of the new performance system, and came up with creative solutions to deliver it with a ‘Sydney Airport’ look and feel.
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INGRID WILLSHER HR adviser JLL
YVETTE TAWIL HR manager corporate, commercial and RDQ Bega Cheese
In 2013, Yvette Tawil joined multinational food company Mondelez International as a graduate, where she began building a broad and solid HR experience in compensation and benefits and HR partnering for field sales and head office. She was promoted to HR business partner the following year, to support a team of 150 members under the corporate and commercial functions of the Dairy, Spreads and Grocery Business Unit. In 2017, Mondelez International sold most of the business unit to Bega Cheese, and Tawil was the only HR team member to transfer to Bega Cheese. She quickly took on the responsibility and deftly fast-tracked her leadership capability to become completely embedded in the strategic and operational decisions and initiatives for the portfolio. During the transition period (2016–17), while the business unit faced plenty of speculation from the media about its future, Tawil was integral to ensuring engagement and upholding a positive culture, serving as a role model for the entire team on coping with ambiguity and changing landscapes. Even with the cost controls, structural changes and uncertainty, the turnover rate in the team was kept as low as 5%, not to mention the high engagement survey scores that were received, at 21% above the global norm.
After less than a year as an HR systems and reporting adviser, Ingrid Willsher was promoted in early 2017 to HR adviser assigned to assist a senior HR business partner at global real estate services firm JLL. And again, in less than 12 months, she was moved to a key support role for a national business line, and now looks after all HR matters for one of the company’s most prestigious accounts. In addition to her adviser duties, Willsher was assigned to the Visa SME role within the national HR team, to look after the migration needs of overseas talent. In this complex and highly information-oriented position, her work requires being constantly on guard for government changes and serving as a main point of contact for a one-stop shop as well as a go-between for the business and the migration agent. Willsher oversees this process from the start to finish, providing the needed information, timelines and costs for each visa circumstance. Colleagues report that she displays the exemplary level of professionalism required to patiently guide many senior stakeholders through the lengthy and at times arduous process.
SHARNA BAYNE Manager, HR assist La Trobe University
Over the last 12 months, Sharna Bayne has significantly developed the capability of the HR Assist function within La Trobe University, while also expanding the scope of her own role. Bayne was recently responsible for the implementation of ServiceNow, a cloud-based helpdesk and service management tool. To launch the system, Bayne worked closely with the ICT department and the vendors on the design, functionality, and business requirements. The system has significantly improved employee self-service, while enabling HR to track volume, peak periods and hotspots, and improving processes and reporting across the department. In late 2017, Bayne began drafting a new team structure, including position descriptions and a plan that would add two senior HR adviser positions to the team. She started recruiting internally for these roles in Q1 2018, and managed to increase her team to a total of seven. The senior HR advisers are now paired with senior HR business partners, helping the latter to handle escalations and deal with case management and performance-related issues. In January 2018, Bayne also took over the contracts function for all fixed-term and continuing contracts across the university. Since adding the function to her portfolio, Bayne has managed to commit to a three-day SLA.
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS ASHLEE THACKERAY Talent and better balance adviser Pernod Ricard Winemakers
Between August 2017 and March 2018, Ashlee Thackeray was instrumental in the design and successful implementation of three global HR initiatives – an international cross-brand talent exchange, a global young professional networking initiative, and a travel and work (global hot-desking) initiative. Designed to promote international development through a simple framework of short-term international secondments, the talent exchange initiative involves scouting two employees with complementary competencies and facilitating a role exchange for a six-month period. Thackeray was responsible for presenting the initiative to the group CEO and the global HR strategic committee in France in 2017. Following the enormously successful first exchange between Hong Kong and Sweden, four further exchanges are now being discussed. The program also contributes to Pernod Ricard’s diversity ambitions, an area Thackeray is passionate about as it presents opportunities for employees to acquire international experience early on in their career, while also driving cultural awareness. On top of her corporate work, Thackeray has served as an academic tutor at the University of Adelaide, teaching Human Resources Management III and sharing her expertise and passion for the HR field.
BEN TANSWELL Recruiter, APAC – cloud Google
Ben Tanswell is the embodiment of what recruitment is all about in 2018 – doing everything to connect the right people to the right opportunities, stretching one’s problem-solving skills, and showcasing strong ethics throughout the process. Starting out as trainee recruiter in 2015, Tanswell has turned a slightly unconventional career choice into a highly successful pathway, as he now serves as a leader in the data and cloud space. While following a strategic approach and ensuring consistent delivery, Tanswell is able to bring the ‘human’ aspect of his work to the fore through his ability to communicate empathically, and by choosing to focus on candidates’ motivation and potential instead of just scanning through their CVs and picking out keywords in their profiles. “I believe a good recruiter is not mutually exclusive of being a good person, and I’d love to see what additional recognition and encouragement might mean for Ben’s career in another three, five, and 10 years’ time,” says an industry peer.
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LINDA TRAN HR adviser – systems Retail Ready Operations Australia (Coles)
In January 2018, Linda Tran was promoted to a P&C adviser role for systems, in acknowledgement of her success in previous roles and projects. In this new position, Tran serves as the expert system administrator for the time and attendance system; the primary point of contact with the HRIS vendor for upgrades and improvements; as well as the manager of employee self-service. For the latter, Tran will serve as the ‘Super User and Support Trainer’ for the implementation of the new unified talent management system. In addition, she also oversees the new exit survey system and provides the necessary training for its use. Colleagues see Tran as a strong advocate of the company’s values, as reflected in her work output and ethic. Acknowledging the need to consistently keep things simple and straightforward, she has introduced engaging, tech-savvy and user-friendly media, such as infographics and posters with QR codes to present metrics, survey forms, and other information that employees need.
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JASON BOWERS Human resources manager Tenix Solutions
It has been a tough year for Jason Bowers following the company’s loss of a long-standing contract, which affected approximately 400 employees; the majority were transferred to another organisation, and the remaining employees were made redundant. During this critical period, Bowers was able to demonstrate resilience and lead the transition, including managing transfer of personnel data to the new organisation and providing detailed and accurate reports, with monthly updates, on employees’ leave accruals and redundancy estimates – all of which were crucial to the
transfer. Bowers was also responsible for discussing the changes with affected employees and reassuring them regarding the transfer process, which included continuity of service and maintaining current terms and conditions of employment. This meant sustaining a steady stream of communication sessions and emails, and providing regular updates and prompt answers to employees’ questions. Meanwhile, Bowers also oversaw the transitioning of employees who were made redundant, liaising with outplacement providers, providing redundancy quotes, and supporting the employees through this change. Alongside this transition, Bowers also led the negotiations for two enterprise agreements that had expired, which involved probing from the Fair Work Commission before they were finally approved.
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS OLIVIA CLASOHM Senior HR adviser Grundfos Pumps
Olivia Clasohm juggles local HR work for the Oceania operation with regional and global responsibilities. Despite not having previous experience working across global borders, Clasohm has ably demonstrated the cultural awareness and sensitivity needed when working with overseas colleagues, businesses and decisionmaking processes. When faced with varying degrees of HR maturity within the company’s Oceania cluster, Clasohm has shown her strength in being able to move seamlessly between highly sophisticated and efficient HR set-ups and less developed ones. Highlights of her achievements include developing an organisational annual training calendar to address the most critical training needs; liaising with a third-party provider of an automated travel system; and serving as HR lead for Oceania on the transitioning of psychometric tools used for recruitment and development. The latter involved 10 hours of e-learning, a face-to-face session in China, and accreditation from a third party. Clasohm also oversaw the local change management process and exceeded managers’ expectations with the delivered capabilities of the psychometric tools.
HARETA STANBRIDGE People adviser eNett International
As people adviser, Hareta Stanbridge has been integral to raising the bar of the employee experience at payment solutions provider eNett International. Of the various activities that she’s led, two highlights are the refreshed approach to employee onboarding, and the development of a global L&D structure. At the start of 2017, there was no formal onboarding structure in place, which was immediately identified as a critical gap, given the rapid expansion of the company. This propelled Stanbridge and the team to brainstorm on the components of a successful onboarding experience, which has so far led to a successful pilot. The other missing component was a solid L&D offering. After establishing a digital-first approach and choosing to partner with Lynda.com, Stanbridge led the implementation of the tool, aligning it with the overall strategy to effectively embed it as a core part of the company’s L&D capabilities. Soon after, the team was able to exceed the benchmarks set by Lynda.com, gaining a user acceptance rate of 85%.
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SHANNAN QUAIN Director, national learning and capability development Australian Bureau of Statistics
As director for national L&D, Shannan Quain’s main responsibility is to ensure that the people at the Australian Bureau of Statistics embrace continuous learning and welcome change in order to stay agile. In line with that, Quain has introduced several initiatives and work processes, beginning with agile/scrum work practices. Quain also implemented HR hackathon events to partner with colleagues in the Bureau and some across all levels of government, and developed employee journey mapping to help HR effectively deliver the services needed by employees across the business. In terms of training and development, Quain and the team created an interactive training calendar to display all the training available, with corresponding links for bookings, which has resulted in an increase of 75% in the amount of training conducted. Quain also introduced the VideoScribe and GoAnimate digital platforms, which offer innovative ways for employees to access learning. As another example of the Bureau’s commitment to people development, the ABS Graduate Program is now ranked among the top 20 graduate programs across Australia.
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ALENA BUCKLEY Talent acquisition manager Mondelez International
In 2010, Alena Buckley joined the business to support the KraftCadbury integration. After just three months, she was promoted to the role of talent sourcing administration team lead, and quickly worked her way through several other roles, including graduate talent and capability manager, HR manager for national field sales, and, most recently, talent acquisition lead for Australia and New Zealand. One notable accomplishment was her design and delivery of a world-class graduate program, which not only achieved 20% cost
savings but also effectively moved Mondelez International’s ranking in the Australian Association of Graduate Employers Awards from outside of the top 100 to 35. Buckley was also responsible for developing and implementing a national sales capability program, ‘Accelerate Me’, and its advanced version, ‘Accelerate Me More’, in 2017, which has resulted in talent retention as well as a stronger talent bench for internal promotions and a significant boost in store performance. Buckley has also served as Asia-Pacific design and training lead, overseeing the rollout of a new talent acquisition system as well as budget management, design and rollout of systems training, including face-to-face delivery in Australia, Singapore, China, and India.
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: RISING STARS EVE SARTOR HR executive British American Tobacco Australia
In the last five years, Eve Sartor has made significant progress at BAT Australia, moving from HR coordinator to HR adviser to now HR executive. One of her notable achievements was organising a highly innovative and interactive careers fair for field force staff, after receiving feedback from BAT’s employee culture surveys. The initiative was a cross-functional business collaboration involving digital, multimedia and interactive content, which allowed Sartor to demonstrate not only her creative flair but also her ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels in order to achieve outstanding results for the business. Sartor’s understanding of social media and its extensive reach has made her an effective contributor and leader in driving the company’s talent brand index. Her involvement in and support for the team has enabled the company to re-enter the graduate pool through a world-class graduate program. Her execution of the graduate attraction strategy, along with her active participation in the graduate intake events, has resulted in an uptick in the number of graduates interested in pursuing a career at BAT Australia.
KAITLYN ROHRLACH HR manager Super Retail Group
Seven years ago, Kaitlyn Rohrlach started her HR career as an HR adviser at Super Retail Group. Since then, she has played an integral role in a number of projects and initiatives that have helped shape the culture and performance of the group. Within the last 12 months, Rohrlach successfully completed two HR manager secondments, one with the supply chain team and the other with the group’s leisure retail division. She also played a vital role in developing and executing an awareness campaign for the leisure support office, to help promote flexibility in the workplace. This led to a 47-point improvement in the flexibility driver, based on a recent engagement survey. As recognition of her unwavering commitment to moving the business forward and always lending a helping hand, Rohrlach received the internal HR Operations Team Member of the Year award for 2017. In the next six months, she will serve as HR manager for Supercheap Auto, the biggest retail portfolio of the group, with operations spread across both Australia and New Zealand.
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JEMMA LIESCHKE Rewards consultant Optus
In 2015, Jemma Lieschke joined Optus as an HR graduate. Her first major project was designing an internship and career development framework during her rotation with the organisation capability team. Following this, she joined the HR advisory team before finally moving to the rewards team, where she now serves as a consultant, after two promotions since joining the company. In her role, Lieschke is responsible for the executive appointment process and for supporting the annual and year-round compensation processes by providing effective rewards consulting advice to the overall HR community. Over the past 12 months the HR team has worked to evolve its operating model following changes within the business. This has led the rewards team to re-evaluate its existing processes. Lieschke was keen to handle this project, immediately setting out by analysing trends and soliciting feedback from all relevant stakeholders, including business partners and directors. Through these insights, she was able to redefine the rewards processes and guidelines, which enabled the team to present a new engagement model that was simplified yet responsive and empowering. As a result, the model has been well received by the HR team and leadership.
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FEATURES
TECHNOLOGY
Time for user-friendly HR tech
AI has made workplace tech seamless thanks to AI that is increasingly ‘human’, writes Iain Hopkins “DON’T BE a slave to technology – manage your phone; don’t let it manage you.” Those words from entrepreneur Richard Branson resonate in 2018 more than ever before. Just about any tech developer will tell you that their primary objective in the creation of new apps and platforms is to enhance the lives of the end users. The same applies to HR tech. Zoom.ai, a
for flights, pull up contact information, and arrange for peer-to-peer introductions. Zoom.ai aims to help people get up to speed on menial tasks, with the ultimate aim of raising productivity. The start-up was the winner of the 2017 HR Tech Den, the launchpad of start-ups in the HR and tech space, and the flagship program of the HR Tech Summit Toronto. A similar event is
“We’ve never had a better time than now to transform, powered by the growth of cloud applications and exponential technology leveraging AI, machine learning and natural language processing” Roy Pereira, Zoom.ai company that develops automated assistants that can manage routine tasks for busy offices, is just one example of a start-up looking to transform the user experience. The AI helper is programmed to schedule meetings, set reminders and briefings, generate documents, transcribe recordings, set Uber rides, search
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taking place at HR Tech Summit Sydney in September (see boxout). “We build technology that resonates with employees,” says Zoom.ai CEO Roy Pereira. “We’ve never had a better time than now to transform, powered by the growth of cloud applications and exponential technology
leveraging AI, machine learning and natural language processing.” Making the workday “more human” is the breakthrough innovation many have been waiting for, Pereira adds. That sentiment is echoed by Philip Grauer, director of product management at CGI. He says the objective of CGI’s Njoyn – a leader in the recruitment management and applicant tracking space – is to ensure that technology makes the employee experience easier, more productive and more enjoyable. “Technology needs to be designed from the ground up with a high degree of usability,” Grauer says. “It should address real-world problems and aim to simply provide access to the needed data at the point of service.” This focus on the end user is the result of the consumerisation of technology, whereby functions readily available in everyday tech (smartphones, etc.) are now part of workplace tech. This has provided employees with easier and faster access to real-time information that allows them to do their jobs. It also means technology is more intuitive than ever before – today there’s no need for lengthy instruction manuals or training sessions. “The fact that consumerisation has taken place allows new entrants into the market and lowers the cost for users of these services,” Grauer says. “This includes new mobile services, as well as value-added integrations between what were, in the past, distinct stand-alone solutions. Examples of such integrations within the HR world include an applicant tracking solution talking with a background check provider or an applicant tracking solution sharing data with a video interview solution.”
AI AND THE NEXT WAVE A reasonably new development being applied to the workplace is artificial intelligence – and again, this has been influenced by consumer technology such as Apple’s Siri. Within the recruitment process, for example, Grauer says AI lends itself nicely to automatic chat
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modules. This includes ‘candidate ask’ – where the candidate can ask questions regarding the company and receives predefined answers. The chat algorithm will continuously learn based on the questions posed. In addition, there is ‘candidate capture’, where the recruitment page will actively welcome and pose questions to the candidate and, based on their answers, route them to the appropriate open jobs. The system will capture key candidate information along the way and thereby minimise candidate drop-out rates during the application process. Design thinking – essentially, starting with the problem and working backwards
to find a solution – has been critical to this process. “We need to understand the current pain points and effectively address them with new solutions,” Grauer says. The impact of design thinking might be most profoundly experienced through what Deloitte describes as digital ‘appification’. Rather than building an onboarding system, a learning system, a performance management system, and a collaboration and coaching system, design thinking brings these solutions together in seamless apps that improve employee experiences across the board. Designing tech in such a way ensures it remains rooted in real-life challenges. Part of
the criticism of AI is that it lacks the ‘human touch’; it can be frustrating and ultimately result in negative customer (or employee) interactions with an organisation. Rurik Bradbury, global head of conversational strategy at LivePerson – a tech company that develops products for online messaging, marketing and analytics – says this is where conversational designers come in. “Bots can’t learn on their own; they need the right teachers and managers,” he says. “Conversational designers write scripts for the bots and teach them how to respond to queries. I heard a story about one customer who was messaging a brand and mentioned
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FEATURES
TECHNOLOGY
THE NEXT HOT AREA Deloitte reports that the people analytics market grew and matured exponentially in 2017, and this growth is set to continue throughout 2018. Three crucial areas to pay attention to are: Embedded analytics This area of analytics – which makes analyses available as needed without having to generate reports – is the fastestgrowing analytics spending area. Artificial intelligence Vendors will become intelligence providers, rather than merely analytics providers. Most major application providers are working to deliver pattern recognition, algorithm refinement, machine learning and natural language processing. Organisational network analysis ONA technology captures data from emails, feedback activities and other sources to understand how people are communicating. It identifies workflow patterns, bottlenecks and roles.
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HR tech innovators hoping to take part in Tech Den 2018 have until 1 August to nominate their startup. The competition is open to all Australian independent or non-affiliated companies that are three years old or less by 19 September, 2018. HR tech startups will have a chance to compete for a $20,000 marketing campaign in HRD Australia magazine and HRD Online. For more information, please visit sydney.hrtechsummit.com/tech-den
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KEEPING TRACK For now, HR professionals might be concerned about the limited insight they have into how, when and where employees are using technology. If so, they can rest easy – there’s a tech solution to shed some light on it. “If you don’t know how your employees are using their software, you really don’t
Philip Grauer, CGI Njoyn
Duplex: “Hi, I’m calling to book a woman’s haircut for a client. I’m looking for something on May 3rd.” Staff: “Sure, give me one second.” Duplex: “Mm-hmm ...”
HR Tech Summit
the AI to “signal in a natural way that it is still processing”, according to the engineers behind the project.
“Technology should address real-world problems and aim to simply provide access to the needed data at the point of service” reservations and hold phone conversations on your behalf. The catch: the bot sounds all too human.
TECH DEN 2018
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that she lost her husband. The bot responded with, ‘Great! I’d be happy to help you with that’. The bot misinterpreted her intent and thought she was trying to track a lost shipment. Designers write empathy into the bot so these situations won’t happen. AI still has a long way to go, but we’re well on our way to interacting with AI as if it were a human.” The future may already be here. Duplex is the latest machine learning experiment to come out of Google. This isn’t your average chatbot. It’s a robocaller trained to book
The neophyte AI assistant plays the part of a human so naturally when it places a call that the person on the other end of the conversation might actually think they were speaking to a human. On the back end, Duplex is powered by Google’s advancements in natural language processing, deep learning and text-to-speech technology. On the B2C front, this super bot demonstrates so-called speech disfluencies – the pauses in conversation marked with the uhh’s, umm’s and hmm’s – associated with moments of careful thought. This has been deliberately baked into the system for
know whether they’re engaged and productive or not,” says Knoa Software CEO Brian Berns. “User analytics provide crucial insight into how employees interact with their enterprise systems so that organisations can get to the root of any problems and come up with viable solutions.” Knoa UEM is a user experience management solution that provides full visibility into employees’ interactions with enterprise software, shedding light on application usage, adoption and workflows. With this insight into the actual employee experience, organisations can better understand the process bottlenecks, inefficient workflows and trouble areas their employees face on a daily basis. “Workers expect user-friendly functionality in their workplaces, and they have a right to expect that,” Berns says. “Enterprises can’t expect employees to be satisfied with plodding through decades-old technology when they’re used to intuitive, seamless technology on their home laptops, tablets and cell phones.”
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FEATURES
SECTOR FOCUS: RECOGNITION
Sales vs service:
Time for a culture rethink
Employee recognition and appreciation can help reinforce desired behaviours, which in turn can help shape corporate cultures – but what happens when the wrong behaviours are being recognised?
OVER THE past three months the damning headlines spawned by the findings of the banking royal commission have been hard to ignore. The royal commission was established in late December 2017 following years of public pressure from whistleblowers, consumer groups, and various political
perceives these organisations – and specifically the types of workplace culture that allow such behaviour to go unchecked. AMP is the most recent to come under fire, and it may not be the last.
Recognition’s role in shaping culture Although there are many elements that
“You get the result of what you incentivise; how you get there doesn’t matter unless you build that criteria in” Alan Heyward, O.C. Tanner | Accumulate parties. Its first public hearings began on 13 March, and they will run at irregular intervals through 2018. The royal commission has been asked to investigate whether any of Australia’s financial services entities have engaged in misconduct, and if criminal or other legal proceedings should be referred to the Commonwealth. For critics of big business it’s been a boon, confirming their worst suspicions and presenting myriad examples of misconduct. It has also cast a pall over how the public
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constitute a ‘culture’, it is ultimately shaped by the people who work in an organisation and the behaviours they display. How certain behaviours are recognised and encouraged can therefore have a significant impact on culture. Alan Heyward, managing director at O.C. Tanner | Accumulate, says recognition on its own is not the be all and end all, but it’s certainly a key influencer of culture. “The O.C. Tanner Institute undertook global research which showed that
recognition is one of if not the most important lever organisations can pull to positively impact most aspects of workplace culture,” Heyward says. He adds that recognition and appreciation are closely interlinked with how employees connect with a company’s purpose, how they share ideas and innovate, how they view opportunities within the business to grow their careers, how much they feel valued, and how they feel about their leaders.
Sales vs service cultures With that link between recognition and culture established, Heyward says it’s critical to differentiate between a ‘sales’ culture and a ‘service’ culture, especially as it’s evident that too many of the organisations targeted by the royal commission have focused heavily on creating the former via monetary incentives. This focus has contributed to the intense scrutiny they now find themselves under. “We’ve seen a growing trend around organisations structuring recognition programs in a way that more closely aligns with positive customer outcomes, or behaviours that are consistent with company values rather than widget-based, metricbased rewards,” Heyward says. He adds that any organisation that has a sales culture may be at risk of the wrong behaviours being rewarded – or indeed not having behaviour-based metrics of any kind factored into assessments of performance. “This is not unique to banking. There are organisations in other sectors that have really focused on a sales culture, and they are at risk, like the banks, of getting torn apart at some point if they don’t start thinking about driving the right behaviours as opposed to the right outcomes. “You get the result of what you incentivise; how you get there doesn’t matter unless you build that criteria in. We’ve seen plenty of examples, recently and over the last three or four years, that are directly related to people
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WHY RECOGNITION MATTERS When delivered effectively, employee recognition can be a powerful lever in communicating behavioural expectations and embedding cultural change. When designed and executed effectively, these programs can have a profoundly positive impact, as outlined here by O.C. Tanner | Accumulate:
being incentivised for an outcome that didn’t take into account how they got there,” Heyward says. This is not to say financial incentives or rewards for outcomes should not be used, and Heyward says the link between reward and recognition remains strong. “There should be no reason why you can’t incentivise people for outcomes,” he says. “The problem has been the focus on the outcome without the focus on how you got there. Reward and recognition are separate, but they are also so closely related that recognition can be much more powerful and can be embedded a lot more deeply when there is a reward element.” Heyward says many organisations could benefit from implementing behavioural elements into their bonus and commission structures. “Banks have been doing that for a while with balanced scorecards and so on, but the question is whether they have the right behavioural metrics in there or are they just using a different set of outcome metrics
Recognition programs act as powerful tools through which to communicate behavioural expectations and provide frequent, timely reinforcement. Recognition programs help make desired behaviour more measurable and tangible within the organisation, and provide a pool of stories of positive performance that can be shared to role-model that behaviour. Recognition programs foster a positive, fun, engaging and appreciative employee experience (underpinning an environment that promotes pride in the workplace and, ultimately, quality service). In addition, these programs can play a role in shifting the focus from sales to service, by empowering leaders and providing them with a suite of powerful tools they can use to reinforce everyday good behaviour, performance and customer service.
that don’t have enough rigour behind them to ensure the right outcomes? In particular, are they acting in the best interest of the customer, which everyone is focused on right now?”
Making meaningful change Of course, talking about a culture change is one thing; taking action is another matter. Heyward notes that culture is made up of all the people within an organisation at a point in time, so it’s a constantly evolving entity. It’s therefore not possible to simply
announce, “We’re changing our culture”. “You’ve got to get the masses on board for the change you’re making,” he says. There has been plenty of evidence to suggest that small changes won’t be enough to change an overall culture. The point that may get a little lost in the current storm surrounding the royal commission is that some banks have already taken steps to change the incentive focus within specific departments – and while that has been laudable, inconsistencies have remained in terms of how people are incentivised across
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THE KEY TAKEAWAY While Alan Heyward says “the writing has been on the wall” for financial services organisations for some time, he emphasises that these companies do not have toxic cultures; instead, it’s small pockets of people who ignore the needs of the customer for their own financial gain. He also believes there is a shift at hand – and he hopes other industries are paying attention. “If they’re not already starting to adopt a mindset of doing the right thing by the customer, now is the time to move,” Heyward says. “Don’t wait until something goes wrong before you move on it, because I think customer expectations have also shifted. As a customer there’s now a very strong expectation that you will have my needs at the core of what you are talking to me about and offering to me. Unlike banking, other industries may not be strong enough to come back from something like this.”
the organisation, making it very difficult to effect across-the-board culture change.
A mindset shift O.C. Tanner | Accumulate is advising its banking clients and prospects on three key areas in which to build service cultures. Heyward explains: Capability. “This is not just about product knowledge but having ethical customer principles and practices; it’s encouraging people to educate themselves to do the right thing. This involves having a framework in place so that the bankers, tellers, advisers better understand their products and services, but also having accredited L&D
Formerly operating as Accumulate, we help many of Australia’s largest companies use appreciation and recognition to influence great work. Now backed by the insights, experience and scale of the O.C. Tanner company, which serves thousands of clients in 150-plus companies, we are better positioned than ever to help our clients inspire and connect their people, and build great workplaces cultures. Visit octanner.com/au.
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HR’s role HR has a major role to play in culture change; however, Heyward hastens to add that it’s not HR’s role to shape culture or drive culture change. “They are a contributor to culture and almost like a custodian of it. HR would almost be better to say, ‘We’re looking after this box called culture; we’re not dictating what needs to go into it but we are a contributor to it, along with many other stakeholders’.” Heyward also disagrees with the commonly
“Recognition can be much more powerful and can be embedded a lot more deeply when there is a reward element” Alan Heyward, O.C. Tanner | Accumulate programs so people can build from one level of product knowledge to the next. It means you’re not incentivising the sale; you’re incentivising people to become equipped to do the right thing.”
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customer satisfaction collection frameworks to get deeper insight into how individuals are performing as opposed to how a branch is performing.”
Behaviour. “It’s possible to observe in that same group of workers whether people are behaving consistently with the values of the customer. Very few people are working autonomously with no observation, particularly in the banking sector. There are other people – peers, managers, subordinates – who can observe what’s happening and check to see if the right behaviours are being displayed.” Customer experience. “This comes down to how you capture and recognise customer outcomes through NPS and other customer satisfaction metrics. These organisations might benefit from building more robust
heard criticism of HR being too far removed from customers to have much impact on a service culture. “HR business partners are much closer to the frontline where things are happening,” he says. “All executives have a hands-on role to play in shaping the culture and ensuring the culture is about driving the right behaviours as opposed to financial outcomes and results. But if you only have HR pushing behaviour, and if no one else buys into that, guess what’s going to happen? The ownership of culture sits across the whole business.” However, HR can also reinforce desired behaviours and values throughout the recruitment process by encouraging leaders to role-model those values and behaviours (and to do so themselves) – and by recognising and appreciating all employees who go above and beyond. Only then will service come before sales.
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TECHNOLOGY
Safety and productivity in the digital age How well do you know your employees? Do you know how many are under your duty of care and whether they have the capabilities they claim? It might be time to shine a light on your workforce IT’S EASY to forget amid the significant disruption caused by gig economy workers that certain industries have utilised short-term contractor or contingent workers for eons. Australia’s mining, construction, transport and labour hire industries – and countless others – have long used contractors and subcontractors as a core component of their workforces. It’s perhaps not surprising that the talent management technology that has been developed to service these workforces in Australia is among the most sophisticated in the world. An example is Damstra Technology’s fully integrated suite of cloud-based technology for end-to-end workforce management. Developed over the past 16 years, Damstra Technology’s Total Workforce Management System (TWMS) provides a real-time, finger-on-the-pulse insight into a workforce’s capability, credentials, and time and attendance. “It’s not just an app you download, it’s not a website or piece of software that you buy and continuously update, it’s not a piece of hardware – it’s all of those things connected together to create this fully integrated end-to-end system,” explains Chris Hutchins, COO, Damstra Technology. Just as critical in a world shaped by
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gig or contractor workers is verifying that people are who they claim to be, and have the qualifications being sought. Damstra Technology’s TWMS also acts as a document verification service to ensure compliance. “As a transient or itinerant workforce registers into our system we obtain all of the
workplace are fit to work and are the right people to do the right job.” This last point is critical to successful – and safe – workforce management, says Christian Damstra, founder and CEO of Damstra Technology. “There are plenty of software solutions out there, but at the end of the day software is only as good as the way the software is run. If the inherent processes in an organisation are challenged due to staffing levels or financial levels, that’s where we can step in and lift this entire compliance headache off an organisation. That’s going to save time and money.”
Know your workforce Damstra says a key difference between a permanent employee base and a contingent base is the uncertainty. Many organisations that operate without digital registration processes, he adds, simply do not know how many contractors they employ. “I’ve seen variations between 30% and 50% of the number – and that goes in both directions,” he says. “I’ve had clients tell me they’ve got 10,000 people, and when you get in and do it they only have 5,000. The fact they
“What we’re able to offer our clients is a digital way of tracking the capabilities of the workforce. That’s very important from a compliance perspective” Chris Hutchins, Damstra Technology relevant certifications and credentials, such as licences, trade certificates, etc, depending on the client’s needs and obligations. Our verification service captures all of the relevant dates and details of the certification and skills that have been issued or attained, creating a powerful database of the workforce,” says Hutchins. “What we’re able to offer our clients is a digital way of tracking the capabilities of the workforce. That’s very important from a compliance perspective, especially if you’re trying to ensure the people turning up at your
don’t know is a major risk for any organisation, and this flows into other statistics too. For example, under many OHS guidelines and laws, organisations must account for losttime-injury frequency rates; if you don’t know how many hours you’re working across your business, you can’t have accurate rates or reporting, and you don’t know where to look for structural solutions. Those same reports can affect insurance premiums and impact whether or not you win the next job. It’s very important you get this information accurate.”
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Central to all this is user experience. Hutchins explains that the company’s underlying approach to user experience is simple: “To take what’s good and enhance it to become great”. He says Damstra Technology has a full-time user-experience focus, which involves looking at making the company’s processes world class, and turning the huge amounts of data generated by the system into actionable insights. The in-field actions taken from real-time data can be seen, for example, when a worker produces a failed alcohol test. The supervisor will receive an SMS or email alert straight
changing government regulations, particularly when it comes to health and safety. This has never been more critical in this gig economy where there is no real compliance framework and employers have to try to ensure they remain compliant as best they can. Again, Damstra Technology has the solution. “Our system allows you to book people into e-learning content and physical classes and keep a record of the results of testing from these training courses or inductions. It means you’ve got a real-time record of who’s been scheduled, who’s done the course, what the
“There are plenty of software solutions out there, but at the end of the day software is only as good as the way the software is run” Christian Damstra, Damstra Technology away and the actionable outcome will occur immediately. Other benefits come from benchmarking industry or sector data, as Damstra explains. “Data is one thing, but how you use the data is the important part,” he says. “We can implement our system on any client site, and we can have integrated drug testing, alcohol testing, fatigue management and all those things, but if a client is getting five failed alcohol tests in one week, is that good? Maybe they don’t know because, at the end of the day, what is best practice? Because we have such a spread of clients, we can trend-analyse that data and see that, for other companies with a similar number of employees or time punches conducted, those failed alcohol tests are trending down to two per week. Then you know you may have a problem and an opportunity to make your workplace safer.”
Meeting compliance obligations Most employers – regardless of whether their workforce consists of full-time employees or contractors – have trouble staying on top of compliance training and ensuring they meet ever-
results were and any remedial actions taken. Without some sort of digital system in place I would struggle to understand how this can be managed effectively with today’s workplaces,” Hutchins says.
Keeping pace Taking digital workforce transformation a step further, Damstra Technology is increasingly adding value to clients by engaging in process thinking. For example, the company has been engaged by clients to track, manage and protect not just people but also plant equipment and machinery. “As long as the gig economy requires people, it will require assets,” says Hutchins. The normal way a work engagement process would work would be to conduct all the prequalifications and verification of documents up front, before a worker moves through to an on-site familiarisation or to start working; in such a process, documents would be verified, a profile would be created and the worker would receive their ID card. On a fast-paced construction site time is of the essence, and sometimes front-end loaded
SAFETY IN THE DIGITAL AGE Christian Damstra outlines three essential elements of successful digital workforce management. Biometrics: “These tools really are a major part of any electronic safety system today. It’s one thing to track people, but let’s make sure we’re tracking the right people. It removes the ability for buddy punching and similar actions. Biometrics comes in many formats, such as finger scanning or facial recognition – we offer those to clients depending on their unique needs.” QR codes: “These have been around some time and are something we adopted many years ago. We continue to use them because they are really great, easy-to-use tech that can give people access to data in the field when they need it.” Real-time alerts: “The ability to send instant SMS and email messages when there is an issue or concern – whether that’s overstay alerts or fatigue – is so valuable because it prompts action. Real-time alerts can alert whoever needs to know, immediately.” processes can’t be used or take too long when a job has to be done. Damstra Technology has therefore rethought the traditional process. “We’ve changed our system so we can effectively commence the same registration process from a supervisor’s palm of hand, using our mobile app. They can commence registration, grab the required basic credentials to get someone started, and then we follow through on the back end with any pieces of the puzzle that are also equally required but not necessary from day one,” says Hutchins. “That’s another example of where we’ve innovated by adopting our technology to the real-time, fast-moving demands of the workforce.” *For further information, visit www.damstratechnology.com
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TALENT ACQUISITION
‘Call a few agencies and get me some CVs…’ It sounds like a simple proposition, but when selecting a recruitment supplier it’s critical that you are aware of what value they are providing for the money you’re spending, writes Joe Screnci IT’S COMMONLY espoused that the most important asset of an organisation is its people. If this is true, then shouldn’t every hire be important? Are there really any positions that are not important? Does a chain not break at the weakest link? Accordingly, shouldn’t processes be designed to attract the best person for the position (within realistic constraints such as remuneration, location, language, etc) rather than someone who’s available and can do the job? Over the last 30 years I’ve owned and managed 20 recruitment firms covering every market sector, from labour hire to executive search. This has given me a strong insight into buyer behaviour for recruitment services. The number of times I am surprised by the lack of insight and logic used in the procurement of recruitment services and the assessment of supplier performance – which is usually a highvalue spend for the organisation – concerns me. Of course, there are also many organisations that are very sophisticated in their approach to appointing and assessing recruitment suppliers, but there are also some very highprofile brands that fail miserably.
In-house vs outsourced Despite most of my career being involved in the supply of outsourced HR consulting services, I’m
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a big believer in the effectiveness of in-house recruitment teams. They are a major asset to an organisation and essential to gaining competitive advantage. They are a resource that should be supported by the board and senior management as a means of engaging talent that will deliver superior outcomes. HR teams can add value and assist in the achievement of the corporate mission in many ways, including developing capability, culture, resilience, innovation and productivity.
A question of fees Organisations appoint recruitment firms to assist them in sourcing high-quality talent. The firms appointed are either contingent – ie a fee is charged upon placement – or retained, ie the fee is charged proportionally over time or is subject to specific benchmarks in the process. The appointment process varies from a simple phone call to a full-blown tender response. The assessment process varies from nothing, to the
An effective in-house recruitment team is a major asset to an organisation and essential to gaining competitive advantage The problem that some in-house HR teams face is that they are under-resourced, substantially administrative and sometimes underskilled. This makes it particularly difficult to dedicate sufficient time and resources to search the market for the best candidates, and applies pressure to present adequate candidates to the hiring manager to fill the vacancies. This leads to a less-than-optimal talent pool for the organisation and greater difficulty for management to achieve the desired outcomes.
achievement of a variety of metrics. Apart from when the fee is charged, the fundamental difference between the contingent and retained models is, in most cases, that contingent recruitment firms represent the candidate and retained recruitment firms represent the company. If you ask three contingent recruitment firms to work on an assignment, you’re likely to receive 10 CVs sourced from a general database, and the recruiters will tell you how great their candidates
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are. If you retain a recruitment firm exclusively on the same assignment, you’re likely to receive an introduction to three candidates who meet the requirements of the role after a thorough assessment of a large candidate pool specifically sourced to meet the client’s specification. At middle management levels, while fees vary, a common placement fee charged by contingent executive recruiters is around 18% of total remuneration cost. For this same level of recruitment, a retained executive recruiter will charge a similar fee.
The contingent recruiter Often contingent recruitment assignments are non-exclusive, and the client will appoint multiple contingent recruiters to the same assignment as well as undertaking its own recruitment processes. This lack of commitment by the client to the supplier creates a ‘first in, first served’ mentality. Accordingly, the contingent recruiter must focus on speed – ie getting CVs emailed to the client before a competitor does or before the candidates applies directly to the client. Otherwise, they will miss out on the fee. A focus on speed reduces sourcing time and creates a tendency to simply do a database search or ‘post and pray’, ie post an ad online and pray that a suitable candidate responds. Further, as the client has no obligation to the contingent recruiter, the contingent recruiter has no obligation to the client and may also present that same candidate to multiple potential employers to maximise the chance of placing the candidate and generating a fee. Consider the life of a contingent recruiter. They have multiple non-exclusive contingent roles they’re recruiting for where time is of the essence, and a budget set by their employer that they must achieve to keep their job. They know that unless they get a CV to a client before a competitor, they won’t get a fee. They also know that if they have a great candidate and only present that candidate to one client, the candidate may be presented by another contingent recruiter to another company and be offered a job there. Again, they will miss out on a fee. This motivates them to present the same candidate to multiple clients.
Recruiters that are retained to work on assignments are assured that their efforts are paid for. They are not wasting their time. However, a retained recruiter must justify the payments they receive during the process by maintaining high service standards and constant communication with their client; undertaking a thorough and transparent recruitment process; ensuring that obvious and less obvious sources of candidates are explored; representing the client in discussions
are well connected in their circle. These search consultants have commonly worked at an equivalent peer level and can discuss opportunities at CEO level with greater insight and build rapport more easily. They will also be better at connecting with target candidates in the first place to influence them to meet for a discussion. Senior search consultants also have the expertise to advise the client regarding the job description, organisational structure, outcomes required, selection criteria, strategy, market
Consider the life of a contingent recruiter. They have multiple non-exclusive contingent roles they’re recruiting for where time is of the essence, and a budget set by their employer that they must achieve to keep their job with candidates, and being discerning as to who they release job details to. They must assess candidates in accordance with the client’s needs, uncovering issues that may affect their performance, ensuring their work history is complete and accurate, uncovering potential conflicts of interest, digging deep into past accomplishments and checking them with referees, using a variety of interview techniques to assess the candidate, and potentially referring them for psychometric appraisal. They are not concerned that other recruiters will email CVs to the client and get the fee, so they can focus on the quality of their work and the client’s best interests. They will also not send candidates that they present to one client to another client, as this would be a conflict of interest.
Recruitment at the top At senior management level, there are different dynamics at play. For example, CEOs and seniorlevel candidates will respond best to approaches from experienced search consultants who have credibility, well-developed communication skills, high-level negotiation skills, experience in senior management, specific industry knowledge, and
remuneration levels, etc, even before the search is commenced. This requires expertise, time and skilled support services. Accordingly, the seniority, expertise and experience of these search consultants mean they are more expensive to hire for the search firm. Along with the higher-quality support services, dedicated researchers, quality premises and time put into the assignment, as you would expect, the cost is higher and commonly around 28–35% of the total remuneration package. This is usually invoiced in three- or four-part payments at various points in the process. There’s ‘horses for courses’ and one size does not fit all. However, it’s important to ensure that when you appoint a recruitment supplier, you’re aware of the value they are providing for the money you’re spending and have an effective procurement and performance assessment process. Joe Screnci is executive chairman of JRS International Search Partners (www.jrsinternational/com), a member of Kennedy Executive Search and Consulting with 15 offices globally.
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SECTOR FOCUS: POSTGRADUATE BUSINESS EDUCATION
Meeting disruption head-on As technology continues to redefine the workplace, it’s never been more critical to keep skills sharp. Is it time to return to school?
EIGHT HUNDRED million jobs could be lost worldwide to automation by 2030. That was the key takeaway from a 2017 McKinsey Global Institute study. Such an eye-catching statistic grabs headlines, even if the reality is rather less dramatic; for, while automation is already eliminating certain jobs, it is also creating many new jobs and simplifying even more of them. It’s something that Professor Richard R Smith, Deputy Dean of Programmes at the Singapore Management University (SMU) Lee Kong Chian School of Business, has been asked about repeatedly, and he’s mindful of blindly taking such pronouncements at face value. “The impact is going to be very broad, but it’s evident that automation is creating new opportunities and even enhancing certain jobs. In some ways it’s taking tasks away and in other ways it’s adding new tasks due to the increased focus on data, analytics and insights,” Smith says.
Data-driven HR For HR professionals, this new focus on data and analytics is akin to a quiet revolution. Smith relays a conversation he recently had with an airline executive. The executive was hailing the power of analytics and how it had transformed the way his business operated. Based on an analysis of its customer profiles,
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the airline knew how and when people had purchased their tickets and how much food and alcohol to load on board. However, the executive added that there were still around 15 people on each flight who the airline had extremely limited information on: the flight staff. In all likelihood, such a situation will not last for much longer as employee insights will become as sought after as customer insights.
Future-proofing the workforce Lifelong education in 2018 has never been more of a two-way dialogue between employer and employee. The onus lies with employees to take more of an interest in their
Smith has seen three types of employers. The first is focused on the here and now – they refuse to invest in the skills of their employees because the future is uncertain and a longterm focus will only result in a loss of time, money and resources as employees rapidly move to the next employer. The second is a traditional approach whereby there is continual investment in employees via internal training and upskilling. The third flips the traditional notion and is more of a hybrid. It has the employees themselves self-driving their careers. The employer doesn’t prescribe training for them but instead provides support, which, rather than monetary support, may take the form of
“The employee is in the driving seat; they are selecting what they want to do and the employer is supporting them” Professor Richard R Smith, SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business own professional development to ensure they don’t fall behind, as much as it falls on employers to provide support, guidance and advice wherever possible – to ‘future-proof ’ their own employees.
flexible work options to allow for study. “The employee is in the driving seat; they are selecting what they want to do and the employer is supporting them while allowing them to pick their own paths,” Smith says.
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From passive to proactive Tied to those three approaches is whether or not the organisation takes a proactive and strategic approach to future-proofing its workforce, or whether it takes a more passive, reactive approach. A skills audit is a good place to start. When Smith talks about strategic talent management in his courses, he emphasises that a critical first step is ‘discovery’. “Oftentimes organisations don’t know what or who they have in their ranks,” he says. “That’s why LinkedIn is making a killing because they generally have more information about your employees than you do – or it’s more accurate because they have people in their network evaluating and commenting on their skills and capabilities.” Smith adds that an analysis of internal skills can provide a great basis for strategic workforce planning. “If you know your objective is to move into the digital space, you can look at your talent and answer whether you are ready for that move or not,” he says. “And if not, what steps must you take to ensure you have those skills?” He adds that forward-looking employers are implementing a segmented approach to L&D – creating personalised and targeted learning to focus on the unique skill requirements of each worker. “People are aware of these policies that Google has, whereby 10% of a worker’s time is used for upskilling – but that doesn’t apply to everyone at Google,” Smith says. “That’s just one segment of their workforce. In HR we tend to take a company-wide policy rather than an employee segment policy.”
Two postgrad upskilling options What can HR do to ensure their own skills remain sharp? Smith suggests two postgraduate programmes offered by SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business that can help equip HR professionals to thrive in this digital age.
THREE KEY TRENDS Professor Richard R Smith outlines three key elements shaping postgrad business study in 2018. A data-rich environment. “We feature analytics quite heavily in our programmes. Students are given a refresher on statistics because that’s the backbone of thinking about this data-rich world we’re living in. They must be able to look at data with a critical eye, analyse it and come up with meaningful insights.” The rise of evidence-based management. “We have so much information around us – now we need to understand what the data tells us so we take some of the guesswork out of management. We have a strong focus on using data to make informed choices. It is important to make executive-level decisions based on evidence, because we know from psychology that sometimes our judgments may have biases.” Regionally focused leadership. “The Asian business context is dynamic and more interconnected across borders. However, HR is not always prepared. There have been studies over the years that show HR to typically be country-focused rather than regionally focused in Asia. Both our Executive MBA and our Master of Human Capital Leadership programmes have a strong focus on regional dynamics and leadership. It’s great to be current in the activities in the country of Singapore; however, that won’t cut it in the future as human capital leaders need to be managing digitally and working effectively across borders.”
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SMU LEE KONG CHIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Ranked third in Asia and 35th worldwide in the University of Texas - Dallas rankings (based on research contributions for the period 2013–17), the Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) at SMU is one of the youngest business schools in the world to be triple-accredited with the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) and AMBA (Association of MBAs). With more than 4,000 students and over 100 full-time faculty members holding doctorate degrees from renowned universities such as Cornell, Harvard, INSEAD, Oxford, Stanford and Yale, LKCSB offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes and is affiliated with a number of research centres, such as the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics, the Centre for Marketing Excellence and the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. For further information, visit www.business.smu.edu.sg.
The first is the Master of Human Capital Leadership, which Smith says is perfect for HR professionals but does not cover traditional HR turf; instead, it requires students to think about human capital as a resource of the organisation. The goal of the program is to prepare future CHROs for operating at the top of their organisations. So while traditional HR topics including executive compensation
“What you see and hear in the classroom one day, you take into the workplace the next” Professor Richard R Smith, SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and evidence-based talent management are covered, so too is financial accounting and finance. These are what Smith describes as “the language of business”. “This is honestly not about learning operational HR; this is for people who are taking their HR careers to the next level,” Smith says. The second programme is the Executive MBA, which Smith describes as being well suited to those who are already in a CHRO or senior HR role but are looking for a broader base in the areas of general management and business leadership. Generally, EMBA students have more experience – between 12 and 20 years.
THE L&D SHORTFALL Mercer’s Global Talent Trends Study indicates that 82% of companies say they plan to develop and promote from within. However, there’s a disconnect between this objective and what’s actually happening. 50% of organisations plan to make changes to their HR technology in the next 12 months, while only 36% plan to invest in HR training and development. 13% of companies currently have a curriculum for developing HR professionals. 42% report gaps in their HR skills, but have yet to begin planning for how to address them.
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The programme is completed in short segments, conducted around the world. Like those doing the Master of Human Capital Leadership, EMBA students spend time at Wharton Business School in the US, and then also go to China and India. “It really takes a global perspective on the issues facing business,” says Smith. “While it’s not an HR program, we do find that senior
HR leaders get great value from it as they’re looking to further their executive careers.” Each programme is part-time. The EMBA is a one-year commitment and is done in residential block weeks at SMU, in China, India and the US. These blocks are designed as intense sprints over the year, whereas the Master of Human Capital Leadership includes classes over a period of 15 months. Not surprisingly, both programmes have a practical focus, with assignments and projects based on real-life work challenges. “We make sure we’re grounded in research and current thinking but also make it practical and hands-on,” Smith says. “What you see and hear in the classroom one day, you take into the workplace the next.” As SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business moves towards the introduction of blended learning – a mix of in-person classroom and online content delivery – Smith says digital “isn’t something we just teach, it’s something we do”. “We’re supporting the move to blended learning because we can’t just be preaching about digital; we need to be doing it ourselves. This is the future,” he says. SMU plans to introduce more blended learning course modules in the coming year.
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EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH
Fit for performance management or disciplinary action? Amber Chandler tackles the tricky topic of managing an employee with mental health issues SADLY, mental illness affects a high proportion of the Australian population. According to the ABS, 45% of the national population will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.1 As employers, how do we deal with mental illness in our workforce? Furthermore, is it any of our business?
Where do employees stand? Employees do not always disclose a mental illness voluntarily, nor are they legally obliged to do so. Pre-employment medical assessments will not always disclose them, unless the medical condition affects the inherent requirements of the relevant role. Privacy and anti-discrimination legislation may also prevent employers from asking about possible medical conditions. Despite these restrictions, an employee’s mental health condition will be relevant to an employer if it affects safety in the workplace or the employee’s ability to perform the inherent requirements of their role. When managers notice that employees
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are exhibiting behaviour that would fit the description of misconduct – whether that be uncharacteristic lateness, a general lack of focus resulting in poor work quality, or disrespect, the knee-jerk reaction can often be to performance manage or discipline the
it is important to take into account personal circumstances and whether a mental illness may be contributing to poor performance. Therefore, if an employee does disclose a mental health issue, it is advisable to only move to performance management as a last resort, as it is possible that performance management may only exacerbate the employee’s stress and anxiety levels.
Time to clarify The key question employers must ask before performance management is whether the underperformance or misconduct has been caused by a mental health condition – or is it simply underperformance or misconduct? It is important to identify the reason for performance issues before starting performance management or taking disciplinary action. Various decisions in unfair dismissal matters and adverse action cases highlight the need for an employer to open a dialogue with an employee when mental illness is impacting an employee’s performance. In Vernham v Jayco Corporation Pty Limited [2015] FWC 8185, Mr Vernham had made a workers’ compensation claim for psychological injury due to work stress, which was declined by the insurer. He sent two emails to the workers’ compensation insurer, in which he threatened harm against his employer and its employees. The insurer notified the
It is important to identify the reason for performance issues before starting performance management or taking disciplinary action employee. However, the Australian Human Rights Commission, in their helpful guide, Workers with Mental Illness: A Practical Guide for Managers, urges employers who notice changes in behaviour to show support for employees early on. While an employer is certainly entitled to apply their standard performance management system to all employees where they have a legitimate concern about their performance,
employer about these emails, and eventually he was summarily dismissed for serious misconduct. He then filed an unfair dismissal application, and, although the Fair Work Commission (FWC) found the employer had a valid reason to summarily dismiss Mr Vernham, it held that the dismissal was harsh. The FWC found that, on the evidence given at the hearing, Mr Vernham was suffering from a mental illness at the time he sent the emails,
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and there was a direct causal link between his mental state and his decision to send the emails. However, when dismissing him for sending the emails, the employer failed to afford him procedural fairness by giving him an opportunity to explain his mental state to them. Additionally, there had been a three-month period between the employee sending the emails and the decision to dismiss Mr Vernham. The FWC said the employer should have used that time to make enquiries about Mr Vernham’s actions. The FWC also identified several occasions in the employer’s interactions with Mr Vernham when the employer should have been prompted by various signals to ask him about his mental state. This case confirms that discussion with the employee about their actions is always
then provided a report from his doctor that confirmed he suffered from a long-term anxiety condition and a recent lapse into depression, but gave him an excellent prognosis as Mr Grant had reduced his alcohol consumption. The employer notified Mr Grant in writing that an investigation would take place into several allegations of misconduct made against him, and Mr Grant was given the opportunity to respond in writing. Eventually, the employer found all allegations were substantiated and notified Mr Grant of its intention to terminate his employment. Mr Grant filed an adverse action application, and at first instance he was successful as the trial judge found Mr Grant’s conduct arose wholly out of his medical condition and therefore the employer dismissing him for that
If an employee does disclose a mental health issue, it is advisable to only move to performance management as a last resort advisable before making a decision to dismiss. In State of Victoria (Office of Public Prosecutions) v Grant [2014] FCAFC 184, an employee who worked as a solicitor took time off work due to a broken leg. However, after returning to work he kept taking days off, ostensibly to attend medical appointments. Eventually, as a result of some operational issues with his cases and the functioning of the department due to his unannounced absences, his supervisor held a meeting with him to discuss his performance. He asked Mr Grant to advise him of the nature of his health problems. Following the meeting, Mr Grant provided a medical certificate certifying that he was unable to work for the next week. Shortly after the meeting, Mr Grant advised his employer that he was suffering from depression, but he did not provide any medical report confirming this. His employer issued a letter that outlined attendance and performance issues, and directed him to take leave with pay and provide a medical report regarding his fitness for duty. Mr Grant
conduct was discriminatory (adverse action). However, the employer appealed that decision and was successful in overturning it. The Full Federal Court found: “[the employer] was aware he made his decision that Mr Grant had been suffering from depression and other ailments at the time at which the misconduct occurred. The medical evidence did not expressly or impliedly link the misconduct and the illness … There was no evidentiary foundation for the conclusion (by the primary judge) that ‘[i]t was [Mr Grant’s] illness on any view that led him to do the things that he did that caused his dismissal…’.” In the above, it was two key elements that protected the employer: 1. The fact that the employer had bothered to make enquiries with the employee about the nature of his illness; 2. None of the medical evidence provided gave any indication that the medical condition had caused the performance issues.
KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER If the employee discloses a medical condition, ask them about it and seek a medical opinion.
1
Have strong policies and procedures and follow those procedures fairly and transparently. Ask yourself: would I be treating someone in the same way if they did not have this condition but the circumstances were the same?
2
3
Do not delay taking action. Delays can exacerbate existing mental illnesses.
Ensure the employee always has a support person present. This could be a personal friend, a family member or even their own GP or psychologist.
4
Have a clear paper trail of the action you have taken, which is consistent particularly in terms of the reason you have carried out performance management or disciplinary action.
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This put the employer in an excellent position to defend the adverse action claim as the dismissal was not carried out because of the illness but because of the misconduct. Therefore, no adverse action had taken place. 1.(ABS (2008). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 2007 (4326.0). Canberra: ABS).
Amber Chandler is a partner at Barker Henley.
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS
In HRD’s second annual Top Recruiters Survey, we canvassed our readers for insights into what frustrates and what pleases them most about recruiters – and along the way we identified the best of the best so you don’t have to
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RECRUITER OF THE YEAR Top Recruiters 2018
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WHAT’S SHAPING recruitment in 2018? It might depend on who you ask. Some 72% of recruiters themselves think that hiring needs will increase in 2018 (compared to 63% last year), and 59% anticipate an increase in tech spending over the next 12 months, compared to 43% last year. Those stats come from Bullhorn, a cloud-based CRM and operations solutions provider for the recruitment industry. According to Bullhorn’s 2018 Australian Recruitment Trends Report, 47% of
METHODOLOGY In March and April 2018, HRD surveyed readers, asking them to rate the performance of recruiters (at company level not individual) they had worked with over the previous 12 months. We received a total of 560 responses. The survey has determined winners (Gold/Silver/Bronze) in nine specialist industry areas, with ‘Recruiter of the Year’ awarded to one company, which received the most overall votes.
recruiters rank automation in their top three challenges. More than a third (40%) of agencies don’t yet automate during the prospecting, client engagement, or account management stages. Of perhaps greater interest is the fact that candidate-related concerns dominate the results of the survey. Forty-one per cent of respondents say candidate acquisition is a top priority, while the talent shortage is the top challenge listed (at 71%). It’s this focus on the candidate experience
that might strike the biggest chord with HRD’s readers, for hiring managers and HR genuinely want a great experience for candidates. That much is apparent from the recurring themes of HRD’s Top Recruiter Survey. The areas that should be shaping recruitment are the mainstays: quality of hire and sustainability of new hires. More than anything, in 2018, it’s relationships that matter the most. Read on for further insights, and which recruiters are worth their weight in gold.
SURVEY RESPONDENTS: COMPANY SIZE
Less than 50 staff 14% 51–200 staff 25% 201–499 staff 20% 500–999 staff 14% 1,000+ staff 27%
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS
WHO WANTS to make a dud hire? Not only are there the financial costs (up to a quarter of that person’s salary) to be considered but also damage to team morale and potentially brands. It’s no surprise that, for the second year running, HR professionals ranked ‘quality of hire’ as the most important element in judging a recruiter’s performance. A new addition to the top three this year was ‘sustainability of new hires’ – perhaps an indication that employers are looking beyond the average three-year tenure of most employees today. And it goes without saying that ‘client service’ is a key consideration for most hiring managers when it comes to selecting their recruitment partners. Each recruitment
WHAT HR WANTS FROM RECRUITERS Quality of hire 4.81 Sustainability of new hires 4.56
Client service 4.51
Depth of market knowledge 4.39
Candidate care 4.30
“I need someone who can tap into markets I can’t. I think a generalist will just be executing the same process I would be”
Time to hire 3.76
Cost 3.64
Existing relationship 3.48
Other services offered 2.83
0
1
2
3
4
5
Respondents were asked to rate the above factors for importance on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not important and 5 = extremely important.
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One reader wrote: “I pretty much never go to big global recruitment agencies as I prefer the care and consistency smaller boutique agencies give in their business dealings. I also don’t like how KPI-driven a lot of big recruitment agencies are, driving their people, often (not always) to unethical behaviours.” Interestingly, both time to hire and cost of hire slipped to numbers six and seven on this year’s list – perhaps indicating a subtle shift in the KPIs that really matter to hiring managers. However, the cost of engaging a recruitment agency remains a stumbling block for many, and this is perhaps why many agencies have moved away from the ‘filling seats, no matter
agency interviewed by HRD for this feature reiterates just how critical that service is. Depth of market knowledge is heralded as well. This reader summed up the sentiment: “Generalist recruitment can usually be done in-house. However, tapping into specialist niches we expand our search to include recruiters, as they generally have a wider knowledge of the market and the ‘hidden’ talent market.” Another wrote: “I look for a recruiter that has excellent industry knowledge and a good in-depth knowledge of our company core values, direction and has an excellent understanding of the role as well as the culture of our business.” In some instances, readers were drawn to smaller, niche players in the hope that their industry knowledge would set them apart.
the ultimate cost’ approach, towards a more holistic talent management approach. This reader summed up the sentiment of many HR professionals, who today have the tools to do it themselves: “In this day and age, with tools like LinkedIn and comprehensive websites, the more run-of-the-mill roles can be filled by direct applicants, or direct sourcing through the existing organisation.” Of course, existing relationships with recruiters should not be underestimated. One reader said: “I tend to go with recruiters who I have a good relationship with and who understand our business, whether or not they are considered a specialist in our industry. If they understand the business they will understand what we need.”
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WINNERS!
HOW AND WHEN RECRUITERS ARE USED On average, what percentage of new hires would you use a recruiter for? Less than 10%
11–50%
51–75%
To go in the draw to win one of two Dual Passes to the 2018 HR Tech Summit, readers were asked to tell us: What is the one thing a recruitment firm could do in the next 12 months to win more of your business? The two winners are:
42%
32%
“Continue to listen, provide solutions – and don’t ‘fill the gap’ because you want the business. Being honest goes way further and I will definitely give someone another go if they are honest with me.” Nicole Kondogiannis, Wengfu Australia
12%
Over 75%
0
14%
10
20
30
40
50
Are you more likely to use a generalist recruiter or a specialist recruiter?
0
Both about the same
30%
Generalist recruiters
5%
Specialist recruiters
65%
10
20
30
From civil construction to physiotherapy and higher education, employers responding to HRD’s survey are most likely to use specialist recruiters to fill roles. One reader simply noted: “We find industry specialists with strong networks get the best results.” Another hiring manager from Perth wrote: “I need someone who can tap into markets I can’t. I think a generalist will just be executing
40
50
60
70
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the same process I would be – just possibly having more time to devote to the task.” From rapidly changing industries like community health to rapidly growing organisations that require roles to be filled with the right people promptly, the perception is that specialist recruiters are the ones who add the most value. This HR manager from Victoria wrote: “We need a recruiter who can identify skills
“Differentiate and specialise! I don’t want someone who claims that they can do it all. It’s not about replacing internal teams – it’s about complementing them with a different offering.” Karen Corbett, 3P Learning
that will fit our business for roles that are constantly changing, and often within uncharted territory so it isn’t just a standard advertise and fill.” There’s also a perception that specialists are able to build relationships with candidates, even if they are currently not actively looking for work. This reader suggested: “I’m looking for specialist recruiters to leverage their network/talent and can access those candidates who are passive in the market rather than a broad generalist approach.” It’s no surprise that employers would most readily turn to recruiters for executive and specialist/niche roles. One HR manager from Sydney wrote: “I prefer a recruiter who has an intimate knowledge of the function, be it Supply Chain,
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS
Operations, Commercial, Finance, etc. They will have a greater understanding of the dynamics and challenges of candidates in the function and typically be better networked.” Recruiters are still relied upon to find temporary/casual and project workers. One hiring manager in construction summarised the benefits: “This industry has a highly mobile, large workforce who are used to moving from one employer to another as projects are completed. They are tapped into recruiters, so the recruiters often have the quickest access to workers at short notice.”
FOR WHAT ROLES WOULD YOU TYPICALLY USE A RECRUITER? Specialist/niche
82
Executive
74
Temporary/casual
48
Project work
42
Volume recruitment
16
Graduate
13
DO YOU EXPECT TO GROW YOUR FTE HEAD COUNT IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
No 21% Unsure 24% Yes 55%
WHERE DOES THE BUDGET GO? According to LinkedIn’s 2017 Australia Recruiting Trends, the bulk of recruitment budgets are used on job boards/advertising, followed by 28% on recruitment agency costs. Other Recruiting events Employee referral program
4% Employer branding
Recruiting tools (eg sourcing, screening, ATS)
4% 3%
6%
17%
WHAT IS THE CURRENT BREAKDOWN OF YOUR RECRUITING BUDGET?
39%
Job boards/ advertising
28% Recruitment agency costs
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candidate pool thins out. In a market with such choice available to candidates, employers must consider the value of using a specialist recruiter.
HUMAN RESOURCES
HRD: Where do you see recruitment heading in 2018? Are there any overarching trends?
THE NEXT STEP
FRAZER JONES HR PARTNERS
“Andrew at HR Partners has been incredible. His knowledge of the market is absolutely unparalleled. He is always responsive, takes his time to fill the position to ensure we get the right candidates every time.” That’s just one testimonial from a satisfied client of HR Partners who took part in HRD’s survey. To uncover what HR Partners does so well, and to learn more about what’s happening in the HR recruitment market, HRD chatted with David Owens, managing director and founder of HR Partners.
HRD: How does it feel to win the Gold in the HR category? Why do you think your company’s work resonates so well with HR professionals? David Owens: I am truly thrilled and delighted for my team. Winning Gold in the Top Recruiter survey is a very strong endorsement of what we are trying to achieve. Our mission has never been about becoming the biggest HR recruiter; we are, however, always trying to become the best. The HR Partners team members are selected based on their abilities as recruiters, but it’s more than that. Recruiting HR people is half science and half art. The team at HR Partners have strong intellect, work hard and care about the people they work with. Above
all else, they have a defined sense of being a professional. This is important because I believe my team share a lot of characteristics with the HR Professionals we work with as clients and candidates. We work peerto-peer, we see ourselves as partners – hence the name – and that comes with an obligation to have high standards.
DO: Three key trends stand out for me right now. Recruitment in 2018 is a stimulating and fast-evolving industry. There is tremendous growth and opportunity, and the drive towards incorporating new tech is fascinating. Some stunning new tech has already made it into our daily routine, and big data presents an even bigger opportunity to provide a new level of service. Robo recruiters are a long way off, but the use of bots for some elements of the recruitment process is all but here. I have always been a fan of the specialist recruiter. I believe market segmentation provides opportunities for people and
“Market segmentation provides opportunities for people and businesses to be more efficient in achieving their talent acquisition goals” HRD: What are the unique HR recruitment challenges employers currently face? Are any niche skills in high demand? DO: It’s a highly competitive market for employers looking for the best HR talent right now. The recruitment market for HR professionals in each major city is experiencing moderate to high demand across many HR positions. Job categories and skills belonging to roles like HR business partner, HR adviser and talent acquisition specialist are the most in demand. With great pressure on the market, we are seeing that clients who request specific industry experience from candidates are finding it takes longer to fill the roles as the
businesses to be more efficient in achieving their talent acquisition goals, especially in a more pressured candidate-short market. Finally, we live in a highly connected world where information is shared freely and can be found easily. Reputation is more and more important because information about your business is more accessible to potential partners. With the arrival of Google for Jobs and no doubt Glassdoor 2.0, the user experience will make or break you. For the recruitment industry, the reviews left by candidates and clients online have the power to influence the future prosperity of your business. Providing an excellent level of service across all touchpoints has become a must.
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS BANKING & FINANCIAL
RANDSTAD
HAYS ASTON CARTER This sector has had its share of ups and downs over the past year, from royal commissions to changing customer expectations, new competitors entering the market, and still further changes to the regulatory landscape. In most respects it’s a period of upheaval for the industry. Brett Johnson, general manager of Gold winner Allegis Group, Melbourne, says on balance a low interest rate and unemployment environment is contributing to positive
A recent ABS report revealed that the value of work in the pipeline for public sector infrastructure projects is at a record high, and this is likely driving the increase in jobs in both engineering (25% YOY) and trades and services (25% YOY). Key projects are underway across Australia, including the Perth-to-Forrestfield Airport Rail Link. SEEK has seen particularly strong demand for engineering skills in WA. Although levels of activity vary based on location, the first half of 2018 has continued to see a talent mismatch between the skills of jobseekers and what employers want. Bronze winner Hays expects to see demand for highly skilled professionals such as structural engineers, civil drafters, intermediate civil engineers, 12D designers, revit drafters, electrical engineers, traffic modellers and engineers, and fire design engineers. Hays said there would be continued demand for professionals with knowledge of 12D software. As 12D is not part of university curriculums, candidates need to gain this
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conditions for the banks, with the majority of their business still geared around net-interest margins. This is reflected in a strong demand for lending skills across retail and business banking. At the same time, he says “old-world” banking skills are being replaced by new digital skills, for example in applications and development, agile methodologies, cybersecurity, business intelligence and data analytics. Braedon Jones, manager at Aston Carter
Sydney, says the evolution of fintech and digitalisation continues to disrupt the market. Candidates who have been savvy in developing cross-functional skill sets have been aligning themselves proactively to companies with agile, fast-paced and fast-decision-making cultures. “The ability to synthesise and analyse large volumes of data and make insightful product, customer and business decisions is an evolving skill set,” Jones says. “Organisations are looking for candidates from within traditional functions like accounting, finance and operations who actively upskill themselves in the areas of programming and data science.” Emma Bennett, director of practice, Aston Carter Melbourne, says candidates will choose whether or not to join an organisation based on the interview experience, content of the role, remuneration, progression, engagement, and the organisation’s employee value proposition. “It is then critical they are onboarded well,” she says. “As employees, they are looking for regular performance-based feedback to keep them engaged, and empowerment to drive outcomes and achieve wins.”
CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING
HAYS
HUDSON RANDSTAD knowledge independently if they are to remain competitive. There is a massive shortage of candidates with skills in this software. Construction is also still buoyant, with the latest data from SEEK Employment Trends showing that job ads for construction grew by 13% year-on-year in October 2017, with an average advertised salary of $106,784.
Ads for health, safety and environment roles led the way in October, rising by 37% year-onyear. Plant and machinery operators saw an increase of 33%. Project manager skills were in demand. While across the board technical skills are essential, employers are also looking for candidates who demonstrate innovative thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset.
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here’s to those with heart and soul. Without your passion for people and our access to great talent, Randstad and HR Partners wouldn’t have won in the HRD Recruiter of the Year Award.
HR
CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING
PUBLIC SERVICE/GOVERNMENT
RECRUITER OF THE YEAR
RECRUITER OF THE YEAR
RECRUITER OF THE YEAR
BANKING & FINANCE
EXECUTIVE
SALES & MARKETING
RECRUITER OF THE YEAR
RECRUITER OF THE YEAR
RECRUITER OF THE YEAR
Top Recruiters 2018
Top Recruiters 2018
Top Recruiters 2018
Top Recruiters 2018
Top Recruiters 2018
Top Recruiters 2018
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS HRD: Are candidates entering the market with those social skills?
SALES & MARKETING
ASTON CARTER
RANDSTAD HAYS
A study by global media research company PQ Media revealed that content marketing is on track to become a US$313bn industry by 2019. Furthermore, the latest data provided by SEEK Employment Trends shows that marketing and communications job ads in Australia have increased by 2% year-on-year and the average advertised salary was $88,002. The proliferation of digital tools, social media and mobile have created a world of two-way communication with buyers – and there’s no sign of this dissipating any time soon. To keep up, companies are seeking out marketers with digital expertise at an increasing rate, according to a 2017 study by McKinley Marketing Partners. The study, which surveyed over 300 marketers, reveals a healthy job market for the marketing industry overall, with 19% growth over 2016. Additionally, 44% of those surveyed planned to hire more marketers this year, compared to only 28% in 2016. Digital marketing continues to dominate, with a projected 56% of hires requiring some degree of digital experience. Among digital marketing skills, digital advertising (46%) and content creation and curation (38%), as well as content strategy (34%) are highest in demand. Social media, email, and search engine optimisation are close behind, signalling the importance of an overall digital media strategy.
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HRD chats with Lisa Morris, director of SA and NT at Gold winner Hays.
HRD: Why do clients think so highly of Hays in this sales and marketing sector? Lisa Morris: I think the main thing for me would be the fact that our consultants specialise. They develop their expertise in the areas they focus on, as opposed to being generalist recruiters where you spread your knowledge around a number of markets and industries; our consultants will develop a great level of expertise and really entrench themselves in the understanding of how that particular marketplace operates.
HRD: What are some of the elements that are shaping the employment market in sales and marketing? LM: Digital marketing is becoming the norm, and organisations are embracing different ways to reach their customer base – mainly through different technology platforms. Social media is obviously playing a big role. So it’s broadening beyond traditional marketing/sales functions; we’re also seeing the boundaries between marketing and IT disciplines closing.
LM: People are becoming more aware that this is an area of demand for employers. The candidates that stand apart are those that are resourceful and take it upon themselves to upskill. At the moment, demand outweighs candidate supply in most capital cities, so there is a real candidate shortage. There aren’t years and years of experience to draw on for these roles; these skill sets are just coming up now.
HRD: Do fresh grads have the required skills? LM: The pace of change is so rapid that what may have been introduced into a curriculum four years ago and students have moved through and then joined the workforce – even they don’t have the skills. So the concept of ongoing learning is applicable, and this goes beyond marketing; this is for all roles. You can’t expect to come out of university and put a tick next to your name, saying “OK, my education is done”.
HRD: Every organisation needs sales and marketing professionals, but what constitutes a good one? LM: Ongoing learning is part of it, and I link that to the ability self-reflect and really be able to identify where your skills lie against the market. It’s technical skills of course, but also those who have the so-called soft skills and high EQ: the ability to engage with people, key stakeholders, take people on a journey, influence outcomes and decisions. Those skills you can’t really teach; they are a matter of inward reflection and adaptation to your environment, but at the heart of it is high EQ.
HRD: What’s next for Hays in this area? LM: We’ve recently launched our DNA of a Marketing Director, a publication based on our research on what makes a great marketing director in the current market. That’s an opportunity for us to give advice and support and insights to our client base. It’s part of how we can engage with our clients and continue to develop those close industry networks.
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS IT, TECHNOLOGY & DIGITAL
CHARTERHOUSE
HAYS U&U The IT sector is growing – and fast. Deloitte predicts that 722,000 IT workers will be working in Australia by 2020 (compared to 600,000 in 2014). Demand is widespread: technological advancement has companies increasingly investing in projects and initiatives to improve customer service, enhance data analytics for performance management, and protect their company from cyber attacks. While employers are looking for a mix of technical and business skills, the pool of talent
Traditional accounting roles are back in vogue – sought after by employers who are willing to spend on senior professionals whose jobs are unlikely to be affected by automation. In professional practice, qualified and experienced external auditors are in demand, according to the Hays Recruitment Job Report for January to June, for reasons including a leakage of candidates to commercial organisations. That said, Hays still reports that virtual CFOs are in growing demand as more firms seek their services and providers continue to populate the market. Professionals with both SMSF and tax experience will be “highly valued”, as Hays says candidates with significant experience in both areas are a rarity. R&D tax accountants will be in demand due to growing client requirements to get incentives across the line. Management accountants are currently in high demand in the public sector. Hays expects a spike in temporary or contract-based roles
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remains limited, marred by low participation of women and over-55s, and a supply of IT graduates that’s still below early-2000s levels. Contractors are in demand. According to Robert Half, 92% of Australian CIOs plan to increase their temporary IT head counts in their companies by an average of 21%. What’s squeezing an already-tight talent market? Several factors. First, demand from customers for constant, on-demand access to products. In addition, several high-profile
public breaches increased the awareness of the need for a cyber-security strategy, and in turn demand for candidates with an elastic skill set across all CSIRT functions, penetration testing and information security. Robert Half reports that 53% of Australian CIOs say IT security is where it is most difficult to recruit skilled talent. Silver winner Hays suggests another key trend is the increasing number of organisations that have transferred their data to the cloud. Skilled developers who understand automation, continuous integration and deployment, and have knowledge of cloud technologies such as Azure or AWS, remain highly sought after. The top three IT/tech positions in demand are cyber-security specialists, Fullstack .Net Developers and cloud engineers. Hays says business intelligence and data analysis professionals, particularly data scientists, data engineers and data analysts with experience in SQL and Tableau, will also be sought after. Meanwhile, as organisations adapt to new technologies and business processes, the demand for experienced change managers will remain high.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
LLOYD CONNECT
U&U UNDERWOOD EXECUTIVE
in management accounting. The public sector will be on the hunt for financial analysts, with strong and high-level Excel and OLAP (online analytical processing) application expertise. It’s the scope of challenges in professional services that brings Gold winner Nicole
Underwood coming back for more. “We genuinely love consulting with a wide range of businesses and understanding their broader business goals, including their unique challenges, opportunities and culture,” she tells HRD.
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EXECUTIVE
RANDSTAD
BLACKBOOK UNDERWOOD EXECUTIVE “We were after responsiveness to rapidly changing market conditions for a hard-to-fill role. Underwood Executive delivered.” So said one satisfied voter for this year’s Executive category Gold winner. Executive positions remain perhaps the trickiest of all to fill successfully – and this will only continue as executive and leadership roles cope with complex, ambiguous times. Those working in this space must display patience,
Jenny Lloyd, chief connector at Gold winner Lloyd Connect, says today’s strong candidate market impacts most client organisations that engage with her agency to attract and hire high-performing talent, and she doesn’t see this changing in the immediate future. Australia’s healthcare and medical industry – which includes vital roles such as doctors, nurses, dentists, dieticians, physiotherapists and pharmacists – is the largest job sector, accounting for over 11% of all employment. SEEK says job ads with the greatest growth over the past year have included ambulance and paramedic roles, which grew by 89%; and speech therapy, which was up by 43%. Lloyd says there are unique and escalating challenges seeping into the healthcare job market. “The unique challenge facing the healthcare sector is the aging population and the growth in aged care roles, and the introduction of the NDIS [National Disability Insurance Scheme], where we are seeing shortages of allied health professionals and employees with previous
professionalism and, more than anything, in-depth market knowledge. Nicole Underwood, founder and managing director of Underwood Executive, says there continues to be extensive competition for talent in the marketplace, and organisations still face the challenge of identifying who their high-performing talent are; how they can continue to grow and develop that talent; and then understanding what future talent are
required to achieve their business objectives. “Agility, over experience, and resilience continue to be key competencies in demand, as well as innovation and ‘change agents’ in executive leadership roles,” she says. “We are also seeing organisations continuing to invest in their employee value proposition to assist in enticing high-performing talent, which is always available – the skill is finding it, enticing that talent and then developing talent so people stay.” Underwood has also seen the impact of technology. Overall, clients are more aware and informed of what they are paying for, and the more transactional the recruitment process the more they see that they can do it themselves. “This means consultants will need to become more strategic, using their skills and the ‘human touch’ for talent acquisition, whilst using AI and technology to assist with finding talent, screening and background checks,” she says. “There is certainly a trend towards more social engagement and recruiting, with proactive sourcing and the creation of talent pools vs transactional candidate generation.”
HEALTHCARE
HAYS LLOYD CONNECT experience working in disability services,” she says. “I think in this sector it is a mix of qualified allied health professionals and those in roles that pay minimum wages that will continue to be hard to fill.” In both the healthcare and non-profit sector, and as community partners for the NDIS, Lloyd Connect has seen a huge shortage
AUSTCORP EXECUTIVE
of allied health professionals to support the rollout of the NDIS. “This will continue across private practice and community partners, with community partner organisations experiencing the greatest skills shortages as they cannot compete with the salaries being offered in private practices providing NDIS services.”
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SPECIAL REPORT
AUSTRALIA’S TOP RECRUITERS “Today’s candidate wants more from their employer ... High salaries and a Collins Street address isn’t enough any more”
PUBLIC SECTOR/GOVERNMENT
HAYS RANDSTAD One of the defining features of the Australian economy in 2017 was very strong growth in jobs – and public sector employment was significantly stronger than the private sector. ABS quarterly data to November 2017 showed that total employment rose by 387,000 over the year, comprising a lift in public sector jobs of 118,000 (30% of total jobs) and private sector jobs of 269,000 (70% of total jobs). Public sector employment grew
LLOYD CONNECT
by a whopping 7.6% per annum while private sector employment was up by 2.6%. The big lift in public sector employment over the past two years has been in health (+63,000), driven in part by the NDIS; education (+59,000); and administration, safety and IT (+24,000). Jenny Lloyd, chief connector at Bronze winner Lloyd Connect, says for both the public service/government and professional
services sectors the candidate shortage across the board will be an ongoing challenge, with candidates looking for more exciting and emerging careers and searching for organisations that align with the individual’s personal ethics and values. “Today’s candidate wants more from their employer, and those who don’t move forward with the needs and wants of future employees will find that they no longer have access to high-performing talent – high salaries and a Collins Street address isn’t enough any more,” she tells HRD.
2018 RECRUITER OF THE YEAR:
LLOYD CONNECT
Lloyd Connect garnered enough reader votes across all categories to take out HRD’s highest honour in the Top Recruiter Awards “It’s an amazing result for an agency that has only been in business for a touch over two years,” says chief connector Jenny Lloyd. “To win the 2018 Top Recruiter award is a great stamp of what our clients truly think about the quality of service that we provide them. Great clients saying great things about the team at Lloyd Connect is what we strive for every day.” Lloyd says a clear market differentiator for her firm is its Recruitment as a Service (RaaS) offering, which is a subscriptionbased model for recruitment services. Under this model, an organisation makes 12 equal
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monthly payments and gets an agreed number of placements per year. “RaaS enables organisations to budget, better manage their cash flow and avoid large unplanned placement fees throughout the year,” Lloyd says. “We have certainly seen this model being well received by SMEs. “We definitely don’t cold call, so we are protecting our brand and not diluting it by making annoying calls to potential clients. Instead our focus is on delivering high-quality service and word-of-mouth recommendations. Our marketing strategy
focuses on social media by promoting successful recruitment exercises and the goodwill that generates, leaving cold calling where it should be – in the 1980s!” This reader summarised the positive sentiment generated by Jenny Lloyd and her team: “The client service provided by Lloyd Connect has been exceptional, whether we placed the candidates they referred or not. They have an incredible sense of how to treat people, of social justice and altruism. We are so lucky to work so closely with this wonderful organisation.”
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FEATURES
INSIDE HR
Pathways to the top Natasha Rasheed of Marriott International talks to HRD about creating memorable career journeys at one of the world’s largest hotel chains
WITH MORE than 400,000 employees worldwide, maintaining a positive working culture through Marriott International’s hotels and offices demands a concerted effort at every level, from ground-level staff through to the highest levels of management. As with any organisation, the HR department has a key role to play in ensuring that this culture is not only built, but also carefully maintained over the long term. For Natasha Rasheed, area director of human resources for Marriott International in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, the company’s ongoing success comes as no surprise. The formula for maintaining a positive company culture, she says, is relatively simple. “I believe we’ve got a very consistent culture across our hotels,” says Rasheed. “Marriott International has been able to build its success on the core principle of ‘take care of our people and in turn they’ll take care of the guests’.” With this in mind, smart investment in staff has become a cornerstone of the organisation. Marriott International utilises a variety of internal tools and staff KPIs to generate reports. These enable HR and other leaders to gain insights into which staff are ready for new positions, and whether there are proper succession plans for existing positions in play.
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“Marriott International’s business has really been built on taking care of our people and taking care of our guests,” says Rasheed. “So we can’t really have that philosophy without investing in our people and providing them with the opportunity to advance within the organisation.” Marriott International’s HR team also spends a considerable amount of time investing in personal development plans, and having conversations with staff to ascertain their career
departments are too ‘detached’ from the workaday experiences of staff. Rasheed insists that this hands-on attitude is crucial to delivering the best possible outcomes for both current and new staff, and Marriott International’s customers. “HR has an essential role in delivering a customer-centric experience and helping support the business’s operations,” she says. “If HR isn’t recruiting people with the right experience for service and we aren’t listening
“HR has an essential role in delivering a customer-centric experience and helping support the business’s operations” Natasha Rasheed, Marriott International goals. Once these goals have been established, HR and management staff alike work to help support their staff in achieving their goals. Additionally, the company actively pursues a ‘hire from within’ philosophy, aiming to encourage staff who actively pursue promotion within the organisation. These policies create a heady environment for HR professionals, one that’s in stark contrast to the oft-heard criticism that HR
to feedback from those on the frontlines, we’re not going to be able to live up to our guests’ expectations, either.”
Equipping staff from within Rasheed highlights three staff programs in particular as noteworthy for both new and existing staff. The first is Journey Week, which enables hotels to express their creativity while also promoting career development opportunities
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FEATURES
INSIDE HR
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL BY THE NUMBERS
Founded in 1927
Over 1.2 million hotel rooms worldwide
Close to 110 million loyalty members
470 hotels opened in 2017
28 hotels in the ANZP region
to staff. Each Marriott International hotel marks the occasion differently; some hotels hold career fairs to attract prospective talent and others launch internal mentoring programs. Some hotels have even conducted professional photoshoots to help staff members with polishing their CVs for internal promotions. There’s also a heavy emphasis on fun – for example, one hotel had a map of the world prominently displayed, and hotel staff could mark with pins which Marriott International hotels they had worked in around the world. Activities like this aim to give both new and existing staff an example of just how far they can potentially travel with the company, along with a sense of the broader vision of Marriott International. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for existing staff to reflect on the journey of others, and where they may be able to contribute to aiding others to reach their career goals. The second key initiative, the Voyage Program, serves as Marriott International’s graduate program. Over a fast-paced 18-month program, students engage in multiple aspects of Marriott International’s business, while being coached and mentored as part of the process. Utilising features such as blended learning, webinars and on-the-job training, it’s a holistic approach that enables students to gain insights
into parts of the hospitality industry that they may not have been aware of previously. “We attract a whole range of graduates to the Voyage Program,” says Rasheed. “While we do get some from more traditional hospitalityrelated backgrounds like operations, we also get marketing, finance and HR graduates. It’s quite a mix.” To help maintain a healthy stream of graduates coming into the Voyage Program, Marriott International maintains close ties with a variety of hotel schools and universities, while also working with high schools. Students from Years 10, 11 and 12 have hospitality as an option in their schools, so they represent prime targets as potential future industry specialists. The third program is GM Elevate, which serves as a management track for future GMs and other prospective hotel leaders. It provides a great opportunity for future leaders of the company to undertake job shadowing, and has been immensely successful at filling roles within Marriott International’s internal pipeline. Though Marriott International’s operations throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific are notably smaller than those of their US counterparts, programs like this have still enabled the company to fill more than 55% of its leadership positions through
Source: Marriott International 2017 Annual Report
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internal hiring. The talent exists within the organisation, and staff are actively encouraged to seek out opportunities for upskilling and advancement. “A big appeal for young people is that hospitality is one of the few remaining industries where those who begin their employment at entry level really are able to work their way to the top,” says Rasheed. As a veteran of similar programs herself, Rasheed can attest to their efficacy. Indeed, it was during a management development program offered by the Ramada International Hotel Group that Rasheed discovered her love for the HR industry. As part of her rotation through a variety of roles with the company, she
few events in a company’s lifespan can alter company culture quite so drastically. Yet almost two years on, Marriott International appears to have passed this test with flying colours. In 2018, Marriott International was ranked No. 35 on Fortune’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list. It was a milestone achievement for the company, marking Marriott International’s 21st appearance on the list – no small feat in a year when even stalwarts such as Google quietly exited. Other challenges still remain, though, especially around recruiting specific staff. Perhaps surprisingly, given the ubiquity of shows like MasterChef and Ready Steady
“A big appeal for young people is that hospitality is one of the few remaining industries where those who begin their employment at entry level really are able to work their way to the top” Natasha Rasheed, Marriott International found herself in recruitment. Within a matter of days, she’d helped a prospective employee secure a job within the organisation. “From there I was kind of hooked,” says Rasheed. “I got a real sense of fulfilment from being able to help someone get a job and start their career in hotels. That’s when I started angling my career towards recruitment.”
Facing the challenges of hiring During Rasheed’s time with Marriott International, she has seen the HR industry go through numerous phases of change. The simple precept of ‘take care of our people and in turn they’ll take care of the guests’ underwent one of its most significant challenges in 2016, when Marriott International merged with fellow hotel chain Starwood. It was a move watched with interest by both industry insiders and outsiders;
Cook, chefs remain among the most difficult staff to recruit. Research from Intermedia suggests that Australians spent around $45bn on eating out during 2017 – the demand is evidently there among Australian consumers, but chefs don’t appear to be entering the workforce at a fast enough rate to keep up. It’s an area the hospitality and hotel industry at large will need to wrestle with in coming years. “The industry has a huge responsibility to keep investing in young people to fill up our talent pipeline, and I think that’s coming full circle back to chefs,” says Rasheed. “We really need to continue to get young people into apprenticeships, as well as supporting and developing them throughout the process.” These challenges aside, Rasheed remains optimistic about the future of Marriott
MAJOR EXPANSION FOR MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL ON THE HORIZON
With 28 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, Marriott International has big expansion plans for the next two years. A further 20-plus new hotels are scheduled to open, growing the company’s total footprint to 50 hotels by 2020 and making ANZP Marriott International’s secondfastest-growing region in the world. Naturally, new hotels mean new jobs – and with an estimated 2,500 new roles to be filled, it’s a demanding gap. Yet Natasha Rasheed feels that Marriott International’s distinct culture will still be maintained throughout the process, thanks to having so many strong processes in place already. “With this challenge, there’s a really great opportunity for our associates to grow and develop into new roles,” says Rasheed. “It also provides great opportunities for us to welcome external talent into the Marriott International family.” International’s staff. Skills gaps in the hiring market will always exist in one form or another, but they can be overcome by leveraging existing education relationships, and thinking outside of the box. The future of the hotel industry will be dominated by those who can take calculated risks, without compromising the company culture that has driven them to success in the first place. “When we look for new hires, we look for people who have that inbuilt desire and passion to take care of people, and truly want to serve,” says Rasheed. “They really understand that that’s what our business is about. You can train for the rest.”
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PEOPLE
CAREER PATH
A PROBLEM-SOLVER
Nada George believes it’s not about having all the answers but about being determined to work at it until you do Nada George learnt the value of education and a strong work ethic from her immigrant parents when, in her last year at school, where she was vice-captain, she won a prize that she didn’t even know existed. “It was for building relationships across the board. It made me think about what I wanted to do next – I wanted to work with people. It got me thinking about HR. It was an important moment; the award was the clincher.”
1999
1995
WINS PRIZE, DECIDES HER FUTURE
ESTABLISHES REPUTATION Early in her career, a generalist role saw George become the go-to person for systems-related matters. It was her first experience of working across territories and it built her reputation. “[I heard about] a meeting at which they were discussing … the Asia-Pacific, and someone said, ‘Nada’s taking care of it; it’ll be fine’ – and the meeting moved on. It’s not about having the answers; it’s about being determined to problem-solve until you do.”
FINDS CRUCIAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE George supplemented her learning with a new program freshly added by her university, which augmented her studies in the field of industrial relations and HR so that her economics degree became a triple major. “At the end of my first year they announced a new stream called management. I thought the management piece of the puzzle was really important. Picking up the additional units was not a big deal; if you love something it’s not a burden.”
2004
JUMPS IN AT THE DEEP END
2012
MAKES A CHANGE A demanding role that required a move to China provided an ideal conclusion to George’s time at Honeywell. “It was a great way to pull my experience together: we hired 600 people in two years. I had grown up at Honeywell; it was time really well spent. But I was homesick. I could be comfortable or I could take a step in another direction. I realised that if you’re afraid to make a move, that’s probably the time to make it.”
2016
EXPANDS PORTFOLIO A month into her maternity leave, George got a call telling her of a company restructuring that would add the Philippines and Malaysia to her portfolio.
“It’s about helping our leaders lead and bringing value in different ways. It’s about asking great questions and being strategic … My challenge is to determine how best to help empower people” 70
1996
Eighteen months into a new role at Honeywell, George became known for having a handle on the data in a complex situation following a failed merger. When the AsiaPacific region was restructured, the new regional head asked her to work for him. “It was really jumping in the deep end. I did what I needed to do to get us through the chaos. Those were formative years. I was on the road three weeks out of four internationally for years.”
2013
BUILDS A TEAM George replaced her US expat leader at Amex in the VP post for ANZ. It was both her first board position and the first time she had a team all in the same place. “We had a great team; it’s easier to build camaraderie when you’re sitting next to them. The experience was a nice consolidation of all that had come before. I loved what I did, was excited about it; I wanted to solve things, to improve it however I could.”
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PEOPLE
OTHER LIFE
TELL US ABOUT YOUR OTHER LIFE Email hrdeditor@keymedia.com
Phil Turner’s top tips are to know your suburb, stick to your budget, focus on potential, do it yourself, and remember street appeal – first impressions count
5
Number of houses Turner has renovated and flipped
750
Estimated litres of paint used in last 10 years
$2.175m Highest sale price achieved to date
DOING IT HIMSELF When Phil Turner isn’t working as an HR manager, he likes to get his hands dirty WEEKENDS ARE busy for Phil Turner: dawn usually finds the Lindt Australia HR manager already at work renovating the latest in the series of houses he has bought and fixed up over the past decade. The joy of “getting hands-on” is what Turner says drew him to DIY, as well as the opportunity to apply his project management skills and the pleasure of
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seeing a property transform – but the financial pay-off doesn’t hurt. “As a property flipper, the greatest satisfaction is turning a profit and trading up the property ladder.” It’s a pastime that sometimes calls for innovative thinking, like the time Turner needed to rid an inner-city house of several tonnes of soil. “I bagged it and advertised
it online for free. People came from far and wide to take bags.” Turner’s current project, an 1880s Victorian house in Annandale, Sydney, has undergone a complete makeover in the last year. “I’ve had neighbours offer me landscaping work – people think I’m a builder and look at me strangely when I leave the house wearing a suit!”
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