HRM 12.10

hrm ISSUE 12.10

Dow Jones: Developing talent for global deployments Employee sabbaticals Revving up talent at Continental AG

WWW.HRMASIA.COM

The

PATERNITY LEAVE debate

Is legislation the way forward?

PLUS:

Pushing up performance • HR as a business partner

HRM 12.10

Contents EDITOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam JOURNALISTS Shalini Shukla-Pandey Priya de Langen EDITORIAL RESEARCHER Vivien Shiao Shufen

24 The paternity leave debate The provision of mandatory paternity leave has become a hotly debated topic in Singapore as the city-state attempts to reverse its declining birth rate. While interest groups have been lobbying for it, employers have raised concerns.

HRM investigates

TRAFFIC MANAGER Azimah Jasman SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amos Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Paul Lozano REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Evelyn Lim SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Yogesh Chandiramani ACCOUNT MANAGERS Natasha Vincent Charlene Lim GENERAL MANAGER Kaveri Ayahsamy REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR George Walmsley MANAGING DIRECTOR Richard Curzon PHOTOGRAPHY BY Frank Pinckers Photography

IN THIS COVER STORY

“It’s not only the mother that is ragged with all the new adjustments and responsibilities of caring for a newborn – fathers are just as stressed and under slept”

PRINTED BY Times Printers Pte Ltd PUBLISHED BY Key Media Pte Ltd 121 Telok Ayer Street #02-01 Singapore 068590 Tel: +65 6423 4631 Fax: +65 6423-4632 Email: info@keymedia.com.sg

– REGINA DIBENEDETTO, DIRECTOR, AAREAL BANK ASIA MICA (P) 137/07/2012 ISSUE 12.10

ISSN 0219-6883

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Contents

Check out HRM online:

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FEATURES 12 | Engaging inquisitive minds

40 | Make meetings matter

While many reporters and editors aspire to work with Dow Jones & Company due to its respected brand name, like many employers in Asia, attracting and retaining talent is still an important priority for the organisation. Christine Brendle, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Dow Jones & Company tells HRM how she keeps her talent engaged

Meeting time! Cue rolled eyes, murmurs of ‘time-wasting’ and overall reluctance from participants. Why have meetings become such a drag for all concerned, and what can you do as the facilitator to enliven proceedings?

18 | Driving auto-motivation German automotive parts supplier Continental believes that a strong employer brand and corporate culture are critical for attracting competent employees in all areas. HRM finds out how the company is finding new and innovative ways to become better known among its target groups at a global-level

29 | Supporting employee sabbaticals Done right, sabbatical programmes have positive effects on companies as well as their employees by preventing costly employee burn out and attracting the best workers. HRM finds out more about this unique form of career break

34 | Pushing up performance Employees can only reach their potential when they are given the right resources as well as a “helping hand”. Increasingly, organisations are turning to coaching and mentoring to bring out the best in their workforce

47 | When HR and business communicate HR needs to understand the organisation at every level and align its goals accordingly to bring real value.

HRM finds out how developing the right competencies and building relationships with employees and various business units is critical for success

51 | Re-engage silver talents Companies who rehire senior workers should not short change them by re-designing roles and reducing salaries. Flexible employment policies and practices can help create a win-win situation for both parties, writes, guest contributor Jim Then.

54 | Managing sickies Among the effects of absenteeism is a direct link to decreased productivity across the entire business. HRM considers tips to manage the phenomenon

40 REGULARS 4 | Analysis 6 | News 10 | Leaders on Leadership 17 | Infographic 58 | MICE 63 | Restaurant review 63 | In Person 64 | Talent Challenge 65 | Talent Feature 66 | Talent Ladder 67 | Twenty-four Seven 67 | Resources 68 | Executive Appointments

CONTACT US: Read something you like? Or something you don’t? Perhaps there’s some insight we haven’t considered? Have your say on HRM’s news, features, and contributions by emailing: info@keymedia.com.sg 2

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ANALYSIS

Talent Management

Meritocratic workplaces Companies in Singapore are known for their emphasis on academic qualifications.

HRM examines if such a culture rewards credentials over performance

By Vivien Shiao

“The real proof of performance is at work – what we learn in school does not equate to career success” – JANE HORAN, AUTHOR AND CONSULTANT

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Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam recently spoke on the need for meritocracy in the workplace.

At a forum at Nanyang Technological University, he said it was time Singapore moved away from a system that was still too focused on academic credentials towards one that emphasises performance and productivity of staff.

Singapore is very much a “paper-chasing” society where most companies seek to recruit graduates with top grades for entry-level jobs. But those who do not fare as well academically tend to lose out. Often, this carries on even after they get hired – many companies have a fast-track scheme or a management trainee scheme for these top graduates, allowing them to move up at a faster pace compared to their peers.

“If organisations only hire based on qualifications or specific ‘brand’ universities, it has a negative impact on innovative thinking,” says author and consultant Jane Horan.

“The real proof of performance is at work – what we learn in school does not equate to career success.”

Most companies that HRM spoke to said that although academic qualifications matter during recruitment, it does not mean that these graduates automatically become fast-tracked or identified as “high potentials”.

“We usually don’t consider someone as high potential until they have one to two years of experience and a track record of achievements and performance,” says Butch Clas, HR Director for Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and India, Dow Chemicals Pacific. “During my career, I have seen employees with secondary school or technical degrees who rise up to management positions, because of their capabilities and not qualifications.”

James Foo, Director of HR, Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa concurs.

“For all new hires, they will need to undergo probation and observation. [After a period of time] we will sit down with their head of department and discuss the possibility of placing that staff member under Mövenpick’s ‘Talent Pool’ programme,” says Foo. “This is strictly based on merit in terms of their competency and ability measured after joining the company, and not based on grades in school.”

Dell is another organisation that emphasises performance rather than grades.

“Candidates who have done well in school may find it easier to get recruited, but it does not guarantee better

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performance at the workplace. In a performance-driven organisation like Dell, he or she has to purely rely on performance to move up the career ladder,” says Dinesh Khanna, Senior Manager – Talent Acquisition, Dell.

In companies such as Qualcomm, grades may be one factor, but managers want to see that graduates can perform before they hire them.

“We have a robust industrial attachment programme that partners with leading universities for students to gain practical real-world engineering experience. During the internship period, we monitor project deliverables and performance outcome. Those who do well will receive a full-time offer from the company,” says William Chin, Staffing Director, Qualcomm.

He adds that grades are an indicator, but not a determinant of workplace success. Chin said that persistence and resilience are better indicators of performance.

There are several ways to ensure that companies do not become too focused on credentials.

“It is important that your performance management process is based on job specific outcomes and leadership competency. If this process is robust, it follows that performance will be recognised or managed on the basis of these factors rather than past qualifications,” says Tash Tobias, General Manager, InterContinental Singapore. “In the InterContinental Hotel Group, we have many success stories of high performers who are not degree holders.”

Dell also has in place performance appraisal plans that drive a performance-oriented work environment. “At Dell, we have a meritocracy-based culture and the compensation philosophy is such that it rewards high performers,” says Khanna.

Foo also advises companies to communicate effectively with staff. “Companies need to send the right message to all their employees and reward good performers based on their ability, contribution, competency and performance.”

Another strategy that can steer companies towards a more performance-based culture is through the onboarding process.

Horan adds that organisations, including those from the government sector, must recruit diverse talent and build an effective onboarding process to bring these new employees into the organisation. “This integration process is critical for everyone – onboarding must now move beyond policy and procedure and focus on people, products, services, organisational culture and ‘how things work around here’,” explains Horan.

NEWS

Asia SINGAPORE

ASIA

Employees barely give bosses a passing grade Singapore’s employers have received a mixed report card, with slightly more than one-third (37%) of employees saying that their bosses have done a good job in preparing them for future success.

According to the Kelly Global Workforce Index, only 38% of employees are satisfied with management’s leadership style, and just half would be willing to recommend their current employer to a friend or acquaintance.

When asked to rate their bosses, Singapore’s employees delivered just a passing grade for their performance, with a score of 6.5 out of 10. This total was slightly more than China (6.4) and Hong Kong (5.8) but less than the rest of Asia Pacific surveyed, including India (7.0), Thailand (6.9), Indonesia (6.8), and

Expatriates in Japan enjoy Asia’s highest pay packages 44% Malaysia (6.7).

Also, less than half (46%) of Singapore respondents said their efforts at work were recognised and rewarded – the lowest figure for the Asia Pacific region.

“Employees’ views of an organisation carry a lot of credibility and send a clear signal about how people are managed and the best places to work,” said Melissa Norman, Managing Director, Singapore and Malaysia, Kelly Services. “They have a significant impact on the ability of a business to attract and retain talent.”

of banks had clawback provisions in place prior to 2011 Source: Mercer’s Financial Services Executive Compensation Snapshot Survey

34%

of Singapore workers want to leave their current employers within the next two years Source: 2012 Towers Watson Global Workforce Study

TAIWAN

Most employees want to leave their hometowns Almost all (90%) rural employees in Taiwan have the desire to leave their hometowns to find employment in bigger cities.

According to a survey conducted by the 1111 Job Bank, the Taipei metro area was the most popular destination among those wanting to leave, with 37% wishing to head there. Broader job opportunities were the prime reason for the intent to move, while

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fatter salaries and brighter career development paths ranked second.

Other areas people were looking to move include Taichung (14%) and Kaohsiung (9%).

“The statistics indicate that most people wish to head for bigger, flashier cities,” Henry Ho, Public Relations Director, 1111 Job Bank, told The China Post.

Ho noted that Taipei offered a higher average starting salary of NT$28,000 (USD$954) per month, for a college graduate compared to NT$25,000 in Pingtung County. Salary gaps between cities and more rural areas could differ by as much as NT$85,000 a year.

Those workers who choose to return home after being employed in bigger cities cite personal affairs as the main reason for doing so, with 69% wanting to be closer to their families.

75%

of finance professionals have no intentions of relocating outside Singapore in 2012 Source: eFinancialCareers 2012 Movement Survey

Thai Airways has set a new age cap for flight attendants at

45 years

Source: The Nation

16,000

healthcare staff in Singapore have seen a salary increase of between four and 10% in the last month Source: Singapore Ministry of Health

Japan is home to Asia’s highest expatriate packages. According to ECA’s latest MyExpatriate Market Pay Survey, the average total package for an expatriate middle manager in Japan is US$374,000.

Cities in Japan have some of the world’s highest costs of living, and expatriate salaries there are high because employers need to ensure that an assignee’s purchasing power is maintained in order to attract the right talent.

“The big challenge faced by many companies operating globally is the need to strike a balance between attracting the right talent, while remaining as cost effective as possible,” said Lee Quane, ECA’s Regional Director in Asia.

“A total package usually comprises of three elements: cash salary, benefits and tax. A net-to-net comparison of basic salaries provides an overview of the cash sums received in different markets. However, it isn’t until the benefits element of the package is taken into account that both HR and the assignee get a fuller picture of how competitive or attractive the package is.”

ECA’s survey also shows that the cash salary components of total packages, both in Hong Kong and mainland China are among the lowest in the region.

However, unlike Hong Kong, the benefits component in mainland China is also relatively low, even in China’s more costly tier-one cities.

Leaving benefits out of the equation, cash salaries for assignees in India increased by 18% – the highest rate of increase in Asia. This was partly the result of the Indian Rupee weakening considerably against the US dollar and other major currencies. India was followed by Vietnam and Indonesia on the list of fastest rising wages for expatriates.

NEWS

THAILAND

INDIA

From January 1 next year, every Thai worker will be entitled to a 300 baht (US$10) daily minimum wage.

Following review of a pilot project in seven key provinces, Thailand’s Central Wage Committee has confirmed that it will go ahead with the nationwide introduction of the minimum wage. According to the Labour Ministry, more than 90% of the affected business operators had been able to adjust to the initial wage hike.

However, a recent survey by the Thai Chamber of Commerce showed that about seven per cent of small and medium enterprises have closed this year because of higher labour costs.

The chamber also noted that the unemployment rate rose from 0.7%

Indian professionals’ stress levels are increasing.

According to workspace provider Regus, over 51% of Indian professionals have noticed a rise in stress levels over the past year. Work (51%) and personal finances (50%) are the biggest contributing factors, its survey found.

The research also focused on possible solutions, and found that nearly three quarters (72%) of Indian respondents identify flexible working as a way of cutting stress.

“Stressed-out workers are unhappy and unhealthy, so businesses that want to help their staff lead more rewarding lives cannot fail to analyse and tackle levels of stress within their organisation,” said Madhusudan Thakur, Regional Vice President, South Asia, Regus.

“Yet the heavy toll of stress falls not only on workers, but also on businesses as they find that their staff are unable to perform as required, need more sick leave, and are less efficient,” he added.

National minimum wage confirmed

before April to 1.1% now. It claims unemployment will rise even further if the government persists with its wage policy, reported The Nation.

Industries that are labour-intensive, such as textiles and furniture, are likely to be the ones most affected by the wage hike.

Indian employees stressed by work & personal finances

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NEWS

International UK

US

Employers are into flexible working Companies in the UK are giving employees the opportunity to avoid daily commutes, and work from other locations, says a new report.

The research by Regus found that two in five professionals (39%) were able to work from locations other than the company’s main offices for at least half the week. The move helps reduce the cost and stress of commuting for employees.

According to the report, this flexible working style also benefits employers. Forty-three per cent of employees say that they put in longer hours when they do not have to commute. Furthermore, 67% of workers said that they spend more time with their partner and family, and 60% said that they spend more time exercising – both of which can translate to more effective workers.

However, there is still resistance to the flexible working style due to employers’ attitudes. The research noted that 28% of respondents cited “company culture” as the main reason for a single working location, implying the need to be seen at the desk.

Steve Purdy, UK Managing Director of Regus said that the benefits of flexible working were twofold. “On the one hand workers are more relaxed and healthy, and on the other they are also more productive, benefitting the business too.”

Younger bosses have different working styles

The US construction sector saw a decline in jobs in

165 out of 337

metropolitan areas between July 2011 and July 2012 Source: Associated General Contractors of America

Unilever is aiming to have women in

55% US:

US company charged for discrimination A US organisation is paying US$165,000 to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

US Foods, Inc, a food product distributor will also be furnishing other relief to settle the lawsuit. According to The National Law Review, the EEOC charged that US Foods violated federal law by firing an African-American worker who was employed at its Memphis facility because of his race.

The EEOC said that the company fired the black employee after he failed to stop a Caucasian driver who reported to work under the influence of alcohol from making deliveries on his route. However, US Foods did not terminate the Caucasian employee for working under the influence of alcohol, or another Caucasion safety specialist who saw the driver, according to the Law Review.

Besides monetary relief, the 18-month consent degree settling the lawsuit enjoins US Foods from further discriminating against employees on the basis of race.

US Foods employs more than 25,000 staff in more than 60 locations.

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of its senior management positions by 2015 Britain’s unemployment rate is currently

8.1%

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

One third of US workers say they have a younger boss, and around one-in-seven workers have a boss at least ten years younger than them, a new report has found.

The new generation of professionals entering management means the correlation between seniority and leadership could be disappearing. According to the CareerBuilder survey, most respondents said it is not difficult to work for a younger boss but there were differences in working and communication styles, as well as career advancements expectations.

“Age disparities in the office are perhaps more diverse now than they’ve ever been. It’s not uncommon to see 30-year-olds managing 50-year-olds, or 65-year-olds mentoring 22-year-olds,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of HR at CareerBuilder. “While the tenets of successful management are consistent across generations, there are subtle differences in work habits and views that all workers must empathise with when working with or managing someone who’s much different in age.”

Communication: While a majority of both age groups expressed a preference for face-to-face communication, evidence of a small digital divide was still apparent. The phone, however, has fallen out of favour across the board.

• Face-to-face: 60% (ages 55+); 55% (ages 25-34) • E-mail/Text: 28% (ages 55+); 35% (ages 25-34) • Phone: 12% (ages 55+); 10% (ages 25-34) Perspectives on Career Path: Younger workers tend to view a career path with a “seize any opportunity” mindset, while older workers are more likely to place value on loyalty and putting in the years before advancement.

• You should stay in a job for at least three years: Ages 25-34 – 53 %; Ages 55+ – 62 % • You should stay in a job until you learn enough to move ahead: Ages 25-34 – 47 %; Ages 55+ – 38 % Work Styles: Different generations take a much more distinct approach to workplace projects. Younger generations are more likely to want to plan rather than “dive right in” to a new initiative.

• I like to skip the process and dive right into executing: Ages 25-34 – 52 %; Ages 55+ – 66 % • I like to write out a detailed game plan before acting: Ages 25-34 – 48 %; Ages 55+ – 35 % However, there is one area where older and younger workers see eye-to-eye: Approximately 60% of both groups prefer eating alone during lunch hour, as opposed to dining with their co-workers.

The national survey was conducted among more than 3,800 full-time workers and more than 2,200 hiring managers across industries and functions.

LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

Technology

Tech as a leadership tool How do you leverage on technology to be a more efficient leader?

Chris Jenkins

Executive Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific, Acision

Today’s accessible technology is developing a new breed of leaders. With the proliferation of smart mobile devices becoming mainstream, there is a significant shift in the way we can shape the business environment, as well as interact and communicate with both internal and external audiences.

Staying on top of news and trends in any industry is important in enabling us to seize opportunities as well as remain ahead of the game in today’s competitive market.

Information remains crucial to our decisionmaking process as it enables leaders to provide a solid point of view and facts in any situation – making us more efficient.

SMS for example is still one of the most effective means of communication, allowing leaders to make business decisions on the go and in every part of the world.

In addition to SMS, today’s hyperconnected communication channels means there are countless ways to communicate, using multiple over-the-top messaging or social media apps. It allows people to connect via different services depending on the audience and engagement, while driving efficiency.

It is important for us as leaders to grow with the industry and constantly look ahead to improve performance with innovation through new technologies and services. This will constantly drive efficiencies and develop a new generation of leaders.

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Tony Chisholm

General Manager, Sofitel So Singapore

Being on the pre-opening team and spearheading an iconic hotel like Sofitel So Singapore brings with it the responsibility to always be clued in whether it is on the hotel’s development, employees’ progress, or guests’ feedback.

Gadgets and technology have not only made this easier but also more real-time and transparent.

Technology has allowed me to create a more supportive environment for my employees to thrive in and I’m able to share information and ideas freely to serve partners and guests better. Technology enables connectivity and sharing of ideas, so that everyone from the management level to the service executive know about industry happenings and our hotel’s direction. My gadgets have also allowed me to stay organised and updated for meetings and daily tasks on the go, from resolving operational issues to reviewing customer satisfaction trends and even evaluating employees training programmes.

Technology and seamless connectivity are also a critical component of today’s traveller’s value proposition. Feedback through email, social media and online surveys often guides our decisions. For instance, findings from the Accor Asia Pacific Business Traveller Survey have guided us to offer free Wi-Fi by the end of this year, helping us serve guests better.

Andreas Asander

CEO, Asia Pacific, Clavister

As Clavister is a mobile and network security solutions provider, I see the impact technology can make in people’s lives. Therefore, I understand that technology can be a very effective enabler to not just meet business objectives, but to lead my organisation.

As my job requires, I frequently travel around Asia and Europe to ensure success of our corporate activities, reporting back to our headquarters in Sweden. However, with the advancement of technology, I am always in touch with my people wherever I go.

Today’s workplace, including Clavister’s, is increasingly made up of a mobile and remote workforce who use handheld devices such as Tablet PCs or smart phones to access company emails, contacts list or calendars. As a leader, I use the same and I set a good example by ensuring that I use remote working tools smartly and cautiously, making sure that I maintain the integrity of our corporate information. The ability to host a secure online meeting with staff or customers, for example, or to access information securely through VPN, is a necessary requirement for running an efficient business today.

As a leader, I believe keeping communication channels open makes employees feel connected to the leadership.

These channels also keep me aware of the employees’ thoughts, questions and issues.

The simplified process is great for me.

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LEADERS TALK HR

Dow Jones

Engaging

While many reporters and editors aspire to work with Dow Jones & Company due to its respected brand name, like many employers in Asia, attracting and retaining talent is still an important priority for the organisation.

Christine Brendle, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Dow Jones & Company tells HRM how she keeps her talent engaged

inquisitive minds One of the world’s most trusted publishers of accurate financial news and business information, including The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company was established more than 130 years ago. The news hub has a large and dedicated local news team numbering more than 700 employees in Asia, essential in terms of understanding the local communities and their most pertinent political, economic and social issues.

Curiosity is an innate quality which is ingrained in every employee around the world. Most importantly, employees must maintain the highest standards of ethical behaviour and integrity. “Individuals and corporations put a lot of trust in Dow Jones as their source of news and information, so we must always ensure we are completely trustworthy as a source,” says Christine Brendle, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Dow Jones & Company.

“Our 2,000 journalists and thousands of sales and corporate colleagues worldwide are individually and collectively representatives of the Dow Jones brand; their conduct reflects on the organisation’s broader reputation,” she adds.

It comes as no surprise then that employees are extremely in tune with their career progression and of opportunities across the wider Dow Jones organisation.

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By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

True talent mobility

Dow Jones & Company provides opportunities for mobility across functions and across geographies. For example, many of its Hong Kong editors and reporters originally joined Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal in another country.

Employees who hold roles in corporate or business functions also have the opportunity to move to other countries, in addition to mobility within the broader News Corporation network of businesses worldwide.

“Few media groups have the global scale and reach of Dow Jones, with 85 news bureaus worldwide, so international mobility is a strong attraction for employees looking to grow and learn with us professionally,” says Brendle.

Dow Jones also encourages key talent to learn from their counterparts in other markets, resulting in a constant exchange of knowledge and ideas throughout the organisation.

This is facilitated as part of everyday working life and encouraged by the organisation’s open-plan offices. Many employees’ responsibilities are also regional in scope and therefore they travel on a regular basis. This in itself encourages open communication between markets so that best practices can be shared.

LEADERS TALK HR

Bio brief Christine Brendle is managing director of Dow Jones in Asia and publisher of The Wall Street Journal Asia.

Based in Hong Kong, she leads the development of all Dow Jones brands across the Asia-Pacific region, including The Wall Street Journal Asia, Dow Jones Newswires, Factiva and DJ FX Trader, among others.

Brendle joined Dow Jones in February 2006, following a 17-year career with Hachette Filipacchi spanning various senior management positions across Asia, the US, and Europe.

From 1995 to 2001, Christine served as president and chief executive officer of Hachette Filipacchi Asia-Pacific. Previously, she was vice president for the AsiaPacific region and managing director for Hong Kong and mainland China.

She also held previous roles with Hachette Filipacchi in Japan, New York City, and Paris.

Brendle also spent several years as a media-industry consultant and publishing entrepreneur. In 2004, she co-launched Daily7 and Daily10, two daily English-language newspapers for children.

Christine received an MBA from the Graduate School of Business Administration of Columbia University in New York CIty, and a diploma from ESSEC (Ecole SupĂŠrieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales) in France.

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LEADERS TALK HR

Dow Jones Investing in what matters most

“We recruit and train employees for global deployment” – CHRISTINE BRENDLE, MANAGING DIRECTOR – ASIA PACIFIC, DOW JONES & COMPANY

Dow Jones & Company has more than

700

employees in Asia

“We recruit and train employees for global deployment,” says Brendle. “Our editors and reporters frequently move on to new cities and reporting functions every few years, thereby exposing them to the Journal’s global news operation and providing them successive opportunities to develop and apply their reporting and analytical skills.”

For example, the Journal’s editor-in-chief in Asia held reporting roles in Washington, DC, London, Stockholm, Brussels and New York City, before relocating to Hong Kong in 2009. Similarly, the Journal’s current Hong Kong bureau chief, who began in 2011, previously edited the Journal’s Money & Investing section from New York City. These opportunities for movement extend to all editorial employees.

Staff are also supported throughout the entire relocation process and a working culture of sharing experiences and learning from each other is actively encouraged.

With this fluid mobility of talent, there comes a challenge which keeps Brendle ‘up at night’. “The safety and wellbeing of our employees, some of whom work exceptionally hard to cover breaking news and events in challenging environments, is something I constantly have at the back of my mind,” she says.

This emphasis on being a global Dow Jones employee also allows the company to promote talent from within.

Business unit leaders across the organisation regularly review their staffing levels and arrange for succession planning to ensure that they have the appropriate bench strength and a solid pipeline for employees’ professional growth and development.

“For example, our regional sales manager for Northeast Asia, based in Hong Kong and with responsibility for our institutional sales efforts spanning Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and South Korea, joined the organisation more than a decade ago in a more junior sales role and has progressively taken on more responsibilities before assuming this latest leadership position,” says Brendle.

“Her professional development is a great example of our efforts to build and promote talent from within.”

Dow Jones also has an annual appraisal process and encourages managers to regularly provide feedback to their teams to encourage on-going development. “We focus on maintaining the excellent performance of our employees by offering constant new challenges and opportunities,” she explains.

Staying ahead While Dow Jones has a respected brand name and is an employer of choice for reporters and editors across the world, attracting and retaining talent is still an important priority. “To maintain our competitive edge in the market, we have introduced a range of competitive benefits and development opportunities for employees,” says Brendle.

For example, the news and information provider has recently launched an employee assistance program that provides employees and their families with support across a range of career and personal issues. These include career and personal life conflict management, cultural diversity

Me-myself-I

• My inspiration is: Boosted by the intelligent commentary and analysis stemming from our news bureaus around the world.

• My biggest weakness is: Not being able to say ‘no’ to my children, whom I love so much.

• In five years’ time I’d like to be: A homeowner in Hong Kong, finally!

• I love: Working across so many unique countries and cultures in the Asia-Pacific region.

• I dislike: A lack of curiosity; fortunately this is not something I encounter when working with my employees at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal.

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• Favourite quote: “Point n’est besoin d’espérer pour entreprendre, ni de réussir pour perséverer.” This roughly translates as, “One needs not be hopeful to undertake, nor successful to persevere.” I am action-oriented so this quotation from Guillaume d’Orange of France resonates with me today, 12 centuries after he first said it.

LEADERS TALK HR

in addition to support with personal and family matters including parenting guidance. These services are also extended to our employees’ families.

It has also developed its own signature digital training programme for its news team – ‘DJ@DJ’, or ‘Digital Journalism at Dow Jones’ – which provides important skills development for its journalists while contributing to the organisation’s own continued leadership in reporting.

‘DJ@DJ’ brings together a group of Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires journalists from around the world to New York City to participate in a week of intensive learning, training and discussion on digital journalism. It aims to enhance the way they tell stories across multiple platforms using words, photos, blogs, video and graphics. These journalists are also provided with the hardware, typically an iPhone, that they can use in everyday reporting.

“This unique programme, which is facilitated by our digital team in the US, is available to all our journalists globally and aims to equip them with the skills they need to succeed in our dynamic and evolving newsrooms around the world,” Brendle explains.

Letting loose The business of news can be all consuming due to its 24/7 nature. However, Dow Jones ensures that staff maintain a healthy work life balance.

The company holds various social events and celebrations throughout the year – perfect opportunities for staff to let their hair down and to integrate with other employees from across the region.

“We take advantage of the appropriate opportunities to come together socially—particularly when celebrating our successes and welcoming visiting executives and colleagues from overseas offices,” says Christine Brendle, Managing Director – Asia-Pacific, Dow Jones & Company.

Recently, Brendle and 19 other Dow Jones colleagues participated in the Stanley Dragon Boat Championships in Hong Kong. They had more than 100 Dow Jones colleagues and customers cheering them on from aboard the Aqua Luna Chinese junk. “That was our first year to compete and a terrific opportunity to bring together teammates from a wide range of functions and business areas,” says Brendle.

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SPOTLIGHT

HR insight

Productivity

Singapore is aiming for a two to three percent increase in productivity over the next decade. Establishing research and benchmarking, raising innovation and enhancing HR management are some of the ways in which it is addressing this challenge. HRM examines how countries across the globe are tackling the issue A WORKER’S AVERAGE DAY**

58%

WORKFORCE STATS

58% work that added real value to my organisation 18% work that wasted time and effort 3% other activities that added value to my organisation

9% time networking with colleagues that added value to me and my work

12% activities that added to my personal development

FOUR KEY AREAS TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY**

Organisational structure, design and operating model - removing all wasteful, bureaucratic, and non-value work and outputs. 23% believe organisational structure, design and operating model have the biggest impact on productivity

Technology being more ambitious and effective in process automation and technological change. 8% believe additional, new or improved technology would improve performance

People management issues developing and utilising the full talents and capabilities of human capital. 54% believe people management issues have the biggest impact on productivity

Innovation being deliberate and audacious with an innovation agenda.

15% believe further innovation would increase productivity

Fast fact 1.5 billion people in the world – or onethird of the workingage population – are “potentially underutilised”. This estimate of labour underutilisation is comprised of the 195.7 million unemployed people in the world and nearly 1.3 billion working poor who live with their families on less than US$2 per day per family member. ***

GDP & Productivity – Gross domestic product (GDP) is the market value of all officially recognised final goods and services produced within a country in a given period.

The US is ranked second in the world on this basis; however, it comes out on top against 27 nations in the EU, Japan and Switzerland in the amount of wealth created per hour of work.^

In 2011, the world’s largest GDP (based on purchasing power parity) was the EU. The US was ranked second.

China, with the world’s largest workforce, was third, followed by India in fourth place (world’s second largest workforce). Australia ranked 18th. *

US employees put in an average 1,804 hours of work in 2006; while Asia – South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Thailand – surpassed 2,200 average hours per worker. However, those countries had lower productivity rates.^

Norway is currently classed as the most productive nation in the world, based on its hourly contribution to GDP.^

Sources: *International Monetary Fund ^ International Labor Organization

795,500,000

China has the world’s largest labour force as of 2011, with 795,500,000 workers

487,600,000

India ranks second, with 487,600,000 workers (2011 figures)

12,050,000

Australia currently has the world’s 43rd largest workforce, with 12,050,000 workers (2011 figures)

15

The smallest labour force in the world is that of the Pitcairn Islands (2004), with only 15 workers

Sources: ** Wastage adds up despite motivated workers: The Ernst & Young Australian Productivity Pulse *** Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM), 2007, International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland ISSUE 12.10

HRMASIA.COM 17

HR INSIDER

Continental AG German automotive parts supplier Continental believes that a strong employer brand and corporate culture are critical for attracting competent employees in all areas. HRM finds out how the company is finding new and innovative ways to become better known among its target groups at a global-level

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

Driving

18

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HRMASIA.COM

A string of acquisitions over the years has seen Continental become one of the world’s leading suppliers of automotive parts today. This has brought about changes both to the company’s corporate culture and its workforce, which spans some 169,000 employees across 46 countries.

Developing a strong corporate culture and building the employer brand are some of the key items on the agenda for Elke Strathmann, who became Director of Labour Relations and member of the Continental Executive Board in January this year. “Most people associate us with tires, but 60% of our total revenue comes from the automotive business,” says Strathmann, who was in Singapore recently for the opening of a new research and development centre – one of the three largest in Asia. The new building currently houses about 650 employees and Continental Singapore plans to increase its headcount to 1,000 within the next few years.

Reaching out early Continental has been exploring social media channels like Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as online job boards to reach out to potential employees. Set up in April 2011, The Continental Careers page on Facebook now has over 2,400 fans. It ranked third out of 463 similar pages evaluated by Swedish market research institute Potentialpark. The page focuses on current employees and features videos into their working lives. It also provides updates on the latest career-related events organised by Continental, says Strathmann.

Current employees are also roped in to spread the word. Those under the Continental Ambassadors Programme are sent to their old universities to reconnect with the student populations there.

They take this opportunity to explain the diverse opportunities for training and development at Continental and attract qualified new staff to the company, Strathmann says. This message is conveyed through company presentations, research projects, lectures and workshops.

AUTOMOTIV

HR INSIDER

VATION ISSUE 12.9

HRMASIA.COM 19

HR INSIDER

Continental AG Who’s who in HR

At a glance Continental AG

Elke Strathmann

Executive Board Member Human Resources, Continental

Angie Chua

Senior Manager HR, Singapore

• Total number of employees worldwide: 169,000 • Total number of employees in Singapore: 650 (approx.)

• Size of HR team in Singapore: 8 • Key HR Focus areas: Building a strong corporate culture, talent management, raising awareness of Continental’s employer brand

Christaline Seah HR Executive

One in five Nikki Lin

HR Executive

Eileen Ng HR Executive

German students will consider a company’s approach to meeting its social responsibilities as part of their career decision-making process Source: The 9th Continental Student Survey

A bit of hands-on experience can go a long way in attracting the right talent into the automotive industry.

With this in mind, Continental sponsors a Formula One racecar making competition where students from around the world receive tires and knowledge about motors to create their own performance vehicle. “It helps students become aware of automotive challenges and brings them closer to us,” Strathmann says.

Trend Antenna is another programme that exposes students to specific technical challenges, Strathmann says.

Continental and student teams keep a close look on the trends shaping today’s and especially tomorrow’s world. The programme not only draws engineering students, but also those from such diverse fields as economics or psychology. It is offered in countries such as China and Germany. “It is very interesting to see how students in different cultural environments address these challenges,” she adds.

Opportunities for growth As with most successful organisations, the buck does not stop with just hiring the right talent. Ensuring that employees can envision their growth and long-term future with the company is the next big challenge. Continental offers a variety of development programmes to help employees realise their full potential.

Some 30 promising executives from Continental’s global offices are admitted into its International Management Programme every year. They are divided into teams of six and work on real projects with high business impacts. “The project is normally outside of their area of knowledge so that they get to learn something completely different. It is intense and accelerated learning,” Strathmann says. Employees get the opportunity to work across different cultures and collaborate through physical as well as virtual meetings.

After a year, the project culminates in a presentation in front of the entire executive board, where team members show their results, answer questions and have a discussion. “It’s great for employees and for the business as they come up with creative and new ideas. We get to know talent around the world that we wouldn’t easily see.”

Continental employees are also encouraged to widen their knowledge through movements across functions, divisions or countries. This enables them to understand different sides of the business, Strathmann says. However, this requires HR process to be well coordinated, she warns. When an employee moves to a different division, the person must still feel like they are with Continental instead of a new company where conditions are different, she explains.

Cultural cohesiveness Michelle Chua HR Executive

20

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Jeslyn Lee HR Executive

Continental’s corporate culture has been constantly evolving as the company expands its global footprint. Developing a

HR INSIDER

Revving up talent Automotive parts supplier Continental developed the DRIVE (Development Resource Initiative) programme to address the growth and expansion of Research and Development activities in Singapore. Open to fresh graduates or post graduates with degrees in Electrical, Electronics, or Computer Engineering, as well as experienced engineers from other industries, the programme provides a training framework for new recruits to quickly become familiar with Continental’s way of working, with particular emphasis on engineering discipline and product quality.

DRIVE aims to accelerate learning and integration through group presentations and encourages close teamwork through shared assignments and discussions. Over a period of six weeks, participants attend classroom-oriented training with lectures and assignments.

They also work on a practice project, alongside experienced engineers.

culture that resonates throughout the organisation is one of the key issues that Strathmann hopes to address. She feels this culture should be felt in the company’s day-to-day operations. For example, performance reviews should not just focus on targets but also examine how they were met as this will offer insights about conduct, Strathmann explains.

Working environments also differ across geographies and this is where international assignments and cross-cultural training can help, Strathmann says. “It makes people aware of their differences so that they don’t judge or think that they are always right,” she explains. A case in point: Germans are known to be more structured and correspondingly, extremely punctual when it comes to meetings. “So we need to tell them that other cultures might not have such a monochromic view of time,” Strathmann says.

Women at work In the 9th Continental Student Survey, female respondents rated their careers opportunities, acquired knowledge, and prospects on the international jobs market less highly than their male counterparts. Strathmann feels that they could be more self-confident because they excel in their studies and are achieving better grates and more internship experience.

Continental plans to increase the share of women in management roles from its current 8% to 16% by the end of this decade, Strathmann says. She feels that HR polices need to be adapted to meet their differing needs. For example, the company could provide flexible work options, as well as crèche or kindergarten arrangements. When a female employee goes on maternity leave, HR should still keep in contact with her, she adds.

Continental will not miss out half of all talented professionals, and diverse groups are better at solving problems, she concludes.

ISSUE 12.10

HRMASIA.COM 21

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COVER STORY

Work-life balance

The

PATERNITY LEAVE debate The provision of mandatory paternity leave has become a hotly debated topic in Singapore as the city-state attempts to reverse its declining birth rate. While interest groups have been lobbying for it, employers have raised concerns. HRM investigates

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam Additional reporting and research by Viven Shiao Shufen Official paternity leave could finally get the go-ahead in Singapore, announced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his National Day Rally Speech this year. While the government had previously resisted the idea, he said that it might be time for a change.

“We have said ‘no’ for a long time, but I think it is time we change to signal the importance of the father’s role and your shared responsibility for raising children,” Lee said.

The news was heralded by interest groups, which have been lobbying for the cause for some time. In February this

Paternity leave worldwide

24

Country

Paternity leave offered

Sweden

Two out of 16 maternity leave months can be used by fathers

South Korea

Five days

Hong Kong

None

United Kingdom

Two weeks at a fixed rate of £128.73 (US$209) per week

United States

No federal paid parental leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives fathers access to 12 weeks of unpaid leave but companies with fewer than 50 employees are exempt

Denmark

Two out of 52 weeks of paid maternity leave reserved for fathers

ISSUE 12.10

HRMASIA.COM

year, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) called for comprehensive changes to parental leave, if Singapore wanted to reverse its declining birth trend. Its key recommendations include two weeks of paid paternity leave as well as the conversion of the fourth month of maternity leave into ‘parental leave’, able to be taken by either parent.

Working parents that HRM spoke to said paternity leave would allow fathers more time to bond with their children.

“It’s not only the mother that is ragged with all the new adjustments and responsibilities of caring for a newborn – fathers are just as stressed and under-slept,” says Regina DiBenedetto, Director, Aareal Bank Asia.

Anoop Pandey, Global Technical Administrator, Barclays Capital and father of a newborn son, concurs. “Once a person has time for his children, he will be more productive at work too.”

Some 79% of respondents in survey by HRM were in favour of paternity leave. This group also indicated that one to two weeks of paternity leave would be optimal.

Employers also raised concerns about the feasibility of legislated mandatory leave, especially in view of lost man hours, and reduced productivity and business

COVER STORY

ISSUE 12.10

HRMASIA.COM 25

COVER STORY

Work-life balance competitiveness. At present, about 50% of companies in Singapore provide at least two days of paternity leave.

HRM Paternity Leave survey results

Employers concerned

HRM recently polled HR professionals and business leaders in Singapore on their views about paternity leave. These are the results:

Does your organisation currently offer paternity leave in Singapore?

YES 71% NO 26% NO RESPONSE 3%

Would you like mandatory paternity leave to be implemented in Singapore?

YES 84% NO 15% NO RESPONSE 1%

If there is no separate paternity leave, do you think maternity leave should be shared?

YES 40% NO 59% NO RESPONSE 1%

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79%

of survey respondents said that 1 to 2 weeks of paternity would be ideal

Employers in Singapore have been viewing the proposed changes to paternity leave with caution. The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) was one of the first to voice its views. It suggested that introducing such a measure should be manageable for employees.

“Our view is also that any legislated paternity leave takes into account the existing leave schemes of companies and complements them. Our preference is still for the government to incentivise companies to introduce paternity leave, rather than to legislate it,” says Tan Kwang Cheak, Assistant Executive Director and Director for Development, SNEF. SNEF was also reserved about the possibility of shared parental leave. “It is a new concept to employers and will have a significant adverse impact in terms of their manpower availability, particularly in the current tight labour market,” Tan says.

Small and medium enterprises are requesting government incentives to counter disruption to their businesses. The Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) would like paternity leave to be capped at one month. “Paternity leave, if made mandatory, should not be too long, says Chan Chong Beng, President, ASME. “It is more than sufficient, since men are already spending time away from their offices due to their National Service commitments. A lot of men are also key position holders within their organisations, and thus cannot afford to be away from their offices for too long.”

AWARE:

Paternity leave should be mandatory In February this year, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) called for five policy changes: • Make paid paternity leave of two weeks mandatory, with the cost shared between the employer and the state • Convert the fourth month of maternity leave into ‘parental leave’ to be taken by either parent, with the state sharing the cost with the employer when the father takes this leave • Offer a ‘parenting present’ of $4,000 to couples where the father takes the fourth month of converted maternity leave • Convert the currently mandated six days of paid childcare leave into dependents leave, with ‘dependents’ including older children and parents • Extend to unwed parents the same parenting leave benefits enjoyed by married parents.

COVER STORY

Notification systems within organisations will need to be revised or revamped to accommodate the new regulations, which may increase the workload for existing HR staff and strain processes, adds Chan.

Companies are also currently facing manpower shortages, says Chan. “A realistic time to implement paternity leave for companies would be when these manpower issues have been alleviated to a certain degree, when companies have more breathing room and resources to deal with this implementation.”

Apart from leave provisions, SNEF feels that it is important to focus on flexible work arrangements and work-life harmony for employees. “The Government can provide more incentives for companies to innovate work arrangements and devise career management, mentoring, and other HR schemes that can help working mothers balance work and family,” Tan says.

Mindset change needed As with any revolutionary change, paternity leave will have its own trade-offs and impact, says Lim Soon Hock, Chairman, National Family Council. “Businesses should, and must adjust to this change, much like what they have achieved with reservist training. It is vital to renew our talent pool.”

Lim feels that mandatory paternity leave would have minimal impact on employability and productivity. “Firstly, women can choose to return to work earlier, and secondly, corporate productivity will not be compromised as one of the spouses will return to work.”

Goh Ban Ping, Head of Regional HR, Asia at Sennheiser Consumer Electronics says she “would not mind” mandatory paternity leave as the birth of a child becomes a shared responsibility for both parents. “From a hiring perspective, employees will be more open to hire female employees as male employees also have to take leave for the birth of their child.”

Re-arranging the workload of affected employees is one solution. Sennheiser sometimes overlaps its headcount to ensure continuity of work and offloads important projects to those who are not going on long leave. “For example, we employ temporary contract staff to cover the administration area of the work, and let the permanent headcount cover the more important work for the other person while he is on leave,” explains Goh. Job rotation is another alternative. “We encourage employers to look at job rotation as a norm of work so that at least two people will know the same job, when the need arises,” Goh says. Sennheiser also taps on interns as “they are a very good resource that will stay at least for the term the school requires them to cover.”

Balanced and happy employees are more productive and engaged, Lim says, suggesting a well-though out parental leave scheme can only be a “win-win” situation for both employers and employees. “With that said, the implementation of paternity leave will need to be at a pace that is comfortable for all.”

Comments from HRM survey

Yes

to paternity leave

“I believe that productivity will actually be enhanced if fathers have time to focus to settle family matters as opposed to turning up for work and not be present. It is the right way forward for recognising gender roles and responsibilities and encouraging more couples to have children- again fulfilling something imperative to Singapore” – SHEELA PARAKKAL, GROUP HR DIRECTOR, CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS INDUSTRY “Bringing up children is a shared responsibility between wife and husband. Companies should encourage this, instead of being shortsighted and fear that productivity will fall” – EDDY NEO, HR DIRECTOR – SOUTH ASIA, CHEMICALS INDUSTRY

No

to paternity leave

“I feel that making it mandatory (depending on length of leave) could place burdens on both employers and the other employees covering the jobs of the employee going on paternity leave… Making everything mandatory could give rise to an attitude of ‘entitlement’. The singles may feel left out in the midst of all these” – LAUREL LEONG, HR CONSULTANT, FINANCE INDUSTRY “Who bears the costs of this? I am an employee, but this question will be asked by my employers. Would the government consider paying for my salary and give extra tax breaks to the company I’m employed in? (ie. to cover the loss of profit which ought to have been generated by me)” – ANONYMOUS

Maybe

to paternity leave

“Concerns can be managed if there are clear guidelines. For example, paternity leave for up to 3 children including adoption, taken only at time of birth of the child. No deferment of paternity leave as doing so defeats the purpose at why the leave is given/or extended in the first place - which is to lend a helping hand to the new mother, to bond with the newborn child & to help the rest of the family to bond with the new inclusion to the family” – CHAN HS, HEAD OF HR, ICT INDUSTRY “Preferably both parents should share the maternity leave. For example, if the mother has 16 weeks of maternity leave and chooses to come back to work after 8 weeks, the father can take over the other 8 weeks. Concerns would be the complexity in tracking the leave consumed and seeking reimbursements from the government” – GRACE OH, HR GENERALIST, IT INDUSTRY ISSUE 12.10

HRMASIA.COM 27

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FEATURE

Talent Development

Supporting

employee sabbaticals Done right, sabbatical programs have positive effects on companies as well as their employees by preventing costly burn out and attracting the best workers. HRM finds out more about this unique form of career break

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

Sabbaticals make business sense. That sums up Joe Reynolds’ take on the concept. The CEO of Red Frog Events, winner of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award in 2011, had his biggest light-bulb moment – the one that spurred the idea for his company – whilst on Red Frog Beach in Panama.

“I was thinking that marathons and five kilometre runs had become, well, boring. It was time to inject military-style obstacles, mud, and beer,” says Reynolds.

“We created an event called Warrior Dash, which did just that. In three years, it became the world’s largest running series.”

Bolivia, Morocco, Vietnam, and many other exotic locations worldwide, have taught Reynolds valuable business lessons. That’s because he would throw most of his income from his first business into yearly treks that would f lood his head with business ideas.

“These annual, three-month trips never failed to rekindle the fire in my belly needed to lead a fast-growing company,” he says.

Reynolds gained so much from his wanderlust that it only made sense for him to offer this benefit to his employees, his “Frogs”. Every five years, his staff (and a guest of their choice) get a fully paid one-month trip to the destination of their choice.

ISSUE 12.10

46%

of companies in the UK have a career break or sabbatical policy Source: CBI/Harvey Nash (2011)

HRMASIA.COM 29

FEATURE

Talent Development There’s one catch though: North America and Australia are off limits (most ‘Frogs’ already go to Australia for company events there).

“This isn’t a cocktail-umbrella-on-the-beach sort of trip,” says Reynolds. “It’s a push-yourself-outside-ofyour-comfort-zone, culture-drenched, ‘that-justchanged-my-life’ trip. Those trips bring home game-changing ideas. Those are sabbaticals.”

Case studies

The sabbatical advantage

The Gold Guarantee An employee of Singapore gold trading firm The Gold Guarantee wanted to resign because she found it too difficult to cope with studying for a part-time degree and working at the same time. There were also changes in management in the company at the time. “She found it overwhelming to cope and decided to leave,” says Lee Song Teck, CEO of The Gold Guarantee. ”We did not accept her resignation but gave her a sabbatical of two to three months instead.”

During these months, the company kept careful communication with her and got her department to encourage her during the exam period. Upon the completion of her exams, she immediately came back on board, re-charged, more engaged and more willing to learn, Lee noted.

“Because she now knows that the organisation cares for her well-being, she was able to draw encouragement from the community here.”

Red Frog Events Everyone needs to recharge. “’Frogs’ (Employees) can disconnect for a full month every five years,” says Joe Reynolds, CEO, Red Frog Events. “A month away allows enough time for staff to come back hungry to tackle the next big project.”

‘Frogs’ gain worldly perspectives and learning new cultures only helps bring fresh thoughts to the table on their next project.

“Furthermore, going outside of your comfort zone elicits unconventional ideas,” Reynolds adds. “Being away for a month breeds creativity. My best ideas come during extended time away.”

Professional development aside, sabbaticals of a month every five years give Red Frog Events staff quality time outside their hectic work schedules to reconnect with loved ones.

Sabbaticals started taking off in the 1960s with fast-food chain McDonald’s, computer-chip maker Intel, and US law firms among the trailblazers Source: The Province, major daily in Canada

30

ISSUE 12.10

HRMASIA.COM

While Asia is a well-known place for hard-working people, ‘sabbatical’, unfortunately is not a word that is commonly found in the local corporate vocabulary yet, says Lee Song Teck, CEO of The Gold Guarantee, a Singapore-based gold trading company.

But done right, sabbatical programmes have positive effects on companies as well as their employees.

“I think that sabbaticals are a powerful retention tool,” says Jarrod Ng, Director – Human Capital, WongPartnership. “It allows organisations to retain good talent that they would otherwise lose, especially in cases where the attrition is due to reasons that the organisation cannot control; such as an employee who wishes to start a family or who needs to take time off work due to family commitments.”

In organisations where work stress and loads are high, sabbaticals give the organisation the ability to manage these “push” factors by allowing employees the chance to recharge.

That said, there should be a discretionary policy tool to ensure that sabbaticals are given to deserving employees and only under circumstances where the organisation’s interests are not compromised, Ng cautions.

“Ultimately, there will be jobs within an organisation where a sabbatical is not a feasible option given the job scope and work requirements,” he points out. “As such, there must be a balance struck between the needs of the employee going on sabbatical, the needs of the organisation, and the needs of the colleagues who remain working.”

Risks and responses Typically, companies are concerned about losing employees once they send them for sabbaticals. “They fear that during the sabbatical, the employee will be exposed to new industries and opportunities, ultimately leaving the organisation as a result,” says Lee. “I believe that we have failed to see the usefulness of the sabbaticals. The fears of companies are usually also due to a weak engagement and corporate culture,” he counters.

Lee explains that meaningful social relationships are a component of work that is rarely emphasised.

FEATURE

There must be constant engagement of staff so that staff know they are part of the organisation and are indispensable.

“It takes a village to raise a child. It also takes one to keep an employee,” he says. “HR personnel in companies should work on forming a strong culture of closely-knitted relationships that serve as the main magnet as to why employees want to stay on.”

He adds that while the void of communication during sabbaticals may cause employees to venture to other pastures, a closely-knitted culture and regular communication (often with the help of a corporate coach) can work towards assuring management about retaining key talent.

Sabbaticals can be used as a time to realign employees with their career goals. According to Half-Time by Bob Buford, the second half of one’s life can be better than the first. “But first, we all need time to figure out what we want to do with the rest of our lives,” says Lee. Many employees today do not have guidance to craft out their purposes in life, much less what they really want to do. HR is an avenue to fulfil these functions.

“For all you know, an engaged employee that is given a sabbatical can come back with a revitalised business plan or new profit-generating units,” Lee advises.

“It’s the pushyourself-outside-ofyour-comfort-zone, culture-drenched, ‘that-just-changed-mylife’ trip (that) bring home game-changing ideas. Those are sabbaticals” – JOE REYNOLDS, CEO, RED FROG EVENTS

Planning a sabbatical There is never a best time for sabbaticals, says Ng. “It all depends on the need of the individuals and the organisation. For practical reasons from the firm’s perspective, the candidate should preferably have some history in the organisation before a sabbatical is granted.”

Lee is of the mind that timing a sabbatical is dependent on the maturity and threshold of stress of an individual in their career thus far. “Certain key phases, such as the death of a next of kin, transition into parenthood, and other such occurrences can also be used as events to plan for a sabbatical,” he says.

As for the “right” length of a sabbatical, there is no fixed rule to how long it should be. It depends on the individual, says Lee. However, he says there must be boundaries for the sabbatical, such as how many days, and what is to be done during that time.

“That said, I would imagine that for practical reasons, sabbaticals that are too lengthy become very problematic for both the organisation, in terms of resource management, and also for the person on sabbatical, in terms of re-integration of after the sabbatical as many things may have moved on,” says Ng. Sabbaticals need not be of long duration; in fact they should be planned out consistently. One hour a day, one day a week, and at least one week a year, should be set aside for sabbaticals. “If we keep to this consistently, we can be constantly recharged,” Lee explains.

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FEATURE

Talent Development Mismanaging sabbaticals The most challenging part of a successful sabbatical is the pre-planning work that guarantees the time away will be well spent. According to Lee Song Teck, CEO of The Gold Guarantee, a Singapore-based gold trading company, some common examples of mismanagement of employee sabbaticals include: • Leaving the employee with a communication void that makes them feel that they are now cast out and ex-communicated.

• Not setting clear goals for the employee during the sabbatical.

• Not assigning a mentor or life coach for the employee to work through their goals during that period

There should also be a feedback channel to ensure that both the individual and company’s objectives of ‘being rested’ and ‘rejuvenation’ are fulfilled,” he adds.

Forced sabbaticals While sabbaticals have their myriad of advantages, forced ones can work in the opposite direction.

“The complex nature of organisations and their work processes make enforced sabbaticals difficult to manage in terms of resource management,” says Ng. “In some cases, the organisation is effectively depriving themselves of value knowledge and institutional know-how deliberately by forcing employees to go on sabbaticals.”

Also, each employee is unique and the effect of a forced sabbatical would be very different. For some it would be a much needed break, but for others it would be disruptive and unwelcomed, Ng explains.

“We should force sabbaticals as little as possible, (only) in cases of physical and mental burn out,” Lee advises. “The usefulness of a sabbatical is brought to its full potential when the parties are both willing and clear about the purpose of the sabbatical.”

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CORPORATE LEARNING

Talent Management

Pushing Up performance

Employees can only reach their potential when they are given the right resources as well as a “helping hand�. Increasingly, organisations are turning to coaching and mentoring to bring out the best in their workforce

By Priya de Langen

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CORPORATE LEARNING

To maximise on productivity and achieve business results, employers need to nurture their workers and give them the right resources to succeed. Increasingly, employers are turning to coaching and mentoring their employees to ensure that they can reach their full potential.

The Coaching Climate 2011 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) highlighted how coaching, and also mentoring, was used to develop business awareness among employees, as well as improve on their skills. The report revealed that nearly 84% of global survey respondents were doing more coaching. Some of the main reasons cited included to improve on poor performances, to build on good performances, and especially to aid leadership development.

In addition, mentoring was used by more than two-thirds of the surveyed organisations. They were typically happy to see it established as an informal set of relationships, affording the time for individuals to pair up.

Experts say that coaching and mentoring help an employee, developing the person’s skills and improving productivity, but they go about this in different ways. Coaching is meant to be more task-oriented whereas mentoring is meant to be a relationship-oriented process. Max Loh, Country Managing Partner, Ernst & Young LLP, says that coaching is about supporting the development of colleagues or team members on the job, while mentoring focuses on providing guidance, direction, and career advice, often with a longer-term view.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

Pointing the way and tackling challenges

CY

Whichever approach employers use, HR and management have a critical role to play in establishing a culture of coaching and mentoring – whether it is putting HR and managers through training or implementing policies from the top and down.

Gabrielle Tourelle, Global Talent Development Director, Text 100 Global, says that HR needs to be seen to walk the talk and be willing to coach and mentor – not only within their departments but cross functionally as well. “HR can create the resources that support a culture of

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coaching and mentoring: basic training in what they are and practical documentation to help people undertake these programmes,” she says.

Ronald Tay, Head of UBS Business University, says that in order to encourage coaching and mentoring, the bank gives out awards for those that are helping each other succeed.

“UBS confers annual awards for ‘best line manager’ and ‘best rookie line manager’ to outstanding managers who have demonstrated exemplary capabilities as coaches and mentors ISSUE 12.10

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CORPORATE LEARNING

Talent Management to their teams. We find this to be a good encouragement for managers who are already promoting a coaching culture and being a positive role model for others,” he said.

He adds that in the bank’s performance management and measurement processes, all line managers’ individual performance and incentives are closely linked with their performance on the “people and team competencies” areas, which reinforce a positive mentoring and coaching culture among managers.

Of course, implementing anything on an organisational level takes time and will probably face obstacles, such as the issue of time constraint and the common miscalculation of the amount of commitment needed to be a coach or mentor.

“The biggest challenge on a day-to-day basis is helping people understand the benefit of investing ‘now’ time in coaching someone to ensure that later on they will be able to perform the task at a higher level. People often think it is quicker to just do it themselves rather than coach someone to do it,” notes Tourelle.

She adds that all too often people enter into these formal arrangements without proper preparation or planning and wonder why they fall short of their expectations. “People often assume that they know what it involves and that coaching and mentoring are the same thing and that anyone can do it.”

Time constraints are also major issue, say managers.

They prescribe that coaches and mentors should be given the space to give their feedback in both formal and informal settings. Loh says: “Coaches may be preoccupied with addressing urgent work issues, such that timely coaching is compromised.”

He adds that in Ernst &Young, coaching and feedback are encouraged to take place at any time and in any place.“These do not have to be formal or long sessions, or even held in the office, as long as the coach and coachee can find quality time for meaningful conversations. To facilitate this, we also advocate an open-door policy so that our people are comfortable approaching their seniors and leaders for guidance.”

Differences in coaching and mentoring Coaching

Mentoring

Task-oriented

Relationship-oriented

Short-term

Long-term

Performance driven

Development driven

Immediate manager is directly involved in coaching

Immediate manager is indirectly involved in mentoring

Source: Management Mentors

“People often think it is quicker to just do it themselves rather than coach someone to do it” – GABRIELLE TOURELLE, GLOBAL TALENT DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TEXT 100 GLOBAL Organisations pave the way Tourelle says that Text100 is very active in pushing coaching and mentoring, noting that coaching is “90% of what happens on a daily basis”.

“The consultants predominantly work in teams in which a more senior person is tasked with coaching and leading the more junior team members towards results.

Most of the coaching is influenced by our culture which inspires strong team work and collaboration.”

The local markets are also empowered to undertake specific coaching or mentoring programmes in response to particular needs, she says. “For instance, we may have an ambitious junior consultant who wants to accelerate their career path with the help of a mentor, or someone who takes on a new role and suddenly needs a mentor to transfer new skills.”

The organisation recruits and rewards people for their ability to coach and be coached with those traits specifically measured in performance reviews, adds Tourelle.

Ernst & Young has established a coaching culture over several years, says Loh. “We have a unique global development programme called ‘Ernst & Young and You’ that offers learning, coaching, and experiences to equip our people with the right technical competencies and soft skills to excel in their roles.”

He states that to help employee internalise effective coaching habits, the organisation shares coaching techniques through web-based learning and videos, as well as classroom learning and workshops. “We have also launched a recognition programme for great coaches, and staff are given the opportunity to identify great coaching behaviours and areas for improvement,” adds Loh. UBS ensures that coaching and mentoring is offered to employees through various means. Tay says there are avenues to allow employees to connect to career mentors and interest communities. “Within our leadership and ISSUE 12.10

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of respondents said they are using more coaching Source: The Coaching Climate 2011 survey

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Talent Management

53%

global respondents believe coaching should be regulated Source: The 2012 ICF Global Coaching study

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management curriculum, we have built in modules on listening, communication, and giving feedback to equip line managers with the right skillsets to demonstrate effective coaching and mentoring with their team members,” he says.

The organisation also ensures that its managers go through extensive training on listening and questioning skills to help managers draw out answers from their teams. UBS recently rolled out a training session on ‘The Secret of Listening’ “to reinforce the importance of effective coaching and mentoring, and to continue to build the skills required to be effective leaders,” Tay explains.

UBS also has its ‘Embracing Organisational Energy – Power Up’ workshop to equip female leaders with tips on how to take their work performances to higher levels and become effective leaders. This programme complements UBS’s initiatives in business network mentoring which supports the professional and personal development of female employees in the organisation.

“The mentors and mentees meet regularly to discuss career development, organisational know-how and day-to-day business challenges,” Tay says.

HRMASIA.COM

Obtaining the right results Ultimately, creating a culture of coaching or mentoring helps to provide the right kind of business results. Tay says that UBS has benefited from this business culture, especially in the areas of retaining key talent. “In our annual performance review of our senior key talents where ‘Leadership Capability’ is assessed, 56% of these leaders are exceeding the demands of their role. This has, in turn, cascaded into positive coaching behaviours in their teams and improved retention and attraction of talent,” he says.

Tourelle says the results of Text100’s coaching culture are evident in the high performance culture in which junior staff “can do amazing things”. Also, she noted that the organisation was named the Best Mid-Sized Agency to work for by The Holmes Report. “This award recognised the company’s culture of collaboration and individual empowerment, along with our many other attributes,” she said.

“Intuitively it makes complete sense that people prefer to work in an environment in which people care enough to invest time in their learning and development – ultimately their growth and success at work. Who doesn’t want that?”

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FEATURE

Presentations and meetings

Make

meetings matter Meeting time! Cue rolled eyes, murmurs of ‘time-wasting’ and overall reluctance from participants. Why have meetings become such a drag for all concerned, and what can you do as the facilitator to enliven proceedings?

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FEATURE

Do you remember the last time you delivered a great meeting presentation – nods of agreement, laughter at the right points, no one yawning in the back (or front) stalls…

It sounds easy but holding an engaging meeting – whether it’s for an intimate small team or for a conference room full of people – is a fine art. It’s also something that many HR professionals dread.

Increasingly being asked to speak in front of the executive team, or indeed to wider workplace teams, all but the most outgoing meeting facilitators amongst the HR fraternity will freeze at the thought of getting up in front of peers and presenting with confidence.

It need not be the case. Here’s a sure-fire roadmap to success.

Set an agenda and get the people there Too many people find meetings wasteful and not beneficial to their work. Grant Emanuel, a selfproclaimed ‘king of meetings’ and senior product manager, Avery Dennison, says his first piece of advice for meeting facilitators is to always doublecheck that the people invited can add value. “If you don’t think they need to be there, then don’t invite them – send them an email and update them in a written manner after the meeting,” he suggests.

When a meeting request is sent, set the agenda in the subject or body of the email. Include a summary of all those who will be attending, including their role and responsibilities for being there so all involved are well aware of what they bring to the table and can prepare adequately.

If it is a large meeting involving various stakeholders from different places, states or even countries, take advantage of free Cloud tools such as Dropbox to upload any information they need to bring along with them. This tool can include videos, images and summaries which will be accessible anywhere at any time, and also removes the hassle of trying to send large files.

Don’t just presume those who you have invited will attend, Emanuel adds. Keep track of meeting request acceptances and make sure you contact those who have not responded. A simple reminder can make all the difference and ensure you don’t rock up on the day with a half empty room or table. “Perhaps you could award a reward for the first lot of people to RSVP. If it’s going to help make your time more productive, why not?” he suggests.

When it comes to opening the meeting itself, Dr Ken Hudson, author of the international series The Idea Generator, The Idea Accelerator and Speed Thinking suggests highlighting the goals and outcomes of the meetings up front. “This will help attendees ask relevant questions without wasting

“Change the metaphorical term for your meeting – use words like, ‘scrum’, ‘muster’ or ‘huddle’ and encourage the meeting to move quickly by having people stand instead of sitting” – DR KEN HUDSON, AUTHOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES THE IDEA GENERATOR, THE IDEA ACCELERATOR AND SPEED THINKING anyone’s time. Design the meeting around the set goals – including the invitation list. If the purpose of the meeting is purely to inform, rather than to collaborate send an email or update via the intranet.”

Think outside the box Don’t feel restricted to the board room. Removing the four walls of office can usually open up free communication and can help get creative ideas f lowing. Depending on the people and the agenda for the meeting, Emanuel suggests changing it up a bit to help create a sensory experience for all those involved. He suggests taking the meeting outdoors to a local park, a beach or café to ensure attendees are comfortable and the meeting is met with enthusiasm.

Dr Hudson says meetings ref lect the culture and values of the organisation. They should also ref lect the drive and passion of the leaders in the business.

“Consider this when designing meetings and in particular the management and delivery of the meetings. Meetings can create or destroy company culture,” he says.

Keep it moving In this meeting-jaded age the trick is to engage people early. Emanuel suggests something as basic as putting up a picture of something amusing or something that’s metaphorically relevant to the topic can get people thinking. Alternatively, ask people if they are happy with the agenda or would like to add something or move items around. Not only does this get people involved, it also helps to set the tone for the meeting: yes, questions are ok.

Remember the most valuable ideas come from your people so give them a chance to share

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Presentations and meetings In fact, Dr Hudson notes that rigidly sticking to a set agenda means that people lose focus on the real point – an outcome. He too recommends keeping meetings open for questions. “Remember the most valuable ideas come from your people so give them a chance to share,” he says. “Explore side avenues brief ly – if there seems to be a lot of interest and energy in those, then decide if the side avenue is actually where the action is or take it up separately with the protagonists and see how you can harness their enthusiasm and give them positive feedback for their contribution.”

Visual cues can also avoid the dreaded ‘death by PowerPoint’ malaise that affects so many meetings.

“There’s nothing worse than going to a meeting and seeing a PowerPoint screen with 250 words on that screen – and the meeting facilitator reads every word. The less words the better.”

If PowerPoint must be used, Emanuel suggests using more images than text. The images can also act as a cue to the facilitator to move through their list of key points.

Tools for attendees also need to be considered. Take a kit including pens (that work!) and notepads. Name tags with the attendees’ name and role are a handy way

Virtual meetings Collaboration technology is making it easier than ever before to connect with clients and colleagues regardless of distance. Here are a few quick tips to get you on your way to having more professional virtual meetings: • Ensure engagement: To ensure people are focused throughout a call, keeping them on their toes will decrease the amount of time they spend multi-tasking. If you’re presenting, ask lots of questions and make calls as interactive as possible.

• Be organised: Send through a meeting agenda in advance, and ask attendees to come prepared with information they want to discuss in the meeting too.

Not only will this help more people get involved, but it will also mean the meeting is likely to stay on track and not go off at tangents.

• Cut out the noise: You wouldn’t expect interruptions in a face-to-face meeting, so for those that are frequently on the move and have to take conference calls on the run, make sure conference details are included in the Outlook invitation, along with instructions to mute/un-mute their line to block out background noise.

• Seeing is believing: With technology opening up more doors than ever before, the ability to use web conferencing in conjunction with the telephone means that it’s possible to see people on webcams throughout the meeting too.

Having some face-to-face time makes things far more personal.

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to ensure Larry doesn’t mistake Bob for Pete. Also ensure that key points in printed handouts are easily found – Emanuel suggests using tabbing products to assist with quick access to information.

“Don’t forget plenty of f luid, fruit and or lollies to ensure everyone is alert and hydrated for the full duration of the meeting,” he adds.

Short and sweet – or not at all Dr Hudson suggests reducing standard meeting times. “Our electronic calendars default to a set time, in many cases one hour. Reduce this to 30 minutes.

Most people find that this makes no difference to the productivity of the meeting but makes a huge difference to the overall productivity, particularly when there are many meeting participants who join many meetings each day,” he says.

“If people know they have 30 minutes for most meetings they’ll dispense with the rambling intros and personal weekend accounts and get straight into productive work. That’s more energising for everyone in the meeting and rewards the more organised and focused individuals.”

In addition, consider holding a short daily meeting and cancel a longer weekly one. Change the metaphorical term for your meeting – use words like, ‘scrum’, ‘muster’ or ‘huddle’ and encourage the meeting to move quickly by having people stand instead of sitting. Use this meeting to highlight brief achievements over the past 24 hours and run through what needs to be done next and ensuring bottlenecks are removed. The daily meetings are effective because they are short (10-15mins), everyone is involved in at least one daily huddle and it covers key results and metrics.

Alternatively, to keep the whole thing fresh, have a ‘meeting free day’. Create a day where there are no meetings. This can be a day where employees can catch up on projects and work that needs to be done.

Alternatively, keep 20% of your day free from meetings so you can keep on top of other activities.

Summarise and finish with a bang For optimal ‘take-away value’ it’s best to finish off any meeting or presentation with a bang by making an impact at the conclusion. It might be a video that makes people laugh, an image that is a bit silly.

Alternatively it might be something more serious or a call to action that might leave a mark on the audience.

Make sure you finish every meeting with a ‘thank you’ and ensure time for an open forum or Q&A to ensure everyone is on the same page. If circumstances (and size of group) permit, it’s also great to allow some time for a little social activity to help establish and develop relationships further.

FEATURE

Most importantly, make sure you create a meeting summary to send your attendees which clearly states the next point of call. This also gives you a written record of all that was discussed for future reference.

Free online tools such as Wunderlist can be helpful for managing a tasks list which can be accessed by and shared with all attendees and worked on collaboratively. It can be used everywhere on the go via iPhone, Android, the iPad, on PC & Mac or online with the new browser version. This allows you to keep track of activities needed for completion between one meeting and the next.

Any questions?

If preparation is crucial to the actual presentation or meeting agenda, it’s equally important to prepare for the feedback session that typically follows.

Survey meeting attendees and encourage honest and constructive criticism. Make meetings an opportunity for feedback. Ask simple questions at the end of a meeting. Was this a good use of your time? Have you learned or shared anything that will help us achieve our company goals? Can you explain the purpose of this meeting? What would you suggest is a better way to get the result we’re looking for?

A presenter’s greatest fear is not knowing the answer to an audience member’s question and thus losing control of the situation.

Here’s how to stay in control:

1

Preparation is key Always be prepared from the outset, even if you’re not sure if there will even be a formal Q&A session. You never know when ‘impromptu’ questions might arise. So what do you need to do?

Start by anticipating and making a list of questions that are likely to be prompted by your presentation.

This includes negative questions that aim to dig holes in your position or your message. Once you’ve done this, prepare a response for each and make it part of your rehearsal.

question properly, and it gives you an extra few moments to compose your thoughts.

3

What if there is a domineering questioner in the room?

If someone starts to dominate the Q&A session, you might want to: • Respond to the first question or comment politely.

• Use a tactic such as, “we’ve heard from this side of the room” and then, walk over to the side from which you have not had a question.

• Keep the session moving and try to answer a question from a different person each time, in order to avoid any one person monopolising the discussion and to give the audience more opportunities for input.

4

Handling hostile questions Hostile questions pose a particular challenge, and they can come in a variety of formats. How do you stay in control?

Remain calm. Take a moment to think through your response, stick to the facts and answer the question carefully. It is perfectly acceptable for you to disagree on a point that’s been made, but make sure you are not criticising the questioner or the question that’s been asked.

5

Awkward silence What if there are no questions from the f loor?

Here are some useful tricks: • Ask the audience what they think about your presentation. Do they agree with you? Do they have other opinions?

• Plant a colleague or a friend in the audience. Make sure you choose people who are trustworthy and will ask questions that will spark the process.

2

Restate each question clearly You’ve completed your presentation, it went well and now you open the f loor to a Q&A session. What should you do when the questions start coming?

Avoid giving the wrong answer or facts: make sure you listen closely and stop yourself from interrupting.

Pause before answering and keep your focus on the questioner. This is a great trick to ensure that everyone present (including you), has heard the ISSUE 12.10 HRMASIA.COM 43

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TOP TIPS

Body language • Position your head level both horizontally and vertically when you want to appear authoritative and want what you say to be taken seriously.

• Keep your arms to the side of your body or behind your back- this shows you are not scared to take on whatever comes your way.

• Palms facing slightly up and outward is seen as open and friendly. Palm down gestures are generally seen as dominant and possibly aggressive • Posture is important – slouching collapses the chest and inhibits good breathing, which can contribute to making you feel nervous or uncomfortable.

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• Some people may prefer to ask questions on a 1:1 basis, rather than in the presence of an entire room. Offer to take questions in private too at the end of your presentation to facilitate them.

6

Don’t be a know-it-all You can craft a great presentation and deliver it brilliantly. But if you fumble when responding to questions, you will risk sinking your credibility and the success of the presentation. Here are some useful tips: • If you don’t know the answer, let the questioner know that you don’t have the information to answer right at the moment but offer to revert back at a later time.

• Do not speak outside of your area of expertise.

Remember, you are not expected to know everything.

• Ensure your tone and body language is open: arms uncrossed and speak with an even tone.

• Turn the tables: ask if anyone in the audience has had experience and would like to share their insights if the Q&A turns to an aspect of the topic that you are unfamiliar with.

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Innovation in HR Congress 23-24 January 2013

Recruitment & Retention: Building a Loyal Workforce 18 October 2012

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Graduate Development Congress 23 October 2012 4th Annual Talent Management Congress: Growing a Strong Talent Pipeline 7-8 November 2012

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FEATURE

Strategic HR

When HR and business

communicate HR needs to understand the organisation at every level and align its goals accordingly to bring real value. HRM finds out how developing the right competencies and building relationships with employees and various business units is critical for success

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Most HR professionals trace the origins of “HR business partnering” back to 1997 and HR expert David Ulrich’s book Human Resource Champions. In its simplest terms, business partnering is getting HR professionals engaged in the business and delivering real value to the organisation.

“For me, it helps to break the concept down into two elements. One – the generic sense of business partnering,

where all functions and departments of HR strive to add real value to the business; and two –the actual strategic aspect of business partnering,” says Thomas Fuegner, HR Director – Asia-Pacific, Black & Veatch International.

In the former, he explains that HR functions look more closely at what they are delivering, as opposed to what they are doing, and work more closely with business leaders to help them achieve successful business results.

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Strategic HR Recruiters, for example, would no longer send piles of unfiltered résumés to hiring managers, but rather develop a better understanding of business needs and associated competencies and provide leaders with short-lists of previously-screened, highly-qualified candidates.

“Delivering value to the business becomes paramount throughout the HR organisation,” says Fuegner.

Strategic HR business partnering, on the other hand, is where HR has the often-referenced “seat at the table”.

Senior HR leaders work with business executives to tie HR strategies directly to business strategies.

For example, if a business strategy is to enter selected emerging markets, HR would then “bring to the table” strategies to attract and develop local talent and local leaders, identifying gaps or shortages in job and leadership levels, together with recommended actions to address.

“Not all HR professionals at all levels of the organisation can be considered strategic business partners, but all HR professionals should strive to effectively partner with the business,” says Fuegner.

Towards transformation True and effective HR business partnering translates to proactive support to business leaders by providing them with people insights that will be helpful in meeting business requirements.

“Metaphorically, if an organisation is a car, HR business partners can help provide people dashboards that will enable the driver (management) to drive the car (organisation) not just efficiently but effectively,” says Amor C. Villalon, Director –

Organisation Capability and Development, Regional HR, Fujitsu Asia.

For HR to be a strategic business partner, professionals must have a passion for HR as a driver of business results. “They must also have strong business acumen, using it to identify key issues for the business and apply HR knowledge to drive solutions, recognise trends, and identify systematic approaches to solve problems in this fast-paced, dynamic environment,” Villalon adds.

Fuegner believes HR needs to first look at the business and agree on the need to change and identify outcomes that are to be achieved – outcomes that will bring value and have a direct impact on company goals and objectives.

“Based on these findings, one would then go about re-designing the HR organisation – what departments, policies, practices and processes need to be changed, revitalised, added or removed,” Fuegner continues.

Being an HR Business Partner is a “way of life”, says Soumitra Gupta, Regional HR Director – Asia & CEEMEA, Templeton. HR must reflect on whether it has the right skills within the department to translate organisation strategy into business strategy.

“HR should ask itself how much it knows about the market it operates in, and what the likely talent implications are,” says Gupta. “It must essentially speak the language of the business so that it’s not only a support function to the business.”

Understanding the business is essential – at every level of an HR organisation – and any change anticipated should be in response to a need of the business. HR policies and processes need to be aligned

HR business partner model HR Business Partner

Strategic Partner

Change Agent

Administrative Expert

Employee Champion

HR is a major contributor to business strategy

HR partners with line managers to lead and facilitate change

HR provide more service, better quality and greater accessibility, resulting in lower cost and increased customer satisfaction

HR facilitates, measures, and improves the quality of management and teamwork

Source: Dave Ulrich, Ross School of Business professor at the University of Michigan & partner at the RBL Group – Human Resource Champions, 1997

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Sampling of competencies for HR Business Partner • Strategic – business acumen, problem solving, decision quality, creativity and innovative management, presentation skills • Operational – priority setting, organising and planning, delegating, managing and measuring work • Interpersonal – customer focus, ethics and values, selfknowledge, peer relationships, managing direct reports • International – global business knowledge, cross cultural agility and sensitivity

to the business with the focus on delivering value.

“If HR has the necessary understanding, (and) sees trends and such, then it can be a strategic partner of the business,” says Gupta. “However, if HR only comes into the business strategy planning towards the end, it will not be able to provide the insights that it has the potential to contribute.”

HR business partnership is a continuum. It is about building influence and influencing effectively to establish itself as a trusted advisor, says June Cho, Director – Talent Acquisition (Asia-Pacific), Symantec.

“Because it is a continuum, the transformation needs to ensure that at all times, there is at least a basic, flawless and operational excellence in the delivery of core HR products and services before it can progress into strategic consulting or it finds its journey disrupted by lack of basics,” she explains.

It is therefore essential to free up much of the organisation from many of the administrative aspects of HR. “Commonly referenced solutions to this have been the development of centralised Shared Services organisations and/or business process outsourcing,” says Fuegner.

“Not all HR professionals at all levels of the organisation can be considered strategic business partners, but all HR professionals should strive to effectively partner with the business” – THOMAS FUEGNER, HR DIRECTOR – ASIAPACIFIC, BLACK & VEATCH INTERNATIONAL

Assessing HR business partners One of the most important and possibly most difficult aspects of transformation is to look at an organisation’s HR professionals and assess them relative to the competencies they will need to actually partner with the business.

The right people with the right skills need to be in the right place, says Fuegner.

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Strategic HR that at the end of the day, there is one single, smooth delivery and not a piece-by-piece one,” says Gupta.

“HR needs to clearly demonstrate the effect of its policies and processes on core business outcomes, such as productivity,” says Fuegner. “There also needs to be a range of indicators that allow HR to demonstrate its effect of the medium- and long-term health of the organisation.”

Some metrics (see Table 1) that could be employed include productivity, hire-to-offer ratios, and pay for performance measurements.

Fujitsu Asia identified core competencies required of a successful HR business partner in 2010 and used those competencies in assessing its HR leaders and members across the region. “The competencies are embedded in our different processes from talent acquisition to talent review,” says Villalon.

HR will become a true business partner when management and staff alike start going to HR as the go-to person if they encounter people problems. “HR then becomes an active part of the organisation, not a passive backbencher,” says Gupta.

CONGRESS SERIES

• Productivity – cost per employee, revenue per employee • Employee engagement surveys • Turnover analyses – looking at top performers, reasons for leaving, gender, age, and time with company • Hire-to-offer ratios – reasons for turning down offers, university recruiting metrics • Cycle time – date requisitions prepared, date employee reports to work • Pay-for-performance measurements • Percentage of payroll spent on training

Grand Park Orchard Hotel, Singapore

Develop successful business partnerships with key areas in the organisation Define the role and value of human capital in driving business growth Integrate business and HR strategies that is clearly aligned with the present economic landscape Ensure business continuity through strategic workforce planning Measure the effectiveness and ROI of your HRBP strategies Recognise HR’s role as a strategic partner to enabling change and transformation in the organisation

Participating organisations:

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Metrics to assess HR business partners

HR AS A BUSINESS PARTNER CONGRESS 2012

HR’s capacity as a strategic business partner is a key element to organisational success. The one-day HR as a Business Partner Congress will feature extensively on HR’s transformational leadership, increasing significance in the boardroom and its crucial role as a driver of business growth. HR leaders will share practical insights and solutions to today’s HRBP challenges.

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Table 1:

HRMASIA.COM

| 21 November 2012

Hear from leading experts including: Angela Ryan

Global Chief Talent Officer GROUP M

Amor Villalon

Regional Director, Organisation Capability & Development FUJITSU ASIA PTE LTD

Thomas Fuegner

Director, Human Resources Asia Pacific BLACK & VEATCH

June Cho

Director, Talent Acquisition, APAC & Japan SYMANTEC

Soumitra Gupta

Director - Human Resources, Asia & CEEMEA TEMPLETON ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Mature workers

Re-Engage

SILVER TALENTS Companies who rehire senior workers should not short change them by re-designing roles and reducing salaries. Flexible employment policies and practices can help create a win-win situation for both parties, writes guest contributor Jim Then

Singapore has a rapidly ageing workforce, where the proportion of senior workers (those over 50 years) is set to rise from 22% in 2004 to 29% in 2015. This is due to an increase in life expectancy and Singapore’s declining birth rate, which could result in a shortage of skilled labour. Employers, striving to maintain their global competitive skills advantage, are looking for alternative labour sources, and one solution is to retain and re-engage senior workers.

Senior employees are typically highly skilled and experienced and hiring this category of individuals can save companies significant resources in both the medium and long term. Other advantages of retaining and recruiting senior workers include: • Senior employees frequently demonstrate good work ethics, patience, reliability and loyalty. They typically do not need supervision and have the dedication and pride to do their job well.

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Mature workers • Retaining senior employees also means retaining their established customer relations skills, strong relationships with valued clients, years of experience and corporate memory.

• For many businesses, their customer base is also ageing. Having senior employees is valuable, as they are able to relate better to senior customers, as well as understand how to redesign products and services, making them age appropriate.

• Businesses can save costs in training new and younger employees. Frequently, senior employees can take on the role of a trainer or mentor to their younger colleagues.

Many senior individuals would like to work beyond retirement for different reasons, including keeping their financial independence, staying mentally active and being socially engaged. However, they may not want to carry on doing the same job that they have been responsible for, over the past 20 to 30 years.

Other individuals may have self-imposed expectations about working beyond retirement age and therefore could need some encouragement to continue working.

The Retirement and Re-employment Act 2012 requires employers to continue employing older workers upon reaching 62 years old until they are 65 years if they fulfil the criteria. Unfortunately, the re-employment of senior workers can frequently result in their re-designation and reduction of remuneration, which is perceived as a lack of-recognition of their past contributions, in addition to being unkind. While re-employed senior employees may be willing to accept reduced salaries, this means that employers need to find other ways to motivate, engage and recognise them. In order to see maximum results when employing senior workers, employers will need to put in place flexible employment policies and practices. Here are some suggestions:

Create an age appropriate work environment

• Offer f lexible working arrangements, including f lexible work hours, part-time work, job-sharing or work from home assignments • Ensure that work assignments are age-appropriate, in particular considering factors such as physical demands • Ensure that hiring and employee promotion activities do not discriminate on the basis of age • Ensure that teambuilding activities are appropriate for people of all ages

Skill Development

• Skill development provides senior workers with new challenges and interests. They feel valued and on par with their younger colleagues • Where appropriate, pair senior workers with younger workers to facilitate skills sharing • Be aware that some senior workers may have outdated technical skills, lack of formal or advanced education. Training will solve this problem • Recognise the transferability of experience, competencies and skills of the skilled older workers Skilled labour shortage is a challenge for many employers and industries. One solution is to re-employ senior workers who can provide efficient results.

Hiring senior workers can help businesses maintain a reliable and dedicated workforce that will contribute towards higher productivity and an excellent corporate culture.

Special Employment Credit

Recognition This article is contributed by Jim Then, who develops and conducts preretirement and reemployment courses.

He has received the 2010 Active Ager Award from the Council of Third Age. For more information, visit http://journeyof-longevity.blogspot. com or email thencai@hotmail.com

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• Encourage and recognise the contributions of senior workers with new job designations. For example, mentor, customer relation ambassador, or product consultant.

• Provide health and well-being facilities for senior employees at the workplace. For example, ergonomic equipment, furniture adjustments and lighting.

• Recognise senior employees’ diverse interests and needs with appropriate job postings • Facilitate gradual transition to retirement through succession planning. This can include creating mentorships opportunities for older workers to share their experience. It captures skills, passes on corporate culture and builds bridges between generations.

HRMASIA.COM

The Special Employment Credit (SEC) was introduced as a 2011 Budget Initiative to support employers as well as to raise the employability of older low-wage Singaporeans. It was enhanced this year to provide employers with continuing support to hire older Singaporean workers.

With these enhancements, about 73,000 employers employing 350,000 older Singaporeans are expected to benefit from the SEC. This will cost the Government about $470m per year over the next five years. Employers may qualify for the SEC for workers employed from 1 January 2012 onwards. Payments will be made twice a year. The first payment of the enhanced SEC was made in September this year.

The enhanced SEC will be given to employers who hire Singaporean employees aged above 50 earning up to $4,000 per month. For each Singaporean employee aged above 50 who earns up to $3,000 monthly, employers will receive an SEC of 8% of the employee’s monthly wages. The SEC payout will be lowered for employees with a monthly wage of between $3,000 and $4,000.

For more details visit www.sec.gov.sg

You Have To Be In It, To Win It! Less Than A Month Before Entries Close*

2013 Celebrating Great HR for 10 Years Title Sponsor

Award Partners

*It’s free to enter the HRM Awards. All nomination entries are strictly confidential. Entries close on Friday 26 October 2012.

www.hrmawards.com

FEATURE

Corporate Health

Managing sickies Among the effects of absenteeism is a direct link to decreased productivity across the entire business. HRM considers tips to manage the phenomenon

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

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FEATURE

Unscheduled absenteeism rates have been rising across the world, and what’s worse, employees who don’t show up for work often aren’t physically ill.

For instance, according to research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a third of workers in the UK openly admit to “skiving”.

Workers aged between 18 and 34 are the most common culprits. Forty per cent of skivers will fake symptoms such as sniffing and losing their voice the day before taking a sick day. At the more extreme end of the spectrum, employees will use props such as bandages and crutches to convince their bosses they are indeed ill.

When HR professionals pore through their employees’ sick leave records, one thing that will likely strike them is the disproportionate number of times staff are ill on Fridays and Mondays, or on days adjacent to long weekends.

“A conversation with an employee to ask why their leave pattern is so peculiar is often sufficient to put them on notice that the pattern is being watched – and the pattern breaks” says Loh Lean San, HR Director, Asia-Pacific, for wire and rope manufacturer Bridon Singapore.

Why workers take “sickies” Although boredom, and depression at work (61%) are the most common reasons for taking time off work, some truant workers also cite good weather (11%), hangovers (18%) and romance (5%) as the real reasons behind their absences.

“Absenteeism costs British businesses around £32 billion (US$51 billion) a year, but our findings suggest a large chunk of this loss is preventable,” says Neil Roden, HR consulting partner at PwC. “If people are bored and depressed with their jobs, employers need to think creatively how they can get people back in gear.”

Like a lot of discipline issues, absenteeism is caused by poor leadership under which the recalcitrant staff think and know that they can get away with it, opines Loh. “Setting the rules clearly and enforcing it fairly is key,” he says. ‘Fairly’ means addressing real underlying Long-term issues if it has to do with health.” sickness absence The issue plagues workers in is a big issue for operational areas with mundane jobs more than others. “But really, it is of UK firms where leadership is poor (and) can be Source: Aviva Health in any function,” Loh adds.

45%

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Corporate Health The buck lies with line managers

of employers in the UK have made changes to improve health and wellbeing policy in light of 2012 sports events

For most companies, the responsibility for managing absenteeism is primarily on immediate supervisors and line managers.

“These supervisors are often the only people who are aware that a certain employee is absent,” says Stefani Yorges, professor of psychology at West Chester University and executive coach with the Center for Positive Leaders. “They are, therefore, in the best position to understand the circumstances surrounding an individual’s absence and to notice a problem at an early stage.”

Loh agrees that it is important is to hold line managers accountable for the performance of their teams. “Often, poor supervisors and line managers look at discipline as an HR responsibility, rather than theirs,” he says.

Once they have accepted that it is their responsibility, Loh explains it is then often about coaching managers on how to have ‘tough but necessary conversations’ with staff on such issues.

“HR can coach and then sit in,” he adds.

He cites an example of a supervisor who complained about staff absenteeism. He was coached and then instructed to have a meeting with Loh and the employee in question.

Source: Cisco’s Health and wellbeing research

Absenteeism control

Fit notes replace MCs The Statement of Fitness to Work, or “fit note” replaced the sick note or medical certificate (MC) in the UK in April 2010. The fit note allows doctors to categorise employees as ‘may be fit for work’, as well as ‘unfit for work’. Its aim is to encourage more employees with health problems to agree with their employer about a phased return-to-work, such as reduced hours or the use of varied duties, as part of their rehabilitation and recovery.

According to findings by the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth Absence Management survey, more than half of employers (52%) agree that the introduction of the fit note has enabled line managers to open up important conversations about absence and health issues with their staff and discuss the best way to help get individuals back to work.

Less encouragingly, the survey suggests employers remain unconvinced that the fit note has yet had much impact in helping to reduce levels of employee sickness absence. Just one in ten respondents (11%) said the fit note had reduced absence in their organisation.

Jill Miller, CIPD Adviser, says: “This is perhaps not surprising, considering the culture change needed by general practitioners (GPs), employers and employees to ensure that a phased return-to-work is more frequently regarded as a positive and integral part of employees’ rehabilitation and recovery.”

“GPs and employers need to work from the same page, promoting what is best for the individual employee’s health and well-being, but also what makes sense for the business,” Miller adds.

She says employees too need to be more forthcoming and willing to enter these discussions. She advises policy makers not to be discouraged as it may well take five years or so before the fit note is consistently used effectively and viewed more favourably by GPs, employers and employees, to support early and lasting returns to work.

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13%

40 million

American workers currently do not enjoy paid sick leave Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevention may be easier than cure, given the lengths people often go to cover their tracks. According to the PwC survey, illness is the favoured excuse for 83% of “skivers”, with four out of ten even faking symptoms around the office in preparation for a day off. The illness of choice though, is always one which is difficult to prove: half of all excuses involve gastrorelated problems.

“Employers need to use both carrots and sticks,” advises Roden. “If it’s very easy to call in sick, or you don’t even need to call at all, people are more likely to abuse the system. But if there’s more of a process to follow, people are more likely to think twice about taking time off.”

Still, paying for sick leave does end up saving employers money as workers with this benefit are less likely to be injured on the job, allowing them to remain more productive. According to a study by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, employees with access to paid sick leave were found to have a 28% lowered risk of workplace injury than people without it.

HR can also drive employee wellness initiatives that increase awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyles and put in place programmes that encourage employees to take ownership of their own health.

FEATURE

“For example, in some companies, employees get additional dollars in their healthcare spending pool if they go for regular health screening, achieve certain KPIs with regards to their body mass index and participate in the company’s wellness campaigns which can focus on exercise, healthy diet and stress management,” says Dr Wong Weng Hong, CEO, AsiaMedic.

“For companies with in-house canteens, there is also a trend of HR working with the canteen operators to set healthier menus with health tips pasted all around to reinforce the message,” he adds.

Another key solution to the problem of absenteeism is to make sure staff are not overworked with continuous long hours for example. Loh suggests having a conversation with managers if this is occurring.

“Employers can also have planned leave rather than saving annual leave for potential encashment.

Limiting leave carryover helps reduce this misguided thinking,” says Loh. “Either way, we need to know and do something.”

Healthway_DiscoverBetterCare_FA2.indd 1

“They are, therefore, in the best position to understand the circumstances surrounding an individual’s absence and to notice a problem at an early stage” – STEFANI YORGES, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AT WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY AND EXECUTIVE COACH WITH THE CENTER FOR POSITIVE LEADERS

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MICE

Get the

PARTY STARTED! 58

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Partying hard at DBS

MICE

Year-end parties With the year drawing to a close, and 2013 fast approaching, it’s time for HR to get the party hats and balloons ready. HRM shares some unique party ideas for that ultimate year-end bash Vivien Shiao Shufen The sun is about to set on 2012, and what better way is there but to throw a party to mark the end of another year at the workplace? While it may not have been the best year in terms of the economy, it is still worthwhile to organise an office party to remember all that has happened and celebrate the good moments. After all, a great party is the best way for staff to shake off their worries and toast to a more promising future ahead.

The question is – how can HR plan that awesome office party that will get everyone excited? Employees tend to have high standards about their year-end bash – those that go beyond expectations become a legend of sorts within the company; while those that don’t will just add more artillery for the party poopers to complain. Planning an office party is certainly no walk in the park but there is some good advice that will help HR in its efforts.

Keeping the end in mind When planning, it is important to keep the purpose of the office event in mind. Contrary to what some staff may believe, it is not the opportunity to overly imbibe free alcohol or make advances on their colleagues.

This is especially so in Asia, where office parties are a lot tamer than what some expatriates may be used to back home.

The HR department has a tough task ahead as it juggles the many expectations from different parts of the organisation.

The boss, for example, will want the party to be as cheap as possible. Religious groups will want a party that caters to their varying dietary needs. Generation Y workers typically want a party to be held at a club, while more mature staff will want it to be all over by 8pm. With all these demands, what’s a HR professional to do?

First and foremost, it is crucial for the HR planning team to get together and jot down what the key motivations for having an office party are in the first place. Taking note of what factors are important, and which ones are not, is the best way to ensure that the party does not go off-track.

In most companies, the annual office party is all about gathering everyone in one location to mingle and relax.

“While we have departmental town halls and social gatherings throughout the year, the annual party is an informal platform for people across the bank to connect, have fun, and get to know each other,” says Samantha Chia, Head of HR, Singapore, DBS. For Sylvester Lau, Assistant HR Manager, Hoerbiger KT Asia, the yearly bash is a time when the organisation’s

leaders can connect with their staff. “The annual event celebrates the success and efforts of all throughout the year,” he says. “It allows management to have a direct connection to the employees and recognise their contributions.”

If such aims (no matter how simple) are set, it is easier to to gauge if the party managed to meet objectives at the end.

Location, location, location When asked what the most important aspect of the party is, the answer that various HR professionals gave, aside from meeting the set budget, was the venue.

“Obviously cost is important, but so is location,” says Sheela Gopal, HR manager, Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Pall Filtration. “Ideally, each year’s party should be at a different location as well.”

One unique location that companies can hold their party is on Sentosa Island.

“Besides the usual offerings of four and five-star hotels on the island with their ballrooms, restaurants and bars, this island offers very unique venue options that take guests to the outdoors,” says Steven Chung, Assistant Director, Sentosa Leisure Management. “From beach side pavilions to hilltop dining, we offer attractions all within touching distance that suit all ages, from family fun activities to outdoor adrenaline thrill rides.”

This makes it ideal for family-oriented office parties where employees’ family members are also invited, as there is entertainment for both the children and adults.

“Companies can even book the entire island just for themselves,” suggests Chung. “And no, it won’t cost millions.”

Top party tips • Begin with the end in mind – make sure the party meets objectives and budget.

• Get an official party planner to help out if the work is too much to handle.

• Decide on a fun theme and unique performances to make the event stand out • Publicise it in the office to get staff excited.

• Make sure you plan for the unexpected – transport home for drinking staff is a must.

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MICE

Year-end parties Another venue that companies can consider for their year-end bash is at MAX Atria @ Singapore EXPO. The event spaces there are transformed by natural light and lush garden features, making it an idyllic location. MAX Atria has over 8,000 sqm of space spanning two levels, and features 32 columnless meeting rooms that can be configured into a single, huge party area.

“Having opened only recently, we just started hosting the first dinner and banquet events,” says Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive Officer, Singex Group.

This makes it a refreshing venue for companies to hold their parties as few have done it before. MAX Atria offers plenty of space and can accommodate banquets of up to 800 guests. Companies can benefit from having a bigger stage, dance floor, and more room set-up options. This is topped up with the excellent audio-visual equipment and free wireless internet that will make it easier to execute programmes for the night, Arlando says.

Companies that choose to hold their events there also need not worry about catering. “We have several in-house caterers that can allow dinners and evening drinks to be incorporated into functions. We have also partnered with the award-winning TungLok Group as MAX Atria’s resident Chinese banquet caterer.”

Peridot at MAX Atria

It’s a “theme” thing To make the party fun, one thing that HR can do is to come up with a theme that will ensure that staff all turn up in zany outfits. This creates an opportunity for much laughter, as employees will get to see their colleagues and even their boss in a different light.

It can be even better if staff have to collaborate in teams to create their own outfits or perform an item, as this promotes a sense of camaraderie across the organisation. It also creates a great atmosphere leading up to the event as employees get excited planning and letting free their creativity.

“As a bank born and bred in Asia, our party themes always reflect our Asian identity,” shares Chia. “For

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Year-end parties

Top party themes • Egyptian • Shanghai Night • Pirates • Black and white • Retro • Hollywood glamour • Fairy tale • Cowboy/ Rodeo • Nautical • Venice Carnivale

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example, last year’s theme was ‘Sensasian’ – a play on the words ‘Asian and ‘sensation’. Our colleagues put up performances celebrating our Asian presence.”

DBS also tries to incorporate different elements to their party each year to spice things up. “There was one year we had sand art and electric kites at the party. We also have fun competitions such as ‘Don’t Forget the Lyrics’- style games and lucky draws to keep the crowd excited.”

Lau also reminisced about some fun office parties he has attended in his career.

“In my past companies, we had an office party with a cowboy or rodeo theme. We also had ‘retro’, as well as a party with cocktails on a cruising yacht,” says Lau. “This year we have not decided on the theme and location yet, but we would like to venture further, perhaps even overseas.”

Chung is another one who has seen his fair share of well-received themed parties at Sentosa.

“I have seen countless of them,” he says. “A Piratethemed party by the beach, a costumed party at the Glass House, and most popular of all, beach parties at one of the beach clubs in Tanjong and Siloso. The sky’s the limit when you have massive outdoor space.”

HRMASIA.COM

Keeping spirits up Even with the most comprehensive planning, sometimes things just don’t go as planned. It is not uncommon for a party to get out of hand when there’s too much alcohol, and HR ought to have some precautionary measures for this possible outcome.

However, since it is a year-end party, employees are expecting to have fun and let loose, so it may not be a good idea for companies to be too restrictive. It would be ideal to send out an email beforehand outlining what is considered inappropriate behaviour, and to ensure that staff make considered transport arrangements after drinks.

According to Chung, the tip is not to withhold alcohol completely.

“I’m not sure if you want to be at a party when there’s not enough alcohol served,” says Chung. “Seriously though, the level-headed answer would be not to leave the tab open – it will kill you. Negotiate for a fixed open bar price. Spending on the right stuff means focusing on the things that matter.”

And after all, no one wants a party where staff say they would rather be working than spend another minute there. As most things go – balance is key.

IN PERSON

HR talent Manish Gupta

Regional Talent Acquisition APAC, APJ & SEA, Expedia

Years in HR? 10+ Years

great people across the world, helping them to reach their maximum potential, and finally creating a high engagement environment to apply their potential.

Why HR? My passion for this dynamic profession is what drives me to stay in HR. One thing which I like and enjoy the most about the HR profession is being able to use my ability, skills and experience as a trusted advisor to add value to the businesses. In this profession, I get to meet people from every aspect of life and great leaders from all domains of businesses.

Why Expedia?

Expedia is a great place to work as it provides great work life balance, challenging job opportunities and great colleagues to work with. The travel benefits are awesome with great deals on flights, hotels and car rentals. Expedia also has a flexible work environment, fun loving culture and travel opportunities around the globe.

Biggest achievement?

The biggest still might be on the cards, however, I personally feel a great sense of achievement in finding

Biggest challenge?

Finding and retaining quality talent will continue to be essential to business sustainability, and most industries and countries will experience a widening talent gap for highly skilled jobs and the next generation of mid and senior leaders. As Expedia becomes larger with greater global footprints, the importance of globalisation and successfully integrating markets across borders will be of critical importance.

Family?

We are expecting our first child later this year (due in Oct), so we are very excited and I’m on top of the world.

What happens after hours?

Networking with professionals, exploring local, regional and global news channels. My wife and I always take time out from our busy schedules to cook at home together. We also like visiting friends and inviting them to our home.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Salt tapas & bar

Great flavours at Salt tapas & bar Singapore’s restaurant scene is fast becoming one to watch, with a string of celebrity chefs setting up shop here.

Salt tapas & bar by top Australian chef Luke Mangan, is a recent entrant that has been stirring up a fair amount of excitement in this space.

Salt tapas was opened shortly after the arrival of Salt grill & Sky bar, Mangan’s first restaurant in the country situated at ION Orchard. The tapas concept is a first for the chef, bringing a modern Australian twist to Spanish food.

Situated at Raffles City opposite Raffles Hotel, the 120-seat restaurant has a warm, cosy interior that is both exciting and inviting. Featuring an industrial chic décor, pared with red bricked walls and authentic Spanish

tiles, the premise offers both alfresco dining and indoor seats.

Helmed by Mangan’s disciple Chef Tom Wells, Salt tapas offers a varied and sumptuous menu that will please anyone.

Some of their specialties include Arancini of wild mushroom and leek with Taleggio and green goddess dressing, tagine of snapper and octopus, taco of tempura prawn, pineapple salsa and chipotle aioli and roasted pumpkin salad with dukkah, Spanish blue cheese, pear and walnuts.

One standout item is the baked bone marrow with shiitake duxelles, parmesan and air dried olive – the bone marrow was savoury, rich and earthy.

Their sweet treats here are also outstanding. Standouts include a delightfully gooey hot chocolate tart

that is served with caramelised banana and peanut butter ice cream, as well as a tasty vanilla crème brulee pared with a tart rhubarb sorbet.

The laidback atmosphere and great food at Salt tapas makes it an excellent choice for corporate functions as companies have the option of booking the entire restaurant for the event. It is also ideal for client lunches or as a means to reward staff due to its central location.

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Salt tapas & bar #01-22A, Raffles City Shopping Centre, No 252, North Bridge Road, Singapore 179103 Tel: (65) 6837 0995 Web: www.SaltTapas.com Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday, tapas 11.30 – 22.00, drinks till 23.30, closes midnight Friday & Saturday, tapas 11.30 – 22.30, drinks till 23.30, closes midnight Sunday, tapas 11.30 – 21.00, drinks till 22.00, closes 22.30

SUPPLEMENT 63

TALENT CHALLENGE

Employee engagement

Engaging Gen Y How can HR maximise the potential of their Gen Y staff?

Shalini Bhateja Global Director – Talent Development, Schneider Electric

This question is at the top of the minds of most organisations around the globe.

With age demographics changing across the world, Gen Y is going to be the most critical workforce in the coming years. Hence, in order to engage them and harness their full potential, HR need to first understand what motivates Gen Y. Gen Y is more creative, tech savvy, green and energetic. They do not understand how people can work in the same company for a long time – terms like loyalty and retention have different meanings for them. Most of them have been brought up in an almost affluent environment where the basics of life were never the issue. Hence, their frame of mind is not to just make ends meet and lead a good life, but make a difference wherever they are.

Understanding these aspects about them is critical for HR. If this generation is more involved in decision making, mirror groups, cross business projects and the like, they will feel more valued and engaged. Also, companies which have a strong social economy strategy and a strong social engagement model will be able to attract and retain this workforce as this satisfies their core need to make a difference. The key for HR is to think like Gen Y and design their Employee Value proposition in a way that will fit them.

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Ajit Iyer

HR Director, Proprietary Pharmaceutical Division – Asia, Africa, Australia, Middle East, Abbott Laboratories

In three simple words: Think Like Them. As HR professionals, our foremost role is to identify, attract, develop and retain top talent.

Therefore, we need to ensure we are shaping the workplaces we lead to leverage on what these set of employees have to offer. In my years working in HR, I was instrumental in hiring and managing many Gen Y employees. This experience has been invaluable in shaping my views on the most effective ways to do so. Here are a few key aspects I would not lose sight of: • Communicate Candidly: Ensure you create a forum where your senior executives can communicate directly with Gen Y. • Design and build a simple and accessible organisation: Ensure our organisations are not a cumbersome collection of processes. Organise Lunch-n-learn sessions between senior Gen X and upcoming Gen Y talent to thaw any ice.

• Recognise their Choices and Rights – go with the flow: Work with your business leaders to create family-friendly workplace policies – telecommuting and job sharing are great options to explore. Flexible work options are another.

• Play their game… Network and be seen as one of them: Visit and lecture at Universities. This is a great way to build your understanding of what motivates this group and it helps your organisation to be visible on campus.

Tina Sharma

Assistant Vice President, HR, State Bank of India, Singapore

Demands of Gen Y reflect a shifting business mindset that organisations cannot ignore. Employees of this generation want and expect more from their careers. In addition, they want to excel and move up the career ladder quickly.

HR should form strategies and implement ways to train and develop their Gen Y staff so that they can increase their value and become more productive.

By doing so, it allows these workers to progress more rapidly within their organisations.

To maximise their potential, it is important to provide them with opportunities of career advancement. This can be in a form of special rotational assignments.

These tasks will keep them challenged and give them a sense that they are gaining a variety of experiences. It is an effective way to enhance their career development and prevent job boredom.

Such assignments along with a proper performance framework, benchmarks and metrics will keep them informed of what is expected of them and what they have to do to succeed in their roles. This will keep them engaged and motivated.

Effective recognition programmes that links rewards directly to performance, and provided as soon as the performance objectives are met, is another way to effectively engage Gen Y.

TALENT FEATURE

Robert Walters

5 Rules to powerful leadership Practicing what you preach and being a good follower are some of the key traits displayed by top leaders in the world today, writes Gwen Lim, Manager, HR specialist recruitment division, Robert Walters Singapore consent he must win and the control he must exert in order to move the organisation and his people to the next level.

Gwen Lim

Manager, HR specialist recruitment division, Robert Walters Singapore

When people think about leadership, they will undoubtedly turn to their senior management to provide it.

There is no one-size-fit-all, pre-formulated pill to effective leadership. However, since much about it can be learnt from emulating others, we benchmarked and examined some of the best leaders in the world to develop the “5 Rules of Powerful Leadership”.

Rule #1 – Practise what you preach It may be a very simple rule, but surprisingly not an easy one to follow. More often than they realise, there are discrepancies between what the management preaches and what they actually do. Such discrepancies might even seem insignificant, but could potentially cripple the credibility of your leaders and management. The CEO of Renault-Nissan, Carlos Ghosn hit the nail right on the head when he commented, “I personally believe the best training is management by example. Don’t believe what I say. Believe what I do.”

Rule #2 – Walk the tightrope Tony Blair once said that the art of leadership is saying no - because it is actually easier to say yes. There are times when being a leader requires sound judgement and the ability to make tough or even unpopular decisions so that things can get done. Lyndon B Johnson, America’s 36th US President, could not have articulated this rule any better: “It’s the price of leadership to do the thing you believe has to be done at the time it must be done.” A good leader walks a tightrope at all times, balancing between the

Rule #3 – Be a good follower This rule is not usually touted in leadership books, but it is one of the most underrated and critical aspect of leadership.

The Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle believed that “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” The best way to learn is to be a good follower, and constantly benchmark yourself against those whom you aspire to be. As you emulate the best leaders and learn from their success, you also learn to adjust your responses accordingly to your seniors and the situation at hand, and gain insights on how to communicate with your staff.

Rule #4 – Treat your people as assets One common trait among great leaders is that they have a strong self-awareness of their strengths and capabilities, as well as the confidence to surround themselves with great people who can complement them, and compensate them in areas where they are lacking. The former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter said: “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be.” Your people should be constantly challenged to reach their full potential and make a difference, not only for the company but for themselves as well.

Rule #5 - Assess yourself regularly Leadership is a constant, on-going process of learning and refining your management styles, influencing skills, approaches and understanding of the people working with you and for you.

To lead effectively, you need to stay ahead of the game all the time, and be highly adaptable to changes and shifts in trends and attitudes. Regular self-assessment will not only keep you on track, it also provides great guiding principles in your leadership duties. As John Fitzgerald Kennedy astutely observed: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”, you will find there is indeed some wisdom in those words.

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For more information Email: gwen.lim@ robertwalters. com.sg

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TALENT LADDER

HR movements Lakshmi Narayanan

HR Business Partner, APAC, Electrolux Home Appliances Lakshmi Narayanan has taken on the role of HR Business Partner at Electrolux Home Appliances, Singapore. He joins Electrolux from Sony Mobile Communications, where he was the HR Business Partner for the Asia Pacific region.

Narayanan has extensive experience across various facets of HR management in the Telecommunications and Home Appliances industries. He specialises in organisational

development, compensation and benefits, talent management, employee engagement, and HR strategy and execution.

In his new role, Narayanan will partner two key business groups within the Electrolux Major Appliances sector to drive business growth in the region.

“Having the opportunity to join one of the leading global players in the home appliances industry is definitely exciting. I’m thrilled to

be part of a highly engaged team, where you can see how each and every employee strives to incorporate the core values of having the passion for innovation, being customer obsessed and driven by results, into our daily work and interactions with one another. I’m looking forward to contributing to the success of the organisation by achieving even greater milestones for the company in this region.”

Jaslyn Ng

Manager, Compensation & Benefits, International Rectifier South-east Asia Jaslyn Ng is the new Compensation & Benefits Manager for Asia at International Rectifier.

Ng embarked on her HR career as an intern with DHL and has since accumulated six years of C&B experience with top MNCs including DHL, Coca-Cola and DuPont. She has a diploma in C&B management at Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI).

Ng has much experience in designing and implementing C&B programmes, developing pay structures, conducting job evaluations and managing expatriates. Her other specialities in HR include HR management, performance management, payroll and planning HR policies “I am grateful and blessed to

have wonderful mentors who have guided and granted me the exposure on a local and regional level. Currently, I am reviewing the Compensation & Benefits policies for alignment across the region. I am looking forward to be part of a dynamic HR team to add value to the business by aligning the corporate and individual needs.”

industries and has worked in both local and regional capacities.

Previously, he was from Vopak, the largest independent tank storage provider in Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals industries.

“The opportunity to join the pioneering team and build the company from ground up is truly God sent. In my new role, I am tasked with translating the vision

of my executive team into HR initiatives and it is so exciting when the leadership puts so much emphasis on people and shaping the company’s culture. We are building an organisation that will raise the standards of offshore drilling. The energy that surrounds the whole team is phenomenal so watch out for S.D. Standard Drilling!”

Eugene Loh

Global Head of HR, S.D. Standard Drilling Eugene Loh has recently been appointed the Global Head of HR at S.D. Standard Drilling. He is responsible for leading the company’s HR strategy and programmes which includes talent acquisition & development, business partnering, total rewards, employee inclusion and engagement.

Loh has a total of 13 years of experience across various

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SUPPLEMENT

RESOURCES

Book Reviews

Real Leaders Leaders can be found in every organisation, but what makes someone a real leader? According to Lily and Peter Cheng, authors of Real Leaders, it is every single decision he or she makes that constitutes deliberate leadership practices, character and ultimately – culture. It is the ability to maintain that fine balance between personal and position influence. It is the fundamental power to transform mediocrity into excellence.

The book explores the concept of true leadership through real-life case studies of senior level executives and leaders spanning 17 countries across, Asia, Europe and America. It is the culmination of the authors’ 60 years of combined corporate and consulting experience, integrated with insights from well-grounded Western and Asian management philosophies.

Real Leaders features comprehensive steps to culture and performance management, by providing practical tools for companies to build culture, create loyalty and retain talent. The book reveals the complex relationship between character and competency, equipping leaders with actionable skills

to tackle day-to-day challenges and translate theories into practical know-how. It aims to create value-aligned, committed and competent human capital that will invigorate organisational growth.

The book highlights six essential ‘C’s for leaders: competence, creating an inclusive environment, compassion, character, conviction with courage and credibility.

The book offers a potent combination of Western and Asian perspectives on leadership, making it a valuable resource for leaders in an increasingly globalised world.

The book is broken down into manageable chunks for readers to digest without the complicated theories and jargon that plague most business books. It focuses on personal character and values – highly relevant aspects of leadership that are often overlooked.

This compelling and engaging book is recommended for leaders that would like to connect with their teams, and transform their operations to high-performing, world- class organisations.

Title: Real Leaders Author: Lily Cheng and Peter Cheng Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Cost: $24.93

TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

HR at work 9:00am Just stepped into office. I avoid coffee and drink lots of water. I go through the e-mails and after the first scan, respond to them one by one. I don’t usually schedule conference calls in the morning and therefore it’s the best time to think through complexities and work on policy advice for my clients.

Amitabh Nigam International HR Business Partner – ABS Global Customer Service, AT&T

12.00pm Am off to lunch! I usually take the Science Park shuttle bus to grab my favorite food – Indonesian Steamed Chicken rice at NUS Science Wing food court. This hour also gives me to time to think and plan for the rest of the day.

them and chat on the Q instant messenger, which I feel is a very effective way to communicate. I also use this time for scheduling face to face meetings with local clients.

6.00 pm Check my outlook diary for occasional conference calls in the evening. If there is none, I view the schedule for the next day and head home so that my 10-month-old daughter and I can sit by the pool-side. She loves to be at the swimming pool while being in the safety of dad’s arms. This is indeed the best part of my day!

1.00 pm I am back to office and schedule daily telephone discussions with clients and HR partners in the APAC region. That helps in providing effective HR solutions to internal customers. I remind myself to drink two litres of water throughout the day.

7:30pm My other half and I hit the gym twice a week. My trainer would come to guide us on diet and exercises.

3.00 pm E-mails start coming-in from HR colleagues and clients in Europe. I respond to

10.00pm Thirty minutes of light reading and off to sleep.

8:30pm Time to relax with dinner and television.

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Jenae Grieveson Singapore

frazerjones.com

HR Roles Frazer Jones exclusively focuses on the Global HR market and our specialist teams recruit across the full HR spectrum for local, regional and global positions, encompassing all levels and industries. Established in 1996 in the UK, Frazer Jones is a market leader in almost all of the geographic locations in which we operate. With offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Dubai, Sydney and Melbourne, and a proven track record in Europe as well as demonstrable capability recruiting in the Americas, Frazer Jones assists clients and candidates across the globe.

HR Business Partner FMCG Headquartered in Europe, our client is a leading MNC with a presence in over 30 countries. They are looking for a confident, talented HR BP to join the team. Reporting to the HR Director, you will be responsible for the full spectrum of HR, helping to influence the strategy and drive through change.

You will proactively develop and implement solutions around performance management, talent development, C&B and organisational change. This is an excellent opportunity within a fast paced, high-touch environment.

Candidates must have at least 5 years’ experience and possess strong interpersonal and influencing skills. Ref: FN187011 To SG$120,000

HR Manager PR & Comms Exciting HR Manager position for a global PR and Communications firm. This is a great opportunity for a solid generalist with experience in marketing, PR or advertising. Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the full-spectrum of HR activities, including staffing, employee relations, C&B and will be a savvy user of social media to develop recruitment practices.

This role will support the Managing Director of HR across Asia Pacific and therefore an understanding of regional culture and practices will be advantageous. Candidates should be engaging, creative and proactive, while excellent communication skills are essential. Ref: JGN/187981 SG$78,000

To discuss HR roles across Asia, please contact Fiona Nesbitt or Jenae Grieveson on +65 6420 0515.

Alternatively, email fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com or jenaegrieveson@frazerjones.com Visit frazerjones.com for all of our latest HR roles | EA Licence No: 10C4100.

THE SR GROUP . BREWER MORRIS . CARTER MURRAY . FRAZER JONES . SR SEARCH . TAYLOR ROOT LONDON . DUBAI . HONG KONG . SINGAPORE . SYDNEY . MELBOURNE

Searching for HR professionals?

Look no further than HRM Singapore

Number 1 Media for Reaching HR Audited at 15,235 copies per month - HRM Singapore’s HR job listings reach more HR professionals each month than any other media. And with our competitive pricing you can increase the number of quality responses - whilst saving money!

Please contact us on (65) 6423 4631 for full details

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Specialists in HR Recruitment

164 offices in 34 countries | www.michaelpage.com.sg

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www.achievegroup.asia Singapore | Malaysia | Hong Kong

Established in 1990, the Achieve Group is a multi award-winning organisation and HR outsourcing partner-of-choice for local conglomerates and multinational corporations within the Asia Pacific region. It specialises in Talent Acquisition comprising General Recruitment, Technology Recruitment, Foreign Recruitment and Executive Search Divisions, as well as HR Consulting.

EA Licence No.: 05C3451

1. Human Resource Manager

2. Human Resource Manager

West Area / Near MRT, 5 days Very good benefits

Orchard, 5 days

Our Client, in the Education industry located in the Town area, is seeking for suitable candidates to join them as HR Manager.

Responsibilities • Setting up and maintaining of employee folders • Maintaining employee information in the HR database • Supporting the Business Partner team by initiating employee change forms

and paperwork relating to organizational structure changes, internal transfers, promotions, leaves, salary changes & re-organizations, cost centre changes (including completion of letters of employment) • Generating monthly headcount report and also ad hoc reports for HR department • Respond to management and employee on HR related inquiries • Coordinating logistics for large team meetings • Coordinates employee claim reports for submission and assist in escalation of claim grievances • Administration of leave of absence such as annual leave, medical leave, childcare leave and etc • Applications of employment pass for foreign local hires and assist with employment visas application for international assignees • Payroll processing • Overseeing special projects and other HR matters

Requirements • Candidate must possess at least a Diploma/Degree in Human Resource Management or equivalent

• At least 4 year(s) of working experience in the related field is required for this position

• Strong knowledge of Singapore employment-related laws and regulations • Excellent interpersonal skills and possess strong leadership skills • Good initiative, resourceful and meticulous • Good command of spoken and written English

Our client, a well-known and established company in healthcare is inviting suitably qualified candidates fill the position as a HR Manager.

Responsibilities The Manager, Human Resources will be responsible for the full spectrum of HR activities for the assigned business unit in Singapore. The incumbent will also assist in harmonization of HR function across different business units in Singapore and support ad-hoc projects as assigned. This position reports to Director, Human Resources.

• Provide HR business partnership to assigned business unit on all HR matters including recruitment & selection, talent management, compensation & benefits, leadership development • Coaching managers and employees on HR policies, labour laws and best people practices • Ensure excellence in HR service delivery and operational support to management and staff • Support harmonization of HR policies and SOP across different business units in Singapore • Lead/support HR projects as assigned

Requirements • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management or other disciplines • At least 7-8 years of relevant experience in HR operations and HR business partnership in a healthcare or related professional services organization

• Ability to interact with all levels of employees including senior management, healthcare professionals, and support staff

• A strong team player • Possess high energy and strong interpersonal skills

Interested candidate please submit your updated resume in MS Word format to: Position 1: blessing8@achievegroup.asia Position 2: strike7@achievegroup.asia We regret only shortlisted candidate will be notified.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

141 Market Street #13-00 International Factors Building Singapore 048944 T +65 6323 0050 F +65 6323 3006 ISSUE 12.10

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Returning the Human to Resourcing

Rewards HR Manager, Healthcare

HRD, North Asia (Based in Shanghai)

Learning and Development Manager

Reputable Global Healthcare

Strategic and Business Partnering HR

Industry Leader

Global Exposure

Transformation Agenda

Newly Created Role

Salary Circa S$85K – S$110K

Competitive Remuneration

Exciting Career Opportunity

Our client is an innovative player in Asia medical hub and a global leader in the field of integrated healthcare. Headquartered in Singapore, the company is expanding their presence regionally.

Our client is a globally respected organization within the Transportation and Logistics industry.

As they are embarking on an aggressive change agenda, there is now an opportunity for a high calibre HR professional to join them in their North Asia operations, to be based in Shanghai.

Our client is a leading global MNC. Innovative, exciting and high growth potential would best describe the businesses that they are in. As a further extension of their innovative streak, there is now an opportunity to join them in this newly created role.

Reporting to the Global Head of HR, you will partner the businesses and drive the HR transformation at all levels. Leading a team, you will embark on HR rationalization, implement best practices and process improvements and morph, through direct and indirect influencing, the function of HR from an administrative one to that of a strategic and business partnering nature.

Reporting to the VP HR, you will work very closely with the business in identifying learning and development opportunities across all levels.

You will be involved in the strategic design and delivery of the learning architecture and solutions that enable the achievement of overall business objectives. In the delivery of solutions, you are expected to harness technology, especially in the deployment and rollout of best practices and solutions across the region.

You are HR qualified and have a demonstrated track record of success in a senior HR capacity.

Prior work experience in China and/or HR operations experience in North Asia is a must for this role. Given the seniority of this position, you are expected to partner comfortably with senior leaders within the organization and bring the business HR function to the next level. You are excellent in building relationships and demonstrate strong leadership qualities.

Ideally, you are degree qualified preferably with specializations in learning and development and/or organizational development. You are adept with new technology and can comfortably harness them in delivering HR solutions. You are both strategic in thought and operationally hands-on. Strong project management skills and deep China/India experience is advantageous. As this is an individual contributor role, you must be resourceful, self driven and comfortable working independently.

To apply, please submit your resume to Cecelia Koh at ck@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number CK4546\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Cecelia Koh at ck@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number CK4565\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Reporting to the VP of Rewards & HR Effectiveness, you will be responsible for leading the Rewards & Retention function globally. The role partners in benchmarking, design formulation, participate in communication protocols and assist in organisation wide R&R initiatives to ensure all policies are deployed seamlessly. You will ensure all C&B practices meet its goals effectively, within the guidelines and policies of the organization.

Master’s Degree in HRM, Business Administration or related, or an equivalent combination of education and related HR experience is necessary. You will have at least 8 years of experience in Compensation & Benefits, Incentives and Retention Management. With sound understanding of HR conceptual frameworks and applications, you are analytical with good influencing, negotiation, and presentation skills, coupled with the ability to work in a cross-cultural environment. You must also be experienced in working with HR software systems and products (SAP, PeopleSoft, etc.)

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC4437\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

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HRM Awards 2009 Sponsor of the Best HR Manager of the Year Award

Head of Talent & Learning Operations

Head of Employee Relations

HR Shared Services Manager (Global MNC)

Global Bank

Global Bank

Newly Created Position

Competitive Remuneration

High Growth Potential

Global Headquarter

Excellent Career Progression

Excellent Career Progression

To Start Up Shared Services

This premier global bank promotes talent and learning development through its well-established talent management practices and programs.

It is recruiting a dynamic and high caliber Head of Talent and Learning Operations.

Our client is a leading global bank with significant business interest globally. It is now recruiting a dynamic Head of Employee Relations.

Our client is an established multinational with a strong global footprint. An opportunity now exists for a strategic business partner to join them in this generalist role.

Reporting to the Head of HR Country Service Delivery and Group Head of Talent and Learning Product Delivery, and managing a dynamic team, you will provide thought leadership, delivery expertise and support to the Talent and Learning function to ensure seamless implementation of Talent and Learning products and services. This would cover technology infrastructure, process optimization, standards, governance and controls, decision-support analytics and financial data analysis, risk management and team management.

Reporting to Singapore Head of HR, you will provide advice and support to business on strategic people management issues and Industrial Relations environment in the country.

You will align ER structure and processes to support business model and deliver business performance, and ensure compliance with regulations and corporate governance.

You will support Global Head of ER to deliver key deliverables and implement strategy in fostering healthy employer-employee relationships, with particular emphasis on relations with unions.

Reporting to the Global Head of Shared Services, you are responsible to set up and lead a team of HR Shares Services for the Singapore office. You will play a pivotal role to the implementation and delivery of HRSS; which involves prioritization and development of shared services offerings and capabilities, continuous improvement and the on-going management of team deliverables. You will oversee daily operations of HR Shared Services and act as the focal point for all Shared Services issues and escalations.

Degree qualified, you will have at least 15 years of relevant experience gained in a progressive bank or MNC. With strong interpersonal and leadership skills, you are familiar with learning technologies, process migration, project management, financial analysis and product management life cycle for talent and learning products.

Degree qualified, you will have at least 10 to 12 years of relevant experience gained in a progressive bank or MNC. With strong leadership and communication skills, you possess strong union management experience and high sensitivity to the social, economic and political environment.

Ideally you are degree qualified preferably in HR, ideally in a HR Shared Services setting with preference in regional capacity. You have good functional and operational knowledge of HR processes. You also have excellent communication and influencing skills. Being a mature team player, you are also strong in problem solving and analytical thinking skills.

To apply, please submit your resume to Adnan Atan at aa@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number AA4060\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Adnan Atan at aa@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number AA4486\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number YY4547\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Licence No: C690801Z

Asiamoney Headhunters Poll 2009 Best Headhunting Firm - Middle/Back-Office category No. 2 in Asia

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts Vp level Hr Business partner - trading company lead regional Hr initiatives

senior Hr Business partner contribute to future Hr strategy

As a market leader in its industry, this trading powerhouse has a growing presence in Singapore and Asia. They are looking for a HR Business Partner to support their expanding front office. This is a fantastic opportunity to have regional exposure and be actively involved in strategic planning, operational decisions, talent development, retention, employee relations and performance management. Other areas of focus will include leading Asia Pacific HR programs and initiatives.

This global MNC within the FMCG industry is going through some restructuring and is looking for a Senior HR Business Partner to provide partnership, leadership, direction and expertise across aligned businesses for the full scope of HR functions. With over eight years of HR experience, ideally within a matrix environment, you are a true HR partner, having a number of years experience working with the business. You are able to assist the HR Director in driving strategy throughout.

regional Hr Business partner Draw up a new challenge

senior compensation consultant Work with some of the major mncs in singapore

This multinational engineering organisation provides specialised products and services to multiple industries. They are seeking a HR Business Partner to report to the Group Head of HR, leading a team of HR Managers covering the full spectrum of HR activities for their engineering division. Your key focus will be to lead and maintain robust HR functions, putting in place good HR practices and processes. You will interface with business leaders, playing the role of strategic HR Business Partner to senior management.

A leading human resource consulting firm, specialising in total rewards solutions, is looking for a compensation specialist to join the business. The role will encompass the development, implementation and communication of total compensation and talent management strategies. You must be a Degree holder in HR, Actuarial Science, Statistics, Engineering, Computational Finance, Mathematics, Accountancy, Finance or Economics and have at least five years relevant experience within C&B, including performance based compensation plan design and modelling, salary structuring, performance management and measurement systems.

please contact ash russell, thomas Girling or Vargin Yeke at hr.singapore@hays.com.sg or +65 6303 0721.

hays.com.sg

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Great people are at the heart of every successful business. It is this belief to invest in our team at Charterhouse that makes it possible for us to provide our clients with professional, specialised and tailored executive search services and the best possible talent for each company.

People are our business

Our client list spans across multi-national companies and global enterprises with a vested interest in people and talent development. These companies are currently searching for HR professionals to develop a rewarding professional career for and to value add to the following professional and executive roles.

HR Director

HR Specialist, Learning & Development

A world class leader and an award winning company in the technology industry, this prestigious organisation is looking for a strategic HR Director to lead its regional activities and strategies spanning across Hong Kong and Greater China.

Our client is a reputable organisation in the �inancial sector with great presence in both local and foreign market. They are looking for a HR Specialist, Learning & Development to drive its internal capabilities.

Responsibilities:

• develop and implement HR systems and strategies relating to talent management • oversee all HR activities and processes to ensure smooth and effective operations • lead and drive strategic projects pertaining to HR policies, processes, plans and programs

Requirements:

• degree holder & with at least 10 years’ of leadership experience • membership of the Institute of Training Professionals would be an added advantage • self-starter, team player, collaborative and diplomatic with strong leadership business partnering, in�luential, interpersonal and communications skills in a sizeable multinational setting

Responsibilities:

• with relevance in area in fund management, to design and organise a menu of programs in organisational development • develop training programs by working with business units in identifying and meeting staff learning and development needs • reinforce or in�luence the development culture through targeted strategic initiatives and programs • manage the organisation programs in internal of�ices which include overseas programs coordination and implementation

Requirements:

• minimum Business/HR degree quali�ied • relevant working experience in curriculum design and program development • possess strong analytical and interpersonal skills and organisational ability • required to do stand-up delivery, plus putting together new courses based on requirements

To apply, please email your CV to hr@charterhouse.com.sg

To apply, please email your CV to hr@charterhouse.com.sg

HR Specialist, Organisational Development

Regional Director, Compensation & Bene�its

Our client, a notable MNC in the �inancial services sector, is looking for a HR Specialist, Organisational Development to drive its internal capabilities within its organisation.

Our client, one of the global leaders in Technology, is looking for a Regional Director, Compensation & Bene�its to spearhead the C&B initiatives in APAC and Greater China for strategic growth of the company.

Requirements:

Requirements:

Responsibilities:

• work in consultation with HR BPs and senior management team to improve the organisation’s performance and effectiveness • enabling future growth of key employees through the management of sponsorship of professional and technical development programs • govern all aspects of learning, planning and delivery - Content Development, Administration, Budgetary Control, External Funding • deliver organisation development services through the management of partnerships with external organisations • broad spectrum of knowledge on HR capabilities • strong leadership skills to lead people through organisational change process • effective communicator across different levels • good understanding of the general business environment and labour market To apply, please email your CV to hr@charterhouse.com.sg

Responsibilities:

• lead and drive multiple local, regional and international C&B projects/programs • ensure internal equity and external competitiveness through competitive benchmarking for the regions • drive focal planning and lead the C&B Team for APAC and Greater China • drive alignment between the business partners and leaders • lead market intelligence via survey vendors and staying abreast with latest trends across regions • minimum Business/HR degree quali�ied with 6 years’ of experience in C&B and people management in MNCs • experience in designing, implementing and managing C&B programs across regions • creative, analytical and collaborative with strong business partnering, stakeholder management and leadership skills

To apply, please email your CV to hr@charterhouse.com.sg

For more information on your career and recruitment needs, please visit www.charterhouse.com.sg Charterhouse believes in investing in people. If you want to join a company that provides more than a job but a rewarding career call Gary Lai at +65 6435 5601 or email garyl@charterhouse.com.sg.

EA Licence Number: 06C3997

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Best Cruise Operator, Asia 2008 – 2011

A N SW E R I T W I T H R OYA L C A R I B B E A N

THE SEA CALLS WITH WAVES OF INSPIRATION WE ANSWER WITH THE BEST PLACE TO EXPERIENCE THEM ALL LEGEND OF THE SEAS - CRUISE ESCAPADES 2-NIGHT MALACCA CRUISE Onboard meeting facilities

Singapore Departures: 2012 Nov 3, 2013 Feb 6, Mar 23 Ports-of-call: Malacca

3-NIGHT BEST OF MALAYSIA CRUISE Singapore Departures: 2012 Oct 31, Nov 9, 16, 23, 30, Dec 7, 14, 26, 2013 Feb 22, Mar 1, 8, 29 Ports-of-call: Malacca/Penang, Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) Ports-of-call will vary.

4-NIGHT ISLES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA CRUISE Singapore Departures: 2012 Nov 5, 19, 26, Dec 3, 10, 17 2013 Jan 3, Feb 8, 25, Mar 4, 25, Apr 1 Ports-of-call: Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Phuket

5-NIGHT SPICE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA CRUISE Singapore Departures: 2012 Dec 21, 29, 2013 Feb 12, 17 Ports-of-call: Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Langkawi, Phuket

Terms apply.

Onboard team-building activities

If you’re looking to increase sales, recognise performance and build morale, a Royal Caribbean cruise has more to offer: • 282 destinations in 80 countries • Most innovative, state-of-the-art ships • Gold Anchor Service crew • Amazing onboard & onshore activities • 2 to 14-night cruises departing from ports all around the world

Royal Caribbean Cruises (Asia) Pte Ltd

3 Anson Road #13-02 Springleaf Tower Singapore 079909 Tel: (65) 6305 0003 Email: RcclGroupSales@rcclapac.com www.royalcaribbean-asia.com l facebook.com/RoyalCaribbeanAsia