HRM 12.12 by Key Media

hrm ISSUE 12.12

Bloomberg’s unique work culture HRM Awards 2013: Finalists revealed! IndoChine: Building a service culture

WWW.HRMASIA.COM

Talent

Challenges in China PLUS:

Your dream office • International hiring trends • Work-life transitions

2013 Schedule for Public Workshops LEADERSHIP COURSE TITLE

Fee (excl GST)

Advanced Team Leader

$629

Effective Mentoring

$480

Coaching, Counselling & Mentoring Essential Skills for Managers

$761

JAN

FEB

$931

Motivating Your Team

$480

Positive Influencing Skills

$761

Project Management Essentials

$761

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION COURSE TITLE

APR

6 6 28 - 29

MAY

JUN

23 10

27 - 28

$1,213

Manage & Communicate Change

MAR

12 30 - 31

4-6

12 - 14 20 - 21

18 - 19 13

30 4-5

1-2

3-4 27 - 28

11 - 12

Fee (excl GST)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

Better Emails & Letters

$750

Business Writing Essentials

$750

14 - 15 10 - 11

4-5 7-8

7-8 4-5

1-2 11 - 12

2-3 9 - 10

6-7 3-4

Copywriting Essentials Editing Skills for Company Publications

$772

21 - 22

Fine-tuning: Writing Skills for Managers

$772

Grammar for Business

$750

17 - 18

Minutes of Meetings

$772

Proof-read to Perfection

$436

21 - 22 16

Proposals that Work

$761

Reports that Work

$761

Technical Writing

$761

Writing for Web

$761

Writing Standard Operating Procedures

$761

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION COURSE TITLE

Fee (excl GST)

8-9 21 - 22

$772

3-4 13 - 14

18 - 19

11 - 12

6-7

21 - 22

25 - 26

22 - 23

16 - 17

14 - 15 4-5 18 - 19

28 - 29

15 - 16

20 - 21

21 - 22 21 - 22

25 - 26

10 - 11

27 - 28

30 - 31

27 - 28

25 - 26

24 - 25

22 - 23

13 - 14

18 - 19

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

Manage Your Team Creativity

$761

Mind Mapping for Business

$507

Unlock Your Creativity Innovation and You

$436 $590

Problem Solving & Decision Making

$761

21 - 22

29 - 30

17 - 18

4-5

13 - 14

PERSONAL PERFORMANCE COURSE TITLE

Fee (excl GST)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

Assertiveness: Achieving Win-Win

$436

Working with EQ

$805

24 - 25

Making Change Work for You Manage Your Work/Life Balance

$833

Networking & Relationship Building for Success

$436

Personal Image Management

$436

Success: For Secretaries & Admin Professionals

$750

7-8

Time Management

$424 $590

Fee (excl GST)

JAN

Understanding Yourself & Others

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION COURSE TITLE

$424

25 - 26

16 - 17

7-8 23

10 - 11 17

22 15 29

18 - 19

13 - 14

27 13

22 8

26 26

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

Effective Negotiation Skills

$761

7-8

14 - 15

8-9

2-3

6-7

Effective Public Speaking

$943

14 - 15

18 - 19

27 - 28

Effective Virtual Communication

$678

4-5 4-5

Handling Difficult Colleagues & Customers

$772

14 - 15

21 - 22

18 - 19

15 - 16

20 - 21

Interpersonal Communication Skills

$678

17 - 18

25 - 26

20 - 21 8

24 - 25

$436

21 - 22 6

25 - 26

Presentation Slide Essentials Say it Clearly!

$689

24 - 25

27 - 28

14 - 15

18 - 19

9 - 10

10 - 11

Singlish to English Success with Presentations Train-the-Trainer: Essential Skills

CUSTOMER SERVICE COURSE TITLE

6-7

$436 $1,416 $1,416

25 - 27

Fee (excl GST)

JAN

Customer Service Essentials for the Frontline

$678

24 - 25

Customer-focused Telephone Skills Customer-focused Writing

$424

$678

+65 6397 2022

FEB

15 - 17 1-3

20 - 22

MAR

APR

MAY

11 - 12

JUN

6-7

13 18 - 19

20 - 22

29 11 - 12

britishcouncil.org.sg/corporate-training

17 - 18

Toa Payoh Centre

LEADERSHIP COURSE TITLE

Fee (excl GST)

JUL

Advanced Team Leader

$629

Effective Mentoring

$480

Coaching, Counselling & Mentoring Essential Skills for Managers

$761

AUG

SEP

OCT

4 28

NOV

25 - 26

DEC

9 - 10

11 14 - 15

$1,213

16 - 18

Manage & Communicate Change

$931

26 - 27

Motivating Your Team

$480

Positive Influencing Skills

$761

12 - 13

10 - 11

Project Management Essentials

$761

2-3 12 - 13

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION COURSE TITLE

11 - 13

5-6

Fee (excl GST)

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

Better Emails & Letters

$750

1-2

12 - 13

5-6

3-4

7-8

5-6

Business Writing Essentials

$750

8-9

1-2

9 - 10

7-8

11 - 12

2-3

Copywriting Essentials Editing Skills for Company Publications

$772 $772

29 - 30

Fine-tuning: Writing Skills for Managers

$772

8-9

19 - 20

16 - 17

10 - 11

14 - 15

9 - 10

Grammar for Business

$750

18 - 19

19 - 20

23 - 24

17 - 18

18 - 19

12 - 13

Minutes of Meetings

$772

4-5

Proof-read to Perfection

$436

Proposals that Work

$761

22 - 23

Reports that Work

$761

25 - 26

Technical Writing

$761

26 - 27

3-4

5-6

Writing for Web

$761

22 - 23

24 - 25

9 - 10

Writing Standard Operating Procedures

$761

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION COURSE TITLE

29 - 30

21 - 22 2-3

10 - 11

29 - 30

23 - 24

24 - 25

22 - 23

21 - 22

14 - 15

JUL

$761

22 - 23

19 - 20

Mind Mapping for Business

$507

Unlock Your Creativity Innovation and You

$436

Problem Solving & Decision Making

$761

15 - 16

12 - 13

16 - 17

PERSONAL PERFORMANCE COURSE TITLE

Fee (excl GST)

JUL

AUG

Assertiveness: Achieving Win-Win

$436

Working with EQ

$805

15 - 16

Making Change Work for You Manage Your Work/Life Balance

$833

Networking & Relationship Building for Success

$436

31 17

Personal Image Management

$436

Success: For Secretaries & Admin Professionals

$750

Time Management

$424 $590

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION COURSE TITLE

4 9 - 10

26 - 27

Fee (excl GST)

Understanding Yourself & Others

28 - 29 2

26 - 27

Manage Your Team Creativity

$424

14 - 15

12 - 13 7

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

28 - 29 9

13 13

24 - 25

11 - 12

9 - 10

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

$590

DEC

12 - 13

21 - 22

2-3 11

11 4 5-6

20 27

6 7-8

11 4

Fee (excl GST)

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

Effective Negotiation Skills

$761

4-5

1-2

5-6

3-4

7-8

Effective Public Speaking

$943

1-2

5-6

9 - 10

7-8

5-6

2-3

Effective Virtual Communication

$678

Handling Difficult Colleagues & Customers

$772

11 - 12

15 - 16

21 - 22

18 - 19

12 - 13

Interpersonal Communication Skills

$678

17 - 18 9

11 - 12 20

2-3

$436

22 - 23 7

26 - 27

Presentation Slide Essentials

15 - 16 3

Say it Clearly!

$689

18 - 19

19 - 20

17 - 18

18 - 19

9 - 10

10 - 12

7 14 - 16

23 - 25

30 21 - 23

27 25 - 27

11 - 13

Singlish to English Success with Presentations

$436 $1,416 $1,416

Train-the-Trainer: Essential Skills

CUSTOMER SERVICE COURSE TITLE

1-2

Fee (excl GST)

JUL

$678

29 - 30

Customer-focused Telephone Skills Customer-focused Writing

$424

Includes Team Management Profile

$678

24 - 25

8 - 10

Customer Service Essentials for the Frontline

DEC

2-4

AUG

SEP

4-6

OCT

19 - 20 18 15 - 16

NOV

DEC

25 - 26 13 28 - 29

Includes QO2TM Profile

Scan the QR code for the course descriptions or to register.

5-6

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

www.britishcouncil.org.sg

TRAINING BY THE

PROFESSIONALS The British Council Professional Development Centre delivers over 50 courses in: • Leadership and Teamworking • Creativity and Innovation • Personal Performance • Communication Skills

The Professional Development Centre in Singapore has a global reputation for quality workplace training. We train over 4,000 professionals a year in the private and public sectors. Our international team of trainers and interactive workshops will deliver real results across your organisation.

‘Like’ our Professional Development Centre Facebook Page to get access to weekly tips, articles and news stories on training and professional development www.facebook.com/britishcouncilpdc.sg

+65 6397 2022 contact@britishcouncil.org.sg britishcouncil.org.sg/corporate-training Toa Payoh Centre 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, #09-01 HDB Hub, East Wing, Singapore 310480

Join our Professional Development Centre LinkedIn Group to network with HR professionals near you, discussing and debating the issues of the day. www.linkedin.com/groups/British-CouncilProfessional-Development-Centre-4208459

hrm ISSUE 12.12

Bloomberg’s unique work culture HRM Awards 2013: Finalists revealed! IndoChine: Building a service culture

WWW.HRMASIA.COM

Talent

Challenges in China PLUS:

Your dream office • International hiring trends • Work-life transitions

The flexible underwriting and generous free cover limits are excellent.

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HRM 12.12

Contents EDITOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam

26 Talent Challenges in China The world’s largest nation by population is experiencing a wave of change. It is no longer the low-labour-cost giant of Asia, and its newly elected leadership vows to stamp out corruption. HRM finds out what the evolving business landscape means for HR in contemporary China

JOURNALISTS Shalini Shukla-Pandey Priya de Langen EDITORIAL RESEARCHER Vivien Shiao Shufen 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

IN THIS COVER STORY

“Not only does working in China present some unique challenges due to the socio-political and economic environment, but also the way people cope with changes such as new laws. Personally, I think if you can successfully manage in China, you can manage well everywhere” – ALLEN KUO, A GENERAL HR PRACTITIONER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Frank Pinckers Photography Michal Garcia Photography 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

MICA (P) 137/07/2012 ISSUE 12.12

ISSN 0219-6883

HRMASIA.COM

HRM 12.12

Contents

Check out HRM online:

hrmasia.com

FEATURES 12 | Scaling new heights

One of Singapore’s most well-known lifestyle brands, the IndoChine Group boasts over 16 food and beverage establishments in Singapore and overseas. Founder Michael Ma tells HRM how he grew his business empire from just 30 employees in 1999 to over 800 today.

16 | Your dream office

HRM delves into the issue of workplace design, and what companies can do to control risks at work, providing staff with safe and effective workplaces

22 | Growing talent at Bloomberg The organisation is known as one of the world’s most influential sources of business and financial information. HRM speaks to Amanda Fankhauser, Head of Recruitment – Asia-Pacific, Bloomberg, to find out what the media giant is doing to attract and retain top talent

30 | Unveiling our finalists

Honouring HR leaders and their workforces alike, the HRM Awards 2013 is set to be a night of glitz, glamour and most of all, achievements – all for the true stars in Singapore’s HR community

46 | The Talent Wave – a new metaphor for talent management and succession planning Successful talent management requires HR to promote conversations that allow employees to be more honest and open about their intentions and aspirations writes guest contributor David Clutterbuck

50 | Getting ahead

Supply chain management is not just about material flows. There are also financial and information flows that may be geographically dispersed. HRM finds out what it takes to train staff in this dynamic industry

54 | International hiring

With globalisation, more organisations are looking beyond their own immediate shores for talent. International workers are a valuable source of skills, and integrating them into your workforce can show your organisation’s connection to the community. HRM discusses challenges and tips when hiring on an international basis

58 | Why we DON’T really want balance

66 | In Person

Dr Adam Fraser introduces a new concept that may just assist in that elusive search for harmony in work and home life: transitions

67 | Talent Ladder

66 | Twenty-four seven 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

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

ANALYSIS

Employee well-being

Work or life? A recent survey revealed that the majority of workers in Singapore have poor work- life balance. HRM finds out why this matters and what role HR plays in maintaining work-life harmony By Vivien Shiao Shufen It is common knowledge that Singaporeans are hard workers. A recent survey by Jobstreet.com has found that nine out of 10 employees regularly work beyond their official hours. Overloading of work and high-pressure deadlines were the main reasons why locals feel they are unable to have work-life harmony. The most alarming part of the study is this: only 30% of respondents felt that their companies had initiatives in place to promote work-life balance, while almost half said their companies only paid lip service to work-life balance. Many experts say that companies which choose to ignore the well-being of staff do so at their own peril. “Multiple studies have reported that employers who focus their efforts on cultivating a culture of healthy work-life balance tend to benefit greatly – from higher levels of engagement within the company to enhanced productivity and profitability,” notes Clement Goh, Managing Director, Equinix South Asia. When asked if work-life harmony is merely a myth in workaholic Singapore, many HR professionals say that more can be done to ensure the well-being of staff. Sonia Cargan, vice president of HR – Asia, American Express, says that work-life balance is a critical part of the employee value proposition in her organisation. “Companies need to foster a culture of respect and trust for employees,” says Cargan. “It is becoming more critical that employers recognise the different needs of employee segments and adopt approaches and a culture where all employees can grow and succeed.” At American Express, flexible work arrangements (FWAs) help ensure staff have a healthy work-life balance. FWAs range from staggered working hours to remote, off-site work areas. They also offer employees childcare and flexi-leave benefits that are above and beyond statutory requirements. Communication is key to unlocking work-life balance, says Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA). “To ensure the success of work-life policies, the most important factor is to have open communication with staff,” says Alice Tan, Group Director (Corporate Serices), LTA. “Open communication also allows employees’ feedback to be obtained, encouraging a culture of trust, enhancing employee engagement, and creating a healthy work environment.”

LTA has programmes focused on meeting the needs of staff at different life stages, breaking them down into various categories such as: married staff, singles, and the mature workforce. In addition, it allows staff to make FWAs that create balance between their work and personal commitments. Most HR practitioners agree that for work-life harmony to begin, there needs to buy-in from top management. “Business leaders need to truly walk the talk in order for things to happen and for HR programmes and policies to actualise,” explains Goh. “The first step for HR professionals is really to convince senior management teams that work-life skills are just as important as technical know-how. In fact, once top management makes the commitment, implementation can be fairly easy.” However, the responsibility of work-balance does not only lie with employers alone, but is also controlled by employees to a certain extent. “While the demand for work-life solutions has skyrocketed, many policies have fallen short of their promise and potential to deliver – primarily as a result of the unhealthy mindsets workers have developed over the years,” says Goh. He added that younger workers have cultivated an unhealthy mentality that associates longer working hours with hard workers. “As such, many business leaders actually struggle to implement and make work-life policies work,” he noted. Eugene Lam, HR Director, Applied Materials concurs. “Many Gen Y workers want to work hard and long hours, so it may be hard to enforce work-life integration practices,” he observes. Despite the challenges involved, Lam also notes that it is HR’s role to be the ‘conscience’ of management when it comes to work-life practices in policies. According to Shalini Bhateja, Global Talent Development Director, Schneider Electric, the work situation is changing and trust is the key to navigating these changes. “When there is trust between management and employees, there will be better work-life balance,” she says. “Gone are the days when you need to work later than your boss – it’s not about the hours you work, it’s about productivity. Organisations that fail to acknowledge this will not attract or retain the best talent.” ISSUE 12.12

“While the demand for work-life solutions has skyrocketed, many policies have fallen short of their promise and potential to deliver – primarily as a result of the unhealthy mindsets workers have developed over the years” – CLEMENT GOH, MANAGING DIRECTOR, EQUINIX SOUTH ASIA

HRMASIA.COM

NEWS

Asia SINGAPORE

Google, Apple, and Microsoft are most attractive employer brands LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network with more than 175 million members, has revealed that Google is the world’s most InDemand Employer brand, with Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and Unilever rounding out the top five. According to the InDemand Employer rankings, powered by the Talent Brand Index, software was the most represented industry on the list, and Google topped several categories including the global rankings. Consumer powerhouses like Coca-Cola and Nike also ranked highly, as did leading professional services firms like McKinsey & Company and business-to-business firms such as GE. The findings also suggested that while big global brands are well represented, smaller companies could also attract big candidate numbers. Some 50% of the top 100 firms had under 7,000 employees. “70% of companies rank employer branding as one of their biggest priorities as they increasingly compete for top talent,” said Steve Barham, Senior Director, LinkedIn Talent Solutions. “The ability to better understand how your company is perceived amongst key professional audiences empowers you to take steps to better engage the professionals you most want to hire.” 4

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

ASIA

Finance sector staff struggle with office conflicts From January 1 next year, every Thai worker will be entitled to a

300 baht (US$10)

daily minimum wage Source: Thailand’s Central Wage Committee By 2020, every two working people will effectively support

one

retired person Source: Singapore’s Law and Foreign Minister K Shanmugam

72%

of employers cite problems attracting criticalskill employees Source: Towers Watson 2012 - 2013 Global Talent Management and Rewards Study Singapore experienced a

decrease in the number of financial services job opportunities in the third quarter of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 Source: Job Barometer from eFinancialCareers

New recruits in the financial services sector struggle with conflict management, according to 25% of HR professionals in the sector. Futurestep’s inaugural ‘Global Talent Impact Study: Understanding the Race for Impact’, found that one quarter of financial services respondents cited conflict management skills as one in short supply amongst prospective employees. In contrast, competencies that were reported as being more readily available in new hires in the sector included problem solving, which topped the list. Some 19% of organisations cited this as an easy to find skill, followed by 17% who say they find functional and technical competency easily. According to Jason Smallwood, Head of Financial Services at Futurestep, recruiters and employers need to focus on acquiring individuals who possess a much higher competency in conflict management, as this is recognised to be one of the harder

skill sets to develop in recruits. “Firms operating in the financial services sector must be more demanding of new hires so that they can contribute to all aspects of the business. It is essential for employees to have the skills to create and maintain a dynamic workplace, especially in an industry that is facing high levels of uncertainty and greater regulatory pressures than most,” said Smallwood. “Recruiters should understand that finding executives who possess the ability to manage conflict in a corporate environment is a fundamental requirement and work harder to source this attribute in candidates,” he added.

ASIA

Execution gap hinders leadership development While organisations in the region are taking a comprehensive approach to grooming leaders from within, they are having difficulty executing strategies on leadership development. According to Mercer’s ‘2012 Asia Pacific Leadership Development Practices Study’, 58% of companies surveyed across the Asia-Pacific region report having a defined and agreed leadership development strategy in place, many of whom articulated the most critical components – from how to develop and assess leaders to how to manage succession. Yet, the results show that organisations are not achieving the desired impact they need to deliver on those strategies. Many organisations say the lack of time (45%) and urgency (43%) are holding their organisations back from achieving their

stated objectives. The crux of the issue, however, seems to stem from a lack of alignment. The infrastructure (processes, people, and technology) necessary to truly develop leaders are not aligned. For example, 51% of companies say their performance management processes are not effectively identifying who is ready for the next move or position within the leadership pipeline. “The lack of a robust leadership pipeline is routinely cited as one of the top barriers holding organisations back from achieving their desired objectives across the region. Yet, the findings from our latest research shows organisations may be talking the talk, but are they walking the walk?” asked Fermin Diez, Asia Pacific Business Leader, Human Capital Consulting at Mercer.

NEWS

SINGAPORE

ASIA

CIOs risk being sidelined As the business world evolves, Chief Information Officers can, and must, refresh the outdated perspectives that other executives still hold about their role in order to succeed, according to Ernst & Young’s DNA of the CIO report. The central role that technology has played in every industry and sector of business over the last two decades emphasises just how big an opportunity CIOs have already missed, the report advises. CEOs are in clear need of “co-drivers” who combine technology expertise with business skills; however, too few CIOs are currently regarded as true members of the executive management team. While they have technological expertise, they are not perceived to have the right level of business skill – limiting their potential for change. Gerry Chng, Partner, Advisory Services, Ernst & Young Advisory commented: “The clear message is that the CIO needs to be both a competent technology champion, and a strong communicator and negotiator.”

The role, in essence, bridges the needs of the business and the team that delivers the results. The survey indicates that CIOs currently think they are adding more value to the business than their C-suite peers. This stems from the fact that CIOs are not necessarily ‘selling’ the value of technology to the business sufficiently, said Chng. “For example, when making mobile emails possible, the value that CIOs need to communicate across the business is how this IT change is helping to improve business productivity; and not just the change itself,” he added. “Burdened with the legacy lack of mutual understanding, it is no surprise that C-suite peers do not always see the CIO as an equal,” said Chng. “To break the deadlock, CIOs need to focus on earning the trust by delivering quick wins and selling to their peers how such technological successes are creating real value for the business.”

SINGAPORE

Survey: Cloud gaining traction Cloud adoption is on the rise in Singapore, with 84% of respondents to a new survey having already adopted or planning to implement a cloud-related initiative, representing an upward trend from 63% in 2011 and 53% in 2010. According to the 3rd annual VMware Cloud Index, 55% of the respondents who had not yet implemented a cloud initiative, but were planning to, expected to do so within the next 18 months. The survey also revealed that 73% of respondents in Singapore said their business outlook for 2013 would include growth and expansion, or consolidation with some growth, signalling more potential opportunities to increase cloud adoption. Some 77% described cloud computing as a “top priority” or “highly relevant” to their organisation, and 88% agreed that cloud would empower their business by simplifying access to information technology (IT) resources. Additionally, 69% agreed that their organisation needed to pursue cloud initiatives or risk falling behind competitors. When rating the top reasons for implementing cloud

computing in Singapore, respondents strongly rated the need to empower theirbusiness by simplifying access to IT resources (80%); supporting a more mobile and flexible workforce (77%); and ensuring that they only pay for the IT they actually use (77%) as factors driving cloud adoption. “Organisations in Singapore are increasingly recognising the strategic role that cloud computing can play in enabling them to be more productive, stay competitive, and enter new markets. From its role as a builder of services, IT has become a broker of services and infrastructure capacity,” said Nicholas Tan, country manager, VMware Singapore. Despite growing cloud adoption, only one in two respondents (50%) in Singapore agree that their organisation is investing in training for cloud-related skills, and 32% say their company is actively seeking to hire new IT staff with cloud computing expertise. “For Singapore to truly champion cloud adoption and reap its benefits, training is key for new recruits and existing IT staff,” added Tan.

Employers engaged in an unsustainable bidding war on salary More than nine in 10 employers in Asia are facing difficulties recruiting and retaining talent. An inability to match candidates’ salary expectations is one of the top reason firms in the region are struggling to fill roles. According to the Hong Kong Institute of HR Management and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD’s) survey, Talent resourcing and retention in Asia, despite the increasing challenges associated with recruitment and retention, and 48% of organisations expecting to need to increase staff levels in the next 12 months, resourcing budgets in Asia remain flat. When it comes to retention strategies, which nine in 10 organisations have in place, the survey found that increased pay and benefits topped the list of activities Asian employers are engaging in. Less than a third, however, cited that they use learning and development opportunities as a way to keep staff engaged and build internal talent pipelines to support future growth. Also, while recruitment and retention difficulties were common across all six countries in the survey, some challenges were more pronounced in certain countries than in others. For example, recruitment difficulties are most acute in China and Hong Kong, and organisations in China, Malaysia and South Korea are most likely to predict an increase in funding for resourcing over the next 12 months. Claire McCartney, Research Adviser at the CIPD, said: “As Asia continues to experience growth despite the global slowdown, it’s perhaps not surprising to learn that employers in the region are engaged in a war for the best talent to fuel their growth.” “However, it’s important to avoid getting into an unsustainable bidding war on salaries. Instead, employers should get better at communicating a broader package of incentives to prospective employees – including, for example, the learning and development opportunities they can offer,” she added. “It’s also important for firms to develop stronger employer brands around a sense of meaning and shared purpose.” ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

NEWS

International GLOBAL

Employers report staff working longer hours More than half of all employers say their staff have been working more hours than normal for the past three years. Some 43% said they expected to maintain that pace over the next three years, according to the 2012-2013 Global Talent Management and Rewards Study by Towers Watson. Aside from a heavier workload, the majority of respondents (72%) cited problems retaining critical-skill employees, with almost six in 10 companies reporting this challenge. A similar proportion reported difficulty also retaining high-potential employees and top performers (60% and 59% respectively). In addition, less than half of employees (47%) said their organisation

In 2011,

55% does a good job of explaining their base pay programmes, and only 42% believed there was a clear link between their job performance and their pay. The study also found that employers that have segmented the workforce and customised Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) for critical employee segments were more than four times as likely to deliver highly engaged staff than more tactical, but less integrated EVPs.

FRANCE

Prime minister backs down on 35-hour work week dispute France’s Socialist Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was forced to retract his statements about changing the country’s 35-hour work week after criticism from within his own government. The historic 35-hour work week is a reform established in 2000 by the Socialists and is popular with workers who are paid extra for working overtime. However, conservatives say it is too rigid a policy that is impacting business competition. When asked if he was prepared to go back to a 39-hour work week as the country faced rising unemployment and pressure from businesses asking for reduced labour changes, Ayrault answered in the affirmative, according to report by the Le Parisien newspaper. Ayrault said: “That issue will cause debate... But why not? There’s no 6

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

HR fails to address employees’ behaviour at work

taboo subject... We need to find good compromises… that’s why I’m in favour of negotiation.” Within hours of the report, Avrault’s own Labour Minister scoffed at the comment on radio, stating that the French will not accept being paid less to work more. Leading trade unions also joined in the ensuing outcry, threatening action if the 35-hour work week was touched. With such a wave of public indignation, Avrault was forced to retract his statements, saying: “There is no question of going back on the 35-hours, because it’s not the cause of our economic difficulties. There are a lot of others. I said there were no taboo topics. Simply put, it’s not the point of view of the government. I’m telling you this morning: there is no question of going back on the 35-hours.”

of unemployed people used personal networks to land a job Source: CBS- Statistics Netherlands

Same-sex partners in France will now enjoy the same legal rights as other couples after the government approved a measure that would change paternity leave to

‘Child Welcome Leave’

Separation anxiety from work is the

top reason

why employees around the world don’t take leave Source: Expedia

Workers whose behaviour continually goes against their organisation’s values often don’t face punishment, and are even rewarded or promoted, according to new research from CIPD. In the latest Employee Outlook survey, such incidents were found to have happened in the workplaces of four out of 10 respondents. Only one-third said that individuals were reprimanded for consistent rule-breaking. Slightly more than half (52%) said their organisation’s values positively influenced their behaviour at work, while only 29% of employees said that they were fully aware of their organisation’s values. For those who said their organisation’s values did not impact them, the top reason cited among private-sector workers was the emphasis on profit over those values. In the public sector, the most cited explanation was the belief that there was “one rule for senior managers and one rule for everyone else”. Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, explained: “At the heart of an organisation’s culture has to be a set of agreed values that resonate with employees at all levels, from the board to the front-line, in order to provide a template for the behaviours and standards expected.” He added that employers must also demonstrate that failure to act in accordance with the organisation’s defined values has real consequences. If business leaders and HR are not prepared to make a stand and ensure that their organisational values are worth more than a passing reference, they will lose the trust of staff, warned Cheese.

NEWS

POLAND

NEW ZEALAND

With Poland suffering from one of the world’s lowest birthrates, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has outlined his agenda to boost the population via extended maternity leave. In an address to Parliament, he unveiled a commitment to introduce a six-month maternity leave at full pay next year with an option of 12 months at 80% pay. Enterprises that invest in day care centres would also receive government subsidies. The Polish president has shown support to PM Tusk’s plans, but said that flexibility was key. He suggested that parents be able to divide the six months’ leave as they deem fit, even breaking the leave up into smaller periods during a child’s first four years. A proposal will be ready for stakeholder consultation by the end of this month.

New Zealand’s cabinet has approved changes to the Employment Relations Act (ERA), in a move that may negatively impact vulnerable workers when their employers undergo restructuring. Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson announced that small and mediumsized businesses with fewer than 20 employees would no longer be required, under Part 6A of the ERA, to continue the employment of groups of low-paid employees when a business goes through restructuring. Larger businesses, however, would still need to adhere to the provision with the Act. Wilkinson said this was because they were better able to accommodate Part 6A.

Poland to boost maternity leave

Controversial labour law changes announced The law was first enacted in 2006 to protect caretakers, cleaners, catering workers, hospital orderlies and laundry workers during tough business periods for companies. It gives low-wage workers the right to retain their jobs and to be transferred to any new contractor on the same terms of employment. “A husband and wife cleaning team who tender and win a small contract may be currently required to take on any staff doing the work under the previous contract owner. “That’s why Cabinet has also agreed to exempt small and medium businesses – those with fewer than 20 employees,” said Wilkinson. She added that employees in SMEs account for approximately a quarter of those in affected industries.

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ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

SPOTLIGHT

HR insight

The power of praise SHL’s Workers and Good Management research indicates that it’s more than just salary that will motivate people to do a good job and keep them engaged with the business.

THE COST OF FAILURE

THE EMPLOYEE REALITY

DISENGAGED EMPLOYEES 57% are dissatisfied with the level of recognition they receive for doing a good job

38% don’t feel

appreciated by their employer

77% would consider

leaving if not recognised enough for their contribution

57% are starved of

= DISENGAGED

recognition and only receive it monthly (or less)

= ENGAGED

= ACTIVELY DISENGAGED

$$$ $42 BILLION PA LACK OF PRODUCTIVITY COSTS AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES

THE MANAGER’S ROLE

44%

70%

of managers are poor at delivering specific and timely praise

of managers do not know what motivates their employees

of an employee’s engagement is determined by the employee’s manager

RECOGNISED EMPLOYEES ARE:

MORE PRODUCTIVE

MORE ENGAGED

AN EFFECTIVE RECOGNITION PROGRAM IS KEY TO A HIGHLY ENGAGED WORKFORCE

ON AVERAGE IT COSTS

DISENGAGED MANAGERS ARE 3x more likely to have disengaged employees

78% 82%

150%

OF A SALARY TO REPLACE AN EMPLOYEE

WOULD WORK HARDER IF THEIR EFFORTS WERE RECOGNISED AND APPRECIATED

REPORTED BEING RECOGNISED ACTUALLY MOTIVATED THEM IN THEIR JOBS

ENGAGED EMPLOYEES DELIVER:

81%

MORE LIKELY TO STAY IF THEY WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT RECOGNISES THEM

WERE MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR WORK IF RECOGNISED

(12%) better customer service (27%) less absenteeism (38%) above-average productivity (50%) higher sales (50%) higher customer loyalty Source: RedBalloon for Corporate

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

Performance

Ramping up productivity What do you do as a leader to maximise your work performance?

Ammar Hindi Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Sourcefire

Trust is the core to maximising work performance. When leading across markets in Asia, leaders need to understand how approaches differ, agree on a methodology and a process for each region. This is to ensure that we are all on the same page. In my role, I manage a vast territory of different markets. Travel is a large part of my role and I hardly find myself in one place for more than a week. Therefore, the key to maximising my work performance is to hire the right people to manage different countries in the territories that I oversee. These hires are vital to the growth of the organisation as they act as my right hand. I trust them to make strategic decisions on my behalf. In order to keep moving the business forward, I am in touch with my teams on a regular basis to show them support and address areas of concern at an infant stage. As the direction setter, I think it is imperative to gain a macro perspective outside the organisation that influences the business. This can be achieved through multiple information resources such as partners, industry analysts, media, and security providers adjacent to our field of business. This makes me more efficient and puts me in a good position to make strategic decisions. Leaders must be taught both how to trust, and how to be trusted to maximise work performance no matter where they are in the world. 10

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

Jim Watson

Vice President and Corporate General Manager, APAC, Good Technology

Mobile devices have changed the entire notion of the way I work. They have evolved into supremely functional and highly portable mobile computers with the ability to connect to corporate networks and applications, but they are also inherently more personal and deeply integrated into my daily life than traditional business desktop or laptop computers. As my job requires me to regularly travel across the Asia Pacific region, I rely on my iPad and iPhone, for email and calendaring, but also to access corporate Intranets, applications and collaboration tools. I also use secure applications such as iAnnotate to view and edit documents on my iPad. The selling point for bringing my own personal gear to work is simple: it’s familiar and it makes my job easier. As a leader, I encourage my employees to do the same. Our team in Australia and Singapore work remotely with their own personal devices. It is also important to ensure that we implement a security solution such as Good for Enterprise’s secure container that separates business data from employee’s personal information to prevent data loss and deliver seamless, secure mobile workflows that drive employee collaboration and productivity across the company.

Shantha De Silva

Director of Operations for Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

Maximising work performance comes down to effective time management for the whole team. The key is to be an effective leader, by strategically evaluating and prioritising projects that have the largest impact on company performance, maximising these opportunities and delegating accordingly to increase the collective productivity of the team. Sharing the responsibilities of a project recognises the team’s strengths, and enhances potential for individual growth. It is also very important to set a clear direction, so that whilst everyone takes ownership, and is accountable and autonomous in the tasks they undertake, we are all very clearly moving in sync. At IHG, we champion such leadership competencies to fuel a dynamic and high-performance culture. The result is an environment where our colleagues encourage, provide support, celebrate wins and recognise efforts, which boosts morale and productivity. This also enables us to work collaboratively within our organisation and with our business partners. Through proactively sharing knowledge and expressing ideas and agendas across teams, working together effectively will give rise to mutual beneficial outcomes. We are committed and accountable to one other, and this drives the team to go even further and deliver great results together.

LEADERS TALK HR

Indochine

Scaling new heights One of Singapore’s most well-known lifestyle brands, the IndoChine Group boasts over 16 food and beverage establishments in Singapore and overseas. Founder Michael Ma tells HRM how he grew his business empire from just 30 employees in 1999 to over 800 today By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

Ironically, it was a bout of poor service that drove excommodities trader Michael Ma to establish his first restaurant in Singapore. Ma and his friends were out celebrating a birthday at a Holland Village restaurant and had asked the waiter to lower the temperature of some champagne. The manager did not accede to the request and an argument ensued, prompting the party of 13 to leave for another venue across the street where they were again greeted with indifferent service. This was the turning point that made Ma embark on a food and beverage (F&B) venture of his own. That week, he registered his business with 10 friends as silent partners. “I wanted to go into the industry and outrun the players who offer lousy service,” he says. The first IndoChine restaurant opened its doors in Club Street in 1999. The early days were rough as he had no experience in 12

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

Bio brief Michael Ma was born in 1969 to Teochew parents in Laos, a Mekong country from which he draws inspiration for IndoChine’s unique cuisine. Ma left Laos with his family after their home was all but destroyed during the war. The family migrated to Sydney and prospered through a food import business. Ma graduated from the University of Wollongong with a double major in economics and marketing, two disciplines that served him well in launching and growing the IndoChine Group. A stint as a commodities trader followed. But the life of an entrepreneur beckoned. In 1999 Michael opened his first IndoChine restaurant, IndoChine Club Street in Singapore, a combination of Asian lifestyle with colonial influences inspired by his Asian upbringing. Growth, driven by Michael’s energy and innovation, was rapid. By 2010 IndoChine group had restaurants in Singapore [11] Hamburg, Germany and Phuket, Thailand. Michael also serves on a number of advisory boards to share his experience. He has served as president of the Spirit of Enterprise, which promotes and advances entrepreneurial spirit in Singapore; on the Singapore F1 Grand Prix working committee to help establish Formula One’s first night race in Asia; he is a council member of the STB Tourism Consultative Council [TCC] the Singapore government’s Action Community for Entrepreneurship [ACE]; and a member of GEMS [Go the Extra Mile], a campaign to push service standards in Singapore to an international level. ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM 13

LEADERS TALK HR

IndoChine managing people in an F&B environment. There were also numerous permits that he had to arrange for both the business and his new employees, he says. Most of the learning was done on the job. Today, the IndoChine group runs some 11 venues in Singapore and has also established a presence in Germany and Thailand. The latest jewel on its crown is located 58 metres above the ground, atop an artificial tree at the new Gardens by The Bay in Singapore. Ma’s background as a commodities trader has served him well in assessing the marketplace and seizing new opportunities for business. When Singapore was hit by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic in 2003, F&B businesses took a hit and many cut back on their employees. Instead of following suit, Ma took the opportunity to build his business even further. “Every time there is a crisis, there’s an opportunity. Top staff were being let go. We were recruiting everyone,” Ma says. Rentals were cheap and it was a good time to take the plunge and invest in new outlets, he adds.

Surviving the service desert At IndoChine’s outlet in Hamburg, Germany, a single waiter oversees 26 seats. He doesn’t need to write down any orders and remembers all of them by heart, says Ma.

Me-myself-I • I love: Animals, The International Union for Conservation of Nature and John Lennon.. • I dislike: People who try to take the easy way out. I think that there is no quick and easy thing. Some people miss the plot. They think everything is so fast and easy. If it’s that simple, then why didn’t everybody else do it as well? • My inspiration is: My father. Our family moved to Australia in 1976, but growing up in Sydney was not easy. We had no money, food, friends, or even language skills. Still, my father who was then 52 years old, stuck it out and developed a successful food import business in Sydney. • In five years’ time: I hope to expand on my hospitality business. Since starting our resort in Phuket, I’m looking for other potential locations. • My favourite quote: I always tell my staff, “It’s about motivation, leadership, and sharing your knowledge.”

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

“In Germany, you could be a runner for three years before you get to serve guests. They demand precision and perfection,” says Ma. Service standards in Singapore have yet to reach this level, says Ma. Most of the service staff who join IndoChine come with minimal experience and lack knowledge in skills like how to serve wine, set tables and clear plates. An in-house trainer gets them up to speed. “We try to push it up to a five-star level of service,” he says. The lack of good service stems from the nature of society here, says Ma. A lot of Singaporeans are dependent on domestic workers for their daily chores and this does not promote a service culture. It is common for Europeans to work part-time in a bar or restaurant while in high school or university. However, employers in the F&B industry here cannot afford to be choosy, especially when there is a dearth of talent. “We want to hire bad staff as this is better than no staff. Give me any one,” he says, and he will train them up. Quotas on the hiring of foreign workers further compounds the situation, says Ma. “It is the most stupid rule. You can increase efficiency, but this is still a labourintensive industry.” Local F&B employees also have a lot of jobs to choose from and are not afraid to jump ship when work gets tough, Ma adds.

LEADERS TALK HR

Helping employees grow In a highly volatile industry, understanding your employees’ true passions can go a long way in engaging and retaining them, says Ma. On one occasion, he was surprised to find a waitress soldering speakers. He found out that she had been studying sound engineering but could not get a job in that field. Ma urged her to become a sound engineer handling all the sound and entertainment requirements at his outlets. She stayed on with the company for eight years. Amrish, another long-serving employee, started off as a waiter and has been with IndoChine for the past 12 years, shares Ma. He rose through the ranks and was given accounting and management roles upon graduating with a Masters in Finance. IndoChine sponsored a part of his education. At age 31, Amrish is now a General Manager at the group’s hospitality venture in Phuket, Thailand. He handles the mammoth task of managing over 300 employees, says Ma proudly. When quizzed about his management style, Ma describes himself as a hands-on boss who is always ready to jump in and do the hard work, should it be cleaning tables or

clearing out the trash. However, he has one request, “Tell me all the negatives so that we can minimise mistakes.”

Entering new territories In 2007, the IndoChine Group embarked on its first hospitality venture in Thailand, with the opening of a hotel and serviced residence in Phuket. The Thai hospitality industry was a completely new playing field for the company, says Ma. He hired an American management team to run the business but ended up firing them. “They did not learn how to integrate with local culture. They were too regimented. We had a lot of people doing very little.” The project in Phuket was multi-faceted with different teams involved in construction, maintenance, gardening, F&B, and entertainment, says Ma. After firing the US management team, Ma proceeded to build a leaner organisation in March this year, with fewer staff who could better synergise and support each other. As Ma always shares with his employees, the end game in this business is keeping customers happy. “When the customer is happy, they will tip you more and come back.”

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ISSUE 12.11

HRMASIA.COM 15

FEATURE

Corporate Health

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

FEATURE

your

dreamoffice HRM delves into the issue of workplace design, and what companies can do to control risks at work, providing staff with safe and effective workplaces By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Globally, there is a seismic shift under way in the ways people work. Over the last decade, globalisation and technological innovations have brought the world closer together and fundamentally changed the way people live and work. Young workforce entrants are also bringing new ideas and technology, impacting expectations about the tools and communication styles they use. “The explosion of collaboration technology and cloud services has also made it possible to be productive, anywhere, anytime,” says Julianne Truda, HR Director – Singapore & Southeast Asia New Markets, Microsoft. “Freedom and flexibility have created a mobile, global workforce with the expectation that people are ‘always on, (and) always connected’.” With these developments, the workplace of the future is quickly shaping up to be one that puts its people in the centre. It is therefore critical to understand the needs and lifestyles of staff and potential recruits, and then design a workplace that provides a safe and conducive environment for them to perform their best, says Truda.

CASESTUDY

Microsoft’s New World of Work Microsoft has redesigned its offices and included the latest technology to facilitate even greater flexibility in its employees working lives. The ‘New World of Work’ is based on the idea that change takes place in three interrelated areas: people, place, and technology. There are no assigned desks or private offices for managers, and employees can work anywhere in the office by using a PC, handset, webcam, or smartphone. Office space has been re-designed to allow employees to choose the space that best suits their needs, be it work benches, café style booths, focus rooms, or formal meeting rooms, depending on the activities they need to engage in. This new style of office space also promotes productivity and collaboration, both in the physical space and using online collaboration and social tools; all while

reducing the business’ water and electricity usage, as well as travel expenses. The New World of Work even enables the organisation to put into practice more environmentally-friendly processes. “People can and do work everywhere. At Microsoft, we believe work is a thing that you do, not a place that you go,” says Julianne Truda, HR Director – Singapore and Southeast Asia New Markets, Microsoft. “To bring the vision of a new world of work to life, leadership teams had to establish a culture that was focused on what individuals achieved, rather than how long they spent in the office, and fostering collaboration between employees,” says Truda. Recent internal surveys indicate that staff have appreciated the new work environment and the promotion of flexible work arrangements.

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM 17

FEATURE

Corporate Health MSD cases in Singapore The number of reported Musculo-Skeletal Disorder (MSD) cases in Singapore rose from three cases in 2009 to four in 2010 and to six in 2011. In the first half of 2012, 12 cases were reported, including the following examples: Type of MSD

No. of Cases

Industry

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Accommodation and Food Services

Tendinitis

Transportation and Storage Professional, Scientific, and Technical Activities

Trigger Finger

Manufacturing – Food, Beverages and Tobacco Transportation and Storage

Tenosynovitis

Manufacturing – other goods

Source: Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Council

Ergonomics at work

ergo@work

A new mobile app developed by Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health Institute to raise awareness on good ergonomics among office employees and help prevent work-related health issues due to poor postures

79%

of female workers suffer from musculoskeletal disorders as compared to male workers (64%) Source: SGH

ISSUE 12.12

In the design of the workplace, care must be taken to ensure good ergonomics for workers. For instance, different arrangements should be made for employees whose jobs require either continuous sitting or standing. Ergonomics is important as, put quite simply, prevention is better than cure. “Increasingly, I’m seeing patients suffering from injuries and conditions which I believe have been exacerbated by poor workplace ergonomics,” says . Dr. Richard Edward Kissun, Principle Chiropractor at Kissun Chiropractic. “In my opinion, over time, the ignorance of ergonomics combined with long hours in a desk-bound job or computer use can have a profound negative effect on an individual’s overall health.” A study conducted by the Singapore General Hospital on the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among office workers in Singapore found that 73% experienced

Alternative care Employees who suffer from neck pain, headaches, low back pain and other such musculoskeletal problems traditionally take regular doses of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to control those symptoms, which have often developed over time due to poor ergonomics. An alternative solution to drugs is chiropractic care. “Chiropractors take a thorough medical history, conduct any testing necessary and identify underlying causes, after which our natural drug and surgery-free approach is usually a great success,” says Dr. Richard Edward Kissun, Principle Chiropractor at Kissun Chiropractic. “Chiropractic (care) can not only help alleviate the symptoms but find the underlying cause of the problem. (We) work closely with patients and HR to identify and correct any ergonomic issues as soon as possible.”

HRMASIA.COM

pain in at least one body part. The body parts with the highest reports of pain were the neck (46%), shoulders (42%) and lower back (42%). “Gradually and subtly at first, conditions such as neck pain, lower back pain, and headaches will surface,” says Kissun. “As time goes on, these conditions become more obvious and in the worst cases, I have seen the symptoms becoming a constant unrelenting problem in the patient’s life.” While an increased awareness in ergonomics is being seen among multinational companies and large law firms in Singapore, Kissun believes more can be done to improve and encourage awareness of proper ergonomics in smalland medium-sized businesses. Organisations have yet to fully grasp the importance of good ergonomics on overall productivity and the health of their employees, he says. For one, HR should actively offer ergonomic assessments to all employees, rather than wait for staff to approach them. HR can also have small information or Q&A sessions with staff regarding ergonomics and conduct workplace assessments annually. “I personally believe that with the increasing number of hours we spend sitting at our desk and using computers and smart devices, we will see an increase in related MSDs unless employers, employees, and users generally become aware of the correct way to sit and arrange their workstations,” says Kissun.

Workplace design Workplace design not only revolves around the issue of ergonomics but also around the use of physical office space; that is how well the office design and aesthetics allow staff to collaborate so as to be more productive. Alternative workplace strategies, such as hot-desking and open-office concepts, are designed to better utilise sometimes scarce office space. This is even more necessary today as commercial rents and demand soar. Well-designed beverage areas are a surprisingly important contributor to productivity, says Ben Waber,

FEATURE

president and CEO of Sociometric Solutions, a workplace consulting firm. “In general, when we look at what makes people happy and effective at work, it’s being able to spend time with a close group of people,” says Waber. Social breaks are also important to a worker’s – and company’s – well-being. They reinforce bonds, improve morale, and increase possibilities for collaboration. For instance, many people may not know that the idea for Gmail was first conceived by a small group at one of Google’s cafes, says Katelin Todhunter-Gerberg, a senior associate on Google’s communication team. Microsoft Singapore in particular has recently incorporated design elements to make the local office environment more enjoyable and comfortable for employees – a ‘New World of Work’. With creative use of space, Microsoft has been able to provide a variety of work spaces suitable for different work requirements – be they for casual discussions, formal meetings, brainstorms, teleconferencing, or intensive work. The software giant has also incorporated the use of bright, cheery colours to energise the office space. Sustainability also factors strongly into the design of its new Singapore office. “For example, many of our meeting rooms are now located away from the windows,” says Truda. “This allows more natural light to enter the workspace, reducing electricity costs and also allowing our employees to enjoy the view of the Singapore financial district as they work.”

Communicating change It is important for HR to clearly identify the objectives of any switch to a new work environment and work style. “Engaging your employees and maintaining communication with them is essential,” says Truda. “Also, highlight what they are gaining from the transition.” For example, Microsoft started actively involving employees in the design process of its new premises

Code of practice To assist employers in designing offices that fit the local population, a Code of Practice for Office Ergonomics, or SS 514, was initiated by the Ministry of Manpower and published by SPRING Singapore (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board) in November 2005. The Singapore Standard Code of Practice for Office Ergonomics covers the fundamentals of office ergonomics, including physical (design of office equipment and furniture), environmental (factors such as lighting) and psycho-social (factors such as repetition in work) elements. Key recommendations for the set-up of office workstations include those regarding: • Work tables • Chairs

• Computers • Lighting and glare • Sitting work posture

before construction even commenced. In fact, staff voted for their choice of colour scheme, furniture and names for meeting rooms. To communicate the change, HR organised regular face-to-face briefing sessions between staff and the management team. “We even created a video featuring senior leaders and ‘Workplace Champions’, to introduce everyone to different ways of utilising the new space,” says Truda. “We also commissioned cartoon posters by renowned Singapore comic artist, Sonny Liew, to communicate new behaviours for the new way of working in a fun and engaging way.” The resulting transition was smooth, and staff had a lot of positive feedback. A recent internal survey revealed that 54% of employees reported an increase in productivity levels. Nearly half (49%) confirmed they collaborated more with their colleagues since the change, while 77% reported an improvement in their new working environment e. The key takeaway from this transformation exercise: “Always keep an open mind about moving to a ‘New World of Work’,” says Truda.

Social workplaces

have better morale and collaboration

Workplace tools Top five items and office trends that will disappear in the next five years

Top three dream office tools

• Tape recorders

• A place in your office that provides natural sunlight

• A chair that would generate heat

• A quiet place in our office where napping is allowed

• A ping pong table

• Fax machines • The rolodex • Desk phones

• A clone to help you through your day

Other creative office upgrades respondents suggested • An office tea trolley • A room with a number of punch bags

• Standard work hours Source: LinkedIn Survey

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM 19

24 - 25 April 2013

Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Join us at Asia’s biggest and most popular HR event of the year Aligning HR Strategies with Business Goals Daisy Dai VP HR, Walmart eCommerce China

HR and Senior Management: A Strategic Partnership Ven Raman Managing Director, Carl Zeiss and Carl Zeiss Vision, Southeast Asia

Successful Implementation of Your HR and OD Strategies John Murphy VP HR & OD, PANDORA Productions

Bridging the Disconnect Between Asian and Western Managers Stephen Krempl International Speaker, Author & Coach

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Lynn Leahy International Speaker & Business Coach

Lead With 2020 Vision- Building the Workplace of the Future Today Cheryl Cran Entrepreneur, International Speaker & Author

Case Study Harjit Gill CEO, ASEAN & Pacific and Chairman, Philips Electronics Singapore

In Pursuit of Great Performance: Astra on Grooming Leaders F.X. Sri Martono Vice President & Chief Corporate Human Capital Development , PT Astra International Tbk

CapitaLand’s DNA - Building a Strong Company Culture Tan Seng Chai Deputy Chief Corporate Officer, CapitaLand Group

Hiring and Inspiring the Right Talent for Success - The Coca Cola Way Gaurav Sharma OD / Learning & Talent Acquisition Lead, Coca Cola Singapore Beverages

All Change: Building an Effective Talent Pipeline in Asia Cecile Diversy VP HR Asia Pacific, Danone Asia

Rolls-Royce Singapore’s Recruitment Drive - Finding the Best Talent Edward Lim Regional Head of Resourcing, Asia Pacific & Middle East, Rolls-Royce

NEW

CEO Session: Building a Global Workforce - The Benefits of Multi-Cultural Integration

Eric Teng CEO, Property & Hospitality, The Straits Trading Company Ltd

Kensaku Konishi President and CEO, Canon Singapore Pte Ltd

Helene Auriol Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore

Jan Smits CEO Asia, Middle East & Africa, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)

Khoo Seng-Thiam Managing Director FedEx Singapore

Session Hosts

D N Prasad Director and Head, People Technology & Operations, Google Asia Pacific

William Chin Director Staffing, Asia Pacific, Qualcomm

hrsummit@keymedia.com.sg | (65) 6423 4631 Naming Rights Partner:

Premium Gold Sponsors:

Official Venue:

ve Sa * % 60

Vinita Bali

CEO of Britannia Industries and one of India’s most influencial business leaders. Named as one of Forbes’ ‘50 Power Businesswomen’

Anja Foerster

A provocative and inspiring voice on management and innovation. Represents a new generation of Europe’s management thinkers

Claire Chiang

An iconic leader in Singapore’s business world. Social activist, multi-awarded entrepreneur and Chairperson of Employer Alliance

Boosting Productivity Through Successful Work-Life Strategies James Foo Director of Human Resources, Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa

Boosting Productivity at 3M: Business Execution Process to Align Resources and Drive Change Joy Roman Head of HR, Southeast Asia Region, 3M

Unleashing the Power of the R Factors!- How Organisations are achieving Greater Performance, Productivity & Profitability Jonathan Low Trainer, Coach & International Speaker

Personal and Organisational Transformation to Drive Innovation and Positive Outcomes Laura Goodrich Global Workforce Innovator & Author

Integrated Performance Management - The HR Imperative Jaroslaw Pawlowski Compensation & Benefits Director

Make Difficult People Disappear: How to Eliminate Conflict and Reduce Stress in the Workplace Monica Wofford International Speaker, Author & Coach

The Five Stages of Focused Leadership Development Liz Weber The Dragon Lady of Leadership Accountability

Effective Mentoring - Tips & Techniques: The Barclays Experience Lim Fang Chien HR Director, Barclays

Developing Employee Skill-Sets by Tapping on Young Minds Gabrielle Tourelle Global Talent Development Director, Text 100

Successful Employee Integration: On-boarding at UBS Moira Roberts Head of HR & APAC Head of Talent Development, UBS Singapore

Actionable Service Education Or Customer Service Training Ron Kaufman International Speaker & Customer Service Expert , UP! Your Service

Creating Coaching Cultures in Work Teams Professor David Clutterbuck International Speaker, Author & Management Thinker

Surviving The Crisis Test: The Role of HR in Crisis Management & Organisational Sustainability Preparedness Marc Ronez MD & Master Coach, Asia Risk Management Institute

Talent Management: The Starbucks Approach Paul Lam Head of Partner Resources, Starbucks Coffee Asia Pacific

Who Killed Creativity? Rebuilding Organisational Innovation Andrew Grant Creative Thinking Expert & Author

Tan Ai Sim Human Resources Director, Lenovo ASEAN

Managing & Engaging Gen Y, Millennials and Linksters Ragi Singh Vice President HR, Southeast Asia, Viacom International Media Networks

Boost Your Social Hiring & Employer Branding Appeal Aadil Bandukwala Talent Acquisition Advisor, Social Media & Community Professional, DELL India

Managing Change in a Non-Profit Organisation Liza Thomas Regional Chief of Human Resources, East Asia Pacific Region, UNICEF

Case Study Ajit Nambiar Head of Compensation, APAC & EMEA, Google Asia Pacific

5 streams & price bands Strategy & Leadership Talent Management & Engagement Performance & Productivity Michael Blanding Manager, Employee Engagement, IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group)

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HR INSIDER

Bloomberg

Cultivating talent at

Bloomberg 22

ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM

HR INSIDER

The organisation is known as one of the world’s most influential sources of business and financial information. HRM speaks to Amanda Fankhauser, Head of Recruitment – Asia-Pacific, Bloomberg, to find out what the media giant is doing to attract and retain top talent By Vivien Shiao Shufen ISSUE 12.12

HRMASIA.COM 23

HR INSIDER

Bloomberg Ask any self-respecting business executive about Bloomberg, and they will instantly recognise the name of one of the world’s most influential sources of business and financial news. With 192 offices and more than 15,000 employees worldwide, Bloomberg is an American multinational mass media corporation, famously founded by billionaire businessman and politician Michael Bloomberg. Despite the gloomy economic outlook, Bloomberg is still raking in revenues that go up to the billions, with US$7 billion coming in last year alone, according to Forbes. With so much competition out there, it is essential that the corporation recruits and retains the very best talent that will continue driving it forward. In the Asia-Pacific region, such a herculean task falls on the shoulders of the HR team led by Amanda Fankhauser, Head of Recruitment – Asia-Pacific, Bloomberg. “Bloomberg is a technology company at heart so we have to be constantly innovative, on trading desks and in our newsrooms,” says Fankhauser. “As our people and culture are very much a part of our business momentum, we only hire the best.”

Be the best To get the best, Bloomberg has to be the best. This is where its unique work culture comes from. “Few people are aware of the unique corporate culture that is intrinsic to our DNA and entrepreneurial spirit, the hallmarks of which are innovation, excellence and openness,” says Fankhauser. One aspect that helps Bloomberg stand out from other organisations is the philosophy it espouses, known as the “Bloomberg Way”. It is about “distinction”, whether in breaking market-moving stories, delivering on the company’s customer-service approach, or developing leading-edge financial products for its clients. This helps strengthen Bloomberg’s employer brand, giving its recruiters an edge when it comes to obtaining talent. “We have a flat organisational structure,” explains Fankhauser. “There are no job titles and everyone is very

Rewarding staff “We reward employee based on meritocracy regardless of tenure or management level,” says Amanda Fankhauser, Head of Recruitment – Asia-Pacific, Bloomberg. “We reward those who carry the Bloomberg culture: lead by example, put your customers first, move fast and thoughtfully, and collaborate.” The group’s annual awards event recognises employees with outstanding performances in business expertise, innovation, as well as teamwork and customer service excellence. In addition, Bloomberg also celebrates the annual “Applause!” event to show appreciation to employees that embrace the group’s core corporate values, such as philanthropy, sustainability, and employee mentoring and development.

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much seen as equal where open lines of communication are encouraged. If you enter any Bloomberg office, you will feel a buzz of enthusiasm and energy as we are one of the most exciting companies to work for today.” The offices at Bloomberg are distinctively openplan, with transparent glass walls and the latest technology allowing employees to connect not just among themselves, but with their global counterparts to share work and ideas. “At Bloomberg, we encourage innovation and for employees to embrace change,” says Fankhauser. “The workspace facilitates the free exchange of ideas and feedback, enhancing business efficiency and creativity.” Bloomberg also offers exclusive staff benefits which include a wide range of programmes in health, sustainability, literacy, social welfare and the arts. Thanks to their founder, there is a strong philanthropic culture throughout the organisation. Employees get opportunities to participate in charitable activities and projects during their core working hours. The organisation will also match employee charity donations as well as reward for out-of-work charitable activities. All these qualities make Bloomberg an attractive employer for potential candidates.

On the quest for talent With such an emphasis on excellence, Bloomberg takes recruitment seriously. “Our recruitment processes are stringent and focused on finding the best talent in the market who are able to succeed and fit in with our company culture,” says Fankhauser. “Our people are a huge part of what makes our culture so unique. We look for people who are passionate about what they do and have similar values to how we work.” She adds that Bloomberg looks for individuals who want to be a part of its business momentum. Those who are smart, bold, open, dynamic and flexible have an edge over the rest. Although Bloomberg is best-known for its news business, the organisation is expanding into other new areas to support its growth in Asia. “Right now, the region’s development has seen the need for more global candidates who have the local sensibilities, right language skills, cultural fit and ability to adapt to an ever-changing market,” explains Fankhauser. “In some cases, these skills and abilities can be hard to find. We are addressing these challenges through more focus on international sourcing, branding initiatives and employee referral initiatives,” she adds.

Developing leaders At Bloomberg, it is not enough to just recruit talent – talent needs to be continually developed to reach maximum potential.

HR INSIDER

All employees have access to the company’s learning and development portal, called the “Bloomberg University”. This provides a one-stop shop for employees’ development, both on product and technical knowledge skills development. “We offer a series of leadership curriculum globally and regionally starting from identifying potential talent and giving them the opportunity to go through the ‘Preparing to Lead’ class,” says Fankhauser. During this class, employees collaborate in teams to develop business projects – many of which are actually implemented at Bloomberg after the training ends. Leadership training in Bloomberg is tailor-made for all levels. For middle management, it offers a ‘Leading Leaders’ programme where participants grasp the concept of influencing power and sharpen their business acumen in diverse areas. For senior management, there is the Global Leadership Forum where participants develop strategic business planning and innovation skills. They also get the opportunity to collaborate across departments to accomplish business outcomes. It is not just the chosen few who get leadership training – every Bloomberg employee has the opportunity to be a leader. “Our entrepreneurial spirit encourages everyone to be a leader,” explains Fankhauser. “With no job titles on our business cards, each employee is given strong ownership and empowerment to work creatively and as a team to make an impact to business results.” She added that at Bloomberg, there are no limits for new hires to lead regional or global projects as long as they have the drive and possess the capabilities. “Our career path is dynamic as staff can move vertically, laterally or geographically into any of our

192 locations worldwide to grasp leadership opportunities,“ says Fankhauser.

Set apart Bloomberg’s accomplishments over the past few decades have been tremendous. However, the HR team is aware that in such a fast-paced world, one cannot afford to be content with its present achievements. “As the world of HR is quickly evolving, we are taking steps to implement stronger technology and sourcing methods, with a team of experienced recruiters at the forefront of the market,” says Fankhauser. She believes that the strength of Bloomberg’s HR team has been a contributing factor to the group’s overall success. “What sets us [the HR team] apart is the way in which we look to improve and make perfect our daily tasks,” says Fankhauser. “We partner and consult for our business areas and are actively engaged in the business planning process. We are global and ensure the smooth running of a true value-added HR function.”

Bloomberg in AsiaPacific • Offices: Spread out over 17 countries • Employees: 1500 • HR team: 40 • Key focus areas: - Recruitment - Training - Leadership development - Retention - Employee engagement - Performance management - Culture of philanthropy - Rewards and recognition

“As our people and culture are very much a part of our business momentum, we only hire the best” – AMANDA FANKHAUSER, HEAD OF RECRUITMENT – ASIA-PACIFIC, BLOOMBERG

Who’s who in HR

Amanda Fankhauser

Kate Wheatley

Head of HR Operations

Thavy Read Senior Recruiter

Katherine Sayers Relationship Manager

Juli Ho

Relationship Manager

Head of Recruitment – Asia-Pacific

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COVER STORY

Talent management The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest nation by population is experiencing a wave of change. It is no longer the low-labour-cost giant of Asia, and its newly elected leadership vows to stamp out corruption. HRM finds out what the evolving business landscape means for HR in contemporary China By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

Talent

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COVER STORY

China is changing. The Asian giant has moved from a labour-intensive, manufacturing-driven market to a more diversified one that includes increasing numbers of high-technology jobs. Manufacturing companies are moving inland from coastal cities and providing better benefits to their workers. The number of foreigners working in China, including returning overseas Chinese executives, has also increased gradually in recent years. At the same time, with more global players operating in China, more local Chinese professionals are now moving overseas to gain international work exposure. When they return, most are taking up critical roles in companies. “Expatriates are starting to spend more time to understand the Chinese culture and adapt to the new environment,” says Gao Lan, VP – HR (China, Asia-Pacific and Latin America), Lenovo. With the increased movement of talent from different countries, cultural fit is being rated as the most important criteria when it comes to hiring or joining a company – making it even more important than salary. “Expatriates are starting to spend more time to understand the Chinese culture and adapt to the new environment,” says Gao Lan, VP – HR (China, Asia Pacific & Latin America), Lenovo. Cultural fit is being rated as the most important criteria when it comes to hiring or joining a company in China – making it even more important than salary, says Simon Lance, regional director of Hays in China. Employers meanwhile are also considering not only a candidate’s technical skills, but also their cultural skills and ability to fit with the existing team. “We have seen many cases where an employer will train a candidate in the necessary technical skills if they are otherwise the right cultural fit for a business,” said Lance. “These candidates usually go on to enjoy long-term tenure with the employer. “By considering not only a candidate’s technical skills but their cultural and team fit, an organisation is far more likely to get recruitment

right the first time. They avoid a mismatch between the candidate and the organisation.” Due to the hierarchical structure at most Chinese companies, it can take longer to get things done. For instance, at Huawei, there are only 19 people who can make decisions for 145,000 employees. In addition, people typically work in silos, so any task that spans across various functions or businesses is very difficult and time-consuming to complete. “Expatriate employees find it very difficult to penetrate this world,” says Steven Wood, HR Leader – Asia-Pacific, Doosan, and former Global Vice Presidect of HR at Huawei. “Their expertise and management skills are needed, but not easily incorporated as there is limited fundamental mind-set change within organisations.” Still, ever since China opened its market, professionals there have been exposed to multinational companies and matrix organisations and have learnt a lot on how to work with multiple reporting-lines and cross functions, slowly moving away from hierarchical structures, says Gao.

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73%

of employees are very likely or quite likely to look for a new job in the next six to 12 months Source: Michael Page International 2012/13 Employee Intentions report, China

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COVER STORY

Talent management Human capital challenges A major talent challenge employers face in China is hiring the right people, fast and quickly enough, says Carter Yang, Managing Director of Robert Walters China. Recruiting and attracting calibre talent has become a challenge because there are too many opportunities for those skills in the current market. “Hence, using new ways to recruit people, such as adoption of social networking systems like Facebook and LinkedIn, is very common now in China,” says Gao. A major talent challenge employers face in China is hiring the right people, fast and quickly enough, says Carter Yang, Managing Director of Robert Walters China. Recruiting and attracting calibre talent has become a challenge because there are too many opportunities for those skills in the current market. “Hence, using new ways to recruit people, such as adoption of social networking systems like Facebook and LinkedIn, is very common now in China,” says Gao. Indeed, the use of Recruitment Process Outsourcing for global expansion is among the top issues that will dominate China’s recruitment market over the next 12 months, says Lance. Also high on the recruiter’s priority list is the importance of conducting thorough background checks rather than relying on content from social networking sites which can be embellished. Since entering the China market, Automated System Holding (ASL) has been able to find good people to work with its business. “We believe one of the reasons is people in China love working in multinationals and get exposure to doing business regionally,” says Catherine Cheng, Vice President of HR and Administration, ASL. ASL also taps on graduate talent, having established its establishing its Outsourcing Delivery Excellence Centre in the high-tech Industrial Development Zone in Zhuhai. There, it is surrounded by numerous reputable universities. “The fertile talent pool available around the area helps us easily attract the most suitable skilled talent to meet our business goals,” Cheng explains. “We organise career talks for local universities to attract fresh graduates. We also plan to partner with local

Quirky laws One of the strangest workplace laws in China is the Trade Union Law. “People across China can only join one trade union,” says Judy Ng, Asia Marketing Communications Manager, DLA Piper. “This is not the right of association (结社权 ) universally applied.” Furthermore, enterprises contribute the trade union fee based on two per cent of the total amount of the wage, rather than the number of employees who are members of the trade union. Even without active membership of the trade union, two per cent of the trade union preparation fee shall be contributed.

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Top ten recruitment issues • Bilingual skills • Background checking • Mobile technology • Return of the counter offer • Recruiting from overseas • Business and commercial analysis skills • Salary disparity • RPO for global expansion • Instability of the Eurozone • Internal mobility Source: Hays

universities to arrange some internship and ‘sandwich’ programmes to encourage students to work on application development projects,” she adds. “The assignment and participation in ASL projects will be evaluated as part of their education performance. We will then invite the outstanding students to work for us and offer them on-the-job training.” China is also in need of senior leadership with world perspectives and experiences. “There is a lack of visionary and internationally-exposed senior management personnel,” says Wood. “There is also the ‘qualitative’ problem with senior leadership,” he adds. “Many do not have the experience of managing non-Chinese, of dealing with business markets that are fundamentally different, and not able to deal with different types of government and news media situations – they are different from the very controlled, one-party system they have grown up with in China.”

Paying the right price One increasingly important factor in employment decisions is the soaring rate of price inflation across China. In particular, prices of real estate and rental accommodation are sky rocketing. “Based on the price of 21,584 yuan (US$3,386) per square metre for newly-built commodity houses in Shanghai, and the average social wage of Shanghai of 51,968 yuan (US$8170) per year, the ratio is approximately 20 to one,” says Judy Ng, Asia Marketing Communications Manager, DLA Piper. This is shockingly high when compared with the World Bank’s recommended maximum ratio of five-to-one, and the United Nations three-to-one suggestion. In such an environment, workers will naturally demand higher and higher wages to compensate. “China is no longer a low-labour-cost country,” says Gao. “Pay has been increased drastically over the past years. Generally speaking, Chinese employees expect faster career advancement and pay increases when compared with mature markets.” Based on the findings from the Michael Page International 2012/13 Employee Intentions report, China, salary also remains an important incentive when either changing roles or remaining with a current employer. More than half the survey respondents (55%) indicate they would expect a salary increase of 16% or above when changing jobs. For those remaining with their existing employer, 63% plan to request a salary increase over the next six to 12 months, a significant increase on the 34% indicating they would request a pay rise in last year’s survey. Employers seem to be listening. According to the 2012 Hays Asia Salary Guide, China was the stand-out market in terms of salary increases in the region. Fifty-one per cent of employers there reported paying salary increases of between six per cent and 10%. A further 21% of respondents offered increases of above 10% in 2012.

COVER STORY

“Within this climate, employers need to look at the most appealing incentives to attract and retain talented professionals,” says Andy Bentote, Managing Director, Michael Page International in North & Eastern China. “Based on employees’ responses to our survey, we know that a competitive salary in addition to opportunities for career development remain the key motivators for skilled employees when choosing to stay in their job or search for a new one,” he adds. Cheng says salary is only one of many important factors that staff weigh up when accepting a new role. “Employees in China are expecting more than just remuneration,” she says. “They are now looking at companies that present great prospect and are involved in cross-territory business to offer them regional or international exposure. “Graduates are keen to widen their horizons to climb up the social ladder. At the same time, they expect career advancement and pay rises, and learning opportunities,” she adds. In view of this, ASL offers various kinds of training and opportunities for Chinese staff to come to Hong Kong for more interaction and broaden their horizons. Allen Kuo, a general HR practitioner with experience in both external HR management consulting and in-house HR, says staff demanding higher wages is not an unusual event. “Having worked in four different countries and territories, and been stationed in more than six cities across the globe, none of the people I came across ever thought they were being paid enough,” he tells HRM. “However, with the Chinese market developing so fast and opportunities more readily available than in Western countries, the frequency and amount of salary increase expectations in China is simply unfathomable.”

Pertinent labour reforms In the past five years, a number of laws regarding employment have been formulated to enhance worker security in China. Inevitably, this caused a soaring rise in the labour cost for employing organisations. “Taking Shanghai as an example, the minimum wage for 2008 was 960 yuan (US$150) and 1,450 yuan (US$227) in 2012. That’s an increase rate of 51%,” says Ng. Additionally the number of labour disputes is also increasing dramatically. China’s 2008 Labour Contract Law and recent labour reforms tend to protect more of employees’ (individual) benefits concerning regulations of annual leave, labour contract termination condition and probation periods. The Labour Contract Law primarily targeted domestic companies that did not have labour contracts and generally failed to comply with China’s previous laws, says Cheng. “The law protects employees with at least 10 years of employment from being dismissed without cause.” The new law also requires employers to contribute to

Labour Contract Law The main changes attributed to the Labour Contract Law are as follows: • A written employment contract shall be concluded for the establishment of an employment relationship, otherwise a variety of penalties will be imposed. • The barrier for a non-fixed-term employment contract has been lowered. • The provisions for probationary period have become stricter. • Compensation for breach of a contract cannot be stipulated randomly. • The conditions and procedures for dismissing an employee have been made stringent, and the cost of illegal dismissal has risen. • Enforcement orders can be applied in the event of payment delays. Source: DLA Piper

employees’ social security accounts and set minimum wage standards for employees on probation and working overtime, says Cheng. The law was enacted after a string of staff sacking scandals in China, the infamous one being that by Huawei Technologies. In that incident, the telecom network giant tried to buy out the advantages of seniority from older employees. “While most of the laws were not that difficult to deal with, Huawei did ask everyone who had worked for more than five years to resign, so that the company would not have to employ them as permanent employees,” says Wood. After handing in their ‘voluntary’ resignations, staff were then asked to compete for their previous posts and sign new labour contracts with the firm once they were re-employed. Huawei later agreed to suspend the controversial scheme after talks with the All China Federation of Trade Unions. “Not only does working in China present some unique challenges due to the socio-political and economic environment, but also the way people cope with changes such as new laws,” says Kuo. “Personally, I think if you can successfully manage in China, you can manage well everywhere.” ISSUE 12.12

81%

of employers offer benefits to staff, up from 78% year-on-year Source: Hays

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists

Unveiling our

finalists... Honouring HR leaders and their workforces alike, the HRM Awards 2013 is set to be a night of glitz, glamour and most of all, achievements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all for the true stars in Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HR community

ISSUE 12.12 HRMASIA.COM

HRM AWARDS 2013

“The global financial crisis has reinforced the contrast between economies and employment markets around the world”, says PricewaterhouseCoopers in its ‘Key trends in human capital 2012’ report. The importance of HR in truly partnering the business towards success has also been thrust into the limelight. Where Western Europe – and, for the first time, parts of Central and Eastern Europe – have felt the impact of the global financial crisis and have seen revenues per employee fall, Asia, by contrast, has continued to grow. When demographic trends such as ageing workforces and the rise of Generation Y are added to the mix, it’s clear that organisations big and small are facing

sharply contrasting human capital challenges. Still, this has been an environment that many HR professionals have thrived in. Whether it was through learning and development, effective employer branding, rewards and recognition, or a host of other HR levers, 2012 has been a year in which the profession has been able to truly show its mettle, business sense, and creativity. Now, it’s time to celebrate the best of these examples. The 10th anniversary of the HRM Awards is upon us! On March 1 next year, the profession will join together to recognise the achievements of HR teams, leaders and organisations in Singapore and beyond. ISSUE 12.12 HRMASIA.COM 31

HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists

121 finalists comprising 87 companies compete in 23 categories honouring the

best in the industry

A premier event on the HR calendar, HRM Awards 2013 will see 121 finalists comprising 87 companies compete in 23 categories honouring the best in the industry. The awards, which have consistently been described as the ultimate celebration of great HR, saw over 700 attendees last year. The event is expected to grow further still in 2013. The pinnacle prize – the Hays Award for Employer of Choice – is one of the most sought-after trophies in Singapore business. Title sponsor for three consecutive years, Hays, has been particularly supportive of great HR. “As a resultsoriented company, we recognise the exceptional level of HR excellence that all the finalists have achieved this year,” said Chris Mead, Regional Director of Hays in Southeast Asia. Resorts World Sentosa emerged as the most decorated winner of HRM Awards 2012, bagging three awards in total: Best Recruitment Strategies, the Robert Walters Award for Best HR Leader and the mytraining.net Award for Best HR Team. This time around, GroupM Asia-Pacific has emerged as the company with the most nominations – 10 to be exact. The company has scooped finalist positions in categories including Best Performance & Productivity Practices, the mytraining.net Award for Best HR Team, the Hays Award for Employer of Choice, the Robert Walters Award for Best HR Leader, the Kaplan Professional Award for Best Training, Learning & Development, and the new Best Use of Social Media Award.

The top guns It’s a mix of old and new faces in this year’s Top 10 HRM Awards nominees. GroupM Asia-Pacific has emerged as the company with the most number of nominations. Could it also be the biggest winner at next year’s event? Rank

Company

Number of Nominations

GroupM Asia Pacific

InterContinental Hotels Group

Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

National Environment Agency (NEA)

Maersk Singapore

UBS Singapore

Deutsche Bank AG

Keppel Offshore & Marine

Sony Electronics Singapore

Unilever Asia

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Keeping up with the times Ensuring the HRM Awards remain current, the 2013 event sees the addition of three new categories. The Best Use of Social Media Award celebrates the modern ways that HR makes connections with people through the innovative use of social media in recruitment, branding, marketing and communications, mentoring, and other such functions. The Best Engagement Strategies award, on the other hand, highlights and rewards HR’s commitment towards developing lasting bonds between the organisation and staff. Lastly, the Best Graduate Development Award is back by popular demand after a short hiatus. The prize recognises organisations that have truly aligned graduate training to their own specific goals and future talent needs.

A night to remember The finalists, announced for the first time here, now have a busy, but anxious, few months ahead. Each will be tasked with completing a comprehensive report for our esteemed judges’ consideration. Decisions on the winners will be kept under wraps until the award ceremony on 1 March next year. The gala black-tie dinner and awards ceremony will take place at the Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore. The event will see the who’s who of Singapore’s HR profession gather in one place. Hosted by popular television personality and comedian Adrian Pang, this key night on the HR calendar is one not to be missed.

HRM AWARDS 2013

STJobs Award for Best Recruitment Strategies If you need outside-the-box candidates, you need to look outside the box. Employers are quickly finding that hiring activities need to be dynamic and innovative to attract top talent. The STJobs Award for Best Recruitment Strategies celebrates those organisations that have taken recruitment to the next level.

FINALISTS • American Express • Applied Materials South East Asia • Certis CISCO Security • CISCO Systems • GroupM Asia Pacific

• InterContinental Hotels Group • Ministry of Education (MOE) • UBS Singapore • Visa Worldwide

Best CSR Practices It is not enough to simply make money in today’s corporate environment. Sustainable results mean also actively engaging in the communities in which an organisation operates. The finalists of the Best CSR Practices Award have shown a strong track record in aligning corporate citizenship initiatives with staff participation and engagement.

FINALISTS • Brady Corporation • Building and Construction Authority (BCA) • DBS Bank • FedEx Express • Fuji Xerox Singapore

• M1 Limited • Resorts World Sentosa Singapore • Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Centre • The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore • Vishay Intertechnology Asia

Best Use of Technology Technology is constantly changing the world we live in – and HR cannot afford to hide from it. But nor can it blindly accept every new piece of software that comes along. The finalists for the Best Use of Technology Award have shown a strong understanding of technology and have successfully used it to enhance their HR goals.

FINALISTS • Applied Materials South East Asia • CISCO Systems • Dimension Data (Singapore)

• Dow Chemical Pacific • Maersk Singapore • Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists mytraining.net Award for Best HR Team HR is not an individual sport. The best departments are those that work together as a team on behalf of the organisations and employees they serve. The mytraining.net Award for Best HR Team celebrates this important aspect of successful HR implementation and honours those HR departments that practice successful teamwork on a daily basis.

FINALISTS • Dimension Data (Singapore) • Google Asia Pacific • GroupM Asia Pacific • Keppel Offshore & Marine • Maersk Singapore • Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

• Resorts World Sentosa Singapore • Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center • Sony Electronics Singapore • The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore • Visa Worldwide

Best Work-Life Harmony The modern workplace cannot survive on sweat alone. Leading employers now recognise that in order to get the best out of their staff, they need to provide time and space for them to also connect with life outside of the workplace. The finalists for the Best Work-Life Harmony Award have shown a commitment to improving the balance between work and family.

FINALISTS • American Express • Brady Corporation • DELL Singapore • Deutsche Bank AG • Equinix • Goldman Sachs (Singapore) • GroupM Asia Pacific

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• Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) • InterContinental Hotels Group • Ministry of Manpower (MOM) • National Environment Agency (NEA) • Sennheiser Electronics Asia

HRM AWARDS 2013

HR Young Achiever If you want to find the next great HR leader, take a look at these up and coming stars. Despite having less than three yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; direct experience in the field, each one has made an indelible mark on their organisation. Their exceptional contributions have stood them apart and show they are on track for great things.

FINALISTS Ricky Cheung

Kwa Yanxin

Adam Cook

Chia Jiayan

Michael Blanding

Jolene Luo Xuehui

Cindee Chua

Isis Ong

Reward Specialist (Singapore Reward and Regional Benefits Governance) Deutsche Bank AG

Regional Digital Recruiter, GroupM Asia Pacific

Manager School Relations & Engagement, InterContinental Hotels Group

HR Team Lead, Invensys Process Systems

HR Executive, Keppel Offshore & Marine

HR Executive, National Environment Agency (NEA)

Senior Executive, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore

Assistant HR Manager, Singapore Marriott Hotel

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists STJobs Award for Best Employer Branding Some organisations recruit more easily than others for the simple reason that employees instinctively want to work there. It doesn’t happen by accident. As the finalists of this award know, creating a successful and attractive employer brand can help ensure access to the best talent on the market without necessarily increasing salary packages.

FINALISTS • 3M Singapore • A*Star (Agency for Science, Technology & Research) • Changi Airport Group • Deutsche Bank AG • DHL Express

• Google Asia Pacific • Groupon Singapore • InterContinental Hotels Group • Maersk Singapore • Sennheiser Electronics Asia

Fair Employment Practices Diversity and fairness in hiring are two important tenets of a modern best-practice employer. These finalists are leading the way in both areas. The Fair Employment Practices Award recognises employers who have made substantial efforts to hire and retain talents fairly.

FINALISTS • Crowne Plaza Changi Airport • FedEx Express • Goldman Sachs (Singapore) • Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium • Mondelez Asia Pacific • National Environment Agency (NEA)

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• Philips Singapore • RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP • Singapore Marriott Hotel • Standard Chartered Bank • The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore • UBS Singapore

HRM AWARDS 2013

Grass Roots Asia Pacific Award for Best Reward & Recognition Strategies Rewards and recognition are not just about throwing money at employees. If done correctly, they can be an excellent and cost-effective way of retaining talent. The finalists of the Grass Roots Asia Pacific Award for Best Reward and Recognition Strategies have shown both innovation and significant business savvy in their reward policies.

FINALISTS • 3M Singapore • DHL Express • Immigration & Checkpoint Authority (ICA)

• RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP • Sennheiser Electronics Asia • Unilever Asia

Best Graduate Development Graduates provide an important opportunity for employers. Coming in at the entry level, each one has the potential to climb all the way to the top – but not without significant nurturing and training from HR. This is no easy task, but the finalists for the Best Graduate Development Award have all shown commitment to providing effective coaching, learning and development opportunities for graduates.

FINALISTS • DBS Bank • GroupM Asia Pacific • Groupon Singapore • InterContinental Hotels Group • Keppel Offshore & Marine

• Maersk Singapore • SMRT Corporation • UBS Singapore • Unilever Asia

Best Environmental Practices As the world faces increasing environmental issues, these companies are going the extra mile to protect the earth. The Best Environmental Practices Award is presented to the organisation that best incorporates a green philosophy into the workplace – one which thinks, breathes and lives green.

FINALISTS • Applied Materials South East Asia • Fuji Xerox Singapore • Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre • IKEA Singapore

• InterContinental Singapore • Ministry of Manpower (MOM) • Panasonic Asia • UBS Singapore • Unilever Asia ISSUE 12.12

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists Healthway Medical Group Award for Best Health & Wellbeing In order for employees to be effective and efficient, their health and wellbeing needs to be in optimal condition. Companies that care about the physical and mental well-being of their employees will find their workers more productive, with less employee absenteeism. The Healthway Medical Group Award for Best Health & Wellbeing celebrates companies who are keeping their workforce fit and active.

FINALISTS • American Express • Certis CISCO Security • Changi General Hospital (CGH) • Damco Logistics Singapore • Deutsche Bank AG • Discovery Networks Asia Pacific

• Keppel Offshore & Marine • M1 Limited • Mondelez Asia Pacific • National Environment Agency (NEA) • Sony Electronics Singapore

Best Mature Workforce Practices With the baby boom generation nearing retirement and a much smaller talent pool ready to take over, employers need to ensure they have targeted policies to attract and retain mature workers. Ten organisations that have recognised this are the finalists for the Best Mature Workforce Practices Award.

FINALISTS • Certis CISCO Security • Han’s (F&B) • McDonald’s Restaurants • Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific • National Environment Agency (NEA)

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• Nestlé Singapore • Sakae Holdings • Singapore General Hospital (SGH) • SingPost Singapore • ThaiExpress Concepts

HRM AWARDS 2013

Kaplan Professional Award for Best Training, Learning & Development Wouldn’t it be great if employees could come to an organisation pre-programmed with everything they need to know? In reality, they need ongoing training and development to ensure employers can take advantage of the full potential of each recruit. The Kaplan Professional Award for Best Training, Learning & Development recognises the top achievers in this vital HR discipline.

FINALISTS • CEVA Logistics • ClubMed Asia Pacific • Gemalto • GroupM Asia Pacific • Immigration & Checkpoint Authority (ICA) • InterContinental Hotels Group

• Keppel Offshore & Marine • Ministry of Manpower (MOM) • National Environment Agency (NEA) • Singapore Marriott Hotel • SMRT Corporation • Standard Chartered Bank • UBS Singapore

Best Performance & Productivity Practices Performance management can be one of the most difficult facets of HR work. Developing effective systems for measuring staff performance and then creating that right balance of carrots and sticks to coax the most out of employees is a job that requires constant and significant attention. This year, the category has been tweaked to include an emphasis on productivity. The finalists of the Best Performance & Productivity Practices Award each have a demonstrated track record in achieving great productivity and measuring their performance levels while they’re at it.

FINALISTS • CEVA Logistics • GroupM Asia Pacific • GuocoLand • Han’s (F&B) • Lenovo

• Maersk Singapore • Philips Singapore • Sakae Holdings • Sennheiser Electronics Asia • YTL PowerSeraya

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists Center for Creative Leadership Award for Best Leadership Development Is a great leader born or built? The answer may involve a little of both but what is certain is that there is a large development gap between identifying potential leaders and having them job-ready to manage a complete business unit. The Center for Creative Leadership Award for Best Leadership Development honours those organisations that pride themselves on the full gamut of leadership development programmes including training, internal promotion, executive coaching and succession planning.

FINALISTS • Coca-Cola Singapore • DBS Bank • Emerson Process Management Asia Pacific • Gemalto • Keppel Corporation

• Lenovo • Ministry of Education (MOE) • Ministry of Manpower (MOM) • Sony Electronics Singapore • Unilever Asia

Best HR Manager Managers are often the quiet achievers of the HR profession. The Best HR Manager Award shines a light on some of the most knowledgeable, innovative and consistent HR contributors in Singapore.

FINALISTS Chow Kok Lam

Sylvester Lau

Sim Huiling Sinti

Shirleen Lee

Jenny Nai

Foo Chek Wee

Training & Development Manager, CEVA Logisitics

Senior HR Manager, Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

HR Manager (Talent Management Team), SMRT Corporation

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Assistant HR Manager, HOERBIGER KT Asia Services

Senior HR Manager, Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific

HR Business Partner, Visa Worldwide

HRM AWARDS 2013

Robert Walters Award for Best HR Leader HR often looks for leadership skills in the employees it works with, but HR leadership is something unique in its own right. The ability to inspire, direct and implement new HR initiatives can make or break an organisation and leaders with those skills are a vital resource within the HR department.

FINALISTS Sonia Cargan

Timothy Sebastian

Geraldine Fraser

Madan Nagaldinne

Pauline Chua

D N Prasad

HR Director – APAC, Facebook Singapore

General Manager – Human / Organisation Resource & Development, Fuji Xerox Singapore

Angela Ryan

Joseph Chu

Tan Ai Sim

Vice President HR – Asia, American Express

Chief Global Talent Officer, GroupM Asia Pacific

Gloria Chin HR Director, National Environment Agency (NEA)

Group Director HR, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research)

Director of HR, Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

HR Director, Diageo

Director and Head, People Technology & Operations, Google Asia Pacific

Director of HR – ASEAN, Lenovo

Goh Chor Lim HR Director, Sonoco Asia Management Company

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists Best Use of Social Media New in 2013, the Best Use of Social Media Award celebrates the modern ways that HR makes connections with people through the innovative use of social media in recruitment, branding, marketing and communications, mentoring, and other such functions. Among other criteria, finalists will be judged on the variety of software and solutions used, efficiencies and cost-savings gained through use of social media and the use of social media in recruitment, branding, marketing and communications, mentoring, and other such functions.

FINALISTS • CISCO Systems • DELL Singapore • Deutsche Bank AG • Diageo

• GroupM Asia Pacific • Groupon Singapore • InterContinental Hotels Group

• Marina Bay Sands Singapore • Scoot (Flyscoot.com)

Best Engagement Strategies New in 2013, the Best Engagement Strategies Award highlights and rewards HR’s commitment towards developing lasting bonds between the organisation and staff. Finalists will be judged on the history, types and variety of programmes, activities used for employee engagement, innovative strategies implemented within the last year and impact of employee engagement on retention rates, amongst other criteria.

FINALISTS • Coca-Cola Singapore • Discovery Networks Asia Pacific • Fuji Xerox Singapore • HSBC Bank • Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)

• InterContinental Singapore • Ministry of Manpower (MOM) • SMRT Corporation • Sony Electronics Singapore • Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Award for Outstanding Contribution to HR There are no finalists for this award. Only the deserving winner will be announced during a special ceremony at the 2013 HRM Awards presentation. There are no defined parameters but the winner will be someone who has worked actively to advance the profession, has served as a coach and a mentor to others and who puts the interests of organisational HR at the top of their priority list. Previous winners have been: 2012 – Lydia Goh, MD, Excelsa Consulting 2011 – Roger Collantes, CEO, Global Learning Solutions 2010 – Tommy Ng, Senior Vice President of Corporate Services, SMRT Corporation 2009 – Caroline Lim, Global Head of HR and Corporate Affairs, PSA International 2008 – Low Peck Kem, Director of the People Matters Department, Ministry of Manpower 42

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Lanson Place Award for Champion of HR Where would HR be without the CEOs and executives that understand the importance and value of human capital? The Champion of HR Award recognises those outstanding business leaders who work consistently to ensure best HR practice within their organisations.

FINALISTS Michael Tien Wai Keong

Kensaku Konishi

Heidi Kunkel

Jan Smits

Thomas Riber Knudsen

Ashutosh Srivastava

Yam Ah Mee

John Ng Peng Wah

CEO, Atlas Sound & Vision

CEO Asia – Middle East & Africa, InterContinental Hotels Group

Aditi Nayak COO and Co-Founder, MindWave Solutions

President & CEO, Canon Singapore

CEO Asia Pacific Region (Maersk Line), Maersk Singapore

Chief Executive Director, People’s Association (PA)

CEO, ClubMed Asia Pacific

Chairman & CEO – APAC & Growth Markets, Mindshare

CEO, YTL PowerSeraya

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HRM AWARDS 2013

Finalists Hays Award for Employer of Choice The Hays Award for Employer of Choice represents the flagship presentation at the HRM Awards and judges will be going over each application with a fine-tooth comb. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be looking for nothing less than the organisation that provides the most exceptional place to work. As well as all of the HR aspects that the earlier awards cover, these finalist employers will be judged on: - Managementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to human capital - Communications within the company - Above average staff retention rates and innovative strategies - Talent management initiatives - Mentoring and succession planning - Training, learning and development policies and practices - Work life balance initiatives - Health and safety practices and procedures - Compensation and benefits and rewards & recognition aw - Recruitment procedures ard s2 - Workplace harmony and physical environment 013 - Overall corporate culture - Non-discriminatory practices - Performance management

FINALISTS

3M Singapore

Google Asia Pacific

InterContinental Hotels Group

ClubMed Asia Pacific

Discovery Networks Asia Pacific

GroupM Asia Pacific

Hilti Far East

Keppel Corporation

Singapore Marriott Hotel

Ab Sony Electronics Singapore

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The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

UBS Singapore

Unilever Asia

ta B bl oo e/ k se yo at u s r no w

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Succession Planning

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

The

Talent Wave a new metaphor for talent management and succession planning

Successful talent management requires HR to promote conversations that allow employees to be more honest and open about their intentions and aspirations, writes guest contributor David Clutterbuck

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Succession Planning

One of the first problems is

the metaphors that we use to describe talent management

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Five years ago I started to research a question that seemed fundamental to HR – If succession planning and talent management work, how come the wrong people so often get to the top? In the past two years, that question has gained a great deal of energy, as once proud and highly successful companies around the world are brought to their knees by poor leadership. So what has happened? How do these people get there? And why, given the vast sums spent on equal opportunities, is the diversity at the bottom of organisations not even remotely reflected at the top? The reasons, my research shows, are several and all relate to a tendency, by both HR and business leaders to focus on the wrong things. One of the first problems is the metaphors that we use to describe talent management – for example, talent pools, the leadership pipeline and “the war for talent”. The term “pools” is associated with shallowness and stagnation, and that’s what happens in many organisations, which have a narrow definition of what talent looks like and rarely revisit their assumptions about talent identification. Similarly, pipelines are associated with constriction into narrow, inflexible one-directional paths that can easily get blocked. They also tend to leak. While some of the assumptions behind the leadership pipeline concept have been supported by research (principally that different levels of leadership require transitions into different ways of thinking), the detailed competencies at each level are much more open to question. The reality is that pipelines reduce choice and ability to react to change for both employees and employers. The phrase “War for Talent”, like “The Leadership Pipeline” derives from a much-hyped book. Just as the pool and pipeline metaphors restrict thinking and flexibility, so the metaphor of being at war with other employers tends to block out opportunities for thinking more creatively about what an employee is and how to collaborate in making more talent available. So what’s the alternative? The phrase I propose in the title of my new book is The Talent Wave. A wave is pure energy. On the sea, it is not the water that moves, but the energy waves that pass through it. For HR and for corporate leadership, the choice in identifying, growing and retaining talent lies between largely ineffectual attempts to control this energy and finding imaginative ways to harness and work with it. My researches have led to conclusions that question the whole basis of corporate approaches in succession

HRMASIA.COM

and talent. First, I looked for evidence that the nine-box grids, succession charts, 360-degree feedback, leadership competency frameworks etc delivered what they promised. It was a lot easier to gather evidence that they did not work. On the basis of the hard evidence, it would be as effective – and a lot cheaper – to select future leaders on the basis of some random physical feature, such as the size of their noses! The evidence suggests that all our efforts to identify who is and isn’t talented simply create a tick box environment that intelligent people (including organizational sociopaths) can manipulate. So how come we have been seduced into accepting all this “HR bling” as valid and helpful? The reasons stem from top management’s desire to measure anything that moves and HR’s desperate need to prove that it adds value. And the system does work, in the sense that, if you identify a particular group and give them lots of opportunities to experience and to learn, they are likely to advance faster than less privileged colleagues. But that doesn’t prove that these were the most talented employees. In reality, those people may have taken the hint and gone off to work elsewhere, often for themselves, where their talent is appreciated. Another powerful reason is that all of these systems are based on a major misunderstanding about the nature of the relationship between talented employees and employers. The underlying assumption is that this relationship is a simple, linear system. You put your money in the machine, press the right buttons and out come the future leaders your organisations need. Nothing could be further from the truth! In reality, organisations and their employees form a complex, adaptive system. People and organisations are constantly changing, so the relationship between an organisation and its talent is dynamic and evolving.

Set your talent free Achieving high alignment between organisational aspirations and employee aspirations isn’t easy. In a

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

complex, adaptive environment, however, the trick is to support people in creating this alignment in their own unplanned, inefficient and messy – but ultimately highly effective – way.

Four critical conversations From my interviews with HR directors and leaders around the world, many of whom recognised the limitations of simple, linear thinking in talent and succession – even if they did not articulate it in those terms – four distinct types of conversation emerged, which they could encourage and enhance. The first of these relates to the conversations that employees have in their own heads and with trusted confidantes about their ambitions and career aspirations. The second relates to their current working environment – the conversations they have with bosses, peers and HR about themselves and their work. The third consists of the broader, context-making conversations between an organisation and its employees more generally. In essence, it is about the psychological contract between employees and employer with regard to development and career planning. The fourth kind of conversation brings in the external world and, in particular, the social networks employees and employers use. The impact of promoting these four kinds of conversation is firstly that the organisation and its talented employees can be much more honest and open about their aspirations and intentions. Secondly that they can plan together in a f lexible

“Intelligent HR functions and leadership teams should not be frightened at the thought of letting go of control of their talent” way that not only allows both to make use of opportunities, but to create opportunities.

Riding the talent wave Intelligent HR functions and leadership teams should not be frightened at the thought of letting go of control of their talent. Indeed, many HR professionals I have interviewed and spoken with have been excited about the opportunity to shift from a policing to a shepherding role. It requires a shift in mindset and the courage to lever both HR and line management away from the desire for unproductive certainty towards living with the creativity of managed uncertainty. That is a challenge for all business functions, but HR could lead the way!

About the author Author of more than 50 books, David Clutterbuck brings a wealth of practical experience and leading edge research to developing leaders at the top. A visiting professor at two universities, he works across the world, stimulating top teams to become role models for learning and examines how they can raise their collective performance. A global authority on coaching and mentoring, and on Board behaviours, Clutterbuck’s latest book, The Talent Wave questions HR practice in talent management and succession planning.

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FEATURE

Corporate Learning

As with many industries, logistics and supply chain management (SCM) is not something that can be easily learnt from a textbook or in the classroom. Many of the skills and know-how in the discrete supply chain functions – purchasing, inventory management, transportation, warehousing, customer service and reverse logistics to name a few – require individuals to have hands-on experience, says Raymon Krishnan, President of the Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society. “The ‘10,000 hours’ rule is something that is very relevant in this industry,” he explains. “You need to have put in the hours on the job in order to do the job well,” he explains. However, very few companies have well-defined and structured management trainee programmes in place, and many still adopt a sink or swim approach to new recruits. “Very few such programmes exist and more needs to be done in this area,” Krishnan says. The logistics and SCM industry is essentially a people business. “As such, training is an important component of developing organisational capability to meet the changing demands of this dynamic industry,” says Wayne Beel, senior vice president of HR, Asia-Pacific, CEVA Logistics.

Training challenges The SCM industry is a knowledge-based sector that requires depth and understanding that encompasses everything from networks to processes and systems. Such varied roles within the industry mean that several differing training needs will be required; be they professional, execution-based, technical, or cross-border management skills. 50

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Getting ahead

FEATURE

The procurement and supply chain sector is predicted to have the

highest employee turnover rate

among all sectors in Singapore in the coming year Source: 2012/2013 Singapore Employee Intentions Report by Michael Page International

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Corporate Learning “Training and development programmes are important to keep employees motivated and retain good talents, in an industry that has a higher turnover than some other industries” – WAYNE BEEL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HR, ASIA-PACIFIC, CEVA LOGISTICS

CASE STUDY

CEVA Logistics The corporate training strategy at CEVA Logistics is two-fold and complementary. At the corporate level, the organisation has a globally-coordinated leadership management and development programme for management leaders. There is also a new global programme to train all site managers around the globe. “CEVA operates on a global scale in over 170 countries and in more than 1,000 locations supported by 51,000 employees worldwide,” says Wayne Beel, senior vice president of HR, Asia Pacific, CEVA Logistics. “We believe that providing a common platform and framework to train our site managers around the world on key topics and issues that they face will benefit not just the organisation but our customers as well.” CEVA will be running a pilot three-day ‘Train the Trainer’ programme for all site and station managers across four regions – including one in Singapore for the Asia-Pacific region – towards the end of this year. Topics relevant such as Code of Business Conduct and Compliance, Site Performance Assessments, Effective Communication with Staff, and others will be covered as standard modules. “At the local level, training and development is managed by local training managers to cover relevant skills and topics to supplement job functions and local country needs,” Beel adds.

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With a mission to attract, retain and maximise employees’ potential, Singapore-based YCH Logistics developed a dedicated in-house training team that works closely with department heads to customise effective training programmes for all staff according to their needs. “We also set up a ‘Wings’ team – made up of subject matter specialists and operations experts who are trained as trainers,” says Margaret Toh, executive director and vice president – India, YCH Group. “They can be mobilised quickly for implementation projects that include training of new teams as well as spread best practices in all YCH offices throughout Asia-Pacific.” With extensive operations spanning 12 countries across the region, YCH also needed a scalable training and knowledge-sharing platform. For this, the logistics giant developed a Learning Management System (LMS) that captures and transfers knowledge in a very systematic way, enabling staff to not only pick up department skills but also encourages cross-department learning and sharing. “The LMS covers comprehensive learning and training modules, from company culture, to department learning such as operations and sales, CEO engagement, and business code of conduct,” says Toh. Another challenge is up-skilling frontline employees to ensure they are well-equipped with the skills they require to make use of new information systems. “CEVA undertook a transformational project to unify our freight management systems across geographies to achieve greater efficiency in our processes and

FEATURE

enhanced visibility of our supply chain management,” says Beel. “That project required not just training employees on new and improved processes, knowledge and use of new systems, but also the shifting of minds to embrace those changes.” CEVA conducted structured training at all levels in each country as the two-year project was implemented, enabling staff to feel empowered, and therefore more motivated, to embrace the changes and apply the new processes. New recuits demand their own particular onboarding, and are typically enrolled in the organisation’s on-the-job training programme where they are attached to a senior peer for at least three months. On top of that, managers work with their individual staff to identify specific courses that could equip them with additional skills in areas that will enhance their work performance, computing skills for example, or soft skills in customer service. “Such training and development programmes are important to keep employees motivated and retain good talents, in an industry that has a higher turnover than some other industries,” says Beel. “For our supervisors and site managers for example, we have leadership training for them to gain practical knowledge on how to handle conf licts, health and safety issues management, crisis handling, and other areas that are relevant to them as leaders.”

Urgent gaps Supply chain management is now regarded as a service package rather than just pure technical expertise. As such, skills related to improving the overall service experience to the customer are vital. “This includes areas in key account management, SCM solutions and optimisation, operations and service excellence, as well as cross-border management,” says Toh. Training and development opportunities are important to engage employees and keep productive and motivated, and further enhance their growth in the company, says Beel. But still more needs to be done. Workers in the industry are often missing practical skills such as project management and six sigma skills that equip logisticians with the ability to see and understand processes from start to finish, instead of from a silo approach, Krishnan says. “This is becoming increasingly important as part of the trouble-shooter role that logisticians are being asked to play in their organisations today,” he notes. “Trade compliance expertise in today’s complex supply chain process of getting a product from point A to point B is the easy part,” says Krishnan. “The challenges are trade and regulatory issues such as free

trade agreements and duty and customs implications in the localisation of inventory.” In the area of soft skills, industry professionals need tools like teamwork, planning and organisation abilities, customer handling skills, and problem-solving and presentation skills, he adds.

Government support The Singapore government has support available to help train SCM workers. This comes in the form of grants available through channels such as the Workforce Development Agency (WDA). These grants are, however, mostly applicable to Singaporeans and permanent residents only. “Due to this, training costs for foreign staff hired are usually higher,” says Beel. According to Krishnan, one of the biggest challenges in Singapore, is that funding typically only goes to government-linked or approved organisations. “Funding is often tiered whereby a government-linked organisation receives higher funding than a private organisation,” he says. This stif les competition, making it hard for smaller organisations to compete. “Moving forward, we hope that there will be extended grants for leadership and SCM specialist programmes,” says Toh. “YCH Group is also currently working with International Enterprise Singapore to leverage its manpower immersion programmes to groom SCM talents in regional markets.” “Much has been done but we certainly have a long journey ahead of us as the industry works to develop future skilled logisticians who will allow Singapore to continue maintaining its position as a leading global logistics hub,” says Krishnan.

Supply chain management and logistics training Since 2000, the Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society (LSCMS) has conducted vocational, certificate, diploma and masters level programmes. In 2005, the society set up AsiaPacific’s first warehouse and distribution centre training school in Singapore. This was a purpose-built facility that trained hundreds of logisticians in operating real-live warehouse management systems and materials handling equipment. “The Society now acts as a conduit for training and development where we work with world class organisations like Technische Universität München and the Australian Logistics Academy to facilitate the training and education needs of logisticians in the Asia-Pacific region,” says Raymon Krishnan, President, LSCMS.

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FEATURE

Recruitment

International

HIRING 54

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FEATURE

With globalisation, more organisations are looking beyond their immediate shores for talent. International workers are a valuable source of skills, and integrating them into your workforce can show your organisation’s connection to the community. HRM discusses challenges and tips when hiring on an international basis By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

When a hiring need arises, companies are more likely to source locally before seeking talent from overseas. Lynne Ng, Regional Director, Adecco Southeast Asia, says that while its good news for the company – both from cost and time perspectives – if the talent can be found locally, many companies accept that they may need to look further afield for specific or unique skill-sets. “In Asia, there is definitely a strong trend towards hiring local talent, or non-local talent who are ‘in situ’ and have both knowledge and experience working in Asia markets,” says Theresa Hall, head of FrazerJones. She explains that if organisations are not able to source locally, they are more likely to transfer an internal employee than hire internationally. “The only exception to this trend is if there is a specific skill-set that cannot be sourced within their internal pool of candidates, or directly out of the local market,” she notes. Still, with the economies in Europe and the US still grappling for growth, recruitment firms such as Charterhouse Partnership have observed a greater f low of professional talent migrating from the West to the East in recent years. “Asia remains a buoyant employment market where international firms have continued to invest in resources and additional headcounts,” says Gary Lai, Managing Director – Southeast Asia, Charterhouse Partnership. “International companies have also been transferring more mid-senior executives from the West to Asia.” With regards to hiring externally for international talent, companies that are hiring for senior positions or for regional roles are certainly more open to considering overseas talent, although the preference would still be professionals who have had relevant Asian experiences, he adds.

Costs to consider According to ‘A Global Talent Mobility Study’ by Towers Watson, the cost of relocating employees abroad is becoming an increasing problem for employers. Over 75% of organisations surveyed claimed that a ‘traditional’ overseas assignment, which usually involves relocating an employee and their family for three to five years, can require additional expenditure of two to three times the expatriate’s annual salary. Of those involved in the survey, 69% cited prohibitive costs as the major challenge to increased international hiring, 55% felt high housing costs were a problem, and 51% mentioned cost-of-living allowances as prohibitive. Relocating an entire family is far more costly than moving a single or couple. “For candidates with children, housing and schooling and medical coverage are definite concerns,” says Hall. “International schools costs are constantly increasing and for many candidates, particularly those relocating from countries where statefunded education is offered, this is a huge consideration.” That said, the opportunity to develop a career in Asia is a compelling factor. “The lifestyle, coupled with tax advantages, can be a huge draw,” Hall adds. If the international assignment fails, or circumstances change, then the cost of hire, repatriation and re-hiring is substantial, coupled with the intangible costs of employee morale. Indeed, the biggest single potential cost is that of a failed international assignment, says Suzie Ahmad, from the People and Culture unit of Dimension Data Asia-Pacific. “We therefore work hard to ensure the job and context-related skills a candidate brings match our requirements, such that the risk of failure is minimised.

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FEATURE

Recruitment Tips & Tricks • Ensure the local team is aware of the reasons for having to source internationally: meeting a skill deficit or mobilising subject matter expert skills for example • Ensure full alignment between the business requirements and the candidate’s understanding of the mandate, potential cultural nuances, and business challenges they will face • Ensure as much as possible has been done to help the employee and their family cope with relocation and orientation • Encourage employees to maintain professional ties with their country of origin in the event their assignment is cut short and they need to repatriate back and start searching for employment Source: FrazerJones

longer, often without an initial face-to-face discussion which makes assessing the suitability of candidates much harder. Also, someone relocating from a different country often has to tidy up their affairs and then identify basic needs such as housing and schools in Singapore. “This can take time and sometimes slow down the recruitment process,” says Ng. Being successful in any job depends on both job specific skills and the ability to competently apply those skills in a particular environment or context. “This is why two people with the same set of skills may have different levels of success operating in the same environment. That’s true for both company and country contexts,” Ahmad says. “Ensuring that international talent has both the basic skills required and the ability to function in a different county and company context is crucial for us.” Candidates also often find there is a misalignment between what is expected in the role and the actual execution of it. “Candidates from international markets are brought to Asia with the view of bringing added value, implementing best practice, or helping a company to internationalise,” says Hall. “However, once the candidate commences, and endeavours to effect these changes, they often find massive resistance from the business to move forward.” HR therefore needs to play a more robust pivotal role in making sure expectations are aligned from both sides.

Getting cultural fit

“While we do provide some support to international hires for relocation and ensuring a smooth transition to a new work environment, we believe in internal equity across the board,” she adds. “Roles are benchmarked and rewarded in a consistent manner and where we pay a premium to attract any talent, we do so in the context of talent supply and demand dynamics irrespective of whether the talent is locally or internationally sourced.”

60%

of Asian companies transfer employees to China for traditional expatriate assignments.

Challenges with international hires

Source: A Global Talent Mobility Study by Towers Watson

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There are several challenges that HR faces when it comes to hiring on a global platform. Most importantly, the expense and length of time that it can take for someone to be identified, hired, and to then actually start in their new role should always be factored in. Lai points to the difficulty of the interview administrative process, as the process usually takes

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It is integral for HR to have very rigorous talent selection processes in place so as to ensure international recruits have a good cultural fit, along with a skills match. “Once it is established that the candidate has skills beyond the reach of the local market, assessing interpersonal skills is imperative,” says Hall. “Ensuring candidates have the ability to respond appropriately to cultural nuances is now as much a part of the recruitment process as their skills-set.” Cross-cultural competencies such as flexibility, resilience, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to build consensus are key indicators of a suitable fit. Ideal candidates are those who have previously worked outside their home country and have modified their approach accordingly, says Hall. “However, it all comes down to the individual and their personal style. There really isn’t one set formula for managing this.” One of the best ways to ensure that there is a fit is to meet with the overseas candidate – if possible – or at least to hold a face-to-face conversation with them online – such as via Skype or video conferencing, says Ng.

FEATURE

Some of the interview techniques through which HR can identify cultural fit would include quizzing the candidate on their knowledge of local culture, and having them f ly in for the last round of interview. That should ideally be an outside office informal meeting with everyone in the team, so they can assess the comfort levels with each other, says Lai. In the early stages of engagement, Dimension Data uses video-enabled communications wherever possible. “This provides an early face-to-face link, albeit a virtual one,” says Ahmad. In the advanced stages of the selection process, and particularly in more senior roles, Dimension Data works to expose candidates to its people and the environment in which they will work if they join the organisation. “Amongst others, we make use of multiple interviews, and in some cases panel interviews with the key team members on a face-to-face basis,” says Ahmad. “We aim for as much direct exposure as possible to help both the candidate and ourselves understand and assess the fit.

“Ensuring that international talent has both the basic skills required and the ability to function in a different county and company context is crucial for us” – SUZIE AHMAD, FROM THE PEOPLE AND CULTURE UNIT OF DIMENSION DATA ASIA-PACIFIC “Ultimately, ensuring new employees (whether local or from elsewhere) are rapidly integrated into our company, feel engaged and have the wherewithal to be productive contributors as early as possible are prerequisites for a sound, long–term relationship.”

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FEATURE

Work-life transitions

Why we

DON’T really want BALANCE Dr Adam Fraser introduces a new concept that may just assist in that elusive search for harmony in work and home life: transitions

The term ‘work-life balance’ was first used in the UK in the late 1970s. Since then it has been the Holy Grail that every working person has pursued. After four decades of searching, are we any closer? In a nut shell – NO! According to a survey by JobStreet.com, 9 out of 10 Singapore employees worked beyond their official hours. What we are doing is clearly not working. Why? We are focusing on the wrong thing – balance. Saying you want balance is like saying you want to be on a diet. You don’t want to be on a diet; you want to lose weight. We don’t want balance; we want to be happy and have better relationships. Rather than focus on our schedule, our time management and ensuring that each part of our life gets equal investment, we need to focus on our behaviour. In particular, what we do in the transitional space between work and home.

Transitions I first came across this concept of transitions was in 2008 when I watched a number of close friends return home from serving in Iraq. I saw them struggle to re-connect and relate to their family and friends. When I told them about my observation, they shared with me the pain and challenge of transitioning from a vigilant soldier to a calm, loving and empathetic parent or partner. Why was this transition so hard for them? Because the mindset they needed as a soldier was very different

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CONGRESS SERIES

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FEATURE

Work-life transitions to the mindset they needed as a parent, partner or civilian. When we worked on how they transitioned home, their behaviour and level of comfort improved dramatically. I questioned whether this technique would apply to the average worker. Partnering with John Molineux from Deakin University we set out to test my theory. First step was to take a large group of small business owners and examine their mood and behaviour in the home. The initial survey did not paint a pretty picture. Only a small percentage said that they came home in a good mood, with a positive mindset and exhibited constructive behaviour. The next step was educating them on the ‘Third Space’ (my name for the transitional space between the activity we are doing now and the next activity we are about to transition into). We asked them to carry out the following three simple steps in the ‘Third Space’ between work and home. Reflect: This is where they reflected on and analysed the day. However, they were encouraged to only focus on what they had achieved and what had gone well for them. This activity of examining how they had grown and improved increased their level of positive emotion and put them in a growth mindset. Rest: In this step they took time to relax and unwind. Being calm and present allowed their physiology to recover from the stressful day. This phase also allowed their brain chemistry to support more constructive behaviours. Reset: This is where they became clear about their intention for the home space and articulated the specific

Boundaries don’t exist anymore! Most work-life balance strategies have a mindset of pushing against the world. If you prescribe to this doctrine it is a fight you will surely lose. One way many people suggest to gain balance is to place very clear boundaries between work and home. How’s that working for you? Forbes, in their report titled The @Work State of Mind Project, showed that boundaries between work and home no longer exist. Ninety-eight per cent of people surveyed said that they regularly did work in home/family time. The rise of globalisation and development of mobile technology drove a knife deep into the heart of regular work hours. However, is the lack of boundaries a bad thing? Many people I’ve spoken to stated that this blurring of boundaries actually improved their balance. Some said that they checked emails and did work at 9pm. While that sounds like a complete lack of balance, doing this allowed them to come home at 6pm and be with their family while the kids were awake. While working at home was not ideal, the alternative was to stay at work until 7.30pm and miss seeing the kids altogether. Likewise, one manager said that she was at her boys’ school sports carnival and took a phone call on her mobile from the office. When one of the other mums gave her a hard time, the manager pointed out the alternative was to stay at work and miss the carnival altogether.

THE THIRD SPACE FIRST SPACE

REFLECT

REST

RESET

How do I interpret what just happened to me?

can I be still and present?

How will I “show up”?

SECOND SPACE

behaviours they wanted to exhibit. In other words, how they wanted to ‘show up’ when they walked through the door. From our research the most important step that determined if people had a good interaction in the home was how they entered the home environment. If they walked in happy, calm and relaxed, they had a positive interaction. In contrast, if they came home angry, frustrated and manic, they had a negative interaction. After a month of the participants applying these three principles, we saw a whopping 41% improvement in behaviour in the home. When interviewed they conveyed that the improved interactions they had with friends and family led to a greater feeling of overall balance.

Broaden the idea This technique not only applies to the transition between work and home; it applies to all the little transitions we make in our day. Our day is spent moving or transitioning between different roles, tasks and environments. Each of these require us to be different things to different people. Add to this the rapid rate of transitions where juggling interruptions, multi-tasking and layering of time has become our default work style. My research shows that what we do in the Third Space has a significant impact on our performance. In other words, it’s not what you do – it’s what you do in between what you do – that really matters! It is similar to Darwin’s theory: “It is not the strongest of the species that will survive. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change”. Time management is dead. We can’t work any harder! The competitive advantage in the 21st century is the ability to transition rapidly and shift into a mindset that aligns with the next task, role or environment. In my experience within the corporate world, HR practitioners undergo more transitions than any others. On any given day a HR professional may go from conducting a termination to then carrying out a performance review, to catching up on compliance, to focusing on high level strategy to dealing with a case of bullying to then solving a payroll issue. When people applied the principles of the Third Space to each transition they made they felt more in control and their performance improved. Some reported back ISSUE 12.12

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FEATURE

Work-life transitions saying they did their Third Space between meetings: and busyness of the world. Due to our hyperkinetic they literally had one minute to do it and the Rest phase society where we feel that we are on a roller coaster was relegated to two deep breaths, but they felt it still stuck on repeat, we often lose sight of the outcome we made a difference. Put simply, when we collected their are after. The Reset phase allows us to get clear, feedback this was what they said about the benefits of heightening our sense of control. The articulation of managing the Third Space at work. behaviour is also crucial. If we want to change and grow Reflect: It allowed them to learn and identify the it starts with altering behaviours. key behaviours that led to positive outcomes and to If you feel the need to have greater control over your deal with the previous interaction without carrying the life and improve your relationships, apply the principles ‘baggage’ from it to the next one. When Reflect was of the Third Space to each transition you make. Go forth performed as a group (eg. in a sales meeting reflecting and Reflect, Rest and Reset. on the previous week and what they had achieved) it led to an improvement in culture. This is powerful because when someone feels that they are growing and achieving, they exhibit an increase in engagement. The Reflect phase facilitates this perfectly. Rest: This phase simply allowed them to pause t. n c ep . and clear their mind. Rest was a chance for is co o f t h s t o f him g n i r e them to catch their breath before the next r h ea g ot th e b n ga g e d . e l af t e t activity. People felt that the clarity of thought e m a i l e at w o r k i s t i c a n d n a wors t m e h e p e op p t im y g o t t h e e j u s t n o e , s that came from Rest helped them be more n t l u O fa mi o th e m , h A C E i s e d t h at e rg e t i c , f e t e hi s al strategic and accurate with their thoughts. New a s e n e n t h o m h o r r i b l e e g av e t h w H e re e h w H y rb of l k . u e r n e b h o e m research in the area of stress management is At w u s su mp any w h e n h e w a s o p a n at h o o , e r g e r v o o h showing that short regular pauses in our day on a H o w e N o t t h at at w o r k t in a g n in t h e c f t e r . r li v e s io g. A n i o f him u p b e t t e w o r k . H e hi s p o s it e d l consistent basis leads to a dramatic drop in stress, i bu ut sid o o ed s h o w h i m s e l f t n ly . D u e t u n d e r t h e t h e c a r o o f t h e anxiety and depression. f s t t a o k u h r b est ll e d M s p a c e r i g e n o w p a n t o a n d o c i mu si ey ca h Reset: People found that the Reset phase (which S y d n a p a r k i n g r d S p a c e e t r e w a l k li s t e n s t o h e t s e hi m asks us to identify our clear intention for the next he ha of the T a si x-kilo to work h ing up in ork in g in es c o m s it t o w o y s d a i interaction and the behaviour that will make the e h ear d w t w ant t w ha n th e it y a n y h om th e c ch d a y . O nk s a b o u – h o w h e n th e w a t intention a reality) helped them cut through the clutter s e i e th ect, R a st , o ty ea i s e it

dy 2 u t s Case

About the author Dr Adam Fraser is a thought leader and author in the area of human performance. For further information visit dradamfraser.com

dy 1 u t s Case

k id s y th e h e d a e en t f o en d as b 0 for 3 t th e age h o o r a th eir gar o w e d o ut t t im e. d e h ( l t l ha et in ro om n ot a e I’m in g t as I g rumpu s They are ome dur elf, w her my e oon s h . s h o ) y t d d s m to ‘A we om oo eI my av e t t a ll o lay r to g o t t im h a v e t e d t o a p a n d i s n o e d a y I h g . In t h a a t t i m e – h n r b h i t et s t e e c o nv s . M y hu inute s of uman b w ith n ot g te feres ey w o uld p ac t . m rh r u e e 0 n h t i 3 t n i m h ly no m ONE an d t su re it s i b e t ter for a he on It ’s t p onsible Res et . N O the eyes ea are m y s o l d i t it .’ e m r n love n ot e g in g f ro y fam est a c t , R e b le e din ot e v en b s w ith m o lo g i s t . I e l f e n b R ip ch c o u ld el at i o nsh r a n d p s y c o uld k id s ent ion . I the r r, par t ne , t t d a e my t ress r m oth e e ess s I’m l m a b et t a I d n a

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ci efl t nt r d. H u al s iP o In co does his R What wen s o v is o n h i d s t a r t s t s w i ll b e . hi d. ly o a p t e m n y h u i d a y a at h i s f o c u s i c , h e s a y i n h i s t s h a l f w a b o u t e d h a g m and w sn’t play s over the x . As he s to think What e oe n rela and star t the door. that a h e d o s et . H e g c e e wh aid ork s in a n d R d t h e n h o f f f r o m w n h e g e t o b e. H e s t h e t o rs he an s e s t w l t l e n n p e h a e w s w it c t o sh o w u t h e r h e w w h e f a m i ly e o h h , r d ca d fa hi s nge ant s h e w s b a n d a n e t e l y c h a f e e l s li k e how r pl hu e g a m n o f c o o k in d rd Sp a c e t . H e n o l hi en t h e T nv ir o n m t o f him . ar ee h om e worst p th g et s

IN PERSON

Book Reviews

HR from the Outside In “How can we deliver value for the business?” is always the top question on every progressive HR practitioner’s lips. For Dave Ulrich and his team at the RBL Group, it is the key to ensuring that HR remains relevant in today’s time and age. Following on the heels of The Why of Work and HR Transformation, this book is a practical guide to learning the HR competencies that will help HR professionals succeed. Informed by the authors’ global HR Competency Study (HRCS) research, HR From the Outside In aims to teach HR professionals what it takes to stay competitive and up-todate in the ever-growing world of HR. The book also explores how to develop HR professionals to contribute as high-performing business partners and structure an HR department that delivers maximum value for the organisation. The authors outline six core competencies that have been extrapolated from the research:

• Strategic Positioner: HR must develop the skills to influence strategy formulation and position the organisation for ongoing success. • Capability Builder: HR must be able to identify and build organisational capabilities • Innovator and Integrator: HR should innovate and align talent, leadership and organisation practices to the goals of the firm • Technology Proponent: HR must use technology to connect talented employees and smooth out HR processes • Change Champion: HR must initiate and sustain change • Credible Activist: HR should continue to build personal credibility and a point of view about the organisations for which they work Full of case studies and timely insights, the book is a must read for HR leaders to not just develop themselves, but make an impact in the organisations they work in. It is particularly compelling as it is informed by the perspective of non-HR executives and stakeholders, making it a valuable resource for HR leaders who want to bring the function to a greater level.

Title: HR from the Outside In Authors: ?????? Published by: McGraw-Hill Cost: $49.76

RESTAURANT REVIEW

OChre Italian Restaurant | Bar

Italian passion “Italian food is something you can eat every day and not be tired of.” Where the resident chef has such a firm passion for traditional authentic Italian cuisine, you can be assured of only the best quality food for your next staff luncheon or dinner at OChre Italian Restaurant |Bar. Perched on the roof of Orchard Central and surrounded by a roof top garden, OChre brings a sense of tranquillity with its lush green surroundings and panoramic city skyline. Together with the alfresco area and bar lounge, the restaurant can accommodate over 300 guests for standing buffet events or cocktail receptions. A private room also offers a

more cosy setting for a department gathering. Expect traditional Italian favourites with fresh and premium ingredients thoughtfully treated with contemporary techniques by Italian born and trained Executive Chef Stefano Arrigoni. Signature dishes include Barolo Wine Risotto with Sous Vide Oxtail and Home Made Burrata Cheese. As we all know, no meal is complete without the inclusion of dessert. As a culinary bonus, your staff can be treated to something both ‘Sweet and Salty’. The warm date and caramelised walnut cake is served with maldon salted caramel ice cream, brown sugar shortbread and baked capellini.

Burrata

For more information: OCHRE ITALIAN RESTAURANT|BAR Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road, #11-03, (S) 238896 Tel: (65) 6634 0423 Email: ochre@ kitchenlanguage. com.sg Web: www. ochreitalian.com.sg

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TALENT FEATURE

AYP Associates

Winning the hearts and minds of employees The right hiring strategies, effective training as well as open and inclusive communication are the cornerstones of a great corporate culture, says Annie Yap, Group Managing Director, AYP Associates

Annie Yap

Group Managing Director, AYP Associates

I have been through four economic up and downswings over the last twenty years and have picked up a few things along the way on how companies can be built to last. Each time there is an economic downturn or contraction, companies talk about the value they place on their people and how important these people are to the ability of the company to weather difficult times. They talk about the importance of developing and sustaining positive culture, critical thinking and ingrained belief systems that allow companies and their people to be successful year after year. Yet all these great concepts seem to be forgotten once sales and profits return. Positive corporate culture is a commitment to a way of doing business and a set of beliefs that is not a by-product of economic cycles. Not what we sell but why we are in business; what is our USP; why we care about the success of our people; why satisfying the needs of our clients is important? If you can’t answer these questions, I guarantee you that your employees can’t either. How do we create great corporate culture? The keys are: right hiring, effective training, open and inclusive communication. We all know that people will do what we ask more quickly and positively when we explain to them why. Creating positive corporate culture is the development of a clear vision that defines us and that is ingrained throughout the entire organisation. That’s exactly the same for effective corporate culture. Winning the hearts and minds of employees are keys to ingraining the beliefs and achieving the goals that are the basis for corporate culture. It will positively impact people, clients/customers and bottom-line. Culture is both visible and invisible; some cues and concepts can be readily seen, while others are more elusive. Attire, for instance, is a visual aspect that can set the tone of the office. Casual clothing might convey a comfortable, laid back environment while formal wear might indicate expected 64

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attitudes about behavior. Similarly, even office layout and environment transmit company values. A highly modern office with glass walls and plenty of white boards presents an open environment that may be more conducive to collaboration than say, a warehouse that is sparsely decorated. One is not necessarily better than the other, but they certainly embody different values. Mostly, company culture is intangible, though its visible components can’t be overlooked. We can always tell instantly those who are committed to corporate culture and the ones who aren’t. Some just want information presented but some ask the important question: What can we do to actually create these positive changes? These are the ones who will win the hearts and minds of their people. They will take the time to develop their cultural identity and give their people the training they need to achieve their goals. Whether it’s speeding a product through to development, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, creating expectations and accountability for management and staff, implementing a community service programme, creating a social calendar of events with fellow employees or developing a reward system for helping co-workers, the organisations that invest in creating a positive and powerful corporate culture will always reap rewards that far exceed their investment Something I noticed about these core values is that they all require willingness and action from the top level. The willingness of management to encourage and support these values and to take the action necessary to make sure they are fully integrated into the way in which business is conducted each and every day. Great corporate culture maybe created at the top but it’s not a top down or a bottom up process, it is both. This is very similar to when management finally understands that quality isn’t a department but rather an organisational mindset. Management has to allow their people the control to try new ideas and new ways to handle existing situations and their people have to believe that if they reach out and try something new, right or wrong, the company will support them. When the people within an organisation feel that their best interest is at heart, they work harder, stay longer and are absent less often: the result is higher productivity and profitability. When people are challenged with positive ideals, great corporate culture becomes possible.

AYP Associates 65, Chulia Street OCBC Centre #41-01 Singapore 049513 Tel: (65) 68200300 Web: www.aypassociates.com

TALENT CHALLENGE

Talent management

Strategic planning How important is it for HR to plan for the future, and what are some of the ways in which HR can look ahead?

Juliana Ong

Director of HR, Royal Plaza on Scotts

With stiff competition for manpower in the hospitality industry, it is especially important to anticipate evolving market trends and implement strategies to respond accordingly. Retention is an important aspect of managing manpower. Improving productivity through continuous training is one area to focus on. Multi-skilled employees increase productivity and generate higher revenue for the organisation. This leads to pay increments for employees. Besides investing in automation and technology to help ease the labour-intensive work, organisations should continue to focus on training programmes to ensure that the workforce is ready to take on multiple roles. It is also essential to establish or continue to build on the organisation’s culture in the workplace as employees are also looking for an emotional connection with their employers. This includes upgrading the hardware in the organisation for the employees so that they feel at home. It has spurred Royal Plaza on Scotts to create a Chillax Lounge, which is equipped with a projector for employees to unwind while watching movies or television programmes and bond with each other. Organisations can also improve their “heartware” by finding out what really matters to employees. Focus groups can be held to establish Employee Value Propositions that are directed at the needs of the employees. Employees will know that their comments are taken into consideration and they will feel appreciated knowing so.

Joy Roman

Head of HR, SEA, 3M

Any business plan is only as strong as the team that will carry it out. It is therefore critical that HR is able to understand and plan for the future. At a minimum, HR must be able to give the business leaders confidence that the right talent will be in place when it is needed. However, by taking the time to plan ahead, HR can do even more than enable the strategies; the function can help to shape the strategies themselves. For example, a “good” HR plan may lay out a plan to attract and retain the Gen Y workers that will be a necessary part of the future workforce while a “great” HR strategy may identify a coming shortage of workers in a critical function and then work with business leaders to identify opportunities for automation or redundancy. This leaves the company with a strategic advantage compared to others without that foresight. To create any HR strategy – good or great – HR practitioners must first understand the company’s business, vision, and goals as well as the workforce that will be required to support the business in its future state. Next, they should use facts and data to identify potential HR barriers to achieving these goals. This includes peer benchmarking, keeping up on industry research, data analytics focused on the current workforce, economic reports, etc. By comparing the internal goals to the external realities, strategic challenges will become obvious, and future planning can start to take place.

Maurice Tan

HR Director, APAC, Tectura Singapore

With the fast changing economic situation and the fierce competition in the market place today, companies that neglect the importance of human resources, and human resources leaders who fail to play a strategic role in helping companies, will eventually be eliminated from the market place. As a HR leader, I always participate and help the senior management to strategise and come up with the operational direction of the organisation so as to thrive and stay ahead of the competition. At the same time, I must remember to plan ahead for HR so that it is in sync with the company. When I map out the HR plan, I always look at the following: • Economic situation – what areas or precautionary measures must HR be aware of should the situation change for better or worse? • Labour trends – how HR can attract and retain our employees, including balancing the diversity in one’s workforce? • Productivity – how to motivate employees to be more productive without high wage costs ? • Innovation – how we can reduce costs through technology, outsourcing, virtual operation, and others to help improve profitability ? • Learning & development – how to ensure continuous development of employees’ knowledge and skills to move ahead? I believe every HR manager or leader must become well-rounded strategic thinkers with a business mindset in order to plan well. ISSUE 12.12

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IN PERSON

HR talent John Murphy

Vice President HR & Organisational Development, PANDORA Productions

Years in HR? Well, I have to admit that I have 30 years of experience in HR. I started out as a Clerical Officer in the “Staff” department of London Transport (it wasn’t even the ‘Personnel’ department in those days and ‘HR’ hadn’t been invented!) Since then I have held positions in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific with local, regional and global responsibilities for HR and Organisational Development (OD). Why HR? To be honest, all those years ago, HR was not my first choice. Today, I firmly believe that the HR function is in an unrivalled position to positively influence the performance and potential of the business. Why PANDORA? The sheer passion of the team that I met initially, and taking a tour around the facilities meeting the crafts people who would soon become my colleagues, really made a big impression. I then did some research and learned of the phenomenal success story that PANDORA represents; from being a single store in

Denmark to becoming one of the top three jewellery brands in the world by retail value within 30 years. Biggest achievement? I take great satisfaction though in knowing that I have contributed in some way to the development of many people over the years and, hopefully, contributed to the sustained profitable growth of a few businesses as well. Biggest challenge? Going home! I love the work I do, I really enjoy the team I work with and there are a great many opportunities for us to pursue. PANDORA’s vision is to become the world’s most recognised jewellery brand. My biggest challenge, and I relish it, is to support that vision in becoming a reality. What happens after hours? I am a voracious reader so that takes up quite a bit of time. I play traditional Irish music too as a form of relaxation and, of course, I find opportunities to savour the delicious food from Thailand (where I am based) every day in the company of friends.

TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

HR at work 6:00am I wake up and spend time working on myself before going to work. One of my favourite personal development coaches, Robin Sharma, advocates taking a “Holy Hour” each morning, devoted to working mentally, physically and spiritually. Each day I try to review all my goals. Beginning the day with them helps me make better choices and see better results.

Chow Kok Lam

Training and Development Manager, CEVA Logistics

7:00am In the morning I tune in to my favourite morning radio programme. I think it’s important to have an idea of what is happening in our community and the world – something I need when connecting with people around me. 7:15am I work according to my goals and priorities. I never want to be controlled by tasks that are urgent but not necessarily important. 8:30am Handle some administrative matters including training grants and claims. Follow up with our Finance colleagues on outstanding matters. 10:00am I liaise with operations supervisors and managers about on-the-job training.

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12:00pm I follow up on our talent management programmes and the progress of our coaching programme. I usually have lunch in office- a delicious sandwich and a cup of cereal. At the same time, I update the training records and analyse some training statistics. 3:00pm Update the attendance for our next in-house training session. I get the learners’ guide, venue, training aids and most importantly, a bento lunch ready, with the help of our helpful Admin Officer. With the help of our Facility Officer, we set up the training room according to the requirements of the session. 6:30pm I believe in work-life balance. It’s important for me to spend time with my family during dinner. Family time is about quantity and quality. I exercise three to four times a week, either playing badminton or jogging around my neighbourhood. 10:00pm I will switch off the computer and TV an hour before bedtime and let my brain have some down time after a long day. I sleep far more peacefully when I do this. I find this to be a great way to hold myself accountable for taking action throughout the day.

TALENT LADDER

New appointments Joseph Chia

Director of HR, Orchard Hotel Singapore Joseph Chia has recently been appointed as the Director of HR, Orchard Hotel Singapore, part of the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels group. Chia previously held a HR role at Mandarin Orchard Singapore. He is proud to have walked the journey with his former employer, and left to embark on new challenges. With more than 20 years of experience, Chia is primarily a

generalist in HR, but also specialises in training and development. Chia would like to see his contribution add value to the organisation in terms of improving the overall work experience as well as improving the quality of work-life harmony and growth of employees. At the same time, he also wants to ensure that HR strategy balances with business objectives.

Currently, his most impending and significant task at hand would be to review and explore innovative ways to address the manpower challenges faced by the company, as well as the industry. He feels that now is the time to drive all the innovative, or out-ofthe-box ideas that they have been thinking about but have not put into action.

Pauline Wan

Regional HRD Manager, Region East (Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa), Rohde & Schwarz Pauline Wan is the new Regional HRD Manager, Region East of Rohde & Schwarz, a leading supplier of transmission, monitoring and measurement equipment in the world. Prior to her current appointment, she was in Jones Lang LaSalle, a corporate real estate company, as the Regional Learning and Development Manager for Asia Pacific. With over 14 years of experience, she has taken on many roles in the profession. In Rohde & Schwarz, she continues her work in HRD with a special focus

in talent development and successful management for the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa region. According to her, the company has a proud tradition of promoting leaders from within. The organisation is rapidly increasing its presence in this region and is committed to build a robust pipeline of internal talents to lead the growth. As Rohde & Schwarz does not have a uniform and consolidated approach towards talent and succession management across the region, Wan is currently working with business

leaders to set up the framework and strategies to achieve that. “While the company as a whole recognises talent and provides much opportunity for growth, there needs to be a more structured and targeted approach. In addition, the business is fast growing and there is need for talent to step up and take on those roles to bring the business to a new level. It is an exciting time ahead for me as I work with the leaders to put the necessary structure, processes and programmes in place.”

Peggy Tan

Director, Human Capital & Development, PARKROYAL on Pickering Peggy Tan is the Director of Human Capital and Development at PARKROYAL on Pickering, the flagship PARKROYAL hotel opening later this year. Peggy has over 10 years of human resources experience in areas such as industrial relations, recruitment and training, from her previous employment with the National Trade Union Congress, CapitaLand Residential and Grand Hyatt Singapore. She holds a Business

degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and a graduate diploma in Human Capital Development. “I’m excited to be part of the pre-opening team behind PARKROYAL on Pickering, the upcoming iconic landmark in Singapore that promises to set new benchmarks in urban hospitality. I am looking forward to building a team of people who will personify the brand

promise ‘Your Trusted Local Companion’ through their engaging personalities, warm dispositions and passion for connecting guests to authentic local experiences. PARKROYAL on Pickering is also going to be one of the first hotels in Singapore to implement a comprehensive training and development model to groom our associates for leadership positions as a means to help them fulfil their fullest potential…”

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Theresa Hall Singapore

frazerjones.com

HR Roles Head of Talent Acquisition Banking A newly created role responsible for developing the talent acquisition capabilities and strategies to attract and hire the finest talent across the APAC region. Working closely with HR and hiring teams, this role is focused on recruitment policy and procedures, ensuring that best practice is rolled out and closely followed across the business. The successful candidate will have over 7 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in creating recruitment best practice, policies and frameworks within a Centre of Excellence environment. 5+ years, experience across the APAC region is also a pre-requisite. Apply now. Ref: FN/188761. SG$200,000

Regional Head of HR Environmental Our client is a global provider of environmental services to leading businesses in the energy and mining sector. The post-holder will be a key member of the HR function and report directly to the Regional CEO and group HR Director. You will have oversight of various in-country HR Managers from around the APAC region. This is a distinct trusted advisor position and will play a significant role in developing the strategic people agenda. Direct experience working with a Professional Services firm or the environmental/energy sector is essential. This role will be based in either Singapore or Perth, and will require up to 50% travel. Ref: TH/188100. SG$300,000+

To discuss HR roles across Asia, please contact Theresa Hall on +65 6420 0516 or Fiona Nesbitt on +65 6420 0515. Alternatively, email theresahall@frazerjones.com or fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com | 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 Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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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Global Network. Local Expertise.

www.michaelpage.com.sg

With 164 offices in 34 countries, we have the resources and expertise to help you take the next step in your HR career. Matrix organisation Strategic individual contributor role Our client is a global information company helping to shape the business landscape in energy, economics, sustainability and supply chain management. With the increased presence in the region, they are presently seeking a seasoned Senior Recruiter, APAC to join the team. You will be responsible for working with hiring managers and developing the most appropriate strategy to recruit talent. You will work closely with HR Business Partners and hiring managers to manage the hiring needs of regional teams. The successful candidate must have at least 5 years experience in corporate recruitment and account management. Prior experience working with senior business leaders and demonstrated ability to manage competing demands will be looked upon favourably. Please contact Cherry Wu quoting ref: H1418110

Group HR Director – APAC & Middle East Blue Chip MNC Consistent growth momentum Our client has interests in more than 20 countries with staff strength close to 8,000 across the globe. Due to an internal promotion, they are looking for the right candidate to take up the Group HR Director position. Leading a team of 40, you will be responsible for supporting the business leaders in executing strategy and building organizational capability by developing and implementing appropriate people and organizational strategies. Key to your success will be your ability to engage the senior leaders on a strategic level. The successful applicant must have a tertiary degree in HRM with at least 15 years of relevant regional experience.

Team leading role Business partnering responsibilities Our client is well-established brand in the Retail sector and is poised for continual expansion. They are seeking a HR Manager to lead their fast-growing creative team with progressive HR practices. You will be responsible for providing leadership in the various human resource functions, including recruiting and staffing, employee onboarding, training policy development, employee relations, company employee communication and change management. To succeed in this role, you must have a minimum of 5-7 years of relevant HR experience, with good understanding and application of local labour laws. You must pride yourself in being involved in the development and execution of processes and metrics that support the achievement of the organization’s business goals. Please contact Cherry Wu quoting ref: H1505060

APAC Compensation & Benefits Specialist Newly Created Role with a US listed Multinational Group Headquarters Role Our client is one of the world’s most reputable and successful global corporations with diverse business portfolios. As part of its HR transformation journey, there is now a newly created position for an Asia Pacific Compensation and Benefits Specialist to join the team to support the 6000 headcount in the region. Reporting to the APAC Compensation and Benefits Manager, you will be tasked with supporting the benchmarking of salary surveys as well as taking the lead on benefits related matters. To be successful in this role, you must possess a strong foundation in C&B practices, have impeccable communication skills and have at least 7 years APAC exposure in a MNC. Please contact Teo Peiwen quoting ref: H1502670 #13529

Please contact Sean Tong quoting ref: H 1498840

HR Manager

Licence No: 98C5473 Business Registration No: 199804751N

Senior Recruiter

To apply for any of the above positions, please go to www.michaelpage.com.sg/apply quoting the reference number, or contact the relevant consultant on +65 6533 2777 for further details.

Specialists in human resources recruitment Human Resources

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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. Regional Human Resource Manager

Renowned Healthcare Group West/5 Days Salary up to $6,500 per month + Very Attractive Bonus

Up to S$10k Town area/5 Days

Our client, a renowned healthcare group, providing advanced medical care, clinical training centre and a research centre. One of the leading players in the healthcare industry.

Our client, a well-known and established company is the largest conferencing and collaboration provider, focusing on multimedia meeting solutions, unified communications tools and event services is inviting suitably qualified candidates to fill the position as a Regional HR Manager.

Responsibilities • Support the Medical Affairs Department in review, development and

Responsibilities • Responsible for the day-to-day Human Resources activities of the region

implementation of HR policies, plans, processes and programmes, to ensure they are effective, relevant and aligned to organizational goals and objectives and market trends and competitiveness • Work with business units and staff in providing value-adding advice, support and service to attract, retain, train, develop, reward, care and engage our talents • Manage HRIS and total performance management system • In charge of manpower planning/budget and monthly reports to departments/senior management/external institutions • Serve as an effective and neutral channel for employee feedback through regular walkabouts and dialogue sessions with staff so as to build an open and trusting culture in the hospital • Coach and guide HR support staff in the execution and processing of HR functions • Participate and support in hospital-wide projects and events, as and when assigned or appointed

Requirements • Possess a recognized Degree with at least 3 years of relevant HR experience • Prior experience from healthcare, medical or related industry is highly advantageous

• Post-graduate qualification in HRM will be an advantage • Possess strong analytical & writing skills • Organised, proactive, bold & sense of urgency • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Proficient in MS Office

ensuring all documentation and statistics are kept up in accordance with company standards and applicable laws • Develop and implement company policies and initiatives to attract, retain and develop talent • Manage the payroll function and compensation and benefits for the region • Other assignments given to the Executive by the Director HR APAC, or as directed by company from time to time

Requirements • Must be hands on and operationally savvy to run the full HR function • Strong business acumen and able to appreciate the challenges of the high tech industry

• Must have at least 6 to 8 years of HR experience with at least 3 years in a managerial/supervisory position

• Minimum Diploma or Degree in Human Resources Management • Familiar with market practices, trends and development and local labour laws • Proactive, innovative, resourceful and self-driven with the ability of multi-task

• Strong written and verbal communication skills • Good interpersonal skill Interested candidate please submit your updated resume in MS Word format to: Position 1: aspire4@achievegroup.asia Position 2: strike1@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 12.12

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(MNC, Pharmaceutical) HR Manager, SEA

Head of HR

APAC Director, OD, Change and Talent Management

Global Exposure

Exciting Growth Phase

Transformation Role

Excellent Career Growth

Newly Created Position

Strong Business Partnering

Salary Circa S$150k-S$180k + Bonus

Salary Circa S$200k-S$220k + Bonus

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

Our client is a leading US MNC with aggressive growth agenda in the region. It has come to a critical scale where an ambitious HR professional is now needed to partner the MD of the business in steering the region growth from a people perspective.

Our client is a leading US multinational, currently undergoing a global transformation. There is now an opportunity for a high calibre and strategic HR professional to join them in their APAC office.

Working with a team of professional and energetic colleagues, you will report to the Head of HR for Asia Pacific and Middle East and be responsible for effective and efficient delivery of the entire end-to-end HR functions for both the local operations as well as the regional teams based in Singapore. This includes providing strategic and tactical advice to business leaders in the areas of learning and development, general C&B and talent management.

Working in partnership with the Regional MD, you will oversee a population of approximately 1,200 (and growing), in generalist business partnering, setting up and strengthening the HR processes and practices, assist in HR due diligence and integration following M&A initiatives, as well as partake in other special projects as needed.

Reporting to the EMEA/APAC COE Lead and working in partnership with the relevant business stakeholders, you will lead HR initiatives in areas of organizational development and talent strategy, talent management and assessment, change management, learning and development, performance management as well as establishment of best practices for the region. You will manage one direct report and manage others through partnering and influence. You are adept in multi-tasking and have strong project management skills.

You are HR qualified and have worked a minimum of 8 years in a progressive multinational, preferably with some years spent in a manufacturing environment. Prior experience in pharmaceutical, FMCG, chemical and oil and gas industries will be highly advantageous. You are hands on, have strong knowledge around local employment practices and are overall, an excellent team player.

You are HR qualified and have worked a minimum of 12 years in a progressive HR, and fast paced environment. Strong industrial and manufacturing exposure, with an emphasis in China, is particularly instrumental in this role. You are strategic in mindset and operationally hands on. You work well in a matrixed environment and manage some ambiguity well.

Ideally, you are a seasoned HR professional with deep APAC experience. You have significant technical expertise in talent management and development alongside strong change management experience. You are an effective strategist and planner, as well as have a demonstrable track record of strong execution. You work well in a dynamic, complex and matrixed environment. Some travelling can be expected of this role.

To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number YY4769\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 CK4799\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 CK4757\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Financial Services I Commerce I Human Resources I Technology I Legal 74

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Business Registration No: 200307397W I Licence No: 03C4828

Returning the Human to Resourcing

(MNC) L&D, Talent & Change Manager (5-month contract)

HR Business Partner

OD & Business Partner

US MNC, Financial Services Industry

World Leading Media & Entertainment Company

Global FMCG

International Platform

1 Year Contract

A Fortune 500 company

Salary Circa 150k

Salary Circa S$72k-S$84k Base

Salary Circa S$120k-S$150k Base + Bonus

Our client, listed on the NYSE, is a global information services provider serving the financial and commercial markets. There is now a 5-month assignment with the organization as a Senior Talent Manager for Asia Pacific region.

This client is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. There is a great opportunity to join the team as a HRBP with L&D focus supporting the sales team.

This client is a Fortune 500 company and one of the world's most profitable corporations. A multinational FMCG company headquartered in Switzerland. This position is responsible for the organization development function in Singapore and acting as a business partner.

Reporting to the Asia Pacific lead of Talent Development, you provide thought leadership and innovation to help shape and develop the L&D agenda, manage relationships with global and segment stakeholders. You identify and manage the business requirements for soft skills and professional training across the region, roll out policies and frameworks, provide direction for all company-wide L&D initiatives including management, leadership and soft skill development. You will also manage the Talent reviews, implement Succession Planning process and maintain consistent succession plans for all senior managerial positions across the region. You will interface with key stakeholders and represent Asia Pacific in key global projects.

Reporting to SEA HR Director, you will drive talent management process from talent review, succession planning and leadership development programs. You will actively engage staff and drive strong employee engagement. As a BP, you will drive performance management, recognize and reward key performers. Be part of supporting business transformation initiatives and drive organizational effectiveness. You will be conducting exit interviews, consolidating headcount requests, coordinating sales compensation payouts, administering HR policies, handling employee grievance-handling process.

Ideally the candidate should have hands on experience on leadership development programme such as coaching, mentorship, managing 360 assessment tools, conducting a climate survey, ability to provide good leadership, change management and facilitation skills. You will design and deliver OD interventions to address the root causes of issues to improve organizational effectiveness. You will act as internal OD subject matter expert and influence stakeholders in taking ownership of recommended solutions to drive culture transformation.

Ideally, you are degree qualified preferably with specializations in learning and development and organizational development. Experienced in working with senior stakeholders, you have track record of designing and implementing L&D strategy in an international environment. You are highly influential and have strong knowledge of L&D best practice in the region and globally.

Ideally you will have at least 5 years progressive experience in HR business partnering and good knowledge in L&D. You are confident in supporting regional business and the ability to work in a fast pace environment. Mandarin speaking ability is essential, as the candidate is required to liaise with Chinese counterpart.

An ideal candidate will have a degree specializing in HRM/Business Management with at least 8 years of relevant working experience in OD function. You are a good team player with good business acumen and professionalism in maintaining employee confidential information. Advantageous to have experience in coaching and counselling, Certified Facilitator/ Trainer, Program Management and Psychometric tools.

To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference no YY4808\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC4499\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC4788\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Business Registration No: 200307397W I Licence No: 03C4828

6 Best Headhunting awards in Asiamoney Headhunters Poll for Asia since 2009 Expanded Financial Services Practice in 2012 in Front Office, Middle/Back, Human Resources, Legal and Technology

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts Head of learning and Development apply a talent management & leadership development focus

organisational change lead implement global change

A global financial organisation, with a growing presence in Asia, is looking for a Head of Learning & Development. The key focus areas for the role will include talent management and leadership development. You will provide expertise and consulting in learning with the HR Business Partners and other Learning Partners to define learning and performance programs which drive business results. You will be part of the senior HR team globally and your advice and expertise from the Singapore office will encompass leadership development and succession planning ideas.

A superb opportunity has arisen within a multinational organisation for an Organisational Change Lead to be responsible for managing, implementing and embedding the global organisational initiatives being rolled out within the region. You will be expected to develop the area change management plan, deliver all components and manage the work stream to time, quality and budget with a pro-active and timely identification and resolution of risks and issues. The role will ultimately include managing the transition to the new organisational structure ensuring adequate business ownership of the changes and new ways of working in order to achieve desired outcomes and full embedding.

Hr specialist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; oil & Gas Develop & influence Hr processes As a HR Specialist you will handle HR operations and processes such as compensation and benefits, recruitment, HRIS (SAP), expatriate management and change management. Particularly as a change agent you will develop team building activities and take the lead to motivate and convince peers with the goal of project success. You will also conduct training where necessary and identify data required for benchmarking purposes. To be considered you should possess a degree with at least three years of HR system and process knowledge combined with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including coaching and mentoring.

total rewards Business leader - apac Become a key member of the global total rewards team A global financial services organisation is looking for a Total Rewards Leader to support and implement the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total reward strategy and manage local compensation programs and practices in Asia Pacific. As a key member of the global total rewards team, you will ensure that reward programs are competitive, cost effective, able to attract and retain talent and adequately aligned to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global philosophy. You will also provide strategic compensation consulting to local management and HR on hiring/job offers, internal equity, compensation reviews, retention, rewards or any compensation related issues in assigned geographies.

please contact ash russell, thomas Girling, Vargin Yeke or lorna somerville 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 Manager (Recruitment)

HR Director

Our client is a key player in the manufacturing space, having global presence in Asia and Europe. With plans for expansion, they are looking for an experience HR Manager to spearhead their recruitment and talent management needs.

Our client is a recognised brand and employer of choice with exciting growth plans. They are looking for a HR Director whose responsibility is to front the HR Department and oversee all people-based internal activities.

Responsibilities:

• develop and implement recruitment and selection strategies for positions in APAC • implement and support HR strategies to attract, develop and retain talents through talent management, succession planning and employee engagement initiatives • resolve grievances, disputes and provide guidance to line managers on employee relations • develop and manage relocation policy and programs • ensure all employment matters are in compliance with the region’s regulations

Requirements:

• minimum 3 to 5 years of relevant working experience in similar capacity on a regional level • self-motivated and ability to drive a team to reach the given targets • strong analytical and strategic thinking ability • possess good communications and interpersonal skills

Responsibilities:

• responsible for senior level decision-making for both daily management and strategic direction of the organisation • provide advice to line managers on all HR issues: management of staff, remuneration, etc • review all staff salaries and make recommendations for any increments and promotions • maintain a succession plan for all departments

Requirements:

• must be comfortable working in a standalone environment • able to quickly establish credibility and respect and build strong working relationships • able to solve problems through a pragmatic approach • understand all employment-related legal implications and able to resource plans accordingly

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

OD/L&D Manager

HR Manager (Regional)

Our client is a European MNC listed on Fortune 100. They are looking for an OD/L&D Manager to design and deliver OD interventions to address the root causes of issues to improve organisational effectiveness.

Our client, listed on Fortune 500 is looking for an experienced HR Manager to provide professional advice on developing and recommend HR policies and procedures to compliment both on a localised and regional approach.

Responsibilities:

• act as internal OD subject matter expert and in�luence stakeholders in taking ownership of recommended solutions to drive culture transformation • deliver leadership development programs through coaching and mentorship • partner with business functions to deliver value added service to re�lect business objectives • full spectrum of HR including spearheading HR initiatives in line with corporate objectives • act as employee champion and change agent to provide advisory support

Requirements: • • • • •

a good degree specialising in HRM/Business Management at least 6 years' of relevant working experience in OD function professionalism in maintaining employee con�idential information mature and able to manage people-related issues with professionalism ability to provide good leadership, change management and facilitation skills

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

Responsibilities:

• implement all HR initiatives within the Singapore of�ice through directing and executing all HR matters related to the Asia of�ice • achieve the organisation’s objectives and targets through the management of human resource and development activities • ensure franchise markets adhere to the organisation’s HR standards through partnership with HR Team, achieving key HR KPI’s • be an employee advocate and a sounding board to senior director, HR and functional heads

Requirements:

• minimum 5 years of experience in a similar capacity • strong in personnel management, salary, bene�its policy development and job evaluation methodology • strong communication skills to work with personnel across all levels • display high level of maturity with sound decision-making 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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