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Kimberly-Clark’s winning culture Casting for talent at W Singapore Sentosa Cove Chester Elton in Singapore

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ISSUE 13.6

innovation at work

PLUS: • When a popular boss leaves • The hottest corporate dining venues

HRM 13.6

Contents EDITOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam

18 Unlocking innovation at work When it comes to innovation, are you a helicopter or a vending machine? One takes a holistic view, the other churns out tired ideas day in, day out. HRM uncovers some tips to ensure your workplace is bursting with brilliant ideas

JOURNALIST Shalini Shukla-Pandey ASSISTANT JOURNALIST Vivien Shiao Shufen EDITORIAL INTERN: Grace Koh 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 Rebecca Ng GENERAL MANAGER Kaveri Ayahsamy REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR George Walmsley

IN THIS COVER STORY

“I’m stunned at the number of organisations that don’t allow their people thinking time. Just 20-30 minutes a day to sit and think. There’s a perception that unless we’re doing, doing, doing, we’re not being productive”

MANAGING DIRECTOR Richard Curzon PHOTOGRAPHY BY David Teng 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

– NIGEL COLLIN, AUTHOR OF HERDING MONKEYS AND CEO OF THINKATIVITY MICA (P) 137/07/2012 ISSUE 13.6

ISSN 0219-6883

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HRM 13.6

Contents

Check out HRM online:

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FEATURES 14 | W Hotel – Living it up

One of the newest kids on the block at Sentosa is W Singapore Sentosa Cove Hotel. Eileen Ang, HR director, shares how the hotel’s inner workings ensure the smooth operation of a stylish, buzzing “hang-out”

22 | A winning culture at Kimberly-Clark

It’s not enough to do well, a company has to be constantly winning, says Achal Agarwal, President – Asia-Pacific for Kimberly-Clark. He explains how a winning culture can lead to engaged and high-performing employees

26 | He’s back

Chester Elton is due back in Singapore for this August’s Compensation & Rewards Congress. HRM caught up with him to get the latest on rewards strategy best practices

29 | Corporate challenges of a different kind

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle choice extend far beyond the obvious physical and psychological gains. Corporate health is now widely considered an integral part of maximising business success. HRM finds out how companies that sweat together, stay together

34 | Making sense of the numbers

Employees who understand an organisation’s

finances are able to make more informed day-to-day decisions that can boost growth and improve the bottom-line. HRM looks at the some of the financial training courses available in the market

38 | When a popular boss leaves

When a popular, charismatic leader has become synonymous with a team or entire organisation, it’s hard to imagine how they can carry on when the individual leaves. The reality is, however, that life goes on without them. HRM delves into the issue of managing staff when a leadership crisis hits

42 | Who do you think will win the global war for talent?

The global workforce has changed tremendously over the last two decades, bringing fresh challenges to HR’s talent management agenda. Award winning talent strategist, author and commentator Gyan Nagpal provides some pointers on how organisations can transform themselves to stay ahead

47 | Eat your heart out- Singapore’s hottest corporate dining venues

Wondering where to take your employees for your next company dinner? HRM looks at some of Singapore hottest restaurants for corporate dining

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

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ANALYSIS

Talent Management

Tapping on

silver talent

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the government is progressively doing more to encourage the employment of older workers. Is such a strategy feasible, and what part can HR play in keeping mature staff working longer? By Vivien Shiao Shufen In his recent May Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that more will be done to help mature workers carry on working past retirement age. He highlighted that this group of seniors in their golden years want to work longer, and such a practice is being encouraged by the government. Currently, under the Retirement and Re-employment Act, employers have to offer re-employment to retirementage workers for at least another three years to age 65. According to a survey by Ministry of Manpower, 98% of workers who reach the age of 62, get an offer to continue working, and many of them take their employers up on it. HR professionals in Singapore say that retaining mature workers is not something new in their arena, especially since the country is facing an ageing population and a manpower crunch. “The shortage of human resources available in Singapore means that companies need to continue to maximise the resources they have,” says Yong Lee Lee, Vice President of HR, SingPost. “We believe that having the right attitude towards the re-employment of older workers is a positive step towards a more self-sufficient national workforce.” Wendy Soh, Director of Mitsui Chemical Asia’s Business Excellence Center, agrees. At Mitsui Chemicals, there are currently five retirees under extended contract beyond the age of 62. Soh says that all of them are willing to continue working so long as the company offers to let them do so. SingPost has also been re-employing older workers under its “Rehire of Retiree” scheme, which was introduced in 1994 – long before the Singapore’s government’s 2007 announcement on re-employing senior workers. For employers to continue re-employing older workers, it is imperative they ensure the workplace can

accommodate the specific needs of this group. HR has to be flexible and open to dealing with changes when it comes to generational differences. In his May Day speech, PM Lee emphasised the need to take a pragmatic approach when it comes to re-hiring older workers. “It will depend on the workers’ health; it will depend on the nature of their jobs and on the company’s needs. We cannot go for a ‘one size fits all’ policy, just pushing up the retirement age, or compelling employers to hire all workers regardless of the conditions,” he said. In many cases, HR will have to re-define job roles to keep many of these talented staff, especially when it comes to jobs involving manual labour. “A variety of ways to enable greater participation in the Baby Boomer workforce include leveraging on technology to enable the same outcome, and using equipment with instructions in larger font sizes,” says Cheryl Liew-Chng, author and work-life expert. SingPost uses innovative strategies to reduce the physical strain on workers. For example, it began using motorised pallet trucks in 2007 so that postal delivery staff did not have to pull heavy mail pallets manually. While job re-designs and investments in new technologies might be costly, there is definite value in creating a workplace culture where older workers are able to contribute. “HR should see older workers as a source of quality manpower contributing to the organisation and recognise the value of making workplaces age-friendly by sharing the benefits of hiring mature workers with existing younger workers,” says Priscilla Chen, Senior Consultant at Kerry Consulting. “With the right training and technology in place, mature workers will find themselves being able to perform effectively, giving them a sense of fulfillment in contributing at their age.” ISSUE 13.6

98%

of workers who reach the age of 62, get an offer to continue working, and many of them take their employers up on it

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NEWS

Asia ASIA

INDIA

Over 70% of companies around the globe expect to increase short-term assignments in 2013, according to a recent report on expatriate policies and practices by Mercer. The report showed that 55% of companies expected to increase long-term assignments this year, and highlighted that for the last two years; there has been an increase in the overall number of international assignments. The report found that China, US, Brazil, UK and Australia are the priority destinations in their respective regions for expatriates. Phil Stanley, Asia-Pacific leader of Mercer’s Global Mobility practice, said: “International assignments have become more diverse to meet evolving business and global workforce needs. Relatively low pay increases in some regions and pressure to attract and retain talent have spurred many companies to embrace a wider range of global mobility strategies to incentivise their high performers. “Mobility and HR directors now face great complexity in the number and type of international assignments that need managing,” Stanley added. Mercer’s Worldwide International Assignments Policies and Practices report found that the top five reasons cited for international assignment programmes are: • to provide specific technical skills not available locally (47%); • to provide career management/leadership development (43%); • to ensure knowledge transfer (41%); • to fulfil specific project needs (39%); and • to provide specific managerial skills not available locally (38%). Worldwide, 62% of the research participants anticipated an increase in the number of technicalrelated short-term assignments. Some 55% expected an increase in talent development assignments, and half anticipated an increase in key strategic assignments.

The majority (60%) of all cyber crimes are perpetrated by internal staff, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study, titled “Invading privacy: Cyber crimes on the rise”. Sivarama Krishnan, executive director of PwC India, told the Deccan Herald: “In most cases, breaches by insiders are committed by individuals who are motivated by greed, selfishness, or antagonism towards the management.” Citing the PwC Economic Crime Survey India Report, 2011, the latest study found that cyber crime was one of the top economic crimes experienced by organisations in India, in the same league as fraud, bribery and corruption, and asset misappropriation. The growing trend of ‘hacktivism’, which involves hacking and website defacement by fraudsters motivated by political causes, is becoming an increasing concern for government and private organisations alike. With Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, hackers are able to access an organisation’s sensitive data. There was a 282% rise in the number of website defacements as a result of such attacks between 2009 and 2012. The threat landscape resulting from corporate espionage has evolved, gone digital and is certainly more dangerous. Over 70% of top employees have become victims of corporate espionage via social media. Bring-Your-Own-Device work environments, the latest buzz in IT companies, is an emerging security menace as it represents the “weakest link” in mobile device security, Krishnan said. More than half (54%) of Indian organisations have embraced BYOD but only a small number have the policies and procedures in place to guide the BYOD model. Similarly, while adoption of cloud computing is maturing in the country, only 31% of employers have strategies for information security on that platform.

Overseas assignments on the rise

Staff behind cyber crime: PwC

54%

of employers in Singapore say Generation Y is the hardest to recruit Source: Robert Half

SingTel

led the group of four home-grown companies (also including DBS Bank, NCS Group, and OCBC Bank) that secured places in the Top 20 Most In-Demand Employer list for Singapore Source: LinkedIn

32%

of employees in Singapore say the hospitality and recreational services industry offers a “pleasant” working atmosphere Source: Randstad Award survey

Oman has changed weekends from Thursday and Friday to

Friday and Saturday

Source: Statement by the Council of Ministers

ISSUE 13.6

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DUBAI

Electronic sick-leave certification required Dubai health care facilities are now obliged to issue electronic sick leave certificates in place of paper certificates. The requirement will enable closer auditing of the sick-leave certification process and improve health care planning, according to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Patients will be required to pay the AED60 (US$16) fee for issuing an electronic certificate, although the DHA is reportedly considering either a fee waiver or reduction in certain cases. Health care facilities risk substantial fines for breaches of the new regulations.

NEWS

Asia SINGAPORE

ASIA

Training aids retention Employers who invest in training and staff development not only reap productivity benefits, but also have a better chance of retaining their employees for the long term, according to the latest findings from the Kelly Global Workforce Index. Seventy-one per cent of respondents in Singapore say that their main motivation for undertaking training is for the opportunity of a promotion with their current employer, rather than leaving the organisation to work with a different employer or start their own business. The survey shows that the Asia-Pacific region is something of a skills ‘hotspot’, with 69% of respondents either actively seeking or considering further education or training, significantly higher than in

Europe (59%) and the Americas (55%). The highest rates of planned up-skilling are in Thailand, with 83% set to embark on training, followed by Indonesia (78%), Malaysia (76%) China (74%), Singapore (66%), Hong Kong and Australia (both 64%) and India (59%). Leif Agnéus, Senior Vice President of at Kelly Services Asia-Pacific said: “Employees are taking greater control over this important aspect of their careers, and looking at ways of renewing and upgrading skills throughout their working lives.” “Decisions about training and professional development are now an integral part of the employment equation, and have an important bearing on employee morale, performance and retention.”

2030: The middle class moves to Asia By 2030, two-thirds of the global middle class will be residents of the Asia-Pacific region, while Europe’s share of this population will have dropped by 14%. According to Ernst & Young’s ‘Hitting the sweet spot’ report, in Asia alone, 525 million people can already count themselves as middle class – more than the total population of the European Union. China’s middle class is expected to reach one billion, or 70% of its projected population, by 2030, up from the 150 million of today. India’s middle class, meanwhile, will grow steadily over the years, reaching 475 million people by 2030 and adding more than the Chinese to the global middle class after 2027. “The emergence of a new middle class, with spending power to match developed nations, will offer tremendous opportunities to businesses,” Alexis Karklins Marchay, co-Leader of Ernst & Young’s Emerging Markets Centre, said. “These opportunities can arise very quickly, and multinationals need to be ready to respond.

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NEWS

International EUROPE

GLOBAL

Jobseekers flock to Germany Germany has become the new land of opportunity for thousands of people desperate to get out of economies that have been ravaged by recession. According to newly-released data by the German statistics agency, immigration hit a 17-year high last year. While unemployment through the Euro-zone has climbed above 12%, the figure in Germany alone was at 5.4% in March this year. The country has displaced the UK as the prime European destination for migrants from other EU countries. Last year, Germany took in 690,937 immigrants. Analysts say that this influx of migrants is good for fast-ageing Germany. As its population declines, the nation needs skilled workers to fuel economic growth and support its pension and healthcare systems. However, it is not all smooth-sailing for European jobseekers in Germany. Language barriers, rigid labour laws and a significant social stigma against newcomers remain barriers for those seeking a better life in the country.

Some

35%

of HR professionals want more work responsibilities Source: CareerCentre and 10Eighty

98%

of employers feel that stress is an issue for their workforce Source: Tower Watson’s Health, Wellbeing and Productivity survey

To be a CEO, get in touch with feminine side A survey has revealed that 82% of managers believe that leaders of the post-Baby Boomer era will need to develop “feminine” skills to motivate their workers. While stereotypically “masculine” traits such as adherence to hierarchy and formality are traits of leaders among Baby Boomers, the next generation will need more traditionally “feminine” skills to succeed, said the survey by London’s Cass Business School and executive search firm Odgers Berndtson. These qualities include emotional intelligence, flexibility, as well as a talent for instilling workers with a sense of purpose, says Richard Boggis- Rolfe, the chair of Odgers Berndtson. The survey revealed that the majority of respondents (68%) think that their organisations rely too heavily on male, Boomer-era CEOs. Fewer than half agreed that their firms are prepared for changing workplace demographics, even though more are seeing the importance of diversity.

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NEWS

International GLOBAL

A new workplace productivity survey has found that 38% of employees would rather have more work on their plate, sit next to someone who eats loudly, and take on a longer commute than have to work directly next to their boss. The majority of respondents (86%) in the survey by Ask.com preferred to work alone to maximise productivity. Researchers also found that working from home was not the preferred way to work for most staff. Some 63% of respondents preferred to spend “focus time” in their personal workspaces (at the office), compared to 29% who would rather work at home. In addition, 61% claimed that noisy co-workers were the biggest distractions in offices, while almost a quarter (24%) said that they spent more time in meetings talking about work, than actually doing it.

A poll by virtual office space company Intelligent Office, has revealed that a quarter of workers would not work for a company that banned or blocked social media sites in the office. Almost one-third of employees spend at least an hour a day on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites during working hours. “Technology has made it possible to change the way we work, and now we simply see workers embracing the freedom to do so,” Tom Camplese, Intelligent Office’s chief operating officer, told BusinessNewsDaily.

Employees avoid their bosses

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Employees want social media access at work

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Potential.

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HR INSIGHT

SPOTLIGHT

Training & Development

The ultimate promotional tool

WHY UPGRADE SKILLS

No longer “front-end loaded” onto a career, nor the sole responsibility of the employer, workers recognise that skills are a lifelong pursuit of development and renewal

66%

Which fields are upskilling to pursue a new field of work? Most likely

Least likely

40%

25%

39%

37%

Education

Engineering

33%

Science/IT/ Sec Clearance

71%

of workers in Singapore, are either actively seeking further education/training, or are considering it.

Promotion with current employer

Sales

Maths

Most valued skill development

28%

Healthcare

55%

71%

46%

Continued education/training

On the job experience

Professional Certification

TRAINING FOR PROMOTION WITH CURRENT EMPLOYER, BY REGION The prime reason for undertaking training in the Americas and APAC is to gain promotion with their current employer. However, it’s a different story in EMEA, where about half of employees focus on gaining a promotion, and are almost equally motivated by a desire to switch employers or even enter a new field of work.

Gen y is more likely to be motivated by the prospect of a promotion with their current employer Gen Y

74%

68%

AMERICAS

48% EMEA

Gen X

70%

66% APAC

Silent Generation

67% Source: Kelly Services Singapore – Kelly Global Workforce Index ISSUE 13.6 13.1

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LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

Leadership communication

Managing conflict How can leaders successfully resolve conflict in the workplace, especially among those managed directly?

Akira Segawa

Bjorn Sprengers

Conflict is an inevitable part of any business. However, when everyone works together toward the same goals and there is a culture of open communication, conflicts can usually be resolved. I’m proud that, at Fujita Kanko, we all value the company’s heritage and philosophy that we must contribute to society through our business. Because we share the most important bases, we are better able to resolve conflicts. As the president, I also make sure that our business goals are clear, understood and shared by all employees. When I see a conflict in the management team, I listen to each side carefully, understand where the difference comes from and give them my opinion with a full explanation so that they understand how I came to the conclusion. Communication is always key. I have lunch with different staff members every day to keep the lines of communication open, too. As a hospitality company, our business is all about people, and our people are the most valuable asset for my company. I treat each of them with respect and fairness, which is also important for conflict resolution.

A leader can expect conflict from those he manages as long as the company is expected to meet KPIs. This is because team heads will need to rally their own staff as well as work across other divisions within the company. In such a dynamic scenario, conflict amongst staff is expected. Being able to recognise and appropriately address this conflict head-on is part and parcel of being a leader.I believe a key characteristic that differentiates a good corporate leader from the rest is the ability to adopt a hands-on, direct supervisory approach to managing staff. Constantly maintaining open channels of communication is critical in resolving disagreements and for finding out the core issues at hand, even if said issue is non-work related. Take advantage of personality clashes and use the opportunity to let employees air their grievances. I believe that adopting this approach creates an opportunity to harness differing views and engage distinct personalities. This will enable the leader to turn things around into something constructive and positive. Differing ideas on work approaches is a great avenue to carve out unique solutions and drum up interesting ideas in a dynamic environment that fosters forward thinking.

President, Fujita Kanko

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Chief Marketing Officer, PropertyGuru Group

Kenneth Tan CEO, SISTIC

Expressing differing views and perspectives is healthy and often required in business situations. Problems arise when differences become personality-based. The key to managing conflicts is to nurture a culture where colleagues are friends, and so communicate better and are comfortable expressing themselves more freely. At SISTIC, we organise get-togethers to encourage this mind-set, including weekly Yoga and running, bimonthly birthday and drink nights, team building activities and a year-end party. This ensures conflicts can be more easily resolved, and the frequency and intensity of conflicts is reduced. In our management meetings, all department heads give their views, even for issues outside their responsibilities; we don’t want to limit ourselves. Perhaps someone not directly involved with the issue will have a clearer head and better input; there is no such thing as a bad idea. When conflicts move beyond ‘constructive’, the leader must become involved, collecting the facts and differing perspectives, while remaining objective. He plays the role of a facilitator, helping the parties resolve the conflict themselves, rather than imposing a decision. People support resolutions they help to arrive at.

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HR INSIDER

W Hotel

UP Living it

One of the newest kids on the block at Sentosa, W Singapore Sentosa Cove. Eileen Ang, HR director of W Singapore, shares the luxury hotel’s inner workings to ensure the smooth operation of the stylish, buzzing hang-out By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

At a glance • Total number of employees at W Hotel (Singapore): 330 • Size of the HR Team: 5 • Key HR Focus Areas: - Retention - Employee engagement - Career development

With so many hotels (both international brands and boutique outlets) popping up around Singapore, the island-state’s hospitality talent have more options than ever before. The recent tightening of foreign worker numbers in Singapore means hotel HR professionals are having to come up with even more innovative strategies to overcome the manpower challenges in the industry. Luxury hotel, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove’s HR director, Eileen Ang, says the key question now is how HR can go about motivating and engaging the current workforce. “We also have to be clear about the attraction strategies we have to entice people to join us,” she says.

security, engineering, the spa and gym facilities, HR, and the finance and administration department. One such event was a “Talent Casting Call” at Fort Canning Park, chosen because it mirrored the ideals of the hotel. “The park is an art design cultural location and that’s what ‘W’ is about as well – music, fashion, design, etc...” she explains. “Potential candidates were encouraged to arrive in their most stylish outfits and to be themselves, instead of formal suits that traditional interviews would require.”

Casting for talent While W Singapore’s brand was already a big draw for local talent, the hotel also organised unique recruitment sessions to attract new staff for a variety of positions last year. Roles available included those in rooms, restaurants, bars, kitchen,

Talent Casting Call at Fort Canning Park ISSUE 13.6

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HR INSIDER

W Hotel Managing talent pool restrictions The Singapore Government’s clampdown on foreign worker numbers has impacted the hospitality industry in more ways than one. The pinch is felt especially in positions such as stewarding, housekeeping, and other rank-and-file positions. To overcome the problem, W Singapore works with schools and educational institutions. “For culinary staff, we work with schools including the Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (Shatec) and At-Sunrice Globalchef Academy, as well as overseas institutions such as those in Kuala Lumpur and Taipei,” explains Eileen Ang, HR Director, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove. “We get them to come in and work on their internships. It’s a win-win situation as we are able to give them the exposure into the practical working environment of a hotel they need and they are able to assist us in our day-to-day operations with the knowledge they’ve acquired in their various modules.” At the end of the internship, some interns are converted to permanent staff. W Singapore also works with e2i to encourage more mature Singaporeans to take on easy roles within the hotel, including as kitchen helpers. For instance, a senior woman who was hired through the partnership with e2i is currently working as a kitchen helper to cut vegetables on a permanent part-time basis. “At the end of the day, most important to us is to have a ready talent pipeline for the hotel,” says Ang.

W Lingo In line with the W Service Culture, which is consistent throughout all W hotels in the world, the W Singapore – Sentosa Cove employs specific internal jargon that goes against the language of other hotels. Some key terms are: • B&F, not F&B • Talent, not associates or employees • Welcome, not the front office or reception • W Lounge, not lobby • Stylists, not room attendants, chambermaids, or housekeeping staff

ISSUE 13.6

While most hotels would typically do recruitment during the day in a hotel ballroom, W Singapore wanted to capture the attention of the public by positioning itself very differently, in line with its unique brand which looks to blend the cosmopolitan attitude of the city with the exotic escape of Sentosa Island. The whole set-up resembled that of a cool night club, complete with a bouncer and DJ spinning hit music throughout the night (from 6pm to 3am). “People were even forming queues to enter, just like an actual club,” Ang describes. This casting event was much like the popular ‘American Idol’ show where talent moves through

different stages, with some getting eliminated along the way. Clearing the final round – a meeting with direct managers – involves candidates getting a golden ticket. This tells HR that the individual has passed and the candidate is then invited back to the hotel for a thorough assessment. Ang credits the innovative marketing strategy in attracting a wider pool of talent in the critical initial stages of the hotel’s opening. Out of the 600 applications received on both days, nearly 80% were from individuals looking for a career-switch.

The show goes on The first six months, from when the hotel opened in September last year, were all about putting things in order, Ang says. But now, the focus has shifted away from recruitment, standards, and operating procedures to keeping current talent engaged, especially through career development. “Being part of the world’s largest travel company, we had to work to ensure a robust talent pipeline,” says Ang. “That’s where the Starwood Career programme comes in.” Talent development initiatives are organised under three distinct clusters of career development tracks that proactively develops and/or fast tracks talents to be ready for the next stage of their careers – Executive Track, Mid-Management Track and Entry-Level Track. A selection panel consisting of a HR representative, executive committee members, the hotel’s general manager, and the relevant direct manager that any movement of staff is done in an impartial and transparent manner. Through this structured career development programme, the hotel aims to further motivate the local workforce to join the hotel industry. “To get Singaporeans to join the entry-level jobs is the

Recognising and rewarding talent W Hotel has a number of programmes in place to recognise and reward staff who excel, no matter where they are placed on the organisational chart. • The “You are absolutely fabulous” Card: This card is given to talent by the talent coach when they are observed doing the right thing or exhibiting the hotel’s brand values. Every card has a value of $2, and can be accumulated and exchanged for shopping vouchers. • “Starwood Cares”: This programme aims to demonstrate the organisations respect and appreciation for its staff, guests, business and the wider community. It comes in four parts. - Care for associates: On a monthly basis, anyone can nominate a colleague for demonstrating care and concern for fellow staff members. - Care for business: This rewards talent that have gone the

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extra mile or demonstrated certain actions that contributed to business success - Care for guests: Individuals who have done things to truly wow guests are recognised every month. Supporting letters of recommendation and compliments are used. - Care for community: A quarterly recognition programme to recognise group effort for going green. These individuals receive a certificate and $150 cash. • “Talent Coach of the Quarter”: This award aims to engage and reward middle managers and supervisors. Winners receive a certificate and $200 cash. • “StarHOT benefits”: All talent have access to these benefits which allow them to get discounted room rates at any Starwood property in the world.

HR INSIDER

hardest challenge for anyone right now,” says Ang. “It’s about putting in place a structure to let potential and current candidates know that there’s scope for progression, further motivating them to excel in the hotel industry.” She adds that HR also prepares talent for any other property that they might move to eventually. “For instance, we saw movement from within the Group where we have associates moving from Sheraton Towers Singapore to W Singapore,” says Ang. In preparing for the opening of yet another Starwood hotel, Westin Singapore, Ang is working with the director of HR to see what sort of movement of talent can be put in place. Sometimes, when a talent is designated to be promoted to the managerial level, they may lack the relevant people skills to excel in the role. In this case, the direct manager acts as a mentor to the staff member, putting them through projects so as to ensure adequate exposure. After being tested that the relevant skills have been acquired and being certified competent, the next step involves working with Ang to see if there’s an appropriate position available in W Singapore or other properties within the Asia-Pacific region. “When someone is on the career track programme, it doesn’t necessarily mean an instant promotion but rather, it’s a means to prepare talents for the next level in their careers,” says Ang. “When a vacancy arises, this programme allows us to know that there’s internal talent to fill it up – internal talent is first always.”

WHO’S WHO IN HR

Eileen Ang Director of HR, W Singapore

Vicky Lee

HR Officer – HR Operations, W Singapore

Serena Leng

Assistant Coaching Manager, W Singapore

Moving internally Lynette Koh started her career with Sheraton Towers Singapore as a Business Development Executive in October 2009 and was subsequently promoted to Business Development Manager, managing weddings and social events. In view of her outstanding performance, Koh was transferred to W Singapore and was part of the team opening of the hotel. She was involved in the setup of the catering team and was responsible for conceptualising the various wedding themes and packages. As part of her personal development and career growth, Koh has now taken on a different role within the Catering Sales team where she manages MICE-related events for the hotel.

Jacu Amansec

HR Executive – Learning & Development, W Singapore

Jazlyn Sin

HR Executive – Talent Engagement, W Singapore

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STRATEGIC HR

Innovation

Unlocking

innovation at work When it comes to innovation, are you a helicopter or a vending machine? One takes a holistic view, the other churns out tired ideas day in, day out. HRM uncovers some tips to ensure your workplace is bursting with brilliant ideas

ISSUE 13.6

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STRATEGIC HR

The aroma of Play-Doh can send even the most seasoned adult back to childhood. Few would question the origins of the ever-popular art and craft modeling compound. Surely it was always intended for kids? Not exactly. In the 1930s the product was first developed as a wallpaper cleaner – it would literally clean grime off wallpaper. A random dinner party conversation in the 1950s, about how a kindergarten teacher had started using the compound as a craft tool, set the wheels in motion for a total transformation of a product whose sales had recently started to wane. The product was reworked and marketed to Cincinnati schools in the mid-1950s. Play-Doh was demonstrated at an educational convention in 1956 and prominent department stores opened retail accounts. The rest, as they say, is history. It’s just one example of innovation in business – of grasping an idea and running with it; of using a challenge or significant change – waning sales in this case – to foster innovation. When it comes to innovation it’s important to recognise that all people can be creative and therefore can be innovative – but there’s a catch. Dr. George Land, a pioneer in the field of creativity & innovation, has conducted studies indicating that as we go through life, and especially our careers, we use our creativity less. Nigel Collin, author of Herding Monkeys and CEO of Thinkativity, outlines what Land did: “He gave a bunch of kids a creativity test, then gave it to them again five years later, and again five years later, and then to adults. Each time he did the test the results dropped considerably. It doesn’t mean we become less creative; we simply use it less.” Collin has found people are a lot more creative than they give themselves credit for, and more importantly, they’re more creative than other people give them credit for – and this has huge implications for business. “If we don’t nurture or encourage the creativity of our workers we’re not going to get the ideas to fuel innovation,” he says. “It’s a matter of unlocking that potential.”

A different way of thinking An analogy works best when considering how most people think in business. To generalise, people either think like helicopters; or they think like vending machines. Those who think like helicopters see things from a distance; they obtain a holistic point of view. But they can also fly around and look at multiple angles, or fly in close and look at the detail and then fly back out again. Because they have this ability to see the world from a different point of view, they come up with more possibilities; they can see more alternatives. Then there are those who think like vending machines: the coin goes in the slot, a button is pushed, and out the bottom comes the same old idea, maybe wrapped up in a slightly different way. This latter approach is dangerous, says Collin. “We’re all busy, no one has time, but if we go ‘yes

“We’re all busy, no one has time, but if we go ‘yes that’ll do’, and don’t come up with different ideas it’s not going to be conducive to innovation” – NIGEL COLLIN, AUTHOR OF HERDING MONKEYS AND CEO OF THINKATIVITY that’ll do’, and don’t come up with different ideas it’s not going to be conducive to innovation.”

Three keys to unlocking innovation There are three keys to unlocking innovation in people: permission, environment and process. Permission is critical. If people in an organisation don’t feel safe to put an idea on the table without ridicule or fear of failure or negative ramifications, they’re not going to. As Collin says, the truth is most people in the workplace don’t feel they have permission to think differently, to think outside the square, to push the parameters. “Unless people are clear about not wanting vending machines bur rather helicopter ideas, people will play it safe, or they will provide the ideas they think you want to hear.” An organisation therefore needs to create a culture or a policy which gives people permission to come up with radical ideas, and to fail. “That’s when you’ll find the disruptive ones, and that’s what you’re after,” says Collin. The second, environment, has two facets to it: the physical environment and the workplace environment – perhaps best described as the ‘mental environment’. “This is where we look at mechanisms that allow people to think differently and outside the square,” says Collin. Collin maintains this is more than just the physical environment, although that’s very important – this is why so many organisations now have ‘thinking spaces’; it’s also why artists have studios. “If you’re stuck for an idea one thing to do is get out of your space and change your environment – you’ll find you’re stimulated.” It also includes time. Ideas never strike when you need them to; they don’t work 9-5 and may strike when least expected. Therefore it’s important to put mechanisms in place to give people time to be creative. “I’m stunned at the number of organisations that don’t allow their people thinking time. Just 20-30 minutes a day to sit and think. ISSUE 13.6

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STRATEGIC HR

Innovation

Every

success story has gone through a series of failures

There’s a perception that unless we’re doing, doing, doing, we’re not being productive,” Collin says. Another environmental element is collaboration. Collin explains: “A collaborative environment is incredibly important because if you’re going to think like a helicopter and come up with different ideas, one of the easiest ways to do that is to tap into the perspectives of other people, because everyone thinks differently. You must create a culture where it’s ok to collaborate. Not just internally within a team, but with other teams as well. You’ll find if the marketing team just collaborates with the marketing team they’re going to always come up with marketingbased ideas. They should be collaborating with the warehouse or even with industries outside of their own.” There also needs to be an environment of risk taking. This does not mean financial risk but rather creative or innovative risk, which comes back to the permission piece: you want people to take a creative risk with their ideas. Every success story has gone through a series of failures. The classic example is Edison, who, depending on what

Technology and innovation:

Where to next?

High performing companies take a deliberate approach to fostering a culture of creativity, imagination, and original thinking – and today’s technology has taken this process to a whole new level. As Ari Kopoulos, national sales & marketing manager at EmployeeConnect, says existing HR tech vendors will look towards organic integration with social media platforms. The collective wisdom is calling for functionality that natively accesses: • Social talent pools facilitating candidate search & acquisition. • The ability to profile a candidate based on their online activity & reputation. • The ability to track social recognition, influence & collaboration. Peerindex, Kred & Klout will become important numbers. • Tools that connect and facilitate collaboration making knowledge social and part of a conversation. The evolution of cloud-based, mobile centric applications will continue, with content and process for almost every aspect of HR – yet it’s augmented reality which may be the most exciting development. This allows users to create more meaningful relationships between data, objects & location. Kopoulos notes the introduction of Google Glass. Essentially, it’s a wearable computer in the form of stylish glasses, that offering the user a display of information in a hands-free manner. Interaction is by voice commands, but eye tracking and facial recognition will not be too be far away. Although in its infancy, market for wearable technology is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2014. Leaving the privacy issues aside, this interface introduces a subtle, real time decisionmaking element to the user. It allows you to address the challenges, in context and in the moment. It can add layers of content and data over the object facilitating a richer and more informed experience. Through the action of changing location and looking, you will be presented with context specific information, effectively improving and enhancing your relationships, objects and events. “It has extraordinary potential as a learning tool, delivering a truly immersive, context sensitive and engaging, learning experience in real time,” Kopoulos says. “These can be curated into stories, streams and narratives, adding more value to the process.”

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source is believed, went through 1,000 or 10,000 failures before developing the electric light bulb. Every time he failed he learned what not to do. “We discover things we never would discover – that’s how a lot of ideas have been born,” says Collin. The third key to unlocking innovation is process. It’s critical to have the right processes in place to create ideas and to act on those ideas. In most companies, Collin notes, this is handled in an ad-hoc manner – people sit in a room, a problem is outlined, a call for ideas is made. Collin advocates a process so that people can consistently generate ideas and then direct those ideas towards an end goal. “The easiest way is to think of a funnel. At the top of the funnel you’ve got your challenge or your opportunity – you pour all your ideas at the top and then at the bottom you’ve got a filtering mechanism. This is where you need to decide which ideas are good and which aren’t so good. It allows you to separate the evaluating and judging of an idea from the creation of an idea.” A common mistake is to judge an idea as soon as it’s born; it gets squashed before it has time to evolve or breathe. A process helps to firstly clarify the problem; it ensures you’re clear on what it is you want and need ideas for. Secondly a brainstorming or blue-sky (or however it’s branded) session will get the creative juices flowing to generate ideas. And finally, it’s necessary to evaluate and judge them. Throughout that process it’s necessary to have a process leader, someone who the buck stops at. That person, the project manager or similar, needs to allow his/her team to let ideas flourish, and then evaluate the ideas. Evaluation requires producing an initial shortlist of 20-30 ideas from the 100 or however many are produced during the brainstorming. From there the top three that meet the most criteria should be selected. Which is the most practical? The more viable? Following this is the testing phase of an idea. Collin elaborates: “This is where you start picking it apart – undertaking the financial analytics, identify the fatal flaws of an idea, pulling it apart. You interrogate an idea. That must come when you’ve whittled your list down to a shortlist, otherwise you’ll be evaluating in detail 100 ideas, which will never happen and as a result nothing gets done.”

Where does HR sit? HR plays a role in three key areas in innovation. Firstly, it’s the permission piece – Collin says HR is integral to passing on and filtering through the permission piece, letting people know it’s ok, and more than that, expected, to present ideas. The second piece is the retention and attraction of the right mix of thinkers. There are different types of creative people. There are those who are great at thinking; they come up with ideas – however, they’re not great at implementing them. Then there are those who are not

STRATEGIC HR

CELEBRATING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE

great at thinking up ideas but great at implementing. Then there are others who appear to not be doing anything at all – they sit in a brainstorm and don’t say much, but at end of the session they come up with the idea no one saw. Collin says this group is often overlooked when teams are being established. “We go for the thinkers or the implementers – the observers often get overlooked because they’re not seen as valuable. Yet if you don’t have observers in your team you’re missing a great opportunity – they’re the helicopters in many ways.” Likewise, Collin says, some people are very analytical thinkers – Six Sigma-ish in their approach, good at getting an idea and pulling it apart. They are very necessary – but so are the dreamers. “The dreamers often don’t analyse things much, and they may not be good at doing stuff – but they’re excellent at finding unbelievable solutions. It’s important for HR to understand that dynamic, and to help other people understand that dynamic,” Collin says. And finally, HR plays a key role in clarifying what innovation means. Most people jump to the conclusion that innovation is radical and ‘big bang’, the things that change the world; others believe it’s incremental – a small change that may lead to bigger things. HR can help to simplify and clarify this creative-innovation argument. Ultimately creativity is about ideas; innovation is the implementation of ideas. When that connection is made, it’s easier for people to participate. “To say we’ll do some training and development about innovation – it’s all too hard. But if it’s just about ideas it’s a lot easier for the worker in the warehouse to grasp,” Collin suggests.

Change the catalyst? Contrary to how most people perceive innovation, it’s not something that stalls when times get tough. In fact, quite the opposite can happen. Times of great change, such as now and the preceding five years, can be the catalyst for innovation to occur. Collin says the ‘batten down the hatches, concentrate solely on what it takes to keep a business alive’ mentality during periods of change is very necessary – yet if business leaders are just running the ship and ensuring the Ts are crossed, it’s likely they’re missing out on opportunities; they’re not searching for the next disruptive idea. “When that happens during change is different opportunities open up,” Collin says. He cites Hollywood in 1927, on the cusp of the sound era in movies – an incredibly disruptive event that most studios were unprepared for. Studios were not soundproof; many actors could not speak English. If you didn’t adapt – and quickly – you were left behind. Walt Disney was different – he saw opportunity. He made the first synchronised sound cartoon. “That type of innovation came from a disruptive time of change,” says Collin. “It’s the difference between reacting and responding – it doesn’t mean getting rid of what you do, it just means looking at what else is possible.” ISSUE 13.6

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LEADERS TALK HR

Kimberly-Clark

A winning culture at Kimberly-Clark It’s not enough to do well, a company has to be constantly winning, says Achal Agarwal, President – Asia-Pacific for Kimberly-Clark. He explains how a winning culture can lead to engaged and high-performing employees By Vivien Shiao Shufen Producing daily essentials like baby diapers and toilet paper is important, but it may not sound like the most glamourous industry to be in. Yet, Kimberly-Clark has overcome those odds to emerge as one of the top workplaces in the world – and it has the accolades to back it up. Kimberly-Clark has come in at Number Four on the Great Place to Work Institute’s survey of over 250 global companies. This is the second consecutive year that Kimberly-Clark has been included among the world’s best multinational firms to work for. With its household brands like Kleenex and Kotex known across the world, the company is miles ahead of its competitors. Achal Agarwal, President – Asia Pacific, Kimberly-Clark, explains that being a great place to work and doing well in business go hand in hand. “It’s not a question of doing well, it’s a question about winning,” he says. According to him, when companies win, employees become engaged and are stretched to their limits, helping them grow as much as possible. “There’s a huge amount of engagement that takes place when employees are winning,” he states. “In my mind, that is the best place to attract, engage and retain talent. 22

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Employees will feel good about that, and will feel empowered end energised.”

Growing talent According to Achal, accessing talent is one of the key challenges faced by Kimberly-Clark. This is because the organisation expects to grow to three times the size it is today by 2020, he says. “Due to the speed in which we need to grow, and the geography in which we are at, which are mainly emerging markets like China, India and Southeast Asia, we need to develop talent that can keep up with the rate of growth,” he says. While new talent with skills such as e-commerce and digital marketing are sought after, the development of current staff is a key priority. “A lot of training and development takes place on the job,” he says. “We encourage our leaders to be coaches. As a person works with a leader, we expect the leader to be coaching him or her,” he says. There are also formal education programmes in the company. At the top level, there is the Enterprise Top Talent

BIOGRAPHY Since early 2012, Achal Agarwal has been leading Kimberly-Clark’s (KC) Asia-Pacific consumer business, which includes brands such as Huggies, Kleenex, Kotex and Scott. Asia-Pacific is one of the fastest growing and profitable regions for KC, and includes Southeast Asia, Australia, Greater China, Japan, India, New Zealand, and South Korea. Prior to being appointed to this position, Achal served as President of North Asia, Kimberly Clark International, beginning in 2008 when he joined the company. Under his leadership, the Greater China division saw a significant business turnaround, and is now set on a high growth trajectory. A strong leadership team was developed in the region to ensure sustainable growth. Achal brings to KC more than 30 years of experience in managing large, complex and fastgrowing organisations in Asia. Before joining Kimberly-Clark, he held numerous leadership positions at PepsiCo including, Chief Operating Officer of Pepsi’s beverage business in Greater China where he spent more than a decade. During this time China became PepsiCo’s largest market outside the US. Achal also played various roles in PepsiCo India and ICI India. Achal is an alumni of Delhi University and Wharton.

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LEADERS TALK HR

Kimberly-Clark (ETT) initiative. Each year, the company does an extensive talent review where enterprise-critical roles are identified. As a result, a group of ETTs are identified and put on an accelerated development programme to fill these roles. “One of the initiatives that the ETTs participate in is the Leaders-Teaching-Leaders programme where they are exposed to global leaders, equipped with learning experiences from senior leaders, and entrusted to return to their countries to share their learning,” he explains. Within the Asia-Pacific region, there is the Programme for Strategic Leadership (P4SL), which is a leadership development course. It is anchored around providing leadership experience, senior management exposure, and management and business education following the ratio of 70:20:10 to each in order. It aims to accelerate the development of highpotentials to larger leadership positions at either a country or regional level. As part of this programme, key talents have the opportunity to work on stretch assignments that are actual strategic problems outside of their current operating environment. “We believe that such diverse exposure amplifies their learning and expands their perspectives,” Achal explains. “In addition, it provides our leaders an opportunity to work closely with key talents from across the organisation and become mentors.” At Kimberly-Clark, it’s not just the young that benefit from the old. Reverse mentoring, where younger staff teach more senior personnel, is also a common practice. “In today’s age, some of the skillsets that the younger people have are not available in the more senior guys, such as social networks and smartphones,” notes Achal. Reverse mentoring is a synergistic relationship where

Me-myself-I • Love: My daughters • Dislike: Politics, bureaucracy, and anything that prevents people from achieving dreams • Inspiration: People who make a difference to the world, big or small • Biggest strength: Being focused and able to prioritise. “I challenge people a lot – it might be tough, but it helps them to grow and realise their full potential” • Biggest weakness: Impatience • In five years time: “I expect to be more engaged with community, working towards giving back and contributing”

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more junior staff have the opportunity to share their knowledge with more senior staff and vice versa. “When it comes to diapers, I may have a young mother as my reverse mentor, as she will teach me things I’ll never think of,” he explains. “There are different points of view that you get with reverse mentoring. If you were coached by someone of the same profile, you would never develop.”

Diversity of thought “Diversity is something that is very important in our culture,” says Achal. “What I would like to emphasise is diversity of thought, where people have different points of view and are allowed to express these different viewpoints and have a good debate. There’s nothing that’s a bad idea.” He explains that in the Asia-Pacific region, where there is a great amount of diversity in terms of ethnicities and nationalities, having a diversity of thought is increasingly important. “Leaders must represent what their customer profile is,” he says. “If we are doing a lot of business in China, we must have a lot of Chinese talent in our team.” One way the Kimberly-Clark is constructing a diverse and multi-cultural workforce is by putting a greater emphasis on cross-border development and investing significantly in talent swaps. This programme enables staff in the Asia-Pacific region to move elsewhere, and people from other regions are taken in. By moving people, employees have an opportunity to develop themselves, and the company enjoys greater diversity, both from a cultural standpoint and also a business point of view. Moving staff may have certain skills relevant to the region that are not necessarily found here. “For example, we have swapped marketers between India and Peru, and sent Chinese sales leaders to the US and UK,” he says.

Giving back “When it comes to sustainability, we are in the forefront and always in the Dow Jones Index of top companies in sustainability,” he says. “It’s part of our DNA, and is in everything we do. It’s a way of life.” According to Achal, Kimberly-Clark’s CSR programme changes with each country. This is because the company evaluates the situation in each country find out what area it can best contribute to. For example, in South Korea, the company supports the Keep Korea Clean campaign. The Yuhan-Kimberly organisation has planted and nurtured about 46.8 million trees since the campaign started in 1984. In China, sustainability is embedded into KimberlyClark’s manufacturing, with innovation being used in its technology and processes. This includes managing carbon emissions and GHG emissions, protecting water resources, and managing energy use. The company also

LEADERS TALK HR

For Small Businesses

integrates the concept of green and environmental protection throughout the entire processes of research and development, production, and sales. In 2011, Kleenex facial products of Kimberly-Clark China passed the high standard FSC Chain of Custody certification by an international forest certification system. In New Zealand, the Huggies diaper brand has continued its partnership with EnviroComp, opening a second composting facility in Wellington. Now, 24% of New Zealand households have access to the composting service, where diapers and incontinence products are collected and turned in to commercial compost. “Different countries merit different programmes,” Achal explains. “We are engaged all the time with local communities. Our staff are reassured that the company is responsible in any country it operates in, and we have strong ethical values.”

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Making a difference “I truly believe that this is a fantastic company to work for, especially at this stage,” says Achal. He explains that the organisation is in a “sweet spot” in terms of its products and strategies, and employees can see that they are accelerating rapidly regardless of the macroenvironment. For example, last year was challenging for most companies in China, but it was Kimberly-Clark’s best year. It grew its baby and childcare business by 50%, against wider category growth of 15%. To keep the company moving forward, Achal says he ensures he has a capable leadership team. “I like to make sure that the people who are working with me are very capable, so that I can empower them and let them lead and reach where they need to.” Building strong teams and developing talent and people is something that he specifically enjoys. “In my life, I have developed strong leaders, and it is a pleasure that these people still stay in touch with me for decades. There’s nothing more pleasurable than seeing someone make real progress in their career, and being a part of helping them get there.” In this way, getting the strong team that he has today was no accident. He had to replace people who were not up to par, while inducting people whom he knew had a high level of capability. “It has not been easy as I have had to make tough decisions at times,” he admits. “It’s now a capable and diverse team, and I’m very proud of that.” To Achal, work is not just work – it’s about making a difference to people’s lives around the world. “It is important to me that the considerable time I spend at work makes a meaningful impact in improving the lives of the community around me and those in the region I work,” he says. “If we give mothers great solutions in diapering, we are able to make their lives much more joyful. What’s more important to them than sharing moments of joy with their babies? From my perspective, we are making a difference in the lives of others and that makes every day at work worth it.”

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FEATURE

Compensation & Rewards Asia

He’s back! Best-selling author and international speaker Chester Elton is due back in Singapore for this August’s Compensation & Rewards Congress. HRM caught up with him to get the latest on rewards strategy best practices and how an effective recognition strategy can pay dividends when trying to further engage employees

What holds some employees back from giving their all at work? Many employees are held back because they aren’t really sure that what they are doing makes a difference. Great leaders make sure that everyone knows what they do affects the clients and the team and gets them closer to success.

Why is it important for managers to create a “culture of belief”? Because when people believe that what they do matters, they give you more. They give you their passion and their very best. When you believe, you are engaged.

Why are rewards and recognition a critical part of a high performance work culture? When you recognise someone for their work, you are communicating in a very powerful way what you value most. Rewarded behaviour gets repeated. It reinforces the kind of culture you need to succeed. It is the secret sauce of all great organisations. You reward what you value.

Employees are often motivated by different things. How can HR come up with an effective rewards and recognition strategy that satisfies different interests? The way you welcome people to the organisation is important. Ask them how they want to be recognised. Ask them what they value most. Make 26

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FEATURE

sure that they know that when they perform they will be celebrated and rewarded in a way that will be meaningful for them. HR can do that on the very first day of work.

Do rewards always have to be monetary? What are some effective non-monetary rewards? A reward that is monetary does not reflect true recognition, as it is compensation. True recognition is symbolic in nature – it is presented, and it is valued more than money. When a team wins the World Cup, they don’t give them a cheque, they give them a medal and a trophy. What is the monetary value of that? It is priceless! The same can be said for the Oscars and Olympic gold medals. Don’t get ‘compensation’ confused with ‘recognition’.

Top three takeaways from your session? • Recognition is not a ‘NICE- to-have’. It is a MUST-have if you want to build a great culture. • Recognition is GOOD business. It accelerates performance and results.

• Recognition is common sense uncommonly practiced. Great leaders make sure they find the time and the best ways to motivate their people. It is a discipline that delivers GREAT results.

What are you looking forward to the most at this event? Having time to really teach and to find ways to engage and motivate your people. I always learn something new from these sessions. I am excited to learn more about the best practices in Singapore.

What do you like most about Singapore? Chili Crab!!! It is delicious and it is ORANGE! On a serious note, I love the Singapore people. I have been coming to Singapore for many years now and have developed great friends. I love to come to Singapore because the people have always made me feel so welcome. Singapore audiences are always very engaged. They love to learn and ask questions, I love that! See you soon!

n Catch Chester eElto ‘live’ at th n th Annual Compensatio 7 M R H & Rewards Asia .com www.hrmcongress

The author of the New York Times bestsellers The Carrot Principle and The Orange Revolution presents groundbreaking new findings — today’s high-performance organisations have a distinctive kind of culture that leads to astonishing results. Teaming up with research giant Towers Watson, author Chester Elton will present an unprecedented 300,000-person study conducted in the worst of the recession. Based on this research and extensive consulting experience with a who’s-who of successful companies, he will present a simple sevenstep roadmap that all managers can follow to create a high-achieving culture in their own teams. With the most current data available on culture, Elton will offer specific ‘how-to’s to help you build the right culture, and tell stories of leaders in action that vividly depict just how these powerful methods can be implemented. Audiences will learn: • The three research-based characteristics of the world’s most profitable, productive organisational and team cultures • The steps today’s most successful managers use to generate employee buy-in • How managers at any level can build a productive workgroup culture of their own, where employees commit to the culture and give that extra push of effort The session promises to be engaging and energising. Delegates will walk away with practical tools that they can implement the very next day with their own teams.

TOPIC:

How to create a culture of belief and drive real results 14-15 August 2013 Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre

The “All-In” Recognition Stretegy-Building Workshop Drawing on case studies from leading companies including Disney, American Express, AT&T and Texas Roadhouse, Elton will show how the transformative power of purpose-based recognition produces significant increases in operating results. He will show how great managers lead with carrots, not sticks, and in doing so achieve higher: • Productivity • Engagement • Retention • Customer Satisfaction This workshop will introduce the simple steps to becoming a more effective manager and building a recognition culture in your organisation. It offers a wealth of specific examples, drawn from real-life cases, of ways to do recognition right. Following these simple steps will make you a high-performance leader and take your team to a new level of achievement. The session is highly interactive and participants will have the opportunity to share their own stories and best practices. It is an engaging give and take that will give you practical tools to engage and energise your team.

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Early bird special only S$795 + GST* Save $500 | Register before 31 July 2013 Additional $200 discount for all HR Summit 2013 attendees

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Compensation & Rewards Asia Asia’s Number 1 Event for Compensation & Rewards Professionals Suntec Convention Centre Singapore

14 & 15 August 2013

Compensation & Rewards Asia is the number one event dedicated to compensation & rewards issues in Singapore and Asia. Now in its seventh year, the event is packed with invaluable presentations and world class speakers that offer innovative solutions for leading compensation, rewards and HR leaders. Speakers and presentations currently include:

Exclusive Half Day Workshop with Chester Elton: How to Build an ‘All In’ Recognition Strategy

Choo Siow Leng Director, Human Resources NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Ajit Nambiar Head of Compensation, APAC & EMEA, GOOGLE

Chester Elton

International Speaker & Author

Jaclyn Lee Senior Director, Human Resources SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

Ken Hoskin Regional Chief Talent Officer MCCANN WORLDGROUP ASIA PACIFIC

Khor Ling Deputy Director Performance and Rewards EASTERN HEALTH ALLIANCE

More speakers and topics to be announced soon Topics • • •

• •

• • •

Discerning the Future of Compensation in Singapore Managing Talents with Non-Monetary Rewards Riding the Growth Curve: C&B Structuring and Workforce Planning Compensation & Rewards Strategies in Asian Emerging Markets ‘Glocalisation’: Integrating the Key Concepts of a Global Compensation & Benefits Strategy to Drive Local Realities Faced by Organisations Across the Asia Pacific Compensation Systems for Flexi-work Arrangements Effectively Communicating Compensation & Rewards as Part of a Broader People Strategy Plus: Panel Discussion - How Leading Organisations Manage their Compensation Strategies & Budgets whilst Remaining Competitive

Chester Elton – Live & Exclusive in Singapore Don’t miss Chester Elton only at Compensation & Rewards Asia this August. As one of the world’s leading rewards specialists, speakers and authors, Chester will be conducting an exclusive half day workshop at this year’s event. Widely regarded as the world’s leading authority on rewards & recognition, this will be Chester’s only Singapore appearance in 2013.

www.hrmcongress.com | +65 6423 4631

Jesse Bath Director - Strategy & HR ACCO LIGHTING SYSTEM

FEATURE

Corporate health

Corporate challenges of a

DIFFERENT KIND Benefits of a healthy lifestyle choice extend far beyond the obvious physical and psychological gains. Corporate health is now widely considered an integral part of maximising business success. HRM finds out how companies that sweat together, stay together By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

Studies have shown that a well-planned workplace health promotion (WHP) programme contributes both directly and indirectly to a company’s bottom-line by boosting productivity and improving health-related behaviour and staff morale, while at the same time reducing healthcare costs and absenteeism. Organisations can have a positive influence on employees’ health by creating healthy environments, ensuring that organisational policies are conducive to good health, and by providing WHP programmes and services at work. Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB) encourages companies to create holistic and comprehensive workplace health programmes that address pillars such as physical activity, healthy eating, smoking cessation, mental wellbeing, cancer awareness, chronic diseases management, HIV/AIDS education, and infectious disease prevention. “An effective WHP programme uses a combination of lifestyle and personal health skills, environmental

16,730 participants from 404 companies took part in the 10th JP Morgan Corporate Challenge in Singapore this year

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FEATURE

supports, and organisational policies to influence employees’ health,” says Eunice Yong, Acting Deputy Director - Workplace Health, HPB. “Companies should conduct regular health screening to establish the health profile of their employees and design workplace health programmes to improve the health of employees. (They should also) address the health concerns of staff through intervention programmes like weight management and chronic disease management.” Regular monitoring and follow-up of employee health, accompanied by supportive workplace policies and resources, will promote an effective and sustainable workplace health culture in the organisation. To adopt a holistic and integrated approach to workplace health, organisations should be aware that their programmes should meet the needs of all employees,” says MY Yeow, President – Medical Services, Healthway Medical Group. “They should also

Four-pronged approach to wellness at Standard Chartered Bank 1

Provide health food such as fruits, health drinks and health bars at the workplace

Daily wellness and health tips on the Wellness page on Facebook and Wellness@ Work page on the Bank’s intranet

Wellness@Work programme

Weekly Yoga@work evenings

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Quarterly weekend wellness retreats for staff, family and friends

FEATURE

Corporate health be mindful of the unique characteristics of each workplace environment.” A good way to start is to implement activities that encourage employees to exercise, as well as educate them on how to eat healthily. To maximise staff participation, there should be a balance between physical and educational activities. “While companies can organise exercises from competitive sports to Tai Chi, they can also put together an educational activity such as a healthy cooking demonstration, where employees can learn how to cook their favourite dishes in a healthy way,” Yeow explains.

Getting active together Many people with desk-bound jobs spend long hours in front of their computers with hardly a chance to engage in physical activity. But working adults now have several avenues to engage in aerobic and mind-body activities, suitable for every level of fitness.

Oral health at the workplace Besides the obvious pertinence of exercise programmes and health screenings in corporate health plans, companies can also incorporate an effective dental health programme for a truly all-rounded strategy. “Several common medical diseases are linked to the dental health of individuals. Examples include diabetes and cardiovascular diseases,” says Dr Lin Gengfeng, Division Director, T32 Corporate. “Without improving dental health, attempts to manage medical health may be futile.” “Detecting dental problems at an early stage usually results in treatment that is less costly, simpler and involves lesser downtime; and all this ultimately leads to improved employee productivity, which is increasingly important for companies,” Lin adds. T32 Dental Centre’s focus on primary dental healthcare and the prevention of dental diseases has helped employees at client companies such as Citibank, Credit Suisse, DBS, Hong Leong, HSBC, Seagate, UBS, and even Ministry of Education, to avoid lengthy downtime due to dental treatments. “Several complex dental conditions require lengthy treatments and our preventive focus minimises such instances,” says Lin. The dental care provider also utilises technology to ensure certain dental treatments can be carried out conservatively with minimal invasive techniques, resulting in reduced downtime.

FREE HPB PROGRAMMES Physical activity programmes

Details

Venue

Date

Time

i-Run

Free weekly running sessions and fitness clinics led by professional trainers

Singapore River Promenade (Next to UOB Plaza)

Every Tuesday and Thursday

6.30pm – 7.30pm

Fitness@Work

Specially choreographed hour-long weekly aerobic workout sessions to suit people of all fitness levels.

Singapore River Promenade (Next to UOB Plaza)

Every Wednesday

6.30pm – 7.30pm

Lawn @ Marina Bay Financial Centre (Commencing Aug 2013)

Every Tuesday

6.30pm – 7.30pm

• Yoga • Multi-dimensional stretching • Brisk walking

Central@Clarke Quay

Every Thursday

7.30am – 8.30am

• Yoga • Multi-dimensional stretching • Fitness bootcamp • Brisk walking • Jogging

Lawn @ Marina Bay Financial Centre

Every Tuesday

7.30am – 8.30am

• Yoga • Multi-dimensional stretching • Brisk-walking • Jogging

UOB Plaza

Every Wednesday

7.30am – 8.30am

Yoga

True Yoga, Ocean Financial Centre, Collyer Quay

Every Monday

7.30am – 8.30am

Body Balance (fusion of Pilates, Tai Chi and Yoga)

Fitness First, Millenia Walk

Every Tuesday

7.30am – 8.30am

SH’BAM (aerobic-dance workout)

True Fitness, Chevron House, Raffles Place

Every Thursday

7.30am – 8.30am

Sunrise in the City

Source: Health Promotion Board (HPB) ISSUE 13.6

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FEATURE

Corporate health CASE STUDY

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore The Standard Chartered Marathon is an event that engages and brings together Standard Chartered Bank’s staff. Each year, a large number of Bank staff take part in the Marathon’s Corporate Distance Challenge and other Marathon categories or volunteer at the event. In 2012, about 2,400 staff and their children participated in the various categories. “The Bank subsidises the registration fees for its staff and their children run for free in the Kids Dash categories,” says Subba V, Regional Head – Retail Banking Products (Singapore and Southeast Asia), Standard Chartered Bank. “Staff runners also get access to a variety of resources to help them prepare for the race including running talks and clinics.” The Bank also holds its traditional pre-marathon brunch for staff runners the day before the event. “This is an excellent opportunity for runners and their families to get to know each other better and cheer each other on,” says Subba. On race day itself, about 4,000 staff and their supporters visit the staff tent at the Padang to cheer on the runners and enjoy the festivities at the finish. The tent is set up especially for staff to enjoy the food, drinks, games available and last year, even a chiropractor for respite. The Bank also has staff volunteers along the route to cheer on the full marathon runners. “Winning the Corporate Distance Challenge last year is a great testimony to the support of staff to the Bank’s sponsorship of the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore,” Subba adds.

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For example, the HPB has recently introduced its one-of-a-kind Sunrise in the City (SITC) programme for working adults to kick-start their busy day with moderate intensity workout sessions near their workplaces. The SITC programme serves to complement HPB’s existing evening initiatives such as i-Run and Fitness@Work (see table on pg27); and offers working adults the opportunity to partake in fun workout sessions such as yoga, brisk walking, jogging and multi-dimensional stretches in the mornings before they head to work. “Morning exercise activities are a common sight within residential estates and now with SITC, working adults in the city can also reap the benefits of regular exercise,” says Dr Amy Khor, Minister of State for Health and Manpower. Another physical activity programme that companies can participate in is the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. The race is about people from all industries putting down their pens, turning off their computers for a few hours and going outdoors for some healthy fun and competition.

FEATURE

“The Corporate Challenge has grown from 6,000 participants in 2004 to over 16,500 this year and JP Morgan is very proud to have been at the forefront of helping raise awareness about employee health and promoting work-life balance,” says Paul Echart, Chief Administrative Officer, JP Morgan, Singapore. “It’s crucial because employees are fundamental to the success of any firm.” The size of the race this year is nearly three times bigger than JP Morgan’s first Corporate Challenge in 2004, proving that there is clearly a desire among people in Singapore to get out of their chairs, to get healthy, and to get running. “We believe that (the race) has helped re-emphasise and remind our own employees about the importance of work-life balance,” says Echart. “While some employees will walk the race, others will take it as an opportunity and motivation to increase their level of exercise and training.” “The routine that is started in preparation for the Corporate Challenge can lead to a complete change in lifestyle,” Echart adds. “After all, life should not all be about work.”

CASE STUDY

J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge 2013 Adults aged 18–64 should do at least

150 minutes

of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week Source: World Health Organisation

Singapore’s National Workplace Health Promotion Programme According to the National Workplace Health Promotion Survey 2010, some 72.8% of private companies have workplace health programmes in place, along with almost 100% of employers in the public sector. To further reward and boost health promotion efforts, the Helath Promption Board confers the biennial Singapore HEALTH Award (with the next one taking place in 2014) and offers the Workplace Health Promotion grant. The grant provides financial support to help organisations start and sustain their workplace health programmes. Any organisation registered in Singapore with at least five paid employees can apply. Up to $15,000 is available across two options of co-funding. The grant may be utilised for a wide range of WHP services and activities, including: General Health

Targeted Interventions Mental Health

• WHP consultancy services • Health risk assessment (Health screening, Lifestyle and health practices survey) • Health education activities • Physical activities • Training • Purchase of health and fitness equipment

• Weight management programme • Smoking cessation programme • Chronic disease management programme

• Mental health educational activities (talks or workshops on mental wellbeing or mental illness) • Employee counselling • Workplace mental health promotion activities • Supervisor or manager training in mental health topics • Workplace mental health consultancy services

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge in Singapore. Amongst the many companies that have been a return participant every year from the first race in 2004 is Shell Eastern Petroleum. Ally Hersoo, company captain for the energy company, says, “We look forward to the scenic run annually and also to meet and run with other colleagues. There is this immense pride in representing our company and especially when one of our runners comes in among the top competitors.” Another company that has been there to witness the growth first-hand has been construction giant Caterpillar Asia. “We’re very proud to have entered a team every year,” says Steve Szymanski, who has served as Caterpillar’s company captain since 2005. “It is now a core annual employee participation event for us. Two years ago, we had the additional honour of hosting a US-based Caterpillar mixed-team who won their event in the Chicago race, and travelled all the way to Singapore to compete in the championship.” “The Corporate Challenge is tremendous for team-building, especially for people from different departments who may not interact regularly,” Szymanski continues. “The 5.6 km length is perfect since it also allows non-runners to come out and participate in an event that they might not regularly consider.” PricewaterhouseCoopers won the Largest Participation Award in the most recent event, suiting up 665 of its employees in running kits. StarHub was close behind with 649, followed by Deloitte (614), BNP Paribas (333), Cisco Systems (284), SAP Asia (275), HSBC (250), Barclays (242), and ANZ (239). Carol Ng of StarHub, who served as company captain and organised the massive entry list for the telecommunications firm, didn’t mind the extra work needed to get her colleagues to put up a running number. “We are heartened to see more first-time participants who aren’t exactly avid runners but decided to make the effort to join their fellow colleagues for some physical activity and fresh air outside of work,” says Ng. “It was definitely a fun experience for them.” United Overseas Bank had a smaller contingent — 24 in total — but company captain Alexander Teng still saw tangible benefits. “We always look forward to seeing our fellow friends in the industry,” says Teng. “Friendships have definitely grown through the years from meetings at the Corporate Challenge. To me, it is definitely exciting to represent the bank at this run and show our identity.”

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FEATURE

Corporate learning

Crunching the

numbers

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Employees who understand an organisation’s finances are able to make more informed day-to-day decisions that can boost growth and improve the bottom-line. HRM looks at the some of the financial training courses available in the market By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

Understanding an organisation’s financials is not limited to employees who work in the accounts department. When employees across the board better manage sales, expenses and cash flows at work, profits are maximised throughout. There are many courses available today that help non-financial professionals gain a better grasp of these money issues. These are also useful for employees aiming to climb the corporate ladder and be in a position to make strategic decisions. “For those aiming for boardroom positions, finance has traditionally been seen as a male profession,” says Leong Soo Yee, Head, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Singapore. However, a report commissioned by ACCA and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) of the UK’s Cranfield School of Management shows that a financial qualification is seem as a catalyst for women getting onto the boards of listed companies (see: below). For employees exploring a mid-career change, financial training such as a global accounting qualification can make a big difference to a long-term career path. “It offers an all-round business training that goes beyond accountancy and auditing and offers dynamic business leadership training,” Leong says.

Financial training for HR Gaining more knowledge in finance can also be game-changer for HR, particularly as it seeks to play a more strategic role in organisations. As HR’s voice becomes more prominent in boardroom discussions, being able to speak the language of that boardroom helps HR get its voice heard much more clearly and convincingly, says Leong. Referring to the report by ACCA and ESRC, she says, “Finance is the language of the boardroom, and having the ability to communicate financial information establishes and builds credibility.”

Finance topics that HR should master • The significance and purpose of core financial reports • The key financial components of an annual report • The concept and importance of cash flow • What measures and processes companies use to assess financial health Source: From the article, “Finance is from Mars, HR is from Venus” by WorldatWork’s workspan Magazine

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FEATURE

Corporate learning “Finance is the language of the boardroom, and having the ability to communicate financial information establishes and builds credibility” – LEONG SOO YEE, HEAD, ASSOCIATION OF CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS (ACCA) SINGAPORE

Some core financial skills that HR may look to pick up include managing an organisation’s financial statements, budgets and annual reports, understanding the components of cash flows and balance sheet items, as well as assessing an organisation’s financial health. The ACCA Foundations in Accountancy suite of awards allows HR professionals to enter at, and progress to, a level of expertise matched to their level of financial responsibility – from essential knowledge at the certificate levels to the diploma level, which is more relevant for those working in practice. “Individuals can choose from a flexible range of qualifications which will help them develop the relevant technical knowledge and practical skills required to perform at accounting and finance-oriented tasks,” Leong says. In the wake of the financial crisis, HR professionals themselves can play a major role in building a new generation of more ethical leaders by demonstrating industry knowledge and understanding, says Terry Lee, Director, Marketing and Communications, Asia Pacific, CFA Institute. “Financial regulators globally have included HR functions in their criticisms of the industry as a whole, noting that employing adequately qualified professionals in the financial services sector may even have mitigated the larger crisis,” he says. Courses such as the Claritas Investment Certificate programme by the CFA Institute provide HR professionals with an improved understanding of the roles and responsibilities associated with various financial services. Focused on the essentials of finance, ethics, and investment roles, the programme requires approximately 100 hours of study and generally can be completed within six months. The knowledge gained from the course can help HR better hire talented, qualified and expert staff, Lee says.

Lack of financial knowledge amongst workers is slowing down the business Employees who lack financial knowledge at the workplace could be end up being absent from work due to stress and anxiety, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned. A CIPD survey of over 2,000 employees revealed that rising pressure on employee living standards has resulted in 59% of employees reporting some financial struggles. Despite of this, three quarters (73%) of employees report that their organisation offers them no form of financial support or advice to help them better understand and manage their finances. Charles Cotton, Reward Adviser at CIPD said, “Employers may think that the financial savvyness of their employees is not their responsibility. But the impact of not providing financial education can mean a workforce pre-occupied or overwhelmed by their own financial worries, and unable to appreciate the value of their organisation’s pay, benefits and pensions package.”

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According to Cotton, a little financial education can go a long way. “It can improve performance by giving employees the means to alleviate stress and pressure they’re under because of financial difficulties. It can help boost motivation and staff retention by helping employers to get across the value of the financial benefits they offer to their employees,” he added. Among those workers who said that they were offered advice or support, the most common offerings were employee assistance programmes (13%); access to an independent financial adviser (seven percent); workshops on financial self-management (four percent); online financial guidance (three percent); access to a credit union (three percent); and access to hardship loans (two percent). The CIPD has also launched a Workplace Financial Education online guide that provides pointers on how to implement financial education programmes at work.

FEATURE

Personal financial literacy The importance of financial literacy is not limited to workplace issues. Employees that have financial issues often spend a lot of time at the office settling their own financial matters, says Alex Lum, Centre Director for MoneySENSE, Singapore Polytechnic’s Institute for Financial Literacy. “The increased stress also leads to work-absenteeism and increased risk of accidents,” he says. Some personal troubles that employees can get into involve excessive spending and overuse of credit cards. “From anecdotal evidence in Singapore, HR leaders have mentioned to us that their employees also get into credit card trouble or are under-insured and hence don’t have enough money when they encounter emergencies,” says Lum, whose organisation offers free financial education programmes. Some of the useful courses offered by MoneySENSE touch on topics such as setting of financial goals and budgeting, assessing personal financial situations and developing a financial plan, understanding loans and the implications of borrowing, as well as assessing retirement needs.

Women with finance backgrounds get board positions Women appear more successful in attaining executive roles where they have an existing financial background. According to a survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the UK’s Cranfield School of Management, 45% of female executive directors are financially qualified and 65% have some sort of financial background. In comparison, 26% of their male colleagues are financially qualified, and 44% have a broader financial background. Source: “Women in finance; a springboard to corporate board positions?’’ by ACCA and the Cranfield School of Management

NOT ALL FINANCE PROFESSIONALS COME COMPLETE Unlike some, ACCA accountants are properly grounded in all areas of business and finance including reporting, taxation and audit. This ensures truly forward looking ‘business ready’ finance professionals who can help grow your business.

Find out more at www.accaglobal.com/complete or call +65 6734 8110

The global body for professional accountants

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FEATURE

Talent management

When a popular boss leavesâ&#x20AC;Ś 38

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FEATURE

When a popular, charismatic leader has become synonymous with a team or entire organisation, it’s hard to imagine how the team can carry on when the individual leaves By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

One leaves their boss, not the company. Time and again, HR hears this as the main reason why staff resign. Whilst there may be many things employees dislike about their jobs, the relationship between managers and staff is arguably the most critical. Employees who are well managed can forgive many of an organisation’s shortcomings. However, when people are badly managed, there can be disengagement, reduced productivity and high staff turnover. Leaders and managers in organisations indeed have a profound impact on attraction, retention and engagement. According to Towers Watson’s recent Global Workforce Study, the top five reasons employees stay with organisations here in Singapore are: competitive base pay, career advancement opportunities, the relationship with their manager, job security, and trust and confidence in senior leaders. “You can see that leaders and managers play a major role in inf luencing directly and indirectly an employee’s desire to stay in an organisation,” says Scott Burnett, Managing Director – Southeast Asia, Towers Watson. Where a bad leader can cause employees to head for the exit, the reverse is also true for a good leader; wherein talent is attracted to a company due to great leadership. At the same time, if the good leader were to leave the organisation, staff may follow suit en masse. Through his research, Gary A. Ballinger, Associate Professor of Commerce at the University of Virginia, found that the link between a popular leader and retention depends primarily on who that leader is popular with. “No leader is 100% beloved by their staff, and yet within that group of people that are close to the leader (or believe they are close to the leader), there is clear evidence that the relationship with that leader is a

factor that motivates employees to stay,” says Ballinger.

The leader leaves There are many ways skilled HR managers can help manage staff upon the departure of a popular leader. “Two ideas that come to mind involve quickly identifying the new leader and publicising information about the new leader’s expertise, while the second involves training new leaders on how to assume the role within a new group,” says Ballinger. When deciding to trust a new leader, people look first for signs that the new leader will be effective at the tasks the old leader performed, less so in terms of expertise as an employee, but more importantly expertise at the leadership job. In identifying and placing new leaders in their roles, Ballinger says HR should identify ways to send out

“Saving face” Marketing experts would argue that one of the key roles of a CEO is to engage with relevant opinion leaders and influencers – spanning from journalists from the traditional media to bloggers and analysts. “Visible and articulate leaders with the ability to communicate the right messages can play a key role in building trust for the company and enhance its brand image in the minds of its stakeholders,” says Scott Burnett, Managing Director Southeast Asia, Towers Watson. Richard Branson of Virgin, Tony Fernandes of Air Asia, Ratan Tata of the Tata Group and Piyush Gupta of Singapore’s local DBS Bank are some good examples of popular leaders who are also the face of their organisations. The solution is not about restricting the CEO to be the only public face of the organisation but to have the right succession planning in place, says Burnett. “Part of the preparation for the incumbent should be providing them coaching on engaging with opinion leaders effectively. ISSUE 13.6

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Talent management ‘Happiness maintenance’ – There’s an app for that! Employee engagement surveys have long been used to determine the level of happiness within the workforce. Indonesia-based digital agency XM Gravity recently launched a unique, in-house mobile application – the XM Gravity Happiness App – to not only measure but also pump up the happiness quotient among its staff. “As a digital agency, we help our clients leverage technology and social media every day to meet their business goals. This time, we’re leveraging that know-how to help us achieve our own goals,” says Kevin Mintaraga, CEO, XM Gravity. “Happy staff who feel connected, and cared for, are committed staff who give their best.” The application utilises four main features with different functions – Mood, News and Announcements, Tasks, and Contact. • Mood – allows users to express their feelings each day by choosing on the wide range of mood selections provided. Employees who consistently log in negative emotions would be approached by their supervisors for a heart-to-heart chat aimed at solving whatever issue is weighing on them. • News – brings the company’s news, updates and announcements right into the palms of staff hands. Staff will also get information about individuals in the company, from professional-based updates, such as who’s been promoted, to more personal news, like who’s getting married. • Tasks – dedicated to assist clients by supporting their on-going campaigns. “Users would be able to re-tweet, ‘like’, or share key posts on the brands’ social media pages with the purpose of creating a viral effect.” • Contact – contains the list of each person’s phone number, e-mail address, and social media accounts. To encourage participation on the XM Gravity Happiness App, which operates on iOS, Android and BlackBerry operating systems, active users are rewarded by points and have a chance to win coveted prizes every month.

information about the expertise of the new leader before they take the job. “Too many times a new leader is hired and not given enough information about the work group they are going to lead,” he says. “If HR has information about the communication structure or social network within a work group, it should be part of the briefing of the new manager.” He explains that HR and line executives sometimes mistakenly believe that any manager with experience will be able to find their way, but there are specific steps that a new leader needs to take to build trust amongst the team. “HR professionals can and should invest time in working with these managers so that they can begin building effective relationships right away,” Ballinger adds.

Preparing for goodbyes HR needs to recognise that its role is changing from reactive transactions to proactive development. The most agile HR departments will be the partners that add value to organisations from this point on. 40

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“Agile HR is concerned less with ‘change management’ but more with ‘employee readiness’,” says Burnett. “Agile HR can play a facilitative role on readying the organisation, regardless of the uncertainty it has to face. Uncertainty however, is one thing we can be assured of.” The more time employees have to prepare for the departure of a popular leader, the better the team or organisation will cope with it emotionally. “Surprise departures usually create the most acute emotional reactions amongst the team,” says Ballinger. “But there is a delicate balance here, because once succession planning is seen to start within a firm or group, a lot of other work may stop.” HR will want to work with senior executives to identify the right time to make those succession plans known with an eye towards giving the staff time to prepare. What should generally be avoided are interim management arrangements that go on too long. Research on interim management arrangements shows that they are most effective when they are brief. “It’s usually a bad idea to name an interim manager and indicate that they are ‘trying out’ for the job; they won’t have the power base necessary to succeed, and the firm will waste time and may sacrifice performance as a result,” Ballinger explains.

Introducing a new leader New leadership can present exciting possibilities and opportunities for an organisation. “Just look at the addition of Marissa Mayer to Yahoo,” says Burnett. “Some of her decisions have been popular while some have not; but for the first time, résumés appear to be coming in from their major competitors as she takes the helm.” When introducing a new leader to employees, it helps to first incorporate the team into the selection process; particularly if the team is going well and there is no need or desire to shake up performance, says Ballinger. Secondly, HR should publicise information about how effective the leader has been (and the steps they took) at previous, similar, leadership roles. “Employees are searching for information about leadership and management ability to form an initial trust judgement and they will latch on to either accurate or inaccurate information,” Ballinger explains. “Effective HR teams provide employees with accurate information throughout the process and listen for signs of anxiety regarding potential new hires for the spot.”

FEATURE

Burnett says companies should address the introduction of a new leader as they do many aspects of change and uncertainty in the organisation. Questions that should be asked include: • What’s changing? • What will be different? • What will remain the same? • What is expected of employees? • What can be expected of the new leader? • What does success look like for them? “Periods of uncertainty, like a change in leader, need to be managed with consistency of message, clarity of vision and by a continued sense of building community within the organisation,” says Burnett. “The new leader can do this when on board, but an organisation needs to facilitate the context also.” The new leader also needs to be able to successfully fulfil the promises they make in the beginning. So HR and corporate executives should work with new leaders to ensure that they are given decision latitude (discretion), public support, and the resources needed to carry out their first initiatives, no matter how small, says Ballinger. Lastly, HR and especially senior leaders should be patient in letting the new leader build a base of trust amongst the team by letting them build up from small commitments (like changing the employee schedule), to larger commitments (like a change in strategy).

The “Clap out” “The Clap Out” is a US Apple Store tradition that is done at all the major stores as a way to say goodbye to their co-workers on their last day. It can be a rather intense experience because not only are people “clapped out”, they’re also yelled, hooted, hollered and hugged, complete with flowers and tears. Staff given such a farewell will generally have received a lot of courage and will continue on with fond memories of their co-workers, experiences, and of course, Apple products. This “clap out” is indicative of the company, Apple says, part of its demonstrated dedication to developing a true company culture. Source: btrax, a cross-cultural branding and web strategy firm

CASE STUDY

New leadership During his research in succession at a group of animal hospitals in the US, Gary A. Ballinger, Associate Professor of Commerce, University of Virginia, found that the new operations director got off to an excellent start within her first month by making one small change in how the staff were assigned to each particular doctor. Rather than rotating staff, she switched the staff to a plan where they worked for a designated doctor, and this allowed the staff to create relationships that they were comfortable with and led to a more energised workforce. “This increased the credibility and power base of this new operations director so that she had some latitude in making wider policy changes later in her tenure,” he explained.

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Gyan Nagpal

Who do you think will win

the global war for talent?

The global workforce has changed tremendously over the last two decades, bringing fresh challenges to HRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent management agenda. Award winning talent strategist, author and commentator Gyan Nagpal provides some pointers on how organisations can transform themselves to stay ahead

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Early in 2012, the global workforce quietly traversed past the three billion mark. Given that we have just over four and a half billion people of working age across planet Earth; what this means is that roughly two thirds of our talent wakes up each day seeking to pursue an economic endeavour. Yet for all this abundance of human potential, businesses across the world are waking up struggling to get their talent management agenda to work. Both CEOs and HR heads commonly report supply constraints, widening skill gaps, eroding loyalty and escalating labour costs as their most pressing concerns. In reality though, these are all symptoms, brought on in part because we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t invested enough in understanding the true nature of our global workforce, and how it is transforming in line with shifts in demographics and global business. A couple of years ago, I began researching and writing my recently released book Talent Economics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Fine Line Between Winning and Losing the Global War for Talent for precisely this reason. I wanted to present a fresh and deeply commercial insight on how the global workforce has changed over the last two decades, and more importantly - what will it look like in 2020? Using economics as a construct seemed a natural fit to this task. - In its simplest form - economics is the study of how the

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

forces of demand and supply allocate scarce resources. Talent, just like gold or any other precious commodity, is subject to the same market forces, and hence behaves along set patterns. If we recognise these patterns and study the nature of a country’s workforce, we begin to understand these symptoms from a causal level. During the research phase of the book, I interviewed several C-Suite executives and General Managers to gather their opinions and thoughts. Every single one rated talent as a top-three concern. Common refrains included: “employees just aren’t as loyal as they used to be,” or “new competitors in our market poach our talent by offering a better title or a few dollars more,” and “Generation Y employees expect rapid growth and won’t commit to a company for very long”, amongst others. My natural next question was: “so, what are you doing about this?” And what I got in return was a laundry list of solutions and initiatives, from improving incentive and top talent programmes to leadership development workshops and employee engagement schemes. Yet underlining all the activity people spoke about, I could also sense an underlying dissonance. Quite like swimmers valiantly trying to swim against the tide, many leaders accepted that

in spite of all the effort, talent management continued to be an escalating concern. It is clear we need a fresh perspective. We continue to look at the competition for talent as a problem which needs a solution. Like a gorilla, which has grown too big for its cage, we are looking to fix the gorilla, and not the cage. When Mckinsey wrote its iconic research paper “The War for Talent” in the late 1990s, it focused on the competition between one company and another for the best and brightest employees. Yet over the last 15 years, another dimension of this war has emerged: the war between resignation and pinkslip. It is indeed true that employment loyalty has eroded, but it has eroded at both ends. Over the last 30 years, we have seen the emotional bond between the employee and employer weakening with each passing decade. On one hand, companies have become more comfortable laying-off employees at the first sign of economic turbulence. On the other hand, with historically low economic disincentives for leaving, employees today have an expanded career horizon and look well beyond their current organisations for career opportunities. This isn’t an extension of the old war for talent. This represents a whole new reality. And organisations

Over the last 30 years, we have seen the

emotional bond between the employee and employer weakening with each passing decade

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Gyan Nagpal interested in finding a future ready talent recipe to fuel growth ambitions will need to transform on three vectors. • Evolve the employment equation – We must accept that the employee is evolving and hence the very concept of employment must evolve to keep pace. This requires us to think well beyond old-fashioned “buy” or “build” mechanisms of finding and keeping talent, and move towards making the organisation more fluid and attractive to both young and old workers alike. • Reboot management –A prime reason for our pain today

AUTHOR BIO Gyan Nagpal is an award winning talent strategist and commentator, who is deeply invested in researching ongoing changes to the global talent pool. Over the last decade he has helped some of the largest and most ambitious international organisations build significant business franchises across the Asia Pacific region. His recently released book Talent Economics - The Fine Line Between Winning and Losing the Global War for Talent went to number 1 on Amazon.com’s hot new books in HR list, a day after its global release.

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is the deeply entrenched legacy of command and control management mindsets. The 21st Century employee turning up to work today is more aware, assertive and empowered than ever before; a fact which is challenging the traditional supremacy of 20th Century supervisory practices. If managers don’t change, the best talent today finds it easier to quit and walk across the road. The worst talent on the other hand chooses to quit and stay. • Make talent agendas truly strategic – By this I mean eschew the list of random talent initiatives, programmes and practices, in favour of well-researched and truly long-term talent strategy. Or for that matter, the need for talent strategy which balances global ambition with the vastly divergent ground realities in Seattle, Seville, Shanghai or Singapore. The best way to get there is through deep diagnosis, and by studying what the workforce of the future will look like. Achieving this transformation will require the will to challenge several “holy cow” practices. It will also require a shift from blindly copying prescribed “best practices”, towards empowering leaders and giving them the means to experiment with new age ideas which transform the workplace. Remember: innovative solutions to new challenges, seldom come from familiar places.

Nominations now open 2014

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AWARDS

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Restaurants

Eat your heart out Singapore’s hottest

corporate dining venues

JAAN at Swissotel The Stamford

Wondering where to take your employees for their next company dinner? HRM looks at some of Singapore’s hottest restaurants for corporate dining By Sumathi V Selvaretnam A corporate dining treat is a great way for employees to relax and enjoy the company of their peers over some fine food and drinks. Singapore’s dining scene is bursting at the seams, ensuring companies are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a venue. The choice is not a static one either, with new and exciting restaurants opening every month. Many venues are also offering

JAAN Sitting pretty atop the 70th floor of the Swisshotel Stamford, French fine dining establishment Jaan offers sweeping views of the Singapore cityscape. Constantly ranked among Singapore’s best restaurants, this jewel is helmed by Chef Julien Royer. Diners can expect exciting, innovative cuisine made with fresh seasonal produce. The 55’ Smoked Organic Egg is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Cooked gently at 64 degree Celsius for 55 minutes, the egg is accompanied with slivers of crunchy Iberico ham and porcini smoked ratte potato puree and wild mushrooms. Another standout is the HayRoasted Bresse Pigeon. Served with black truffle barley and morels, it is a sweet and tender dish. Servers

customisable menus, private dining rooms and even light entertainment to up the exclusivity factor. With so many choices available, companies are only limited by their budgets and imagination. The following restaurants not only serve delicious food, but are also known for their good service and ability to cater to private dining groups.

Level 70, Equinox Complex, Swissotel The Stamford, Singapore Tel: 6837 3322

proudly present the whole pigeon in its pot at the table before carving it into individual portions at the table. Be sure to save room for dessert. The Choconuts 4th as the name suggests, is the fourth incarnation of a popular dessert. This deconstructed version incorporates a white chocolate mousse, a sable biscuit, melted carambar (a French caramel candy), peanut butter, crunchy films of chocolate, Tanariva Mousse and Gianduja chocolate ice cream. Jaan seats a maximum of 50 guests, making it an ideal venue for a memorable and intimate staff lunch. Companies can also hire harpists, pianists or other performers for some light entertainment. ISSUE 13.6

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Restaurants MORTON’S OF CHICAGO – THE STEAKHOUSE This restaurant is an institution for perfectly cooked steak. Featuring dark woods and subdued lighting, it exudes a warm dining ambience. Service is faultless and the wait staff have a thorough knowledge of the food and wine menus. Morton’s grain-fed beef steaks are the main event at this restaurant. Highlights include the Double Cut Filet Mignon, the New York Strip Steak and the Porterhouse Steak. The Double Cut Filet Mignon is tender and full of flavour and while the New York Strip Steak is another winner, delicious and done exactly to your preference. Diners who do not fancy beef could try the fresh Ocean Platter that comes with oysters, prawns and other delectable shellfish. Morton’s also offers a range of desserts including

SABIO BY THE SEA Corporate groups looking for a dining destination away from the busy city centre will thoroughly enjoy Sabio by the Sea’s laid back setting at Sentosa Cove. Guests can wine and dine while enjoying great views of the marina. Inspired by the original Sabio on Duxton Hill, this Spanish grill restaurant and tapas bar takes on a nautical twist, befitting of its coastal location. This theme is reflected both in its décor and cuisine. The menu at Sabio by the Sea features grilled meats and seafood prepared using charcoal ovens specially flown in from Spain. Some of the outstanding dishes prepared by Executive Chef Damien Le Bihan include Esparrago (grilled asparagus, Serano ham, soft egg, paprika and sherry vinaigrette), El Cerdo (herb marinated pig shoulder with sautéed potatoes) and El Pulpo (grilled octopus leg, “viola” mash potato, sauce paprika). All menu items can be easily shared among a table of diners.

Mandarin Oriental S’pore, 4th Storey 5 Raffles Ave Tel: 6339 3740

the signature Key Lime Pie, Morton’s Legendary Sundae and the Home Made New York Style Cheesecake. Morton’s is a great spot for a corporate event, featuring quality and reliable cuisine. The dining room seats 120 guests and private dining areas are also available for reservation. The entire restaurant can be reserved for a minimum food and beverage spend of S$4000++. Morton’s also offers gift cards that are ideal for employee rewards.

31 Ocean Way, #01-02 (Next to W Hotel Singapore) Tel: 6690 7568

The restaurant also does some wonderful desserts. The Espuma de terron (Spanish nougat mousse) and Churros (Crunchy fried dough Spanish doughnut) are must-tries. The nougat mousse was light, airy and sweet. Chocolate fans would appreciate the dark chocolate dipping sauce that comes with the perfectly fried Churros. The restaurant can accommodate 100 guests seated or 250 standing guests. Companies can book either half or the entire restaurant for a special event.

GUNTHER’S

36 Purvis Street #01-03 Tel: 6338 8955

Modern French cuisine is the hallmark of Gunther’s, which was named “Restaurant of the Year” and “Outstanding Caterer of the Year” at the World Gourmet Summit Excellence 2012. Located at Purvis, the restaurant is helmed by chef Gunther Hubrechsen, who was previously from Les Amis at Shaw Centre. It is a dark, intimate and minimalist space, which naturally turns the focus on the food. One of Gunther’s signature dishes is the Cold Angel’s hair pasta, that is accompanied with a decadent Oscietra caviar. It is a refreshing dish that excites the palate for more. Another favourite is the crispy Suckling Pig with Kriek Beer Sauce. Diners should also ask for the day’s specials, which are made from the freshest produce available that week. For dessert, try the Fine apple tart “à la dragées” with Havana rum raisin ice cream or the warm soufflé that comes in daily flavours. Gunther’s main dining room can accommodate up to 36 guests. It also has two smaller private dining rooms. The restaurant offers customised menus, wine pairings, butler services and can also arrange tailored gifts to create an evening to remember. ISSUE 13.6

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Restaurants KEYSTONE RESTAURANT This intimate dining space located in the heart of the CBD has been making quite an impression on the business crowd with its progressive take on Modern European cuisine. Dressed in slate grey and amber, the minimalist restaurant exudes a Zen-like feel, offering the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Its three-course set lunch menu is popular among executives working in the area. However, for a different dining experience, we suggest that you visit the restaurant in the evening and enjoy their a la carte dinner or elaborate 10-course Chef’s Tasting Menu. Highlights in tasting menu include the Tako consisting of three elementsSpanner Crab, Octopus Carpaccio and Hijiki Risotto. Another standout plate is

11/12 Stanley Street Tel: 6221 0046

the Black Pig, which features Onsen Egg, Porcini and Shitake, and Agria Espuma. HRM’s intrepid tasting team enjoyed the Wagyu Short Rib with Kagoshima White Corn and Polenta Cake - this flavourful dish melts in your mouth. The Black Forest dessert, which comes with Maraschino, Valrhona Chocolate and Berries Quenelle, provides a refreshing and sweet ending to the meal. The restaurant seats 50 people and also offers private dining options for up to 20 guests. The entire space can be reserved for private events. With its top-notch service and innovative food, this little gem of a restaurant will take you to new gastronomic heights.

BURLAMACCO

77A Amoy Street Tel: 62201763

Since its inception in November 2012, this relative newcomer in the local restaurant scene has been gathering a firm following with classic cuisine from the Italian region of Tuscany, where its chef Gabriele Piegaia hails from. The trippa alla Burlamacco or beef tripe stew in fresh tomato sauce, parmesan cheese and parsley is a great way to start the meal. Another option is the cacciucco alla, a traditional Tuscan fish and seafood soup, served here with garlic bruschetta. The seafood is fresh and luscious and the broth is packed with flavour. Among the mains, the linguine with lobster in spicy arrabiata sauce is a clear winner. The pasta used in this dish is homemade and the tomato-based sauce is rich and tasty. The restaurant also offers an array of desserts including its signature home-made tiramisu with lady’s finger biscuits and mascarpone, as well as a frozen caramelised almond “semifreddo” with caramel sauce. Burlamacco caters to corporate dining groups and is able to host 60 guests for a seated dinner or 150 for standing cocktails.

LA CANTINE

8 Marina View #01-01 Asia Square Tower 1 Tel: 6690 7567

La Cantine is a whimsical French restaurant tucked away in a corner of sprawling Asia Square 1. Upon entering the restaurant, diners are greeted with upside-down roosters and Parisian-themed architectural chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Bruno Menard, the first 3-Michelin Star Chef to be permanently based in Singapore. The menu features Menard’s unique take on classic French favourites. The Cévennes onion soup is a great starter- a creamy, silky concoction that bursts with flavour. Diners looking for something hearty might also enjoy the Roasted Oxtail & Condiments (for two to share, served with Black Truffle Mayonnaise, and French fingerling Ratte Potatoes.) Do not leave without trying the desserts. The Baba au Rhum, a traditional recipe passed down from Menard’s grandfather looks deceptively simple but tastes phenomenal. This dish is served at your table, where the waiting staff cut the light cake down its middle, pour a short of rum and add a dollop of vanilla cream. La Cantine’s signature “Dishes to Share”- an assortment of appetisers, mains and desserts, is ideal for corporate groups. The restaurant’s main room has a capacity for 50 seated guests. Larger groups can host their events at the restaurant’s courtyard. ISSUE 13.6

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Restaurants CHINA CLUB Located at the 52nd floor of Capital Tower, the China Club is an ornate Chinese restaurant that offers stunning panoramic views of the Central Business District. It functions as a members-only club, offering corporate memberships that come with dining privileges. Highlights on the traditional Cantonese menu include the crispy Roasted Pork Belly, Stewed Wagyu Oxtails with Homemade Tomato Sauce, as well as the Deep-fried King Prawn wrapped with Shredded Dried Silver Fish. From something hearty and comforting, try the Double-boiled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Kampongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chicken Soup with Whole Abalone & Ginseng. The Chilled Avocado Cream with Assorted Fruits is a refreshing dessert to end any meal. The China Club is a great dining option for large corporate groups as it offers a number of private dining rooms beautifully decorated with lattices of Chinese motifs. Banquets are served in partitioned rooms with antique Chinese partitions folding back across the length of the atrium to allow maximum flexibility on space. The expansive restaurant is able to host 300 seated or 500 standing guests.

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168 Robinson Road 52/F Capital Tower Tel: 6820 2388

VIEW POINT

HR Certification Institute

HR Certification proves experience, knowledge and value Getting professionally certified raises confidence and gives HR practitioners an edge over the competition, says HR Certification Institute Earning credentials in Human Resources is the best way to show that one has the expertise, experience and real-world knowledge needed in the profession. Today, more than 125,000 HR professionals in 80 countries proudly display the “letters” they’ve earned from the HR Certification Institute to show that they understand and implement best practices in HR. The Institute offers the Human Resource Business Professional (HRBP◊), Human Resource Management Professional (HRMP◊), Professional in Human Resources (PHR®), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR®) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR®) certifications. For HR professionals, earning certification from the Institute has given them confidence and a sense of accomplishment. They also feel that it shows others that they are innovative, are more engaged in work and are dedicated to their chosen field.

Employee Engagement In addition to high levels of engagement by certified HR professionals, companies that utilise HR professionals with industry credentials are better equipped to ensure their employees are engaged, satisfied and productive, according to the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. Making a company a “great place to work” can be an elusive target for many employers, but studies have shown a direct link between high employee satisfaction and increased productivity, retention, customer loyalty, and company profitability. Employers can ensure satisfaction among their workers by hiring certified HR professionals well versed in industry practices related to strategic management, workforce planning, development and training, and other HR-related operations. Credentialed HR professionals can use their expertise to help companies develop and

“Obtaining my GPHR certification was a direct factor in my employer believing that I could handle the additional responsibilities and complexities involved in handling HR for many cross-border global environments” – PATRICK CONWAY, GPHR

“HRCI’s certifications have more global appeal. There are so many people from different countries earning the certifications offered by HR Certification Institute. They go beyond the borders of any one country” – KOJO AMISSAH, HRMP

execute HR systems and strategies that keep employees happy, productive, and loyal.

Employer Satisfaction & Benefits In a 2010 survey of more than 1,500 employers, the Institute found that 97 percent of respondents believe it is important for employees in their HR departments to be professionally certified. The survey also showed that HR certification positively impacts an organisation’s reputation as an employer and demonstrates that it takes HR seriously. In addition, the survey found that: • Ninety-six percent of employers feel that an HR certified candidate applying for a job would have an advantage over a non-HR certified candidate. • Sixty-nine percent of employers state that an HR certified person being considered as an independent consultant for an HR department would have a ‘very significant’ advantage over a non-certified individual.

HR Certification Institute (HRCI) 1800 Duke Street Alexandria, Virginia, USA 22314 Tel: +1 866 898 4724 (US Toll Free) +1 703 535 6000 (International) Email: info@hrci.org Fax: +1 703 535 6474 Web: www.hrci.org

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TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

HR at work 8:00am As a Digital Recruiter, I naturally find myself starting the day checking what industry people are saying on Twitter and LinkedIn, even before normal stuff like showering. 9:30am Arrive at the office and raid our deliciously stocked pantry for breakfast and coffee to fuel me through a morning of clearing unread and urgent emails.

Adam Cooke Regional Digital Recruiter, GroupM Asia Pacific

11:00am Conduct first interview of the day, either over phone or in person if possible, write-up a candidate profile and send it to the business. 12:30pm Lunch depends on where I am based for the day- either Orchard or Beach Road, and sometimes Newton Circus. The Sliced Fish Soup there is yummy. 2:00pm Before I conduct my second interview of the day, I manage an employment branding

initiative, the GroupM Asia Pacific Talent Hub Facebook Page community, which include answering messages from fans and posting new content. It’s grown to over 65,000 fans since January 2012. I am so proud of my baby. 3.30pm Go for an afternoon coffee, usually coupled with my third interview of the day. 5:00pm Check-in with and give updates to hiring managers I am currently working with throughout the region over phone or email, before wrapping up remaining emails of the day. 6.30pm Either a healthy evening of playing soccer with friends, or an equally fun but less healthy evening of drinks with friends. Sometimes, I combine after hours with work as I have drinks with my fourth candidate of the day, for those who can’t make it during working hours.

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Best Practices Congress 25 & 26 June 2013 | Mandarin Orchard Hotel, Singapore Outstanding HR leaders share their company’s award-winning strategies in this year’s HRM Awards Best Practices Congress. One of Singapore’s most important annual HR events, this intensive two-day congress gathers the winners of the prestigious HRM Awards who kindly share their highly successful internal practices and initiatives. Hear from leading experts including: Becoming an Employer of Choice Presented by DN Prasad Google

Winner

2013 Employer of Choice, Best HR Leader & Best Employer Branding

The Role of HR in Building a Winning Organisation Presented by Jan Smits, CEO, IHG

Winner

Best Practices for Organisational Engagement Presented by Carmelia Ng Fuji Xerox

Winner

2013 Best Engagement Strategies

2013 Best Recruitment Strategies

Winner

2013 Fair Employment Practices

2013 Best Graduate Development

Winner

2013 Best Training, Learning & Development

2013 Best Leadership Development 2013 Best Reward & Recognition Strategies

Harnessing the Power of Social Media in the Workplace Presented by Bandhana Rai Dell

Winner

The UBS Business University: Engagement and Development of our Talent Presented by Mark Leong UBS

2013 Best Use of Social Media

Cultivating a Winning HR Team Presented by Wing Git Chan Resorts World Sentosa

Winner

2013 Best HR Team

Plus many more to come

Championing Differences: Fair Employment Practices at UBS Presented by Moira Roberts and Leona Tan, UBS

Winner

Improving Retention of Young Talents at Keppel Offshore & Marine Presented by Vincent Campbell Keppel FELS Ltd

What Does It Take to Recruit Mrs. Chong: The Five-Pronged Approach in Recruiting Talents at MOE Presented by Gladys Chew and Jonathan Goh MOE

Winner

2013 Champion of HR

Leadership Development Through Reward & Recognition Presented by John Nolan Unilever

Changing the Way We Live, Work, Play, and Learn Presented by Cisco Systems

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Exhibitors:

2013 Best Use of Technology

www.hrmcongress.com | +65 6423 4631

TALENT LADDER

New appointments Kelvin Woo

HR Manager, Fresenius Medical Care Singapore Kelvin Woo has assumed his new role as HR Manager at Fresenius Medical Care Singapore (FME Singapore), where he is responsible for the full spectrum of HR. He reports to the Managing Director and supports the South Asia Pacific management team based in Singapore. His work career spans over 12 years and includes management stints in the Singapore Prisons Service and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). He discovered his interest in HR at Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS), where he

gained exposure to various HR functions. Prior to FME Singapore, he was in a similar role as HR Manager at Tiger Airways Singapore, departing for the opportunity to support the regional team and to lead in redefining and driving local HR set-up after completing his Masters in HR programme. Some of his tasks include reviewing HR policies and terms of employment for the recently-acquired business entities vis-à-vis existing entities and looking into aligning the differences in HR policies and compensation &

benefits. At the moment, he is working on conceptualising learning and development, and career development paths for local clinical staff to minimise attrition and cope with the increasing operational demands for experienced renal nurses. “As FME Singapore grows, both organically and with acquisitions, I look forward to playing an instrumental role in leading the HR team to work alongside senior management in both local and regional teams.”

such as remuneration packages, retaining key employees and aligning HR practices are top priorities, which he will be working on. Prior to joining KS Drilling, he was with C-MAR Asia as HR & Operations Manager to oversee the Asia business operations. Though the environment was comfortable, Lim felt that it was the right time to move on. With so much happening

in the drilling news, he wanted to go back into the drilling industry. Upcoming challenges in this industry are enormous as the drilling industry is not producing enough people for its operations and is facing a global shortage. With so many drilling rigs being built, it remains uncertain how well operators are trying to cope up with competitive remuneration and retention.

leadership coaching and consulting business in Singapore. She also spent almost four years at Aegis Media as its Regional HR Director, APAC. Other regional roles included stints at CNBC Asia as VP, HR and Director of HR at ESPN Star Sports. Ujjwal will play a key role at Dentsu Network/Asia, driving the agenda of human capital development with the leadership team as part of the Regional Management Council. Her

responsibilities will include defining and evolving strategies linked to Dentsu’s culture, performance management, employee satisfaction barometers, talent scouting and attraction and talent retention, besides other areas. “This is an exciting time to be joining the business, and I look forward to working with Dick as a strategic business partner as we transition into a truly global agency network in terms of HR best practice.”

Mark Lim

Corporate HR Manager, KS Drilling Mark Lim has been appointed as the Corporate HR Manager for KS Drilling, where he will oversee the company’s operational HR function. The role calls for strong leadership that integrates HR operational control across the Middle East and Asian regions. His key responsibility is to build a strong HR team to support the entire operation. As the company is undergoing big changes, challenges

Ujjwal Sarao

Regional Head of Talent, Dentsu Asia Ujjwal Sarao is the new Regional Head of Talent for Dentsu Asia. She will be responsible for strategy and innovation around human capital, talent acquisition and employee engagement for Dentsu Network in Asia Pacific, outside of Japan. Based in Singapore, she will report to Chairman and CEO Dick van Motman in this newly created role. She has 20 years of experience in HR and talent development. Prior to her current role, she was part of a

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TALENT CHALLENGE

Talent management

Developing potential How can HR develop high-potential employees without neglecting the rest of its talent?

Lim Fang Chien

HR Director, Leadership, Learning & Talent, Barclays

This is an interesting question because it implies that HR is responsible for developing people in organisations. It would be an opportune moment to correct the misconception because it is both the line manager and the employee who have joint responsibilities for employee development. Most organisations have processes for identifying high-potential employees but not the options for development. Typically, HR sets up and facilitates such a process but this in itself becomes a paradox because many managers are uncomfortable with a two-class system for their people. To add to the complexities, even where managers are bold in sifting out the elite, they often lack skills to engage in conversations with their hi-potentials. As a result, they “outsource” the problem to HR. In organisations where high-potentials are made known, HR can help by creating dual tracks (one for highpotentials and the other for other talent) but this could be more costly and yet ineffective. I am convinced HR can proactively help itself by helping anxious managers engage in conversations around development, and to create and execute development plans for their people. HR is more likely to succeed by focusing on the more important task of building a culture where both managers and individuals take joint accountabilities for employee development. In this way, high-potentials get what they need and no one gets neglected.

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Cecile Diversy VP, HR, Danone Asia Pacific

In Danone, the development of highpotentials is embedded on a larger ambition to fuel a pipeline of talents throughout the organisation. Danone is a people-focused place to work and it is a priority of the organisation to build leaders. It does so in its unique decentralised way: building on a common block of shared values and management practices and actively engaging its local teams and stakeholders to support the ambition of being a “great place to grow.” On one hand, Danone works on corporate programmes, such as the “Danone Leadership College” with 4,000 managers trained in two years in Asia alone, with a regional focus on their role in developing and empowering their teams. It has also invested in a global networking platform (blogs, chat, and video) to encourage collaboration, the sharing of information, knowledge and best practices. On the other hand, the company engages each country and business unit in developing its own roadmap to attract, retain and develop talents. In Asia, the process called BO LE involves managers at all levels. It has resulted in diversified action plans with targeted groups at various potential levels, starting with high-potentials employees, with specific mentoring, action learning projects, networking, and coaching programmes to support the development of individuals.

Anuradha Naik

Learning and Development Director, Emerson Process Management Asia Pacific

Every individual who is a part of an organisation has the need for growth. This stems from an individual’s need to be valued by the employer this individual works for. In spite of the same need that everyone has, there is a difference between your highpotential talent and the other talent. The difference is the pace in which the two groups need to experience their development and career growth. High-potentials are individuals who consistently and significantly outperform their peer groups in a variety of settings and circumstances. They show a strong capacity to grow and succeed throughout their careers within an organisation—more quickly and effectively than their peer groups do. Under such circumstances companies need to drive talent development based on individual’s needs and aspiration. At Emerson we focus on every individual’s development need by identifying where they stand with respect to their performance, potential and aspiration, and craft out an individual learning and development plan. A high-potential employee is ready for a new challenge, whereas other talent could be provided with coaching, future career path ideas, development and recognition. We have built in rigour in the process and designed a toolset whereby every manager applies coaching for development and closely monitors and follows through on the individuals’ development plan.

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IN PERSON

HR talent Daisy Dai

VP, HR, Walmart eCommerce China

How many years HR experience? 23 years Why HR? It was an opportunity provided by a Singapore company 23 years ago Ever since then, I have fallen in love with HR and my journey so far has been full of excitement. Why Walmart eCommerce (yihaodian.com)? The organisation is passionate about consumer service and technology creativity, yet it remains humble, down to earth and hungry for excellence. Walmart retailing has been successful in the China market, but e-Commerce is still searching and exploring the way ahead. The speed of change, youthful energy, mental engagement and the opportunity for technology to transform how we connect, service and contribute to the society present plenty of opportunities for HR to thrive. Biggest achievement? It was while working with a consulting firm and being able to evolve from being a HR practitioner to strategic consultant, delivering major organisational design and

human performance projects in different industries. In the FMCG and dotcom sector, I had the opportunity to build employer branding and talent pipeline through marketing creativity and social contribution fulfilment as well as leading the HR team to transform from administrative experts to strategic partners. Biggest challenge? It will be to build organisation alignment and efficiency in the era of post population dividend in China by learning from and understanding generation Y. Another challenge is to keep up with the fast changing technology wave and continue to learn and unlearn. After hours? I enjoy music and reading. Family? My son, niece, parents, sister and brother-in-law. We spend weekends together and go on vacation together whenever our schedules can accommodate. Our family members have moved around between Singapore, Shanghai and Canada. Our reunion in Shanghai has been wonderful.

RESOURCES

Book reviews

A leader who mentors Ask any leader if they had any help getting to where they are right now, and almost every one of them would tell you that they had been mentored by the right people who helped them grow. This is no exaggeration – studies show that leaders who mentor get promoted faster and earn significantly more than those who don’t. In the book Becoming an Effective Mentoring Leader, two of the world’s experts on business learning and employee development William J. Rothwell and Dr. Peter Chee answer questions on how to utilise mentoring so that you get tangible and profitable results. It breaks down the essentials of mentoring, and shows how to take advantage of this valuable new workplace dynamic. 60

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Not only will readers learn the fastest way to equip, inspire and motivate staff, they will also learn how to incorporate mentoring in one’s day-to-day leadership role. The book also discusses the differences between mentoring, coaching and teaching, and how a leader can rate mentors in the office and assess the progress of mentees. The book uses case studies, tools and impactful learning concepts to help readers use mentoring’s “core skills” to create a winning approach tailored to their particular style: whether it is the “reflective mentor”, the “storytelling mentor” or the “examplebased mentor.” This comprehensive guidebook is packed with essential information on all aspects of mentoring, and it is a useful resource for all HR professionals or business leaders to learn about the topic and how they can use it to connect with the workforce, troubleshoot, and build teams.

Title: Becoming an Effective Mentoring Leader Author: William J. Rothwell and Dr. Peter Chee Publisher: McGraw-Hill Cost: S$33.71

TALENT FEATURE

Frazer Jones Asia

Southeast Asian Tigers

Fierce challenges ahead for HR Setting up a business in emerging markets can pose a host of roadblocks for HR. Theresa Hall, Head of Frazer Jones Asia, outlines the critical areas that require attention and forward-planning

Theresa Hall Head of Frazer Jones Asia

By all accounts, the Southeast Asian tigers are once again fierce regional contenders offering exceptional growth opportunities and human capital challenges for international organisations with the appetite to expand. For firms to be successful, visible long-term commitment to the market, development of local leadership and HR due diligence must be top priorities on the agenda. In the era of global competition, expanding into new markets is not a new concept, however, when it comes to entering the five Southeast Asian tigers: Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines, organisations should consider the sobering lessons in human capital learnt from earlier forays into China. International organisations entering these markets will need to reinforce their commitment to being long-term players. In China, luring quality local talent to international brands has become increasingly challenging. They have to compete with state-owned enterprises, which are becoming more popular among the mainlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s young job seekers attracted to allure of growth versus the prospect of contraction or even withdrawal from the market by many international companies, who are hindered by faltering economies in their home countries. Whether real or perceived, this uncertainty is the most cited reason prompting local talent to change employers. Secondly, many international businesses operating in China find it difficult to source quality local leaders and saw a reshuffle of their leadership teams every six to 12 months. This gives employees a high sense of instability and is detrimental to retention. In the new emerging markets building a team of quality local leaders will

likewise be a major challenge - quite typically in low-wage countries even degree-qualified talent are not equipped to work in international organisations. MNCs who are rethinking their leadership development strategies are opting to fast track leaders by selecting managerial talent and sending that individual or team to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters for a collective period of six to nine months, over a one or two- year time frame, for them to actively observe and participate in best practices, in preparation for return to the home country. Having the business heads from the headquarters spend time in the new market is also critical but this alone is just simply not sufficient for building a sustainable bench strength of local management. Finally, not including HR in due diligence has proven to be another common blunder for firms entering the emerging markets of Southeast Asia, leaving themselves open to legal and reputational risk. Confusion over labour laws and regulations can be costly mistakes and quite often organisations have seen the initial labour cost advantage they gained from entry into an emerging market very quickly erode. Not fully understanding the complexities of the local labour laws, culture and unique operating environment can be disastrous, and human capital risks are wide ranging: from the difficulty in terminating a local employee or hiring in a highly protectionist environment to issues such as the mistreatment of workers, unacceptable workplace conditions and wage abuse risks often faced when international businesses are working with a local partner. Similarly without effective or non-existent anti-corruption and compliance policies and education programmes, many firms are unknowingly violating global anti-corruption laws.

For more information, visit www.frazerjones.com/asia Follow Frazer Jones on Twitter @FrazerJonesHR

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Fiona Nesbitt Singapore

frazerjones.com @FrazerJonesHR

HR Roles Head of Recruitment, APAC Banking A major international bank with a strong Asia presence is looking for an experienced and dedicated recruiter to lead their APAC team. The Head of Recruitment role is based in Singapore and will cover markets & international banking across the APAC region. As this focuses on backoffice functions, experience and knowledge in this area is essential. The role will deliver end-to-end recruitment support across finance, risk and group central functions. Stakeholder management is key and strong communication skills are essential. Applicants should have prior exposure to the APAC market and proven experience in handling middle and senior level hires. Ref: JG189900. SG$200,000

Head of Learning & OD, APAC Technology A rare opportunity has arisen with my valued client for a Head of L&OD for APAC. US Headquarted and boasting a diverse global presence, this is an excellent brand within the technology space. As Head of L&OD for APAC, you will be responsible for organisation effectiveness, talent management and organisational change. You will work closely with a highly intelligent and motivated stakeholder group who are hungry to succeed. This role will require someone with over 8 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience within a L&OD leadership role and would suit a candidate who has worked in a fast-paced, highly entrepreneurial environment. Ref: FN190971. SG$300,000

To discuss HR Roles across Asia, please contact Jenae Grieveson, Fiona Nesbitt or Theresa Hall on +65 6420 0515. Alternatively, email jenaegrieveson@frazerjones.com or fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com | EA Licence No: 12C6222. 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

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

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WE KNOW RECRUITMENT AND WE MATCH HIGH PERFORMERS WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPANIES

Regional Vice President Human Resources

Human Resources Business Partner

Senior Compensation & Benefits Manager, APAC

› Blue chip multinational › Aggressive expansion plans

› Stable organisation › Strong employee-centric culture

› US multinational › Industry Leader

Our client is a global company with a huge network of offices and facilities. With a strong share of markets across a number of specialist industries, the company has been enhancing its regional leadership teams and is making progress towards impressive growth plans. They are seeking a Regional Vice President of Human Resources to contribute to strategic planning and decisionmaking at the top executive level. You possess at least 8 years experience working in multinational companies, building the HR function in strategic manpower planning, compensation & benefits, training and development.

Our client is a household name and an industry leading provider of innovative solutions to a variety of industries. The HR Business Partner has a key role in the design and implementation of overall business strategy, with a particular focus on maximising people performance. You will have at least 5 years of proven ability in providing HR guidance and pragmatic solutions to managers. In return, you will be working with a team of dedicated professionals in delivering world-class curriculum and there will be extensive opportunities for personal development in an employee-centric organization.

Our client is a multinational with a global outlook and a clear industry leader with a recognisable brand name in its sector. Reporting to the Global Compensation & Benefits Director, you will lead a team of 5 while being responsible for overseeing all aspects of the compensation and health & welfare plans within the APAC region. The position develops regional strategies and designs programs that align with the overarching compensation philosophy while maintaining an awareness of the local legal requirements. Ideally you should be degree qualified and have a minimum of 10 years of experience in regional compensation & benefits.

Please contact Cherry Wu quoting ref: H1709630 or visit our website.

Please contact Cherry Wu quoting ref: H1730260 or visit our website.

Please contact Sean Tong quoting ref: H1728900 or visit our website.

Human Resources Director, Asia

Assistant Payroll Manager

› Entertainment/ Media sector › Business partnering role

› Reputable US listed company › Well recognised brand name

Human Resources Leader, South and SEA

A global leader in the technology industry is seeking a Singapore based HR Director to lead the HR function, support the regional senior leadership team and deliver the daily HR operations. Reporting to the Vice President of international HR based in the UK, you will support a total team of 100 employees, playing a pivotal role in supporting business growth in a fun and highly creative working environment. Ideally, you are degree qualified, with at least 8 years postgraduation experience, gained in a US multinational environment, preferably in the entertainment/media business.....

Our client is a well established organisation with a solid brand name in the Technology industry. Reporting to the HR Manager, you will be responsible for payroll processing for their Singapore office of about 900 headcounts. You will need to look into the annual tax filing for the company and ensure proper processing of claims. You possess 7 years of experience in payroll operations with knowledge of Prosoft. You possess excellent analytical skills and are meticulous as well as an organised team player.

Please contact Sean Tong quoting ref: H1755570 or visit our website.

Please contact Nupur Agarwal quoting ref: H1750740 or visit our website.

› Reputable US listed company › Well recognised brand name Our client, a prominent brand, is seeking a highly commercial HR professional to join them. Entailing both operational and strategic aspects, you will ensure all people-related deliverables are achieved on time and within budget for all the entities in the region. You will work closly with business leaders to build a credible HR function You possess 8 years of relevant experience with some exposure to and involvement in organisational change projects.

Please contact Ng Lay Hoon quoting ref: H1739280 or visit our website.

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 a confidential discussion.

Human Resources

#14054 Licence No.: 98C5473 Business Registration No: 199804751N

Comprised of the combined operations of Michael Page, Page Personnel and Page Executive, Page Group is a worldwide leader in specialist recruitment. The Group operates through 164 offices in 34 countries worldwide. First established in London in 1976, we’ve been bringing job seekers and employers together for more than 30 years. Our presence in the Asia Pacific region extends across Singapore, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

Specialists in human resources recruitment www.michaelpage.com.sg

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for excellence and you possess an energetic approach to work

MAKE A QUANTUM LEAP Towards unparalleled career advancement with Kelly Professional and Technical division

HR Manager Global MNC

Newly created role

Our client is a leader in providing products and services to the oil and gas industry. Reporting to the General Manager and supported by a small team, you will provide full spectrum HR support to the business of about 100+ employees, focusing on areas such as HR processes, recruitment, talent management and retention. Working closely with the business heads, you will drive corporate initiatives and promote the sharing of best HR practices. You will also be involved in performance management, talent identification and development to support retention and motivation of staff to accomplish business objectives. To be successful, you should have strong academic credentials with a degree in HRM or a relevant discipline, ideally with 8 years of HR generalist experience within the oil and gas or manufacturing industries. You have a strong work ethic and possess the ability to understand complex issues and develop creative solutions. Previous work experience in MNCs would be a plus. Due to the urgency of hiring this person, we will only be considering Singaporean or PR based currently in Singapore. To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to lili_kang@kellyservices.com.sg or contact Li Li Kang at (65) 6227 2251 for a confidential discussion. EA Personnel License No. R1108467

Senior HR Manager New plant set up

High visibility

Our client located at the north of Singapore, is an established leader in their industry. The company is currently looking to recruit a Senior HR Manager to manage their new operations in Singapore and to oversee the existing business units. The successful candidate will report directly to the HR Director in HQ to support the set up of the new plant and oversee existing businesses in Singapore. This role will be responsible for providing HR support to a large workforce of over 1,000 headcount. You will provide full spectrum HR support to the business focusing on starting up the plant in areas such as C&B, recruitment, employee welfare, industrial relations and driving corporate initiatives to promote the sharing of best HR practices amongst the group. You will be degree qualified and an experienced HR professional ideally with 12+ years HR experience and minimum 6 years in a managerial role. Candidates should have extensive Industrial Relations experience and display a strong work ethic. Prior working experience in industrial and manufacturing facilities will be preferred. Previous work experience in MNCs leading new projects or start-ups would be a plus. To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to lili_kang@kellyservices.com.sg or contact Li Li Kang at (65) 6227 2251 for a confidential discussion. EA Personnel License No. R1108467

Kelly Services, Inc. is a leader in providing workforce solutions. For more than 34 illustrious years, Kelly has been partnering Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading companies to deliver the best talent in the market. Today, Kelly Singapore operates from over 10 strategic locations island-wide. Complementing our Technology and Science, as well as functional specialities for Finance, HR, Sales & Marketing, Procurement and Banking.

kellyservices.com.sg

Kelly Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd | EA License No. 01C4394 | RCB No. 200007268E

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HR BP/C&B, APAC

L&D Specialist

Senior Regional HR Manager

European MNC with Long Track Record

End-to-End Role

Leading Industry Leader

Start-up Role

Corporate Social Responsibility Activities

South East Asia and Emerging Markets Coverage

Dual Portfolio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HR BP and C&B

Salary Circa S$60-80K

Excellent Package

A leading provider of banking information technology is looking for a Compensation & Benefits/HR Business Partner to support their Asia Pacific business. The company has a rich history of over 20 years and is well established in the Asia Pacific market. Currently, they are in the midst of aligning corporate processes and HR policies.

Our client is a listed energy company with a strong regional footprint. There is now an excellent opportunity to join the organization as an L&D Manager.

Our client is a leading consumer company with global operations and a large presence in Asia. They are looking for a strong Senior HR Manager to support South East Asia and emerging markets.

You will work with Head of business units and managers to identify training needs and trends within the business. You will source and propose internal and external training solutions to close training gaps. You will be in committee for Corporate Social Responsibility activities. You will also deliver on-boarding programs for new hires. You manage training budget and administer training grants and claims. There could be other ad-hoc duties assigned.

Reporting to HR Director in Hong Kong, you will manage the full spectrum of HR functions, including recruitment, compensation & benefits, performance management, L&D, budgeting and other HR related matters supported by one team member. You will work as a strategic business partner in implementing initiatives to support business growth especially in emerging markets, including smooth running of C&B operations, audits, performance/salary reviews, sales incentive programs, international assignments and other duties to ensure alignment to group guidelines. You will work closely with in Country HR teams for annual budgeting.

Reporting to the Regional HR Director, you will assist to set up the compensation and benefits policies for Asia Pacific region. This includes job grading and evaluation and salary review policy. You will be involved in other HR processes that benefit the entire organization. You also act as a point of contact for all employees and managers of specified business unit. You will proactively support the delivery of HR processes and manage roll-out of HR projects cross-functionally. You will actively identify gaps, propose and implement change necessary to improve employee satisfaction. You will also support roll-out of Performance Management across the business, addressing queries effectively. Your responsibility also includes talent communication and engagement. You will have at least 5-8 years of C&B experience in Singapore, ideally with regional Business Partner exposure. Knowledge and experience in Banking IT industry is an added advantage. You are a powerful communicator with strong business acumen. To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number YY5357\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Ideally, you are degree qualified. Previous experience in Oil & Gas industry is an added advantage. You are familiar with local training grants and training providers. You are an excellent communicator and have good writing skills. You will have least 3 years of experience with a solid track record in learning and development. To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number YY5398\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Degree qualified, you will have least 10 years of experience with a solid track record in business partnering/generalist role. You have strong C&B experience and work well in a matrix environment. You are well presented, driven and able to engage senior stakeholders. Willingness to travel up to 40% is required. To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC5394\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Financial Services I Commerce I Human Resources I Technology I Legal I Sales & Marketing 66

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

Returning the Human to Resourcing

Learning & Development Professional

HR Business Partner, Senior Manager

HR Business Partner

Industry Leader

Premier Global Bank

Exciting Growth Opportunity

Singapore Role

Senior Manager

Base Circa S$180K-S$220K + Variable Bonus

Excellent Career Progression

Our client is truly a global MNC, respected by many for its innovative technological advancements. Due to continued focus on L&D, there is now an opportunity for a high calibre individual to join them.

This premier bank offers a broad range of banking products and services to a global network of clients. It is seeking a dynamic and seasoned Regional HR Business Partner, Director to support its growing business in the region.

This premier bank has a strong global franchise and has recorded impressive business growth in the region.

Reporting to the APAC L&D Head, you will deliver learning initiatives that increase the overall capability of the organisation. You are expected to project manage, deliver and implement existing interventions as well as work with the HR community and internal business partners to design and deliver new initiatives. You are well versed with both the design and delivery of the learning programs. Building of and maintaining key business relationships with all your internal stakeholders are also critical success factors of this role. Ideally, you are degree qualified preferably with specializations in L&D, training and/or OD. You thrive in a dynamic and fast paced environment and are both strategic and operationally hands-on. You possess excellent project management skills and have a proven track record in fast paced MNCs. Seasoned, mature and energetic, you have a deep passion in L&D. International candidates with no prior Asia focus are welcome to apply. To apply, please submit your resume to Cecelia Koh at ck@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number CK5387\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Reporting to the Head of HR, you will work closely with senior business leaders in aligning business and people strategies through appropriate advice and intervention. You will influence and co-ordinate the development of a performance culture through effective implementation of integrated people management strategies and plans including performance management, talent acquisition, rewards and talent management. You will play an integral role in business transformation programs and support the achievement of their overall strategic objectives.

Reporting to the Head of HR for Support Functions Group, you will provide HR advice and services to a portfolio of Support Functions (Risk, Legal, Compliance, Audit and / or Finance units). Working closely with the global HR team and HR product specialists, you will support the assigned units on diverse matters including performance management, reward and talent management so as to achieve people objectives with business strategies. You will also participate in strategic HR projects.

Degree qualified, you have more than 12 - 15 years of relevant experience working in a global bank or MNC. You have a proven experience in dealing with senior management and possess strong ability in influencing and implementing change. You are commercial, driven and will thrive in a fast paced environment.

Degree qualified, you will have at least 10 years experience gained in a major MNC or bank ideally with few years of experience covering Support Functions. You are proactive, mature, credible and tenacious. You are able to influence priorities and build relationship at all levels.

To apply, please submit your resume to Adnan Atan at aa@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number AA5312\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Adnan Atan at aa@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number AA5355\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 Multi-award winning recruitment firm with specialist practices in: Banking, Finance - Commerce, Human Resources, Legal, Sales & Marketing and Technology

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts credit risk trainer - consumer Banking Gain exposure within a leading brand

regional Hr Director align Hr processes across four regions in asia

This leading financial services organisation has a strong footprint in APAC. They need a Global Credit Risk Trainer for their consumer banking business to deliver training and improve the effectiveness of their programs. You will assist the Head of Learning and the Curriculum Manager in the design and development of the CB Risk Management curriculum in alignment with the current and future business strategy. You must have in-depth knowledge of retail and SME credit, and expertise in risk management and credit cycle. The role calls for an individual with excellent presentation, facilitation and coaching skills.

A private petroleum exploration company, also in the bunkering services, is seeking an HR Director to be based in either Singapore or Hong Kong. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior HR professional from the oil & gas industry to oversee and align HR policies and processes across six locations in Asia. With country HR representatives in each country, you will be provide guidance and support, and implement strategy through them in the region. This is an executive level role working closely with the founder of the company, delivering organisational change and development through Asia in line with corporate and business goals.

regional rewards manager reward your peers

regional Head of organisational Development Join a global market intelligence company

A new and exciting opportunity exists within a global MNC for a Regional Rewards Manager to develop and implement the agenda for certain emerging markets within this specified region. Due to the rapid growth of this area, you will be responsible for setting up compensation and benefits policies and procedures, as well as rolling out global initiatives across various markets. Reporting to the Regional Head, you will implement rewards and remuneration recognition strategies to attract, motivate and retain talent to support the business goals, including the review of policies, and manage the annual compensation review process.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a global MNC within the market intelligence space. They need a Regional Head of Organisational Development to partner with HR and CoE leads to pioneer and deliver the best HR solutions to enable the business to create value for the region and outperform competition. This role will require you to influence people, drive change and manage transformation using creative flair and engagement skills gained in previous OD roles.

please contact Vargin Yeke, ash russell or mamta shukla 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.

Regional Compensation & Benefits Manager

Regional Business Partner

A global IT MNC listed on NASDAQ, this fast growing organisation is looking for a Regional C&B Manager to lead regional initiatives across APJ.

A leading technology company, this Global MNC is looking for a Regional Business Partner to lead strategic initiatives in the region.

Responsibilities:

• manage compensation and benefits plans • recommend changes and drive development, implementation and communication of new programs • ensure compensation bands are effective and equitable • maintain market positioning • drive consistency with local business partners

Requirements:

• degree qualified with at least 4 to 6years of regional experience in international MNCs • independent, sharp and analytical with strong business partnering, stakeholder management and communication skills

Responsibilities:

• understand business context, priorities, issues and challenges to drive people strategy • partner with regional team to understand key performance issues, objectives, drivers and implications • drive global HR solutions and change, championing and engaging stakeholders to gain buy-in • balance global and local frameworks, share best practices and flexibility to meet local needs • drive people plans, resource, talent, succession and workforce plans, structures and costs

Requirements:

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

• minimum 8 years of regional HR manager experience in talent management and organisation development • proactive, innovative and sharp with strong business acumen in a cosmopolitan environment

SEA HR Manager

L&D Professional

A global management consulting firm is looking for a SEA HR Manager to lead the operations in the region.

One of the largest media company in the financial market, this global MNC is looking for a Leadership, Learning & Development Professional to spearhead strategic initiatives in APAC.

Responsibilities:

• manage performance management process and drive processes to improve effectiveness • ensure compensation & benefits processes are in line with market and recommend changes accordingly • partner with learning and development specialist for plans and trainings on core curriculum courses • drive recruitment plans ensuring quality and efficiency • lead implementation of regional and global initiatives within the SEA region

Requirements:

• minimum 5 years of experience in human resource management in the professional and banking industry • mature, independent, agile with strong global mindset, stakeholder management • great communication skills

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

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

Responsibilities:

• design and deliver soft skills, leadership development and train the tainer programs and classrooms • manage learning initiatives via needs analysis, design, project management, logistics, delivery and evaluation • build and sustain strong relationships with HR and business leaders to define learning needs across business units • partner with the global team to drive L&D business plans and strategies

Requirements:

• minimum 8 years of design and delivery experience in a commercial, cosmopolitan environment, in the financial or professional services industry • independent, dynamic, collaborative and influential with strong consultation and communication skills To apply, please email your CV to anniel@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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STJobs.SG STJobsSG

Connected

Staff today are more mobile than ever, and staying on top of their benefits as they criss-cross the globe is a challenge for large companies. As a global leader in employee benefits, Swiss Life has a distinguished track record of managing complex, multi-jurisdictional pension, risk and health plans on behalf of multinational corporations. Leave the link-spotting to us. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we do for a living.