HRM 14.1 Creating happier workplaces by Key Media

hrm ISSUE 14.1

Managing change at Motorola Solutions How Arrow Electronics keeps it talent close A fresh take on employee rewards

WWW.HRMASIA.COM

Creating

happier workplaces Price inc. GST $9.95

ISSUE 14.1

New strategies for 2014 Plus: â&#x20AC;˘ Managing the festive period labour crunch â&#x20AC;˘ Health coverage for contract workers

HRM 14.1

Contents EDITOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam JOURNALIST Shalini Shukla-Pandey SUB-EDITOR Paul Howell TRAFFIC MANAGER Azimah Jasman SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amos Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Paul Lozano SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Yogesh Chandiramani ACCOUNT MANAGERS Rebecca Ng Edwin Lim Jolene Ong

Creating happier workplaces A positive work environment can have a profound effect on employee engagement, productivity, and profits. HRM looks at some workplace strategies for keeping your employees happy and motivated in the New Year

GENERAL MANAGER Kaveri Ayahsamy REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR George Walmsley MANAGING DIRECTOR Richard Curzon PHOTOGRAPHY BY David Teng (xcalibrephoto.com) Ted Chen (tedchenphoto.com) PRINTED BY Times Printers Pte Ltd

“Happier employees tend to be more motivated and committed to what they’re doing rather than less. At certain times people often want to work longer hours, for example if they really love their role or they’re working towards a significant goal”

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

- MARK WILLIAMSON, DIRECTOR, ACTION FOR HAPPINESS MICA (P) 137/07/2012 ISSUE 14.1

ISSN 0219-6883

HRMASIA.COM

HRM 14.1

Contents

Check out HRM online:

hrmasia.com

FEATURES 12 | Managing change at Motorola

Motorola’s separation into two new entities gave both companies a clearer and renewed focus towards their respective businesses. Shelly Carlin, senior vice president of HR for Motorola Solutions explains how her organisation harnessed this transition to better the business

16 | Arrow-ing young talent

Arrow Electronics’ commitment to professional development is evident throughout the company – from robust on-boarding programmes for new hires to accelerated learning for newly promoted managers. Its emphasis on innovation is also parlayed into its community involvement programmes for children of all ages. HRM finds out more

26 | Managing the festive period labour crunch

30 | A fresh take on employees rewards How do you keep your employees motivated and engaged so that they do no jump ship in the New Year? In this exclusive Q&A, Dr. Bob Nelson, an expert on employee recognition, motivation and engagement as well as an STJobs HR Summit speaker, shares his thoughts on how you can energise your workforce through a better system of rewards and recognition

36 | Unlocking new ways to learn

The learning and development landscape is rapidly

evolving to cater to the growing generation of digital natives. Offering both online and offline training options is critical to engaging them so that they can continue to grow and add value to the organisation. HRM reveals why technologyenabled training is the way forward

40 | Social media: Beauty or beast?

While it is imperative for companies to embrace social media to stay relevant in today’s business world, the same social media can get a company or employee in trouble. HRM finds out how you can avoid being “too social” with your social media

43 | Contract workers matter too…

While employees in Singapore generally offer some form of health coverage to full-time employees, can contractual staff be left out? HRM finds out more

46 | Wipro – Building an employable workforce, WISEly

50 | Galloping towards the Year of the Horse

As we usher in this Lunar New Year, the annual conundrum of finding a suitable location to feast and celebrate dawns upon us. In this guide, HRM explores venues to hold the annual dinner and what new offerings might be in store for businesses

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

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

ANALYSIS

HR Outlook

Top talent trends for 2014 By Sumathi V Selvaretnam 2014 is looking to be a mixed year for HR. On the one hand, Singapore is projecting an upbeat outlook for 2014 with a buoyant job market and healthy hiring expectations. But the new year also poses new challenges. Here are some key areas of focus for the year ahead:

More crossover roles According to research by Hays, a big area of growth in 2014 will be crossover roles. As the technology, marketing and finance worlds integrate, it will become key to find people who can move across all sectors, with multilevel knowledge, says Chris Mead, Regional Director of Hays in Singapore & Malaysia. Danone has been experiencing role crossovers in sectors including supply chain, HR, Operations, and Finance, Soo Peo Goh, Asia-Pacific Learning Manager for Danone Asia says. The company is embarking on two new programmes to help employees make smooth transitions. The business accelerator programme aims to help employees build up their business competences, while another programme focuses on inter-cultural competencies given the complexity and diversity of Asia. Hybrid roles are also gaining traction at Red Hat. “We are definitely seeing an increasing need for crossover roles. For example, for Red Hat University, our internal training team, we are currently seeking someone who has been successful in sales and then crossed over into development, training, and enablement,” DeLisa Alexander, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Red Hat tells HRM. Red Hat is developing a job rotational programme to generate more boundary-spanners in its workforce. “It will give Red Hat associates the opportunity to learn, develop, and be challenged by spending time as a contributing member of different teams.

Dependency on foreign workforce will continue Singapore tightened its immigration policies in 2013 in a bid to reduce public displeasure about the country’s overreliance on foreign labour. However, given the ongoing skills shortage, Singapore’s dependency on foreign skilled professionals will remain throughout 2014, says Chris Mead of Hays. The Fair Consideration Framework will come into effect from August 1 this year, encouraging companies to move their focus on to “fair” hiring practices and consider local candidates first. Mead feels that where domestic skills shortages exist foreigners will still be needed to fill the gaps.

Reassessing retention strategies Overall hiring activity is expected to increase in 2014, giving employees more options in the job market. This makes it a good time for companies to revisit their retention strategies to ensure that employees are engaged and not waiting to jump ship. “Employers are often blind to the cause of staff turnover and in 80 per cent of cases an employee chooses to leave due to the job itself, pay and conditions or work relationships – all issues employers can do something about,” says Mead. Employee retention is an important area of focus for GroupM in 2014. “This is especially more so for entry level talent as we find that youngsters today need to be engaged more deeply to ensure retention,” says Gaurav Hirey, Chief Talent Officer, GroupM South Asia. GroupM plans to create a new onboarding experience for new joiners and establish a youth executive committee to engage young high achievers so that they are a part of organisational decision making, says Hirey.

Global HR roles

As more companies are recognising the importance of HR, Singapore’s employers are investing in hiring and developing local and dependency on foreign Asian talent. “In turn, a number of HR professionals are getting the opportunity to assume positions in the global skilled headquarters of companies as a form of career progression professionals and portfolio extension,” says Joanne Chua, Associate will remain in 2014 Director of the HR, Supply Chain and Business Support (Permanent) Divisions of Robert Walters. As multinationals regard Asia as the centre of growth, these Asian professionals have the ability to provide strong and practical local insights as well as knowledge to global management, says Chua. “This creates an excellent opportunity to partner with them and develop growth strategies tailored to Asian cultural practices and business etiquette.”

Integrating technology Technology will no longer sit in the domain of the chief technology officer, but will instead integrate with both marketing and finance in the new year , says Mead. “This integration of both technology with marketing, and technology with finance, will see staff in these departments become jointly responsible for outcomes. It will create a need for people with multilevel hybrid knowledge.” Marketing and finance professionals will need to enhance their technology skills to remain competitive in the jobs market,” he adds. ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

NEWS

Asia SINGAPORE

Modest pay hikes predicted Singapore workers can look forward to moderate pay rises this year, on the back of strong economic growth of 3.5% to four per cent, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has reported. According to Hay Group’s Market Remuneration Survey, the actual average salary increase for 2013 was 4.9%, the same as in 2012, while the average salary increase for 2014 is forecast at 4.4%. Those working in the banking and insurance sector can expect the highest average salary increase of 5.7%, followed by those working in the oil and gas (5.6%) and high technology (5.5%) sectors. Victor Chan, Regional General Manager (Singapore and Southeast Asia) for Productised Services, Hay Group, said, “Our analysis of pay trends in Singapore show that 2014 is likely to turn out to be a reasonably good year as significant economic growth announced by the Ministry of Trade translates into fair increases in pay. “Nevertheless, there is an opportunity for organisations to be creative about how they reward their people – going beyond the cash component. It’s about spending smarter, not more, and reviewing return on reward spend frequently to ensure the firm is getting more bang for their buck.” The Hay Group report also showed that workers received variable bonuses of 2.4 months’ pay on average in 2013. That represented a slight drop of 0.1 month’s pay, compared to the average of 2.5 months’ bonus for the same period last year.

JAPAN

82%

of corporate students in Asia-Pacific prefer to access learning materials on mobile devices Source: Skillsoft Learning and Development Trends in Asia Pacific survey

A monthly minimum wage of

5,300 taka (US$68)

has been adopted by Bangladesh’s garment-sector Source: Mercer

The employment rate for Singaporean residents aged 55 to 64 increased to

65%

in 2013 Source: MOM’s Singapore Workforce 2013 report

HONG KONG

Tapping a pool of disabled talent Businesses in Hong Kong are increasingly interested in becoming an employer of choice for disabled talent. That’s according to new research by non-government organisation Community Business. Its paper, Tapping into a Pool of Disabled Talent – Insights and Recommendations for Employers Based on Perspectives of Students with Disabilities in Hong Kong found that when it comes to the recruitment of students with disabilities, companies should: • Recognise students with disabilities are determined and ambitious • Develop a targeted approach • Take the lead and provide support and opportunities • Demonstrate commitment “The pool of disabled talent in our study is well-educated, determined and ambitious, and are interested in pursuing a career in the corporate sector,” said Fern Ngai, CEO of Community Business. “Students with disabilities, who through their sheer determination, optimism and work ethic have made it through to university - are clearly a talent pool worthy of consideration based on merit.” 4

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

No slowdown for 2014 Hiring activity in Japan is expected to remain healthy this year, recording similar levels to 2013 if not slightly better. That’s according to the views of employers surveyed for the Michael Page Japan 2014 Salary & Employment Forecast. Eighty-five per cent of respondents believe the employment market will either improve or stay at current levels through 2014. “As the world’s third largest economy, Japan continues to offer growth opportunities for multinational companies across a range of sectors, and this translates into hiring activity,” says Basil Le Roux, Managing Director of Michael Page in Japan. “In particular we are seeing some strong demand for technology professionals, digital specialists and retail staff, and this is expected to continue into 2014.” With an on-going positive employment market anticipated, 46% of surveyed employers are expecting a professional skills shortage over 2014, 12% lower than the previous year’s survey finding. In particular, English language skills continue to be a sought-after requirement for many roles. While the impact of a skills shortage on business is translating into an increased need to develop more targeted attraction strategies according to 46% of surveyed employers, it is not likely to impact salary levels based on the view of 41% of survey respondents. “Japan’s employment market continues to be defined as one where demand is outstripping supply and employers are increasingly competing for the best talent,” says Le Roux. “With the growth in the technology and digital space, technical skills are also in high demand among employers, however many face difficulties in finding the talent they need to grow their business,” he adds.

NEWS

ASIA

The threat is on the inside The typical fraudulent employee in Asia is now between 36 and 45 years of age, and employed by the victim organisation with a managerial or executive position. This is according to Global Profiles of the Fraudster, the latest KPMG study on fraudsters. Owen Hawkes, a partner in the Forensic Division of KPMG in Singapore, said: “These survey results confirm that the most dangerous fraudsters are those in positions of authority, with experience of their organisation, and the ability to co-opt others into their schemes.” About 40% of identified fraudsters in the Asia-Pacific region held executive and managerial positions, and about 26% had been with their organisation for more than six years. About 63% were employees of the victim organisation. “Most perpetrators are opportunistic,” says Hawkes. “They did not join an organisation to commit fraud, but the combination of opportunity and personal circumstances may result in them doing so. Being familiar with the processes and controls in their workplace, they use that knowledge to their advantage to defraud their employer.” In Singapore, about 70% of the fraudsters analysed were employed by the victim company, and they tended to be opportunistic criminals.

Hawkes said: “Companies need to consider vendors’ ability to deliver and their credibility, as well as price. Simply picking the lowest bid leaves a company exposed not only to problems such as underperformance, but also frauds such as bid-rigging and kickbacks provided to their staff for inside information.” The most prevalent fraud recorded in the research was misappropriation of assets (56%), of which embezzlement comprised 40% and procurement fraud made up a further 27%. Also, about 74% of frauds that involved collaboration between fraudsters were perpetrated over one to five years, indicating that detection became that much more difficult when more than one party was involved. While technology has caused cyber-attacks and high tech fraud to become increasingly common, it also provides new opportunities for organisations to defend themselves. “Newer approaches like data analytics and data mining can give the company a much better chance of catching the fraudster,” said Hawkes. He added: “Insights into what motivates fraudsters and the environment in which they thrive can help organisations better protect themselves against fraud. Having such knowledge may also improve their ability to identify fraudsters, many of whom perpetrate their crimes over long periods.”

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

HR INSIGHT

Recruitment

Do Singapore companies take hiring seriously? Attracting the new generation of talent today has much to do with employer branding. In this study, HRBoss takes a look at how the top 30 companies in the Straits Times Index (STI) fare in employer branding. To do so, it considers some factors that are likely to influence a jobseekerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impression of a company.

Score Indicators:

Acceptable

Requires Attention

INFORMATIVE CAREERS WEBSITE

SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Jobseekers expect to find recruiting information quickly and easily

Companies are nit the only ones checking online profiles, jobseekers do so too!

3 30

have a career page dedicated to fresh graduates

92 %

eans of Singapor own 39 25 aged es smartphon

0 30

YET

companies had mobile optimised career sites

DID YOU KNOW Source: HRBoss

24 30 4 30

How to apply

display job openings on their website

present help on the job application process

Application process

Interview preparation guide

9 30

link the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate website to its social media pages

1 WWW 0 30 30 post job openings on social media sites

have a

SHARE JOBS

button on the job description page

allow candidates to import information from Linkedin

COMPANY CULTURE Jobseekers value work-life balance

It takes an average of

30 minutes

to complete a job application. This is

6 times longer

than the time taken to purchase an iPad online!

11 30

showcase their company work-life culture

We work in a fast-paced environment Teamwork is central to our success

present employee testimonials on the company

10 30

62 %

eans of Singapor ed rn tu have due down jobs s to concern e lif with workbalance

This report is based on an in-house survey conducted by HRBoss, on candidate ecperience when applying to the top 30 companies on the Straits Times Index (STI). Other sources: Universum, Potenial Park, Glassdoor Survey, Blackbox Research. 6

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

NEWS

International UK

Grandparents should have right to unpaid leave Nearly three in five (58%) or seven million grandparents in Britain provide regular childcare for their grandchildren aged under 16, with the most popular reason being to allow the child’s parents to work, according to a new poll by the UK’s Trades Union Congress (TUC). The informal care provided by millions of grandparents is saving working families thousands of pounds a year on costly nursery and child-minding fees, while helping parents to stay in work and continue their careers, says the TUC. The YouGov poll – published as part of the TUC’s Age Immaterial investigation into women over 50 in the workplace – also shows that working grandparents are more likely (63%) to look after their grandchildren than retired grandparents (55%). However, around one in ten have not been able to take time off to care for their grandchildren because they have either been refused time off by their employer (three per cent), or simply felt that they weren’t able to ask (eight per cent). Although many working grandparents play a key role in the care of their grandchildren, they are currently only entitled to take short periods of unpaid leave in an emergency. The TUC wants grandparents to have greater entitlement to unpaid leave so they can combine looking after their grandchildren with their jobs. A new right to unpaid leave enjoys considerable support from both grandparents – 42% support the policy, just 26% oppose – and parents (50% support, 21% oppose). TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “With more people than ever before working into their late 60s, many businesses have yet to keep up with this trend and thousands of grandparents who want to look after their grandkids are prevented from doing so.” “It’s important that public policy catches up with the needs of working grandparents and their families. A new right to unpaid leave would be a great way to get more working grandparents involved in childcare, and at very little cost to an employer.” US

Health benefit costs: Calm before the storm? US health benefit cost growth slowed again in 2013 as employers took action in anticipation of new cost pressures that will arise over the next few years from health care reform provisions. Growth in the average total health benefit cost per employee slowed to 2.1% in 2013, research by Mercer shows. However, US employers expect that rate to rebound to 5.2% this year. This increase reflects changes employers will make to reduce cost; if they made no changes to their current plans, they estimate that cost would rise by an average of eight per cent in 2014. “The good news is that employers have already taken decisive action to slow cost growth so they will be in a better position to handle the challenges ahead,” said Julio A. Portalatin, President and CEO, Mercer. Also, the total health benefit cost per employee averaged $10,779 in 2013. This includes employer and employee contributions for medical, dental, and other health coverage. Low increases Health benefit Percentage among small employers helped cost per increase to slow overall cost growth. employee in from 2012 Among employers with 5,000 2013 or more employees, cost rose All employers (10 or $10,779 2.1% 3.7% to $11,254. more employees) Mercer’s National Survey of Small employers (10 $9,991 0.8% Employer-Sponsored Health – 499 employees) Plans polled public and private Large employers (500 $11,277 2.5% organisations with 10 or more or more employees) Employers with 5,000 $11,254 3.7% employees. Some 2,842 employers responded in 2013. or more employees 8

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

1 in 6

Unemployed workers in the US are addicted to alcohol or drugs Source: US National Survey on Drug Use and Health

Youth unemployment is costing the European Union

€150 billion (US$207) annually

Source: PressTV – EU Summit

AFRICA

Flexi-work leads to higher productivity Seventy-two percent of employers in Africa believe flexible working is a critical measure to achieving higher productivity, according to a report by workplace solutions multinational Regus. In addition, 76% of the African respondents felt flexible working encouraged a greater sense of responsibility among staff. The survey canvassed the opinions of more than 20,000 senior executives and business owners across 95 countries. It delved deeper into the subject of flexible working and found that business people believed it not only helps improve employee productivity by reducing unused office space and slashing commutes, but also by helping workers become more efficient. 73% believed flexible working environments fostered creativity, while 63% and 62% indicated flexible working also improved the quality and speed of decision making, respectively. Joanne Bushell, vice president for Africa, Regus, said the analysts had highlighted practices that were proven to impact productivity more than others. “Flexible working, with its added benefits of improved creativity and networking opportunities, takes pride of place with global businesses staunchly supporting its critical role,” she said. “Businesses know that flexible working enhances productivity, but how this comes about is clearly a mixture of many factors ranging from better time management and responsibility to reduction of stress. Given that flexible working also significantly reduces unused office space it is a win-win solution for businesses hoping to make a cost saving and improve worker productivity and happiness.”

LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

Talent Management

Employee engagement How do you encourage creative thinking and a pro-active mindset in those you lead? John Botia Managing Director, Carlsberg Asia

Creative thinking and pro-activity are essential for any progressive organisation, and in my experience there are three pivotal steps to achieving this. Step 1: Set clear objectives. Follow the old adage that you should “tell what, ask how”; then, within reason, the employee can determine how to achieve these objectives. They are empowered to adopt a flexible work style (e.g. core hours, remote working) because as a leader I hold them accountable in delivering the agreed objectives. Indeed, breaking up the routine of the working week in itself engenders creativity and pro-activity. Step 2: Devolve responsibility. This, of course, needs to be within agreed parameters to protect both the employee and the leader from the law of unintended consequences. That said, if I encourage a report to consider the best response to a situation, and act more as a coach than a boss, I am really requiring them to engage mentally with the challenge and come up with new and perhaps more creative solutions. And if the solution is theirs, the engagement level around executing it will be significantly higher. Step 3: Incentivise performance. Not so much “what gets measured gets done” as “what gets measured gets rewarded”. So long as I incentivise for the right results I also ensure that, in devolving responsibility, I don’t encourage the wrong outcomes. And I also add personal gain to the reasons why an employee might want to be more creative or pro-active. By the way, I am not just talking about financial incentives – sometimes personal or team recognition can be far more powerful. 10

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

David Goldman Managing Director and Head of Americas, REORIENT Group

Most important of all is to hire people who are likely to generate new ideas. That means looking for qualities outside the usual job description. Try to find people with extraordinary accomplishments—in the arts, athletics, or different academic fields. They are more likely to be risk-takers who can keep distance from conventional wisdom. I directed investment-bank research departments where originality was of the essence: If you didn’t stand out from the pack, you made no impact on the bank’s clients. First, make clear that questioning the conventional wisdom will be rewarded rather than punished. Second, provide regular opportunities for team members to debate ideas so that they get in the habit of preparing and articulating alternative views. Frequent short staff meetings addressing specific tasks and goals are helpful in eliciting contributions from team members. Third, don’t be tyrannised by hierarchy. There’s a fine line between protecting the authority of group leaders and suppressing the contributions of their subordinates. Reach down into the ranks on a regular basis to make sure that talent has a chance to bubble up to the top. Fourth, keep the discussion focused on tasks. Fifth, use outsiders as a sounding board for new ideas. It’s often easier for employees to bounce unconventional ideas off consultants than against their own corporate hierarchy. Sixth, establish clear ground rules. Dissenting opinion is encouraged, but once a decision is made everyone has to stick to it.

Graeme Harlow

Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Diageo

The advice I give to my team is to ‘act like owners’. This is central to how we do things at Diageo. We are custodians of some truly great brands founded by truly great people like Johnnie Walker and Arthur Guinness. These people were both bold and brave, but responsible. If we act like owners, we will live and breathe our brands, and therein lies greatness. Owners need to be agile and nowhere is that more true than in Southeast Asia. We are seeing new trends developing very quickly: the rapidly expanding consumption of digital content, rising demand for luxury goods and growing thirst for new experiences all provide huge opportunities, but we must be agile to take full advantage. It’s also very important to have a positive mind-set and set ambitious goals. I encourage my team to aim for more than they think they can achieve and not to be afraid of failing. Some failures are worth celebrating – if we are not prepared to fail, then we will never be courageous enough to back real innovation. Working in the emerging markets of Southeast Asia, we face many challenges and unexpected events and it’s important to approach each and every one of these – even crisis management – with a view to creating an opportunity and coming out of it in a stronger position than we entered. This approach always forces you to think creatively and courageously, and can highlight areas where the traditional way of doing things may have to be changed.

69%

Employees

WOULD WORK

HARDER

IF BETTER

RECOGNISED HOW DOES YOUR

RECOGNITION RATE

by Power2Motivate Source: Workforce mood tracker report, 2013

LEADERS TALK HR

Motorola Solutions Motorolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s separation into two new entities gave both companies a clearer and renewed focus towards their respective businesses. Shelly Carlin, senior vice president of HR for Motorola Solutions explains how her organisation harnessed this transition to better the business By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

Managing change at Motorola 12

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

LEADERS TALK HR

When consumer electronics industry pioneer Motorola split into two separate companies (Motorola Solutions and Motorola Mobility) in 2011, it marked a turning point for its HR team in particular. “We used it as an opportunity to relaunch our company with respect to our purpose and values. That’s how our HR transformation started. We translated our values into specific leadership capabilities in terms of how we develop, interview, assess and manage people,” says Shelly Carlin, senior vice president of HR for Motorola Solutions. At the same time, Motorola Solutions wanted to change its organisational culture and become more agile, so that it could react more quickly and be innovative. As the organisation grew smaller after the separation, another concern was how it was going to create development opportunities for its workforce, says Carlin.

Eliminating performance ratings One of the biggest steps that Motorola Solutions took towards changing its culture was taking a different approach to performance management. The company decided to eliminate its performance ratings system in 2012. “The ratings created tension between the employee and manager. Instead of a conversation about how an employee could improve and grow, it became just about labels. Since it was so tightly linked to compensation, employees weren’t listening to that conversation. They were just waiting for the label because it would tell them what their compensation would be,” explains Carlin. Removing the label has helped managers to move from a ‘parent-child’ evaluation relationship to a ‘coaching’ relationship with employees, says Carlin. The new system starts at the beginning of each year where the manager and employees sign off on the goals that they have set for the coming 12 months. By

BIOGRAPHY Shelly Carlin is senior vice president of HR and communications for Motorola Solutions. She joined Motorola in 2008 as corporate vice president of global rewards. Prior to joining Motorola, Carlin was vice president of global compensation, benefits and HR technology for the Campbell Soup Company. Before that, she was vice president of HR rewards and operations for TIAA-CREF; vice president of compensation and benefits for Sears, Roebuck and Co.; and senior vice president of executive compensation and corporate unit reporting for the Bcom3 Group. She earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was a member of the 1982 NCAA championship softball team and was voted an Academic All American.

the end of the year, they have to acknowledge that a conversation took place about those goals. There are no formal checkpoints. “We have taken HR out of the policing of the process. Managers and employees should always be having a dialogue about their performance.” Motorola Solutions developed training materials for managers to have better performance conversations. The company also gave managers five simple questions to structure these conversations around: • What has the employee done well? • What could the employee have done differently or better? • What are the skills that the employee needs to grow his or her career? • How do the employee’s leadership behaviours measure up to the Motorola Solutions leadership model? • Where does the employee stand relative stand relative to his or her career with the company? “The point of the questions is not to tell them which areas they did well or didn’t. It is to engage them in a conversation to help them discover how they did on their own. Our work in HR is to help managers get better at coaching, rather than evaluating,” says Carlin. The new performance management system is also more efficient. It has reduced time spent on performance management by 50 to 75%, says Carlin. Previously, there was a lot of ‘noise’ in the system due to employees being dissatisfied with their performance labels and the rewards that they were receiving, she says. Response to the new system has been positive. “I’ve received a lot of emails from employees and managers saying what a great change this was because the old system was unproductive.” However, Carlin cautions that although that the system has worked for Motorola, it might not be right for everybody. “Don’t look at what we did but look at the questions that we asked. Ask yourself: Is this driving the culture that I want and is this contributing to business performance?”

Recruitment challenges Motorola Solutions hired some 3,000 people globally in 2012. Yet, competition is stiff in the technology industry, especially for roles in software and systems engineering. “The challenge is to get better at finding the talent that want to work for us. Everybody is recruiting the same scarce talent,” says Carlin. The next generation of recruiting and talent acquisition specialists need to focus on candidates who appreciate the company’s value proposition, instead of trying to be everything to everybody, Carlin ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 13

LEADERS TALK HR

Motorola Solutions

• I love: Taking on difficult, complex challenges • I dislike: Routine • My inspiration is: People who overcome seemingly impossible challenges to achieve their goals • My biggest weakness is: I get bored easily • In five years’ time I’d like to be: Retired! • Favourite quote: “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it to see the world, not so the world can see you.”

says. This requires companies to use data and analytics more precisely, so they can target where the right people are. “We are also getting our message into the labour market about what is it really like to work here and how we are different,” she says. Motorola Solutions is transitioning from being a product-centric organisation to one that is focused on services and solutions, and this too, is shaping its hiring strategy. “We are hiring not just to grow but to change skill sets as we continue to redefine who we are,” Carlin says. The hiring landscape is also changing rapidly, says Carlin. “Getting a job today is very different from when we came into the workforce. We are realigning our spend in the recruiting space to put more of a bet on social media, because that’s where the candidates are.” Motorola Solutions is also looking at ways to ensure that its brand remains consistent across different platforms such mobile phones, tablets or websites. “It is an exciting time for HR professional as we are seeing a seachange in the skills and capabilities to be a great HR person.”

Building an innovative work culture “The ability to create an innovative culture is only as good as every single manager that you have in your firm,” says Carlin. It is the manager who creates an environment where people collaborate and exchange ideas freely, and where risk-taking is rewarded. “It is a rare manager who can create that kind of environment but also hold people accountable to the end result. We continue to upgrade our quality of managers so that they can create that environment,” she says. Motorola Solutions’ executive development programmes also play a big role in cultivating this culture of innovation. The CEO Leadership Forum for example, is a development framework for the company’s top 25 executives globally. The executives recently went through a full-year custom designed learning programme where they had the opportunity to determine what was needed to make the organisation successful in the future. “One of the first things that they identified was changing our culture so that we become more collaborative,” says Carlin. Analysis by Motorola Solutions found that almost 40% of its managers had a direct report who worked in a country outside their own. It was determined therefore that technology should be a key driver of collaboration, especially across borders. In line with this, Motorola Solutions implemented a collaboration tool called ‘Jive’, which Carlin describes as “something between Twitter and Facebook for enterprise”. 14

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

LEADERS TALK HR

The company is also in the process of upgrading its video-conferencing and telepresence technologies so that the need for business travel is reduced and employees can achieve better work-life balance.

Workplace diversity and inclusion Motorola Solutions has a number of business councils that were launched to create strong business links to diversity. Catering to different interest groups, each council is formally structured with a senior-level executive sponsor and top-management co-leaders. The main four objectives for all of the business councils are marketing and brand awareness, recruitment and retention, community involvement , and professional and personal development. However, each council drives its own agenda as diversity and inclusion issues vary across different geographies. One of the most prominent among these is the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business councils, says Carlin. These aim to help women in areas such as career development, building of skills, and networking. In other regions the focus areas include social responsibility and giving back to the community. However, Carlin feels that the long term solution to creating more inclusiveness at work is to look at the value that each individual brings to the table, instead of focusing on how they look like or where they come from. The key to this is to look at specific leadership behaviours, she says. For example, what does leading change look like for a senior manager, or an individual contributor? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This levels the playing field and gives them a much fairer evaluation,â&#x20AC;? Carlin says.

Executive & high potential development offerings at Motorola Solutions CLF = CEO Leadership Forum

CLF VP development VP on-boarding

Director development programme Leadership pipeline programme (Managers and individual contributors) High potential development framework All levels

Services

Sales

Engineering

Functions

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 15

ISSUE 13.12

HRMASIA.COM 15

HR INSIDER

Arrow-ing young talent 16

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

HR INSIDER

Arrow Electronics Arrow Electronics’ commitment to professional development is evident throughout the company – from robust on-boarding programmes for new hires to accelerated learning for newly promoted managers. Its emphasis on innovation is also parlayed into its community involvement programmes for children of all ages. HRM finds out more By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Around the world, businesses are on the hunt for new talent. Arrow Electronics is no different. “We are always looking out for new talent to hire into the organisation and to develop the skills and capabilities of our existing workforce,” says Gretchen Zech, senior vice president of global HR, Arrow Electronics. “Particularly in our domain, which is computing, electronics and engineering, we have to ensure that we have the latest and most innovative skillsets,” she adds. “That’s the challenge we find ourselves in now and will continue to do so for the next five to ten years as the demographics of our workforce changes.”

Keeping talent nimble Continuous learning is an essential element of a rewarding career and a key tool to retain talent. Arrow encourages employees to expand their knowledge, achieve individual accomplishments and grow to become significant, long-term contributors to the company’s overall success. “Our employees learn every day, on-the-job,” says Zech. “They have the opportunity to lead teams, share ideas, handle challenging work assignments, and take on cross-functional projects.”

AT A GLANCE • Total number of employees in Asia Pacific: 2341 (2167 Permanent, 174 Contract) • Size of the HR Team in Asia-Pacific: 52 (6 in Singapore covering South Asia) • Key HR Focus Areas: - Innovate and implement global HR-related opportunities for efficiency and organisational effectiveness (people, process, technology) - Innovate global recruitment operational framework - Innovate talent strategy and operational plan, with emphasis on leadership and executive pipeline development - Contemporise global performance management framework to reflect best practices

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 17

HR INSIDER

Arrow Electronics Employees are also provided with ample leadership opportunities, dependent on each worker’s role and career aspirations. If they are an individual contributor, particularly in a technical function (such as an engineer) there are both mandatory and recommended curricula in place to help them move from one competency level to the next. At the managerial level, there is the Managers’ Essentials training programme. This trains first-time managers in the basics of people management and leadership. Upon passing, the employee then advances to the next level within the programme. Senior leaders attend the global Arrow Leadership Academy. “We bring 25 vice presidents from around the globe for a seven-month long programme,” Zech explains. “They meet in person three times. In between those personal meet-up sessions, they undergo virtual training and interaction.”

Arrowing innovation Innovation is the basis for Arrow’s business model. “We parlay that into our community involvement around the world,” says Gretchen Zech, senior vice president of global HR, Arrow Electronics. “We aim to bring innovation through education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to youth from young children to university students.” Employees also love being able to share their expertise for the betterment of innovating at the grassroots level of the community, particularly with children. “That’s something that makes Arrow really unique,” says Zech. For example in Singapore, Arrow worked with the Singapore Children’s Society and brought a group together at the Singapore Science Centre. Arrow personnel talked to the children about what they dream about and how they see the world. The children then completed art projects around that theme.

Arrow has been listed amongst Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Companies” and “Best Companies to Work For” for

12 years’ running

Being technologically savvy

Arrow’s commitment to professional development is evident throughout the company. It starts with robust on-boarding programmes for new hires and continues with accelerated learning for newly promoted managers (see boxout on pg19), among a whole host of training interventions. Arrow also works with local universities and partners on curriculums that are relevant to the industry and business. “We meet with the deans of different universities and talk to them about the current curriculum for their engineering and business degrees for instance,” Zech explains. “We tell them about the gaps we see in incoming students who are recent graduates and why they are not easily transitioning into the workforce. “Those gaps could be filled with additional coursework before they graduate,” she adds. “We also go on-site and actually teach coursework lectures.”

A key challenge for HR is to keep up with the times in the use of technology. “The way employees communicate with each other in the workplace has to mirror what they’re used to in their outside life,” she explains. “Technology and the use of devices are just so ubiquitous – particularly for the younger generation, technology is truly a way of life.” HR must thus become more technologically savvy. “When we’re thinking about how we train and develop employees now, the ways in which they learn often requires much more sophistication and the effective use of technology,” says Zech. In one of its technological advancements, Arrow has recently rolled out Yammer, an online real-time system for employees around the world to communicate with

WHO’S WHO IN HR

Gretchen Zech Global HR SVP, Arrow Electronics

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

Vivian Kwok VP – HR, Arrow Electronics

James Lim

HR Director – South Asia, Arrow Electronics

Tommy Au

Compensations & Benefits Director, Arrow Electronics

HR INSIDER

“Our employees learn every day, on-thejob, they have the opportunity to lead teams, share ideas, handle challenging work assignments, and take on cross-functional projects” – GRETCHEN ZECH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL HR, ARROW ELECTRONICS each other. “It’s like a Twitter feed at work,” she explains. “Knowledge is now shared across geographies, business units, and boundaries, in a way that is instantaneous.” For example, if an employee in Singapore is working with a particular supplier, they can send out a Yammer feed and ask if anybody has ever worked with this client before and other such questions.

Professional Development Arrow Electronics has a strong commitment to professional development throughout the lifecycle of every employee. “We also strive to embed developmental opportunities into our work environment and provide challenging assignments that prepare you for greater responsibility,” says Gretchen Zech, senior vice president of global HR, Arrow Electronics. Among its many programmes and training interventions are: • Arrow University (Arrow’s online learning centre) Arrow University offers a vast array of virtual and instructor-led learning courses across a broad range of focus areas, including sales, management, technology, personal effectiveness, and software or systems application. • Development Plans (for current and future roles) Employees, in conjunction with their manager, have the opportunity to design their own development plans to strengthen the skills related to their chosen career paths. Arrow nurtures talent by increasing skills, deepening knowledge and providing the tools needed to succeed – for today and tomorrow. • Global Short-term Assignment Programme This programme is a great opportunity for individuals to expand their skill sets, broaden their understanding of the business, and grow professionally while facilitating the development and exchange of ideas, functional expertise and management disciplines from a global perspective.

Keeping talent close The younger workforce has a much different orientation toward their employment and is often looking for multiple career-building experiences. “I believe that you can experience many different types of work assignments within one company,” says Zech. This can take the form of latticing one’s career, instead of just lateraling straight up and down. It can take the form of working in different countries or at a regional level. “There are lots of opportunities in a large organisation like ours,” says Zech. “It’s almost as if the sky’s the limit.” A case in point is a regional president of Arrow’s components business unit in Europe. He started with Arrow about 25 years ago as a college graduate, coming through a two-year new hire rotational training programme with experience in different business units and countries. “He has had an extraordinary career here,” says Zech. “It is a perfect example of what’s possible when you’re working for a company that really values and is built around it’s people’s capabilities.” ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 19

COVER STORY

Employee Engagement

Creating

A positive work environment can have a profound effect on employee engagement, productivity, and profits. HRM looks at some workplace strategies for keeping your employees happy and motivated in the New Year

happier workplaces

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

New strategies for 2014

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

COVER STORY

America’s largest online shoe retailer Zappos.com encourages its employees to “create fun and a little weirdness” at work. Its call centre employees are not measured by the amount of time they spend on the phone, but rather the number of ‘thank you’ cards they receive from customers, as this is more indicative of the personal and emotional connections that they have built. This is one of the reasons why Zappos is consistently ranked as one of the world’s best places to work. Other companies that lead the ranks feature some common attributes. They celebrate failure, offer flexi-work opportunities, keep communication channels open, and focus on developing and growing their employees. Research on workplace happiness in Singapore has provided mixed findings. A survey conducted in May last year by Cats Recruit, a unit of Singapore Press Holdings, found that seven in 10 Singaporeans were happy with their working hours and workload, as well as their career prospects and development. Yet, Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace survey findings, released in October last year, found that Singapore had one the highest proportions of disengaged employees in the world. Seventy six percent of employees in Singapore were found to be not engaged, while 15% of those surveyed said that they were actively disengaged from their work.

What makes employees happy? Getting the basics right is the first step to workplace happiness. People, need to be physically safe, fairly treated, and rewarded appropriately for their efforts, says Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness, a UK- based

non-profit organisation that aims to create happier societies. Contrary to popular belief, the four biggest drivers of happiness and productivity at work are not about the pay and the perks, says Williamson. Firstly, there’s autonomy , where employees need to have a sense of control over what they’re doing and feel trusted to do a good job. Secondly, they need positive relationships where they feel connected to the people around them. This is often achieved through a supportive and friendly working environment. The third driver of happiness is progress – employees must see that they are making progress towards goals that matter, ideally on a daily basis. And finally, employees seek meaning. They want to know that what they’re doing is part of something bigger; that their work matters and makes a difference, Williamson says. Removing the guesswork out of roles and responsibilities is one way to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards their goals. Jane Pang, HR Manager at construction company Teambuild, says that each position must have a clear job description so people know exactly what is expected of them. “We believe that clearly defined standard operation procedures and the sharing of best practices will make employees more happy and productive at work as they know what they need to do for their roles.” Research has shown time and again that the number one reason why people leave their jobs is because of their boss. “Therefore, having leaders in the organisation who constantly engage their employees through coaching,

Top five tips for boosting happiness at work • • • • •

Trust people – give them freedom within guidelines Help people see why what they do matters Give regular encouragement, praise and thanks Help people find and play to their strengths Encourage a healthy balance between work and life

Source: Mark Williamson, Director, Action for Happiness

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 21

IGNITING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

PLAN YOUR ORGANISATION’S

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

The SIMPD Competency Framework helps you to define the competencies required by individuals at different levels of your organisation. It also identifies the behaviours, skills, knowledge and attitudes essential in your people that will move your organisation forward.

The framework focuses on four key competency domains: PERSONAL MASTERY, PEOPLE MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS ALIGNMENT and ORGANISATIONAL ALIGNMENT.

ORGANISATIONAL ALIGNMENT

These can be mapped into six management levels and tracks which allow for the planning and review of employees‘ growth within the organisation.

MANAGEMENT LEVELS AND TRACKS

1 Administrative & Support

Junior Level Workforce

3 New Managers

2 Supervisor, Executive & Emerging Managers

Aspiring Managers

4 Managers

5 Senior Managers & Directors

Responsible for the business portfolio Holding a Holding a for more than Manager’s position Manager’s position 7 years for 0-2 years for 3-7 years

The latest programmes for executives, managers and all the way to the top management are in our

EXECUTIVE PROGRAMMES DIRECTORY 2014. Go to pd.sim.edu.sg to get your copy today!

Visit pd.sim.edu.sg

6 C-Suite

Responsible for creating organisational culture to build organisational capability

If you would like to know more about how our COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK can provide a better evaluation of your organisation’s learning and development needs, call us @ 6248 9409 or email ict@sim.edu.sg

COVER STORY

Employee Engagement developing and mentoring is critical to an employee’s level of engagement,” says Patria Hyndman, Director of HR at DFS. Having a strong corporate culture that’s focused on people first is also critical, says Hyndman. “An organisation with a strong focus on people will create and implement talent practices and policies that support the development of people,” she says. Employees who see long-term growth potential in their organisations tend to be happier and more satisfied. FedEx for example, has a strong promotion-from-within culture that has laid the groundwork for career paths right through to top management, as well as laterally into new areas. “In Singapore, 70% of our directors and managers have been promoted from within,” says Khoo Seng-Thiam, Managing Director, FedEx Express, Singapore. FedEx also offers a life-long learning environment that encourages career progression through a variety of training opportunities. “Classroom training, field workshops and e-learning programmes are frequently offered within FedEx. We also offer bond-free tuition assistance to both full-time and part-time employees,” Khoo says. Keeping communication channels free and open is a critical factor. FedEx has an “open door” policy that encourages team members to ask questions, provide suggestions and feedback, and also voice their concerns to management. Flexi-work and the option to work fewer hours can also be beneficial for workplace happiness. The key reason is that this gives employees a greater sense of autonomy and control over their lives, says Williamson. “It’s also important to remember that happiness at work isn’t all about taking an easy option or just doing less work. In fact happier employees tend to be more motivated and committed to what they’re doing rather than less. At certain times people often want to work longer hours, for example if they really love their role or they’re working towards a significant goal,” he explains.

Linking employee engagement and workplace happiness Evidence clearly shows that people who are happier at work also report greater levels of employee engagement. This translates to greater productivity, improved customer service and greater loyalty towards the employing organisation. However, Williamson points out that there’s a subtlety here too. It is quite possible for employees to be “engaged” at work, but still not happy. “In fact you will find workplace cultures that have reasonably good employee engagement scores but also high levels of stress, anxiety and conflict. So employee engagement alone isn’t enough.” Companies have to help employees to function well, in addition to just feeling good. “In fact, research shows that companies that have high levels of happiness and

“Employees want to know that what they’re doing is part of something bigger; that their work matters and makes a difference” – MARK WILLIAMSON, DIRECTOR, ACTION FOR HAPPINESS engagement do better than those that just have high levels of engagement,” Williamson says.

Different strokes Are employees from different generations intrinsically motivated by different things? While the basic wants of autonomy, positive relationships, progress and meaning are universal, people’s balance of priorities often shift over time, says Williamson. During the earlier years of their careers, most employees pay more attention to getting established in terms of their finances and career prospects. “But over time it may be that the balance between work and life becomes more of a priority for them,” Williamson says. At DFS, Generation Y employees are looking for accelerated career advancement, says Hyndman. “Many are open to global mobility assignments and are very willing to explore new things. Generation X employees tend to be at a different stage in their lives – many may have young families and are looking for greater career stability. Global mobility becomes increasingly challenging for this group as they have more life decisions to consider.” Understanding the needs of each of the different groups of employees is critical as they impact their career aspirations, adds Hyndman. When it comes to staff activities, Generation Y employees might be keener on active sports or nightlife, while Babyboomers and Generation X might prefer more family oriented activities such as bowling or movie outings, says Pang. “That’s why we need to blend in different activities to cater to different groups.” It is important to understand employees’ needs and what they think in order to create a working environment that is welcoming, friendly and mutually respectful, and look at more creative ways to engage different groups of employees, says Khoo of FedEx. ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 23

COVER STORY

Employee Engagement Measuring workplace happiness DFS measures employee engagement through its annual ‘Pulse’ survey. This provides valuable information about how employees feel about the workplace. “It measures their level of engagement and allows us the opportunity to understand what is working well and where there are opportunities to improve,” says Hyndman. The Pulse survey measures engagement in three areas: • “Say” – what an employee says about DFS • “Stay” – the sense of belonging and intent to stay with the company • “Strive” – the commitment to go above and beyond FedEx conducts open dialogue and engagement with employees so that management can find out what is working and what is not, and then act on feedback. “More than 99% of employees in Asia participate in our annual surveys, responding to questions about their managers and leadership teams on everything from fairness to effectiveness, to company compensation and benefits,” says Khoo. In follow-up meetings, managers sit down with their teams to hear any concerns and together the group develops and commits to a plan of action. The results of the internal surveys, as well as external research such as the Aon Hewitt Best Employers Survey, together with attrition rates, are some of the ways in which FedEx measures workplace happiness.

New year, new goals The start of a new year is great time to rally the troops and ensure that everyone is working towards a common goal. The management at Teambuild sets a common direction for the entire organisation at the beginning of the year. Each department head then cascades this message down to employees so that they can set their individual goals. “This is a very good motivator as each of us needs a goal to move us forward. Employees are then coached by their superiors during one-on-one sessions on how to meet their goals as this will eventually be linked to their performance bonus,” says Pang. FedEx’s financial year starts in June. During this period, the company usually conducts a series of town hall and kick-off meetings for its employees to communicate the directions for the year ahead. DFS releases the findings of its Pulse survey to employees in the new year, outlining its action on how it plans to address their feedback. “It is important the employee’s feel heard and understood and this is a good time in which to do this,” says Hyndman. In addition to communicating the pulse survey DFS also celebrates and recognises its annual awards for Employee of the Year.

CASE STUDY Workplace fun at DFS DFS places a lot of emphasis on creating a happy and fun work environment, as happier teams lead to greater engagement and productivity. Here are just some examples of the many fun team activities it runs throughout the year: • Annual Dinner and Dance party: The biggest DFS party of the year where the team parties through the night. • Bring your kids to work day: Parents bring their little ones to the office. A morning of fun and games, and children can see where their parents work. • Fruits day: A day dedicated to healthy living. Employees get to enjoy a variety of fruits and learn healthy living tips. • Wellness activities: DFS conducts yoga, muscle toning and strengthening classes. Employees get to work out and have fun all at the same time. • Celebrations: All cultural festivals are celebrated and recognised including Chinese New Year and the MidAutumn Festival. There are also birthday celebrations and welcome lunches and dinners for new hires. • Corporate Memberships: DFS has an annual zoo pass that can be used by employees and their families. • Inter-location activities: Sporting activities such as soccer and ‘kampong’ games are conducted for social interaction, team bonding and fun

Zappos.com Zappos.com is a hugely successful online shoe retailer,set up by entrepreneur Tony Hsieh and based around a “happiness as a business model” theory. The company has a very strong and unique work culture where it encourages call centre staff to “be themselves” and take as long as they need on the phone to make customers happy. Employees are recruited for attitude. To ensure that everybody is in sync with the company culture, Zappos.com gives new hires the option of taking $2,000 and quitting the company, if they feel that they do not fit in. It is the company’s way of ensuring that people are choosing to stay because they want to be there. Less than two percent of all prospective employees end up accepting the offer. Source: Mark Williamson, Director, Action for Happiness

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 25

FEATURE

Talent management

MANAGING the festive period labour

CRUNCH

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

FEATURE

Festive season is here again and the service sector faces a perennial problem – the talent crunch. Higher wages haven’t solved the problem, so what steps should HR take to effectively manage staff strength over the holiday season? By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Despite offering higher wages to lure Singaporeans into the service sector, employers still face a manpower squeeze that is especially painful over the festive period. Sharon Tan, HR Manager, Brotzeit, pins the reasons down to the service sector having long shift working hours, and bigger shifts during weekends and on public holidays. “Offering higher wages does not really tackle that situation,” she says. The long hours and physical working environment are indeed factors that most employees would not be actively seeking out during the festive season, says Grace Yang, HR Manager, Suntec Singapore. “Most workers hope their year-end will see a slowing down of business and activities for one and all,” Yang explains. “Interestingly, where monetary rewards and other perks were successful as carrots to charm temporary staff during other times of the year, they do not seem to work during the festive season when the mood is all about spending time with loved ones and taking a step back to watch a new year unfold.” This is true even of the temporary staff that Suntec Singapore hires, including students who are having their year-end holiday break from school. “This group tends to be more energetic and vibrant, but even then the mood distinction between the year-end break and other school breaks is distinct,” says Yang. While vacation jobs were popular with students in the past, students these days have become more protected by their parents, says Josh Goh, Assistant Director – Corporate Services, The GMP Group. “Because of affluence, these doting parents are not releasing their children to work during their school vacations,” he explains. “They prefer to go on holidays with their children or let them attend enrichment classes instead.” Still, higher wages is just one of the factors people consider when looking at employment. Working conditions, including hours, is another. The target group to plug the gap in manpower consists of housewives, retirees and students. These types of workers typically prefer flexible schedules over rigidity. Unless deliberate efforts are taken to make creative changes to include them, the crunch will continue to be felt.

Crunch time In July last year, the Singapore Government tightened foreign labour quotas in several industries, including the service sector. Firms are now allowed to have foreign workers fill up only 45% of positions, down from 50% previously. These increasingly stringent regulations on the hiring of foreign labour are a key contributing factor in the manpower crunch. “The service sector has always been constantly dependent on foreign labour as a source of manpower. The stringent regulations do contribute as a factor towards the manpower crunch as employers now have a smaller pool of labour to work with,” says Tan. “Employers like Brotzeit will have to enhance their talent attraction and retention packages to attract Singaporeans, as well as change their perspectives of the service sector,” she adds. While it is true that many companies may find it tough to cope without easy access to foreign manpower, many might see this situation as a blessing in disguise and re-evaluate operations, streamline processes, and reduce their reliance on manpower, says Goh. “To retain current workers, organisations should also increase the value of their workers,” he explains. “Giving more recognition will even allow them to attract outside talent. This is a good time to revamp the image of the service industry, to one where there is a viable career progression path.”

Managing the crunch Ideally, HR and operations should work hand-in-hand to understand each other’s constraints and work toward win-win situations. “Often, operations are busy fire-fighting in the frontline and are hard-pressed for staff,” says Goh. “And as the operations team has limited HR knowledge, they may not have the capability or time to redesign work flows to accommodate the part-timers’ requirements. Hence, the shortage of manpower persists.” ISSUE 14.1

86.9% of service staff at Suntec Singapore are local

Source: Grace Yang, HR Manager, Suntec Singapore

HRMASIA.COM 27

FEATURE

Talent management CASE STUDY Brotzeit Singapore home-grown German restaurant franchise, Brotzeit, recently unveiled a string of new initiatives to attract and retain talent ranging from remuneration packages, training schemes and added perks in the face of the growing talent crunch in the food and beverage sector. • Work-Life Balance and Pro-Family Schemes - More attractive remuneration packages for both part-time and full-time staff - More flexible working hours - Five-day work-week for full-time staff consisting of not more than 44 hours a week – as opposed to many other establishments which still follow a six-day work-week and long working hours - Paid paternity leave of one week, along with the mandatory four month maternity leave for employees – to encourage workers with families to join the Brotzeit team • Performance Driven Incentives - Performance bonuses are determined through employees’ yearly performance assessments - Additional monetary incentives are available for staff from each Brotzeit outlet who meet monthly sales and customer service targets • New Staff Training Portal – part of a new HR initiative with Spring Singapore to maximise productivity - Consists of multiple modules, undertaken in an informative and interactive manner through quizzes and videos to cover the brand’s history, menu and operations - Chapter progression will be based on the passing of each one, which also enables management to monitor what specific areas each trainee is strong and weak in. • An all-inclusive Brotzeit team - Brotzeit works closely with welfare organisations such as Bizlink (to employ hearing impaired staff) and Score (in hiring ex-convicts for the company’s kitchen crew) • More cohesion activities - Annual staff Christmas party where attractive prizes are given out, such as tickets to Munich for Oktoberfest celebrations - Managers for all outlets conduct monthly gatherings and outings with an allocated budget - Tours to the Paulaner Brauhaus microbrewery are also conducted quarterly as part of educational trips for employees on the beer-making process.

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

If the operations team can be equipped with some HR knowledge on best practices, then they could fine-tune their work arrangements to ease their own labour shortages, Goh adds. HR and operations could also work together to slay the manpower crunch beast by reducing reliance on manpower through productivity increasing workplace innovations. A common complaint from part-timers is that they are often treated as second-class employees in their organisations. “Increasing the recognition part-timers receive, including sharing of rewards, so that they feel part of the organisation, is also a sure way to gain staff loyalty,” Goh explains. “Continually engaging former part-timers and maintaining them as a pool of ready hires for future needs is ideal and a mind-shift from the current out-of-sight-out-of-mind mentality.” To manage the labour crunch during the festive period, Brotzeit projects its labour needs early, hiring more part-timers and full-timers as needed, and providing all staff with the relevant training to be proficient for the coming busy schedule. “We believe in sharing with our employees,” says Tan. “For example, our part-timers are given the same training as our full-timers. They are also rewarded with the same incentive schemes.” Furthermore, the HR and operations teams need to be more creative in designing part-timers’ compensation. “Instead of offering a flat rate to all part-timers, they could explore the possibility of rewarding the more committed part-timers with higher hourly wages and better incentives,” says Goh. More often than not, part-timers do not receive continuous training from their employer. This is understandable, especially as part-timers are often engaged on a contingency basis. “However, employers may consider starting to look at providing training to their dedicated part-timers,” says Goh. Over its 18 year history, Suntec Singapore has come a long way in terms of mastering and planning its manpower effectively and efficiently during the festive season. “We have come up with multiple measures to avoid the temporary staff crunch, such as advance schedule planning of our events and activities (most of our events are booked at least a year in advance). This keeps our temporary staff involved and committed to providing extra help over a longer period,” Yang explains. The popular venue for meetings, conventions and exhibitions has also established good working relationships with existing employees, temporary help, business partners, and contractors who are keen to step in when there is a need for additional labour. “We also believe that our working environment is a positive one and that our remuneration is competitive and timely – something that our temporary staff

FEATURE

Talent management appreciate,” says Yang. “Such initiatives have been tremendously helpful in managing labour issues more effectively during year-end.” Given that the festive season is also the busiest time of year for Courts Asia, the furniture and electronic goods retailer plans ahead and engages part-timers, who undergo comprehensive service training. Courts Asia has also implemented innovative operating systems and technology solutions to improve productivity and enhance the customer experience. “For example, we provide our sales staff with tablets, so that they can more effectively and efficiently serve our customers,” Kiran Kaur, Chief Talent Officer, Courts Asia, explains. “Our integrated multi-channel offerings – in-store and online – also allow us to streamline productivity to serve our customers better.”

Future of festive work HR efforts to manage the festive talent crunch seem to be paying off. “They say the proof is in the pudding, and in our case, it is in the numbers,” says Kaur. “In 2013, our employee satisfaction score was 96%, and at 2.8%, our attrition rate was lower than the industry average of 4.6%.” Brotzeit, on the other hand, has seen a growing pool of regular part-timers. “They are happy that they are provided with training to be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and ability for the job,” says Tan. “These part-timers are a group of energetic and passionate individuals who want to experience working in the service sector.” Suntec Singapore is also seeing more and more returning temporary staff coming back to work part-time during the festive season, as well as throughout other high-volume periods in the year. “Their commitment towards Suntec Singapore is evidence of the good rapport that we have built throughout the years with business partners as well as the growing community of students seeking holiday jobs,” Yang explains. Still, organisations can do more to further attract talent to the services sector. One way is for them to start at the beginning and work more closely with education institutions which offer retail or food and beverage courses. “This would make what the students study ‘come alive’, whilst providing much-needed manpower for these industries,” says Goh. “Linking with schools would insure organisations against a manpower shortage by providing a constant pool of interns for jobs. In addition, the organisations can identify potential candidates to groom for future development.” Organisations will also need to understand expectations from an alternative talent pool: housewives and active seniors. “With a better

“Increasing the recognition part-timers receive, including sharing of rewards, so that they feel part of the organisation, is also a sure way to gain staff loyalty” – JOSH GOH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – CORPORATE SERVICES, THE GMP GROUP

understanding, they will better redesign their work arrangements to meet their demands,” says Goh. Also, the nature of the hospitality industry is such that the talent of service staff underpins the level of service excellence provided, says Yang. Running a convention and exhibition centre requires certain skill sets and it is crucial to attract the right people and to place them in the right roles. “As part of the HR team looking after the people of Suntec Singapore, our goal is to ultimately nurture our internal talent pool into champions of world-class service excellence. Training is a critical part of both our ability to attract talent as well as to up their game,” Yang explains. “In the same way, we go all out to foster constant communication and transparency with our business partners and contractors so that in turn, they can support us with the right labour force when we need it.” Courts Asia ensures newcomers do not wade in deep waters alone and has introduced structured coaching and mentoring programmes to ensure they can effectively ease into their roles. “It is also important to create a work environment that is collaborative, supportive and progressive and work closely with employees to build a roadmap for their professional development,” says Kaur. She also emphasised that remuneration was still a key consideration factor for prospective employees, and that it must be competitive and sensitive to economic and market conditions. It should be in line with structured policies on job-related allowances, commission, overtime, incentives and bonuses. ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 29

HR SUMMIT 2014

Bob Nelson

A fresh take on

employees rewards 30

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

HR SUMMIT 2014

How do you keep your employees motivated and engaged so they don’t jump ship in the New Year? In this exclusive Q&A, employee motivation expert Dr Bob Nelson shares how you can energise and engage your workforce through rewards and recognition

Are companies today paying enough attention to employee engagement? What are they doing right or wrong? Companies are increasingly focusing more on employee engagement, which in 2013 was ranked as the top HR priority by practitioners, an increase of seven percent over the previous year. Most larger organisations now have engagement officers and almost all are committed to the systematic improvement of those variables that have been shown to make a workplace more engaging. Even with all that effort, however, the notion of an engaged workforce is still quite elusive and overall the number of employees who remain disengaged and even actively disengaged remains quite high.

What role does HR play in creating an energised and engaged workforce? What are some simple and easy steps to take? HR plays a vital role in raising the need for greater engagement as well as in leading the charge on the short list of variables that can have a significant impact on employee engagement. I feel the best approach is to select a few (one, at most two) significant variables and truly strive to change those elements in one›s organisation, rather than to hope that a larger number of variables magically change over time.

What is the link between staff recognition and engagement? Why do some managers fail to recognise their employees? Employee recognition is a key component of engagement, representing at least 25% of the relevant variables, or an even greater percentage depending upon how one defines recognition. I tend to define recognition broadly as anything that is given to employees in response to them having done good work, so this can range from a simple ‘thank you’ to a learning

opportunity, or from time off to the traditional range of reward items such as money, gift cards, or merchandise. In my doctoral research I found that the main reason managers fail to recognise employees is that they ‘aren›t sure how to do it well’. That is, it is a blind spot in their skill set and not something they learnt growing up or in school or from a previous manager. This can, however, be changed through a focus on their heads, hands and heart: «Heads» refers to the conceptual understanding of the principles, the need for every manager to systematically use recognition to get the best from their employees and the benefits that will accrue to both the manager and the organisation as a result. «Hand» refers to what the behaviour specifically looks like in practice. Although relatively simple to do, using recognition still requires some thought, planning and focus to do well. «Hearts» refers to getting managers to personally experience the power of using recognition first hand with their employees so they can feel its power and become committed to applying recognition on an ongoing basis.

Do employee rewards and recognition always have to be monetary? How else can managers motivate them? Money is always nice to have, given we all need to pay our bills, but according to my research, the most powerful and motivating forms of employee recognition are non-monetary. Personal things like a simple ‘thank you’ for a job well done; providing ample communication in the workplace including answers to employee questions; asking employees for their opinions and ideas and if they suggest a good idea, allowing them to pursue it; involving employees in decisions – especially those decisions that impact the employees› jobs; and if an employee does make a mistake, focusing on what he or she learned from that mistake more than on what they did wrong. These are all simple behaviours that systematically underscore trust and respect for employees at work.

Employee recognition is a key component of engagement

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 31

HR SUMMIT 2014

Bob Nelson

Employees have different expectations. How do you tailor rewards and recognition to meet differing needs? Is there a one size fits all formula? My advice is to start with your employees and their preferences, asking them individually or in groups what they would like if they do a good job, and then providing those things they value when they have exhibited desired behaviour and performance.

What do you do with employees who remain disengaged despite your best efforts to motivate them? It depends. Is their performance still acceptable? Then I›d leave it as is. If their performance dips however, you need to start a new conversation about your expectations for them and shift to performance counselling if they are not readily amenable to adjusting their efforts and behaviour to meet your expectations.

Do staff engagement surveys really help? How can they be more effective? If you can›t measure engagement, you can›t manage it. That is, in order to improve anything you need to have an initial starting point or baseline, make your best effort to improve things, and then measure again to see if your efforts were fruitful. Without a form of measurement your efforts to make improvements will seem random and you will have no way to know if you are actually improving things over the long term. As such, it is important to have some way of measuring the current state of engagement in your organisation and a survey is probably the most expedient way to do this. The challenge with surveys, however, is that most employees report that as a result of doing them, nothing changes (and often even the results of the survey are not shared with employees). If you want the survey to be of value, select at least one area of focus to improve and then make it a priority to go all out to truly change that variable. If successful, make sure you communicate that success and the fact that the focus area was a direct by-product of the survey. This approach will lead to increasing credibility in the survey process so that employees become more eager to provide their input in future surveys, because that feedback is taken seriously by management.

on Catch Dr Bob Nels ‘live’ at the it 2014 m m u S R H s b o J T S 28-29 April 2014

Top three takeaways • Proven keys for how any organisation can increase performance by creating a more motivating work environment that better attracts and retains its employees. • Secrets of Ubuntu, the South African principle of unity and connectedness that can be applied within any work group. • Relevant research about simple, proven principles coupled with real-life examples, case studies, and practical actions that delegates can take back to their organisations to improve things.

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre Dr. Bob Nelson’s will be making two presentations at the STJobs HR Summit 2014

1501 Ways to Reward Employees – Low Cost Rewards to Increase Employee, Retention, Engagement & Performance Today more than ever, businesses need fresh ideas to nurture talent and retain employees. Organisations need to adapt to meet the needs of an ever-evolving workplace and need to creatively deal

with all employees including international colleagues, virtual employees and rulebending millennials. In this session, Dr Bob Nelson shares low and no-cost rewards and strategies drawn from thousands of companies’ ideas across the globe. With strategies ranging from informal and off-beat, to formal and totally bonkers, Dr Nelson’s book 1501 Ways to Reward Employees - Low Cost Rewards to Increase Employee Retention, Engagement & Performance is known as the ‘rewards bible’ for all managers and will be the basis of his presentation at the STJobs HR Summit 2014. A leading authority on employee recognition, motivation and engagement for over 15 years, Dr Nelson (known as the ‘Guru of Thank You’) has worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies, helping them improve their organisational strategies, systems and programmes for motivating and engaging employees to achieve exceptional performance. Having previously worked for 10 years with Dr Ken Blanchard as a, chief of staff and primary writer, he has sold over four million books in his specialty areas. These have been translated into 37 languages.

HR SUMMIT 2014

Your Professional Development and Learning Technologies Partner!

Top three takeaways from your HR Summit session?

Attendees will learn about simple, proven principles, real-life examples and case studies, and practical actions they can take back to their organisations to improve things. I›m doing two sessions. in «Creating a Culture of Recognition» I will share the simple proven keys for how any organisation can increase performance by creating a more motivating work environment that better attracts and retains its employees. With «Ubuntu: Inspiring Teamwork and Collaboration» I will share secrets of Ubuntu, the South African principle of unity and connectedness that can be applied within any work group.

We specialize in innovative blended learning and online courses for soft skills, leadership skills, IT skills, business skills and project management skills training.

We specialize in

What are you looking forward to the most about presenting in Singapore? I speak on universally-proven principles of successful management and its always fun and exciting for me to share the power of those principles with those in other. I enjoy the interactions with HR professionals and am truly committed to helping them improve their knowledge, skills and applications in their organisations.

Customized Training

Professional Development Online Courses

Ubuntu: Inspiring Teamwork & Collaboration

Translation Services in over 60 languages

Through the principles of Ubuntu, an African tradition of teamwork and collaboration, learn to obtain new levels of focus and experience the excitement that can result. Dr Bob Nelson will deliver a passionate, high-energy, multimedia programme that combines fun, creativity, learning, and application. Attendees will leave with numerous examples and best practices from organisations in business, sports, politics and music for applying this traditional African principle of connectedness and unity to their work. To show how any organisation or group can incorporate the principles of Ubuntu, Nelson draws upon his own research and doctoral work as well as his experience in working with organisations on employee motivation and high-performing teams. This session will be filled with specific real-life examples and techniques that can be immediately applied on the job to systematically leverage, build and sustain a culture of teamwork, motivation and engagement in the workplace.

Reach Us @

6577 4646 ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 33

E: learning@verztec.com W: www.verzteclearning.com

Dr. John Gray Relationship Expert, Best-Selling Author and International Speaker Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; At Work

C-SUITE

STRATEGY

RETENTION

Aileen Tan Group Director HR, SingTel HR as a Change Agent at SingTel

TALENT

HRM

Peter Cheese Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) A New Framework for the Future of HR STRATEGY EXPO

RETENTION PLENARY

TALENT PLENARY

HRM

Naming Rights Partner

C-SUITE TALENT

STRATEGY HRM

EXPO

PLENARY

Vineet Nayar Vice Chairman, HCL Technologies & Author Turning Conventional Management Upside Down

RETENTION

Paul Thomas Kannimmel Human Resources Director, Global Growth and Operations, ASEAN, General Electric Legendary Leadership Strategies at GE TALENT

HRM

Official Spa Partner

Premium Gold Sponsors

Lesley Everett Personal Branding Expert & President of Global Speakers Federation Your People ARE Your Brand - How is Your Organisation Being Represented?

Jonathan Allen Yabut Apprentice Asia Winner

Gold Sponsors

Tan Kwang Cheak Director, HR & Talent Development, MOH Holdings (MOHH) Workforce Planning for The Future

Prof. Dave Ulrich Management Expert & HR Guru HR - Preparing for the Future

CMYK (portrait) This logo should only appear on white background

The Best Speaker Line Up in the Eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12 Year History

Pallavi Srivastava Brand Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Lead, IBM Global Business Services, Growth Markets The Architecture of Effective Succession Planning in a Globally Integrated Enterprise - An IBM Case Study

ALL NEW www.hrsummit.com.sg

Laurence Smith Group Head of Learning &Talent Development, DBS Talent Management at DBS

(65) 6423 4631

CMYK (landscape) This logo should only appear on white background

Scott Price Executive VP, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. & President and CEO, Walmart Asia Walmart Case study - Achieving Growth through Diversity

Ow Seng Fong Divisional Director, National Human Resources Division, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Current Labour Challenges and Solutions in Singapore

Black & White Halftone (portrait)

Aparna Kuman Regional Human Resource Lead, Asia Pacific, Monsanto The Growing Importance of HR Analytics

Tommy Ng

Geraldine Lee

Caroline Lim

Ask the Experts Power Panel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Propel Your Career in HR

Low Peck Kem

FEATURE

Corporate Learning

UNLOCKING new ways to learn The learning and development landscape is rapidly evolving to cater to the growing generation of digital natives. Offering both online and offline training options is critical to engaging them so that they can continue to grow and add value to the organisation. HRM reveals why technology-enabled training is the way forward By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

FEATURE

The emergence of new learning models is driving a culture of continuous learning across many organisations. Technology-enabled learning tools are enabling employees to access educational resources at anytime and anywhere. This flexibility is allowing them to adjust their learning according to their own learning pace and work schedules. According to 2009 research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), a UK-based professional HR association, almost three-quarters of UK employers are currently using some form of e-learning in the workplace. “We foresee a similar phenomenon taking place in Asia, particularly in the next 10 years as organisations of various sizes seek to cut back on traditional learning budgets,” says Darren Lin, senior analyst with Align HR Consulting. Peggy Lee, director of SIM Professional Development, concurs. “The use of exciting learning technologies to enable e-learning or blended learning is an industry trend that has resonated with the needs of leaders and managers,” she says. A survey by cloud-based learning solutions provider Skillsoft found that 94% of organisations across the Asia-Pacific region are currently adopting new learning and development technologies, and providing access to e-learning resources. Yet employees also want learning to be delivered to them through new means. The same survey found that 82% of learners want to use mobile devices for learning purposes, yet only 44% of decision-makers currently offer learning resources on a mobile device (smartphones, tablets, or laptops), with most (32%) citing technological or security limitations as the primary reason for the limited mobile learning options

Tech-powered learning Busy executives seldom have the time to commit to long classroom sessions. This is where flexible learning solutions can be highly efficient, and where technology can aid the learning process in a number of ways. Some common examples include e-learning, web-based learning resources, and videos. The holistic use of technologies allows for more focus on strategic solutions, driving productivity, efficiency, and optimisation to ensure continuous improvement in organisations, says Lin. “For time-starved executives, this is especially handy as they get a mix of face-to-face as well as e-learning modes of delivery.” The learning platform offer by Align HR Consulting includes a number of customisable components includes e-profiling tools, leadership seminars, discussion forums and e-learning newsletters. The latter is a helpful resource for knowledge sharing and discussion among peers. “At the push of a button, participants are able to view a fiveminute video clip, pore through a peer-reviewed academic journal, or glean through some bite-sized articles to build their knowledge capacity or engage in some high level reflection. The e-learning newsletters can be used both before and after face-to-face sessions to help prepare and enhance the individual and team learning process or used as an independent learning e-tool,” says Lin.

Technology-enabled learning allows participants to absorb new information at their leisure, offering a better fit into their busy schedules. Vertzec Consulting learning platforms track the last slide that the learner had completed, enabling the person to return and continue the course module at any time. Multiple modes of learning also offer greater flexibility. “So imagine Joe of ABC corporation has been assigned a one-hour course module. He may choose to perform 20 minutes of the course in the office, 15 minutes on his smartphone device while on the move, and then complete the course at home using his personal computer, ” says Nicholas Goh, CEO, Verztec Consulting. Online learning platforms are also effective in helping companies keep track of their employees’ progress. Verztec Consulting’s learning management platforms are offered on a self-hosted or hosted solution basis, and companies are able to assign courses, track learning progress and generate reports among other functions, says Goh. Online learning networks allow face-to-face learning sessions to be more concentrated, generating more value for learners, says Thomas Jeanjean, Associate Dean of the Faculty, ESSEC Business School. “There is also a benefit in terms of flexibility and interaction - the learning experience actually starts well before the physical course.” At ESSEC, executives and students have the opportunity to participate in business simulation games, where they learn to act as professionals just like in a real life organisation. For example, in “Ariane”, a two-day business simulation game, students form groups to manage firms that are in competition with each other. The decisions of a group are simultaneously compared with those of concurrent teams and with a computer-simulated market. “Such business simulation games give participants the chance to experience how to manage a firm in a competitive environment,” says Jeanjean.

Online learning platforms are also

effective in helping companies keep track of their employees’ progress

Cost savings While the initial investment may be high, new learning technologies can result in cost savings over both the short and long term. “The short term part would be the monetary costs that go towards training x number of employees. Studies have shown that if learning is delivered on a computer based training format or mobile learning format, the cost of training per head reduces by nearly 50% compared to traditional classroom training,” says Goh. The savings can be especially stark for regional or global training programmes. In the long term, companies save on the opportunity costs of the time involved. “With self-paced learning, employees may continue to pursue their work responsibilities, without too much disruption from those duties. Also given the freewill to complete the courses by a certain date, employees will also be more receptive towards learning,” says Goh.

Measuring effectiveness When a significant part of the learning process becomes self-driven, how can companies be assured that employees are actually benefiting from the available resources? ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 37

0 cial T* 0 $3 Spe GS 014 e 2 v d Sa Bir 5 +nuary 9 2 Ja rly Ea S$6fore 2

lyister be n O Reg

CONGRESS SERIES

3rd Annual

INNOVATION IN HR CONGRESS 12 February 2014 | Mandarin Orchard, Singapore

Innovation in HR isn’t just about technology; but more about building and sustaining a corporate culture of innovation that focuses on people and human capital. The 3rd Annual Innovation in HR Congress is set to deliver winning case studies from the region’s most innovative companies and leaders of industry. Join us to unlock your potential for innovation and driving organisational excellence – from strategising new hiring methods to effectively managing a flat hierarchy structure.

Hear from Thought Leaders:

Rob Bratby Managing Partner OLSWANG ASIA

Gabrielle Choy Director - Casting and Coaching SOFITEL SO

Michael Wright Head - Talent Acquisition, APAC GROUPM

Jennifer Dignam Head - Human Resources EASTERN PACIFIC SHIPPING

Alvin Hang Director - Corporate Communications and Relations SINGAPORE SPORTS COUNCIL

Christel Quek Social Business Strategist and Harvard Business Review Columnist LADYXTEL.COM

Learning Objectives:

PLUS! An Immersive Experience

Win at gamification and maximise employee engagement

Mini Expo: Innovation Ideas and Insights for a Winning HR Formula Think Tank: Sustaining the Innovation Ecosystem to Build a

Update your reference check process by leveraging on technology Build stronger organisational synergy and stakeholder loyalty Enhance your training plans and unlock productivity Rejuvenate your hiring strategies with fresh and proven ideas

Future-Proof Organisation

Sustain the innovation ecosystem and future-proof your organisation

The Four Quadrants of Discovery Talent Attraction and Recruitment

Learning and Development

Technology

www.hrmcongress.com | +65 6423 4631

Workforce Retention

FEATURE

Corporate Learning Verztec Consulting typically performs a quick survey before each course to capture the expectations of learners. It also performs a brief assessment of their level of understanding of the course topic and their knowledge in the subject matter, says Goh. “At the end of the course, there is a quiz section that will test the learners’ understanding once again in various areas, touching on the points and concepts taught in the course. A score will then be provided based on the number of correct answers.” For the 60 days following the course, participants are encouraged to practice what they have learnt and asked to track personal progress and improvements in the course areas. Specific situation examples are recorded in an online learning journal, which may be accessed through their learning management account. This may be also be accessed by upper management for supervision, says Goh. Jeanjean from ESSEC says a coaching system is an important add-on to check that the learning solutions are actually used. Assistance must also be readily available on using these technologies, he says. Business benefits can also come in the form of alignment to business goals or increased staff productivity. “It is important that we move away from purely focusing on cost savings to ensure that every dollar invested is an optimal value-add to the organisation, as well as professional growth and development of teams and individuals,” says Lin from Align Consulting.

Face-to-face learning still important While learning technologies are rapidly gaining traction, the human touch is still critical for creating a holistic learning experience. “Personally, I do not think learning technologies will replace face-to-face learning. Our view on learning technologies have always been that it should complement face-to-face learning and maximise its benefits,” says Goh. He feels that learning technologies, if used properly, may also benefit the HR manager or trainer as they allow the person to spend more time in personal engagement with the various business units, understand the business challenges, and identify opportunities for training and development that may be put together in a strategic training roadmap. According to Goh, feedback from course participants has revealed that many prefer some form of online learning so that they can get a better sense of the learning concepts and familiarise themselves with course content. This can be followed by a face-to-face learning workshop to reinforce understanding while learning from others One potential drawback of e-learning technologies, is that the consistency of training might be affected by learner bias. However, with time and the right conditions such as a robust technology infrastructure, good communication, active user support, as well as relevant and high-quality content, this can be improved, says Lin.

The road ahead Rapidly evolving technologies are paving the way for new developments in the learning and development space. Social media is expected to strongly influence employees’ learning habits. “The future of technology-enabled training trends would revolve around social learning, where true learning takes place in the form of learning from each other experiences and practices, through the use of video, audio as well as pictorial elements,” observes Goh. Lin from Align Consulting expects a greater take-up rate in virtual learning platforms such as webinars and the use of networked e-learning mediums such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. The integration of smartphone technology into the learning environment with the use of apps could also generate greater interest, he says. Game-based learning is another area that is gaining popularity. “We find that there could be a significant development in game-based learning with a focus on user experience or gamification,” says Lin. Learning analytics and their impact on teaching evaluation and curriculum design seems to be the trend that will create the most value for pedagogy, says Jeanjean of ESSEC. The integration of crowd learning and a “do-it-yourself” culture in more conventional learning process could have significant impacts in the future. “We also believe that technology will allow more and more training to take place across the globe simultaneously, overcoming geographical barriers and allowing members of global organisations to carry out training more effectively and efficiently,” he says.

57%

of companies in the Asia-Pacific region spend $200 or less per learner on e-learning Source: From the survey Learning and Development Trends in Asia Pacific by Skillsoft

The three most important metrics to measure the impact and effectiveness of your learning programme Improved performance by the employee

70% 60%

Employee satisfaction Improved performance by organization / division

48% 41%

Return on Investment (ROI) Staff retention / reduced staff turnover Managed compliance / reduced risks Reduced cost of training per employee Increased revenue

34% 32% 21% 18%

Source: From the survey Learning and Development Trends in Asia Pacific by Skillsoft

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 39

FEATURE

HR Tech

SOCIAL MEDIA:

beauty beast? OR

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Social media is gaining a firm foothold in Singapore’s workplaces, with more than half of employees approving of the personal use of social media while at work, according to the latest Kelly Global Workforce Index. Today’s workforce has accepted social media as a means of day-to-day communication, and organisations that know how to build, engage and foster communities can tap even more into the new platforms –not just for employment branding but also for talent sourcing, engaging and l outreach. “Conversations are going to happen about your brand in social media with or without you,” says Tiffany See, Executive Director – HR, Commercial Business, Asia-Pacific and Japan, Dell. “Therefore, any business that wants to be connected to customers can and should embrace the social web.” Organisations would do well to embed social media across their entire fabric, using it not just as a marketing tool or for customer support, but also in various ways (much like email or a telephone) to achieve better results for the business, says See. 40

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

FEATURE

Dell’s 2013 Social Media Predictions highlighted that the biggest opportunity for businesses in 2013 was to be a “social business”, not simply a “business in social (media)”. “Therefore, we encourage organisations to embrace their employees’ social media participation as an asset rather than a liability,” says See. “With this stance adopted, they can harness the power of social media by setting a clear vision and guidelines, and providing team members with the resources and tools to best serve customers online.”

Beauty at work Employees at Groupon Singapore are active on social media, from the CEO down to new recruits. “We use social media to engage with our merchants and customers, and it’s knitted into the fabric of the whole company,” says Karl Chong, former CEO, Groupon Singapore. The company’s staff leverage social media to provide the first scoop on its popular group buying deals, tap into conversations about the company, merchants and customers, and using all that feedback to improve business. “We love the positive stories, but we don’t disregard negative commentary because we want to pay attention to what customers and merchants want and need from us – this is how we build relevance and our brand value in Singapore,” Chong explains. Dell continues to use social media for a wide variety of objectives, including internal collaboration, product development, social commerce, sales, marketing, customer service, and talent acquisition and management. To date, the company has several key community sites and on-going programmes that focus on building relationships with more than 14 million customer connections online. Among its slew of social media presences (see boxout) Dell’s Facebook engagement efforts have shown some positive feedback. “Before we embarked on social media engagement efforts, 27% of our Facebook wall posts had a negative sentiment,” says See. “Within the first month that the Dell Cares team started, the number dropped to 17%, and further down to 13% in the second month.” Two months later, the company saw a spike in positive sentiment on Facebook wall posts. Now its advocates jump in and help address issues on its behalf. “We now see 42% of public ‘demoters’ turn to ‘promoters’ after we address their issues online,” says See. Apart from social networks, Dell also engages specific target groups through various platforms to connect with them. For instance, the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) LinkedIn group connects women entrepreneurs and allows them to keep in touch and continue conversations long after the in-person conference has ended. Dell also provides social media tips for small businesses through the Dell Social Business Connection community, which has garnered an active community of 50,000 fans.

Furthermore, through IdeaStorm, the computer technology company is able to hear about new products or services its customers would like to see developed. They provide their ideas and suggestions and the rest of the community votes those ideas up or down. IdeaStorm has crossed the 18,000idea mark and implemented over 520 of the suggestions. Social media has allowed Singapore’s newest low-cost carrier, Scoot, to introduce its brand to a critical mass in a short time frame, engage and interact with its audience in a meaningful way, all whilst keeping costs in check. To engage, solicit reactions, and build emotional connections, newcomer airliner Scoot has been focused on social media – with great success. “That’s also why we have taken a slightly unconventional approach to our name and our tagline (“Get Outta Here”), and a somewhat risqué approach to advertising,” explains Theresa Tan, Head of HR, Scoot. Employees also share their ‘working life’ at Scoot. The carrier has even created a special Twitter account for those contributions – @InsideScoot. “This not only helps the company in recruitment drives but also allows our staff to share their joys and pride in their work, from cabin crew and pilots to ground and management staff,” says Tan. “In addition, our colleagues also help spread the word on our Cabin Crew recruitment drives via their Facebook postings.”

Social media sites such as

LinkedIn (38.4 %) and Facebook (34.3%) rank as the most preferred channels among recruiters to snoop on job candidates, followed by search engines (27.5%) Source: JobsCentral’s online survey

Unintended publicity While social media no doubt has its business benefits, it is also seen as being disruptive to workplace harmony. According to the Kelly Global Workforce Index, almost a third (31%) of employers say social media has a negative impact on workplace productivity. More than half (52%) say that mixing personal and professional connections through social media can cause problems in the workplace, while nearly 60% also hold the view that it is unacceptable to share opinions about work with friends and colleagues on social media. In March 2009, 22-year old Connor Riley was offered a job at Cisco in the US. Her first instinct, to tweet about her new opportunity, is pretty common for most people of her generation. Unfortunately, Riley’s tweet mentioned that taking a “fatty paycheck” would come at the expense of “hating the work.” A Cisco employee responded to her tweet, offering to pass her sentiments along to the hiring manager – Riley lost the job before it was even started. The event, dubbed the ‘Cisco Fatty’ incident, went viral and was a good cautionary tale for individuals of all ages. “Employees should bear in mind that social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter are highly accessible and publically visible,” says Mark Hall, Vice President and Country General Manager, Kelly Services Singapore. “Comments made by employees that compromise an organisation are taken very seriously.” ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 41

FEATURE

HR Tech Taming the beast

81.1%

of the one billion internet users around Asia use social media Source: Social, Media and Mobile in Asia report by ‘we are social’

HR can manage and effectively regulate social media by producing clearly-defined policies and guidelines. “These will help ensure that employees are properly informed of the company’s position on the use of social media in the workplace and the type of conduct that is acceptable online,” says Hall. While Groupon Singapore trusts its employees to do the right thing, it is mindful that social media will increasingly become intertwined with the younger generation’s identity and self-expression. “Taking a hard-line approach on ‘regulating’ that expression will only get harder as time passes,” says Chong. “The best long-term approach is to structure policies with the team’s feedback, and evolve those policies as the workforce matures in their use of them.” “We make it known to our staff that bad behaviour and hateful comments that are aimed at staff and others outside the company will not be tolerated,” he explains. HR at Dell also reminds its team members that the use of social media is like any other public business interaction. “Everyone is an ambassador for the company and has a responsibility to protect confidential business information and to follow the laws and code-of-conduct,” says See. The Dell Social Media and Communities University programme provides all team members with an overview of principles, policies and tools to enable better connections and conversations with customers in social media. The first course educates team members on Dell’s five social media principles:

• Protect Information • Be Transparent and Disclose • Follow the Law, Follow the Code of Conduct • Be Responsible • Be Nice, Have Fun, and Connect After completing the first course on Social Media principles, staff move on to strategy-based courses and platform-specific classes. Once they complete the eight hours of coursework, they are certified to engage in social media on behalf of Dell. Some examples of Dell’s social media successes include product innovation and the introduction of features that were not on the product ‘road map’, removal of bloatware, and a decline of 30% in negative brand commentary. During their contract briefing and orientation, employees at Scoot are reminded to be mature and responsible with what they post, tweet, or blog about the company and colleagues. “We remind them to utilise the other channels to get their conflicts resolved, if any,” says Tan. “On the other hand, many of our colleagues have invited the HR staff to be ‘friends’ on their Facebook, of course we are not accepting this as a policing role but rather to really be a friend of theirs.” While the HR team is unable to fully regulate social media, it can address the root cause of any conflict or unhappiness offline, whilst stressing the importance of being accountable for what employees post online. “HR should not be afraid of what social media can do to us, but look into what it can do for us,” says Tan. “Accept that all will not be rosy online and that there will always be a certain degree of risk when social media is involved.”

CASE STUDY Groupon Singapore & Dell

Social Media Platforms

Groupon Singapore

Dell

Facebook

• Updated posts on all daily deals • Postings on cartoons, pictures, lifestyle news, quotes, and random facts • Career opportunities

• B2B and B2C presence

Twitter

• Updated with daily deals

• @DellCares/ @DellCaresPRO

Youtube

• Video updates on corporate events and activities on Groupon Office in Singapore • Employee-driven content

• Create a solid Dell brand presence and channel

Others

• Blog: - Updates on corporate events. Employee-driven content - Information on Groupon competition, city travel guides, news and updates, media releases • Instagram: - Updates on company related photos. Employee-driven content - 267 followers with 71 photos to date

• Google+ - Use and experiment with the video hangout capabilities - Product launches, and subject matter expert discussions on IT issues • Ren Ren/Sina Weibo - Creating a virtual city to serve as a platform for talking with customers - Over one million fans - One of the most engaged IT companies on Sina Weibo • Pinterest – images related to heritage, entrepreneurship, Dell Careers, infographics about business and technology, lifestyle and technology

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

FEATURE

Corporate Health

Contract workers

matter tooâ&#x20AC;Ś

While employers in Singapore generally offer some form of health coverage to full-time employees, can contractual staff be left out? HRM finds out more By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 43

FEATURE

Corporate Health

Freelancers and term contract workers in Singapore numbered

368,800 in 2012

Source: Today newspaper

With stringent labour guidelines in Singapore, companies are obliged to accord their workers with health insurance recommended by the Ministry of Manpower. “Some companies may provide more comprehensive coverage depending on the nature of business, demographic of staff, employees’ medical entitlements and corporate healthcare budget,” says Richard Kwok, Senior Manager – Corporate and Business Development, NTUC Unity Healthcare Co-operative (Unity Denticare). Singapore’s tripartite partners have also been encouraging each other to enhance the portability of inpatient and hospitalisation medical benefits. “To incentivise employers to make the move, the Government has revised the tax policy to allow employers implementing any of three portable medical benefits options to enjoy higher tax deductions for medical expenses of up to two per cent of total employees’ remuneration (the normal tax deduction limit is one per cent),” Kwok explains. The three options are: • Portable Medical Benefits Scheme (PMBS) • Transferable Medical Insurance Scheme (TMIS) • Provision of Shield plan (MediShield or Medisaveapproved private integrated plan) While all employees, including foreign workers, should enjoy basic health coverage, contractual staff are generally not included in the comprehensive health coverage. They are deemed temporary workers with no long-term work commitment by some companies, says Kwok. Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Patrick Tay told TODAY newspaper that employment laws that directly protect freelance professionals are “rare across the

Obamacare impacts contract employees The US Affordable Care Act (known informally as “Obamacare”) requires organisations that employ more than 50 full-time workers to provide health insurance to employees at an affordable rate. If they don’t, these companies will face fines from the US Internal Revenue Service. With a relatively low cut-off rate, the law will affect giant organisations like Google and Apple, as well as small, regional businesses, according to a US-based HR consultancy, Employment Contractor Services (ECS). Economists predict that Obamacare will have an impact on the full-time workforce. Some positions may become part-time to avoid mandatory healthcare costs. This is exemplified by Wal-Mart, which cut some of its staff rosters to below the 30 hours-per-week threshold that would qualify them as full time under the Obamacare legislatsion. Sales have been sinking dramatically at the retailer as the company has turned to hiring mostly temporary workers (those who must reapply for a job every 180 days) to staff stores. Still, the retailer has since announced that 35,000 part-time employees will soon be moved to full-time status, entitling them to the full healthcare benefits. The American workforce may become like that of many European countries: a large base of temporary employees, says ECS. “These employees will work month-to-month contracts. They will receive few benefits and a smaller base pay.”

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

globe”, as those in a “contract of service” are usually the only ones covered by legislation. Kwok says that the misconception that temporary workers have no long-term work commitment should be managed top-down within the company’s management level to ensure that compensation and benefit policies are relevant and effective. “It is simply not logical to exclude contractual staff and foreign workers totally from the compensation and benefit policies, as they do contribute to the company’s performance in different areas and capacities,” he adds.

Health coverage today Different tiers of entitlements can be allocated between full-time, contractual workers and foreign workers to ensure transparency and impartiality of a company’s compensation and benefit policies. “These include the claim amounts set, extent of coverage (for illnesses and accidents), and inclusion of immediate families,” says Kwok. Generally, both medical and dental benefits are capped at a certain amount for full-time staff. This has to be utilised by the end of each calendar year. Medical coverage in Singapore generally also includes hospitalisation benefits and hospitalisation medical leave due to accidents and (non-pre-existing) illnesses. Companies with greater budgets may also include standard annual health screenings for staff, with some even according the same to the immediate family members of staff. “For the mutual benefit of employers and employees, it is important to note that health coverage has to be relevant, reliable and robust,” says Kwok. “Thus, determining the practicality and sustainability of any health coverage is paramount before it should be implemented. “No employee will be happy to learn that their health coverage is scaled back or compromised when the company discovers that existing coverage is affecting its bottom line over the long run,” he adds.

Covering contractual staff Kwok believes there’s a misconception that contractual employees contribute less than full-time staff or that they do not stay long in their roles. “This could explain why some of them are left out of, or not accorded with the same health coverage as their full-time peers,” he explains. “This misconception should be managed top-down within the company’s management level to ensure that the compensation and benefit policies are relevant and effective.” Different amounts or entitlements can be provided for contractual staff based on their length of service, working hours, and probable health risks that they may be exposed to in their job responsibilities. Necessary claim guidelines must be set to ensure that abuse does not take place during or after contractual employment period.

FEATURE

“Having said so, all health coverage should at least meet the authorities’ stipulated labour guidelines, and not fall below the required benchmark even if it is due to the internal varying compensation and benefit policies within a company,” says Kwok.

Involving loved ones Health coverage for dependents may vary from company to company and it is not uncommon to see organisations allowing their employees’ dependents to tap on their annual health coverage cap for the year. “This can allow greater flexibility for staff to use the coverage at their personal discretion,” says Kwok. A separate amount may be set for dependents, particularly with companies that provide more comprehensive health coverage. “Such companies will have more to ‘sell’ and attract their prospective employees, as this may portray them as more caring and sincere employers, as compared to others that offer minimal coverage,” Kwok explains. Separately, other employers may provide more or wider coverage for staff and families of less privileged background. Besides aiming to alleviate the dire financial conditions of these staff, these practices also help to instill staff loyalty and commitment; reducing the possibility of high staff turnover over the long term.

“It is simply not logical to exclude contractual staff and foreign workers totally from the Compensation and Benefit policies, as they do contribute to the company’s performance in different areas and capacities” – RICHARD KWOK, SENIOR MANAGER CORPORATE & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, NTUC UNITY HEALTHCARE CO-OPERATIVE (UNITY DENTICARE)

Contract work now more attractive: Hays survey Eight out of 10 workers in Singapore are finding contract assignments an attractive option, given the current global economic environment. According to a survey by recruiting experts Hays, 13% of workers say this kind of work is now less attractive to them, while seven per cent reported no change in their attitudes over the last year. “Contract work is not limited to entry-level office support roles. Professionals at all levels and various sectors are working on a temporary basis,” says Chris Mead, Regional Director of Hays in Singapore and Malaysia. “We are seeing employers engage contract workers as a longterm solution to their staffing needs and candidates are making the most of this trend as there are many advantages for them too.” Some benefits for candidates considering contract work include the ability to advance their skills and careers on their own terms, attain work-life balance, and to increase their earning potential. Employers, on the other hand, are able to hire particular expertise when needed for special projects. This supports the business’s permanent workforce, thereby increasing productivity. Employers can also use contract workers on a trial basis to test their ability and assess their compatibility with the organisation. An added benefit of using contract workers is that they can be engaged and released at short notice, which can help organisations address challenging times in their business schedules.

Some

70,000 PMETs were hired on term contracts in 2012, up from 67,000 in 2011

Source: Channel NewsAsia

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 45

FEATURE

Corporate Learning

WIPRO

Building an employable workforce, WISEly

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

FEATURE

To address skills shortfalls and bridge the employability gap between graduates and employers in the Indian IT and enabled services sector, Wipro has designed a special training programme known as the Wipro Integrated Skill Enhancement Programme – WISEPro for short. HRM finds out more By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Ninety-nine per cent of Indian IT students lack programming skills. This bleak statistic comes from a test and survey The Talent Crisis in InfoSec, conducted by the EC-Council, an Information Security (InfoSec) certifications and training provider. Unveiling the findings, EC-Council president, Jay Bavisi, said that a mere 13% of engineering students were found trainable in the InfoSec domain, with nearly 86% unskilled even in its basics. “The world is recognising vulnerabilities, leading to cyber threats and attacks. India holds a key position in the global IT and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) map,” Bavisi said. “Every country is taking steps towards building a talent pipeline towards a secure future and we urge Indian industry and academia to address the concerns to retain their leadership in the domain.” There is no doubt that while many of India’s young talent leaving university this year will struggle to find suitable work, those graduates chasing white-collar jobs will be on the same page with businesses that cannot find enough skilled young people. “The IT and ITES industries rely on human capital for their sustenance,” says Ashish Mediratta, Head – Talent Acquisition, Wipro BPO. “Within the industry, companies differentiate themselves on the length and breadth of their service (or product) offerings. This underlying reality establishes the importance of training in these industries.” The output of the human workforce is hence, directly dependent on the ‘quality’ of that workforce. Training forms the bedrock that defines to a large extent the quality of the workforce, and therefore, the end delivery which the organisation’s clients experience. “At Wipro, we pride ourselves on the fact that we are an employee-centric organisation where we facilitate the overall development of our employees,” says Mediratta. “Training programmes are therefore a critical component of the development approach that we have adopted. Our talent training team is recognised as one of the leading training organisations, globally.”

A “wise” approach The employability gap is one of the biggest challenges that India is facing today. “On one hand, we have a large number of youth who complete formal education every year and desire to join the corporate workplace,” Mediratta explains. “The harsh reality is that a significant number of this youth lacks the skills that the organisations in a growing economy need.” It has been found that six in ten Indian employers are facing challenges to source the right talent. The simple reason is the skills gap that exists in terms of communication skills, interpersonal and soft skills, and analytical skills. “The problem of skills shortfall is one that is complicated and immense in its scope,” says Mediratta. To bridge the employability gap in the business processing and enabled services industry, Wipro recently launched the Wipro Integrated Skill Enhancement Programme (WISEPro) (see boxout). The nation-wide initiative, which was developed in collaboration with the academic institutes, seeks to improve the employability of graduates by bridging their skills gap. “Students who successfully complete the programme will be awarded a certification,” says Mediratta. “The certification will enable the candidates to be eligible for a placement at Wipro, if they are able to successfully clear ( just) one round of interviews, as opposed to three or four levels of screening usually followed while recruiting fresh graduates at the company.” The pilot programme has been introduced to the student community at Kolkata-based Techno India Group. To date, 10 of them have taken the final assessment and been certified. They will join Wipro post-completion of their final year graduation exams in May or June ’14. Wipro plans to extend this programme nationally to over 5,000 students by the end of 2014 with a hope to make in-roads into smaller centres in India, as well as the large cities.

60%-75% of 1.5 million engineers that graduate annually across India end up in IT, the leading private sector recruiter. Source: National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom)

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 47

FEATURE

Corporate Learning Catching them young Only

ONE IN THREE

graduates joining the labour force is employable Source: “India Skills Report 2014” compiled by PeopleStrong, an HR company, and skill assessment firm Wheebox, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry

“Wipro BPO hires talent from across India,” says Mediratta. “During these recruitment drives, the observation has been that the selection ratios are very low, on account of the afore-mentioned employability gaps. “The belief is that as the WISEPro Programme will go a long way in helping young aspiring professionals to become employable, not only for Wipro but for the larger services sector encompassing industries such as IT, hospitality, air travel and more,” he adds.

Training for one and all At Wipro, HR and people practices have been designed to keep employees’ best interests in mind, and go a long way in keeping the voluntary attrition levels much lower than the industry average. Training of internal staff is a key focus area within the organisation. “We drive new hire training that helps

Employment status in India Though the study pegs the overall job readiness among India youths at 34%, the sectors with personnel that were most employable were pharmaceuticals (54%) and engineering (51%)

The top 10 states with an “employable pool”.

Employable pool sector wise PHARMA

54%

ENGINEERING

51%

ITI

46%

MCA

43%

MBA

41%

ARTS / COMMERCE

33%

Below 33% (exact % not availble) Source: ‘India Skills Report’ by PeopleStrong, Wheebox, CII

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

prepare an individual for his work life within the organisation, giving tools that enable the individual to be successful,” Mediratta explains. “In addition, we have manager development training programmes that help in developing leaders within the organisation.” At the leadership level, the organisation runs Strategic Leadership Development programmes that prepare senior leaders for their global and evolving roles. Education opportunities are also offered under “SEED”, an education initiative at Wipro BPO. The SEED team provides academic support to employees by offering various educational programmes in areas such as management, IT, finance, and foreign languages in collaboration with top notch institutes. “Such tie-ups ensure that employees can obtain recognised qualifications in domains or education streams of their choice,” says Mediratta.

WISEPro Wipro Limited, a leading global IT, consulting and outsourcing company recently launched a nation-wide initiative, the Wipro Integrated Skill Enhancement Programme (WISEPro). It aims to impart communication and soft skills training to undergraduate students, predominantly from non-engineering colleges in India, with the aim of improving their employability in the IT and Business Process Management (BPM) sectors. “We are of the opinion that considering the quality of the output being created, over a period of time, this certification will get recognition in several industries, besides the IT and BPM industries,” says Subhasish Biswas, Head of Business Excellence at Wipro BPO (a division of Wipro Limited). The 60-hour programme consists of technology-backed modules in a self-paced format, that give students the flexibility to work through the modules over a period of three months, alongside their core graduation course.This self-learning programme consists of a 40-hour Business Communication Skills programme from TaraSpan Solutions, provided at a nominal cost, and a 20-hour Corporate Readiness module that is proprietary to Wipro. In addition to the e-learning modules, the programme has periodic classroom connect programmes, through which students can interact directly with trainers. “Enhancing employability to role-specific requirements in the IT, BPM and other services sector is a step in the right direction. It is imperative that companies, academic institutions and the government work closely towards improving the employability of young people in India and help to scale up a readily deployable talent pool,” says Dr. Sandhya Chintala, Executive Director of the Sector Skills Council (SSC).

MICE

Corporate Dining

Galloping towards the Year of the

HORS As we usher in this Lunar New Year, the annual conundrum of finding a suitable location to feast and celebrate dawns upon us. In this guide, HRM explores venues to hold the annual dinner and what new offerings might be in store for businesses By Aaron Tan

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

MICE

RSE Wan Hao Yu Sheng – Marriott Hotel Singapore

A flurry of events close 2013, with Christmas trees barely put into storage and the decorations for New Year’s Eve only just taken down, the next big thing on HR’s calendar in 2014 is the Lunar New Year. The Spring Festival, as it is also known, is a staple feature for companies in Singapore. The annual feast of Chinese cuisines along with yusheng, a quintessential Teochew-style raw fish salad, is served. Some companies even go so far as to organise a display of the traditional Lion Dance to usher in good fortune and wealth. “Many still hold their Chinese roots close to their hearts and the demand for Lunar New Year lunches and dinners remains very strong,” says Antony Page, general manager of Marriott Hotels Singapore. “Some restaurants may attempt to introduce fusion or modern

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant – Marriott Hotel Singapore

cuisine these days, but traditional Chinese New Year food will always remain popular and sought-after.” But food aside, the main crux of the Lunar New Year revolves around reunions – celebrating the bonds of friendship and camaraderie amongst employers and employees. This sentiment is echoed by Tan Bee Ling, vice president of resort sales at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), “The requirements for events during this period are quite basic – where good food and ambience encourage bonding and gathering takes precedence.” With both local and multinational corporations placing so much significance on the celebrations, it is important that HR starts planning for the event in advance. Chinese New Year comes early this year in January, and restaurants are already taking reservations for the season. ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 51

MICE

Corporate Dining TOP TIPS FOR CNY There are many ways of spicing up the traditional Chinese New Year Party. Here are some suggestions from HRM: • Dress for the occasion. Dispense with the formalities and add vibrant colours – especially red and gold – to the theme of the party. After all, it is a celebration of a New Year on the lunar calendar. • Make table and venue reservations in advance to avoid disappointment. • Customisation is the trend nowadays. Not to be outdone, have a small team plan a programme that will be memorable for all. • If the yusheng is going to be held in the office premises, make sure there are plastic sheets covering the tables, or be prepared for an rduous clean-up session as it is, more often than not, a messy affair. • Surprise staff with a dressed-up God of Fortune giving out oranges or even ang baos.

A Canton celebration At the heart of Orchard Road, Wan Hao restaurant in the Marriott Hotel offers a one-stop experience like nothing else. Authentic Cantonese dishes such as Roasted Peking Duck, Braised Fish Maw, Conpoy, Dried Oysters and Pen Cai are signatures featured on their menu. “We have always stood to uphold and offer the excellence of tradition,” Page says. “Our regulars value the authenticity and naturally come back for our offerings.” In fact, Wan Hao restaurant prides itself in providing quality and authentic Cantonese cuisine with traditional roots, which is highly valued with customers. He comments, “Of course, freshness is also of upmost importance. On occasions, some customers will work with us for exclusively tailored menus.” Bookings at Wan Hao have been available since October last year and include: private function rooms dressed up with festive decorations, complimentary Mandarin oranges, Singapore Marriott Hotel Red Packets and carriers, free flow of soft drinks and special wine prices.

Island festivities

Maritime Experiential Museum Bao Chuan Viewing Gallery – Resorts World Sentosa 52

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

Another venue to consider holding the Chinese New Year feast at is Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). With so many options available, companies are spoilt for choice in this particular destination. Aside from the Feng Shui Inn Chinese restaurant, RWS is extending corporate dining to other food and beverage options as well, including contemporary Chinese cuisine with bold new flavours at Forest restaurant, helmed by well-known Singapore celebrity chef Sam Leong, and a whole new dining experience under the sea at the world’s largest aquarium – S.E.A. Aquarium. This package includes dinner with free-flow soft drinks at the Ocean Gallery, in front of the world’s largest acrylic panel with a view of more than 50,000 marine animals. Award-winning Cantonese restaurant Feng Shui Inn’s is offering eight-course reunion menus. Toss to an auspicious new year with Chinese Head Chef Li Kwok Kwong’s new creation of the horse-shaped ‘Lo Hei’ that comes with an Italian twist. This new creation symbolises ‘galloping’ towards a bright future (马到功成) and features a medley of refreshingly sharp flavours and colours, combined with thinly sliced salmon, crispy-skinned mackerel, and silver fish as well as strips of chewy bak gwa. Over at Forest森, Celebrity Chef Sam Leong will also be introducing two five-course reunion set lunches, showcasing contemporary Chinese cuisine with a touch of prestige. In addition, three six-course set dinner menus are available during the festive

MICE

The Spring Festival,

period priced. Some signature dishes include, Drunken Canadian Geoduck Clam, Braised Superlative Imperial Bird’s Nest with Crabmeat and Crab Roe, and Braised Sea Treasure.

as it is also known, is a staple feature for companies in Singapore

Fishing prosperity If seafood is more suited to your palate, look no further than the Jumbo Group of restaurants. With five restaurants open islandwide during the festive period, consumers will be spoilt for choice with their affordable menus. Not surprisingly, these are seafoodcentric, featuring Jumbo Group’s award-winning Chilli Crab and the signature Black Pepper Crab amongst others. “We planned our menu and dishes around the Chinese New Year theme, using only the freshest quality ingredients available,” a spokesperson for Jumbo Group said. “Our executive chefs will then arrange a few rounds of food tasting to gather feedback and refine the taste before finalising the menu and dishes. We also take into considerations to include some of our favourite signatures in the menu.”

CrayFish SzeChuan Peppercorns – JUMBO

Abalone & Spiny Sea Cucumber with Shitake – JUMBO

HRiQ Core. HRiQ Talent. Employee Portal. HRiQ Cloud.

Request For A Demo Today! +65 6594 4151 hrm@iqDynamics.com

A Complete Human Capital Management Solution COMPLETE Integrated Human Capital Solution SUPERIOR Talent Management for A Sustainable Workforce FLEXIBLE Modularity for Ease of Expansion and Growth ON-THE-GO Reporting, Approval and Application for Agile Management QUICK and Easy Deployment with Low Capital Outlay Partner

Gold Independent Software Vendor (ISV)

iqDynamics Pte Ltd 2 Leng Kee Road #06-04 Thye Hong Centre Singapore (159086) www.iqdynamics.com

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 53

IN PERSON

HR talent Sehr Ahmed

Senior HR Director, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Mcdonalds

How many years of HR experience? In my 22-year career, I spent the first 10 years in front line corporate banking roles and the next 12 years in HR leadership roles. Why HR? My transition to HR took place at ABN AMRO Bank in Pakistan where I was working in the Corporate Banking division. HR has really been my “calling” as it draws on my personal strengths such as influencing, engaging, transforming, and public speaking. I also like the fact that in HR we have the ability to have large scale organisational impact and are not just a cog in the wheel. Why McDonald’s? McDonald’s is an incredible company with inspiring leaders and an iconic brand. I have had the opportunity to not only reinvent myself in the Consumer Informal Eating Out sector but also build deep business knowledge and relationships within the system. This is a company that truly understands the power of new beginnings.

Biggest achievement? I would say to raise two amazing kids on my own while building a successful career. Biggest Challenge? I took on an HR leadership role for an insurance company where I was dealing with changes in the organisational structure while the HR function itself was changing. It was a challenging year but one where I learned a lot about my strengths. After hours (What do you do after work)? I like to work out at the gym and do some yoga. I also enjoy spending time with my 16-year-old daughter. Family (How does your family support you in terms of your job)? I am a single parent and have raised my kids singlehandedly since they were three years and 18 months old. My son is 18 now and my daughter is 16 and a half years old. They have always been a source of strength and pride for me and have supported me throughout my career.

TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

HR at work 6:00 AM Rise and shine with some English breakfast tea and news, or sometimes a book that I am on to and can’t keep down. I check the calendar for the day and make sure that I am on top of everything. If there’s anything urgent that needs attention right away, I will act on it. 8:00 AM Travel to work, with music or sometimes, some podcasts.

Nitin More

Head of Learning & Development, APAC, Facebook

8:30 AM Sometimes, there are workshops to facilitate. So I get prepped for them and get going. I love being in workshops and interacting with the smartest of the people, challenging them and being challenged. Other days, I pick up the most creative thing on my schedule and kill it. It gives me a lot of energy for the rest of the day (sometimes even the week). 10:30 AM Emails, meetings, stakeholder catch-ups, analytics. 12:00 PM Lunch – This is generally accompanied with music. I am a big fan of Indian classical music and I get my energy bursts with my favourite music.

1:00 PM All priority items – everything that cannot wait until tomorrow, even if it means rolling up my sleeves and jumping right in to it. 3:00 PM Coaching engagements, monitoring progress of current projects and catching up with team members. Coaching engagements towards the end of the day give me a kick. It’s great to end a workday with the feeling that you’ve been of help to somebody. Of course, the entire day is peppered with multiple small physical and Facebook breaks! 5:00 PM Head home, of course. I have a cup of tea and head to Henderson Waves or the tree top walk in Telok Blangah Park to catch the sunset. 8:00 PM Cook – by the way, I forgot to mention – I am single. So yes, I do cook! I then focus on emails, meetings, reading, and connecting with family and friends over the phone or web. 11:00 PM Not wanting to be mildly intoxicated the next day, in spite of not consuming alcohol, I head to bed. ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 55

TALENT LADDER

New Appointments Gaurav Hirey

Chief Talent Officer- South Asia, GroupM Gaurav Hirey has been promoted to as Chief Talent Officer – South Asia at GroupM. Hirey has been a part of GroupM since 2008 and was previously the Regional HR Director, APAC. In his new expanded role as CTO, South Asia, Hirey will be responsible for driving the agenda on People, Culture and Values at GroupM which will include employee acquisition, training, development, retention and growth for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He will continue to work with GroupM APAC Regional Talent team and will be based in

Mumbai from January 1, 2014. Hirey will also be a part of the GroupM South Asia Executive Committee and will report to CVL Srinivas, CEO, GroupM South Asia, and Angela Ryan, Global CTO, GroupM. Srinivas said, “GroupM has always placed a lot of emphasis on talent and over the years we have built a strong talent team. As we move to the next stage of the People Transformation journey, I am pleased to welcome Gaurav Hirey back as our Chief Talent Officer – South Asia. Gaurav has a successful track record of making

things happen and is the best person to lead our people agenda. “ Hirey said, “India and South Asian markets are exciting markets. I am very excited about the new leadership and the new vision at GroupM South Asia and look forward to leveraging the last two years of my international exposure and the network to help and impact business results.” Hirey joined GroupM initially in 2008 in Mumbai and built the HR function at GroupM India, making it one the Best Employer brands in the country, before moving into a regional role in Singapore.

Kōji Higashinaka

Chief Human Resource Officer, SATO Holdings Corporation Barcode printing, labelling, and EPC/ RFID solutions specialist SATO has appointed K ji Higashinaka as Chief Human Resource Officer (CHO). In this new role, Higashinaka will be responsible for the Group’s overall HR strategy worldwide, including recruitment, training, organisational development and talent management. One of his primary aims will be to nurture and groom globally-minded employees into next-generation leaders. “At SATO, our long-term strategy is to pursue the globalisation of our

business and the maximisation of customer value, and so cultivating highly-skilled, internationally-oriented leaders is essential for us,” said Kaz Matsuyama, President & CEO of SATO Holdings Corporation. “I look forward to Mr. Higashinaka taking the lead in helping us achieve these goals with his expertise and track record of success.” Higashinaka brings a wealth of experience to this role, having worked in a variety of high-level HR and labour management positions at multinational organisations including

Kureha Corporation and Johnson & Johnson. Prior to joining SATO, he was head of HR and an executive officer at AIU Insurance Company. Commenting on his new role, Higashinaka said, “I am very excited to be joining SATO Group as CHO. I will endeavour to do my utmost in contributing towards the building of a corporate culture and organisation dedicated to pursuing ceaseless creativity to establish a strong foundation for sustainable company growth and development.”

Regine Low

Assistant Manager, HR, Crescendas Hospitality Management Regine Low has been appointed Assistant Manager of HR for Crescendas Hospitality Management, magnaging Aqueen Hotels and Arena Country Club. Having had more than a decade of experience, Low’s most recent appointment prior to joining Crescendas was in the role of Assistant HR Manager at Amara Singapore. “My previous positions have definitely given me excellent exposure to the field of HR and were good stepping stones for me to gain 56

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

knowledge in professional HR practices,” says Low. “Crescendas Hospitality started in 2012 and is expanding at a fairly fast pace; the new challenges that come with the expansion will provide me with greater exposure to challenges in HR for hotels, resorts and country club operations.” While her new role involves the full spectrum of HR functions at both the corporate and operational level, Low will be focused on recruitment and standardisation of HR policies and procedures across the brands within

Crescendas Hospitality Management, which are in the process of expanding locally and overseas. “I look forward to growing with the organisation as it expands its presence locally and internationally and to continually learn from the veterans in the industry,” says Low. “HR is an integral department of any company and it is my responsibility to ensure that the highest standards of HR practices be maintained. I look forward to showcasing Aqueen and Arena as choice employers.”

TALENT CHALLENGE

HR and communication

Talent retention What is your organisation’s main tactic for keeping top performers? Atul Khosla

VP Human Resources, Asia Pacific, Mondelēz International

In the face of tremendous growth in this region, any organisation’s ability to attract and retain top talent is defined not by what you have to offer, but rather what great talent can co-create with you. Organisations which provide a broader growth experience with the right environment for top talent to flourish will eventually be the ones who will be successful in retaining them. Our “belief” – power of big and small – accurately describes our company. We are a global powerhouse with the nimbleness and agility of a start-up company. We have global brands which people love and trust. Our holistic focus on building the right capacity, capability and culture are the core critical elements of our talent acquisition and retention strategy. We are providing holistic experiences, tremendous growth opportunities and a chance to be part of a $35 billion ‘start up’. We are focused on creating the right space for top talent through our sustained focus on building capacity and defining roles to engage the right talent. We provide them with global career opportunities, and create a work place that brings to life the “power of big, and small.” In line with our values and “belief”, our organisation structures and roles are designed to provide end-to-end experiences and complete ownership of their roles. This breeds strong individual development that creates leaders who are empowered to take bold actions. Our belief of the “power of big. and small” is what enables us to connect deep with our associates and build a stronger connection with Mondel z International.

Kelly Ho

Director of Human Resources, The Westin Singapore

As part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, The Westin Singapore has programmes dedicated to recognising outstanding employees, developing talent to be ready for the next stages of their careers, and encouraging top performers to continue their journey with us. The Starwood Cares Recognition Programme is designed to provide timely recognition to employees who have demonstrated exceptional behaviours and Starwood Values towards guests and the community. We also run the Starwood Careers Programme, a holistic and integrated talent development system designed to proactively train and develop new skills. In particular, the Starwood Careers Executive Track has successfully developed high potential internal managers to become high-calibre leaders. Our success stories include employees such as Zulkiflee Januar, Director of Food & Beverage (F&B). He received a transfer opportunity to China for international exposure and was trained to manage the F&B team under his wing. Under the Starwood Careers Programme, he returned to Singapore to open The Westin Singapore. Another star player is Sushil Sharma, Hotel Manager, who moved from the US to India, and is now in Singapore, having completed the General Manager Track recently. Providing these programmes and career opportunities has motivated and retained our top performers, while also inspiring other associates to achieve their best.

Mark Larsen

Head of HR ASEAN-Pacific, Philips Electronics Singapore

It all starts with identifying your top performers based on clear targets and criteria for performance. In Philips we use a nine-box grid to evaluate and calibrate employees on the ‘what’ (results) and the ‘how’ (behaviour) and they are equally important in driving results and building a high performance culture. We force ourselves to differentiate and not only identify poor, but even more importantly our top performers in the upper right corner of the grid. In a separate talent review discussion we assess the potential of a person based on ‘performance over time’, ‘ability to learn’ and ‘aspiration’. Top performers with strong leadership potential have a high flight risk, as they are in high demand by the market and at the same time they often hold a critical position in the organisation. The Philips retention strategy focuses on three elements— career development, remuneration and engagement. First question is: Do we have a clear career plan in place and did the manager have this conversation with the employee? Secondly we have to make sure that the remuneration benefits and incentives are not becoming a ‘push factor’, the company is market competitive and the individual is rewarded fairly. In addition we apply retention bonuses that keep employees committed over a longer period. Lastly we have to make sure that engagement is managed via the direct manager and skip-level meetings. The role of the manager is extremely important and usually a key differentiator! ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 57

RESOURCES

Book Reviews

Meaningful conversations In everyday working life, conversations take place between colleagues, superiors and management executives. Yet more often than not, topics discussed are dissimilar, depending on the people and level of seniority. Clearly, there will be a disparity between conversations of managers and leaders. While managers’ conversations are generally transactional and taskoriented, leaders must focus on people management, asking questions that matter and aligning employees with the vision for the future. Leadership mindsets and skills can be developed, and the book Leadership Conversations provides a simple

6870 8383

¤ ¤ ¥¤ ¯

¥ ª¥ ¦¢ ¤ x

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

ifl@sp.edu.sg

guide for connecting with others in ways that transform each interaction into an opportunity for both organisational and personal growth. Three key elements that the book provides: • Highlights four types of conversation crucial for an effective leader: Building relationships, making decisions, taking action, and developing others • Outlines an action plan for boosting individual leadership potential, as well as developing leadership skills in others • Makes use of the authors’ rich experience in coaching and working with leaders at a wide range of organisations, including NASA, Boeing, Gillette and Bausch & Lomb etc. to provide a rich array of real-world examples. Leadership Conversations is a must-read for both high-potential managers looking to make it to the next level and leaders looking to develop their people.

www.finlit.sg

Title: Leadership Conversations – challenging highpotential managers to become great leaders Author: Alan S. Berson and Richard G. Stieglitz Publisher: Jossey-Bass Price: S$ 35.11

facebook.com/finlit.sg

<RXU HPSOR\HHV¶ ILQDQFLDO ZHOO EHLQJ LV LPSRUWDQW IRU WKHLU SK\VLFDO KHDOWK +HOS WKHP OHDUQ KRZ WR EHWWHU PDQDJH WKHLU PRQH\

Don’t Miss the HR Night of the Year HRM Awards is Asia’s pre-eminent event for celebrating the best and brightest HR people and practices. Now in its eleventh year, HRM Awards continues to be the benchmark for recognising and celebrating the very best in HR. Join the who’s who in HR at the industry’s biggest night of the year.

2014

awards Emcee – Adrian Pang

Featuring – Chua Enlai From ‘The Noose’

AWARDS

2014

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore | 21 February 2014

Title Sponsor

Event Partners

Book your table/seats now at:

www.hrmawards.com

Opportunities . SINGAPORE Reward Specialist . Insurance

Head of TM & OD - APAC EMEA . Pharmaceuticals

This leading international insurer is looking for an experienced reward professional to join its team. Based in Singapore, this role spans several lines of business and will lend support to the regional offices when necessary. This is an opportunity for candidates with a strong knowledge of benefits administration to step into a more strategic role and to expand into a broader C&B capacity. Strong drive for personal development is key in this role; there is a great opportunity to learn and progress. Excellent relationship and interpersonal skills are an essential requirement; this will be a frontfacing role, regularly interacting with and advising the business. Ref: JG193711 Up to SG$90,000 per annum

Our client is a global leader in the pharmaceutical field, with exciting transformation plans. As part of these plans they are looking to appoint a Head of TM and OD for the region. This role will support the implementation of the global TM and OD strategy and will be an even blend of both specialisms. As a true partner, this role will act as a consultant, providing enhanced support and guidance to the region as the business continues to grow. Reporting into the Regional Head of HR, with dotted line reporting into global functions based in the US. Candidates must have strong OD and TM experience and have worked within a highly matrix organisation. Ref: FN 193571 SG$Attractive

To discuss HR roles across Asia, please contact Fiona Nesbitt or Jenae Grieveson on +65 6420 0515. Alternatively, email fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com or jenaegrieveson@frazerjones.com

frazerjones.com

PART OF THE SR GROUP

@frazerjonesHR

Frazer-Jones

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

Regional Compensation & Benefits Manager

Regional Talent Acquisition Manager

HR Director

› Global leader in industry

› Renowned US multinational

› Rare opportunity with a luxury retail brand

› Attractive remuneration package

› High visibility and exposure to the business

› Strategic role to double the Malaysia business

Our client is an established organisation within the Oil & Gas industry looking for a Regional Compensation & Benefits Manager to guide business leaders in developing and implementing compensation strategies that are both equitable and competitive. Reporting to the Global C&B Director, you will manage cross border assignments from a compensation, benefits design and administration perspective. Ideally you should be Degree qualified with a minimum of 8 years of experience in regional compensation & benefits.

Our client has interests in more than 20 countries with a staff strength exceeding 12,000 across the globe. Reporting to the Regional HR Director, you will be expected to create a talent acquisition and development strategy to meet the expanding business objectives. Key to your success is your ability to engage stakeholders to partner with them in their strategic planning. You will have a tertiary Degree in HR with at least 8 years of relevant experience. You will be a proven leader, an effective communicator and possess strong influencing skills.

Our client is a market leading global retail brand with 25,000 committed employees worldwide. They are currently expanding rapidly in South East Asia and are seeking an experienced HR Director to look after their Singapore and Malaysia business. The successful candidate will have a minimum of 8 years of HR experience with at least 4 of those years in a managerial capacity. Strong knowledge of the Malaysian market plus hands-on experience in talent attraction, engagement and retention is key to succeeding in this role.

Please contact Sean Tong (Reg no: R1110029) quoting ref: H2022490 or visit our website.

Please contact Eugene Wong (Reg no: R1331128) quoting ref: H2037670 or visit our website.

Please contact Lucia Deng (Reg no: R1109119) quoting ref: H1999410 or visit our website.

To apply for any of the above positions, please go to www.michaelpage.com.sg and search for the reference number, or contact the relevant consultant on +65 6533 2777 for a confidential discussion.

Human Resources

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

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

#14541 Licence No.: 98C5473 Business Registration No: 199804751N

{

EA Licence No: 12C6222

YOUR CAREER IN HUMAN RESOURCES HR BUSINESS PARTNER

DYNAMIC ROLE FINANCIAL SERVICES

A financial services company is currently seeking a HR business partner to be based in Singapore to drive continued success by partnering with the business and working closely with the global management. Job Responsibilities: Key Requirements: • contribute to the development and alignment of HR and L&D • degree in human resource management or equivalent with at service delivery to the business least five years’ HR experience within a multinational corporation • partner with the business and play an advisory role in full • good relationship management and influencing skills HR functions such as recruitment, learning & development, • well-versed in employment, tax and CPF legislations compensation & benefits and performance management • utilise HR metrics to develop strategies to reduce risks, influence costs and address people related priorities, issues and challenges • build strong and effective relationships with business leaders For more information, please email your CV to Bina Patel (EA license: R1327750) at bina.patel@robertwalters.com.sg or call (65) 6228 0206 quoting Ref. No. 692680.

REGIONAL HR MANAGER

REGIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTRAL LOCATION

A fast growing leader in packaging technology is looking for a regional HR manager to drive the organisation’s HR practice across Asia Pacific. As the HR manager, you must be able to quickly establish yourself as a strategically minded business partner by contributing to the development of the business across the region. Job Responsibilities: • work closely with local leadership to translate business goals into achievable HR objectives • provide input to the development of regional reward philosophy and practices • introduce and update policies and procedures in line with legislative changes • advise and support managers in talent and performance management

Key Requirements: • at least 15 years of relevant HR experience with a proven track record in being an effective HR business partner • experience in manufacturing or plant operations environment • excellent understanding of an operational HR function and strong communication and interpersonal skills

For more information, please email your CV to Estelle Ling (EA license: R1329434) at estelle.ling@robertwalters.com.sg or call (65) 6228 5351 quoting Ref. No. 689010.

PAYROLL SPECIALIST

FINANCIAL SERVICES 6-MONTH CONTRACT

An opportunity to support a payroll team for a period of 8 months until June 2014 has opened. The successful candidate will be supporting offices across APAC. Job Responsibilities: Key Requirements: • ensure all pay elements are uploaded and payroll change • work experience in Singapore; regional experience will be a notifications are authorised before payroll processing flexible approach to work, combined with a “can do” attitude that is task-orientated • manage funding in payroll bank account to ensure no bank overdraft, and reconcile bank summary report/payment • a logical mind with a high level of attention to details, good communication skills both written and spoken, and good • ensure tax filing for leaver is done as per each country’s legislation knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word deadline to the country tax authority. • prepare payroll account journal and liaise with payroll accounting team for any accounting matters For more information, please email your CV to Leanne Nettleship (EA license: R1215829) at leanne.nettleship@robertwalters.com.sg or call (65) 6228 0271 quoting Ref. No. 681180.

RECRUITMENT INTERNATIONAL AWARDS 2011

BEST INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT COMPANY

HR VENDORS OF THE YEAR AWARD 2011

WINNER, PREFERRED RECRUITMENT FIRM (MID RANGE / HIGH END ROLES)

www.robertwalters.com.sg AUSTRALASIA ASIA AFRICA EUROPE AMERICAS Business Registration Number: 199706961E Licence No: 03C5451

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 61

Your career in HR starts here. Senior Manager, Benefits

Lead in employee benefits development for large organization You will formulate and implement employee benefits policies for a large local organization; identifying issues, opportunities and make recommendations for staff benefits. You will implement annual benefits surveys and conduct analysis of the survey results to develop or enhance solutions. This position will also require you to spearhead activities such as workplace wellness programmes to promote morale, integration and sense of belonging. You have a recognised degree with at least 8 years of relevant experience in a large organisation with 3-4 years specialising in compensation and benefits. A strong communicator with an eye for details will be essential. Working knowledge of SAP will be of an advantage.

91722C

Senior Training Executive

Structure learning and process improvement plans for well-known manufacturing firm You will conduct TNA, formulate and structure a holistic learning plan and environment to meet the organizational goals and staff development needs. Accountable for successful implementation of operational trainings, leadership and soft skills training, you will coordinate well with all internal and external partners to ensure smooth delivery and maximum training effectiveness. Other scope would include training evaluation, budgeting and application for grants. We are seeking a degree holder with 6 years of experience in L&D. Candidates with experience in the manufacturing industry would have an advantage. You should be able to conduct stand-up training when required, and be familiar with process improvement tools (FMEA / SPC, etc). Contact us at +65 6603 3367 / hrmg@capitagrp.com for a confidential discussion.

Assistant HR Manager

Trusted HR advisor in a matrix organization Closely in hand with the Regional HR Manager to lead the HR team, you will take care of all HR operational and strategic duties in recruitment and onboarding, employee relations, OD and TM, compensation and benefits, welfare, etc. You will be a trusted advisor to business managers on all performance-related issues, which would include succession planning, talent management, retention and employee counselling. Other duties would involve analysing various HR reports as required. With about 6 years of similar working experience, you thrive well in a complex matrix and dynamic business environment. We are looking for HR business partners who are resilient and able to lead in initiatives to improve processes and relationship building within the organization. A resourceful and self-starter mentality would be essential, as well as a strong business acumen to add value to management decisions. Contact us at +65 6632 0045 / hrmg@capitagrp.com for a confidential discussion.

Professional. Personalised. Passionate. THE HALLMARK OF OUR TALENT SOLUTIONS

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

CAPITA PTE LTD

EA Licence No. 08C2893 An ISO 9001:2008 certified company

Regional HR Manager, Asia Newly created role

Manage a small team

Our client in the industrial sector is currently looking to hire a Regional HR Manager to cover their Singapore, India and China operations. This role will lead a small HR team to cover the full spectrum of HR services and be the contact for all regional HR matters. The primary objective of this role is to provide HR leadership to the GM and management team while providing assurance around alignment and consistent HR delivery. You will also be required to provide operational HR day-to-day leadership and support for the regions covered. You will ensure that existing HR policies and initiatives are continuously reviewed and improved and will be responsible for any new HR initiatives for any new region. You should have strong academic credentials with a degree in HRM or relevant discipline, ideally with 10+ years of full spectrum HR experience. You will have an excellent track record in building and maintaining relationships at all levels within a business. Prior HR experience handling India and China will be preferred. Successful candidate needs to be English and Mandarin conversant to liaise with employees in the covered regions. Travelling will be expected but not more than 30%. 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 Registration No. R1108467

HR Manager Regional role involving full spectrum HR

Career progression

Our client, a reputed IT company is looking for a high caliber, dynamic, HR professional to manage their expanding operations. This role ecompasses the full spectrum of HR functions mainly responsible for Singapore and support APAC in the near future. You will be required to come up with plans for employee engagement, development, internal training, vendor management, recreation activities and events. You will be liaising with various business units and work in close association with line managers for smooth functioning of business operations. You will be responsible for performance management, annual compensation exercise, promotion cycle and variable bonus plan review, and at the same time you will be required to give strong consultative support on various HR related matters. You should have 5-7 years of extensive HR generalist experience with good knowledge of the HRIS system. You should have a full time degree in HR/Business/Finance or any other relevant discipline. You must have knowledge of the Singapore Employment Act and should be hands on with drafting company policies and procedures. The ability to communicate with people at all levels is essential in this role. It is a solo contributor role with a broad set of responsibilities hence you should also be proficient in multitasking. To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to priya_prakash@kellyservices.com.sg or contact Priya Prakash at (65) 6227 2251 for a confidential discussion. EA Personnel Registration No. R1325491

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

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 63

Global Rewards Senior Manager – Electrical Energy

Head of HR – Pharmaceutical (Based in Myanmar)

Senior Manager/Assistant Director – Tourism

Global Exposure

Leading Player In Global Pharmaceutical

Leader In the Tourism and Services Sector

Newly Created Role

Leading a HR Management Team

Competitive Remuneration

A global specialist in electrical energy management is looking for strong rewards professional to join their stable and growing organization in a critical role that believes in great working environment where openness, teamwork, social responsibility and innovation can succeed. This individual contributor role will report directly to the Rewards Director in Hong Kong.

A leading player in the global pharmaceutical industry with a strong pipeline and aggressive growth plans in Asia is seeking for a high calibre Head of HR to join their APAC team and be based in Myanmar. This is a highly visible role where you will actively drive business performance and growth across Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

This leading organisation has a strong reputation in the tourism sector, which is known for its innovation and excellence. With a global portfolio and growth agenda the client is appointing a dynamic and talented individual to join Singapore headquarter.

You will play a strategic adviser to regional partners by providing detailed analysis, expertise and innovative solutions to ensure appropriate understanding of rewards programs. In this role, you will identify gaps and apply effective actions by shaping the decision-making process and influencing stakeholders. You will work closely with each country rewards teams to balance local, regional and industry norms to ensure consistent global framework. Ideally, you are degree qualified preferably in business or HR-related with 10 years relevant work experience with strong knowledge of C&B practices. You have significant work experience gained within progressive organisations. To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC6319\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

Reporting to the country head, you will provide strategic consultation across talent acquisition, compensation & benefits, learning & development and performance management, etc. You will champion and lead the employees to excel and align to the company’s objectives. As the HR lead, you will effectively plan, design, develop and evaluate HR initiatives that support organizational strategic goal.

As a strategic partner to the business units, you work closely with Learning & Development, Compensation & benefits, HR Policy & Planning, and Shared Services teams to review and implement competitive HR policies, systems and processes to attract, retain and engage people. Aside these, you will also play the role of a senior business partners to the business units and mentoring the team members.

Degree from a recognised university with at least 10 years of experience in HR generalist functions with prior experience in pharmaceutical would be advantageous. You should possess business and functional acumen, and be able to influence work to ensure alignment between business and HR strategies.

Degree from a recognised university with at least 10 years of experience in HR generalist functions. You have exposure to HR best practices and with at least 3 years of supervisory experience, ideally in managing up to 10 team members is preferred. You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You have the ability to multitask and undertake pressure in a fast-paced environment.

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC6353\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC6270\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

Financial Services I Commerce I Engineering I Human Resources I Legal I Sales & Marketing I Technology 64

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

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

Returning the Human to Resourcing

6 Best Headhunting awards in Asiamoney Headhunters Poll for Asia since 2009

HR Business Partner – Logistics Industry

Talent Acquisition Specialist (AVP) – Banking

Regional Training Advisor – Chemical Industry

Global MNC

Global Financial Institution

Fortune 500 Company

Excellent Career Development

Open to Agency Recruiters

Newly Created Role with regional scope

Competitive Remuneration

Regional Focus

Competitive Remuneration

This is a leading multinational with a significant global footprint. An opportunity now exists for a strategic business partner to join them in this generalist role. Due to a changing organizational structure, they are now looking for a driven HR business partner to further deepen the HR function in their operations.

A global financial institution is looking for a talent acquisition specialist to support their wealth management business. This is an exciting opportunity to join an organization, which offers a real opportunity to make an impact, drive growth and partner closely with the business.

This global organisation is one of the world's most recognized and respected chemicals organisation. Due to continued growth, there is now an exciting opportunity for a dynamic individual to be part of its training and development team, based in western part of Singapore.

This role is highly visible as you will be reporting directly to the regional HR head. Supporting the company’s Changi plant, this role will provide business partnering support and consultation to the line managers on aspects such as talent management, compensation & benefits, employee relations, and etc. You can be expected to partake in strategic HR initiatives as well as involved in operational day to day matters for the operations.

You will report to the Head of HR based in Singapore and will be expected to work closely with the business to recruit across a wide range of functions for the regional offices. You will need to play an active role to develop and maintain the Bank’s preferred vendor listing. This also includes driving graduate recruitment, talent management initiatives and be responsible for internal secondments and permanent transfers. You would be required to work independently and also to be competent at managing external agencies.

You will be responsible for designing and organizing a range of programmes in organizational development. You will play a proactive role to work closely with the business units to identify staff learning and development needs, and developing strategic initiatives for continuous improvement.

Ideally you are degree qualified with a minimum of 5 years’ HR experience. You possess strong working knowledge of HR practices across the region as well as have a broad overview of certain specialist functions.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at finian@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6329\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

You will have at least 5 years of recruitment experience ideally with in-house recruitment or agency environment. Knowledge and experience in the banking sector is an added advantage. You are a powerful communicator with good stakeholder management skills. To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at finian@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6309\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

We are looking for individuals with strong training background. You possess strong experience in innovation and L&D including standup delivery. You have good people skills and is able to connect well with people at all levels. You have a keen interest in curriculum design and programme. You must also possess strong analytical and interpersonal skills and organizational ability. Traveling up to 40% is expected for this role.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at finian@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6052\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

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

Multi-award winning recruitment firm with specialist practices in: Banking, Finance - Commerce, Engineering, Human Resources, Legal, Sales & Marketing, and Technology.

www.kerryconsulting.com ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 65

Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts country Hr manager oversee the Hr strategy

regional compensation & Benefits manager lead a regional team & advise the business

Implementing best HR practices will be an integral part of this role. You will move the HR function to first class level and push HRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emphasis on delivery and business partnership. This role will manage salary grading and HRIS. Experience in setting smart goals for salary benchmarking and succession planning will be required to realise the long term strategy. This position will also oversee training, talent management and HR policy development. You should be hands on and ideally come from a shipping or oil & gas HR background.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the regional compensation and benefits strategy for an investment firm with a global footprint and an impeccable reputation. You will need 7-8 years of relevant experience and thorough firsthand knowledge of Asian benchmarks. A big picture person, you must be able to communicate with headquarters effectively and partner with the business to realise their strategy, even anticipate future requirements and how to plan for these. Based in Singapore, this role will lead a small team.

regional payroll manager Harmonise the apac region

Hr Business partner regional apac focus

A fantastic opportunity exists for a Regional Payroll Manager to join this growing MNC with a view to manage the region and harmonise processes and procedures across more than ten countries. Reporting to the Head of HR for Asia Pacific, your main role will be to supervise, develop and deliver the payroll with metrics. As part of the global payroll function, you will be responsible for bringing together a standard consistency across the region, identifying process improvements and be heavily involved in the implementation of the new global system and other projects.

This expanding US multinational within the IT industry is growing rapidly and needs a Regional HR Generalist to oversee the HR function across a number of countries globally. Reporting to the Senior Manager, you will be responsible for supporting staff in all matters pertaining to HR across Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Korea and the US, leveraging off the centres of excellence based in Japan. With more than eight years experience as an HR generalist, you will have worked within a start up environment ideally within the IT/Technology industry, and be happy to work in a hands on capacity where there will be HR administration and coordination work.

please contact tamara sigerhall , ash russell, mamta shukla or chris lui at hr.singapore@hays.com.sg or +65 6303 0721.

hays.com.sg

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM 67

ISSUE 14.1

HRMASIA.COM

We are proud to be SSAE 16 certified

Payroll Outsourcing Why deal with the risks of incorrect payroll calculations, lack of legal compliance and internal control issues, when you can simply outsource the entire process to a company that specializes in nothing else?

Training & Assessments We proactively stay ahead of changes, and are constantly working to ensure that our organisation is ready and available to share our deep market knowledge with you.

Global Leave We operate a flexible policy engine that can manage all your different leave policy processes across multiple countries. Gone are the trails of paperwork, confusion on leave balances, errors due to miscalculations and missing request forms.

Payroll Systems Our payroll systems are designed to address the full spectrum of modern payroll needs, combining flexibility, control and compliance to support the unique aspects of your organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specific requirements. Employees can check online payslips from the same application on a browser.

PayrollServe is the Payroll and HR Administration Services division of Chio Lim Stone Forest group, a leading accounting and business advisory group that focuses on growing businesses. We are supported by a team of more than 1,000 professionals in Singapore, China and Malaysia specialising in Payroll, HR, Corporate Secretarial, Accounting, Taxation and Management Information Systems.