HRM 14.07 Thirst for the best by Key Media

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Building the complete package at UPS LGBT rights: Performance NOT prejudice HR Country Report: Japan

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ISSUE 14.7

Workplace flexibility is key, says Carlsberg MD John Botia

PLUS: Online employee surveys HRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in organisational restructuring

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HRM 14.7

Contents 12 Thirst for the best HRM raises a toast to Carlsberg managing director, John Botia, a firm believer in always working to improve himself and having flexibility at work

EDITOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam JOURNALIST Shalini Shukla-Pandey Sham Majid SUB-EDITOR Paul Howell PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATOR Azimah Jasman SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amos Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Paul Lozano SALES DIRECTOR James Puah ACCOUNT MANAGERS Edwin Lim Jolene Ong MANAGING DIRECTOR Kaveri Ayahsamy PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ted Chen (tedchenphoto.com) PRINTED BY Times Printers Pte Ltd PUBLISHED BY

“We operate on the basis of trust. If you stay up till 3am to watch your favourite team then just come in later the next morning and start your day fresh. I do it myself”

HRM Asia Pte Ltd 121 Telok Ayer Street #02-01 Singapore 068590 Tel: +65 6423 4631 Fax: +65 6423-4632 Email: info@hrmasia.com.sg

– JOHN BOTIA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, CARLSBERG, ON MANAGING WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY DURING THE FOOTBALL SEASON MICA (P) 206/07/2013 ISSUE 14.7

ISSN 0219-6883

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HRM 14.7

Contents

Check out HRM online:

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FEATURES 16 | Building the complete package For a conglomerate as huge and as complex as UPS, it seems ironic that the company has structured such intimate and closelyknit HR policies to guide its workforce. Frank Becker, Vice President of HR – AsiaPacific explains the unique HR blueprint

20 | The sun rises again After nearly 15 years of stagnant growth and falling prices, Japan’s economy finally experienced green shoots last year and is on the road to economic recovery. Here’s what HR needs to know.

25 | Performance not prejudice Is your workforce truly diverse? HRM explores both the challenges and opportunities faced by the local LGBT community, and how some companies are striving to create more inclusive workplaces

30 | Bringing communication online Happy employees are generally more

productive, creating increased profits to the business. Online surveys can provide an unobtrusive platform for staff feedback

34 | Get them early! Internships are great way for companies to identify, develop and retain future talent before their competitors get to them. How can you make internships a win-win arrangement for both parties?

38 | Always a step ahead Staff health is important for both genders, but can be particularly important for the female workforce. HRM uncovers the biggest health dangers threatening working women in Singapore, and how employers can protect their staff

42 | HR as change agent Organisational restructuring marks a period of change, transition and new anxieties for all those involved. Strong HR leadership is crucial in this process

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@hrmasia.com.sg 2

ISSUE 14.7

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ANALYSIS

Employee Flexibility

Working smart near home Flexible working options in Singapore have been given a further boost, with the introduction of Smart Work Centres (SWCs). HRM delves into the SWC phenomenon By Sham Majid We have all been inculcated with the theme of working from home in the quest for flexible work practices. But what about working near home? That notion has now become a reality –Singaporean employees can now work nearby their homes without actually going to the office thanks to the launch of Singapore’s maiden Smart Work Centres (SWCs), the brainchild of workplace provider Regus, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the National Library Board. These SWCs offer new working options for employees who wish to work near their homes without being actually in their house or office. Regus opened the first three SWCs at Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library on May 30. The three centres, known as the Regus Express Centres, constitute a professional work setting aimed at catering to different work designations. They are armed with typical office facilities, such as private workstations, meeting spaces, secure Wi-Fi, printing, copying and video-conferencing services. Workers can opt for different options to access the Centres’ pay-per-use facilities, ranging from by-the-hour charges to a monthly membership offering that provides unlimited access, without the need to commit to a long term lease. HRM spoke to Paul MacAndrew, Country Manager, Regus Singapore, on the launch. “In an increasingly connected and networked world, our experience suggests that more and more people simply want more options in their lives,” he said. “As you might expect, there are cultural differences and local habits, which is why once we’ve set up a business centre in a new location, we always look to hire local people. “But broadly speaking, all our customers want the products and services that will enable to live and work in the style that suits them.”

Analytics company Lee Wenyong & Co is among the firms that have allowed their employees to utilise the SWCs. Crystal Chan, Analytics Manager, has given the thumbs up to the new way of working. “Being heavily involved in research activities, I can easily search for the reference books that I need from the library shelves, and conveniently retreat back to my private cubicle at SWCs to continue with my research work,” she said. “The integration of public libraries and SWCs has definitely made work a breeze for me, and I’m really glad and fortunate that the management has offered us the opportunity to utilise these facilities.” Cost was deemed to be another important factor for Sandra Chua, HR Project Manager of Lee Wenyong & Co. “Because I can choose to work in locations according to my needs on each day, I actually save at least 70% of my traveling time and costs as compared to making fixed daily trips to the office,” said Chua. “Not forgetting the frustration one endures when traveling during peak hours.” For Lee Tai Yun, another Analytics Manager with Lee Wenyong & Co, the SWCs are testament that quality output is the benchmark for all employees. “When meetings are required, we do it on Google Hangouts, which can be supported by the high-speed internet available in the SWCs, or even meet face to face there,” Lee explained. “What matters in this company is to deliver outcomes and not face time.” Lee said that face time was often prioritised wrongly at work, as many managers do not understand that simply being in the office does not equate to delivering on KPIs or output. “What matters is a comfortable environment for the employees to work in, that maximises the employee productivity,” Lee added. “The trust in employees by the management to deliver despite the lack of face time also builds a bond, which is an intangible booster for the employees to be more driven to deliver.” ISSUE 14.7

HRMASIA.COM

NEWS

Asia SINGAPORE

INDIA

Learn from your older colleagues The swelling ranks of mature workers can teach the rest of the workforce about the world of work, says Alistair Cox, CEO of Hays. Those willing to listen to their insights will see benefits to their own careers. “Businesses must adjust to accommodate a more mature workforce, but employees too can look up to their older colleagues and benefit from their experience,” he says. “Lose that knowledge and you lose a competitive advantage, which is why employers can do more to use older team members to train up younger employees, imparting the wisdom of decades of work to the new generation. “The opportunity to exploit the talents of more senior members of staff to pass on know-how to other employees is significant. Small and medium-sized businesses, in particular, which may have limited resources to dedicate to formal skills development, often use older staff to give in-house training to their younger peers,” Cox adds. “As populations age and more people need to work for longer, this potential training resource should be used by companies of all sizes. To not do so is a waste.” He advises younger workers to: • Find a mentor. There is a lot you can learn from mature workers who have achieved the career goals you aspire to. • Up-skill. If there is a mature worker in your organisation who is an expert in a particular system, skill or task that you’d like to add to your repertoire, ask if they can coach you. • Learn their lessons. Mature workers who have been with your organisation for a number of years possess a great deal of corporate insight they can pass on. This ranges from lessons the business has previously learnt through to implicit awareness, such as why reports are written in a particular way or who to contact for certain information. • Be aware of skills gaps. There are many sectors where a large percentage of the workforce will retire in coming years, creating a skills shortage. If you see a potential skills gap in your sector or field, now is the time to work with a mature worker to learn from them the technical knowledge that your industry cannot do without.

CHINA

World Cup fans buy sick leave Football-crazed employees in China are purchasing fake sick notes online in order to catch the games. Due to the time difference between Brazil and China, most matches take place past midnight and before 6am. These fake doctor’s notes are being purchased through e-commerce sites such as Taobao. Standard pads of sick notes have always been available on the site, for as little as RMB 1 ($0.16) per pack. But a note that looks authentic, with a hospital’s stamp and a convincing diagnostic scrawl from a doctor, will cost up to RMB 300 ($50) 4

ISSUE 14.7

HRMASIA.COM

Relatives hired to meet quotas 46%

of employees in Singapore do not think they have the perfect job Source: Q2 Randstad Workmonitor survey

Tokyo

is still the most expensive location in Asia-Pacific for expatriates to live Source: ECA Cost of Living survey

93%

of financial services companies in Singapore plan to hire more online security staff this year Source: Robert Half

per note, local media has reported. One football fan said he was considering purchasing sick leave slips online for the thrill of watching games as they happen. “Recordings of matches are meaningless, only live broadcasts are fun. If I stay up all night to watch the games, I will be so sleepy the next day and my boss will scold me,” the man told Sina News. Direct searches for fake sick notes won’t work on e-commerce sites such as Taobao. To get around the illegality of selling fraudulent notes, vendors title their items as “proof of diagnosis note”. To prevent employees taking fake sick leave, one IT company in Guangdong province has made a rare offer of three days paid leave to employees who wish to watch World Cup matches.

A new law requiring listed companies in India to have at least one female director, has seen many relatives of existing board members hired. Fabric and fashion retailer Raymond Group, cigarettes-to-soap conglomerate Modi Group and Century Textiles and Industries have each added female relatives of existing stakeholders to their boards, among many others. The latest such move was made by the country’s richest businessman and chairman of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Mukesh Ambani. His wife, Nita Ambani, is set to become the first woman to join the RIL board this year. At least 16 women have been made board directors in their family-owned firms since February, according to Pranav Haldea, managing director of Prime Database. The sudden demand has spotlighted the chronic shortage of women in top management positions in Indian businesses, as well as some of the deeper problems afflicting working women. “The pipeline of qualified women candidates is not huge,” Sangeeta Talwar, a senior marketing professional, told the Washington Post. “My fear is that many may put a woman on the board just to tick a box because they are being forced to do so at short notice, rather than expecting a meaningful contribution from them.” But analysts say the lack of outsiders breaking through the glass ceiling is unsurprising in a country that regularly ranks near the bottom of surveys on women in the workplace. “Businesses would want someone whom they can influence and ensure conformity in the board,” Mahalakshmi, the head of the Mumbai-based Professionele Consulting, told international media.

NEWS

Asia MALAYSIA

ASIA

The Top 10 IDEAL Employers Graduating students in Malaysia have chosen among Business is as follows: Petronas and Bank Negara Malaysia as their most Rank Employer Name favoured employers. According to the Universum 1 Petronas Malaysia Top 100 IDEAL Employers student survey, 2 Bank Negara Malaysia Petronas was selected by those studying Business, 3 Google Engineering, Natural Sciences and Law as an 4 AirAsia employer of choice this year. Google claimed the 5 Malaysia Airlines hearts of those from the Humanities and IT cohorts. 6 Sime Darby A majority of Malaysian university students 7 Lembaga Tabung Haji 8 Maybank also found local employers better to work for 9 CIMB Group than foreign ones. This was evident from a larger 10 Bursa Malaysia proportion of home-grown organisations ranking among the Top 10 IDEAL Employers. In particular, nine of the 10 most attractive employers among the Business and Humanities cohorts were local. The survey also uncovered the most important career goals to Malaysian undergraduates; 65% consider “having work/life balance” to be most important, followed by 50% who chose “to be secure or stable in my job”. Despite this, when assessing the attractiveness of employers, students valued remuneration and advancement opportunities as much as the people and culture qualities of each organisation.

A strong relationship between the CFO and the chief HR officer (CHRO) has been linked to superior business performance. According to the second instalment of Ernst and Young’s (EY’s) Partnering For Performance report, companies where this relationship has become more collaborative over the past three years report higher earnings growth and stronger improvement across a range of human capital metrics, including employee engagement and productivity. The survey found that 41% of these high-performing companies experienced earnings growth of greater than 10%, compared to only 14% of non-high performers. In addition to faster growth, 44% of high-performers have also seen a significant improvement in employee engagement, versus just nine per cent of others. Forty-three per cent have seen a “marked increase” in workforce productivity, versus 10% of others. The majority (80%) of CFOs and CHROs say their relationship has become more collaborative over the past three years.

Students prefer local employers

Greater collaboration drives stronger performance

ISSUE 14.7

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NEWS

International RUSSIA

CANADA

Revealed: Russia’s most stressful job What is the most stressful occupation in Russia? It’s not police-work or the legal profession. Surprising as it seems, the insurance sector has been listed as the most stressful field for Russian workers. According to a study conducted by the Head Hunter recruitment firm, 79% of insurance-sector employees regularly encounter stress in the workplace. Marketing and HR are deemed to be the second-most stressful industries, with 73% of workers in each sector feeling tension, followed by procurement and accounting positions, level on 69%. The least stressful kinds of work were security, on 52 %, and the fitness and beauty sectors, both level on 53%. Less than half of respondents claimed that indulging in hobbies was the optimal way for them to relax, while a third said that talking about problems with friends and family was their ideal method of de-stressing. Around a fifth said they utilised sedatives and antidepressants to manage work-related stress while 13% claimed they had turned to drinking to handle the pressure. The study was administered among 2,669 employees of Russian firms in May.

IRELAND

Technology the scourge of work-life balance Technology has been identified as the biggest barrier to work-life balance among Ireland’s working population. Nearly three out of four working people feel technology has had a negative impact on their lives, a survey has found. According to the Fastnet Recruitment survey, six out of 10 employees logged onto their office email account on a personal device, while 62% replied to emails outside of their standard working hours. Over half of workers claimed they also checked their emails while on annual leave, though 82% of companies did not expect their workers to do that. Fastnet Recruitment managing director Niamh O’Driscoll said the survey of 550 employees and employers illustrated how people were now constantly connected to their work. “This 24/7 accessibility means that many of us feel obliged to respond to emails and calls outside of work hours,” said O’Driscoll. 6

ISSUE 14.7

HRMASIA.COM

Ostracised workers feel the impact

67%

of full time UK employees say they are aiming to take time away from work this summer. Source: Careerbuilder. co.uk survey

Only 30%

of US survey respondents believed that gamification would be a positive addition to their workplace recognition programmes Source: Spring 2014 Globoforce Workforce Mood Tracker Report

Being ignored at the office is worse for a person’s health than being harassed or bullied. Researchers have found that while the majority view ostracism as less harmful than bullying, the feeling of exclusion is much more likely to lead to job dissatisfaction and health issues. “We’ve been taught that ignoring someone is socially preferable – if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all,” University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business Professor Sandra Robinson, who co-authored the study, told Canadian media. “But ostracism actually leads people to feel more helpless, like they’re not worthy of any attention at all.” The researchers utilised a range of surveys for their study. First, they identified that people regularly rated workplace ostracism as less socially inappropriate, less psychologically harmful, and less likely to be banned than active workplace harassment. Further surveys highlighted that people who claimed to have encountered ostracism were notably more likely to highlight a reduced sense of workplace belonging and commitment, a stronger aim to resign from their role, and a bigger proportion of health issues. The researchers also utilised an employment survey, taken by a Canadian university, which featured feedback on opinions of workplace isolation and harassment, comparing its results with turnover rates three years after the poll was conducted. They found that people who cited feeling ostracised were much more likely to have resigned within three years. “There is a tremendous effort underway to counter bullying in workplaces and schools, which is definitely important. But abuse is not always obvious,” said Robinson. “There are many people who feel quietly victimised in their daily lives, and most of our current strategies for dealing with workplace injustice don’t give them a voice.”

NEWS

International GERMANY

We have all heard of the famed German efficiency – but skipping breaks at the expense of powering your way through work? According to a recent study, one in five workers in Germany regularly works through their legally allowed breaks. The survey, conducted by a market research company TNS Infratest found that 10% of those polled claimed to have rarely or never engaged in a break at work, while 20% reported reducing their downtime in favour of the business. The reasons cited for this lack of rest were diverse, with 55% of those surveyed identifying “too much work” as a factor, while more than a third (36%) believed that indulging in a break would trouble their colleagues. A further 35% viewed an afternoon break as a stoppage to workflow that was best avoided. Tellingly, 21% of those polled cited a “hostile atmosphere” towards indulging in breaks at the workplace. The shortage of proper leisure rooms, kitchen facilities and seating areas were also listed. According to initial assessments by Germany’s Federal Employment Agency, the average number of hours worked per person rose two percent between the final quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014.

The majority of UK workers retain a strong sense of loyalty to their employer. Although UK businesses continue to slash jobs and freeze pay and training in line with the markets austerity measures, new research from local software provider BreatheHR has found that a significant proportion of employees are sticking with their companies. Nevertheless, 52% of respondents confessed they would feel “more” loyal if they were afforded a pay rise or promotion, while 18% would trade in extra cash for further training and personal development opportunities. However, not only money or personal development investment generates employer loyalty. Over a fifth (21%) of respondents claimed that if they felt more appreciated by their manager, they would feel more loyal in return. Company size also plays an important role. In small businesses (up to 20 staff ), 79% of workers feel loyal, but in slightly large firms (51-100 staff ), loyalty drops noticeably to just 54% of staff. “The results are fascinating and reveal that while money remains the great motivator, there’s no substitute for the human touch,” said Jonathan Richards, CEO of BreatheHR.

Workers skip breaks

Are you loyal to your boss?

GLOBAL

Executives craving overseas stints The number of employees keen to transfer internationally has more than doubled since 2010, research by recruitment company Hydrogen Group has found. According to its Global Professionals on the Move report, 35% of the executives who were surveyed would now be prepared to work in a foreign country, an increase from 16% five years ago. English-speaking nations are still the ideal destinations for work. London has emerged as the most popular city for a potential transfer, with 14% of respondents indicating a desire to move there. New York City was next, with seven percent. Over one-third (40%) claimed they did not believe there were any obstacles to moving overseas at this time. In 2010, everyone quizzed claimed they believed there was at least one stumbling block to a potential move overseas. Nearly all (98%) of the executives polled claimed they would advocate working abroad to friends or colleagues, the same figure as in 2010. Hydrogen Group CEO Tim Smeaton said the results illustrated there was now a true “worldwide talent pool” for companies to select prospective employees from. “Geographic and cultural boundaries as an impediment to hiring have dropped away as candidates and companies alike have come to understand that they need to consider a global market,” said Smeaton. The Global Professionals on the Move report is based on a survey of 2,146 executives worldwide.

Depression strikes hard Workers in the US are more prone to developing depression after being retrenched than their European counterparts. According to an online article on The Daily Mail, a Harvard University study assessed how the “Great Recession” of 2008 resulted in job losses both in Europe and in US, with particularly strong repercussions for older employees. The study, led by Carlos Riumallo-Herl and published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, is the first to compare how these associations vary across nations. The results revealed that overall job loss was linked to a 4.8% increase in depression scores in the US, and a 3.4% rise in Europe. However, when job loss due to the closure of a plant or office was assessed separately, depressive symptom scores rose by 28.2% in the US, as opposed to 7.5% in Europe. The researchers utilised data on 38,356 people from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) spanning the years 2004 to 2010. ISSUE 14.7

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HR INSIGHT

Trends

Engage your jobseekers EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT How committed or “engaged” do you feel with your current employer?

DO YOU KNOW

SEARCHING FOR AND SECURING WORK

Global Average 31% are more inclined to search for jobs via social media than through traditional methods (newspaper ads, online job boards, recruitment companies)

DENMARK NORWAY

36%

INDIA

17% Globally,

INDONESIA RUSSIA

25%

POLAND SWEDEN

NETHERLANDS

of workers say they have participated in employers’ online talent communities

globally have no experience of online talent communities. Among them, 40% say they are either “very interested” or “interested” in becoming involved

83%

FRANCE

secured work via online job boards

SWITZERLAND

Online communities: Early adopters (by industry)

MALAYSIA CHINA UNITED KINGDOM NEW ZEALAND GERMANY AUSTRALIA

25%

SINGAPORE THAILAND PORTUGAL

ITALY

10%

20%

30%

40%

Like to participate in potential employers’ online talent communities Like to engage with potential employers via the company’s social media network

8% 18%

EMEA

ISSUE 14.7

APAC

EMEA

APAC

Like periodic contact, including phone calls, e-mails and messages, from potential employees about EMEA relevent work opportunities

APAC

58% 48%

HRMASIA.COM

20%

High Tech: Manufacturing

84%

Salary/benefits/ financial incentives

64%

Work/life balance

62%

Opportunity for advancement

13% 14%

Source: Kelly Global Workforce Index™ 8

Energy

50%

Preferred Method of Engagement (Global)

11% 12% 59%

21%

Business Services

What makes an ideal employer?

HUNGARY

21%

High Tech: Internet Services/Software Development

58%

Training/development programmes

46%

Opportunity to work with knowledgeable colleagues

LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

Talent Management

Pump up your pipeline How should leaders forge a succession planning roadmap for the continual progress of their organisation? Suresh Superamaniam Co-Founder and Director, Apostrophe Digital

Leaders should establish the goals and targets that the company wants to achieve in the forthcoming years. This has to be very clear and definite, as it will be key to finding the right candidate to take over the helm. Leaders should also identify, establish, and improve best practices, work procedures, work flow systems, and people management strategies. Without these basics, succession planning cannot be well achieved. This is a curve ball as without a good torch to handover, there won’t be a clear direction or focus for the company moving ahead. In addition, they should find a person who is willing to challenge themselves. You obviously won’t find a clone of yourself, but the successor should understand the goals set by the company, concur with them, and achieve them with new ideas and skill sets. Business owners tend to be stubborn and fail to realise that the future holds newer and more efficient ideas and methods. Understanding and appreciating this will help in letting the successor discover the true potential of themselves and how far they can take the company. People management and communication skills rank as two of the highest, so the candidate must score high on these. Managing a new or an old team in a new position will have very different dynamics, with newer, higher expectations and targets. Gearing the whole team to work towards the company’s goals with the new leader at the helm will be the foremost challenge.

Ray Bigger

Managing Director, Think8 & Host, STJobs HR Summit 2014

Acquisition, retention, and succession planning. These are ongoing hot topics. The problems are exacerbated by some appalling research figures. Gallup’s Global Workforce Survey reported that 86% of workers are disengaged (22% “totally” disengaged) and a Randstad survey reported that 81% of workers did not believe their talents were being used effectively. Do these consistent figures suggest that leaders are struggling to get to grips with these issues? Leaders are waking up to the fact that to attract the right talent, a clearly articulated “purpose” is a must have. As Peter Drucker so aptly put it, “A strategy without a purpose isn’t a strategy”. He knew a thing or two. We are talking about a purpose that resonates with your people, stops them in their tracks, and galvanises them into saying “I’m with you”. That purpose will attract the right people you are striving to find. An effectively managed sales pipeline is the life blood (profitable revenue) of any company. That means an effectively managed HR succession talent pipeline is mandatory, not optional. Both require a systematic approach and the space allowed here only allows for broad headings. Aspects include leadership self-awareness, senior leadership involvement with HR and senior leadership, accountability, and connecting the company business plan or strategy to the succession process. Leaders should also utilise data and assessments to look at current gaps and look beneath the surface of applicants.

Ispran Kandasamy Vice President of Sales, Asia-Pacific, CommScope

About two thirds of the world’s population live and work within the Asia-Pacific region, along with a considerable number of business leaders. The Asia-Pacific geography experiences perhaps the greatest diversity in culture and work practice. This diversity also produces talented individuals who are well adapted to this dynamic work environment and are capable of operating effectively in a multicultural environment. At CommScope, we believe that succession planning is critical to the long term success of our company. Succession planning never stops, and it is regularly discussed at the leadership level. Succession planning should not be presented merely as a tool to replace poor performers. The emphasis should be on a process to identify important leadership positions, communicate what is expected for each role and ensure that potential successors are being developed by the incumbent for each role. The discovery process for the role expectations should not only cover technical competency for the role, but also cultural awareness, although this “capability” is difficult to determine. Succession planning should not be applied for each and every role within the company – a formal review process and identification of the key roles should be undertaken. In some cases, it may be that there are no clear potential successors from within the company. In which case, we will already have a good understanding of the requirements of the role and we are able to work efficiently with outside agencies when we need to. ISSUE 14.7

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Internal talent transfers at Mastercard

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COVER STORY

Leaders Talk HR

How did it all begin?

Born in London to Spanish parents, I studied in Scotland. I graduated with a degree in Economics in 1989 and it was the last year that decent jobs were available because the year after that, the big recession hit and jobs became scarce. I was lucky and snagged my first marketing job with Unilever through a ‘milk round’ (career fair) at my university. Unilever does extremely well to help its recruits make the switch from student to business person. The company really helped new graduates like me to get that mentality right as well. We didn’t lose the desire to enjoy ourselves as we would when we’re students, but we contextualised it and also learned to start understanding our responsibilities and career goals.

I understand that you have a great track record in the beer industry.

I started off by being a brand manager for Beck’s (managed by Scottish and Newcastle) in the mid-90s. That job would bring me to Edinburgh in Scotland. I wanted to experience the challenge of a new job in a new industry and new environment. I then relocated to take up the role. I rose through the ranks to become the marketing manager and the brand director, looking after more brands including Fosters (the number two beer in the UK and the biggest brand at the time), John Smith’s (the number one ale in the UK) and Miller. I had the opportunity to really perfect my skills as a marketer.

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for the

HRM raises a toast to Carlsberg managing director, John Botia, a firm believer in always working to improve himself and having flexibility at work By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

What is your leadership style?

At one point during my stint as a brand director, my very well-travelled and respected boss, the marketing director, said to me that in order to be a general manager, you need to “have more feathers in your boa” – I needed more experience outside just marketing. For a marketer, the natural career progression path would be to move on to sales. It adds to your credibility and respect because you’re personally involved in delivering the revenue for the business. So I then took the role of sales director for the northeast of England. I learnt a lot about sales and how to motivate other salespeople. My experience in the role helped me to really build my skills as a leader. While I was not the best person to teach my staff how to do sales, I was able to connect to the broader business agenda and could add lots of value from a marketing perspective. My demonstration of humility was very well received. My staff were very supportive and we struck up a great relationship. 12

Thirst best

HRMASIA.COM

Principles in life • Treat others like you would like to be treated. • Be yourself, especially as a leader • Always work to improve.

COVER STORY

BIO BRIEF John Botia

MD, Carlsberg Singapore John Botia was appointed as Managing Director of Carlsberg Singapore in June last year. He oversees all aspects of the Singapore business for the Carlsberg Group, including the selling, marketing and distribution of the company’s brands, which include Carlsberg, Kronenbourg 1664, and Somersby cider. Prior to his appointment at Carlsberg Singapore, Botia worked for Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, the leading Mexican beverages group most famous for their Sol and Tecate beer brands. He spent almost three years there, first as Integration Director and then as Marketing Director. He also undertook a wide range of senior Marketing, Sales and HR roles for Scottish & Newcastle, the UK’s leading brewer until its acquisition by Heineken and Carlsberg in 2008, including a stint of over three years as HR Director of the UK business. He joined Scottish & Newcastle from Unilever, with whom he began his career as a Marketing graduate. Botia is a British national and is married with three children. When he is not working – which is not very often these days – he likes to spend time watching and playing sports, traveling, reading, visiting the cinema, and spending time with his family.

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COVER STORY

Leaders Talk HR

If a leader

empowers his people and trusts them, the policy will be self-policing and most will be honest, more productive and enthusiastic

The sales role also gave me direct exposure to customers. That’s where I first came across the 90-10 principle whereby 90% of people in the world are decent, while the other 10% are not. I’ve come across that ratio many times since then. In the book, Freakonomics, there’s a chapter about how honest people are and is based on the experience of a guy who works in an investment bank. As a side hobby, he would bake donuts at home. He brought the donuts in and put up an honesty box at different floors of the bank. People could just drop in any amount they liked and take a donut in return. The junior executives turned out to be the most honest, putting the most money into the honesty box for the donuts they ate. Again the 90-10 ratio shone through, whereby for every one dishonest person, there were nine honest ones. That’s the basis of one of my most important philosophies – flexibility and empowerment at work. I believe that if a leader empowers his people and trusts them, the policy will be self-policing and most will be honest, more productive and enthusiastic. There will no doubt be the 10% who will skive if given the flexibility to do so. But you get more back from the 90% who embrace flexible working than the 10% who choose to shirk off. The sales role was essentially a key building block of my leadership style and prepared me for C-level roles.

You even wore the HR hat for a while. Tell us about that.

A new position had opened up in the HR team and management was looking for someone with commercial experience to manage a team of HR business partners. The company was also looking to change the culture of the business, having heard about Dave Ulrich’s business partnering model.

Who inspires you? I love sport and I was born in London so I’m a Chelsea supporter. I look towards José Mourinho, the current manager of Chelsea. What I find inspiring about him is the way he creates a team ethos. Players who have played for him would do anything for him. There’s a famous story about one player, Frank Lampard. His mother had passed away and Mourinho would call Lampard daily to see if there was anything that he could do for him. This was despite the fact that he had no direct relationship with the player anymore. Mourinho was not Lampard’s manager then and was in Italy coaching Inter Milan. Another inspirational figure to me is Nelson Mandela. There’s a virtue in him that’s hard to find in the world. He had moral authority and could bring an entire country together. His capacity to forgive was extraordinary. He was jailed for more than 25 years in his prime and the first thing he does is move on for the sake of his country. The marketing director I worked with at Scottish and Newcastle taught me how to forge a career path and to make sure that my next move made sense. From the world of politics, I look at Bill Clinton. He is so personable and the way he connects and speaks to people is amazing. He is unique in making people feel special, engaging them. It is rarely boring to hear him speak.

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I was asked to take that job, even though my experience in the field could literally fit on the back of a post-it note, and started reporting to the HR Director. Still, I was fortunate to have capable colleagues who more than made up for my deficiencies. In a period of three months, I was able to appreciate what HR in the organisation should look like. That coincided with the HR director moving to Corporate Affairs, bumping me up to take over. He had confidence in me and was happy with my progress thus far. So in effect, I became HR director within three months of moving into the field in the first place! What appealed to me most about the job was the fact that my boss at the time, the managing director of the UK business, was passionate about changing the culture of the company. We had a reputation at that time to overpromise and under-develop staff. We wanted to ensure that all line managers understood what it meant to be a good leader so we put all leaders (that’s a thousand people out of 6,000 employees in the whole company) through a one day course and explained what their responsibilities were. This was broken down into three areas: performance management, communication and development of talent. It was done in a court proceeding setting whereby the managers would be on trial and a team of judge, jury, prosecution and defence debated whether the managers were fulfilling those goals. There was some theatre around the entire thing and that made the experience not only educational, but fun too. This was followed up with a more in-depth three-day course which sought to embed behaviours that would make the company a success. Managers were taught to understand themselves well and how people saw them. For a lot of people, this was the first time they saw authentic feedback and it was quite a revelation for some. We saw some fantastic breakthroughs in terms of the culture of the organisation. The company had become very attractive, as the cultural transformation improved business performance, agility and leadership capabilities, and was bought out by Heineken in 2008.

Your Spanish background even led you to Mexico. How did that work out for you?

About a year after Heineken bought out Scottish and Newcastle, I was asked to go to Mexico in 2010 to lead the integration of Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma with Heineken in the run-up to, and directly after, the completion of the deal for Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA), the largest beverage company in Mexico and Latin America. It was also the largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the world. The deal was acknowledged internally as the most successful integration in Heineken’s history. When I asked ‘why me?’, I was told that my Spanish heritage, experience in integrating business units (with

COVER STORY

Heineken), and HR and sales and marketing experience made me a great candidate for the job. This was a fabulous experience for me because in a very short period of time, I had visibility across the entire business. Although Mexico is a dangerous country and I was basically living and working near the US border, the most dangerous part of the country, I enjoyed my experience there.

Your Singapore experience?

I was offered a role in Singapore and a first experience as managing director. When I look back on my career, I have been fortunate to have built up my leadership capabilities every step of the way. I’ve worked in three different areas of business plus I was directly involved in running one big integration deal, and had smaller roles on a few others. I try to apply a lot of the lessons I’ve learnt across my career to the business here in Singapore, especially the flexible work policy. We are a commercial organisation in the business of alcohol so most business happens in the evenings. What matters most is how well our brand connects with consumers and the quality of the relationships we build with customers. We need our salespeople to be talking to customers, not sitting in the office. We don’t need them to work nine-to-five hours. A lot of beer is drunk in the evenings, so it’s no surprise that our salespeople also work during those hours. So we’ve introduced flexible working, whereby staff can work their eight hours anytime of the day to get their job done. We also made it official and reshaped the employment contract to include the fact that we don’t need staff to work five nights a week, but just three nights a week. For office-based staff, they are allowed to start and end work anytime between 7am and 7pm. They are then able to have work-life balance and handle responsibilities at home and at work effectively. This has proven to be a much more sustainable way of working. Ultimately, as individuals, we all want to be treated like adults. Again, 90% of people will respond positively to the respect and trust they’ve been entrusted with. When you look at your life when you’re old, chances are you’re not going to look back at your life and only think about work. Chances are you will look back and think of family and friends and the great memories you’ve had with them. That’s why balance in life is so important.

Carlsberg has a long history, heritage and relevance to football. You are the Official Beer of the most watched football league in the world – the English Premier League. How do you manage employees who try to pull a fast one during the soccer season? Again, we operate on the basis of trust. I think about how I would want to be treated. If you stay up till 3am to watch your favourite team then just come in later the next morning and start your day fresh. I do it myself. I manage my own calendar such that I don’t have to start too early if I am watching a match in which Chelsea is playing, for instance. In the beer industry, we work hard and play hard. Ultimately, it all boils down to trust.

• I love: My family (wife, three children and a dog), the Chelsea football team, and the fact that I don’t know what’s to come. • I dislike: The 10% of people who have darkness in their hearts. • My inspiration: Jose Mourinho, Nelson Mandela, and Bill Clinton. • My biggest weakness is: The first impression I create is sometimes not the most favourable. • In five years’ time I’d like to be: Still making a difference to my family, friends, society and whoever I’m working with. • Favourite quote: “None of us is better than all of us.” - Anonymous

How would your employees describe you?

In the time I’ve been a leader, I’ve had reasonably consistent feedback. Most say I’m quite good at condensing the big picture and can turn it into bite-sized portions for people to absorb. I think carefully about what I’m saying and am quite frank. I would also be described as a leader who’s fair, honest, consistent, and open. ISSUE 14.7

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HR INSIDER

UPS

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HR INSIDER

Building the

complete package For a conglomerate as huge and as complex as UPS, it seems ironic that the company has structured such intimate and closely-knit HR policies to guide its workforce. Frank Becker, Vice President of HR – Asia-Pacific explains its unique HR blueprint By Sham Majid When one thinks of UPS, one of the globe’s largest shipment and logistics firms, the distinctive brown background of its brand and logo immediately come to mind. Therefore, it should come as no real surprise when Frank Becker, Vice President of HR – Asia Pacific, UPS, describes the “brown blood” running through his veins and those of his UPS colleagues. “We are UPSers – that’s what we call ourselves – and we have brown blood,” says Becker. Besides anatomical references, UPS has fostered one of the most comprehensive employee engagement, training and career development strategies for its roughly 400,000 employees worldwide, including 16,000 staff in Asia-Pacific. Becker emphasises that UPS addresses its HR issues through communication and engaging • Total number of employees in Asia-Pacific: Close to 15, 000 programmes to keep its people • Size of HR team in Asia-Pacific: 180 [Note – this is all levels, involved. throughout APAC] “We’re a big company and what • Key HR focus areas: I see in HR is that there are so - Retain a strong talent pool with training, development and promotionmany different cultures and there’s from-within opportunities to groom future leaders of the company. - Align employees to UPS’s strong corporate culture based on UPS’s a lot of diversity, which is core values of integrity, innovation, and providing exceptional something that we build on,” says service to customers. Becker. - Promote a work environment that’s committed to the health, safety “How do we make sure they are and wellness of all employees. all aligned and grow towards what - Engage employees to make a difference in the communities they serve we achieve at our company?” through volunteerism and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

AT A GLANCE

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HR INSIDER

UPS WHO’S WHO IN HR

“We want our people to understand the overall big picture of UPS” – FRANK BECKER, VICE PRESIDENT OF HR, UPS ASIA-PACIFIC

Frank Becker

Vice President of HR UPS Asia-Pacific

Larry Teo

Director, HR, UPS Asia-Pacific

Alice Cheong Director, HR, UPS Asia-Pacific

Tanie Eio

Director, HR, UPS Asia-Pacific

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Reporting back According to Becker, the maiden but critical foundation of bridging this engagement gap is the company’s annual Report Back Meeting. The Report Back Meeting, or the Annual Management Conference Report Back, is a three-hour meeting at the beginning of the year where the corporate office in Atlanta tailors a message for executives. Following, these executives return and deliver the message to the management level, providing a great platform for interaction and ensuring that all employees understand the key points of the mission. The second element of UPS’s employee engagement armada is its employee engagement committees, says Becker. “We have employee engagement committees around and we’ll do an employee engagement survey every year. We can have a good measure of what staff are thinking and feeling so we can react accordingly,” he says. For example, Becker says UPS has a plethora of volunteer opportunities to keep people engaged and this enables employees to “have a little bit of fun in the community”.

Growing from within These days, most companies, if not all, have structured a certain promotion-from-within framework for employees. However, Becker’s own career story is sheer proof that UPS’s promotion-from-within policy is anything but hot air. “I was a loader and I worked part-time loading packages in Chicago,” says Becker, who joined the company in 1988. “I was putting myself through college and that’s like many UPSers around the world.” During his 26 years at UPS, Becker spent his first 11 years in operations before his current role in HR. Becker says this is the kind of rotation the company aims to give all its employees, enabling them them to sample the many different sides of UPS. “We try to ‘brown’ them,” quips Becker.

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A unique example of UPS’s commitment to employee versatility is the “UPS Brown Ride”. This entails new UPS employees teaming up with a UPS driver, and experiencing a day in the brown uniform. They get to understand the delivery process and interact with customers. A key pillar of UPS’s promotion-from-within policy is the company’s mandatory career development meetings –held twice a year for all employees. These are very high-level and detailed meetings. The strengths and weaknesses of every employee are discussed, and conclusions drawn on the areas they need to develop. “We want our people to understand the overall big picture of UPS and when they are able to demonstrate success in those committees, we try to pull them out and give them more responsibility,” adds Becker. He says that UPS fosters a succession plan for employees, one that is geared toward leadership competencies, employee interests and their education levels. “To me, it’s exciting because I’m living proof of it and so are many of our people that have come up through UPS,” says Becker.

No cutbacks on training With UPS delivering thousands of packages every day, it is imperative that employees are always spot on; the latest training and developmental programmes are a key part of that. Hence, the company has a bullish outlook on training and learning. Becker says that “when things get rough, we never cut training”. “We have really good training to make sure our people understand procedures when it comes to delivering packages; to make sure that we are in compliance; and to make sure that safety is first and foremost,” says Becker. “We’ve had a long legacy since 1907, and that’s the one thing we are really trying to drive here in Asia Pacific.” A key fulcrum of UPS’s training arm stems from its very own UPS Learning Centre, also affably known as “UPS University”. Armed with around 10,000 online courses, this massive learning portal allows employees to equip and upgrade themselves with a diverse array of knowledge and skills to grow in their respective professions. Although it is not directly linked to any one university, the UPS Learning Centre partners with a range of institutions to develop its own curriculum. For example, all employees can find actual classrooms, modules and also use web-based applications for their career and development profile. In fact, every employee is instructed on particular courses to take based on their mandatory career meetings and development discussions with management. “The manager and the employee will then go into UPS University and ask what is good to close the gaps and they will identify reasonable classes for you to take,” says Becker.

HR INSIDER

Even Becker is not spared from the studying. “In my profile right now, there are 12 gaps that I have to go in and do based my level of job and what I need to accomplish. I have to go through that for the year as part of my development,” he adds. “What’s nice about it is that employees can do it at home, when the kids are sleeping and they can then log in.”

Creating a culture of retention With such diverse and deep promotion-from-within strategies, UPS boasts of a very health retention rate. According to Becker, the company has about a 90% retention rate for management levels. “It’s been part of my job, since I’ve been here, to tell people what has made me successful and how they can have a similar path. I think it’s important that we have these meetings where we talk about career development,” says Becker. In fact, programmes are also rolled out to retain the talents of the management. One such example is a workshop called “Leading the future”. This workshop is for senior-level managers, and focuses on collaborating with their business teams to make decisions to drive business results, says Becker. “It’s a very hands-on and detailed workshop and includes some business simulation exercises,” he says. Another programme is the Executive Leadership Programme, comprising of functional classes to educate UPS talents. Becker says that the culture of UPS plays a defining role in retaining the crème de la crème of talents. “I’ve never, ever thought about leaving UPS,” says Becker. “There are always some hard days and stress but I think some of that culture and legacy holds onto people a bit longer and I think the way we reward people; and the way we try and engage and develop them goes a long way for people to stay and have a successful career.”

Come talk to us For all of UPS’s employee engagement and promotion-fromwithin guidelines, it is perhaps telling that one of the company’s most basic core philosophies is its “Open-Door” policy. Each UPSer is welcome to share ideas and thoughts with senior management, which allows everyone to contribute to the improvement of the company and thereby create a greater sense of belonging and unity. “The open-door policy is very big for us and we believe that with it, people could come and tell us and anything that is on their mind, whether it’s an idea, a concern or anything like that,” says Becker. “We even have a phone line set up for it – we want to hear from our employees.” Becker adds that UPS measures the employee engagement feedback survey every year so that it can have a true measurement of the results annually. Communication is also a cornerstone of the company’s engagement drive.

A lasting legacy “Legacy” is one of the major cornerstones of UPS’s operational philosophy. The company was founded way back in 1907, and prides itself on its traditional and deeply-entrenched customs. Two of these are the UPS Policy Book and the UPS Code of Business Conduct. The “Code” states the expected standards of conduct for all UPS employees and provides information about the integrity standards, legal and ethical responsibilities. Frank Becker, Vice President of HR – Asia-Pacific, UPS, says the policy book is updated periodically and constantly referred to. Every meeting begins with an employee reading out a policy. “Someone will be picked to do a policy reading and he or she will look through the policy book and pick one that he or she feels very strongly about or feels is relevant to the business,” says Becker. “We want to have the highest level of integrity and we want to make sure that the business decisions we make are the ones that are going to keep our company safe and protect the shield.”

For example, there is a mandatory pre-work communication every Friday for employees. “We communicate very well so we have the websites and the focus meetings and we tell people what we are doing, so every Friday in our building at 9am, there’s a pre-work communication meeting,” says Becker. He adds that the meeting begins with a reading from the company policy book (see: boxout). Through various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, employees are given opportunities to lead and participate in projects that are different from their daily duties. For example, the Community Involvement Committee and YouWell Committee are two platforms afforded to UPSers who are keen to expand their roles within the firm. Comprising of local UPS employees, the Community Involvement Committee identifies and engages with local charities to organise activities and ensures that UPS’s CSR efforts serve the needs of the local communities. In addition, the YouWell Committee consists of a group of staff to arrange health-related classes on a monthly basis. In terms of rewarding employees, a monthly recognition programme known as the Service Star Nomination enables managers to nominate UPS employees for “exceptional” acts. “Our corporation does a very good job in managing and recognising everything that happens around the world, so they will have a series of rewards that they will give out for different levels of business success,” says Becker. Furthermore, the UPS e-Card System serves as tailored UPS e-Cards for UPSers to share with each other, including birthday cards and Christmas cards. “These small things go a long way because we have multiple systems, but I think it’s those things that reinforce that my boss said ‘thank you’ today and that’s a pretty good thing,” he adds. “Those things in the world go a long way towards enhancing loyalty and employee engagement.” ISSUE 14.7

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FEATURE

HR Country Report: Japan

The

SUN

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FEATURE

RISES again After nearly 15 years of stagnant growth and falling prices, Japan’s economy finally experienced green shoots last year and is on the road to economic recovery. The Land of the Rising Sun is now back on the radar of investors seeking new business opportunities. Here’s what HR needs to know By Sumathi V Selvaretnam Demographic pressures, the ongoing war for talent, and age-old employment practices present a host of workforce challenges for Japanese employers. However, economic recovery has led to renewed optimism and companies are seeking new ways to run their businesses more effectively. HR practices in Japan are mostly based on lifelong employment or shushin koyou. An advantage of this system is that it helps to build a strong talent pipeline. Most Japanese companies build generations of core talents by hiring fresh graduates every year and encouraging them to stay with the company by offering training and job rotation opportunities throughout their tenure, says Tricia Lim, Executive Director, Resources Management Division, NTT Singapore, a Japanese telecommunications company. Yet the system also poses a number of disadvantages. “One of the common challenges that Japanese companies face when practicing lifelong employment is finding a way to maintain employees’ job interest and morale, while developing their expertise and career in an environment that has limited resources or jobrotation opportunities.”

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FEATURE

HR Country Report: Japan

Three things to note when hiring and terminating employees in Japan

1 2 3 22

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Establish clear work rules For mid-career employees: A detailed job description and periodical performance reviews are highly recommended For contract employees: Renewal contracts must be concluded in time

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In general, Japanese companies practice job rotation based on three-year periods, and not on the employee’s professional experience or educational background. “While this practice provides employees the opportunity to gain invaluable experiences that are outside of their professional backgrounds, it also creates a workforce that is mostly generalist rather than specialist,” Lim says. Lifelong employment also promotes a culture of attendence and entitlement, instead of performance and contribution, says Jun Kabigting, Chief Community Officer of The Japan HR Society (JHRS) and Managing Editor, The HR Agenda Magazine. However, this is changing slowly, he adds, to a new concept of “lifetime employability”, where the focus is on helping employees achieve adaptable skills that they can take with them wherever they go. Certain gender stereotypes continue to exist in Japanese society. Men are recognised as breadwinners and naturally find roles within the corporate organisation, says Lim. Women, on the other hand, are expected to play the role of home-makers. “Such discrimination still sits deep in the Japanese culture, which limits the opportunities available for the fairer gender. However, with the ageing population, Japanese companies are looking into HR schemes or practices to attract the ‘untouched’ pool of married women to bridge the gap caused by the shrinking work force.”

Advancement and remuneration Seniority-based promotion and salaries that increase automatically with age are another characteristic of Japanese companies. While the system has some merit, in promoting greater harmony among employees, it is not necessarily suitable for fast-paced, multifunctional roles, warns Kabigting. It encourages noncompetitiveness and can create problems for highperformers, he says. Globalisation, an ageing population, and the changing mindsets of the younger workforce are driving more Japanese companies to re-evaluate their HR systems. Many are now increasingly practicing promotion-bymerit and moving away from traditional promotion based solely on seniority and gender, says Lim. The HR system in NTT Singapore for example, was developed with local HR practices, laws, trends and culture in mind. “We provide employees equal training and career advancement opportunities regardless of gender,” Lim says. We encourage

FEATURE

work-life balance by shortening the working hours of a day every month so that employees can spend more time with their families.”

Training and development Staff training in Japanese companies is mainly focused on high-potential employees and managerial talent. The traditional Japanese training culture of master-and-apprentices emphasises learning through on-the-job training, says Lim. “The establishment of a structured training programme, comprising on-thejob training and well-developed operating prodecures to aid learning and knowledge transfer is commonly practiced. This expedites the transition and development of new university graduates into professionals,” she explains. However, this approach to training adds to the emphasis of generalists over specialists in the workforce, notes Kabigting. Also, most staff training activities are done in-house via job rotations. Each employee takes on a role for two to three years and then moves on to another role until they find a permanent position.

New legislation It is very difficult to fire workers in Japan, and equal pay for equal work principles are not well established. To counter these, many companies hire a large number of fixed-term employees. This also enables them to better control labour costs. As a result one out of three Japanese workers is only on a temporary contract. This system has led to job instability, fewer people getting married and having children, a shrinking workforce, and heavy stress on the social insurance system, says Kabigting. “Temporary workers also feel that they are treated as ‘second class’ compared to permanent employees,” he says. Revisions made to the Labour Law Contract in April last year seek to help this group of workers specifically. Employees who have been under a fixed-term contract for five years can have their contracts converted to open-ended agreements. But companies are able to work around this if they wish, says Yumiko Ohta, Senior Associate, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. The most straightforward measure is to ensure that contract employees are terminated within five years. “However, some companies are seriously thinking of converting

contract employees to undetermined term employees, which is a great move.” To tackle the challenges associated with its ageing workforce, Japan also strengthened its reemployment laws last year. Employers are now obligated to re-hire retirement-age employees until they reach 65 years’ old. “It certainly helps employers with the talent crunch at companies. In particular, employers are free to offer substantially lower compensation and reduced responsibilities, and it gives employers flexibility,” says Ohta.

WORK CULTURE Focus on structure, precision, quality The Japanese work culture of impeccable, orderly and structured process, ‘Kaizen’ methodology, precision standards, and the respect for seniors and hierarchy are some of the key virtues that companies entering the market should understand and respect, says Tricia Lim, Executive Director, Resources Management Division, NTT Singapore. Another distinctive element of the Japanese culture is the emphasis on quality in everything, regardless of the task that has been assigned. “This culture has earned Japanese the reputation of delivering ‘quality’,” Lim says.

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FEATURE

Diversity

Performance NOT prejudice Is your workforce truly diverse? HRM explores both the challenges and opportunities faced by the local LGBT community, and how some companies are striving to create more inclusive workplaces By Sham Majid It appeared to be like any other usual recruitment and networking dinner for prospective employees. However, global investment bank Goldman Sachs, a strong advocate of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees (LGBT), made a specific hiring appeal to LGBT students to attend its recruitment and networking dinner in Singapore in May. The alleged controversy stemming from the targeted recruiting even prompted a Singaporean minister to remind foreign companies that they must respect the cultural norms of the nation, even if he did not specifically mention the incident or the company (See boxout). Another talking point involved that of a former Robinsons employee who filed for damages against his ex-employer for constructive dismissal. The person sought a court declaration that discrimination against homosexuals was unconstitutional, but the case was eventually struck out (see: boxout). ISSUE 14.7

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FEATURE

Diversity

Concealing their identity

Based on a poll of 800 LGBT workers in the US,

53%

of LGBT employees felt the need to hide their true identity at work

GOLDMAN SACHS:

Australia’s mostLGBT friendly company Goldman Sachs’s commitment to LGBT inclusion was clearly epitomised when it topped the 2014 Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Awards, run by the not-for-profit organisation Pride in Diversity. Every year, employees can provide a submission to the index for free, which serves as a benchmarking platform for LGBT inclusion and assists in driving industry practice. Entrants submit evidence-based answers for the 200-point index and are scored across a variety of aspects, including policy and practice, LGBT employee networks and activities, training, supplier engagement in diversity education, and community engagement.

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Source: Human Rights Campaign Foundation study titled, The Cost of the Closet

While companies in Singapore are committed to workplace diversity, including with regard to religion, race and gender, sexual orientation continues to be a sensitive issue in the traditional context of society. This inertia toward the LGBT working community was highlighted in a recent Human Rights Campaign Foundation study titled, The Cost of the Closet. According to the study that was based on a poll of 800 LGBT workers in the US, 53% of LGBT employees felt the need to hide their true identity at work. A sizeable 35% claimed they were forced to lie about their personal lives; one third said they felt distracted from their tasks by negative workplace climates; and one fifth claimed to be fatigued from spending time and energy masking their identities. Another one fifth said they were trying to depart from their job because of the negative environment. Tellingly, while 81% of non-LGBT respondents said that LGBT workers do not need to conceal their identity, fewer than half claimed they would be comfortable actually hearing LGBT colleagues discuss things like same-sex dating. Nevertheless, another poll epitomised empathy for LGBT workers. According to a 2014 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, a significant 72% of Americans endorse workplace non-discrimination protections for LGBT workers. However, the same survey deduced that 75% also mistakenly believe that such protections are already in provision under federal law.

Abolishing the “conservative” notion While these statistics make grim reading for workplace diversity with regards to the LGBT workforce, Andrew Wong, a gay PR Consultant in Singapore, says his working experiences have been nothing but positive. “While I can’t comment on other companies, the firms I’ve worked for have always been open to people from diverse backgrounds,” says Wong. “The focus is on performance and bullying or discrimination of any kind are not allowed.” Wong’s experience is backed by Keerthana Mohan, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Google Asia-Pacific. Mohan says Google’s belief has always been that a diversity of perspectives, ideas and cultures leads to better products and a better workplace.

FEATURE

That diversity includes members of the LGBT community. “We support our LGBT employees through strong internal networks, relationships with community partners, and workplace policies that go the extra mile to ensure fairness and equality,” says Mohan. Wong does not buy the theory that conservative attitudes means segments like the LGBT community cannot form part of the fabric of society. “Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand are all traditional and conservative societies, and this does not preclude them from providing a tolerant and inclusive society and work environment,” says Wong. “Using the term a ‘conservative’ society to discriminate against LGBT people is wrong, and many LGBT people are just as conservative and family-minded as fellow Singaporeans.”

A “hidden openness” Ben Lightfoot, CEO of McCann Worldgroup Singapore, a global marketing firm, says there is a “hidden openness” among many industries and companies. “Something interesting I’ve noticed is that many

people in Singapore are aware and quite comfortable that the LGBT group exists, yet few acknowledge it openly, especially in the workforce, which is a real shame,” says Lightfoot. “It won’t be fully open as long as there are laws that are associated with the LGBT groups.” Being part of the creative industries, Lightfoot says LGBT employees possess specific traits that are precious commodities to companies such as McCann Singapore. “In my interactions with LGBTs, I’ve found that their life experiences in challenging environments have made them courageous and persistent, which are qualities that are vital for our industry to thrive,” he says. Lightfoot adds there are a lot of creative minds within the LGBT community and when they find an environment that allows them to be who they are, that creativity “really comes free”. “At McCann, this is the type of environment our people work in and we celebrate people who are and think differently,” he says. “We definitely do not discourage appointing LGBT employees and we accept and welcome all creative, entrepreneurial and aspiring minds.”

No case for former Robinsons employee Ex-Robinsons employee Lawrence Bernard Wee Kim San originally quit his job in August 2012. According to Channel NewsAsia, Wee claimed his boss had hounded him into quitting the job because he could not agree with his homosexuality. Though Wee was given four months’ salary in lieu of notice (the terms of his contract only stipulated a payment of two months’ salary as well as cash for his unconsumed annual leave), he cited it as a case of “constructive dismissal”. Constructive dismissal arises when a company makes life very tough for a worker until he is forced to quit. Robinsons though, denied any “bias”, “unfair treatment” or “persecution” by anyone at the company, or that Wee had encountered “difficulties” or “threats” when he wanted to quit the firm. While the civil suit was going on, Wee sought a declaration from the court that Article 12 of Singapore’s Constitution, which provides for the equal protection of the law, prohibits workplace discrimination of homosexual men. A High Court assistant registrar struck out the case, after finding that it was without merit. Wee had filed an appeal against this decision, but withdrew it in April this year. In May, the country’s highest court upheld a High Court ruling on the case from December last year and dismissed Wee’s bid to claim an unspecified amount in damages. It ruled the claim was without basis and ordered Wee to pay $20,000 in legal costs.

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Shweta Mishra HR Lead, Singapore DELL

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Best Diversity and Inclusion Strategies

Best Recruitment Strategies

Finalist

Raymond Yip Senior Manager – Group Human Resource QIAN HU CORPORATION LTD Finalist

SME Employer of the Year

Cheong Meng Foong Managing Director, Group HR - Reward DBS BANK

Best Training, Learning & Development

Best Work-Life Balance

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Sean Lim Human Capital Development Manager AURIC GROUP

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Jade Macaulay Senior Learning and Development Manager DFS SINGAPORE

Audrey Chin Director – HR MCDONALD’S RESTAURANTS Winner

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FEATURE

Diversity

According to Mohan, Google employees actively demonstrate their support for the LGBT community through events such as Pink Dot, an annual celebration aimed at bringing LGBT individuals closer to their families and friends. “In the spirit of inclusion, thousands of Googlers worldwide get behind organisations like Pink Dot that celebrate LGBT pride, to show support for fellow workers and the LGBT community.” Wong concurs with Mohan about the positive impacts events such as Pink Dot have had on the LGBT community. “Pink Dot has helped bring the LGBT community out of the closet, and started creating conversations within companies,” says Wong.

Diversity the only option Wong firmly believes that creating a diverse and inclusive work environment is sound business strategy, and that companies have no other way to proceed should they want to succeed in an intensely competitive global environment. “As the competition for talent intensifies, companies will realise that discrimination will result in them losing the best people: both LGBT individuals and straight people who want to work in a place where people are recognised and rewarded solely on their professional capabilities,” says Wong. Indeed, according to a study from UCLA Law School’s Williams Institute, companies that adopt pro-LGBT policies are more prone to boosting their business outcomes (see: boxout).

Minister has his say Following the MyPaper report that Goldman Sachs was planning a hiring and networking dinner for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, Social and Family Development Minister Chan Chun Sing took to his Facebook page to offer his own opinion. While he did not mention any company specifically, he said Singaporeans had requested his outlook on the recruitment process of a multinational firm in Singapore. “Foreign companies here should respect local culture and context,” Chan wrote. “They are entitled to decide and articulate their HR policies, but they should not venture into public advocacy for causes that sow discord amongst Singaporeans. “While different groups may express their different points of view, everyone should respect the sensitivities of others and not create division.” Chan also added that “discrimination, be it positive or negative; whether based on race, language, religion or sexual orientation, is not aligned with our social ethos and has no place in our society”.

Pink Dot

has helped bring the LGBT community out of the closet

Lightfoot is also a keen advocate of fewer rules within a company, claiming that more rules that say “we have to” will likely foster environments that are not conducive to acceptance. “Rules do the exact opposite: they create a space to be segregated and therefore separated from ‘normal’,” says Lightfoot. “Within this industry, if you have people who are fearful of their acceptance within the company, they won’t succeed.”

Pro-LGBT policies = Positive business outcomes? A study from the UCLA Law School’s Williams Institute has found that workplace guidelines promoting gay and lesbian employees are likely to herald positive business outcomes. The report, titled The Business Impact of LGBT-Supportive Workplace Policies, analysed 36 research studies and concluded that policies supporting lesbian and gay workers were more likely to produce positive business impacts, higher job commitment, increased job satisfaction and improved health outcomes among LGBT employees. In addition, those workers were found to be less prone to encountering discrimination in workplaces that contained accommodating policies. “We now have a strong body of evidence that LGBT-supportive policies have a variety of benefits for companies that extend beyond the employees those policies impact directly,” said Lee Badgett, an economics professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a co-author of the study. “As our nation’s workplaces become more diverse, businesses that respond to that trend will benefit.”

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FEATURE

HR Tech

Bringing communication

nline

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Happy employees are generally more productive, creating increased profits for the business. Keeping them satisfied should therefore be a major priority but many employers are still not considering this vital measurement. HRM looks at how online surveys can provide an unobtrusive platform for staff feedback By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

The benefits of listening to staff are clear. According to internal communications consultant Melcrum, companies with highly effective internal communications are three times more likely to measure and report results than those with less successful connections to their employees. Also, they are nearly twice as likely to outperform the market in their business objectives. Connecting with employees truly gives a company a competitive edge. However, internal communication with staff is routinely ignored in the face of seemingly more pressing corporate needs. Paul Wilson, director of Par-ex, says that one of the most common factors that cause employers to ignore communicating with staff about their satisfaction levels is the fact that they think such conversations are, ultimately, all about salary. Employers may also find employee engagement efforts to be too costly and time consuming. “Many have limited experience of implementing surveys and feedback processes and are concerned about what’s involved in doing it well,” says Wilson. Some employers even refuse to listen to staff feedback as they worry it will add costs to their operations, says Charles Liaw, Managing Director, Times Software. Furthermore, certain needs that employees voice during engagement surveys are actually not reasonable and practical for companies to accept or adopt. For example, staff may want a Karaoke and Fitness Club room but space may be a constraint for the company. “Also, specific staff may want to choose which clients they want to serve or provide support and services to,” Liaw adds. “That’s unacceptable as well.” There may also be a shortage of skilled manpower to help the organisation look into employee engagement. Companies may also have set up reporting structures that restrict staff to provide feedback to

management. Working environments and tight working schedules may also limit staff communications. “Employers are sometimes even secretly afraid of the messages or feedback they may receive,” says Wilson.

Internal communications on a budget Face-to-face feedback, either through structured interviews or focus groups, can be resource intensive and therefore less suitable for evaluating engagement levels across an entire workforce. However, this type of feedback can provide rich data and complement an online survey, allowing researchers to explore certain aspects of the survey findings in more detail and thereby improve managers’ understanding of the results, says Wilson. Hardcopy questionnaires, on the other hand, are still necessary where staff do not have adequate access to the internet. “It is important that all staff are given the opportunity to contribute so hard copies may have to be used as a last resort for some groups,” Wilson explains.

Challenges in implementing online surveys • Costs and manpower issues to maintain systems • Resources to consolidate surveys • Provide timely report to Management to look into serious feedback urgently • Acting on feedback fast to encourage more staff to participate • Staff not willing to share their issues or feedback with company Source: Charles Liaw, Managing Director, Times Software

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HR Tech “The distribution, collection and data entry slow the process and raise costs significantly when compared to online questionnaires so I can see no other reason to use them,” he adds. “Ultimately, each has its value when used in the appropriate context.” A cost-effective way to measure employee satisfaction and provide an unobtrusive platform to employees is through anonymous online employee surveys. “The real-time nature of the reporting means that we can give regular updates on response levels across different parts of the organisation during the survey period,” says Wilson. “This means that if there is a low response rate identified, we can alert managers who can take steps to address this before the survey closes. “The better the response rate, the greater the confidence that the data is representative of employees views and opinions,” he adds.

What is the ideal length for your online survey? One of the most common questions from survey creators is, “How long should my online survey be?” If your survey is too long, respondents may: • Rush through the survey, skip questions or enter false information • Abandon the survey • Ask to be removed from your mailing list or report your message as spam According to Rachel Foster, B2B copywriter, Fresh Perspective Copywriting, while there is no single answer to this question, here are some guidelines that will increase both your response rates and the quality of the responses:

Mention the time commitment up front. Before someone opens your survey, let them know how long it will take to answer all the questions. Then, include a bar on every page that highlights their progress throughout the survey. The bar will keep respondents motivated and reassure them that they don’t have much longer to go.

Vary the types of questions. Try not to give someone a survey that requires an individual response to every question, as these take a lot of time and thought to answer. Be sure to include lots of quick and easy multiple choice and ranking questions.

Be a ruthless editor. When you edit your online survey, keep all the questions that will provide you with critical insight and minimise or remove everything else. Non-critical questions increase both respondents’ time commitment and the effort you’ll need to analyse the final results. “Aim to keep your survey as short as possible to respect your respondents’ time while ensuring you still receive the insight you need,” Foster advises. Source: Adapted from an article on Cvent

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The best known online survey platform in the US, SurveyMonkey, is now processing survey responses at the rate of

2.2 million per day,

up from 1 million a day in January 2013. Source: The Boston Globe

Ins and outs of online surveys Some common challenges companies face when implementing online employee survey platforms include first understanding exactly what is to be achieved from the survey. “Knowing exactly what the aim of the survey is will significantly improve its impact,” says Wilson. Employers also need to be realistic about the scope of the survey and avoid the tendency to “put too much in”. Wilson says employees and managers must be on board with the process. “You need them to work with you.” It also helps to fit online surveys into a suitable point in the business cycle, avoiding peak workloads and other major initiatives. “Most importantly, be prepared to respond to and act upon the feedback,” Wilson warns. “Failure to do so will undermine any future engagement initiatives through lack of credibility.” A primary concern for staff is confidentiality. Liaw explains that while online employee surveys can work, for them to be really effective, sender identifications (IDs) should not be revealed. “Many employees refuse to provide feedback online as they worry that their company might able to trace the sender ID,” says Liaw. “They feel they may be blacklisted by their supervisors or managers if their ID is revealed.”

Making online surveys work for you Engaging a specialist supplier to design and administer the survey is an important way of demonstrating that the impartiality and anonymity of online surveys are respected and protected. “We at Par-ex will explicitly contract with the client on the level of confidentiality that is required and how

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that will be achieved,” says Wilson. “For example, we do not share the raw data with the company and will agree a minimum group size that we will report on,” he explains. “That way, we ensure that the responses of small groups of employees will not be revealed and open to scrutiny.” While employees’ concerns about confidentiality should be addressed at the earliest stages of the project, anonymity is not always ideal. “For example, one of our surveys is aimed at recently-recruited employees to get their feedback on the recruitment and on-boarding process, and also to gauge their level of engagement and if they are at risk of resigning,” says Wilson. “It can be administered anonymously, but offers most value when it gives the opportunity for a named individual to share their experiences and views, and promote the opportunity for a discussion about how the company can better maintain and/or improve their engagement level.” Individuals’ reports on workforce-wide engagement surveys can also be provided, becoming a powerful tool for development planning with HR or line personnel.

“Knowing exactly what the aim of the survey is will significantly improve its impact” – PAUL WILSON, DIRECTOR OF PAR-EX “Have employers actually added up how much recruitment, on-boarding and leave administration costs their business?” Wilson asks. “It can cost up to 40% of each new hire’s salary just to bring them on board and up to speed,” he explains. “Can any employer really afford not to take up the engagement challenge?”

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FEATURE

Internships

Get them

EARLY!

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Internships are great way for companies to identify, develop and retain future talent before their competitors get to them. HRM finds out how you can make internships a win-win arrangement for both parties By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

Nurturing the right interns can make a critical difference to your talent pipeline years down the track. These bright young minds often come brimming with fresh ideas and insights that can help businesses be on the pulse on things, and edge out the competition. Telco giant SingTel believes interns are critical in its pursuit for future talent. “We believe in identifying and developing talent early so that they can help with the company,” shares Cara Reil, Vice President of Talent and Leadership Development, SingTel. “Our internship programme helps us spot top performing students who could qualify for our scholarship programme. We then look to our scholars to progress into our Management Associate Programme once they graduate.”

DBS:

Onboarding must-dos DBS welcomes its new interns with an orientation programme, First Day@DBS. At this session, interns are inducted into the company by learning about the bank’s history, vision, strategy, and policies. After the session, they are then introduced to their managers, team members and ‘buddies’, who will then continue to integrate them with the company on a more personal and department-specific level. “Interns are encouraged to take the initiative to familiarise themselves with the company’s culture and actively take steps to learn more about their roles and responsibilities as well as obtain access to resources they may require in their day-to-day work,” says Debbie Chan, Vice President, Group HR, DBS Bank “To accelerate learning, managers will support our interns by providing them with more guidance and on-the-job training.”

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Internships “We don’t create artificial environments through special programmes created just for interns. Qualcomm interns in many ways are treated much like regular employees. They get to experience the real deal” – WILLIAM CHIN, STAFFING DIRECTOR, QUALCOMM ASIA-PACIFIC

THE TOP 10 US INTERNSHIP DESTINATIONS

1 FACEBOOK 6 INTEL 2 GOOGLE 7 MICROSOFT 3 QUALCOMM 8 BLOOMBERG 4 SCHLUMBERGER 9 APPLE 5 EPIC

10 EXXONMOBIL

Source: From the report, 25 Highest Rated Companies Hiring Interns in 2014, by Glassdoor

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DBS Bank, offers 150 internships each year as part of its overall aim to nurture talent in the financial industry, says Debbie Chan, Vice President, Group HR, DBS Bank. “The bank’s internships offer students a taste of what banking is about, and serve to build a talent pipeline for DBS.” Since October 2013, the bank has received close to 1,200 applications for its coveted internships. Interns are also a highly sought after resource in niche industries like engineering. Qualcomm, for example, does not have that many competitors to draw talent from for its engineering positions, says William Chin, Staffing Director, Qualcomm Asia-Pacific. “In Singapore, we must look for creative ways to grow and develop talent. Our internship programme is a key mechanism,” he says. But what do interns want? Employer branding company Universum asked 65,679 undergraduates in the US to identify the top three things they would most like to get from an internship. More than half (51%) of those surveyed said that the opportunity to secure full-time graduate employment was most important to them. Job orientation and training (42%), a good employer reference (29%), challenging assignments (20%) and flexible working conditions (19%) were the other items that scored highly on their wish-lists.

Make it meaningful Being relegated to making coffee, working the office photocopier or running personal errands for the bosses is every bright-eyed intern’s worst nightmare. Thankfully, many companies today view interns as valuable additions to their team that they can help nurture and grow. Interns at Qualcomm for example, are assigned specific project assignments. “Our interns are not treated as assistants or shadows observing our engineers. They are held accountable for meeting deadlines and project deliverables,” shares Chin. Most of the training experiences at Qualcomm come through on-the-job training. “We don’t create artificial environments through special programmes created just for interns. Qualcomm interns in many ways are treated much like regular employees. They get to experience the real deal. Interns do project presentations for their own projects. They are also evaluated through performance review at the end of the internship period,” Chin says. At DBS, a typical internship stint will last from eight to 12 weeks. Interns may be assigned to a variety of projects across different business and support units in the bank, including Institutional Banking, Consumer Banking, Risk Management, and Technology & Operations. “As part of their learning

FEATURE

Mentoring

Why should you hire interns? • To boost future talent pipeline • The chance to hire and train the best and brightest students • To gain fresh insights and be up-to-date on current market trends • Because interns can help existing teams with their workloads • To allow managers and mentors to share their expertise and exchange ideas • Because staff hired through internship programmes have higher retention rates • Because interns can serve as brand ambassadors for your organisation

experience, our interns may be involved in business planning where they will conduct strategic and competitive analysis, learn about the bank’s business functions, and understand our key business drivers,” Chan says. SingTel adopts a structured approach to its internships, coupled with real deliverables. “We organise training and networking sessions for our interns. We also encourage the interns to get involved in some of the ‘volun-teaming’ activities that we do as part of our corporate social responsibility,” Reil says. Some organisations also go a step further and allow their interns to take on client-facing responsibilities, as well as international opportunities. In addition to encouraging client interaction, Qualcomm sometimes requires its interns to work in a global setting, depending on the project they are assigned to. “Project teams will often have stakeholders based in another country. Interns will work through telephone conferences. Many interns have not had to manage work through different time zones,” Chin says. Qualcomm uses conference bridges as well as video conferencing tools to facilitate such interactions. “Our interns realise that they need to sometimes work late nights or early mornings to accommodate time zone differences,” Chin shares. At DBS, interns attached to its client-facing departments can get exposure to clients at the bank’s client events and presentations. Such opportunities help them chalk up valuable experience.

Assigning a dedicated mentor to each intern can help to greatly enhance their learning experience. Interns at Qualcomm are “buddied” with recent graduate recruits or employees with one or two years’ of experience. “We hope the interns can develop a relationship and learn the ropes through their seniors. In addition to mentors, interns work with their project leads and may have another reporting line manager. Interns will also have project team members whom they work with. In total, interns work with at least a four-person matrix team – much like in in a real life work situation,” Chin says. At DBS, some managers provide informal mentoring to interns to ensure that they receive a well-rounded experience during their tenure. “They will discuss and establish goals and objectives with our interns to ensure that they leverage opportunities provided to them for personal learning and growth.”

It doesn’t end here Setting clear goals and deliverables ensures that the internship adds value to all parties involved. At the start of their stint, interns at DBS are required to set goals with their managers to establish job scopes and ensure an enriching experience. “At the end of their internships, interns will receive formal evaluation from their managers and will also be invited to provide feedback on their tenure at DBS,” says Chan. Goal-setting also helps HR set a clearer path for its future hiring plans. SingTel tracks the performance of the interns and top performers are considered for scholarships or entry into its Management Associate Programme, says Reil. As the Universum survey revealed, gaining a full-time job offer is top priority for students on internships. Companies who want to net the best talent, often keep things warm with their interns, even when their stints are over. SingTel for example, keeps in touch with its interns after they leave and local students are invited back to attend its annual Learning Fiesta. “We also ask them to be involved if we are hosting events on their campus,” Reil says. Over at DBS, interns who perform and excel in their internships are continuously engaged by HR. They are notified of any upcoming campus events that the bank is participating in, says Chan. The best internships lead to meaningful, long-term relationships. Chin concludes, “Hopefully, our interns will get a ‘real-world’ experience and determine that this is what they want – to be part of something bigger.” ISSUE 14.7

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Corporate Health

Across both staff and employers in Singapore, there is a high awareness of the need and value of regular health screenings. But that doesn’t necessarily mean these screenings actually take place. When it comes to Singapore’s most threatening source of illness for women, breast cancer, there is a wide gap between those that know they should get screened, and those that do. Zee Yoong Kang, CEO of the Health Promotion Board (HPB), says the National Health Survey (NHS) of 2010 found that nine out of 10 women were aware of the availability of breast and cervical cancer screening tests. “But in reality, less than 50% went for regular Pap smears, and less than 40% for regular mammography,” Zee told media last year. According to the Singapore Cancer Registry Interim Annual Registry Report Trends in Cancer Incidence in Singapore 2008-2012, there were 8,471 cases of breast cancer in women over that four-year period, highlighting the wide scale threat. The perils of illnesses affecting women and working women in particular, are an ongoing concern. Another survey from India provides alarming proof that that nation’s female workforce is struggling with health ailments. The “Multi-tasking Seriously Affecting Corporate Women’s Health study, conducted by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry, showed a staggering 75% of 2,800 corporate women workers polled had health problems (see: boxout). The study also deduced that 78% of respondents suffered from lifestyle, chronic and acute illnesses. Closer to home, an online survey administered by Great Eastern Life revealed that 57% of Singaporean women claimed work was the chief obstacle preventing them from exercising. Statistics such as these epitomise the fact that corporate women’s health is an important aspect of employer health and wellness programmes.

Increased women focus “With the large female workforce in Singapore, companies are definitely paying more attention to corporate women’s health coverage plans,” says Lenny

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Yong, Head of Corporate Marketing at Asiamedic, a company providing wellness, diagnostic health care and health screening for corporate clients. “This can be seen with the increase of femaletargeted health and wellness activities in the workplace and the inclusion of yearly health screening benefits to employees.” Yong says good examples of these include femalespecific health screening packages, exercise programmes that are more pro-female (including options for yoga, pilates and aerobics) and talks that cover female-centric topics such as cervical cancer and breast cancer awareness. However, Singaporean employees are not fully utilising their companies’ health and wellness programmes. A JobStreet.com survey, unveiled last year, found that 60% of firms devised wellness programmes to enhance employees’ health. But only 70% of Singaporean employees take advantage of these efforts, with those missing out attributing this to factors such as insufficient time and heavy workload.

Indian female workforce’s health woes India’s female workforce is beset by a range of different ailments. According to the Multi-tasking Seriously Affecting Corporate Women’s Health survey by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 75% of corporate women employees in India are dogged by health issues. The survey deduced that: Around 42% of those polled were deemed to be suffering from conditions such as backache, obesity, depression, diabetes, hyper-tension, and heart ailments; While 22% were reported to be suffering from chronic ailments, 14% had acute illnesses also. “A majority of the respondents said while their jobs were demanding, fear of losing them in an environment of economic slowdown and low employment generation were making things worse,” the report found. The majority of ill staff do not visit a doctor to get their ailments treated. Reasons given for this include having a busy schedule, being in denial, and some turning to home treatment alternatives. The issue was found to exist across all levels of seniority. It was conducted in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune, and included 2,800 corporate women in 120 companies across 11 broad sectors.

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s y a w Al

P E T S A D A E H A h fo r b o t t n a t r po y h is im t l a i c u l a rl e t h r f a f p a t e S b e. b ut can orkforc , w s r e l e a d gen a n g e rs e fe m d h t h t r l o a f he ant , igg es t b imp or t e g a p o re h n t i S s r n e i v n nco f g wo m e n H RM u i e i r s ta f k r h t o t w c g e t n ni c a n p ro s t h re a t e r e y o l w emp and ho m B y Sh a

M a jid

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Corporate Health The survey also found that the most popular wellness programmes were free or subsidised health screenings. In particular, targeted women’s health screening packages and tests, including mammography and Pap smears are testament that corporate women’s health is now an increasingly crucial aspect of coverage, says Yong Yih Ming, Deputy General Manager, Raffles Medical Group (RMG). “This is aligned to breast and cervical cancers being two of the top cancers among women in Singapore,” says Yong. “The available options and packages will allow the female workforce to have early detection.” The Singapore Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF) is providing $2 million to continue the Encouragement for Active Mammograms (BEAM15) programme, financing up to 40,000 free screening mammograms over the next five years for low income women (see: boxout).

Free breast cancer screening for low income women Low-income women will benefit from free breast cancer screening mammograms in the near future. This comes after the Singapore Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF) signalled its intention to offer $2 million to continue the BCF Encouragement for Active Mammograms (BEAM15) programme over the next five years for 40,000 low-income women. An initiative by BCF in partnership with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) – the programme aims to enhance breast cancer screening uptake among women from the lower income group. BCF’s additional funding will complement present government subsidies to cover the full costs of screening mammograms for women attending first time screenings and rescreens. Singaporean women aged 50 years and above with valid Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cards are entitled to get free mammograms under the programme. To enable the scheme to assist lower income women, HPB said it will work with BCF to reach out to the proper target group and make sure they know about this initiative.

Far ranging options Asiamedic’s Yong says his company has customised three corporate health packages specifically for women: the Essential, Enhance and Elite Female screening packages. Each of these packages is planned according to the different health needs of women in different age groups. “As a guideline, health coverage should be customised according to the age group of each individual,” says Yong. “However, some of the basic parameters that should be covered for all age groups are blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels and body mass index.” He adds that for women who are 40 years or older or those who have a family history of cancer, it would be wise to include more advanced tests such as tumour markers, ultrasound scans, and mammograms. Yong says that on average, women make up around 70% of the total population of employees that take up health screening plans across different industries. RMG’s Yong says Raffles has developed standard health screening packages to serve the needs of specific age and gender profiles. These same packages can be accessed by the general public through Raffles Health Screeners, or through corporate level arrangements with their employers. Yong says that generally, a higher percentage of health screening patients at their health screening centres are women. “This could be due to a higher level of health awareness and screening tests like mammography and

pap smears becoming more accessible and affordable as a result of corporate arrangements with RMG,” he notes. According to Yong, there are overlapping health concerns between men and women in the workforce, with common chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes and obesity being gender neutral. “Colon cancer has also crept up as the top cancer among both males and females in Singapore in recent times,” he says.

For women who are

Opting for specific plans While several illnesses are prevalent among both men and women, Dr Shirley Kwee, Resident Physician at RMG, says working women should sign up for plans catered for women specifically, which vary greatly with different age groups. “The basic plans should cover history and examinations, as well as screening tests which are gender-neutral, such as lipid profile, fasting sugar, full blood count, renal and liver function, and urinalysis,” says Dr Kwee. “As the age group increases, more will be focused on specific tests like Pap smear, pelvic ultrasound scan, and mammography (which starts at age 40 onwards).” Furthermore, certain special tests can also be arranged after discussion with the examining doctor, says Dr Kwee.

40 years or older

or those who have a family history of cancer, it would be wise to include more advanced tests such as tumour markers, ultrasound scans, and mammograms

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FEATURE

Strategic HR

HR as

CHANGE AGENT

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FEATURE

Organisational restructuring marks a period of change, transition and new anxieties for all those involved. Strong HR leadership is crucial in this process, with the function involved in deciding who to let go and motivating those who remain, as well as managing costs and any legal implications that may arise By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

Organisations undergo restructuring exercises for a variety of reasons and scales. While most aim to achieve better organisational performance, companies cannot achieve this objective by solely focusing on the ‘surgical’ removal of people from the organisation. According to the Guidelines for Best Practice in Restructure and Redeployment by SHL Group, “the ‘aftercare’ of those who remain should be considered and planned for as part of the broader restructuring project”. “It is not uncommon for those left behind to either feel ‘survivor’s guilt’ that their jobs are safe or a sense of ‘bereavement’ at the loss of colleagues,” says Maureen Ho, Senior Consultant – HR Practice, Talent2. “They may also experience the uncertainties of their own jobs being redesigned and potential cultural shift taking place in the organisation. “It is therefore important to keep these employees engaged and aware of the restructured plan,” she adds. Further to that, employees may find their career paths blocked, so careful talent and succession planning should be a critical underpin of any restructure. “In such times, HR plays a critical role as a ‘trusted advisor’ to maintain or uplift staff morale and retain and continually develop talent to support the organisation,” Ho explains. Sony is no stranger to restructuring, having undergone numerous in the past and a much larger-scale change at the moment. Previously, Sony always restructured within its own individual business divisions, such as when it split with Ericsson in the mobile space. But the current restructuring involves exiting an entire business sector altogether. This was seen most recently when Sony successfully sold off its widely-known PC brand, Vaio, to Japan Industrial Partners.

TIPS AND TRICKS Even the smallest restructure can be a complex and difficult exercise, says Maureen Ho, Senior Consultant – HR Practice, Talent2. She says HR should: • Fully understand the commercial rationale for change, be ready to stand in support of change, and be able to carry out consistent communication within the organisation • Ensure that line managers are well briefed and recognise their critical frontline role in a restructure • Be aware of the complex legal landscape and get the legal basics right from the start • Support and educate the business in putting in place an effective talent and succession plan as this is critical to staff motivation and retention beyond the restructure

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FEATURE

Strategic HR

“When an organisation goes through the transformation exercise, it is a difficult time for all, especially for remaining employees who are expected to do more with less. The best approach in such a situation is to be as transparent as possible with them” – SONY

“It is very important for any organisation to be effective and efficient. With cost pressures from the business environment and increased competition, it has become even more crucial to design a very effective organisation,” a Sony spokesperson tells HRM. “When an organisation goes through the transformation exercise, it is a difficult time for all, especially for remaining employees who are expected to do more with less. The best approach in such a situation is to be as transparent as possible with them.” Sony believes that while communication is important, this alone will not help. “We need to get everyone together to look at all the non-value added activities and use the ‘SCAMPER’ (see: boxout) method which has been very popular for some time,” the spokesperson explains. “The after care of remaining employees needs to be well thought through and we need to give some time to them to adapt to the new working environment.”

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Starring role: HR HR can positively contribute to a strategic restructuring process, particularly if it is already well regarded as an advisor to the business. “They can play a key role in coaching and equipping line managers with the necessary skills to delivering the change message to their team,” says Ho. Sony believes the HR team should always be on high alert when strategic restructuring is initiated. “They play a pivotal role in such instances by providing necessary information and preparing the business leaders to ensure that the transformation is managed well, with minimal impact on the employees,” the spokesperson explains. A well-defined process is, also important during such an exercise as various members of the organisation need to be aligned before implementing the exercise. A few factors that should be considered proactively include having a well-informed management team, and preparing effective communication with stakeholders (including government authorities, legal teams, the media, and employees). According to Sony, all line managers should also be prepared for the exercise, with an emphasis on internal communication before, during and after the exercise. “HR should also look into managing the cost impact of the restructuring exercise on the organisation,” the Sony spokesperson says.

Defying the odds During a restructuring exercise, HR teams are faced with challenges that include procedural, psychological, emotional and communicational issues. Firstly, it is important to ensure that all steps in the process are followed. “The timelines are always tight (but) they must be followed at every single step,” says Sony. “If you do not have a well-defined process, implementing the restructuring process will be even more difficult, riddled with uncertainties and a high chance that something is skipped,” the spokesperson says. “This can cost the company in terms of reputation and negative publicity.” HR team members have to be present for every discussion during such exercises. They have to manage the psychological and emotional response from all affected employees. According to Sony, it can be very difficult to keep emotions at bay. There is a chance an employee will

FEATURE

SCAMPER

and s for: S CA M PE R st S = Substitute C = Combine A = Ad apt M= Modify r u se P = Put to othe E = Eliminate educe e/R = Rearrang

Source: Sony

feel that HR is not able to protect them and may question why they were selected for retrenchment. “If the HR person gets emotionally involved in these discussions, it will be challenging to act professionally,” the spokesperson says. “So maintaining their own emotional control and managing the emotions of affected employees is needed.” Indeed, HR may itself be impacted by organisational change. “Therefore, HR staff may be both the messenger and the recipient of bad news in times of change,” Ho adds.

Avoiding Broken Telephone Syndrome It’s not just the message that is important – the way that message is communicated can also affect the success of a restructure. The HR team has to prepare business leaders to ensure that the news is delivered appropriately, and be there to support the entire communication process. Still communication between management and ground staff is routinely lost or broken during such a time. “Regular communication is critical, but challenging due to the confidential nature of a typical restructure,” says Ho. “Armed with a good overview of the changes, HR can articulate the reasons for change, and authentically stand behind the proposed changes. “HR can also work with line managers in managing and playing an active role in the communication

process to keep it open, transparent and consistent,” she adds. Sony believes it is equally important for business leaders to be proactive in their communication with staff. One effective way is to communicate with all staff (through a town hall meeting, for example) about the business situation and how the company plans to overcome the challenge. “There should also be communication with the staff again after the exercise is completed and this could be done in smaller groups at division or department level,” the spokesperson says. Besides the challenge of effective communication, multinational companies are often faced with complex legal issues when undergoing restructuring. “It is critical to recognise that employment law varies significantly from country to country, and employees tend to know their rights under local laws,” says Ho. “Mobile employees may lose not only their jobs, but also their right to remain in the country – this has to also be taken into consideration.” Ultimately, HR has to truly embody the ‘human’ aspect of its title. “It is imperative to look at the entire activity from a human standpoint,” the Sony spokesperson concludes.

HR’s restructuring checklist Activity

Details

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

• Prepare well in advance for the restructuring activity • Ensure a well-defined process is in place • Ensure the cost-versus-business impact is considered before the activity commences • Ensure all relevant teams are involved at the right time before conducting the exercise • Prepare managers of all affected employees

Communicate

• Handle communication with care • Prepare statements for internal and external communication • Have a communication plan in place

Stakeholders

• Inform stakeholders about the progress of the activity • Seek necessary approvals in good time • Inform external stakeholders like government authorities, as per guidelines

Involve the business

• Involve business leaders in communicating with affected employees

Be Human

• Look at the entire activity from a human standpoint

Source: Sony

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TALENT LADDER

New Appointments Adrian Ho

HR Manager, Riverview Hotel Singapore Adrian Ho was appointed as the HR Manager of Riverview Hotel in June 2014, having been Assistant HR Manager since June 2012. Ho has more than 15 years of HR experience, including time spent in the marine, manufacturing, and retail sectors, as well as several years with a tripartite partner. He has experienced various sectors’ HR practices, and worked with hundreds of HR practitioners, spurring him on to share HR best practices among his peers and management.

For example, Ho says he strongly believes in advocating responsible HR practices for today’s workforce. Sharing with other enlightened HR practitioners, Ho believes in leadership by example, walking through various aspects of HR like selection, training, compensation and conflict management, and empathy for the workforce. “HR has a unique role in ensuring the workforce is relevant and maintaining a good working relationship with the union in order to contribute to the overall success of

the organisation,” said Ho. Having brought Riverview Hotel through the implementation of a new HR information system, integrating attendance, leave, payroll and casual labour management, Ho is confident that the hotel is enjoying greater productivity, accuracy and more timely execution of HR services. Ho is now working closely with Christine Chan (Director of HR) in enhancing policies and practices in the hotel, and improving various HR strategies.

and business roles in large organisations. Prior to this new role, Narayan was responsible for the operations of Capgemini Business Services, the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) arm of Capgemini India. As a Corporate Vice President there, he was instrumental in building and scaling up BPO operations across India. Narayan also spearheaded operations and built new capabilities, while supporting business development with existing and potential clients.

Prior to joining Capgemini in October 2006, Narayan spent 17 years with the Unilever Group, managing various functional and business roles, including the creation of a shared services division. “We are delighted to have BL Narayan taking over the overall leadership of the HR function,” said Aruna Jayanthi, CEO of Capgemini India. “His earlier profile in the organisation will add immense value to his new role of developing business-focused and innovative HR systems and processes.”

BL Narayan

Chief HR Officer, Capgemini Capgemini, a global provider of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced the appointment of BL Narayan as chief HR officer. Narayan has taken over from Rajesh Padmanabhan, who decided to move on from Capgemini after serving as chief HR officer for four years. Narayan comes into this role with diverse experience in the field of corporate finance, auditing, and operations, and has led various finance

Wendy Chang

Associate Director, HR, LaSalle Investment Management Wendy Chang was recently appointed as Associate Director of HR at LaSalle Investment Management. She was previously with IDA International, a subsidiary of IDA Singapore. Prior to this role, Chang also worked with DBS Bank and Millennium Capital. Chang said she had left IDA International to expand her exposure in various areas of HR and further progress her career. “Every role I was in, they posed different challenges to me,” she said. 46

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“All these companies are very fast-paced and performance driven. And I needed to be very alert at work every day as there could be various HR and people issues which require immediate attention. “There was always a need for talent within a short turnaround time. But where skillsets are niche and specialised, it could take us months to find ‘the one’.” Chang has 10 years of HR experience, across a spectrum of HR functions. “I have been in HR Generalist roles for most of my years and spent two years in

DBS Bank on talent acquisition for their operations, consumer banking and wealth management areas,” she said. “I am now back in the financial services line, which I am very excited about. “ Chang says she is looking forward to learning the different people matters and strategies in the region she is looking after. “I also hope I can partner with the business and leaders closely, making the company a fun and engaging place to work in,” she added.

IN PERSON

HR talent Pirki Lahdesmaki Director of HR, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove

How many years HR experience? Over a decade in seven different countries. I did my undergraduate and postgraduate studies with Glasgow University and London Metropolitan respectively after leaving my native Finland, specialising in international HR management and leadership development. Why HR? HR is agile, it is ever changing, it is strategic, and it is operational. The ability to continuously meet new people from many different cultures, with a variety of motivators, learning styles, preferences and personalities keeps me engaged. In HR, our success is measured by how well we set other people up for success as well as how well we enable organisations and individuals to develop and grow. Success in HR is enabling others to succeed. Why Starwood Hotels and Resorts and W Singapore Sentosa Cove? I have been with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide for over 13 years now. The ability to have a

global career, and transfer between countries and brands are key to staying with the company. The W brand is unique and is a lifestyle brand that is driven by innovation. It is fast-paced, personalised and passionate about music, fashion and design – and it is continuously evolving. W Singapore Sentosa Cove is all that with a stunningly beautiful location at Sentosa Cove. Biggest achievement? On a larger scale of things, I feel that my biggest achievement is continuously and successfully being able to localise HR strategies while maintaining the overall W brand vision and Starwood mission. Enabling people to grow, and to have a career instead of just a job; that is my biggest achievement every time. After hours? Travelling, near and far, keeping in touch with a very solid group of friends who are scattered around the world. I am also a foodie and I make sure I keep my wine knowledge up-to-date. I love Singapore for the great variety of outdoor activities here!

RESOURCES

Book reviews

Inside the ORG On one hand, the modern day organisation forms the fabric of economic society. On the other, it can also be the harbinger of stress, frustration and unhappiness for its workers. For those intrigued by the secret life of organisations – their complexities, intricacies and mysteries – The ORG, by Ray Fisman and Tim Sullivan will answer all of your queries. Some organisations start off small – employing people that believe in the business and are enriched working there. These small companies then balloon into supersized Frankensteins that end up engineered in a way that robs happiness and purpose from those they employs, the authors argue. Other organisations turn themselves around from being pathological deconstructs into model cash-strapped societies.

The book reminds us that whether or not an organisation spins off its orbit depends on a series of many transaction costs, decisions and systems. As an organisation grows, its complexity and volatility grow in proportion to it. The authors write that many of the very things that we so hate about organisations are put in place precisely to stop those trends from getting worse. This volume is a unique look at business sociology, making a concerted effort to use social science to explain the innate workings and intricacies of organisations. By drawing on a plethora of vivid and varied case-study examples, the book manages to fascinate its readers with big questions on how many organisations tend to go down eerily similar roads. Ultimately however, The ORG is a pioneer book that is written in defense of bureaucracy. Weaving wry humor into thorny debates, the book is an intriguing read for anyone fascinated by the lives that organisations create for themselves.

Title: The ORG Author: Ray Fisman & Tim Sullivan Publisher: John Murray Price: S$24.00 ISSUE 14.7

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TALENT CHALLENGE

Employee Empowerment

Are your employees overworked? How can HR practices be tailored to avoid employee burnout? Lyn Lee

Vice President of HR, Shell Business Service Centres

For me, the answer lies around three considerations. They are: business relevance individual motivation – the question of ‘what’s in it for me (WIIFM)’ and ease of use. Firstly, does HR get busy running training programmes, lunch and learns, career days, and interviews without being clear on what the purpose is? What is the tangible outcome for these investments in time and resources? If the outcomes are not clear, it is usually “busy work”. It is not just the people running it who will get extremely busy, but the people attending these programmes as well. Time spent on a workshop needs to reinforce and support skills building, knowledge acquisition and doing our job more effectively. Secondly, in terms of WIIFM, do employees feel engaged and motivated by the HR practices in place for employee welfare, wellness and development? For instance, are mobile, remote, and part-time working choices endorsed and championed by the managers in the organisation? Or do employees who make such choices feel the need to prove themselves by working harder and sometimes even longer hours? If so, this defeats the purpose of work-life balance, and the reasons why these practices exist to start with. Finally, it is about the process and simplicity. With more and more HR requests and applications moving towards self-help portals, do we make our systems painless and fuss free? Or do employees often end up frustrated and having to call for help to fix a problem? These three questions help me to be clear on goals and outcomes, and to often look for ways to de-clutter, so as to avoid burnout from doing unnecessary things. 48

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Nutan Singapuri

HR Director, Microsoft Asia-Pacific

Employee burnout is a very real concern for HR and company leaders today. While most managers and organisations have moved away from the old school line of thinking that regards working long hours in the office as a badge of honour, it is perhaps easy to lapse into the same traps without a comprehensive approach to actively avoiding burnout. To do this, companies should explore an all-up organisational cultural shift, supported by long-term planning and constant engagement with employees. The HR department should take the lead with practices that offer a flexible working environment encourage collaboration, strong support and feedback network. This should enable employees to strike the balance between their personal and professional lives, allowing them to thrive. Let me share a recent experience we’ve had at Microsoft. Three years ago, we observed that technology had fundamentally changed the way people live and work. People can, and do, work anywhere. In response, we decided to provide a flexible environment that allows employees to do their best work wherever they are, eliminating potential burnout factors due to incompatibility in work styles. We introduced the ‘New World of Work’ initiative and completely redesigned our workplace. There are no assigned desks or private offices for managers. The office space was re-designed to encourage collaboration and to allow employees to choose the space that best suits their work activity, be it an informal café style seating or drop-in rooms for conference calls. In building this flexible work culture, we trusted our people to take control of their own schedules.

A Mateen

Vice President of HR, DHL Express, Southeast Asia and South Asia

Work-life balance is not about the amount of time you spend working versus not working. It’s more about how you spend your time working and relaxing, recognising that what you do in one fuels your energy for the other. In the “survival” zone, which is where we usually are, we put in a lot of energy, but feel negative, impatient, intolerant, irritable and frustrated. The burnout zone is where we do not want to be. This zone means we are not investing a lot of energy and we are feeling negative, exhausted, empty, depressed, sad and hopeless. At DHL Express, we have things like the thinking room, resting room and games room to help employees take their minds away from work. We also have a staff appreciation week where our management team dresses up and we look at the best dressed winners and staff. Making employees feel appreciated is a key component to avoiding burnout. Nevertheless, we also trust out employees when it comes to maintaining a high level of productivity. They have got to hit their KPIs but this is about becoming more responsible, respecting one another and not taking advantage of colleagues or the organisation. We aim to be in the “performance” zone, where we put in a lot of energy and feel positive, upbeat, energetic, action-oriented, motivated and inspired. To stay at peak performance, we need to set aside time to disengage and fully renew. We should not be designed to work like machines and we need to build in intermittent periods of rest. Little pieces of high quality renewal are critical to being able to sustain high performance over time.

TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

HR at Work

8:00am Attend a teleconference with my HR colleagues in San Diego, California, to discuss new global/Asia Pacific HR strategic initiatives, review and follow up on existing initiatives and track project progress.

Foo Wah Teng Associate Director, Human Resources, Asia Pacific, Illumina Singapore

9:00am Review HR performance reports and analytics. Plan and arrange meetings with appropriate team members to discuss HR strategies and tactics to attract, retain and motivate employees. Attend to my daily HR operational responsibilities and delegate work tasks that require my team members’ action and support. 10:00am Meetings with the appropriate department heads and other colleagues to understand their business and operational needs, and to provide HR advice and guidance on the appropriate HR programmes and initiatives to support their needs.

12:00pm Lunch with colleagues in a neighbourhood food court and followed by some quick personal errands. I energise my afternoon with my daily cup of “teh-tarik”. 1:00pm Catch up and respond to emails that requires my immediate attention. 2:00pm Lead my HR team’s meeting, which cover business updates, review HR goal progress for the respective HR areas (Recruitment, Compensation, Benefits, Learning and Development). 3:30pm Discussion with the General Manager on new business initiatives that require short-term HR planning and support. 5:00pm Prepare presentation materials for the launch of a new HR initiative. Jot down the next day’s to-do list, and prepare for the night teleconference with my US colleagues. 6:30pm Head for home.

Human Resources Manager, South East Asia

Vice President HR

Talent Acquisition Manager

› US industrial multinational company › Strategic and hands-on role › Make a difference today

› Maritime industry › Rewarding and Challenging position › Strategic thinking and decision making role

› Financial services industry › Strategic business partnering role › Great Culture and dynamic environment

A key leader in a niche industry, our client has extensive global presence and now seeks an experienced Human Resources Manager to lead its People agenda across South East Asia Region.

The Vice President, Human Resources, serving as a key contributor to the strategic and operational components of the organization. Provides strategic leadership to leadership Team, Shareholders and Board of Directors as well as provides direction in the areas of employee relations, training and development, succession planning, staffing and diversity, compensation and benefits, performance management, human resources operations and processes.

The TA Manager plays a key role in the design, delivery, execution and assessment of recruitment and talent strategies, and in initiatives that enable the acquisition of top talent required to meet business objectives. Lead high performing teams of experienced recruiters in the acquisition of talent across all levels and in alignment with business objectives and organizational needs.

As strategic partner, you will align HR strategies with business strategy and provide high level professional and operational HR advice to business leaders. You will develop HR plan on people management to improve performance and organisational capability, lead and implement best practices in HR management, and guide the team in providing excellent HR support to the business. Degree qualified with minimum 8 years of HR generalist experience in MNCs, you have proven success in driving and executing change management activities in a complex matrix reporting environment. You possess strong influencing skills and partnering experience with cross-cultural business leaders, ability to work with all levels of staff, and commitment in building a performance-driven culture and quality standards of service excellence. Those who are willing to travel frequently and open to relocation are preferred. Reference number: MH/JD46117 Contact person: Maureen Ho (Reg. No. R1105976)

This is a highly visible position which will provide Human Resources leadership to ensure the organization possesses the people, skills and capabilities to develop and execute the organization’s mission and growth strategy, this person will also strategically drive the culture and build our reputation as an employer of choice. As a member of the leadership team, the selected individual will partner with the business to provide consultative support and counsel and align business needs and Human Resources strategies to support the business. Reference number: OL/JD 46183 Contact person: Oka Lee (Reg. No. R1216022)

Responsible for developing appropriate resource acquisition strategies and managing the end-to-end talent acquisition process to deliver agreed targets for roles within assigned business areas. Partnering with the business, the role holder will provide both consultative and transactional talent acquisition support to deliver a comprehensive and value added service. The Talent Acquisition Manager must provide functional leadership when consulting with Leaders on strategies and Talent Acquisition processes. Significant experience in HR staffing activities required.

Reference number: OL/JD 46181 Contact person: Oka Lee (Reg. No. R1216022)

1143/0514

7:50am Arrive at workplace after sending my daughter to school. Have a quick homemade breakfast at my desk while going through my to-do list, emails, and my day’s work priorities.

Your Human Resources recruitment specialists To apply, please go to talent2.com and search for respective reference number. For a confidential discussion, you can contact Maureen Ho or Oka Lee for the relevant position in our Singapore Office on +65 6511 8555  linkedin.com/company/talent2

Allegis Group Singapore Pte Ltd Company No. 200909448N EA Licence No. 10C4544

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Frazer Jones Global HR Recruitment Frazer Jones exclusively focuses on the global HR market and our specialist teams recruit across the full HR spectrum for local, regional and global positions, for all levels and industries. If you are looking for your next opportunity, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of the team.

Global Head of Reward . Singapore This leading multinational B&FS company with a HQ in Europe is currently seeking a Head of Reward, Performance and Benefits to focus on advisory, delivery and products. You will need to be a seasoned Rewards Leader, ideally with deep Financial Markets experience along with an exceptional technical ability. Ref: FN195791

Head of HR, Markets . Singapore

This renowned bank with a strong presence in Singapore is looking for a Head of HR to focus on their Markets business. This is a global role, supporting senior stakeholders working at MD level and will cover full-spectrum HR activities. You must have solid HRBP experience within the markets space. Ref: FN196021

Employee Relations Manager . Singapore

A newly created Employee Relations role, working for a leading bank in Singapore, responsible for a range of employee relations activities, from initial investigation through to closure. To be successful, you should be a dedicated ER specialist that has focused on cases inclusive of theft, fraud and harassment. Alternatively you should have c.5 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; HR experience with strong ER experience. Ref: SS196321

Reward Manager, SEA . Singapore

This global consumer goods firm has grown significantly over the past years and has further substantial growth planned in the region. They require an experienced Reward professional to join the team and support these expansion plans, this is a newly created role and the successful candidate will need to have at least 5 years dedicated C&B exposure across South East Asia at Manager level. Ref: FN196221

Junior HR BP . Singapore

This global consulting firm is looking for a junior HR BP to join the Singapore team. The role will support the Regional HRD in a generalist capacity, acting as first point of contact for all HR related matters. Ref: SS189051

Work for Frazer Jones

We are always looking for new talent to join our team. We are currently seeking a a recruiter with 2-6+ yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; HR experience. If you are interested to hear more, visit careerswiththesrgroup.com or call Fiona Nesbitt on +65 6420 0515.

frazerjones.com @FRAZERJONESHR FRAZER-JONES

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Head of Executive Learning . Singapore

This financial institution is currently looking for a Head of Executive Learning. This role will lead the programme design and delivery for the senior leadership development portfolio, focusing on the development of senior individuals. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding and knowledge of the FS space. Ref: FN196131 For more information, please contact Fiona Nesbitt at fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com or Samantha Soh at samanthasoh@frazerjones.com alternatively, call the team on +65 6420 0515.

GLOBAL HR SEARCH & RECRUITMENT

{ WE KNOW RECRUITMENT HR Manager

HR Director

General Manager HR, APAC

› Visibility to senior management › Team leading role

› Newly created position › US industry leader

› Part of the regional leadership team › Dynamic and progressive organisation

Our client is a reputable FMCG industry leader in the sector they operate in. In this role, you will work closely with the group CEO in the development and implementation of HR strategy for manpower planning, compensation and benefits as well as to assist with the execution of business expansion plans in the region. Key to your success will be your ability to manage stakeholders. The successful applicant should be degree qualified with at least 5 years of experience in the full spectrum of HR activities, possesses strong interpersonal and team management skills.

Our client is investing heavily in the region and seeking for a seasoned HR Director to be part of the management team. You will have full responsibility for the full spectrum of HR activities for the Singapore businesses. Leading a small team, you will be a key member of the senior management team and will play an advisory role on all human capital matters. You will design long term HR strategies and provide medium term solutions to meet business goals. The ideal candidate should have at least 10 years of HR experience gained in an Oil & Gas Multinational.

Our client, a leader in its field with a focus on organic growth and strategic acquisitions, is seeking a seasoned HR professional to be part of its APAC leadership team. You will play a pivotal role in driving the achievement of business objectives and growth as well as be the overall process owner for all human capital matters, including talent acquisition and development, L&D, C&B, in addition to championing best practices . You will have at least 10 years of experience in a multinational with an understanding of the cultural diversity within the region.

Please contact Eugene Wong (Reg no: R1331128) quoting ref: H2294660 or visit our website.

Please contact Ashley Wei (Reg no: R1434529) quoting ref: H2289780 or visit our website.

Please contact Ng Lay-Hoon (Reg no: R1108753) quoting ref: H2157640 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

Get Connected. Stay Ahead.

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

#14896 Licence No.: 98C5473 Business Registration No: 199804751N

MICHAEL PAGE

Towards unparallel career advancement with Kelly®

Regional Training Manager, Asia-Pacific

Payroll Manager

Established Global U.S. Multinational Company Strategic Role

Senior Manager Career Progression Opportunities

Our client is a leading U.S. manufacturing company. The company is an established global brand, with a wide range of appeal for its products. This U.S. Company is a market leader in its industry. They are seeking a Regional Training Manager for Asia-Pacific. This role will cover the full spectrum of Training and Development. The role is primarily strategic, leading learning initiatives and working with employees/subsidiaries, dealers and suppliers. In this role, the Regional Training Manager will work in close conjunction with Executive and Senior Management teams throughout the Asia-Pacific region. To be successful in this position, you should possess a Degree with eight years of full spectrum Training and Development experience. Excellent communication skills with proven management and leadership qualities will make you a suitable candidate for the position. If you meet the above criteria, please email your detailed CV in word format to priya_prakash@kellyservices.com.sg EA Personnel Registration No. R1325491

Our client is an established facility and catering service provider. They are hiring a Senior Manager to manage their payroll services. This role reports to the HR Director and covers a large headcount of blue and white collar employees. It is a Singapore based role and you will be responsible for managing the payroll team. You will run staff payroll, maintain payroll information, check discrepancies, compile and prepare reports, update the management with information and maintain employee records in the system. Thereafter, you will be expected to manage other HR functions and initiatives. To be successful in this role, you will possess a degree in a relevant discipline with 7 years of payroll experience. You should be experienced in managing a team. Candidate with proven expertise in internal HRIS system and good people management skills is likely to be successful in this role. You must possess detailed knowledge of salary structure, benefits administration, worker compensation and the Singapore employment law. To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to priya_prakash@kellyservices.com.sg EA Personnel Registration No. R1325491

Kelly Services, Inc. is a leader in providing workforce solutions. For more than 35 illustrious years, Kelly has been partnering Singapore’s leading companies to deliver the best talent in the market. Today, Kelly Singapore operates from over 10 strategic locations island-wide. Complementing our general staffing capability, Kelly also offers great expertise in the sourcing of specialised professionals across technical disciplines such as Engineering, Technology and Science, as well as functional specialities for Finance, HR, Sales & Marketing, Procurement and Banking.

kellyservices.com.sg

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

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Returning the Human to Resourcing

APAC HR Project Manager/ Data Analytics

HR Business Partner

HR Project Manager

Power Technology Leader

Global FMCG

Growing Regional Bank

Newly Created Role

One of Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Multinational Workplaces

High Visibility Role

Salary circa up to $85K

Salary circa up to $84K

Salary circa up to $90K

A power technology leader in the world's fastest growing markets is seeking a dynamic and talented individual to be part of the HR team. This hybrid role will cover data analytics and HR project management for APAC across 14 countries.

Reporting to corporate HR Manager, this role is responsible for HR function for manufacturing operations in Singapore. This role covers the full suite of HR function including payroll, performance management, employee engagement and learning & development. You will provide trusted advice on employee relations, compensation and other issues of a confidential business nature to the Singapore plant team.

Singapore is one of the regional hubs in Asia for this growing bank which provides integrated solutions across institutional and corporate banking, financial markets, trade finance, corporate finance, retail banking, private banking and investment banking services.

You should have minimum 5 years' relevant work experience in generalist function preferably familiar with executing HR projects. You are an expertise in the visualization of complex data, simplifying the message into easy to comprehend analysis. You have strong problem solving, analytical, influence and facilitation skills. Being a good team player who is meticulous and process-oriented are essential as well. Strong SAP knowledge is preferred. To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC7119\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

You will display excellent stakeholder management to establish credible relationships within the business to drive execution of HR initiatives including employee engagement. You will partner with payroll vendor to ensure the effective delivery of monthly end to end payroll processing and query management. As an advisor, you will support and align performance management process. For learning and development, you must ensure that learning program is established around skills/competencies required by the business. Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree with minimum 8 years of progressive HR experience in a generalist capacity. You possess strong local employment laws/practices and demonstrated ability to serve on leadership teams and interact effectively with all levels. You display excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, and the willingness to work in Tuas. To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC7152\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

You will engage key stakeholders to ensure HR initiatives and projects are well understood. This includes effective project management to roll out HR initiatives across the division to enable consistent delivery and experience by the business. You will ensure robust change management activities take place when rolling out HR initiatives into the business. An HR professional, tertiary qualified and with a minimum of 3 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience ideally in a consulting firm. You have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You display well developed interpersonal and relationship building skills. You must manage own workload effectively to deliver across a broad range of competing priorities.

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC7189\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

Financial Services I Commerce I Engineering I Human Resources I Legal I Sales & Marketing I Technology 52

ISSUE 14.7

HRMASIA.COM

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

You will design, develop and implement HR reporting to support business needs for APAC. This will include areas of talent acquisition, headcount analysis, people costs, employee engagement, performance and succession planning. As the project manager for HR initiatives, you will be the overall coordination to ensure a successful adoption of the system and the associated role and processes that will accompany the implementation. You will also be the super user for SAP system.

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

HR Manager (with L&D focus) Oil & Gas Industry

Regional Training Advisory Chemical Industry

HR Executive Asset Management Industry

Newly Created Role With L&D Focus

Global Chemicals Organisation

Prominent Global Asset Management Firm

Excellent Career Opportunity

Regional Scope

Excellent Career Progression Opportunities

High Visibility to Senior Management

Excellent Career Prospects

Competitive Remuneration

This is a European MNC, in a high growth stage with excellent opportunities in the region. Due to continuing business needs, there is now an opportunity for a dedicated and high performing HR professional to join them in this exciting role.

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 Singapore.

This is a leading international asset management firm. It is seeking a dynamic HR Executive to support its growing business in the region.

Reporting to VP HR Asia Pacific, you will work closely with the management team and implement best practices for their Singapore office. This is a generalist role encompassing issues pertaining to resourcing, talent management, compensation and benefits, learning and development, employee relations as well as other ad-hoc issues. In particular, you will partner with the business regarding competency development and recommend development curriculum for key job roles. You are HR qualified and have worked a minimum of 5 years in a progressive multinational (Oil & Gas industry preferred). You possess great communication skills both verbal and written. You are comfortable with presentation in front of management team. You are hands on, yet have the capacity to think at a very broad level. You are a strong team player and have a strong â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;can-doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mindset. To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at ft@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6999\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

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. 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 the ability to connect well with people from all levels. You have a keen interest in curriculum design and programme. You must also possess strong analytical and interpersonal skills and organizational ability.

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.

Reporting to the HR Director, you will work closely with HR Business partners in providing operational support to the HR team. You will provide advice and guidance on a range of HR issues ensuring they are in compliance with local laws, regulations and practices. Operational aspects would include working with recruitment partners, coordinating interview processes with candidates and hiring managers, processing Employment Pass/Dependent Pass applications, etc. You are also required to assist with training, payroll and benefits administration. Degree qualified, you have at least 4 years of relevant experience working in a global bank or asset management firm. You are a self-starter and has great attention to detail. You possess good communication skills and will thrive in a fast paced environment.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at finian@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6987\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.

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts Hr Business partner reputable financial services firm

country Hr manager key Hr leader in an established technology powerhouse

As a seasoned and commercially minded HR business partner, you will advise and coach line managers to facilitate their business objectives. This job is suited to an individual with a track record of staying with one bank, insurance house or fund company for an extended period of time and understands what is required to fundamentally shape the culture of an organisation. This role focuses on identifying HiPos, performance management and overhauling C&B structures.

Reporting to the HR Director, APAC, you will supervise a competent team of four HR specialists and oversee the HR operations for the organisation. At the same time, you will advise all business heads with regards to key HR initiatives like peoplepower planning, talent development, employee engagement and total rewards management. You must have strong business acumen, and be proactive and versatile to provide innovative measures and improve the existing HR frameworks and processes.

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

regional Hr manager provide Hr support in line with aggressive growth plans

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.

A fantastic opportunity exists within a renowned US retail organisation for a Regional HR Manager to set up the HR function for Asia Pacific, leveraging off global. Following on from a successful start in the region, this well known brand is targeting further aggressive growth for 2014 and needs a fully integrated HR function to support the business strategy. Reporting to the President for Asia Pacific with a dotted into Global HR, you will manage the HR Business Partners across nine markets, guiding them on the full spectrum of HR and assisting them to achieve their targets in line with their countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth strategy.

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

hays.com.sg

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YOUR CAREER IN HUMAN RESOURCES HR BUSINESS PARTNER

REGIONAL EXPOSURE GLOBAL TELCO COMPANY

A well established telecommunication company headquartered in the UK is currently going through massive growth in Singapore and they are actively looking for an experienced HR business partner to join their team and provide overall support in areas of recruitment, operations, policy reviewing and other related fields. Key Requirements: Job Responsibilities: • diploma or degree in HRM or related fields • work closely with managers and advise on the effective acquisition, deployment and management of talent to support the business • at least 5 years’ HRBP or HR generalist experience imperatives • good interpersonal and communication skills, a global mindset, • help implement and manage HR resource solutions, programmes and and cultural sensitivity services for the business unit or segment, in collaboration with CoE • comfortable interacting with senior stakeholders and challenging • review and handle recruitment and talent activities, policies and the status quo procedures, as well as assist in regional talent development, retention and recruitment strategies and initiatives For more information, please email your CV to Yaamini Pillay (EA Reg. No. R1330527) at yaamini.pillay@robertwalters.com.sg or call (65) 6228 0236 quoting Ref. No. 718770.

SENIOR MANAGER, TALENT ACQUISITION

NEWLY CREATED ROLE GLOBAL SHIPPING COMPANY

An organisation specialising in shipping and logistics is seeking a Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition to play a key role in driving the talent attraction strategies and initiatives. Job Responsibilities: • develop and implement recruitment and sourcing strategies that cultivate a high performance environment and support the building of a strong talent pipeline • formulate and implement group talent acquisition policies and provide governance across the region • develop the company’s employer branding proposition by leveraging on employer branding and corporate communication channels • adapt and translate good talent attraction practices into the current sourcing, selection and on-boarding processes and practices

Key Requirements: • minimum 15 years of human resources experience, with at least 10 years of deep talent attraction experience • possess strong interviewing ability, behavioural assessment techniques and ability to make sound people judgement assertively • possess strong market network and good negotiation skills • professional, independent, driven and hands-on with a high level of commitment to deliver talent attraction strategies and initiatives

For more information, please email your CV to Wanxin Phang (EA license: R1328357) at wanxin.phang@robertwalters.com.sg or call (65) 6228 0253 quoting Ref. No. 749320.

SALES TRAINING MANAGER

REGIONAL ROLE GLOBAL LUXURY RETAIL BRAND

As a result of ongoing and continued success both in Singapore and internationally, one of the world’s leading luxury brands is recruiting a talented Sales Training Manager to support the region. Job Responsibilities: • train all store managers and retail staff on sales and product knowledge, and work with them on preparing the related action plans to meet KPIs • instil the importance of sales professionalism, competition knowledge, and visual merchandising to maximise sales performance • develop mystery shopping plans to ensure top notch and consistent customer service • ensure proper deployment of all training materials

Key Requirements: • about 8 years’ experience in a sales training or boutique management capacity • must be from the luxury industry, or have experience dealing with luxury brands • gifted in coaching and strong in feedback, communication, training on the job and observation techniques • able to travel extensively to the various stores in the region

For more information, please email your CV to Dalena Lee (EA Reg. No. R1435984) at dalena.lee@robertwalters.com.sg or call (65) 6228 5394 quoting Ref. No. 743330.

ISSUE 14.7

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PayrollServe ®

Globally Connected

A Stone Forest Company

International

PAYDAY! HRMS

SSAyEpe 1II6) (T Certified

PayDay! HR Management Solution (HRMS) is a web-based application designed to allow you to update employees' details and manage payroll, leave and expense claims from anywhere, anytime. The standard Human Resource Management modules are: • Payroll Module • Leave Module • Expense Claims Module • Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Module • Employee Self-Service (ESS) Module

Reports

Payroll

The payroll, leave and claims management modules can each be adopted as a stand-alone system or partially/fully integrated with the other modules.

Cost Centre

Benefits

ESS

Leave

HRMS

Expense Claims

Import Export

HRIS

Seamless Integration Alerts

Scalable Access Anytime, Anywhere Employee Self-Service (ESS)

* An SSAE 16 Certified status conferred on a service organisation is a testimony that the service provider has adequate controls and safeguards in place to host and process the data of its clients.

Learn More

www.PayrollServe.com.sg Or call us at +65 6336 0600

HELPING YOU GROW A STRONG PEOPLE TREE WITH OUR INTEGRATED HUMAN CAPITAL CONSULTING SERVICES

LEADERSHIP &

TRANSFORMATION

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Formerly Steve Morris Associates

Leadership & Organisational Development

Talent Management

Compensation & Benefits

Leadership Profiling & Development Tools Executive & Team Coaching Culture Transformation Programme Design Workplace Engagement Vision-Mission-Values Development Mentoring Skills Group Facilitation Motivational Workshops Strategic Planning & Corporate Retreats

Strategic Succession Planning Talent Management Framework Competency Framework Performance Appraisal System Selection & Recruitment System Career Structure & Pathways Strategic Manpower Planning On Boarding Framework Training & Development + Skills Matrix Human Capital Audit

Executive Compensation Job Evaluation, Grade & Salary Structure Short-Term & Long-Term Cash Incentive Plans Share-Based Incentive Plans Total Compensation Structuring Benefits Design Strategy Mapping (Performance Scorecard) Non-Executive Director Fees Sales Compensation Remuneration Committee Advisory

www.alignSMA.com

www.alignhrconsulting.com

www.carrotsconsulting.com

Tel+65 6538 7228 margaret@alignSMA.com

Tel+65 6538 0280 darryl@alignhrconsulting.com

Tel+65 6842 2131 johan@carrotsconsulting.com