July-September 2014 Issue
Powering Human Capital
July-September 2014 Issue
Driving business success and excellence
HR Best Practices
HR Best Practices The coming of PME unions Success beyond the founder A publication of Singapore Human Resources Institute
1
PRESIDENT MESSAGE
SMEs: Heed Call for HR Best Practices Dear members & fellow practitioners, In the past few weeks, several developments have been embarked upon by the Singapore Human Resources Institute, and reflect some of our deeper aspirations. In particular, I refer to the recent partnership with the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME). It is now an accepted fact that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Singapore economy and will be the impetus for growth in the future. This group within the Singapore economy comprises some 170,000 enterprises and accounts for close to 90% of all businesses in Singapore. They will be Singapore’s next growth engine. At the same time, these enterprises – constrained by their smaller size and resources – are less attuned to the best practices in recruiting, nurturing and retaining talent. Often, these are seen as unnecessary costs. But it is imperative that SMEs pay attention to these important aspects of human resources management and development as no resource is potentially more resourceful and adaptable as engaged staff. It is in this light that SHRI is pleased to seal an alliance with ASME. As I emphasised recently, SHRI’s mission is to promote good HR practices, SMEs play a vital role in Singapore’s economy, and we recognise the importance of helping SMEs develop their HR capabilities. In this latest issue, we focus on the best HR practices in Singapore. We have managed to get local and international experts, and lifted the lid on what makes them push the boundaries of HR management. We hope that our homegrown pool will take a leaf from this. We look forward to meeting you at our upcoming events. Erman Tan, MSHRI President Singapore Human Resources Institute
2 CONTENTS
July-September 2014 Issue
Powering Human Capital
16
PUBLISHER Singapore Human Resources Institute 2 Serangoon Road, Level 6 The Verge, Singapore 218227 Tel: (65) 6438 0012 Fax: (65) 6299 4864 www.shri.org.sg SHRI PRESIDENT Erman Tan SHRI PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Ethan Tan, MSHRI (Chairperson) LTC (Ret) Sardar Ali, FSHRI, SHRP (Advisor) Yin Hong Shuen, MSHRI Prabhu Naidu, MSHRI Jane Lee, MSHRI Falilah Mohd, MSHRI Elwyn Tan, MSHRI Carine Ang, MSHRI Christina Lau, MSHRI PUBLISHING AGENT ThinkFarm Pte Ltd 3 Changi South Lane Singapore 486118 Tel: (65) 6831 1299 www.thinkfarm.sg MANAGING DIRECTOR Christopher Tay EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Audrey Perera CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Joseph Rajendran Casuarina Peck ART DIRECTOR Johnny Tan CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Jessie Kek CLIENT RELATIONSHIP EXECUTIVE Iris The SALES MANAGER Josephine Teo
HUMAN CAPITAL is published quarterly by Singapore Human Resources Institute. For enquiries, please email Advertising: cheryl@shri.org.sg/advertise@thinkfarm.sg Editorial: carine@shri.org.sg/editorial@thinkfarm.sg Events/Membership: falilah@shri.org.sg RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Although every reasonable care had been taken to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the information contained in this publication, neither the publishers, editors and their employees and agents can be held liable for any errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions, however caused. We shall not be liable for any actions taken based on the views expressed or information provided within this publication. We occasionally use material we believe has been placed in the public domain. Sometimes it is not possible to identify and contact the copyright owner. If you claim ownership of something we have published, we will be pleased to make a proper acknowledgement. Printed in Singapore by KHL Printing Co. Pte. Ltd. MCI (P) 142/03/2014
48
10
34
WAYS
to motivate your staff, boost engagement levels and up productivity 28
3 CONTENTS
CONTENTS 24
TAKING STOCK
WORKPLACE STRATEGIES
04
28
Stronger ties between HR and finance and other news
Success beyond the founder
A quick look at the four key factors for closer HR-finance collaboration, the need to work longer, Gen-Z employees, Singapore’s most attractive employer, and findings of a global migrant talent survey.
The SME sector is the future growth engine of Singapore, and its management of human resources is key to this. One of its most serious challenges is business succession planning.
SHRI CONNECTION HR Day@ SHRI 2014
TECHTAKE Why always on MC?
10
34
Some 15 speakers from leading organisations and renowned practitioners presented best practice topics such as improving well-being at the workplace, building a family friendly workplace, and applying positive psychology for a happier workforce.
The perplexing paths of employee behaviour have long frustrated HR managers. But now companies are using business analytics tools to help them understand and even predict future patterns.
QUICK TAKES QUICK TAKES
15 38
Loving your job and keeping it
A recent HR survey revealed that 46% of Singaporeans are not happy with their job but experts say they should look beyond remuneration.
COVER STORY
16
Are you on the HR best practice highway?
The race to acquire talent in an increasingly manpower scarce Singapore has become nothing short of intense. Human Capital looks at some of the HR best practices which companies are adopting.
10
38
A little flexibility
There’s a manpower crunch on the one hand, and a huge untapped pool of people seeking flexi-work options on the other. Those open to change can emerge winners, in more ways than one.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Training with SHRI Academy
39
The SHRI Academy offers comprehensive training and academic programmes from basic certificates to Master’s degree courses at the SHRI School of Human Capital Management and the SHRI School of Financial Services & Risk Management.
MY VIEWS
24
Executives in unions?
National Trades Union Congress’ Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay gives his views on how the national labour movement is reaching out to the professional, managerial and executive (PMEs) workforce.
TEAM CONNECTION
48
10 ways to motivate your staff
What are some of the ways senior managers can motivate their staff? Read on.
4 TAKING STOCK
Does profit go up when finance and HR connect? Yes. A recent global survey by Ernst & Young found that business leaders reporting strong ties between Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are enjoying better business results. High performers were found to spend 50% more time on the CHRO-CFO relationship, reporting better integration between finance and HR in processes, teams, technologies and systems. At these high-performing companies, the CFO also makes a bigger contribution to strategic workforce planning, and there is greater collaboration between finance and HR on this activity. These companies also use analytics to understand the workforce better. About 44% of the high-performers also reported a significant improvement in employee engagement, compared to just 9% of the others. A similar proportion also saw a marked increase in workforce productivity, compared to 10% of the others. Smarter approach to processes The findings also revealed that there are four factors driving a closer relationship
between CFOs and CHROs over the past three years. Firstly, companies are now taking a smarter approach to human capital cost management in light of scarce talent and rising labour costs. Secondly, companies recognise the need for closer alignment between their corporate and human capital strategies. Thirdly, companies recognise the favourable impact of involving both the CFO and CHRO in the strategic decisionmaking process. And, finally, companies are working towards achieving greater efficiencies and standardisation in order to achieve increased profitability and service delivery. Rich Polster, HR vice-president of global business services at Procter & Gamble, said: “It is fundamental that the finance head and the HR head are in lockstep with the line business head. The relationship between the three should be symbiotic. When we have a strategy, as a business, it has both Human Capital and financial implications that must be in sync.” “When they’re not in sync, we make bad decisions and we confuse people.”
6 TAKING STOCK
Gen Z employees: good if you can get them
We have to
work longer?
Singaporeans need to plan for their retirement as there is a huge perception gap between when they would like to retire and when they think they will actually be able to do so. More than half of Singaporeans (54%) say they would like to retire before age 60, but only a third (33%) believe they will actually be able to do so. This was the key finding of the latest Consumer Attitudes Survey by insurance firm Aviva, which interviewed employees above the age of 18 in 13 markets worldwide, including 1,000 respondents in Singapore. The survey also shows that there is a gap between how much Singaporeans think they will need for their retirement and how much income they will actually have. Some 56% of respondents believe that they will need S$2,000 to S$6,000 per month to maintain an adequate standard of living. However, 48% say they will actually have less than S$2,000 per month based on their current financial plan for retirement. The survey also shows that Singaporeans continue to save in great numbers. More than 90% say they have some form of savings in place, and 56% say they have started saving specifically for retirement.
Entrepreneurial, optimistic and informed. That is the genetic makeup of the next generation of workers in Asia, or what we call Gen Z. While some older employees consider this younger generation disruptive and too focused on social media, the Gen Z employee is a go-getter and trendsetter and companies have to compete harder to attract the best of them. Adecco recently conducted a survey of nearly 1,000 Gen Zs (15-18 year olds) in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The survey assessed Gen Z’s ambitions, their employment preferences, their attitudes to the workplace, and how optimistic they are about the future – in work and in life. The study revealed interesting findings about Singapore’s Gen Z. A high proportion of Singapore’s Gen Z (82%) expect to go onto higher education and many are confident that will prepare them well for the workplace. The respondents expect to take about seven months to find the right employer, which is about average for the region. Most (71%) expect to work for no more than three companies in their entire career, demonstrating a somewhat greater loyalty to their employer than their peers in other markets. They are also likely to seek the services of recruitment consultants for information about companies that they may consider joining. Those surveyed in Singapore also want more ‘job variety’ than other Gen Z in the region, but they are also more likely to value a fairer work-life balance. Singaporean Gen Z are more skeptical than average about taking a lower salary just to get a big name on their resume; simply seeking a ‘big name’ will be a lower consideration in choosing an employer than in other markets.
7 TAKING STOCK
Singapore’s most attractive employer
The Singapore Girl is once again flying high and remains a strong employer brand in the country. Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been named the republic’s most attractive employer at the annual Randstad Awards for the third consecutive year. Shell and Changi Airport Group were named the second and third most attractive employers. SIA was ranked “extremely favourably” across all key criteria, which include interesting job content, strong management, competitive salary, employee benefits and career progression opportunities. The flag carrier’s win demonstrates its efforts in building “a powerful employer brand”, which resonates well not only among the local workforce, but also with those globally, said Randstad Country Director Michael Smith. The Randstad Award is based on the opinions of more than 6,500 people from 75 of Singapore’s largest companies.
The award is recognition of SIA’s efforts in attracting and retaining talents, said Christopher Cheng, the carrier’s Senior Vice-President for Human Resources. “At SIA, jobs are dynamic, multidimensional and challenging. We continue to provide talented individuals exciting opportunities to contribute to the growth and development of various aspects of our airline operations and business.” In other categories, Deutsche Bank topped the banking and financial services segment, while Marina Bay Sands was best in hospitality and recreation services. Keppel Corp came in first in engineering and construction. Smith said: “Each of these companies heavily invests in their employer brands, which is crucial in Singapore’s tight labour market as companies compete to attract and retain the best talent.”
Randstad Award winners •
Most Attractive Employer Winner – Singapore Airlines
•
Most Attractive Employer First Runner-Up – Shell
•
Most Attractive Employer Second Runner-Up – Changi Airport Group
•
Most Attractive Employer in the Banking & Financial Services Sector – Deutsche Bank
•
Most Attractive Employer in the Hospitality & Recreation Services Sector – Marina Bay Sands
•
Most Attractive Employer in the Engineering & Construction Sector: Keppel Corporation Ltd
8 TAKING STOCK
UAE tops global list in migrant talent says LinkedIn It’s no secret that companies are intensifying their focus on talent management and, as borders disappear, many companies are intensifying their global mobility programmes. With highly priced assignments designed to attract the best talent in their organisations, millions of professionals are migrating to pursue their careers. But which countries are attracting more talent? In order to get the bigger picture of talent migration, LinkedIn measured the inflow and outflow of professionals from 20 countries to determine which countries gained and lost the most talent between November 2012 and November 2013. The study also surveyed the characteristics shared by those who are willing to relocate for their careers. The UAE (1.3%), Switzerland (1%), Saudi Arabia (0.9%), Nigeria (0.9%) and Singapore (0.5%) are the top five countries which gained more talent than they lost through expatriation and global mobility. At the other end of the spectrum, the five countries which lost more talent than they gained were Spain (-0.3%), the UK (-0.2%), France (-0.2%), the US (-0.1%) and Italy (-0.1%). The report also identified younger professionals who are most likely and willing to work globally. Professionals who made a significant move in the past year had an average of 7.8 years of professional experience. However, those who made shorter moves had 20% more professional experience compared to the significant movers. Countries gaining and losing from relocation Net Movement (% Gain - % Loss) from November 2012 to November 2013 United Arab Emirates Switzerland
+1% +0.9%
Nigeria
+0.9%
Singapore
+0.5%
South Africa
+0.5%
India
+0.5%
Germany
+0.4%
Australia
+0.3%
Brazil
+0.2%
Canada
+0.2%
Mexico
+0.1%
Sweden
+0.1%
Netherlands
-0%
Ireland
-0.1%
Italy
-0.1%
France United Kingdom Spain -1.5%
1. Social media marketing 2. Mechanical and aerospace engineering 3. Java development 4. Life Sciences 5. Military, defence and national security 6. Foreign language translation 7. Public policy and international relations 8. Software engineering management 9. Retail and wholesale 10. Management consulting, business strategy and analysis
+1.3%
Saudi Arabia
United States
The top 10 skills of movers in the past year
Employees here are most likely to move 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Technology - software Media and entertainment Professional services Oil & energy Government, education & non-profit
Employees here are least likely to move
-0.1% -0.2% -0.2% -0.3% 0% +1.5% -1.0% -0.5% -1.0% +1.5% Net Movement as a percentage of country member base
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Manufacturing Architecture & engineering Technology - hardware Transportation Telecommunications
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10 SHRI CONNECTION
HR Day@SHRI Riding the waves of change Singapore Human Resources Institute emphasises critical role of human resource in kickstarting change.
If your organisation is talking about innovation, change or transformation, you need more than the leadership team simply thinking about it. What a HR leader needs are “wave makers” throughout the organisation who are thinking of the “what ifs” and asking themselves “what more can I do?” Many important changes happen because one individual decides to take a very small step and that first step is what it takes to start the “wave of change”. Forward-looking HR leaders can translate that change by playing a key role in making waves throughout the organisation. Recognising the need for effective organisational changes in today’s fast-moving environment is what propelled the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) to organise its annual HR Day@ SHRI on May 28, 2014. The theme for this year’s event was HR Strategies to Ride the Waves of Change and this platform enabled some 150 HR practitioners and managers to network,
learn from each other and get abreast of the industry’s best practices. Some 15 speakers from leading organisations and renowned practitioners presented a variety of best practice topics such as improving well-being at the work place, building a family friendly workplace, becoming a Person of Influence, and applying positive psychology for a happier workforce. The speakers included Dominic Siow, founder, EQ Strategist; Callum Laing, CEO, Entrevo Asia; Ritu Bharadwaj, Managing Director, Knowledge Dynamics; Dr See Hui Ti, Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, Parkway Cancer Centre;
Low Boon Seong, Managing Director, Align Group; and Toh Hwee Tin, Director, Family Development Unit, NTUC. The Guest-of-Honour and keynote speaker at HR Day was Yeo Guat Kwang, Assistant Secretary-General of NTUC and MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC. He is also the Chairman of Migrant Worker’s Centre that provides relief and assistance to distressed foreign workers in Singapore. During the event, he spoke on the importance of caring for and appreciating workers for their value. He talked about how workers who feel valued and appreciated by their leaders are more likely to go the extra mile for the company and hold themselves accountable for their part. In addition, participants were able to seek counsel from SHRI’s HR advisors as well as advisors from organisations such as IPOS and Community Mediation Unit on HR, intellectual property and mediation matters. Human Capital features some of the highlights in the following pages of this section and the Cover Story (p16).
HR Training and Consultancy
SHRI Corp is the corporate learning & consultancy arm of Singapore Human Resources Institute. As trusted experts in human resources, we provide effective training and consultancy solutions across full spectrum of HR functions focusing on improving productivity and professional development, helping businesses and individuals to thrive.
Public Workshops Customized Corporate Training International Study Groups HR Consultancy 2 Serangoon Road Level 6 The Verge Singapore 218227 +65 6438 0012 www.shri.org.sg
12 SHRI CONNECTION
7 steps to a happier workplace Many people feel that if they become successful at work, they will automatically become happy. Many also feel that to achieve greater happiness at work, the boss needs to stop calling them at night. What is workplace happiness all about? It is putting a concrete measure to the term Happiness with a focus on workplace or organisational context, says Low Boon Seong, Managing Director, Align Group. The company’s philosophy is to enable organisations to realise the true potential of their people by creating positive teams and workplaces. Low says that workplace happiness looks into how companies can align employees’ internal measures of a good life with the organisation's business requirements to make the positive affinity sustainable. Illustrating how important the impact that this philosophy has on many organisations, Low cites the example of Singapore’s recent National Workplace Happiness Survey. The survey measures the notion of well-being, the perception of how well an individual lives his life and the positive
prospects for his future. A high score is characterised by fulfilment of one’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs at work, which leads to daily positive experiences and a perception of a high quality of life. The well-being measure as used by the National Workplace Happiness Survey is grounded on evaluative reasoning and thinking, making it more stable and holistic. Emerging research in neuroscience, psychology and economics has already made the link between a thriving (high well-being) workforce and better business performance very clear. Some of this research looks at several key factors: productivity, talent retention, sales, creativity and employee engagement. There are successful models globally of companies which attain remarkable success by leveraging on the development of employee well-being. For Singapore, this also comes at a time when our society is starting to do its own soul-searching, realising that many things of value in life cannot be simply measured by economic GDP numbers or per capita income.
Low Boon Seong Managing Director, Align Group
Concepts for workplace happiness Workplace Happiness Analytics as the starting point
• Appreciative Inquiry • Authentic Leadership • Broaden-and-Build Theory • Meaning at Work • Psychological Capital • Solution-Focused Coaching • Use of Strengths
National Workplace Happiness Survey This survey is jointly organised by Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) and Align Group with support from National Trades Union Congress and Health Promotion Board. It is aimed at obtaining a national benchmark for workplace happiness with a scientific measurement. To take part in this survey, click on www.happyworkplace.sg.
• Change Management • Employer Branding • Innovation-Led Culture • Leadership Development • Learning Organisation • Organisational Resilience • Productivity • Strength-Based Culture • Succession Planning • Talent Retention • Team Dynamics • Wellbeing • Workforce Engagement
13 SHRI CONNECTION
4 strategies for building a family-friendly workplace Toh Hwee Tin, Director of the Family Development Unit at NTUC, says that workplace practices are key determinants of families’ ability to reconcile work and family life. Such practices are especially important for employees who face constraints in access to public support in the tax/benefit, parental leave, childcare and out-of-schoolhours care systems. Citing findings from research done by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), she says that family-friendly arrangements include various incentives such as extra-statutory leave from work arrangements, employer-provided childcare, out-of-school-hours care, elderly care supports, and flexible working time arrangements. OECD promotes policies that improve the economic and social wellbeing of people around the world. As childcare, parental leave support and part-time employment are considered important for building a family-friendly workplace, a key factor that employers need to consider is the flexibility in work arrangements that do not necessarily involve reduced working hours. Some examples include tele-working, working at home, and working a full-time working week at non-standard hours. Flexible working schemes are primarily designed to address employer needs in the production process, and this is determined by the extent to which employees can use these arrangements (for example, by working at home) to reflect their preferred working time schedule. Hence, flexibility in working time, for example, allows parents to adjust their working schedule to map with school and childcare centre hours. Toh said that while more Singapore companies are now offering work-life arrangements for their employees, such practices are still not widely prevalent. She said that findings of 2012 research by the Ministry of Manpower on Conditions of Employment found that: - About 41% of companies surveyed offered at least one form of work-life arrangement, compared to 38% the previous year - Part-time working (33%) was most common and at a distant second was flexi-time (8.2%)
Family-friendly workplace criteria COMPREHENSIVE
Carreer progression pathways for workers on flexible work arrangements • Supportive supervisors & co-workers commited to developing all staff (no discrimination)
Provision of family support schemes/facilities • Lactation support (lactation breaks & space) • Children centres/subsidies • Eldercare subsidies
Access to family-care leave schemes • At least 1 day (marriage, compassionate, critical illness & legislated leave excluded) • Eldercare leave, dependent care (special needs) leave • Conversion of existing critical illness leave
BASIC
Provision of Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) • Offers varied forms such as telecommuting, hot desking, job sharing, staggered hours, working from home and so on • Right to Request for FWA policy communicated to all staff
The survey took into account part-time working arrangements, flexi-time, options for staggered hours, formal tele-working arrangements, working from home, and job sharing. The survey covered 3,500 companies with at least 25 employees in each firm. Toh suggests that employers provide: -
flexible work arrangements by allowing employees to request for such needs
-
family care leave for those with elderly parents or spouses with special needs
-
family care support schemes such as Eldercare Subsidy, Childcare@ Workplace, or Lactation Support Policy
-
career progression pathways so that employees are able to move up to better jobs with better pay.
Toh Hwee Tin Director of the Family Development Unit NTUC
14 SHRI CONNECTION
Collaborative efforts to attract and retain talent SHRI signs MOU with ASME to help members improve HR capabilities
Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprise (ASME) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to build on human resource capabilities and membership networks. Under this agreement, SHRI will provide advisory and training assistance to help SMEs develop their human resource expertise. ASME will also grant associate membership to SHRI, opening up its events to SHRI members to broaden their networks. Erman Tan, President of SHRI said: “SHRI’s mission is to promote good HR practices. SMEs play a vital role in Singapore’s economy and we recognise the importance of helping SMEs develop their HR capabilities.” He adds: “ASME has a wide network of member SMEs. The partnership will enable us to extend our reach to more SMEs, assisting them on their manpower issues and HR processes.”
Amid a tight labour market, ASME said it is important for businesses to adopt proper human resource practices in order to attract and retain talent, especially the younger workforce. “With this timely collaboration between ASME and SHRI, we want to help SMEs better manage such challenges,” said Kurt Wee, President of ASME. “We want to promote and help them implement sustainable measures such as flexi-work arrangements, job re-design and employment of the aged workforce.” SHRI will participate in ASME’s Business Feedback Group to understand and address HR issues and challenges faced by SMEs. In addition, members will benefit from business advisory and assistance from the four SME centres at ASME regarding government grants and schemes.
SHRI connects with members SHRI organises various events, seminars and workshops for HR members and business leaders. Various networking and sharing sessions are held frequently to update CEOs, HR and senior executives on the happenings affecting the human resource and business climates. For more information, visit www.shri.org.sg.
15 QUICK TAKES
Loving your job and keeping it Singapore employees appear to be unhappy and unmotivated in their jobs! A recent independent survey of 5,670 employees in Singapore by Randstad revealed that 46% of Singaporeans surveyed say that they are not satisfied with their current job, compared to the rest of Asia Pacific. The findings also revealed that the majority of respondents would not hesitate to change jobs if they could make more money (80%), improve career opportunities (78%) or find a job that was a better match with their educational backgrounds (71%). In a rather worrying trend, 75% also view their current job as just “a way to make a living� and nothing more. While the findings are not exactly surprising given the rising cost of living and additional pressures employees face, HR experts advise that is important that employees look beyond remuneration. Singapore employees should consider various factors when making decisions about their future employment: - job satisfaction - career progression opportunities and - pleasant working atmosphere
So what should employers do to keep their staff happy?
W W
Give staff more control
W W
Provide growth opportunities
W W
Listen
Help them set their own goals so they can feel a sense of achievement when goals are met.
Ensure the company has career-advancement opportunities to engage the staff.
More than just motivating your staff, spend time listening to what they are trying to say.
16 COVER STORY
Are you on the
HR best practice
highway?
As the business landscape grows in volatility and dynamism, so must organisational behaviour and human resource discipline and practice. The most progressive companies are constantly on the look out for best practices to adopt. Here’s what some are doing in Singapore.
The race to acquire talent in an increasingly manpower scarce Singapore has become nothing short of intense. The ability to attract and secure HR talent who can strengthen organisational ranks and become key influencers is another growing challenge. In the not too distant past, technology was a partial enabler in the HR discipline. Today, there is a need for HR professionals who bring with them a level of sophistication and literacy in IT and who can implement the best technologies as quickly as they
are required, and lead their organisations in the implementation process. Background screening is an equally important segment of the HR discipline, proving to be a pivotal starting point in the chain of activities that make up the talent acquisition process.
Managing talent in Singapore Talent management is a hot button in this ever-changing era, and it covers the full life cycle across all organisational staff. This includes recruiting, training, performance management and even succession planning.
Within the Singapore context, there are the unique realities of a shrinking population, an ageing workforce and a growing demand for caregivers. This has forced the likes of the National Union Trades Congress (NTUC) to conceptualise fair and best practices in creating a more flexible Singapore workplace. The sub-disciplines within the HR practice are numerous and varied. The challenge confronting HR practitioners today is to find yardsticks which constitute best practices. They have to learn, adapt,
17 COVER STORY create and evolve practices that embody the best in the learning journey. National University Hospital (NUH) CEO, Adjunct Associate Professor Joe Sim, tells Human Capital that “familiarity with integrated talent management, understanding of workforce planning and comfort with social networking and technology are key HR competencies which drive the HR trade today.” In addressing the question of what constitutes best practices in the HR trade, Sim says that the answer lies in “offering relevant trainings, talent development programmes and competitive remuneration packages to help reward good performers. This ensures that we have the right pool of employees for specific roles, and helps in retaining them. In addition,
One of the best ways to ensure a practice like flexible work arrangement is adhered to in a firm way is to put it into an employment contract. - Toh Hwee Ting, Director, Family Development Unit, NTUC
HR practitioners must get the basics right before pursuing a strategic HR agenda. Solid implementation of core HR services is important as it demonstrates competency and builds credibility with leaders outside the function.” (See story on p18 for more views of Adjunct Associate Professor Joe Sim, Chief Executive Officer, NUH.)
Creating a competent business environment Venina Fonseca, Managing Director at Petrobras Singapore, tells Human Capital her organisation is “driven by the challenge of supplying energy that can propel development and ensure the future of society with competence, ethics, cordiality, and respect for diversity.” To meet this organisational goal of staying at the top of the game, Petrobras, one of the largest energy companies in the world, has developed its own best HR practices from within its organisation while keeping pace with the industry. “Besides having our own HR standards and practices, Petrobras is always on a look out to stay best-in-class. We regularly participate in international HR surveys and by doing this, we have access to up-to-date standards and cutting-edge procedures that will ensure efficient, motivated and visionary workforce,” she tells Human Capital.
Champion from the heart From a public sector perspective, Singapore’s National Trades Union Congress has been championing a cause close to its heart, that of influencing organisations and setting up the necessary framework so that HR within Singapore can embark on the journey towards best practices in family friendly workplaces. Toh Hwee Ting, Director of the Family Development Unit at NTUC, tells Human Capital that “one of the best ways to ensure that a practice like flexible work arrangements is adhered to in a firm way is to put it into an employment contract.” In this way, it becomes clear and progressive, she adds. Echoing a slightly different solution to familiar challenges is Chee Hong Tat, Chief Executive at government regulator Energy Market Authority. “The public sector organisation is a high-performance and high-trust body at the same time. In developing best practices, we may end up building rules so that one person out of 1,000 won’t break the rule. As a result, we end up creating an environment where trust doesn’t exist.” To embark and deliver best practices, there needs to be a “social contract…one that goes beyond the employment contract …one that will end with the individual going beyond the call of duty to do that ‘extra’,” he said at a recent forum organised by the Singapore Human Resources Institute.
18 COVER STORY
HR Best Practice: Adaptation National University Hospital In today’s workforce, people have grown more diverse in terms of cultural background, life experience, skill sets, business culture preference, and age. So it becomes necessary for HR to adapt approaches to recruitment, retention and engagement appropriately, says Adjunct Associate Professor Joe Sim, Chief Executive Officer of National University Hospital (NUH). As part of this feature, Human Capital posed the following questions to Adjunct Associate Professor Sim.
Can you outline some of the key principles within NUH that describe best practices in its HR division? Adjunct A/Prof Sim: At the National University Hospital (NUH), we emphasise people as our greatest asset. We have put in place best practices and policies to attract, retain and develop good staff with the relevant skills and knowledge for the right positions. We have in place a series of awards to recognise good staff who are role models in their area of work or who exemplify the values of a healthcare professional. We have also built up a structured leadership and talent development strategy where we are committed to training and grooming the next generation of healthcare leaders. The Academic Medicine Development Award (AMDA) was started in 2011 with the intent to build professional competencies in clinical care, research and teaching for NUH. It has contributed to improved results in clinical outcomes and increased opportunities for collaborations with overseas institutions for staff development. To groom our leaders and bring out their potential, we started our very own high-potential leadership development courses titled the Leadership Milestone Programme (LMP) in 2011. It is driven personally by key leaders, targeting high-potential staff. The programme is periodically reviewed and refined to support staff in facing the evolving challenges, and acquiring the knowledge and skills required to manage and lead an Academic Health System. As our staff is important to our success, we spend a significant amount of time to engage them and work towards sharing the same vision. Moving forward, our top priority is to focus on engaging the hearts and minds of our staff to build a sense of institutional pride among them. Caring and protecting our staff’s safety, health and welfare is paramount in NUH. We have set up an Occupational Health Clinic to provide professional, proactive and responsive workplace health services for all staff, including the management of workplace injuries, health surveillance and occupational vaccination.
What are the priorities or areas of focus within NUH’s HR department that enable it to stay best-in-class? Does it establish its own key performance indicators? Adjunct A/Prof Sim: With the fast-changing healthcare landscape, we need to constantly keep abreast of changes in people’s needs and technology. As such, the attraction, development, engagement and retention of human capital are fundamental priorities for NUH to fulfil both its strategic and operational needs. Efforts are made in the area of manpower planning and recruitment by design which will help to establish a more systematic approach towards establishing an ideal composition for an Academic Health System. Adjunct Associate Professor Joe Sim, Chief Executive Officer, NUH
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We also strive to create a working environment which assures our staff that we are interested in their physical and mental wellbeing so that they know we truly care and value them. We believe this is important to staff, and by creating such a working environment will also help us attract new talent. Today, staff engagement and loyalty are more essential than ever before to an organisation’s success and competitive advantage. Some research has shown that recruiting costs run approximately 1.5 times annual salary. So the ability to engage and retain valuable staff has a significant impact on an organisation’s end result. By showing staff that they are valued and have an important role to play, recognising and rewarding them for a job well done, we can create in each staff an “involved employee”. It is then much easier to turn that sense of involvement into enthusiasm and a sense of pride and ownership that creates the highest levels of engagement with staff. Where does NUH stand on the journey to adopting best practices? Adjunct A/Prof Sim: Our HR practices have been recognised by professional bodies. These include AARP (Formerly called American Association of Retired Persons), TAFEP (Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices), and NTUC (National Trade Union Congress). I would say we have done well. We will, however, not rest on our laurels but continue to improve as we recognise that with best practices in place, staff
will feel confident at work as they are equipped with the relevant competencies, motivated by the prospects of career development and can feel safe in the working environment; all these will allow them to bring their best to work every day.
Would you be able to share some third-party comments/ accolades specifically relating to NUH’s HR department? Adjunct A/Prof Sim: NUH was accorded with the TAFEP Exemplary Employer 2014 Award as well as Outstanding Workplace for Women Award. These awards endorse NUH as one of the exemplary organisations which have effectively implemented fair, responsible and inclusive employment practices, as well as one that creates a family-friendly environment. We are also the first hospital in Singapore to receive the May Day Award – Plague of Commendation (Gold) in 2012 and 2013 by NTUC for outstanding quality in working in partnership with the union and continuous efforts to improve staff welfare and benefits to achieve sustainable competitiveness. In 2014, we received the award for Institutional Winner (Management and Partners Category). We believe that healthy staff can greatly boost productivity, performance and success, and we organise programmes such as exercise classes, games, cooking classes, lunch talks and other activities to keep our staff physically and mentally fit. For our efforts in this area, we were awarded the Singapore H.E.A.L.T.H Award (Platinum) in 2012.
We have put in place best practices and policies to attract, retain and develop good staff with the relevant skills and knowledge for the right positions. We have…a series of awards to recognise good staff who are role models…or who exemplify the values of a healthcare professional...We have also built up a structured leadership and talent development strategy where we are committed to train and groom the next generation of healthcare leaders. Adjunct Associate Professor Joe Sim, Chief Executive Officer, NUH
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HR Best Practice: Internal & external benchmarking Petrobras Singapore Paying attention to how international HR standards evolve and developing internal benchmarks are key elements to pursuing best practices in HR, says Petrobras Singapore Managing Director Venina Fonseca. As a fully integrated energy company from Brazil and one that operates globally, Human Capital caught up with Fonseca to get her views.
Can you outline some key principles within Petrobras that describe best practices at its human resource division? Fonseca: We are driven by the challenge of supplying energy that can propel development and ensure the future of society with competence, ethics, cordiality, and respect for diversity. In this context, some of core principles include adherence to competence, as Petrobras is a business and should deliver in this context. Second, ethics is important since it is the main pillar of our human existence. Finally, respect for diversity is important because Brazil is a country of diversity and Petrobras is present in different countries.
What benchmarks exist within Petrobras’ HR department that enables it to stay best-in-class? Which international standards does it adhere to? Fonseca: Besides having its own standards and practices, Petrobras is always on a lookout to stay best-in-class. We regularly participate in international HR surveys and by doing this we have access to up-to-date standards and cuttingedge procedures that will ensure efficient, motivated and visionary workforce. Another great tool lies in implementing of international and national quality standards, such as ISO or National Quality Award (PNQ) to meet the latest quality standards for the category. For the first time in the industry, one of our business divisions comprising about 15,000 employees has won the highly esteemed Brazil’s PNQ Award, which says a lot about efficient implementation of HR practices onto a massive workforce.
What, in your opinion, constitutes best practices and standards for the HR profession? Fonseca: In my opinion, our best human capital programme is our annual organisational ambience survey. It is conducted to obtain employees’ perceptions on nine important factors for analysis. The factors are: benefits, communication, team spirit, leadership, recognition and rewards, relation to work performed, compensation, health services, and training and development.
Venina Fonseca, Managing Director, Petrobras Singapore
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Based on the survey results, we create focus groups to analyse the gaps for each factor and come up with action plans. As these plans affect every aspect of human capital, such as performance, reward systems, profit, and so on, all our employees are empowered and highly engaged not only in drafting the action plans but carrying them out and following up on these actions. We are proud to say that our Singapore office has achieved the highest Ambience Index compared to other international offices within our commercial division in 2013. The success was even sweeter with our profits tripled from 2012 to 2013. In our company, HR is an important part of the group that participates in the high level critical business analysis meetings. The objective is to blend HR into every segment of the business. We have many examples of how blending, empowerment and access to critical information has brought HR closer to all our processes and how we have all benefited from it. Professionals have skills, qualities and gaps. In order to bridge these gaps, we use the “Competence Model” to establish the gaps between what is required to perform the task and the current knowledge the employee has and we focus the training on the gaps. How do we make this work? The magic lies in our weekly coordinating meetings. They provide us with the necessary information and help us introduce the right changes in the right way and at the right time. It is an extremely efficient tool and moreover, a ‘live’ one, as alive as our skills, our business and all our processes.
What are your thoughts on the importance of planning for the future of each employee? Fonseca: I do believe it is very important to make projections about employees’ professional growth and how they will fit in and contribute to the company`s progress. I make sure I personally participate in the outlining of the job description for every position, together with the soft skills that go along with it. Second, I participate in the recruitment process, by doing the last stage of the interview. I ensure we hire the right person for the right position and I become the bridge between the business and the HR functions. Afterwards, I work with the HR team to allocate this professional into the right process, deal or a segment. If obtaining a specific goal requires a change of functions, I am the one who comes up with the suggestion and runs it by HR. I sometimes have to change the job description to better meet the new requirements. When it comes to business, we are all results driven, so the business agenda always comes first. Even a great strategic agenda will fall behind unless incorporated into the business plan. A new and improved business plan with a strategic agenda blended in will help any company to put its business and HR goals to work together.
We are driven by the challenge of supplying energy that can propel development and ensure the future of society...some of the core principles include adherence to competence, as Petrobras is a business and should deliver in this context... ethics is important since it is the main pillar of our human existence...respect for diversity is important because Brazil is a country of diversity and Petrobras is present in different countries. - Venina Fonseca, Managing Director, Petrobras Singapore
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Wayne Tollemache, Consultant, background screening
HR Best Practice: Background screening Wayne Tollemache Businesses increasingly understand that background screening is a pivotal starting point in the chain of activities that make up the talent acquisition process. Getting this step correct is fundamental to mitigating HR risks in an organisation, says background screening expert consultant Wayne Tollemache. A critical point is that recruiting, retaining and developing top talent in Asia is a massive challenge for many firms. As a matter of fact, spotting and nurturing the right talent are important keys to successful business growth, says Tollemache, who until recently managed First Advantage Asia Pacific, one of the largest background screening companies in the world. Outsourced service providers have fine-tuned and automated screening processes to a point that allows employers to shorten hiring time, saving time and cost, and ensuring that they find and hire the proper candidates before the competition can. As the talent acquisition process becomes more complex, potential employers are encouraged to use the following steps when working with outsourced service providers: •
• •
Choose your screening partners wisely – only those with strong regional knowledge and experience can provide you the best, legally obtained information; Screen appropriately for the level of risk based on the role/ position you’re hiring for; Monitor your programme metrics and continually adjust procedures to maximise efficiency;
• •
If you are subject to third-party audits, organise your reports and documentation upfront; and Create efficiencies with technology. Screening is important, but is only one part of how an organisation should manage its hiring process. Seek out systems that offer workflow and process efficiencies.
For a start, new adopters of background screening processes should begin with pre-employment screening of candidates before progressing to a post-hire employment screening exercise. During the pre-employment stage, a multitude of checks can be conducted, which includes checks on the candidate’s past employment, education and professional qualifications, financial regulatory listings, local media listings, criminal history and credit history (the latter two only available in selected countries). In the post-screening era, the best practice lies in implementing background screening as a policy across the board and then doing periodic checks of existing employees to maintain high levels of internal security and compliance standards. These strategies constitute sound corporate practices as they mitigate risks for the employers in the long term. Ensuring that candidates report accurate information on their resumes allows companies to make fair assessments of the candidates’ character, competency and attitude. It reduces the chances of a wrong hire and in that aspect, reduces the costs involved, he says.
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Callum Laing, Chief Executive, Entrevo Asia
HR Best Practice: Be a Key Person of Influence Entrevo Asia Ever found yourself lamenting the lack of support you receive from the C-suite? How about employees that just seem unable to engage with any new initiative despite it clearly being in their best interests? Perhaps it is the HR expert himself, says Callum Laing, Chief Executive of Entrevo Asia, a company that coaches HR experts to adopt best practices to become Key Persons of Influence. He shares the five steps to achieving this with Human Capital.
STEP 1: You need a perfect PITCH! Every initiative needs a pitch. It should be clear, credible, relevant and memorable. It is an act of leadership. If you want influence within your organisation and you want engagement, it starts with delivering a powerful pitch.
STEP 2: You need to PUBLISH your ideas! Publishing through books, articles, blogs and white papers builds credibility, authority and attracts fresh opportunities and insights. Publishing says that you must be either an expert or have access to experts. In the digital age, publishing allows your ideas to travel far and wide within the organisation and beyond.
STEP 3: You need to PRODUCTISE! Turning your ideas, skills and talents into products is the fastest way to leverage your time and allow people to experience your ideas via online courses, webinars, training programmes, books and so on. Don’t expect others to take the initiative, but make your ideas tangible and easy to access.
STEP 4: You need to raise your PROFILE! You need to be recognised both within your organisation and within your industry. A high visibility profile changes the dynamic from one where you are chasing people to one where others seek you.
STEP 5: You need great PARTNERSHIPS! Successful people are well connected people. They focus on their strengths and find strategic partnerships with others who complement them. To have the most impact on your organisation, you need partners within the organisation and in the industry. Look at the top people in your industry and you will see that they are already following these five clear and concise steps. If you do, you too will become a Key Person of Influence, he says.
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Executives
in unions?
A conversation with an NTUC champion, Patrick Tay
25 MY VIEWS The concept of the union being represented by blue collar, rankand-file workers is conventional wisdom. The notion of professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) being part of a union is a relatively new concept and going by the way the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is pursuing this, this group will play a crucial role in making Singapore globally attractive. Given the growing importance of PMEs within the Singapore economy, the NTUC has increasingly emphasised the critical role that this group will play within the union manpower ecosystem. As part of this feature, Human Capital interviewed NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay, who shared the following views.
being able to represent both PMEs and rank-and-file workers, there is a single point of contact for employers and companies, and the welfare and interests of all the workers in the company can be better served and represented. Can you explain how rankand-file unions representing executives contribute to the overall betterment of the human resource landscape in an organisation?
Tay: NTUC advocated for the review of the Industrial Relations Act to allow rank-and-file unions to collectively represent PMEs. This proposed change will mean that rank-and-file unions will be able to increase their scope of representation to cover PMEs thus enabling employers NTUC has been actively pushing to work with unions to ensure the for more executives to join and Patrick Tay, interests of their PME staff are also play an active role in unions for a few Assistant Secretary-General, looked after. years. What is its assessment of the National Trades Union Congress As PMEs themselves are able to highs and lows thus far? form their own unions under current Tay: NTUC has been actively lobbying for PMEs and we law, allowing rank-and-file unions to represent PMEs will allow achieved successes in a few areas of our advocacy: employers to work with the existing union within their company and also existing NTUC-affiliated unions who already represent • Employment Act: 300,000 PMEs will be protected under this workers in that industry/sector. Act which came into effect on 1 April 2014. •
Fair Consideration Framework and the National Jobs Bank (NJB): To increase the level playing field for local PMEs, firms have to advertise job vacancies in NJB before submitting an employment pass application. This comes into effect on 1 August 2014.
Within the context of the recent May Day speech by NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say, what is the mindset change required for a more active role of executives in unions in the workforce?
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The Protection from Harassment Act 2014: An Act to provide a range of self-help measures, civil remedies and criminal sanctions to better protect people from harassment and related anti-social behaviour.
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Industrial Relations Act (Amendments): To allow rank-and-file unions to represent PMEs. This law is slated for amendments. In addition, we are also working with the tripartite partners to expand the scope of the tripartite mediation framework and upcoming small claims employment tribunal (SCET) to provide channels for PMEs to resolve their statutory claims and employment contract issues.
Tay: In the recent May Day speech by Secretary-General Lim he painted a future where rank-and-file workers are replaced by robots; PMEs face underemployment and he cautioned that we may face higher unemployment not because of job shortage, but because of job and worker mismatches. The key is really to embrace change and be flexible and nimble; to adapt to the changing needs of the economy. One of the best ways to remain adaptable and relevant is to continue to upgrade our skills and develop a second skill. This is in line with what NTUC is advocating for Professional Development and Progression of PMEs to help them be futureready and future-proof. Recognising this need, NTUC has proactively established U PME Centres to help PMEs navigate this rapidly evolving workplace and has been lobbying for PMEs to develop Pi-Shape skills (otherwise known as second skilling).
Currently, the Industrial Relations Act does not allow unions to represent PMEs collectively. Unions can only provide limited representation to their PME members on an individual basis. This is currently being reviewed. Today’s PMEs bear a set of concerns that are quite different from the older rank-and-file workers. Will the infusion of executives into unions diffuse the work/focus of the unions from a traditional sense? Tay: The issues facing rank-and-file workers and PMEs are not totally dissimilar. Both groups want a better job and a better life. The role of the unions is to best represent the interest of its members and negotiate for better employment terms on a collective basis. With the unions
What is the benchmark/standard that NTUC uses to illustrate that there is a “good” executive/rank-and-file mix in any particular union? Tay: Every union is different and will have their own set of benchmarks. This is because of the different nature of the industry as well as the workforce and membership profile in each company/ branch. In fact, some progressive unions have already started to stretch the scope to cover more PMEs where permissible under current law.
26 MY VIEWS
PMEs to Become Pillars Within Singapore’s Manpower Landscape The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has been a big advocate of helping Singapore’s growing number of Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) within the context of the unions. Singapore’s workforce has evolved with more PMEs in the workforce. In 2013, there were over 638,500 PMEs comprising 31.1% of the resident workforce, up from 27.4% in 2003. NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay, also the Director for the NTUC PME Unit, has said: “In recent years, the Labour Movement has geared itself to remain relevant to reach out to the changing workforce profile. With these centres in place, we are building capacity to position ourselves to be the first stop and one stop for PMEs. “We will synergise our efforts within the Labour Movement so that our PMEs
can be offered a single point of contact from workplace advisory services to career and employment-related advice to professional development services. While we take a proactive approach and not wait for things to happen, we are also learning along the way as our PMEs in the workforce are a diverse group with different needs and aspirations.” In a recent speech in Parliament, Tay enshrined the 4Ps of Protection, Progression, Placement and Privileges in helping PMEs. Here are excerpts of his speech: “The 4Ps of Protection, Progression, Placement and Privileges serve to underline and anchor the four key thrusts of the Labour Movement for all collars of workers. NTUC has been supporting the PMEs in multiple ways for the past three years using this 4P framework.
1st P: Protection “Given our open economy, we are aware of our PMEs’ concerns that they are facing greater foreign competition for jobs. Hence, NTUC lobbied for labour market testing since 2011. I am glad that the Government has heeded our call and the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) will take effect in August 2014. “This will help build a Singapore Core and provide a level playing field for our local PMEs. With the FCF comes a National Jobs Bank, which will be a great boon to provide transparency and support PME placement and progression opportunities. The qualifying salary for EP holders was also raised from $3,000 to $3,300 to keep pace with the changes of PME salaries and I eagerly look forward to working with the tripartite partners to drive the second phase of Employment Act changes and the
27 MY VIEWS upcoming Industrial Relations Amendment Bill this year which will allow rank-and-file unions to collectively represent PMEs. “NTUC and our affiliated unions will continue to ride this wave of changes to protect our workers especially PMEs. “Unions will be there by the side of workers, in this case PMEs, to take care of their welfare and interests. The responsiveness of NTUC, our unions and especially our union leaders and industrial relations officers to recent retrenchment exercises is testimony of our determination in extending the same workplace protection to PMEs. In view of economic peaks and troughs, we also see workers affected by company liquidation and sometimes left in the lurch. “The issue of quality and affordable public healthcare has emerged as one of the top concerns of Our Singapore Conversation survey amongst 4,000 participants across all income brackets. We know that many of our elderly and mature workers constantly worry that they cannot afford the increasing healthcare costs in Singapore. “NTUC will do its best to take action in the areas of employment and employability of middle-aged and mature PMEs who face the pressures of being in the sandwiched generation.
2nd P: Progression “On (career) progression for PMEs, NTUC has since launched the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) which looks at a sector by sector, company by company approach to introduce career-skills-wage ladders for workers across different industries. “The focus will not just be on low wage workers, but PMEs as well. We want them to upgrade, develop, progress upwards and see them enjoying good wages too. NTUC and its affiliated unions have started piloting the PWM model for PMEs. “The PMEs I have spoken to have shared with me that in reality, career progression does not hinge on superior job knowledge or mastery alone. They may not be productive at work for various reasons such as the lack of management support and recognition, no work-life balance or in the worst case scenario being bullied. “NTUC has thus started a series of legal primers, Crossroad series, webinars and learning conferences such as the Future Leaders Summit to motivate them and provide guidance to navigate in their careers. The issue of employee disenfranchisement
has deeper connotations for productivity and employee well-being. Gallup’s 2013 State of the Global Workplace report found that only 9% of workers in Singapore were engaged. Up to 76% were “not engaged” while 15% were “actively disengaged”. “More can be done to engage our local employees. I would like to call on employers to invest more into work-life and employee engagement programmes. They will find that happier employees would be more productive as well. It could be useful for the Government to co-fund employee engagement programmes for companies which have genuine difficulties to do so. “In pushing for productivity, NTUC has been advocating for innovations and job redesign bringing about Easier, Safer and Smarter (ESS) ways of doing one’s job. I want to highlight that ESS is not just mechanisation and use of technology for simple laborious tasks. It cuts across all sectors and all levels of the hierarchy. “Generating productivity growth is the only sustainable way to increase our valueadd and grow our incomes.
3rd P: Placement “There will be more concerted efforts to develop targeted programmes such as the Step-In series for various disciplines such as human resource and marketing for fresh graduates. There are also Place-andTrain schemes for professionals seeking mid-career switches. Examples would be accounts, audit and marine engineering. I believe NTUC and our tripartite partners can do together and do more in this respect. “Some of our affected PME members have benefited from the placement schemes set in place. Mature PMEs I spoke to have lamented on ‘ageism’
amongst employers in Singapore. I submit that this has to change. Employers must change their mindsets. Mature employees must embrace change and adopt a positive mindset as well. “We have explored this previously for low wage sectors but perhaps it is time now for us to look at protecting certain jobs/sectors for our local PMEs especially the matured PMEs. These could be in roles with lower barriers of entry and we can also tap on selected growth industries and sectors. “I note the Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) has been effective in helping low-wage workers. With the ceiling up to $4,000, it would already have been helpful for junior and mid-level PME jobs. We could perhaps consider linking WCS with the placement schemes run by NTUC’s e2i (employment and employability institute) to help more mid-career PMEs and those affected by restructuring to be placed into new jobs created by employers under this scheme.
4th P: Privileges “Last but not least, NTUC and our Membership Communities (NEBO, Young NTUC, U Family and U Live) have been going the extra mile to create new Privileges and engagements with our young PME members. “NTUC aims to create greater value for our PME members in different life stages and make a meaningful difference in their lives. Some of the Budget measures like childcare subsidies correlate with the efforts that NTUC is putting in. It would be great if we can have more intimate collaborations with different government agencies and statutory boards in deriving greater efficiencies, lower costs for consumers and bring about greater benefits to PMEs.”
The responsiveness of NTUC, our unions and especially our union leaders and industrial relations officers to recent retrenchment exercises is testimony of our determination in extending the same workplace protection to PMEs.
28 WORKPLACE STRATEGIES
Success beyond the founder The SME sector is the future growth engine of Singapore, and its management of human resources is key to this. One of its most serious challenges is succession planning. The development and progress of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has become an important aspect of the expansion of the Singapore economy. With more than 70% of businesses in this segment of the business landscape, SMEs are a catalyst for private ownership and entrepreneurship and represent the future of Singapore’s economic development. While the sustained growth of SMEs reflects the future potential of the economy, human resource development is an important determinant in their progress. Inevitably, the gauntlet falls upon owners of SMEs to recruit, retain and nurture human resources in their organisation. A global survey by accounting and business advisory firm Baker Tilly Inter national has discovered that business owners need to dedicate more attention to succession planning as part of their overall human resource development strategy. Dr Richard Shrapnel, an Executive Director/Partner at Baker Tilly Pitcher Partners, told Human Capital that “succession plans are one of those things that many business owners never get around to. Some business owners intend and harbour the intention to retire in the next decade, but many do not have a succession plan.”
He said that these business owners may have a few ideas about what they intend to do, but they have not sought advice or mapped out their plans. “It is our opinion that family businesses valuing trillions of dollars will change hands over the next decade as the baby boomer generation pass their businesses on. Many of those retiring currently have no exit strategy. To achieve the best possible outcome, owners need to understand the many complex family, individual and business issues that must be addressed in the succession process,” he said. The Baker Tilly International study, which commenced in early 2013, concluded in June 2014. To date, the survey has garnered some 2,500 responses with a third of the respondents being based in Asia. Human Capital spoke to two key knowledge experts on this topic. The first is Dr Richard Shrapnel from Baker Tilly while the second is Mark Lee, Chief Executive Officer at homegrown Sing Lun Holdings Limited. Lee took over the reins of the company from his Chairman and father, Patrick Lee. Human Capital posed the following questions to Dr Shrapnel.
The inherent challenge in family-run SMEs in countries like Singapore will be compounded as a result of a chemistry difference between the higher and better educated younger generation executives and managers and their older founding predecessors. This will bring with it attitudinal and cultural differences while managing the business. – Dr Richard Shrapnel, Executive Director/Partner, Baker Tilly Pitcher Partners
29 WORKPLACE STRATEGIES HC: What is business succession planning and why has it been slow to gain traction in this region? Dr Shrapnel: Business succession planning is a relatively new concept in Singapore and in most parts of Asia as most of the Asian companies that are around now are relatively young compared with family-owned businesses in Europe and the US. Typically, when a family sets up a company, business succession should be given concurrent thought to ensure that the future value of the entity is kept intact. This appears to be more the case in Europe and the US. For business succession planning to take place, the founders have to give material thought to the whole process. From this perspective, the concept of business succession planning connects and links all aspects of the business, including the ownership of equity, tax planning, wealth management and estate planning. One of the fundamental reasons why this occurrence has yet to be fully understood lies in the fact that business succession in Asia is occurring at a later age of the founder. The founders of Asian businesses tend to be staying on longer, giving rise to the prospect that the succession may skip a generation. At the point of succession, there is the prospect of disruption and discontinuity. Another key point is that the next generation of leaders in Asian family businesses tends to be more Western educated, therefore injecting a different set of cultural values and organisational principles. This may likely not resonate with the founders of the business, and is likely to give rise to conflicts during succession. A methodical succession plan overcomes these challenges. HC: Why must SMEs pay attention to business succession planning? Dr Shrapnel: Generational change within any business is an irresistible force and the growth of wealth demands that it is given early and appropriate attention. Succession planning is then a key issue for many family- and privately-owned businesses who are focused on building, retaining and passing on their wealth to the next generation, and leaving a lasting legacy. It involves recognising and coming to grips with many complex family, individual and business issues that must be addressed in the evolution process, he emphasised. Business owners approaching retirement need to act now as the succession planning process can take anywhere up to five years.
Richard Shrapnel, Executive/Partner, Baker Tilly Pitcher Partners
Failure to plan ahead, delaying or leaving it too late can diminish the value of the business, he said. The inherent challenge in family-run SMEs in countries like Singapore will be compounded as a result of a chemistry difference between the higher and better educated younger generation executives and managers and their older founding predecessors. This will bring with it attitudinal and cultural differences while managing the business. HC: What does your global survey show about business succession planning at SMEs, including those from Singapore? Dr Shrapnel: According to the initial findings of the Global Family Business Succession Survey undertaken by Baker Tilly International, 57% of family business owners believe when the succession planning process is complete, the business will be kept in the family. With another 27% opting for the business to be sold, this leaves 16% of owners unsure what will happen to their business. Unfortunately, there is no one-sizefits-all solution, which includes countries like Singapore.
Every business is unique and the optimum outcome for each will be different. However, there are a few likely routes a business will consider: outright sale of the business to a third party; transfer of day-today management to family members, along with some form of ownership control; sale of the business to a management team; or closure of the business because options were not sought early enough. HC: When do business owners need to address the question of business succession planning as part of human resource development? Dr Shrapnel: The question is, when should you start planning an exit? If your business is only a year or two, that may seem premature. Although there will always be fledgling companies that attract the attention of buyers from the earliest stages in their development, most entrepreneurs are in for the long haul. They have customers to win, new markets to conquer and frequently have a personal interest in guiding the company on to bigger and better things. The idea of an exit seems far distant. continue on page 30
30 WORKPLACE STRATEGIES
It is all too frequent in owner-managed companies for the lines between personal and business acitvities to become blurred. For example, there are cases where company assets, such as cars or boats, are used to entertain family and friends.There are huge tax exposures in this so it is vital to introduce proper policies as early as possible. – Dr Richard Shrapnel, Executive Director/Partner, Baker Tilly Pitcher Partners
But even if your departure as owner is many years down the line, to maximise the value of the business you have to ensure that it ticks all the boxes that will make it attractive to buyers. The truth is that grooming a business for sale is not something that can be done at the last minute. Exit planning and preparation should begin well ahead of any concrete moves to sell the business and should generally begin at least three years ahead of a sale. HC: How should SMEs begin the process of business succession planning? Dr Shrapnel: An important part of the exit planning process is ensuring your company’s accounting procedures and processes match the expectations of buyers. It is all too frequent in owner-managed companies for the lines between personal and business activities to become blurred. For example, there are cases where company assets, such as cars or boats, are used to entertain family and friends. There are huge tax exposures in this so it is vital to introduce proper policies as early as possible. Threats are not limited to inappropriate use of assets. Indeed, perhaps the greatest risk is an ongoing and undiscovered problem with goods and services taxes, income tax or corporate tax returns that could sting the
buyer at a later date. The tax authorities will typically go back six years, and add interest and penalties where they find a problem. Providing assurance is a hugely important part of the process. As well as having your tax affairs in order, contracts with staff, suppliers and customers should be formalised. Having a holistic view of the business is a key factor. Very often owners invest time and money in what they know about and don’t pay enough attention to those areas of the business that are vital but outside their area of interest. This can mean that energy is expended on, for example, marketing and developing products, with not enough attention being paid to the back office function or the information technology system. An investment in these aspects of the business will contribute to the creation of a better and more profitable company while ultimately providing buyers with the assurance that the financial information they’ve been provided with is sound. HC: What is the way forward for business succession planning? Dr Shrapnel: While prospective buyers will be looking at your books with forensic interest, they will be equally focused on the prospects of the business. That means it is important to provide robust forecasts
which not only present buyers with projections, but also with explanations of the assumptions underpinning them. These forecasts should be produced on an ongoing basis, while accurate and timely management accounts are also essential. It’s important to remember that smart buyers will judge the long-term prospects of the company not just on the profit projections and monthly sales and cash flow figures, but on other factors. They will expect to see a sustainable management strategy. This may require a reorganisation of your management team; if the business relies too much on you, then it will be difficult to sell if your plan is to cash in and leave. Hard as it may seem, it’s important that you are not perceived as irreplaceable by buyers. They will expect to see where you have been investing for the future. Cutting back on this ahead of a future sale is essentially a self-defeating exercise that undermines the value of the company. Too much reliance on a single customer – or even a few big names – can set buyers’ alarm bells ringing. A major client pulling out can shoot holes in your projections, and the prospect of that could scupper a deal. To make the company more saleable, you should generally aim for as broad a customer base as possible.
Partners: Powering Human Capital
SHRI. HR EDUCATION WITH THE HUMAN TOUCH. Human Resource skills and expertise provide a vital edge whatever your industry or professional capacity. At SHRI, our focus on Human Resource training and education means we offer comprehensive programmes that include aspects of business and organisational science. As a wellrecognised HR body in Singapore, we are also your gateway to establishing good connections with professionals in the field.
Why Learners Prefer SHRI Academy
89% of our learners are equipped with the knowledge for bigger roles
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Source : SHRI Academy Graduate Survey 2013
MASTERS AND DEGREE PROGRAMME (6 MONTHS / 12 MONTHS) (In Partnership with Edinburgh Napier University) • Master of Science in Human Resources (Top Up) • Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management with Financial Management (Top Up) • Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management with Organisational Psychology (Top Up) POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES (6 MONTHS) • Postgraduate Diploma in Human Capital Management • Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Organisational Psychology • Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Organisational Development & Change
• Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Talent Management • Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Training & Development • Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Reward Management • Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Employment Relations DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMMES Human Capital Management • Basic Certificate in Human Resource Management • Certificate in Human Resource Management • Diploma in Business and Human Resource Management
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32 WORKPLACE STRATEGIES
Striving for harmony: The top priority in planning succession Baker Tilly International in co-operation with Baker Tilly Pitcher Partners and Swinburne University, has taken a closer look at the sociological and economic implications for the family business succession process. The research, which surveyed 2,400 C-suite executives across 55 countries in nine languages, reflects the following results.
Q: How would you describe the most critical challenges that you faced? The survey showed that ‘finding the right professional advice’ and the ‘next generation not interested’ are the two top concerns. In general, smaller businesses had a greater concern over the capacity to support retirement.
Before
Q: What are the triggers for a business to commence succession?
Next generation not interested Incumbent not ready to step down business Next generation not old enough Capacity of business to support next generation Capacity of business to provide adequate financial returns Other triggers
60% 50%
The survey showed that the most prominent trigger is the ‘readiness of the owners to step down’, followed closely by the ‘readiness of the next generation to step up’ and ‘taxation/estate planning’. Where a family had more generations involved in the business, pressure from the family for succession became a trigger.
40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
After Ready to step down
23%
25%
7% 19%
9% 17%
Next generation ready to step up/helping children reach potential
50%
Taxation/estate planning
40%
Advice from external parties (e.g. bank or accountant)
30%
Observing other family business
10%
Other triggers
Q: At the outset, what were the most important considerations? • Continuity of the business • Ongoing jobs for my employees • Family harmony
Q: What were the main challenges to succession planning?
Finding the right professional advice General economic uncertainty in your sector Ensuring fair distribution of assets among family members Capacity of business to support retirement Capacity of business to support next generation Capacity of business to provide adequate financial returns
60%
20%
0%
Q: What are the most important outcomes you achieved? At the completion of the succession process, the most important outcome achieved was ‘trust and empowerment’. Such views reflected a pattern of engagement, learning and commitment as the incoming generation took on the mantle of the business and understood the commitment that was required.
15% 31% 15%
• The capacity of the business to provide adequate financial returns, support retirement and support the next generation • The next generation lacking the necessary skills, not being interested or not being old enough
14%
12% 14%
Succeeding generation feels trusted and empowered Secure suitable retirement arrangements for relinquishing generation Identify the best person for the job Strategic positioning of the business for sale Equitable inheritance for all family members Other triggers
33 WORKPLACE STRATEGIES
7 principles of smooth transition patriarch will want final say in decisionmaking, and at times leave it until he/she is close to being incapacitated, and then let succession take place. An enlightened patriarch will know that it is better to let the next team come on stream when he is in good health, and let them make the final management decisions. If bad times befall the company, the patriarch will still have the energy and be of clear mind to return back to management level to advise, or in the worst case, helm it and turn the ship around. HC: What succession planning actions have enabled your staff to better understand the importance of what is going on? Lee: Based on the Sing Lun experience, we have found these seven principles as important guiding points to embarking on human resource planning within the context of business succession planning. Mark Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Sing Lun Holdings Limited
An enlightened patriarch will know that it is better to let the next team come on stream when he is in good health, and let them make final management decisions. If bad times befall the company, the patriarch will still have the energy and be of clear mind to return back to management level to advise, or in the worst case, helm it and turn the ship around. – Mark Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Sing Lun Holdings Limited
Apparel and garment maker Sing Lun Holdings had a humble start in 1951 as an importer, exporter and wholesaler of textiles. By 1969, Patrick Lee, now Chairman of the group, returned from a textile training course in Japan and charted the future of the company. His vision was to become a world-class manufacturer of quality knit apparel, a task that is now being led by his son, Mark. Human Capital caught up with Lee for his perspective on this generational change. HC: From your perspective, how long has business succession planning been embraced within Sing Lun Holdings and has it been approached from a “western” perspective (through the use of consultants and the like undertaking a methodical approach) or more of an “Asian” (familial, consensual) manner? Lee: I think the concept of succession planning is always on the minds of the founders or elder generation. However, the methodology really depends on the person in the driver’s seat, as well as the family dynamics within the business. The failure points that I usually see are regardless of whether a western or Asian approach is undertaken. The driver of the business is unable to “let go”. The family
These are: • Always clearly identify the successor and communicate it clearly • Give resources and identify clear goals/ KPIs to your successor • Do not overturn the decision of your subordinates or potential successor in front of the rest of the team, as this will confuse the team on who makes the final decision • Empower and give the successor the resources to let them do their job, even though in the past, such resources may not have been used/deployed • If the successor is not performing, review and identify root cause rather than blame it on the person alone. If it is due to the competency of the successor, make a quick decision to replace the successor • Let successors develop their own team. The founding management teams can transition to an advisory position without having to take management or executive decisions that restrict successors from doing their job • Fear of change is usually the biggest hindrance to staff support of successors. Founders or patriarchs must be determined to let succession take place, and let successors do their job. Any disagreement on decisions must be behind closed doors, and if decisions are withdrawn or changed, it must be from the successors’ decision making.
34 TECHTAKE
Why always on MC? The perplexing paths of employee behaviour have long frustrated HR managers. But now there are tools that can aid comprehension and even help predict future behaviour. They’re called business analytics.
Human Resource Management
As a HR director, have you ever wondered why higher paid staff and executives tend to take less medical leave than those who earn less? And why some candidates who have been through the rigour of scholar tests, applications and interviews eventually reject the offers? Or how to spur the sales team to deliver a 5% increase in turnover this year? The answers to these straightforward yet profound questions lie in business analytics. This is exactly the reason why some 60 HR decision-makers attended the HR Analytics workshop organised by the Singapore Human Resources
Institute in April. Among some of the questions raised at the workshop was this: “Where can I find and hire a human resource analytics expert for my organisation?� While this question raised some amusement among other participants, this reaction did not minimise the urgency of this much-needed skillset. In reality, there continues to be a rapid proliferation of data within and outside organisations. Some of this data is easily accessible while some not. Some data is structured and some most likely not. But one phenomenon is clear: all that data residing in any organisation
can be managed. Several experts say that decision-makers can turn such data into a goldmine to raise sales, productivity, morale and even staff retention. Business analytics within the context of human resources is more than just counting some disparate numbers. It is about the total amount and quality of talent, knowledge, and expertise to move the organisation forward and stay ahead of an intensely competitive marketplace. It is about measuring the return on human capital investment and measuring the impact of how HR is driving performance, productivity, and profitability.
35 TECHTAKE Leveraging on data analytics There is growing evidence that HR practices appear to be lagging in this area of deploying analytics and leveraging on big data. But analytics of the workforce, a company’s most important asset, should be an opportunity for businesses, particularly for HR, to transform itself and align with business strategies. Even the Singapore Government appears to have been bitten by the data analytics bug. In late 2013, the Singapore Government signed an agreement with Red Hat Inc, an international open source solutions provider, to push the use of open source technology in developing data analytics applications. Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst said at the signing ceremony that “open source has evolved to become a foundation for innovation. As technology continues to become more of a commodity, the standardisation of parts can help spur more rapid innovation.” Whitehurst was referring to plans by the Singapore Government to develop products for the vertical industries – such as healthcare and financial sectors – that will benefit Singapore.
Analysing data for HR Given this growing buzz around data analytics, a lot of interest was generated at the recent SHRI-organised event on HR analytics. Leading the charge, A*Star Institute for Infocomm Research is a relatively new unit residing within A*Star as its Business Analytics Translational Centre (BATC). It is a cross agency initiative set up between A*Star and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, and its goal is to provide consultancy services to the likes of the human resource community in Singapore. Speaking to Human Capital, the unit’s Analytics Consultant Dr Ranieri Koh said there are two important drivers before an organisation is ready for analytics. “First, there needs to be buy-in from upper management (top down approval) and second, a willingness to adopt technology and readiness to change the way things are traditionally done (bottom up motivation),” she explained. She also told the audience that “a good starting point is about recognising the problem in the organisation and just getting around the data.”
There is no one general solution for everyone, Dr Koh added. “Every solution starts with asking the right business questions. Companies usually establish operational analytics tools before looking to explore analytics solutions for strategic HR applications,” she explained. “For a small company or a small- and medium-sized enterprise, it should start with small steps. Adopt individual tools for specific needs, rather than investing immediately in a HR management system.” From an operational perspective, some of the common questions that HR directors should ask and what HR data analytics can answer include: •
Employee Retention – What factors correlate with high levels of staff engagement and retention?
•
Work Performance – What factors drive high-performing professionals? What factors should be considered in setting key performance indicators?
•
Medical claims – What factors and which people are likely to fall ill and submit medical claims?
•
Customer retention – What are the demographics of customers who don’t stay with one vendor.
Dr Koh added that human resource analytics can also play a part in addressing longer term, strategic HR and planning challenges. One such challenge is a leadership related issue where analytics can be deployed to answer the question of who are most likely to be the organisation’s successful leaders and why human capital
investment is being developed for some staff while there are no similar plans for others. Data analytics, or in other cases where it is called business intelligence, has been around for a long time. Experts such as Dr Koh say that there is a good degree of business acumen needed from HR directors who use the latest IT hardware and software to translate data into meaningful information.
Return on HR investment In a 2011 paper titled HR Analytics: Driving Return on Human Capital Investment, author Lexy Martin points out that the subject matter has evolved to a point where best practices can be established. Akin to A*Star’s Dr Koh, one of the best practices before diving into HR data analytics requires an investment into data cleansing to amend or remove inaccurate data. The volume of data used in reporting and analytics is often quite large. Organisations frequently have multiple sources of the same or similar data and the preferred source needs to be agreed upon, experts say. There is a need for a realistic evaluation of data availability, the allocation of sufficient time to clean and align data sets, and early agreement on preferred sources for, and definitions of, simple metrics such as headcount. “Clean data makes for improved reporting and will be the source for trusted metrics,” Martin emphasised. continue on page 36
36 TECHTAKE He added that a second-best practice entails a focus on data and analysis with a view to getting meaningful HRrelated results. “Look for key organisational, talentrelated pains to address with your initial efforts; don’t just implement a technology project,” he advised participants attending the workshop. “Start with a limited number of key metrics and dashboards that contribute to addressing your organisation’s workforce issues, but be prepared to expand,” he added.
in spreadsheet or have a standalone analytics solution. “To institutionalise metrics-based management, a more complete technology environment will ultimately be needed,” explained Martin. “Develop a technology blueprint that includes everything you will need — reporting, warehouse, analytics, presentation through dashboards or other visualisation approaches, and notification and distribution along with 20 integrations needed to financials, customer-facing data, and operational data sources.”
Understanding the HR matrix
Future of HR analytics
As a next best practice, Martin said that it is important for the organisation as a whole to understand how to use metrics and dashboards. In order for HR directors to become effective in solving HR and HR-related problems, practitioners “first need to understand what the metrics are telling them”. Equally important is the need to familiarise the organisation with the notion of a HR analytical workflow so that they will get used to looking at issues broadly, diving into underlying factors that impact them, and ultimately begin to see ways in which HR issues can be addressed. Complementing this best practice is the need to have a clear goal in mind. A HR department today may use simple metrics and reports, do HR analysis
Looking ahead, Dr Koh said that these are still early days in deploying HR and business analytics in organisations. Although the discipline has been around for some time, it really started out on the ground as a reactive approach aimed at meeting operational requirements within an organisation. Over time, this practice had scaled up, moving into a more pro-active approach and now is increasingly into the realm of strategic analytics. The latter principally involves collecting and analysing unprecedented amounts of data and executing complex and insightful analysis with the intention to deliver meaningful solutions for the company. Some experts are laying the foundations today in using HR and business analytics to predict future trends.
The Future of Analytics
2 1
– Dr Ranieri Koh, Analytics Consultant, Business Analytics Translational Centre
How HR analytics can help my organisation A*Star Institute for Infocomm Research’s Analytics Consultant Dr Ranieri Koh says that HR analytics can be a powerful tool to address some of these perennial manpower issues: •
Employee retention – What creates high levels of engagement and retention?
•
Sales performance – What factors drive high-performing sales professionals?
•
Accident claims – What factors and which people are likely to create accidents and submit claims?
•
Leadership pipeline – Who are the most successful leaders and why are some being developed and others are not?
•
Loss analysis – Why are some locations within an organisation more prone to theft and loss and what causes the variation?
•
Customer retention – What talent factors drive high levels of customer satisfaction and retention?
•
Expected leadership and talent gaps – Where are our current talent gaps in the organisation and what gaps can we predict in coming years?
•
Candidate pipeline – What is the quality of our candidate pipeline and how do we better attract and select people who we know will succeed in our organisation?
Predictive Analytics
4 3
There needs to be buy-in from upper management (top down approval) and a willingness to adopt technology and readiness to change the way things are traditionally done (bottom up motivation).
Development of predictive models, scenario planning, risk analysis and mitigation with strategic planing
Strategic Analytics Segmentation, statistical analysis, development of “People models”, analysis of dimension to understand cause and delivery of actionable solutions
Proactive Advanced Reporting Operational reporting for benchmarking and decision-making, multimediasional analysis and dimension
Reactive Operational Reporting Operational reporting for measurement of efficiency and compliance, data exploration and integration, development of data dictionary Source: Bersin & Associate Talent Analysis Maturity Model
37 TECHTAKE
CASE STUDY: How can I get my student athletes to do better? This was the question that was posed to the research team at the Business Analytics Transaction Centre at A*Star, says Dr Ranieri Koh, Analytics Consultant for A*Star Institute for Infocomm Research.
In discussing this real-life case study with Human Capital, Dr Koh said that track & field coaches from a particular Singapore school were trying to optimise the performance of their students, which included a combination of teenage boys and girls. As a first step, data about numerous variables relating to students was gathered from several points in the data system. These principally involved culling data from the Performance Analysis Department, the Physical Exercise Department, the Strength & Conditioning Department and the Physiology Departments. Each of these departments contributed the respective data relating to the cohort of boys and girls in the track and field team. After a detailed analysis, the team was able to chart the trendline performances of the athletes. For example, the analytics team was able to predict how those boys experiencing growth spurts or reaching a certain height may be well tuned for competition. Similarly, the data showed at which points in the growth cycles teenage girls would be able to deliver optimal performance.
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38 QUICK TAKES
A little flexibility There’s a manpower crunch on the one hand, and a huge untapped pool of people seeking flexi-work options on the other. Those open to change can emerge winners, in more ways than one. Homemakers form part of the workforce at CTC Travel. The part-time hours work well for them, and the company benefits from their networks of contacts to increase business. Alexandra Health does it a different way. By providing part-time options for doctors, nurses, and other professionals in the healthcare industry, it has retained these experienced professionals rather than lose them altogether. Both organisations realise that enabling part-time work translates into a huge value-add in their overall HR strategies. Many experts say that transforming the corporate workplace to accommodate the diverse work-life needs of employees will help companies retain talent within their organisations. In contrast, employers who do not heed work-life harmony and flexible work arrangements will find themselves at the losing end in this global war for talent. The current tight labour market in Singapore means that employers need more innovative ways to tap on alternative sources of manpower if they want to remain competitive in the future. Hawazi Daipi, Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on Work-Life Strategy and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower and Education said: “This will help employees harmonise work and personal commitments, which will improve organisation efficiency and engagement.” For flexibility to meet the needs of the business and the individual, today’s employer-employee partnership must enable everyone to maximise their productivity. By offering flexible work arrangements, companies can gain such benefits as: Better talent attraction – According to the Ministry Of Manpower, more than 160,000 economically inactive residents want to find work during the next two years. Providing flexible work arrangements is the key to accessing this pool of talent. Improved talent retention – Companies that can retain experienced and competent employees will have an edge and will be able to build a talent pipeline.
Increased productivity – Employees who know their company cares about their welfare will be more engaged and willing to go the extra mile. Cost savings – Higher retention rates will save time and money spent on recruitment and training of new hires. There will also be savings in downtime as new hires need time to build up their knowledge and experience. Mobile work, in particular, may result in savings in real estate. Some of the recommendations by the Employer Alliance, a network of 1,400 corporations committed to create an enabling work environment to enhance work-life integration in Singapore, include: •
Job matching Matching employers and part-time jobseekers through a job bank where openings can be matched with job seekers according to competencies and skill sets. Employers can redesign jobs and consider job-sharing on this basis.
•
Developing a toolkit to manage part-time employees This would include frameworks, guidelines, practices and templates.
•
Job redesign Supervisors may need to review current processes and responsibilities to create meaningful work for part-timers. Training on maximising the potential of a flexible workforce and equipping HR and line management with appropriate resources can increase the probability of implementing part-time work.
•
Change attitudes Part-time employees tend to be under-valued so it is important to incorporate management of parttime employees into national training programmes. This will help make part-time arrangements mainstream, while putting tools and resources into the hands of managers.
43
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
HR-WSQ Training Programmes The Human Resource Workforce Skills Qualifications (HR WSQ) framework is a competency framework developed through a rigorous process of international research and consultation with HR practitioners, industry associations and economic agencies. HR Professionals now have greater access to modular competency-based training that leads to the attainment of nationally recognised HR certifications and qualifications. This helps to facilitate career enhancement for HR Professionals as well as develop People Managersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; HR competencies to better engage employees. SHRI Corp supports the Human Resource (HR) Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) and will be offering the following 10 WSQ competencies units.
HR-WSQ Training Programmes Develop Strategies For Performance Management
Level 5
Implement Performance Management Programme
Level 4
Administer Competency-Based Performance Review Process
Level 2
Develop And Communicate Employer Brand Position
Level 5
Develop And Implement Recruitment And Selection Strategies
Level 4
Implement Competency-Based Recruitment And Selection Methods
Level 3
Conduct Competency-Based Interviews And Make Hiring Decisions
Level 3
Implement Talent Management Programmes
Level 4
Manage Payroll
Level 3
Process Payroll
Level 2
Certification A Statement of Attainment (SOA) will be awarded to participants who successfully complete any of the 10 WSQ training programmes and are assessed to be competent. In addition, participants will be awarded WSQ Certified HR Professional for the following modules upon attainment of the respective competencies:
WSQ Certified HR Professional (Performance Management) Develop Strategies For Performance Management
Level 5
Implement Performance Management Programme
Level 4
Administer Competency-Based Performance Review Process
Level 2
WSQ Certified HR Professional (Resourcing) Develop And Communicate Employer Brand Position
Level 5
Develop And Implement Recruitment And Selection Strategies
Level 4
Implement Competency-Based Recruitment And Selection Methods
Level 3
Conduct Competency-Based Interviews And Make Hiring Decisions
Level 3
For more information, please call SHRI Corporate Learning Division at 64380012 or email to corplearning@shri.org.sg
46
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
SHRI Welcomes New Members We are pleased to introduce the group of newly conferred members of the institute. These professional members have achieved eminence in the practice of Human Resource and have contributed to the body of knowledge in Human Resource Management and/or development. In addition, they have made valuable contributions to the Institute and the HR profession over the years.
FEBRUARY 2014
MARCH 2014
PROFESSIONAL 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Toh Chee Hong, Joshua, MSHRI Director HR (Srategy & Org. Dev) SMRT Corporation Ltd Lim Tien Hock, MSHRI Vice President (Group HR) ComfortDelgro Corporation Ltd Peter Elizabeth, MSHRI Business Manager Asia Pacific Microsoft Operations Pte Ltd Ee Huey Yng, Jacinta, MSHRI HR Manager MHE-Demag (S) Pte Ltd Wong Pei Kiun, Johnny, MSHRI HR Manager Jotun (Singapore) Pte Ltd Syed Mustafa, HRP, MSHRI Manager Greensafe Academy Pte Ltd
PROFESSIONAL 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. 8.
ASSOCIATE 9. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Siow Li Lian HR Executive AustAsia Food Pte Ltd Lim Lian Mei, Lina Consultant, Outsourcing Unit 4 Prosoft Pte Ltd Andrea Celine Tan Senior HR Officer Bank of Singapore Goh Boon Yuan (Mabel) Senior Executive, Industrial Relation NTUC Income Wee Siew Ming Jeannie Finance Executive People’s Association Marliah Binte Aman Senior Quality Executive V. Ships Asia Group Leow Su Hui HR/ Admin Assistant Balanced Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd Shetty Mamta Avinash HR Business Partner Hewlett Packard Loh Pei See (Angeline) HR & Finance Manager HRboss Pte Ltd Lea Miranda Capinding HR and Payroll Administrator Coverall Singapore Pte Ltd Wee Shi Chen Analyst (MDES) MSD (Merck) Mayline Rivera Baes HR Assistant Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd Huang Xueting, Pamela Asst. Manager AIA Singapore Mao Xiaojing HR Asst. Manager NXP Semiconductors Singapore Pte Ltd Luong Sook Fen HR Executive Radiance Communications Pte Ltd Soh Lee Choon (Joscelin) Assistant V, Talent Acquisition Seagate Technology International Ong E-Lynn Management Support Offcier Ministry of Communications & Information
7.
Chee Siau Lan, MSHRI HR Executive HL Building Materials Pte Ltd Wanda Abubakar, MSHRI Assistant Manager Panasonic Industrial Devices Singapore Nooraine Bte Minhaj, MSHRI PA cum HR Executive V Ships Asia Group Pte Ltd Kok Wei Kei, MSHRI HR Administrator Alcon Pte Ltd Lee Yoke Wah Jennifer, MSHRI Director Head of HR Chinatrust Commercial Bank Tham Sou Lan Audrey, MSHRI Senior HR Adminstrator Lloyd’s Register Asia Goh Ban Guan, George, MSHRI Lee Bing Yi Melvin, MSHRI Senior Officer Singapore Civil Defence Force Chow Wen Hing, MSHRI Corporate Trainer, Lecturer & Speaker
ASSOCIATE 1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. 9.
Lillian Lee Yee Kan Md Abul Hasnat Shahajahan Master Admin Executive Chenhue Construction Tee Hui Min Assistant Manager SMP Pte Ltd Nur Basirah Binte Johan Executive AXA Life Insurance Pte Ltd Tay Wei Zhen Senior Quality Executive Primarius Search Consultancy Loh Siew Ling Katie Admin Executive Tatsumi Marine (S) Pte Ltd Voon Phooi Wah Senior HR Executive AEA International Holdings Pte Ltd International SOS Pte Ltd, Singapore Cheung Chui Chi Wong Choong Meng, Eric Indirect Procurement Executive
ASSOCIATE 1. 2.
Chan Hong Yu Prachi Saini Je t’aime Perfumery Singapore 3. Ong Ee Lin KEO/Director VCRS Investments Pte Ltd 4. Jenny Lim Director Garancie Diligence Pte Ltd 5. Tan Tina Isabella Secretary Goodyear Orient Co (Pte) Ltd 6. Karlyn Lumbao Alcala HR Officer JGC Construction International Pte Ltd 7. Kong Libei HR Officer ASE Singapore Pte Ltd 8. Lau Guang Wei HR Executive Phillip Securities Pte Ltd 9. Liaw Chue Ping Senior HR Executive Stamfles International Pte Ltd 10. Justin Loh Jun Yuan Sales Trainer SingTel Ltd
2.
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James SK Hick, MSHRI Singapore Country Manager Impact International (Singapore) Chan Mei Ling, MSHRI Learning & Development Director Impact International (Singapore) Low Kean Hua, MSHRI HR Manager Maccine Pte Ltd Chan Lin Ching, Rebecca MSHRI HR Manager Woh Hup (Private) Limited Chung Wing Kei, Gloria MSHRI HR Manager Woh Hup (Private) Limited Lau Hui San Vanese, MSHRI HR Manager EPD Singapore Group Pte Ltd
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AFFILIATE 15. 1.
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Peter Chua President Singapore Institute of Building Limited Dr John Min Vice President Singapore Institute of Building Limited
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PROFESSIONAL 1.
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Samir Asaf, MSHRI Managing Director HPO International Institute Pte Ltd Kris Loy, MSHRI General Manager Carrie Academy International Tay Loy Shuen, MSHRI HR Manager QBE Insurance (International) Limited Goh Choo Seng, MSHRI Managing Consultant DG Management Consultant Alyce Cheong, MSHRI HR Manager KMG Ultra Pure Chemicals Pte Ltd Tan Joo Keong Jeffrey, MSHRI Manager (Regional), Employee Relations American Express International Inc.
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ASSOCIATE 1.
Jenni Lim Yan Ni HR Manager Semperit Investments Asia Pte Ltd
Xie Shu Nan HR Manager Qrinno Pte Ltd Leong Wei De, Victor Senior HR Executive Tyco Fire & Building Products Asia Pte Ltd Lim Li HR Executive EPIcentre Holdings Ltd Ho Lay Chin Serena HR Executive World Kitchen (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd Shaifullah Bin Sudirman Resident Committee Manager People’s Association Poong Nyuk Jing HR & Admin Asst Manager Greensafe International Pte Ltd Koh Lih Min HR Executive International Rectifier S. E. Asia Pte Ltd Tan Wei Sern HD Service Benefits Section MINDEF/ SAF Loei Lay See Payroll Accountant Gucci Singapore Pte Ltd Phang Geak Lean HR Executive Osram Pte Ltd Mohd Arfifin Azlin Accountant Apex Ship Management Pte Ltd Sum Shurong, Cindy Executive GP Manufacturing (S) Pte Ltd Tan Siew Boey Assistant General Manager (SSOD) Ministry of Social & Family Development Chng Jing Wei Search Consultant UniQ Search Asia Private Limited Yik Tze Ying, Christina Director, Admin & HR RBC Ministries Asia Limited
AFFILIATE
MAY 2014
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APRIL 2014 PROFESSIONAL
Tay Lian Huay, Catherine, MSHRI Office/SHEQ Manager Parsons Brinckerhoff Pte Ltd
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Subash Chandran Pillay District Director Propnext Realty Pte Ltd Herman Yeo Director First Homes Realty Pte Ltd Jeff Foo Director Jeff Realty Peter Lim KEO Pierre International Realty Wee Whe Ling Victor Senior Sales Director Savills Residential Pte Ltd Tang Siang Quee Assoc District Director Orangetee.com Pte Ltd Philip See Boon Director REA Realty Network Pte Ltd Shawn Tan Yeow Siong CEO MORE Property Pte Ltd Thomas Tan Tzyy Howe Senior Executive Global Property Strategic Alliance
48 48 TEAM TECHTAKE CONNECTION
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Foster teamwork
4 Listen
Run contests and display the results where everyone can see. Useful awards like dinners, spa services and shopping vouchers go a long way.
Reward right performance When key employees put in significant extra work, consider extrinsic rewards such as additional pay, benefits or opportunities for promotion.
Listening is about respecting another person. Leaders with strong listening skills often have teams that have greater loyalty and commitment.
3 Praise The boss’ praise goes a lot farther than you think. Notice every improvement that employees make.
2 Communicate Employee communication is about building 2-way communications. Taking the time to talk with them can make them feel more comfortable in their jobs and reinforce positive behaviour.
7 Involve them in decision-making
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Groom talent by helping them understand the considerations behind key decisions in order to align their thinking.
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t motivate to ti t your staff, boost engagement levels and up productivity.
8 Help them grow Today’s employees want to feel as if they are constantly developing and learning new skills. Tap into this desire.
9 Define their roles A well-defined job description leads to a greater sense of control and organisational buy-in.
1 Take an interest in their career
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They don’t care what you know if they don’t know that you care. Mentor or recommend training which would be helpful.
Share the rewards and the pain When the company does well, let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Share disappointments too.