HRM 12.7

Managing human capital Privacy at work Making rewards count

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Interview Feedback: James Brown for Account Manager. 2nd interview on 2010-‐Sept-‐15 18:30 Candidate profile

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James Andrews (via Linkedin) Rating candidate Current status: 2nd interview November 16, 2011 Download ResumeRate

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Account Manager The Account Manager supports the Account Director with the day-‐to-‐day work on the account. Sometimes he or she can delegate to an Account Executive or Co-‐ordinator. Both will spend a lot of their time liaising between the various departments that produce the ads.

To handle this workload, an Account Director needs to be a strategic thinker, a great communicator and have a sharp eye for detail. As an Account Director, you will also need to learn.

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Cancel Heather McLeish | 2011 -‐OK Nov 16 04:41 Awaiting scheduling in 1st interview for job: Account Manager New Business Coordintor “Needs too much training to get up to speed. May be a good candidate in a couple of years.”

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Heather McLeish | 2011 -‐ Nov 16 04:41 Awaiting scheduling in 1st interview for job: Sales Marketing B2B eCommerce

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CONTENTS hrm12.7

COVER STORY 28 Localised leaders

Asia’s unique geography brings with it an array of human capital challenges, compounded by cultural misconceptions. Many argue that the region therefore requires its own distinct brand of leadership, characterised by an intimate understanding of the unique business landscape here. HRM finds out if localisation is the way forward for the Asian leader

IN THIS COVER STORY “Asia is not Asia. Asian countries differ along a number of dimensions and it is as dangerous to group all of Asia together as Europe, Latin America, or Africa” Dave Ulrich, Professor of Business at the University of Michigan and partner at RBL Group EDITOR

TRAFFIC MANAGER

JOURNALISTS

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Evelyn Lim

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Yogesh Chandiramani

Sumathi V Selvaretnam Shalini Shukla-Pandey Priya de Langen EDITORIAL RESEARCHER

Vivien Shiao Shufen

Mazni Abdullah Amos Lee

John Paul Lozano

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

GENERAL MANAGER

Natasha Vincent Charlene Lim

Kaveri Ayahsamy

REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR

George Walmsley

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Richard Curzon

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

David Teng Photographer PRINTED BY

Times Printers Pte Ltd

MICA (P) 158/07/2010 ISSN 0219-6883

Published by: Key Media Pte Ltd 121 Telok Ayer Street #02-01 Singapore 068590 • T: +65 6423-4631 • F: +65 6423-4632 • E: info@keymedia.com.sg

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hrm12.7 CONTENTS

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22

32

FEATURES 12 Philips – Embedding a winning corporate culture

Although having been at the helm of Philips for just four months, Harjit Gill, CEO, Philips ASEAN and Pacific, and Chairman of Philips Singapore, is already working to build a winning corporate culture. She is working to create a single team that not only can deliver on this now, but also in the future. HRM finds out more

17 Making rewards count

As the war for talent becomes increasingly do-or-die, the need for a comprehensive compensation and benefits strategy in which rewards and incentives are tailored to meet the needs of employees has become pivotal. HRM finds out what innovative pay and rewards strategies companies are adopting to effectively attract and retain key talent

22 Career vitality at Bayer HealthCare

Globally renowned Bayer HealthCare has its fair share of challenges in the healthcare industry. However, Joanna Yeo, Head of HR, Bayer HealthCare for the Asia-Pacific region, says the group makes an attractive employer as it identifies talent early and offers healthy career growth opportunities

32 Leading the brand

CEOs with star power – like the late Steve Jobs – can help positively project an employer brand to millions of potential recruits. But a big name at the top is not the only way to get the brand out there, as experts tell HRM.

36 The introverted leader

Not every great leader is an extrovert. Many high-powered executives in the business world are introverts, who prefer to work behind the scenes in leading their organisations to success. HRM examines their strengths and weakness and finds out how HR can support their growth and development

40 Hit the ground running

In the last of a two-part series on leadership, HRM’s guest contributor, Sattar Bawany, says new leaders need to have an impact within the first 90 days of their tenures

43 Managing human capital

Technology has made it easier to manage human capital and HR has a host of software to choose from – applicant tracking systems to payroll solutions. Experts tell HRM that organisations want solutions that save costs and help streamline processes

REGULARS 6 News

48 MICE Review

52 Talent Challenge

57 Resources

10 Leaders on Leadership

50 Twenty-four Seven

54 Talent Ladder

58 Talent Feature

47 Viewpoint

51 In Person

55 Viewpoint

59 Executive Appointments

Contact us: Read something you like? Or something you don’t? Perhaps there’s some insight we haven’t considered?

Have your say on HRM’s news, features, and contributions by emailing: info@keymedia.com.sg

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analysis

Privacy at work In today’s connected world, HR needs to find a way to draw the line between an employee’s personal and professional life to prevent possible complications

A

recent web poll by Robert Walters showed that one in five Singapore employees does not see the need to maintain a professional image online. Such employees have no qualms posting questionable content on social media networks that may be acceptable for the individuals themselves, but companies are increasingly cracking down on online behaviour they feel is tarnishing their corporate image.

With the line between personal and professional life drawn so thin, it is difficult for companies to distinguish where the boundary actually lies. The consequences are dire on both ends of the spectrum – on one hand, the company’s reputation may get hurt if employees are careless in their postings on social media; on the other, the company may face a lawsuit from disgruntled ex-staff who feel that their privacy has been violated.

A recent case in Australia, where an employee was dismissed for making comments about his managers on his Facebook profile, made headlines. Glen Stutsel had been employed as a truck driver by logistics company Linfox, but was fired last year after management became aware of his online comments. “(Employers) need to strike a balance between the legitimate concerns of the company and the privacy rights of individuals,” says Eric Roring Pesik, Associate General Counsel, Seagate Singapore. “This balance might be different depending on the level of the employees.

For example, the personal behaviour of a member of the executive management team has a much greater impact on a company’s image than the behaviour of an ordinary worker.”

To negotiate the minefield of employee privacy, it is best for organisations to set out policies with clear, written guidelines of how employees may engage in social media. According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore, “It is recommended that both the employer and employee mutually agree and incorporate a clause regarding images on social networking sites as part of the terms and conditions of the employment contract, or the employer could include such requirements into the company’s HR policy and communicate them clearly to the employee.”

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Lionel Tan, Partner, Rajah & Tann, says that communication matters. “The company may have to monitor the employee’s use of social media at times to ensure there is no policy breach that may damage the company’s reputation. However, the employees should be reassured that there is never any intention to knowingly breach any employee’s privacy for collateral purposes,” he explains.

Without clear guidelines in place, it may be difficult for companies to pursue disciplinary actions against staff or for companies to defend themselves if a discharged employee chooses to go to court. “If what the employee does online has no impact on the company, then matters are private affairs of which the company should reserve judgement,” says Tan. “However, if the employee is in a position of responsibility where he has to safeguard that image as a representative of the company, then inappropriate pictures or content posted on social networking sites, (content) that contradicts that image and paints him in a different light, may result in him being subject to disciplinary action.”

According to Pesik, it is “incredibly rare” that a company would be justified in firing employees for behaviour that might be considered inappropriate but otherwise perfectly legal, such as having pictures taken while drinking at a club.

Therefore, it is on the onus of companies to have a clear, well-communicated social media policy that will protect the interests of both the firm and its employees.

Companies should also take steps to encourage staff to take charge of their image online as well. “Most techsavvy professionals are aware of this and know that tweaking one’s privacy settings is extremely important in ensuring that private images and content remains within the confines of a friends-only setting,” advises Gwen Lim, manager at the HR division, Robert Walters Singapore.

While such steps are not fool-proof, experts say they matter in limiting the number of people who can access their content. When companies and employees work hand-in-hand to deal with the issue of employee privacy, there will be less opportunity for complications to happen.

“Define a clear social media policy right from the start. What’s important is to educate people on an ongoing basis and empower them to make decisions based on training provided,” says Aadil Bandukwala, Talent Acquisition Social Media Advisor, Dell. “Aside from that, what they do in their personal life belongs to them.”

NEWS ASIA HONG KONG

SINGAPORE

Employers expect upbeat hiring pace

Moderate salary outlook for Singapore workers The average salary increase for Singapore workers this year has been moderate, at just 5.2%, while the figure for next year is forecast to be 4.5%. According to a report by Hay Group, the top three sectors with the highest average salary increases were Industrial Goods (6.8%), Oil and Gas (6.6%), and Natural Resources (6.6%).

Victor Chan, Regional General Manager (Singapore and Southeast Asia) – Productised Services, Hay Group, said: “When making recommendations on salary increments, organisations take into account factors such as the uncertainty in the Euro zone, Singapore’s rising inflation index, the tight labour market, and restrictions imposed on foreign worker recruitment. These factors would play a huge part in the 2012 salary increase movement of 5.2%.”

The report also showed that the actual average variable bonus (performance-based bonuses excluding annual wage supplements and contractual bonuses) was 2.5 months’ pay over a 12-month period. This was slightly lower than the average of 2.7 months in 2011.

A breakdown by employee level revealed that middle Table 1 management roles received an average variable bonus pay-out of 2.7 months, followed by 2.6 months for senior management, 2012 (Actual) 2013 (Forecast) 2.5 months for junior professionals, and 2.2 months for Average salary increase 5.2% 4.5% clerical support personnel.

Average bonus payout 2.5 months 2.3 months The forecast average variable bonus payout is 2.3 months for Source: Hay Group survey, March 2012 the coming 12 months.

Average salary increase and bonus payout for 2012 and 2013

Hong Kong employers have forecast payroll gains for the third quarter of 2012. According to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, after removing seasonal variations, Hong Kong’s Net Employment Outlook stands at an upbeat +14%. Hiring intentions strengthened by five percentage points quarterover-quarter, but weakened by six percentage points year-over-year.

While 18% of the 804 employers surveyed forecast an increase in staffing levels in the next quarter, only three per cent predicted a decrease.

Meanwhile, 75% of employers surveyed expected no changes in payrolls, suggesting a high degree of stability for the third quarter.

Construction employers reported the most optimistic hiring plans, with the Outlook standing at a favourable +19%.

CHINA

MALAYSIA

Special protection for female employees

Food advice for civil servants

The Malaysian government plans to promote healthy eating in its workplaces across the country. According to the Health The State Council has issued the Special Provisions for Labour Protection Ministry’s latest move to promote healthy living amongst of Female Employees, enlarging the scope of prohibited labour activities civil servants, the caloric content of food being served during for female employees during pregnancy, periods and lactation, and meetings will be displayed, to ensure staff are more increasing maternity leave from 90 days to 98 days. conscious of what they eat.

In addition, workers who suffer a termination of pregnancy Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (including abortion) within four months from conception will be was quoted by The New Straits Times as is still the most entitled to a period of two weeks’ leave. Workers who have saying: “Government employees should expensive location undergone a pregnancy termination (including an induced be guided on their eating habits to help in the world for abortion) after the fourth month of pregnancy will be entitled to combat the rise of non-communicable international assignees diseases among Malaysians.” a minimum of six weeks’ leave.

Childbirth allowances and medical treatment for childbirth and Based on the National Health Source: ECA International miscarriages are also covered by the maternity insurance fund, or Morbidity Survey 2011, an estimated 2.6 by the employer if they have not provided maternity insurance. million Malaysians have diabetes, 5.8 Employers who violate these provisions will be subject to a fine million have hypertension, and 6.2 million suffer from ranging from RMB 1000 (US$157) for each infringed female employee hypercholesterolaemia. to RMB 300,000. For severe violations, the employer may also be forced The ministry says it will stop short of banning any food to cease relevant operations, or even to shut down completely. from being served.

TOKYO

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NEWS ASIA SINGAPORE

First job salary expectation: $3,000 a month

INDIA

New kid on the block: corporate espionage

More than half (55.4%) of ‘A’ Level and International A recent report has found that Indian companies particularly in the IT, Baccalaureate (IB) graduates expect more than $3,000 banking, telecom and manufacturing sectors, are increasingly engaging in monthly salary for their first job. According to the 2012 corporate espionage and spying on their own employees. According to the BrightSparks Scholarship and Career Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India Survey, one in ten expect more than (Assocham), over 35% of companies operating in various $4,000 per month after they graduate. In sectors across India are engaged in corporate espionage to the last three years, the majority of gain advantage over their competitors, and are even spying respondents expected a range of on opposition employees via social networking websites. between $2,500 and $3,000 per month.

Sixty-five percent of respondents said they used social of Singapore businesses The survey also found that the networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to are looking to operate in Banking and Financial Services sector is keep tabs on rival companies and employees. emerging markets the most popular industry to work in for More than half (53%) said they often planted moles as Source: Connected World study 42.1% of recent ‘A’ Level and IB low-level employees in their competitor’s offices, and used diploma graduates. and 42.7% of first bugs to listen in on private meetings. and second year university graduates. On the other hand, “Companies who have strong unions and are vulnerable to pilferage hire the most popular industry for final year polytechnic spy agencies and plant an undercover agent, a mole, in minor job profiles in students is the Airline and Travel industry, with 32% rival companies to ascertain if union leaders are getting paid for creating indicating an interest to work there when they graduate. trouble, disclosed many detectives,” Assocham said.

41%

Healthway_DiscoverBetterCare_FA2.indd 1

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL US

WORLD

Talent shortage hinders MNCs

Employee engagement improves

After years of declining employee engagement levels around the world, A majority of executives of multinationals there has been a recent positive shift, cite a growing global shortage of talent as a according to a new study. factor that could limit their entry into new The Aon Hewitt 2012 Global markets – both developed and emerging Engagement report, found that 58% of markets – more so than economic employees were engaged with their work weakness or even political instability. in 2011, up from 56% from 2010. The Forty per cent of the MNCs surveyed findings also revealed improvements in said they intended to expand their operations employee perception scores in three key in both developed and emerging markets, areas in 2011: effective leadership at the including but not limited to the so-called business unit or divisional level was 61%, BRIC emerging markets encompassing up from 54% in 2010; people and HR Brazil, Russia, India practices creating a and China. positive work “Far and away environment was 53%, the biggest up from 47% in 2010; challenge for MNCs and perceiving is finding the talent relationships with in local markets to customers as rewarding Unemployment rate expand their was 75%, up from 70% in Italy businesses,” said in 2010.

Source: The National Institute Maria Morris, “Business for Statistics (Istat) executive vice leadership, as well as president, Global Employee Benefits, MetLife.

Of the largest MNCs surveyed (those UK with more than US$10 billion in annual revenue), close to one-fifth expected to have more than 85% of their total workforce outside their home country in Navigating workplace culture is the biggest the next five years. challenge for transitioning leaders, according In addition, survey findings revealed to a new report by consultancy firm First100. the difficulty of simply attracting and The Truths of Leadership study retaining talent in non-home markets. revealed that at the first 100 days of a new Nearly two-thirds (66%) of respondents appointment, navigating the culture was said talent shortages were likely to affect ranked as the greatest challenge facing their bottom line over the next five years. leaders. Fifty-eight percent of respondents The focus on talent shortages and hiring indicated this, followed by the challenge of challenges was highest amongst players in building trust (22%). Time management and the technology, professional services, setting a clear direction ranked in equal healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and third, with 10% of respondents stating biotechnology sectors. them as general leadership challenges.

Also, 90% said employee benefits were a key lever in the battle for local talent.

Benefits ranked second only to salary in importance for their globalisation strategies.

The findings of the study were based on an Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey of more than 350 executives from multinational companies.

9.8%

HR programs that meet the needs of specific employee segments, contributed to the uptick in engagement levels,” said Pete Sanborn, co-president of Global Compensation and Talent at Aon Hewitt.

He added that with one out of every four people worldwide not fully engaged with their work, more needs to be done.

Organisations should measure and gain insights on engagement drivers and start doing the work necessary to improve engagement, said Sanborn.

Culture a challenge for transitioning leaders

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Also, 24% of respondents ranked building a high performing team as the most important personal challenge for the first 100 days of a new position, followed by executing strategy (22%). Changing to a different industry was rated third (18%), understanding the organisation’s context was fourth (12%) and immediate “firefighting” fifth (5%).

Niamh O’Keeffe, Founder, First100, said that during leadership transitions, senior executives find themselves under immense pressure. He added that companies need to provide adequate support as there is serious potential for leaders to fail to deliver against not only their personal goals, but also those general leadership challenges.

First100 interviewed 50 chief executives and directors of blue chip global businesses for the research.

leaders on leadership

Prospective leaders What is the biggest challenge that you have faced as a leader, and how did you overcome it?

Ang Koon San Country President, Schneider Electric Singapore & Brunei

Having been with Schneider Electric since 1989, I find that one of the biggest challenges as a leader here is actually one that’s ongoing – managing the company’s incredibly diverse lines of business, from buildings to industry to power generation. Coupled with the fast-paced innovation we witness in the industry, one has to constantly be up-to-date to lead the business proficiently.

To lead efficiently, one must first be willing to learn – from peers, subordinates and seniors – and this has helped me overcome these challenges during my time at Schneider Electric.

As a leader, I strongly believe that our employees play a huge part in business success. At Schneider Electric, we focus strongly on employee engagement and development. We engage employees through information sharing and gathering feedback, an exercise which builds bonds between employees and management.

Our development programmes equip staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve high levels of competency, while our Energy University keeps employees abreast of the latest industry developments. This approach has been core to our success as it has helped us to attract and retain talented people.

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Angeline Lee

Managing Director, Wizlogix

As an SME, we face unique leadership challenges as we do not have a lot of resources like other large organisations. As a leader, I will need to wear multiple hats – HR, finance and even corporate marketing. These areas were not my forte as I had studied engineering, so a lot of self-study was necessary.

In Wizlogix, our current workforce is quite young, with an average age of 30. Currently, my greatest challenge is to build my management team at a much faster rate while managing the company each day.

I emphasise on training and development, be it training provided by company or self-improvement. Staff are constantly given exposure to stretch their limits.

I also need to analyse each individual’s strengths and weaknesses, and motivate them to align their career goals with Wizlogix’s vision.

The success of a leader is ultimately dependent on the team of people behind him or her. I am lucky to have a very supportive team and we have had great improvements in terms of processes for the different aspects of business operations.

I strongly believe Wizlogix can grow to a bigger scale in the near future.

Chong Kok Keong

Senior Vice President, CEO’s Office, CrimsonLogic

As a trusted partner to governments, we need to be constantly at the forefront of technology to deliver eGovernment solutions across a large geographical footprint. One of our challenges would be to integrate the different skillsets and contributions of our employees to deliver relevant and easy-touse services for our customers.

Take into account the diversified cultures in the company – with 800 plus employees from 20 nationalities, to our customers located in over 30 countries, with some as far away in Africa and Latin America – and you can understand why these factors can pose a challenge.

Separately, the range of our solutions, from trade facilitation, judiciary and healthcare to eGovernment, further compounds the diversity challenge.

We mitigate this challenge by setting up programmes and platforms to enable our colleagues to develop new ideas and collaborate seamlessly across borders. For instance, our intranet system ‘Icon’ helps us share information and ideas, and jointly work on projects even from several different countries.

To promote innovation, we introduced a programme called ‘Sparks’, that encourages employees to develop and implement ideas, ranging from improving operations and procedures, to enhancing work environment and customer relations.

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leaders talk hr

Although having been at the helm of Philips for just four months, Harjit Gill, CEO, Philips ASEAN and Pacific, and Chairman of Philips Singapore is already working to build a winning corporate culture.

She is working to create a single team that can not only deliver on this now, but also in the future.

HRM finds out more

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

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leaders talk hr

T

he mission and values of a company are quickly becoming more important to the people that work for it. Employees are getting more actively involved in discussing and understanding global issues such as climate change and aging population through social media, and are looking for their organisations to show similar interest.

“What Philips stands for and our ability to make a difference in those areas through our energy-efficient lighting solutions and healthcare capabilities has helped us attract people who share the passion to make a difference,” says Harjit Gill, CEO, Philips ASEAN and Pacific, and Chairman of Philips Singapore.

Employees have many chances to get involved in sustainability programmes throughout Philips, with each one aiming to improve the lives of people in the communities the organisation operates in. “A perfect example of this is ‘The ‘+’ Project’, where we ask people what their challenges in health and well-being are, and what their thoughts are on solving them. We take some of those ideas and make them happen,” Gill explains.

Through ‘The ‘+’ Project’, staff in the Philips Indonesia team are currently working on educating underprivileged women on breast cancer and screening them. They are also working with schools in the Jakarta area in order to improve the quality of food children eat there.

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leaders talk hr

Tomorrow’s talent, today Graduate recruitment is one of the pillars of the talent acquisition strategy at Philips. The organisation has put in place several programmes with universities across the region, including management trainee programmes, internships and scholarships. The company also organises networking sessions with many universities to give students the chance to interact with their business leaders.

“I myself have interacted with students from the INSEAD business school in Singapore and regularly take on interns who I personally coach for a short period,” says Harjit Gill, CEO, Philips ASEAN and Pacific, and Chairman of Philips Singapore. “My last intern was from the American University in Bulgaria. He’s already graduated and is now working for Philips in Singapore.”

“This enthusiasm and genuine belief that we can improve people’s lives through innovation drives us every day and makes the Philips’ culture unique,” says Gill.

Developing a ‘glocalised’ team

Philips is a diverse organisation, with over 30 nationalities working in this region alone. As such, employees are encouraged to be “glocal” citizens, each with a high degree of cultural agility.

“Staff need to be able to understand, appreciate and manage cultural differences, and be flexible enough to adapt to them,” says Gill. “To facilitate this, they are teamed up with colleagues from other markets and cultures to maximise effectiveness and results.”

Local teams have been established in each market to In the ASEAN and Pacific region, effectively understand and represent Philips has a team of about the regional diversity as every country is growing at its own pace and people are at different stages of development, Gill explains.

“We encourage crossspread across 10 markets fertilisation of ideas and exposure for our staff across markets to provide learning opportunities that will not only build organisational capabilities, but also develop individual competencies and skills.”

The organisation provides lots of opportunities for movement across markets, from short-term assignments (six months) to fully-fledged expatriate projects (three years).

Gill takes it upon herself to personally meet with people around the region to ensure an open channel of communication between herself and everyone linked to Philips. “I am most energised when I am out in the markets talking to our teams, partners and stakeholders,” she says. “In fact, I probably spend

10,000 PEOPLE

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more than 70% of my time out in the region.”

Talent can enter the company via several routes depending on the candidate’s experience, maturity and specific area of competency. This enables Philips to build diversity throughout the company, which is a great asset in building a winning culture, says Gill.

The majority of the company’s talent comes from Asia, with good reason she says, “Local people know their markets and culture best.”

The company also believes in offering its talents the opportunity to learn, develop and grow via an international career, either in this region or elsewhere.

Philips has posted staff from its Asia-Pacific operations to China, the US, Holland, and Latin America.

Overcoming talent barriers

A key challenge in a region with countries at different developmental stages is finding talents with specific competencies that are relevant for a business in the healthcare, lighting and the consumer domain.

“Having a strong learning culture with the necessary supporting infrastructure and tools, such as coaching, training and international exposure through short-term assignments, is critical to grow and develop our people,” says Gill.

Another practical challenge for Philips today is managing a multigenerational workforce and providing flexibility that will motivate each generation. One programme the company has implemented is ‘PhilChoice’.

“PhilChoice offers a menu of benefits to cater to employees’ needs, such as medical benefits, familyorientated programs, allowances to purchase digital infrastructure, self-improvement courses, and more,” Gill explains.

Recognition and retention

Employees at Philips are deliberately empowered to develop and grow their talent. “Every individual takes ownership of their own development by tapping on the various learning and development opportunities we provide in the company, such as classroom and online courses, project work and attachments, and short-term assignments,” says Gill.

Senior managers also have the responsibility to develop and nurture talent through regular coaching.

While talent is moulded and nurtured at Philips, performance and developmental feedback is done regularly to assess progress. For instance, the ‘On-The-Spot Recognition’ is given to people who have exceptional performance.

leaders talk hr

“It gives managers the chance to recognise contributions and positive behaviours very quickly without waiting for the next round of performance appraisal. And it’s great at motivating staff,” says Gill.

“We have recently introduced a global recognition tool to allow managers to choose from a range of different spot award options.”

Philips also recognises the need to formalise the performance management process, which is why the ‘People Performance Management’ (PPM) process was born. Done twice a year, the PPM is a feedback channel for the company to let its staff know how they are progressing in their chosen career path.

“Besides looking at the ‘what’, we also look at the ‘how’, which is about developing leadership, taking an outside-in view to serve our customers better, and teaming up to succeed,” Gill explains.

Through its various talent management initiatives, Philips has achieved an average turnover of below five per cent in the region, a credible feat considering the average turnover rate in many markets here is over 11%.

“I really believe the values we have as a company and the opportunities we provide have enabled us to retain our staff,” says Gill. She credits the high retention rate to talent management initiatives such as the diverse job scope, challenging assignments and development opportunities for vertical and lateral movement, as well as international assignments.

Gill recounts how she has personally been with the company for over 20 years, having had opportunities to work all over the world and mentors that have helped her to grow as a leader.

She says, “In the end, it is about the values Philips has and the integrity with which it operates that keeps me inspired, committed and proud to belong to this company.”

Me-Myself-I + I love: spending time with my two boys, aged 10 and 16 + I dislike: arrogance and dishonesty + My inspiration is: working in a company that can make a huge impact on a person’s life – we have lifesaving solutions + My biggest weakness is: Italian food + In five years’ time I’d like to be: a proud mother, watching her sons graduate + Favourite quote: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.” – Ambrose Redmoon

Bio brief Harjit Gill, CEO, Philips ASEAN and Pacific & Chairman of Philips Singapore, started her career in banking straight after university as a Graduate Management Trainee, working for the Midland Bank in England. After two years of international banking, she joined Philips in 1990 and moved to Holland for the Consumer Electronics Division, having decided her real passion lay in the marketing and consumer industry.

In her 20 years with Philips, she has worked in several countries, including Holland, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong. These were in a variety of sales, marketing, and general management roles in various divisions of the Consumer Lifestyle sector.

Currently, Gill is the CEO of Philips ASEAN & Pacific, managing a team of more than 10,000 staff across 10 markets. Prior to this appointment, she was the Senior Vice President of the Philips Consumer Lifestyle APMEA Region overseeing sales in the regional clusters of Asia-Pacific, India and the Middle East, and Africa.

Gill is married with two children. She spends all her free time with her two boys, who are 16 and 10 years of age, travelling, cooking, going to the cinema, and watching football. She says her children are quite used to visiting retail outlets on holidays and discussing the in-store presence of Philips.

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feature

Making

rewards count As the war for talent remains competitive, the need for a comprehensive compensation and benefits strategy in which rewards and incentives are tailored to meet the needs of employees has become pivotal. HRM finds out what innovative pay and rewards strategies companies are adopting to effectively attract and retain key talent

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

S

alary expectations in Singapore are a growing source of tension between businesses and employees. With Singapore faring better than many other major economies, employees are on the lookout for opportunities to boost their salaries.

According to Hudson’s Salary and Employment Insights 2012 series of reports, salary is the top driver for 27% of candidates switching roles.

Andrew Tomich, Executive General Manager, Hudson Singapore, says that employers’ dilemma is how to attract the best candidates at a time when hiring budgets aren’t always able to keep pace with those rising salary expectations. issue 12.7

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Major legislation changes in Asia At Sennheiser Electronic Asia, a German family-owned electro-acoustic company, business Social » Social Insurance Law in China – effective 1 July 2011 and investment decisions are highly dependent on security the company’s own financial means, as compared Retirement » Singapore Retirement and Re-employment Act – to fundraising or through external loans. and pension effective 1 January 2012 » Flexible options for employee pensions in South Korea This financially-prudent approach has allowed » Various enhanced contribution rates for pensions across Malaysia, the company to stay debt-free and enabled it to the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong pursue business and make investments, including Minimum » Hong Kong Minimum Wage Ordinance – effective 1 May 2011 a flexible and competitive compensation and wage » Malaysian National Wages Consultative Council Act – benefits structure in both good and bad times. effective 1 January 2012 “Certain compensation and benefits » Thailand National Minimum Wage – effective 1 April 2012 executions can be held back due to very Source: Celia Yuen, Practice Leader, Freehills Employee Relations – Asia unfavourable economic or business conditions, for example the scrapping of business-class travelling during the 2009 global financial crisis,” says Goh Ban Ping, Head of Regional HR, Asia, Sennheiser Consumer Electronics. “But the company remained focused in protecting its assets including its people, which count among the industry’s crème de la crème.”

Legislation

Changes

Performance-linked rewards

In order to contribute to business performance, HR has to ensure the fundamentals are built in correctly: competitive wages, performancedriving incentives, and a no-ceiling sales compensation plan, says Ellen Mai, Regional Director of HR and Corporate Affairs, Moët Hennessy Asia Pacific.

While rewards should be linked to good performance, the complication comes when the budget is under pressure. “The management and utilisation of the given budget then become paramount,” Goh explains. “The budget has to be prioritised and allocated to areas that give the most returns.”

For example, the priority areas could be to retain the top bracket of talents and to encourage team bonding. These areas are normally directly linked to the performance of an organisation. Once the priorities are organised, it becomes clearer what investment to put in to each of these areas to drive higher or maximum performance.

At Sennheiser in Singapore, HR has made driving overall company sales, building team work, and growing high-potential individuals its key priorities. “These have resulted in programmes and activities such as performance-based incentives, year-long company activities, and sponsorship of training and education for our people,” explains Goh. HR in Moët Hennessy manages the Sales Incentive Scheme for sales people, aimed as a powerful tool to re-shape sales behaviour, achieve sales and marketing strategies, and attract and retain talents with the right skills and attitude.

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CASE STUDY

Sennheiser Electronic Asia The Sales Incentive Scheme includes not only quantitative measurements but also qualitative indicators to ensure sales people can better focus on brand strategies in addition to enhancing brand contribution. “The scheme also increases profitable growth in outlet operators’ contribution and sales channels handling trades,” says Mai.

Corporate governance

While having a total rewards plan is crucial, governing and controlling how a company is operated and how it handles remuneration is important, as this will protect the interests of all an organisation’s stakeholders.

“With economic uncertainty looming again, we have seen a number of clients conducting reviews of executive remuneration packages, and particularly incentive plans ,with a view to, for example, ensuring that compensation is aligned with prudent risk-taking, and that staff engaged in financial and risk control are independent and compensated in a manner that is commensurate with their key role in the company,” says Celia Yuen, Practice Leader, Freehills Employee Relations – Asia.

“We are not a financial institution; however, corporate governance is our focus to assure that the rights of shareholders are guaranteed,” says Mai. “Some people might say that corporate governance might deter organisational flexibility and restrain managerial opportunism, (but) reckless design of executive remuneration will become motivation for managers to extract private benefits of control.”

For Moët Hennessy, all executive remuneration is fully reported in annual tax reporting, with an internal audit that follows through on any concerns.

Goh Ban Ping, Head of Regional HR, Asia, Sennheiser Consumer Electronics, describes pay and rewards at the company as a blend between German and local culture.

For instance, special discretionary leave was set up to manage cultural and racial differences and maintain fair and consistency across the organisation in Singapore. “All employees have 1.5 days of time off that they can take on any of the eves of public holidays. It cannot be combined with other leave types,” says Goh. Sennheiser also covers all female employees, regardless of citizenship, race or religion for 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. Childcare leave of six days for parents with children below seven also covers all employees. For Germans who work at Sennheiser, they are granted similar benefits, although they have a separate policy in Germany.

“We pay individuals based on job position and not on where they are from,” says Goh. Sennheiser pay and rewards strategy has four thrusts: » Paying the right wages for the right job » Incentivising performance » Bonding Team » Developing employees’ growth

Rewards communication

Reward strategies may be futile if the full range of rewards and benefits available are not regularly communicated to staff.

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)/Benefex Reward Management Survey 2012, more than a third of companies in the UK plan to increase their spend on employee benefits this year, but few (17.8%) provide “total reward statements” and eight in 10 offer no financial education to help employees understand the value of their pensions and other financial benefits.

Charles Cotton, rewards adviser at the CIPD, comments, “Many employees will not look beyond their base salary and how far they can make it stretch from month to month.”

He added that by improving employee understanding and awareness around the value of the entire breadth of benefits they offer, employers are likely to reap the benefits in terms of recruitment, retention, engagement and productivity. issue 12.7

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feature

Common benefits The most common universally provided benefits in the UK are: + Paid leave in excess of statutory entitlement – 65.2% + Training and career development – 65.2% + Childcare vouchers – 62.7%

At Sennheiser, reward strategies are communicated regularly through annual sales kick-offs or meetings with the company president.

The most common benefits offered as part of a flexible benefits “Feedback from employees can be shocking as package in the UK include: they do not know when certain reward systems have + Dental insurance – 45.5% ceased, how a new reward system is beneficial to + Cycle to work scheme loans – 43.6% them, or how they can contribute and why a change + Childcare vouchers – 41.8% was made,” says Goh. + Health screening – 38.2% “It is always good to collate feedback so as to Source: CIPD/Benefex Reward Management Survey 2012 develop concrete action plans. Action plans must be effectively communicated to employees at the right time and right place,” she adds.

Moët Hennessy adopts a total remuneration concept and educates staff about the importance of the aggregate of compensation and benefits, rather than just compensation alone. “To reinforce this, we have determined that it is our focus next year for HR to educate managers and staff about the concept of total remuneration,” says Mai. “It helps our staff in understanding what the company has contributed to them on top of compensation and it is of particular importance in robust markets in Asia-Pacific where competition of talent is keen.”

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hr insider

Career vitality at Bayer HealthCare

Globally renowned Bayer HealthCare has its fair share of challenges in the healthcare industry. However, Joanna Yeo, Head of HR, Bayer HealthCare for the Asia-Pacific region, says the group makes an attractive employer as it identifies talent early and offers healthy career growth opportunities

By Priya de Langen

D

id you know that when you have a headache, the aspirin that you reach for has over a hundred years of history in production? It was called the “drug of the century” when it hit the markets in 1899 and the German chemist, Felix Hoffmann. who produced it was working for a company called Bayer.

This wonder-drug put Bayer on the world map and, as they say, “the rest is history”. The Bayer Group is now a global enterprise in the fields of healthcare, nutrition and high-tech materials.

Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG, combines the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care, and Pharmaceutical divisions, employing over 55,000 staff worldwide.

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Even with rising costs and pressures on the healthcare industry, escalating demand on product value by regulatory agencies and payers as well as healthcare reforms, Bayer HealthCare makes an attractive employer, says Joanna Yeo, Head of HR, Bayer HealthCare for APAC region.

“The company has an innovative and promising product pipeline, and is well poised for growth. This is coupled with a strong focus on talent management as we recognise that a strong Asian leadership pipeline is key for our success in Asia,” she says.

Casting the Bayer net

Yeo says the company looks externally for functions that “we want to strengthen with

hr insider

At a glance + Total number of employees: 2,300, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, APAC (excluding China); 1,500, Bayer HealthCare Consumer Health, APAC & China + Size of HR team: 3 (Bayer HealthCare APAC) + Key Focus areas: Talent management, open feedback, diversity and inclusion, leadership

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hr insider

Bayer HealthCare combines the

GLOBAL ACTIVITIES

expertise from outside and to build our leadership bench.” of the Animal Health, Consumer Also, in some Asian countries, Care, Medical Care, and Bayer HealthCare has alliances Pharmaceuticals divisions with universities to recruit from. For commercial positions, the company hires employees with some prior work experience.

As part of the company’s wider talent attraction strategy, it has The Leaders for Tomorrow programme that involves the selective injection of high caliber individuals into the organisation, who are to be groomed for future leadership roles. “We go to leading Business Schools like INSEAD to target people with three to four years of work experience, an MBA, and who are keen to come to join us,” explains Yeo. Leadership Associates undergo a 18-24 month programme, during which they are attached to different functions or countries, so as to provide them a quick immersion into the pharmaceuticals industry and enable them to gain a broad understanding of Bayer, says Yeo. She mentions that some positions within the Pharmaceuticals industry are in shorter supply and therefore more of a challenge to recruit.

These include Medical Affairs, Market Access and specialty marketing areas such as Oncology and Ophthalmology. The recruitment net has to be cast wider for such roles, and more effort has to be put into the interviewing process to ensure candidates are comfortable about the roles.

As interviews are a two-way process, “peer meetings” have been introduced additionally for selected middle to senior level positions. “We set up for the candidates to come in and talk to colleagues that will be working with them. This affords the candidates a better view about the organisation, to ask questions and find out more about the setup of the roles,” she explains.

Building a diverse and inclusive culture

Recognizing that the workforce in Asia will become increasingly diverse and more difficult to lead, a Diversity and Inclusion network has

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been established in APAC with various initiatives in place to raise awareness of diversity and build a more inclusive work environment. In fact, diversity is given focus starting from the recruitment phase. According to Yeo, “we always try to have a diverse pool of candidates whether it is with regards to gender, nationality or even personality.”

Bayer HealthCare also tries to ensure a diverse interviewer slate. Beyond the hiring manager and next level manager, the company also gets managers from functions that the person will work with, to meet the candidates.

“This allows diverse perspectives on the candidates. For instance, if someone is being hired for a Marketing position, we would request someone from Medical Affairs to additionally be part of the interviewing process,” says Yeo.

Developing the Bayer way

Bayer HeatlthCare understands that it is critical to identify its talent at an early stage and provide training and development to realise growth opportunities. “This determines how successfully we can build from within, as compared to having to recruit from outside” says Yeo. The company has a short-term assignment programme coined SPEED (Significant Progress in Early Executive Development) that is focused on accelerating experienced-based learning for young talent.

The SPEEDies, generally go to the APAC regional office in Singapore for short-term assignments. “The assignments provide overseas work or project exposure that employees would usually not be privy to in their home countries.

Yeo says they get the opportunity to work in a different market and the chance to operate in English. This is good exposure for SPEEDies from non-English speaking markets. She adds that these assignments also help to build an international mindset.

Assignments are hosted mainly in Singapore, but they have also been hosted in Australia,

hr insider

China, Canada and Germany. So far, 40 SPEEDies have participated in the programme since its inception in 2009.

Building and developing a strong leadership is a major priority for Bayer. “Good leadership makes all the difference and we really want our leaders to set the tone to drive the many things that we are doing,” explains Yeo. As such, all managers at Bayer have leadership accountability to develop their employees and are measured as part of their Organisation-wide, Bayer has performance appraisal. introduced several diversity initiatives.

Moreover, to develop In 2011, the Group launched an capable leaders, the innovative online tool “GlobeSmart”, organisation has a range of through which employees can obtain global leadership information about etiquette and programmes on offer. “We communication behaviours in more have leadership programmes than 60 countries. It has also set a targeted at building target of raising the proportion of leadership capabilities at women in senior management different levels in the throughout the group toward 30% by organisation,” she says.

2015, from the current 22%.

There is the Learn to Lead programme, that supports all Bayer employees in getting started in their first leadership positions as project leaders or as managers. In the training, participants reflect on their understanding of leadership and learn how to apply leadership tools effectively.

There are also other development courses such as the Bayer Leadership Excellence for those who are going to be promoted. Also, senior mid-level managers are offered the Bayer Management Excellence Programme that consists of networking, course work and stretch roles.

“Ultimately, we need leaders who have an international mindset, are capable of leading and engaging a diverse workforce, as well as ensuring their employees receive continued development which in turn drives business performance,” concludes Yeo.

Who’s who in HR?

Going 'GlobeSmart'

Joanna Yeo Head of HR, Bayer HealthCare, Asia-Pacific

Jasmine Teo Regional HR Business Partner, Consumer Health, Asia-Pacific

KyungSook Lee Regional HR Specialist (SPEED Programme) issue 12.7

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B e s t se l l e r

“Ron Kaufman has unlocked the mystery of service.”

Marshall Goldsmith Bestselling Author of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There w w w. U p l i f t i n g S e r v i c e . c o m | w w w. R o n K a u f m a n . c o m

Orchestrating talent Leadership special + Localised leaders + Leading the brand + The introverted leader + Hit the ground running

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the leadership special

LOCALISED LEADERS Asia’s unique geography brings with it an array of human capital challenges, compounded by cultural misconceptions. Many argue that the region therefore requires its own distinct brand of leadership, characterised by an intimate understanding of the unique business landscape here. HRM finds out if localisation is the way forward for the Asian leader

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

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the leadership special

H

aving come out of the most recent recession stronger than other regions, Asia is now steering the world’s economic growth. A key driver of that is effective leadership, and in Asia’s context, this may be more complex than it already seems. The Asian brand of leadership is quite different from the Western one, with characteristics and challenges that are unique to the Asian leader (refer to Table 1).

Mohammad Naseem Khan, Director of HR for the Asia-Pacific Financial Services business of Capgemini, says that the ability of Asian leaders to manage the vast cultural diversity in this region, generating a strong sense of loyalty and conformance, and the need for consensus-building and operating in a more hierarchical setup are some of the key differentiators between leadership challenges faced in Asia against those in the West.

Being a leader in the world’s largest and most populous continent is a challenge in itself. Most have no choice but adapt leadership styles to suit the workforce here. While the basic tenets of leadership are pretty universal, it is the applicability that differs in the Asian context.

“Asia is not Asia,” says Dave Ulrich, Professor of Business at the University of Michigan and partner at RBL Group. “Asian countries differ along a number of dimensions and it is as dangerous to group all of Asia together as Europe, Latin America, or Africa.” He explains that each country has unique social, technological, economic, political, environmental, and demographic characteristics that determine market and organisation maturity.

“The term ‘an Asian brand of leadership’ is in itself a misnomer,” says Khan. “With so much diversity within Asia, leadership styles and characteristics vary vastly across the region. For instance, what is practiced in Japan varies from what is applicable in India or Southeast Asia.”

Local leadership needs

There is a pressing need to localise leaders in Asia so that they may respect the unique talents and cultures of the diverse peoples of the region. Localisation cannot happen over a short six or 12-month period; experts say it is only possible for those who are committed to spend several years in the region.

“Because Asia is such a diverse region, deep knowledge of the local markets is essential, as is exposure to international markets and experience working across borders, to ensure best practices are adopted,” says Christine Brendle, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Dow Jones & Company (publisher of The Wall Street Journal Asia).

Table 1

Differences of Western and Eastern Business Approaches Western

Eastern

Strategy

Leading to allocation of resources today (short-term)

Leading to positioning the firm for the future (long-term)

Decision making

Fast to decide; longer to sell and implement

Slow to decide; but quick to implement

Accountability

Personalised, and focused on “I”

Shared, and focused on “we”

Rewards

High pay gap between senior executives and lower employees; Pay often based on performance

Smaller pay gap between senior executives and lower employees; Pay often based on tenure and position

Leadership philosophy

Hands on, walking ahead of people: “Leadership is done from in front. Never ask others to do what you, if challenged, would not be willing to do yourself.” – Xenophon, Athenian general, 350 BC

Hands off, walking behind people: “In order to guide people, the leader must put himself behind them. Thus when he is ahead they feel no hurt.” – Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, 400 BC

Source: Adapted from Asian Leadership: What Works, edited by Dave Ulrich & Robert Sutton issue 12.7

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the leadership special

CASESTUDY

Huawei Enterprise Business Group (Huawei) Developing localised leaders at the global ICT solutions provider is a challenge, with the biggest problem being recruiting high potential Chinese leaders who are experienced in working in different regions, leading transnational teams.

“Chinese leaders at Huawei have trouble leading people from other cultures, (we have) very few who are effective,” says Steven Wood, Global VP – HR. “Non-Chinese leaders, on the other hand, also do not have enough experience leading predominately Chinese teams in a company that has 107,000 Chinese employees and 33,000 non-Chinese employees.”

Huawei’s company culture is a major impediment to developing local leaders globally.

There are no non-Chinese in executive line positions on its board of directors. “In our businesses, we have not one local regional leader,” says Wood.

“When everything is Chinese all the time, it makes it difficult to hire, keep and develop the best leaders. Our failure to convert fully to having English as our business language makes it additionally difficult.”

The company has effectively two cultures around the globe: one local and one Chinese. ”It’s like we have a Chinatown in each of our offices, including a Chinese canteen only for Chinese nationals at each location,” Wood explains. “No local employees can eat there.”

The fact that employees cannot even eat together is quite symbolic of the extent of the problem.

Nevertheless, Huawei has started on the path towards localisation by piloting a programme in India in 2009 and then continuing with Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2010. The plan is to continue in the Middle East and Latin America this year.

At Dow Jones, localisation – a two-way process – is a natural focus for the company. two-way process. Employees new to a market are expected to fully immerse themselves and learn from local colleagues, whilst at the same time, share their experiences to embed best practices.

Localising ‘imported leaders’ is an important option for global corporations in Asia like Capgemini, especially when they face an acute leadership shortage, both in terms of current leadership capacity, and the ability to develop future leaders.

The IT services and business consultancy company works on a hybrid leadership model, where on one hand, there is the convenience of tapping into the organisation’s global leadership pool. On the other, the company also actively scouts for high-octane local leaders to gradually replace the ‘imported’ talent, developing local leaders and driving growth in Asia.

Localisation should be done a regional level as it is important to get the most suitable leaders for the job from the region rather than just look at the talent pool within the country, says Virendra Shelar, Head of Recruitment & Talent Development, Sony Electronics Asia-Pacific.

According to Dave Ulrich, Professor of HR can tap on global leaders who Business at the University of Michigan and have had prior tints in Asia or belong partner at the RBL Group, leaders in Asia ethnically to Asia. “These employees, should be able to answer the following given either their experience or roots question about themselves and their role: in Asia, are able to localise much + What is unique about the Asian context? faster than those who are completely + What is unique about my company? new to the region,” says Khan. + What is unique about my personal Another key success factor is leadership style? cultural sensitisation – helping + How can I learn the capacity to adapt my leaders to learn the cultural nuances strengths to the settings in which I work? and be conscious of the specific “dos and don’ts” of the region. Capgemini sponsors expatriate leaders for language and intercultural classes to.

The company also sends its leaders for the Global Leadership Programme, where they work with leaders from other regions and pick up key regional leadership skills over a period of six to eight months. They also work remotely on ‘Live’ projects based on actual business problems during the intervening period.

While the mix between ‘local’ and ‘localised’ leaders may vary from company to company, it is important to have a common framework while hiring or assessing leadership talent. “Within Capgemini, we have a global set of competencies on which leaders are evaluated – some of them include being a business pioneer, having a profit shaper mindset, being an influential people leader, and having ‘La Niaque’ (French for ‘Fire in the belly’),” says Khan.

Key takeaways

Mobile leaders

The Asian brand of leadership also calls for true mobility so that leaders are able to adapt to the social mores, languages and cultures in different countries in Asia.

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the leadership special

“Asia is not Asia. Asian countries differ along a number of dimensions and it is as dangerous to group all of Asia together as Europe, Latin America, or Africa” Dave Ulrich, Professor of Business at the University of Michigan and partner at RBL Group

“Mobility allows these leaders’ personal and professional aspirations to be well taken care of, with the company also benefiting from their experience working in a new and emerging region,” says Khan.

At Dow Jones, team leaders and members of different departments must have good understanding of the markets in the region. Hence, they constantly travel throughout the region, says Brendle.

“Dow Jones always strives for cross-geographical collaboration between colleagues, teams, departments and markets,” she explains. “We arrange regular meetings and conference calls to share knowledge and best practices.”

To help the relocated leader to start contributing as soon as possible, HR’s role is to prepare and support the leader in adapting to the new culture, and also to provide them with the necessary support to also help loved ones settle down quickly.

“Also a cultural integration program to connect the leaders with the employees and ways of doing business would be very helpful,” says Shelar.

Future challenges for the Asian leader

Moving talents from being ‘managers’ to being ‘leaders’ is the single biggest leadership challenge in Asia, says Khan. “High growth in Asia, has catapulted many managers into leadership positions, and while they are very good in their own functional roles, they face challenges when asked to perform strategic roles, requiring long-term vision, influencing skills, and the ability to drive innovation and excellence,” he explains.

Across the Asia-Pacific region, the top talent pool has also simply been fished out. “Much of the top tier of local talent around the region has gone overseas, and many have stayed there,” explains Shelar. “In the short term, the solution to the current and future shortage of top executive talent should come from an increased wave of executive migration across countries within the region.”

Still, cultural differences between Western and Eastern leadership styles exist. These leadership traditions are rooted in history, experience, and practices. “However, as the world shrinks, there are some common principles that global leaders must master,” says Ulrich.

“Leaders who learn to combine the East and the West as they shape the future, make change happen, develop talent, nurture future human capital, and take care of themselves to become truly global leaders,” he adds. issue 12.4

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the leadership special

Leading the

brand CEOs with star power – like the late Steve Jobs – can help positively project an employer brand to millions of potential recruits. But a big name at the top is not the only way to get the brand out there, as experts tell HRM

By Priya de Langen

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W

hat do you think when someone mentions the names Steve Jobs or Richard Branson? Does an iconic apple sign or a red marquee with Virgin Airlines written stylishly on it pop into your head? If so, you are not alone. Leaders like Jobs and Branson have been under the spotlight of the media, introducing and marketing their organisations so much, that their names have become synonymous with their company brands (in the case of Jobs it is so, even after his death).

Needless to say, there are other CEOs or heads of organisations that fall under this famous or infamous category. Companies such as Apple and Facebook have their pick of top talent because of their excellent employer branding, with leaders playing an essential part in communicating the organisation’s personality to existing and potential staff.

To be or not to be (famous)

Experts say there is no doubt that charismatic and visible leaders play a great part in promoting an organisation’s employer brand, but add that leaders do not need to be in the limelight to be effective in putting the word out about their companies.

Wong Keng Fye, Head of HR, Maybank Singapore, says there are positive and negative issues to consider when an organisation has a very ‘visible’ leader. “Having a very well-known leader carry the employer brand creates great traction and mileage that delivers beyond advertising dollars,” he says. “Staff, stakeholders and potential employees believe and identify with the employer branding because of the strong association with the well-known leader.”

He adds that the downside to this is whether the employer brand is sustainable when the leader is no longer around, or the considerable damage to the employer brand should the well-known leader’s personal image be compromised. This is particularly true in the case of Dell, when profits dropped after star CEO Michael Dell left in 2004. (See sidebox).

When star leaders leave Star CEOs bring fame and perhaps fortune to their organisations but what happens when they leave? In the case of Dell, after founder Michael Dell retired in 2004, it was a downhill progression. Dell ceded control to Kevin Rollins, but under Rollin’s watch the company faced a slew of challenges that it could not process: customer service complaints; a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into its accounting; and stiff competition from other tech giants such as HP. This led to a drop in profits and even departure of some of its other key executives including CFO Jim Schneider. Rollins eventually resigned in 2007 and Dell returned to take back over the helm.

Phillip Raskin, managing consultant of global PR firm, Text 100 Singapore, says few leaders are as visible as Steve Jobs was for Apple, but the way he publicly embodied the company’s brand is something that all leaders can emulate. Moreover, he adds that it is essential for an organisation to have a clear vision and understanding of what it represents and for each leader to find their own way of representing this themselves. “While (new Apple CEO) Tim Cook does indeed have big shoes to fill, he didn’t run out and buy sneakers and jeans and black turtlenecks when he took over the role – he’s doing it his way.”

Leading the way

Employers understand the need for their leaders to represent their companies, and many are now putting in place strategies with their HR teams to help improve their employer brand.

Carmen Wee, Vice President, HR, Software Business, Invensys Operations Management, says that companies have to pay a lot of attention to employer brand due to the war for talent, as it allows them to differentiate themselves from the competition. She adds that leaders will always issue 12.7

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Tell-tale signs of a star leader + Able to communicate with ease – always at the forefront talking about the company and its products + Very confident – is able to make decisions and stick to them + Very results-oriented and focused + Expects perfection from his or her employees

play a significant role in this. “It is required of leaders to speak about their company and carry the brand. People want to work for leaders that they can respect and connect with.”

Raskin of Text 100 Singapore says that the firm’s CEO, Aedhmar Hynes embodies the spirit of the company. Hynes spends time both working with the team and socialising with

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them through informal get-togethers. She takes personal interest in her employees and sends new hires a welcome email or congratulate offices when they have had a successful month.

Moreover, Hynes represents the company in various industry circles.

Employers also highlight that to promote strong employer branding, collaboration is critical – leaders need to work with HR to achieve this key business objective. “HR needs to work closely with the rest of business leadership to ensure we’re doing all we can to correctly portray the brand internally and externally, which means frequent discussions and initiatives,” says Raskin.

Wee says that the HR team in Invensys has been working with its leaders specifically on employer branding for the last two years. “Over the last 24 months we have asked leaders to do

Top 10 Leader's To-Do List 10 | Win hearts and minds 09 | Bring your strategy to life 08 | Solve the globalization puzzle 07 | Don't throw money at the problem 06 | Don't hold your people back

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different things in their countries, for example, to publicise through the media whenever we open new offices, (and) to promote who we are as a brand.”

She recalls that leaders in China and India recently gave media interviews to promote the organisation. In Korea, the organisation partnered with engineering faculties at local universities for knowledge transfer initiatives and to attract talent.

DHL is another organisation that ensures its leaders add their value to employer branding, especially with the help of its HR team. “HR must lead the development of the employer brand, coaching top management and line managers in living and promoting the employer brand while ensuring that employees are consulted,” says Yasmin Aladad Khan, Senior Vice President, DHL Express, South East Asia.

She adds that the organisation’s long-term People Strategy is a combination of extensive HR programmes, initiatives and activities that help to foster dialogues with staff. Khan says DHL uses internal channels, such as employee newspapers and magazines, intranet and extranet, as well as social media and surveys such as the Employee Opinion Survey “to deepen our understanding of employees and engage in more meaningful dialogue.”

Employer branding makes a difference

Positive leadership and good employer branding have made a difference for their organisations, say several key employers. Khan of DHL says employer branding has helped define that Online shoe retailer Zappos is well-known for its company’s identity quirky corporate culture and employer branding. The and positioned it to organisation’s CEO, Tony Hsieh is known for setting the better attract and tone of workplace culture for his employees. In fact, he retain talent. “DHL is came up with a list of values, from observing the best the leading brand in behaviours of employees over a year, which evolved the logistics industry into the Zappos Family’s 10 Core Values. These values and our impressive now make up one of the essential parts of the track record as an recruitment process – only employees who fit them employer is are offered a position. recognised by renowned institutions such as Hewitt and the (US-based) Great Place to Work Institute.”

Maybank’s staff retention rates have also benefited from its employer branding, says Wong. “One in two Maybankers has been with the bank for more than five years, which has allowed us to deepen our relationships with our customers. It has also enabled us to retain talent and knowledge, which increases our productivity and efficiency.”

Providing the values

the leadership special

The

Introverted leader

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Not every great leader is an extrovert. Many high-powered executives in the business world are introverts, who prefer to work behind the scenes in leading their organisations to success. HRM examines their strengths and weakness and finds out how HR can support their growth and development.

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam

E

xtroverted employees who speak up, organise things and give direction are often earmarked for future leadership. Yet, many successful business leaders such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are known for their introverted personalities. It is thus critical for HR to realise the value of its quiet but talented employees, and ensure that they do not fall below the radar.

Introverted leaders can even be more effective than their extroverted cousins in certain circumstances, say business school academics Adam Grant, Francesca Gino and David Hoffman in their paper, Reversing the Extroverted Leadership Advantage: The Role of Employee Proactivity, published in the Academy of Management Journal. According to their research, extroverted leaders are more successful when leading passive employees. Introverted leaders, on the other hand, do well in an environment filled with proactive employees as they are better at listening and including employee feedback in decision-making.

Introverts are known to lead with a quiet calm. “They think before they speak which is so critical in this day of knee-jerk reactions,” says Jennifer Kahnweiler, international speaker, author and executive coach. They are also able to build trust through one-on-one conversations, she adds. “Their considered responses convey depth versus breadth.” + Seeking solitude Such leaders also offer a sense of stability Introverts prefer quiet, private spaces at the workplace and enjoy that can be an asset to an organisation, says managing projects on their own, or with a small and trusted group Pushp Deep Gupta, Managing Principal, Korn/ + Think first and talk later Ferry International, Leadership and Talent Introverts are good listeners and like to think before they speak + Digging deep Consulting. “They are able to get the Introverts prefer depth over breadth, and like digging deep into an issue organisation to elevate the level of thinking, before moving on to another one especially to consider potential downsides to + Calm and collected risky strategies and bets that it makes.” Whereas Unlike extroverts, introverts are quiet and reserved, and do not desire to extroverted leaders sometimes go overboard by be the centre of attention rallying the troops and ‘over believing’ their Source: Dr Jennifer Kahnweiler, international speaker, author and executive coach own point of views and stories, introverted leaders process data and information in a

Understanding introverts

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relatively slow and deliberate way. “They do not needlessly rush into doing things that other extroverted leaders might be guilty of occasionally,” Gupta adds.

What are their weaknesses

Introverted leaders face some unique challenges at the workplace due to their personality traits. For example, they typically would do less well on what many call the ‘Organisational Positioning’ cluster of leadership competencies, such as presentation skills and political savviness, says Gupta. “They might not be able to put their point of view strongly enough in organisations, which means that their true potential might remain untapped.”

According to Gupta, introverts might lose out in the ‘race’ to the top in organisations, given that extroverted + Adjusting to leadership of a new team can take time, as leaders might be introverted leaders rely heavily on one-to-one relationships ‘able to talk the + Introverted leaders tend to take time to trust people needed talk’. + Introverted leaders can unwittingly appear unfriendly and Introverted leaders uncaring to people who do not know them well also might come + It can be comforting, given the choice, to build a team of across as being aloof other introverts, but this can have limitations and insular in the Source: Introverted Leadership Toolkit (supported by the South way that they Central Strategic Health Authority and the Welsh Government) interact with others, sending out unintended impressions, which again might come in the way of their overall effectiveness and progress.

Introverted leaders are more susceptible to people exhaustion, and benefit from having some time out to recharge their batteries, says Kahnweiler. Negative impressions from not revealing much on their faces, underselling themselves, and work overload from not speaking up when they are overextended are some of the other issues that may arise.

Challenges

Supporting their growth and development

It is worthwhile for organisations to pause and listen to the introverts in their midst, says Kahnweiler. “Ask them questions, solicit their input on key decisions, and don’t rely on talking as the only tool of communication.

Introverts appreciate having time to reflect on a problem or issue, so try connecting with them through writing.”

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Introverts generally prefer emails and text messages over phone conversations, Kahnweiler says. Social media networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter also serve as useful modes of communication for this group of employees.

During meetings, encourage balanced participation so that introverts have an opportunity to speak up, says Kahnweiler. Setting an agenda before the meeting also enables them to prepare in advance.

Organisations can also help introverted leaders to develop their situational awareness, so that they can assess the levels of extroversion needed for different situations. “Introverted leaders need to find forums which are different from those tapped by extroverted leaders, to ensure that they can articulate their point of views and opinions,” Gupta says.

Experts conclude that introverted leaders can be as effective as their more outgoing counterparts, especially with the right support and opportunities. Kahnweiler says, “Many coaching clients tell me that their best boss was an introvert.”

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Hit the ground running In the last of a two-part series on leadership, HRM’s guest contributor, Sattar Bawany, says new leaders need to have an impact within the first 90 days of their tenures

A

ccording to Ram Charan’s article in the 2005 Harvard Business Review, as CEO tenure continues to shrink, it has become absolutely critical for companies to cultivate internal candidates for top positions. Yet corporations are beginning to realise that executive-level geographic and culture succession pipelines are broken, and will adversely affect the ability to identify and nurture future leaders.

This can be alleviated however by establishing on-going programmes that correctly ascertain high potential executives and provide them with meaningful and measurable development.

Talent management and retention is continuously one of the most pressing worries of CEOs — and for good reason.

Having enough capable leaders to execute corporate strategy is a growing concern, one heightened by demographic trends that promise a continuing shortage of leaders in coming years.

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Within the first

Ensuring a successful transition

90 DAYS

The most challenging time for leaders is a new CEO must have made often in the early days of leading and substantial progress in managing others. The shift from only energising people and focusing having to manage yourself to having to them on solving the business’ manage other people around you can be most pressing problems challenging, especially for young, inexperienced leaders. Once the initial leadership skills have been learnt, the progression to manager of managers, and to leader of leaders becomes much easier.

New CEOs can manage a transition most effectively by adhering to a number of core principals. First of all, it is important to utilise the time before entry effectively. This is a priceless period, during which a new leader can absorb information about an organisation and begin to plan. Prior to assuming the new role, the CEO should understand as much as possible about the organisation’s strategy, its strengths and weaknesses, and should have formulated some hypothesis to begin testing.

It is also critically important to secure early wins. Within the first 90 days, a new CEO must have made substantial progress in energising people and focusing them on solving the business’ most pressing problems. A quick, dramatic impact is important. Momentum must go through the transition, and tangible improvements must motivate employees.

New leaders are expected to “hit the ground running”

They must produce results quickly while simultaneously assimilating into the organisation. The result is that a large number of newly recruited or promoted managers fail within the first year of starting new jobs.

While early wins can help a new CEO get off to a good start, they are not sufficient for continued success. Deeper foundations must be extended for cultural change that is necessary to support sustained improvements in the organisation’s performance. A new CEO must lay a foundation for long-term improvements that focus on diagnosing cultural problems and taking early actions that begin to change perceptions. A new leader must get people to think differently and consider new ways of operating.

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employees develop new perspectives on customers and competitors, building up islands of excellence, or collectively envisioning new ways to operate.

New CEOs must manage themselves if they are to be successful. A clear head can provide a substantial edge, as can emotional balance. Exercising clear-headed judgment, staying focused, and maintaining emotional evenness are all critical factors. It is important to maintain perspective and avoid isolation. The most common cause of failure is not technical (corporate strategy, technologies, or functional aspects of the business), but rather a failure to read and react to political currents or a failure to manage the internal challenges of the transition. New leaders are more likely to succeed if they build and utilise a balanced network of technical, political, and personal advisors.

The first 90 days

Leaders must identify the right goals, develop a supporting strategy, align the architecture of the organisation, and figure out what projects to pursue to secure early wins.

Leaders at all levels of the organisation must demonstrate a high degree of emotional intelligence in their leadership role. Emotionally intelligent leaders create an environment of positive morale and higher productivity and this would result in sustainable employee engagement.

The reality for leaders in transition is that relationships are great sources of leverage. By building credibility with influential players, you are better able to gain agreement on goals, and commitment to achieving those goals.

In the leader’s new situation, relationship management skills are critical as they aren’t the only one going through a transition. To varying degrees, many different people, both inside and outside the leader’s direct line of command, are affected by the way he or she handles his or her new role.

Put another way, leaders negotiate their way to success in their new roles.

Employee Self Service to the rescue

About the Author Professor Sattar Bawany is the Chief Learning Officer and Master Executive Coach of International Professional Managers Association in Asia-Pacific, and Adjunct Professor of Strategy of PGSM. He is also the Co-Chair of Human Capital Committee of American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Singapore). He can be contacted at sattar@ipma.com.sg and Website: www.ipma.com.sg

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Managing human capital Technology has made it easier to manage human capital and HR has a host of software to choose – from applicant tracking systems to payroll solutions. Experts tell HRM that organisations want solutions that save costs and help streamline processes

By Priya de Langen

A

s manpower grows in organisations, HR needs more efficient and sophisticated ways to manage that human capital – and technology can often be the important difference. Indeed, HR software applications have evolved to be a critical strategic support for HR. Now, companies can select from broader, more integrated HR technology options that can help streamline and improve the effectiveness of HR. The 2011 – 2012 HR Service Delivery and Technology Research Report revealed that technology spending was up again in 2011, with issue 12.7

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Top HR issues organisations are investing in + + + + +

Talent and performance systems Upgrading HR management systems New HR management systems More involvement in strategic business-driven issues Streamlining processes and systems

Source: 2011 – 2012 HR Service Delivery and Technology Research Report

34% of survey respondents reporting higher spending for technology and a solid 52% maintaining about the same levels as in 2010.

The report also indicated that companies were implementing or exploring new technology vendors in various talent management areas such as performance management (24%), succession planning (22%), onboarding (25%), and career development (22%).

What organisations want

Service providers say that organisations have various preferences when it comes to HR technology. “Companies are demanding that HR solutions be rich in features, integrated with various business systems, and configurable and scalable to meet changing business needs,” says Iris Leong, Senior Marketing Executive, Business Development, UNIT4 Prosoft.

The technology company offers a comprehensive suite of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) that ranges from operative modules such as payroll, leave and attendance administration to strategic modules such as recruitment, training, and performance appraisal. Leong says that companies want a flexible HR solution that is able to transcend different platforms such as on-premises applications, software as-a-service models (SaaS), and outsourcing to help with their business strategies.

Olivia Yeoh, Director, PayrollServe, says: “Customers now want even greater ease of use in their application.

They want more self-serve features to extract and analyse data. They need access to their systems everywhere they go, at any time. They want the systems to be changed or configured as flexibly as they change their business models.”

Yeoh adds that new HR applications can drastically cut down the time needed to deploy, giving a greater competitive edge for thoise organisations. Cloud computing and SaaS applications are showing promise in this direction.

Clouds on the rise

Experts say that there is a growing trend for cloud computing. In the 2012 Cloud Computing Key Trends and Future Effects study, 35% of respondents said that selected IT operations would be run on a cloud programme, while 27% said that the majority of IT operations would be performed in a cloud.

Service providers in Singapore agree that cloud computing and SaaS are the biggest current happenings in the HR technology industry.

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PayrollServe, for example, provides a suite of HR solutions that are available online on subscription basis, says Yeoh.

“Cloud computing is presently the hottest thing that is happening in the HR tech sector. We will definitely see more HR applications and service offerings to be made over the web, and that is the wave that will carry HR tech vendors into 2013 and beyond,” explains Yeoh.

Another organisation that is offering a range of HR technology solutions on the cloud is hSenid Business Solutions. Dinesh B. Saparamadu, Founder and CEO, agrees that cloud computing and SaaS are the next big technological wave.

“The cloud has levelled the playing field for the small enterprises; they can now have access to the best payroll applications, HR information systems and other related applications at a fraction of the

“Customers now want even greater ease of use in their application. They want more self-serve features to extract and analyse data.

They need access to their systems everywhere they go, at any time” Olivia Yeoh, Director, PayrollServe

PayrollServe

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• Payroll Outsourcing • HR Administration & Consulting • Payroll Compliance

• Leave Management • Payroll Management Systems • Claims Management

Tel: +65 6594 7593 info@payrollserve.com.sg www.PayrollServe.com.sg issue 12.7

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feature

Make the right choice cost of investing in an internally deployed server-based system,” he says. He adds that more HR users will be going online to do their payroll and HR transactions, just like how they have been taking air tickets bookings and banking online.

Experts say that cloud computing and SaaS are cost-efficient, effective and improve flexibility and scalability.

Moreover, SaaS requires no capital investment as it a pay-as-you-go model.

“Cloud technology focuses on reducing the cost and increasing the productivity and efficiency. Companies can experience direct cost savings and increase in productivity which contributes to the bottom line in a positive way,” Saparamadu says.

A lot of planning and thinking needs to go into choosing HR technology that will fit your business needs. Here are some tips that can help you choose: + Outline your objectives for the new HR system or process, and ensure that it aligns with business goals (for example, will the new recruitment software meet your recruitment needs?) + Identify and list the pros and cons of the new system or process.

Understand the current processes that will be affected by the system + Identify software vendors and research their solutions. Ensure the software vendor has a good track record + Find out if the system is user-friendly and is configurable and flexible to your organisation’s size + Ensure there is a capable client support team

Getting your ROI

HR technology providers are saying that companies are getting a good return-on- investment (ROI) for their software. Leong of UNIT4 Prosoft, says that “clients are able to reduce HR headcount to manage our HR technology solution and the savings in time and resources are redirected to more strategic HR functions,” says Leong.

Saparamadu, of hSenid Business Solutions, says that organisations are getting a good ROI but it also depends on a few other factors: including the commitment of the organisation to invest quality time with the system, and have greater advantages in time the experience of the software vendor. saving, and streamlining and “If the organisation invests quality time during the standardising business operations initial information and the requirement discovery and communicates them to the vendor, then the ROI will be much higher and faster,” he explains.

“Experienced software vendors have the capabilities to guide the customer in harnessing the full potential and benefits of the system.

Furthermore, a mature product will ensure faster deployment and less time spent on testing,” Saparamadu says.

He adds that software solutions have greater advantages in time saving, and streamlining and standardising business operations.

Technology providers also ensure that they provide training to organisations on how to use the products. Leong says that UNIT4 Prosoft provides hands-on training to administrators that equips them with the basic skills to operate the systems, while Saparamadu says that his organisation trains the administrative team so that they can in turn train other employees.

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

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viewpoint

UNIT4 Prosoft

The right HRIS fit for you There are many factors to consider when choosing HR software or solutions to help automate processes and improve HR productivity. Here are some tips that could help organisations make the right choice

B

etter, faster, cheaper! Too often have we heard such requests from HR departments when they are looking for software to automate their tedious HR processes and mundane administrative tasks.

While some are waiting for a perfect system to come along, others may find themselves being stuck with HR software or solutions (HRIS) that aren’t scalable, productive or reactive to changes.

Ho

chee tiong Sales & Operations Director

Some fundamentals should be established before selecting a HRIS:

» It should be viewed as an investment for the entire organisation and not just expenditure to ‘automate things around HR’. » There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution.

Organisations have evolving needs.

You might have a single or multiple vendors, outsourced your payroll or used cloud solution on subscription.

What worked for another organisation or country may not work for you. » Look internally. Have a good understanding of where you are in terms of HR technology (Current State) and where you want to be (Desired State).

Along with this, draft a list of your needs (must-have) and wants (good-to-have).

This gives a good sense of realism and becomes your ‘shopping list’.

Several questions should be asked before selecting a HRIS:

» Scalability – Businesses are growing and outgrowing their structures ever so quickly. So will your HR software!

Environmental changes could compel a drastic change in business model as we see more organisations turning to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to bring

»

»

»

»

»

down initial investment and long-term maintenance costs while serving a more mobile workforce and leveraging on higher broadband Internet penetration.

Can your HRIS vendor change as fast?

Social Trends – In the next decade or so, the baby boomers will be retiring.

Gen Y and later group of workers are highly Internet savvy and may even demand employee self-service functions as a hygiene factor. Can the HRIS meet social trends such as high web connectivity?

Sustainability – Is the HRIS vendor well established and experienced to give you assurance in terms of service continuity?

Integration capabilities – Can the HRIS support integration with other HRIS, global data warehouse systems, financial systems and other aspects of the business?

Security – A paramount consideration when handling confidential personnel data. Does the HRIS have strong security controls – detailing who can access what, providing full data audit log, configurable password features, etc?

Support HR as a business partner – This term may be overused but

remains an ultimate goal. Does the HRIS offer employee profiling and salary simulations to help organizations make better decisions? » Service level - Buying a HRIS doesn’t end after you have gone ‘live’. Good customer service means receiving a response within a reasonable lead time when you need assistance on the system, either through email, online chat, remote support tools and on-site services.

Can the HRIS give such assurance? » Sum of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – You will be surprised that by paying more for a good solution, you actually save costs from lesser system downtime, free enhancement of technology and features and reduced internal IT maintenance costs amongst many other benefits. The initial price differences shall reward the organization with features that enable employees to perform their functions faster and better.

In conclusion, a HRIS if chosen and utilised properly can become your best partner in service delivery to the organisation and its employees. + Tel: 6333 6133 + Email: prosoft.sales.sgp@unit4.com + web: www.myprosoft.com issue 12.7

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mice review

Tranquility at Capella

W

For more information: + Tel: +65 6591 5015 + Email: theclub.singapore@ capellahotels.com

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hat strikes guests most when they arrive at The Club at Capella Singapore, is simply the tranquil feeling of stepping into another world. The abundant, green foliage and breath-taking views of the sea are enough to make anyone leave their worries behind.

The Club, located on Capella Singapore’s 30 acres of sprawling hills, offers guests long-stay accommodation with 72 suites ranging from one-bedroom to four-bedroom units, as well as nine manors with private pools. These units all boast generous living space, luxuriant greenery and facilities that will cater to guests’ every need.

One quality that makes The Club truly stand out is not simply its luxurious accommodation units or first-class facilities – it is their service staff that make a world of difference. Employees there greet you by name, whether you are staying for one night or one month. They approach you with iced drinks at the pool on a hot, sunny day; they surprise you with cake and champagne when it’s a special occasion. Staff are on-hand to lend assistance even at unearthly hours.

The Club at Capella also aims to be guests’ home away from home by taking care of their every need. For many of these long-stay guests who come from overseas, The Club has made it a priority for

them to know one another through their guest introduction programme. Every three months, activities are planned for residents to participate and mingle.

Last month, The Club organised a Wellness Week comprising activities such as Zumba and Bollywood trial classes, nutrition talks, a master cooking class and a skincare workshop. It culminated in a Wellness Night where Executive Chef Jakob Esko presented guests with a spread of organic and slow-cooked dishes, as well as a bio-dynamic wine-tasting and appreciation session

by Ewineasia.com. Such activities help expats cope with being away from home as they are given opportunities to socialise with their neighbours.

Families with children were not left out of the festivities either, as the young ones got to enjoy a movie screening of Ratatouille while their parents relaxed over glasses of wine and conversation.

Such an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality made every resident feel comfortable and at home after a long week.

With such outstanding accommodation, amenities and services, The Club at Capella is no ordinary serviced apartment – and intends to stay that way.

twenty-four seven Business City, we get takeaways and enjoy lunch at our cosy pantry.

2.00pm I catch up with my direct report

Sandra Tan

during our weekly one-on-one session.

This is the time for us to share and update the week’s progress. We also take the opportunity to identify areas for her development and for me to provide her with support and coaching.

HR Relationship Leader, American Express

7.45am I use the time travelling to the

3.00pm At the monthly HR leadership

office to map out my work plan for the day and go through my calendar to make sure that I am prepared for the meetings ahead.

talent plans and activities. Recently I’ve been working on building strong talent pipelines through talent reviews and providing HR expertise to leaders to improve their employee engagement.

9.00am I spend the morning responding

11.00am Go through items arising from

to emails and prioritising urgent issues.

the meeting which require planning and action.

10.00am I meet with leaders from a business unit. As an HR Relationship Leader, I work with various leaders of different businesses on their business priorities,

12.00pm Time for lunch! It’s a bonding session with fellow HR team mates. To avoid the lunch crowd at the Mapletree

teleconference with my counterparts from the Asia region, we discuss and share best practices on various topics.

4.30pm I meet up with the campus recruitment committee. We brainstorm on creating a comprehensive internship programme by building strategic partnerships with universities to identify, attract and win top undergraduates.

6.00pm I take care of any outstanding issues before I leave.

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E-mail us hrm@iqdynamics.com

2 Leng Kee Road #06-04 Thye Hong Centre Singapore 159086

in person

Jill

Fleming

Professional Development - Recruiting, Bloomberg Years in HR? 10 years Why HR? I believe HR adds a lot of value to an organisation’s success. I enjoy speaking with different candidates about their motivations, career aspirations, and achievements, and interviewing them to determine if they are the right match.

Why Bloomberg?

Bloomberg offers an innovative, creative, and fast-paced working environment.

The culture encourages open collaboration and transparency, and empowers employees to take ownership of their career paths. I also like the fact

that philanthropy and giving back to the community are at the core of Bloomberg’s culture.

Biggest Achievement?

Surviving the last year living and working in Hong Kong! I was originally born and raised in Sydney, Australia, so moving to a new country has certainly provided me with constant challenges to adapt to.

After Hours?

Shopping, travel and going to the gym.

Family?

Most of my family and friends are back home in Sydney. We have regular catch ups over the phone, email and Skype.

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talent challenge

Personalised development plans How can HR individualise learning and development programmes for staff?

At InterContinental Singapore, training and development is an integral part of employees’ careers. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is committed to provide ‘Room to Grow’ to every individual colleague. There is a wide range of courses Learning & available, all aimed at enhancing the development of our colleagues. Through Development tailored ‘adult-learning’ and providing courses relevant to each individual, we are Manager, able to enrich our colleagues’ growth and retain them in the process.

InterContinental The ‘Performance Development Plan’ tool is one such effective tool to map Singapore out our colleagues’ career paths within the organisation. It is a plan, jointly established by our colleagues and their respective leaders. It is an individualised action plan with learning goals established to fulfil their unique career aspirations. In addition, apart from coaching and advising colleagues, a series of ‘Accelerated Leadership Development Programmes’ are available and utilised to build on our colleagues’ existing strengths for further growth within the organisation.

Amran Samsudin

No company can take responsibility for crafting individual development plans for staff. The starting point is to cultivate an environment that motivates and empowers Head of Global employees to take ownership of their development. The elements needed in this Talent environment are (i) regular one-to-one discussions on career development with their Development, line manager, (ii) provision of tools to support capability assessment, (iii) a suite of Millward Brown methodologies that accommodate diverse learning styles, generation needs and workplace priorities, (iv) a broad portfolio of learning resources, (v) and metrics that reward leaders for development plan achievement and career progression.

Once these elements are in place, helping learners to individualise their own development plans can be achieved in different ways. My experience has been to first focus on reducing cognitive dissonance in the hearts and minds of our people.

With the support of a leader who has developed a holistic view to learning, and the environment outlined above, learners will be able to craft individual development plans.

Glenn Carter

In my company, every June, employees will have a personal development dialogue session with their managers to discuss and plan personal development and training.

Joan Heng During the session, the manager will share observations about the employee’s HR Manager, Global Training & performance and review expectations to identify any gaps for improvement and Development, development. The dialogue session also provides a platform for career Stolt-Nielsen development discussion to prepare the employees to handle a role or position of greater responsibility.

The outcome of such discussions will be the individual learning and development (L&D) plan which will include courses, overseas assignment, job rotations or cross department attachments for development purposes. The employees have to take ownership of their L&D plan and approach HR to find out suitable programmes that will meet their L&D needs. These will be put into a plan for the department and employees together with HR will carry out the programmes as planned.

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advertorial HR Certification Institute

HR Certification Proves

E

Experience, Knowledge and Value

arning credentials in HR is the best way to show that one has the expertise, experience and real-world knowledge needed in the profession. Today, more than 120,000 HR professionals in 80 countries proudly display the “letters” they have earned from the HR Certification Institute to show that they understand and implement best practices in HR. The Institute offers the Professional in Human Resources (PHR®), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR®) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR®), as well as California certifications. For HR professionals, earning certification from the Institute has given them confidence and a sense of accomplishment. They also feel that it shows others that they are innovative, more engaged in work and dedicated to their chosen fields.

Employee Engagement

In addition to high levels of engagement by certified HR professionals, companies that utilise HR professionals with industry credentials are better equipped to ensure their employees are engaged, satisfied and productive, according to the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

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employers, but studies have shown a direct link between high employee satisfaction and increased productivity, retention, customer loyalty, and company profitability.

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Employer Satisfaction & Benefits In a 2010 survey of more than 1,500 employers, the Institute found that 97 percent of respondents believe it is

important for employees in their HR departments to be professionally certified.

The survey also showed that HR certification positively impacts an organisation’s reputation as an employer and demonstrates that it takes HR seriously.

In addition, the survey found: » 96 percent of employers feel that a HR certified candidate applying for a job would have an advantage over a non-HR certified candidate. » 69 percent of employers state that an HR certified person being considered as an independent consultant for an HR department would have a ‘very significant’ advantage over a noncertified individual. + Visit us at www.hrci.org for more informations

“The profession is enhanced by people who have demonstrated mastery of the bodies of knowledge, who commit themselves to the periodic affirmation of their knowledge through recertification and who comport themselves with the confidence that successful certification inspires” Gardiner Hempel Jr. CPA, GPHR, HR Certification Institute Board Chair

“Certification provides an immediate connection between me and others who hold it. In many instances, I find that other certified professionals are knowledgeable outside of their specific industry ” Hosetta Coleman, SPHR, senior vice president and director of HR for Fifth Third Bank

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talent ladder

Sarah Jackson

HR Director, APAC, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

Kenneth Soh

Chief HR Officer, MediaCorp

MichaelJoerg Ivan

Senior Manager, HR Development, Recruiting, Compliance and Polices, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp.

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Sarah Jackson has joined global integrated communications consultancy Waggener Edstrom Worldwide as HR Director, overseeing the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Her experience spans over 25 years from a diverse number of industries, including fashion, retail, wholesale, HR consultancy, petroleum, technology and public relations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

As a qualified executive coach, Jackson is able to marry this skillset with her extensive HR experience to support the Waggener Edstrom APAC leadership team as the agency continues its robust growth and expansion.

“I am fortunate that Waggener Edstrom already has a solid framework in place for leadership development and management skills training which includes coaching at the core. This is something that I have seen make a substantial difference to align the organisational capability when the business is building and expanding into new markets. I’m glad to have the opportunity to work in a global organisation that already has a great reputation for unique digital capability and innovative approaches.”

Kenneth Soh is the new Chief HR Officer (CHRO) of MediaCorp. As CHRO, Kenneth will report to MediaCorp CEO Shaun Seow, and lead the HR team to support the organisation’s strategies, and strengthen its partnering and talent development functions.

Soh has 22 years of executive work experience spanning HR, retail sales and business operations. He spent 20 years with Shell Eastern Petroleum, and his last role there was as HR General Manager in Singapore.

“I’m honoured to have the opportunity to lead the experienced HR team at Mediacorp. In meeting our growth ambitions, it will be imperative for the organisation to provide a strong and compelling employee value proposition, particularly so for the diverse talents we have across the different segments of our business. In time, I intend to develop a fuller appreciation of the priorities ahead, and to align our HR strategies to best support the challenging business agenda.”

Michael-Joerg Ivan has been appointed as the new head of HR development, recruiting, compliance and polices for Daimler AG’s Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation.

In the past, he was responsible for all HR policies and processes in Africa and Asia-Pacific, covering 18 countries. In his new role, he will be taking care of all HR development, recruiting, compliance and policy topics for 13,000 employees under the Daimler Fuso brand.

Ivan has over 10 years of Asian HR experience. He considers himself a results-oriented HR professional, a persuasive and collaborative leader, and an innovative and creative solutions provider who can drive change and stakeholder engagement across all ranges of HR initiatives.

“This new challenge gives me the opportunity to use my vast Asia knowledge and support a business that is in a big change process. It is privilege to work in such a dynamic industry.”

viewpoint

SAP Asia

Strategic HR

– How to turn your talent into a revenue enabler HR is constantly encouraged to become a strategic business partner and impact the bottom line of the organisation. Raj Sundarason, VP, HR LoB Solutions, SAP Asia tells us how HR can leverage on data and technology to make a critical and measurable difference in business balance sheets

T

he marketplace today is a dynamic one for HR. As tenures of leaders grow shorter and implementation cycles of projects shrink, HR leaders are compelled to achieve business outcomes as quickly as possible.

For instance, we have a banking customer that went live with +25k employee goal forms within 10 weeks. This is the type of time to value ratio that customers are looking for.

Also, time and again, the issue of doing more with less comes up. The next generation HR leader has to get to grips with all the back office operational HR practices and accelerate driving these inefficiencies out of the business so that HR is really able to get more out of employees, effectively turning human capital into a true revenue enabler.

Market direction Mobile is here. If an organisation doesn’t have a mobile strategy, they need to hurry up and find one or risk becoming irrelevant very soon.

The challenge is to push relevant, contextual dashboards back into the hands of senior executives as quickly as possible. The data also needs to be arranged in a digestible, bite-sized manner which is relevant to the market and company needs.

Raj

sundarason VP, HR LoB Solutions, SAP Asia Additionally, it needs to be delivered pretty instantaneously because data has a short shelf-life. Senior executives must be able to leverage the data to test hypothesis, gain insight into the health of the organisation and do strategic tasks like strategic workforce planning.

The SAP HANA platform and analytics tools can help HR to make sense of multiple types of data sources – at speeds and in volumes like never before.

Impacting bottom-line

For a long time, HR has been considered a back office function, more concerned with transactional activities like producing organisational charts, headcount reports and payroll - the ‘vegetables’ of HR. Whilst not trivialising the significance of being legislatively Productivity Business Results compliant, if HR +3% +1% Average increase in Revenue added back wants a seat at the productivity to profit CxO table, it needs +4.9% to evolve and focus Increase in high performers on the ‘sweets’ of +14% HR; true talent Increase in project management. completion

Seasons of Change: HR Must Drive Business Cost Savings -15.2%

Strategic Alignment +5.5%

Decrease in turnover

Increase in time spent on strategic priorities

+13.7%

1 to 8 + weeks Faster communication of strategy

Increase in internal job fill rate

-13.8%

Decrease in low performers

+17%

Increase in people getting the right training

For example, SAP through SuccessFactors has done research with 500 customers and found that customers with a business execution mind-set with respect to talent management have been able to drive more from their workforce from a performance perspective.

The challenge that next generation HR has is to push the boundaries out at both ends of the bell-shaped performance curve to drive more from the outliers.

Research data tells us that if HR can align talent management with strategy it can squeeze more from those who aren’t the best performers and accelerate more out of its top performers. If done correctly, that could amount to as much as three per cent from revenue being added back to profit.

Now, having this type of conversation with a CEO is a far more robust one then saying that you got payroll right, you’re compliant and what not.

At the end of the day, if we can get HR and the business to really start collaborating, we can truly get businesses to RUN BETTER. + Raj Sundarason VP, HR LoB Solutions, SAP Asia + Email: raj.sundarason@sap.com issue 12.7

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UPLiFtiNG

SERViCE Workshop with

RON KAUFMAN This energizing and entertaining presentation highlights the principles and action steps everyone can apply to deliver superior service and build an uplifting service culture.

Ron Kaufman New York Times bestselling author

UPLIFTING SERVICE The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues and Everyone Else You Meet

Friday, 3rd August 2012 2pm to 6pm Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre S$390 per person, $350 for groups of 5+ Contact for Registration or Enquiries: Phone : 1800-2222-229 or 6438-3128 Email : singapore@ebbx.com ORGANIZED BY

This programme is eligible for enhanced Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) Scheme.

All In T

he one thing that truly differentiates your team and drives real results is simply a culture of belief, according to Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, best-selling authors of The Carrot Principle and The Orange Revolution. In their new book All In, they return to answer some of the most overlooked leadership questions of today: Why are some managers able to get their employees to commit wholeheartedly to their culture and give that extra push that leads to outstanding results?

And how can managers build and sustain a profitable, vibrant work culture of their own?

Based on impressive research by Towers Watson, as well as on their own consulting experience, the authors found that managers of the highest performing work groups created a culture of belief. Such workplaces were identified by employees who believed in their leaders and in the HayPS_3p.pdf

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resources company’s vision, values and goals. When employees are engaged, enabled and energised (termed ‘the three Es’), businesses get to benefit.

According to a study, such companies have average annual revenues of three times more than organisations lacking such a positive culture.

In the book, the authors present a simple seven-step road map for creating a culture of belief: define a burning platform; create a customer focus; develop agility; share everything; partner with your talent; root for each other; and establish clear accountability.

In addition, All In contains numerous case studies and interviews with leaders and employees of top firms such as American Express and Hard Rock, making it an invaluable source for managers everywhere.

Written in a concise, engaging manner, the book appeals to the reader as it is a rare mix of both style and substance. It provides an insightful look into improving business culture by sharing secrets on how employees can feel appreciated and genuinely engaged in their work. This book will revolutionise how leaders think about culture that will empower them to inspire a new level of commitment and performance.

At a Glance All In Authors: Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton Published by: Free Press Retail Price: S$26.70

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talent feature

Of Talent and Trends Dhirendra Shantilal, Kelly’s APAC head gets down to the nitty-gritty of talent and trends with Kelly’s latest Asia Pacific Professional and Technical Salary Guide

T

he APAC region is home to more than 4.2 billion people over half the world’s population, with China and India alone accounting for almost 40% of this figure. People and potential labour pools are in abundant supply, in principle, but the availability of labour contrasts sharply with the availability of what we have come to term as “talent”.

Talent is not easy to come by. The much coveted trifecta of niche knowledge, specialist skill sets and leadership capability is a combination that is difficult to find and even harder to recruit. Talent knows they are sought after across all industry categories and role functionalities across the region, and that gives them currency.

For that reason, the continued strong demand for talent has driven employee turnover rates up to an estimated 14.1% across APAC in 2011, according to Kelly’s Global Research. This was one of the key findings that was uncovered in putting together Kelly’s APAC PT Salary Guide. It should also be noted that while there may be a slight softening in demand in 2012, keen competition for knowledge workers across all countries in APAC is still evident. Even as unemployment rates continue on an overall downward trend, talent scarcity in specialist areas like Engineering, Accountancy, Technology and Financial Services is further heightened.

The research also showed that hiring is expected to grow despite challenges like rising inflation and capacity shortages emerging in 2012. This growth

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Dhirendra

Shantilal Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Kelly Services

is expected to exacerbate wage pressures in all countries. This will drive business costs up, especially when employers are serious about attracting and retaining the critical talent within their organisations.

In view of the cost pressures facing businesses, Dhirendra Shantilal, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Kelly Services said: “A compendium of information will help organisations and talented professionals gain a better understanding of the current state of wage pressures, through the provision of accurate and transparent contextual salary comparison and market outlook information across industries for eight APAC countries.”

volatility in Europe and the United States. It has been hit by the global turbulence, but the sector has broadened and deepened across the region, with emphasis in wealth management, private banking and insurance.

General APAC Trends Across Sectors:

Engineering & Technical

Accounting & Finance

There is a measured approach to talent investment in back office functions.

Traditional accounting roles has fallen in demand, while commercially-focused finance business partners are still highly sought after.

Banking & Financial Services

The Banking & Finance sector has been dampened by instability and economic

Information Technology

There is a robust growth in the IT sector with a high demand for skilled candidates across countries. Skills in application development, new and emerging technologies and areas demanding high levels of specialist knowledge such as Banking IT are creating wage pressures in these domains.

There is a continuous demand for Engineers, especially in construction and the oil & gas sectors due to major projects coming into the region.

Expertise in green technologies and engineering disciplines will continue to boost wage expectations. + The Kelly Services APAC Professional and Technical Salary Guide was launched on 15 May 2012. To download a copy, visit www.kellyservices.com.sg.

executive appointments Fiona Nesbitt Singapore

frazerjones.com

HR Roles HR Business Partner

FMCG/Luxury

A world-leader in its field, this company is committed to its talent being its number one asset. This role will provide you with the opportunity to partner with the business and drive the organisational and people agenda by offering specialist direction, best practice and commercially focused advice to effectively deliver the company’s people plans. Key responsibilities include: HR strategy and organisational development, HR business partnership, HR operational excellence and talent management.

Applicants should have strong commercial acumen with an understanding of how HR drives business results, excellent communication and presentation skills. Ability to demonstrate credibility in dealing with stakeholders and excellent skills in influencing and diplomacy are a must. Candidates should be able to effectively manage issues with ambiguity and complexity.

Ref: FN/187011.

Competitive package

HR Manager, MNC

Manufacturing

You will be responsible for formulating, evaluating and implementing HR policies, procedures and strategies so that our client, a highly profitable and multi-national company, can achieve its business goals and objectives. You will drive HR programs in partnership with the APAC HR team and identify and execute process improvements where required. Additionally, you will play a pivotal role in developing and maintaining key relationships with the business unit and functional heads, as well as external partners and vendors.

Lead, motivate and develop a team of HR professionals. You should have 5-7 years of relevant working experience within an MNC environment, strong written and verbal communication skills and people orientation coupled with the ability to meet both human capital and business objectives.

Experience acquired within a manufacturing environment is highly desirable.

Ref: TH/186971.

Attractive base + bonus

To discuss HR roles across Asia, please contact Theresa Hall on +65 6420 0515 or Fiona Nesbitt on +65 6420 0520.

Alternatively, email theresahall@frazerjones.com or fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com | EA Licence No: 10C4100.

THE SR GROUP . BREWER MORRIS . CARTER MURRAY . FRAZER JONES . PARKER WELLS . SR SEARCH . TAYLOR ROOT LONDON . DUBAI . HONG KONG . SINGAPORE . SYDNEY . MELBOURNE

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

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executive appointments

Specialists in HR Recruitment

162 offices in 34 countries | www.michaelpage.com.sg

13080-AD_SG_HRM_july2012-print.indd 1

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executive appointments

www.achievegroup.asia Singapore | Malaysia | Hong Kong

Established in 1990, the Achieve Group is a multi award-winning organisation and HR outsourcing partner-of-choice for local conglomerates and multinational corporations within the Asia Pacific region. It specialises in Talent Acquisition comprising General Recruitment, Technology Recruitment, Foreign Recruitment and Executive Search Divisions, as well as HR Consulting.

EA Licence No.: 05C3451

1. Human Resource Manager

2. Human Resource Manager

Central, 5 days week Good prospect and benefits

Alexandra Road/ Chai Chee Road, 5 days week Good Remuneration Package

Our client, a well known Health Care Hospital

Our Client, a new public Healthcare cluster formed to facilitate the integration of services and care processes within the hospital and across the community, so as to better serve the healthcare needs

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the full spectrum of Business Human Resource (HR) support for a Hospital • Plan, develop and implement strategy for HR management and development • Establish and maintain appropriate systems for measuring necessary aspects of HR development • Monitor, measure and report on HR issues, opportunities and development plans and achievement within agreed formats and timescales • Manage and control departmental expenditure within agreed budgets • Liaise with other functional / departmental head so as to understand all necessary aspects and needs of HR development, and to ensure they are fully informed of HR objectives, purpose and achievements • Contribute to the evaluation and development of HR strategy and performance in co-operation with the executive team • Audit and authenticate all documents related to legal, salary statements and distribution, policies etc • Plan for employee’s performance appraisal; develop tools for appraisal, job evaluation and development

Requirements

• Degree or equivalent from a recognised university, preferably with post-graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management • At least 10 years’ work experience in Human Resource Management of which 5 years at managerial level • Proficient in MS Office applications and Human Resource Management Systems • Good interpersonal and communication skills • Strong knowledge of local labour law and related statutory regulations

Responsibilities

• In charge of overall HR function • Spearhead the implementation of HR management, including employee recruitment, compensation and benefits, training and development plan • Manage all staff welfare program, Orientation, Employee Handbook, long service award, insurance, claim & leave • Manage Staff Performance Management including enhancing and rolling out yearly appraisal cycles • Provide advice and appropriate solution on HR matters and practices

Requirements

• Degree or equivalent from a recognised university, preferably with post-graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management • At least 1 year relevant experience in the similar role • Task focused and have strong interpersonal and communication skills • Creative, resourceful, with good organisation skills, and be a fast learner and strong team player • Preferably experience in Compensation & Benefits • Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word and Powerpoint Interested candidate please submit your updated resume in MS Word format to: Position 1: strike8@achievegroup.asia Position 2: aspire4@achievegroup.asia We regret only shortlisted candidate will be notified.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

141 Market Street #13-00 International Factors Building Singapore 048944 T +65 6323 0050 F +65 6323 3006

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Returning the Human to Resourcing

Head of HR, Asia

HR Operations Team Lead

Learning & Development Program Specialist

Services Industry

Global Private Bank

Premier Private Bank

HR Transformation and Change

Excellent Career Progression

Cover Multiple Geographies

Salary circa S$180k-S$200k base + bonus

Salary circa S$80k-S$100k base

Salary circa S$80k-S$110k base + bonus

Our client is expanding and undergoing an exciting change. There is now an opportunity for a high calibre HR professional to join them in this transformational role.

Our client is a leading private bank and seeking to recruit a dynamic HR Services Team Lead for Singapore. This organization encourages functional and geographical mobility within the group to enrich employees’ experience and accelerate their development.

Our client is a progressive private bank with a network of sophisticated clients. It is recruiting a dynamic Learning Program Manager at Senior Associate or Associate Director level.

Working closely with the CEO and his management team, you will be instrumental in driving people issues and initiatives to support the growth of the business in the region.

This is a generalist business partnering role where you will be leading a team towards bringing the organization and its people philosophies to the next level, as well as to spearhead tactical initiatives e.g. rollout of HR Information Systems and working with the C&B COE towards developing remuneration structures that are aligned with business growth objectives.

You are a progressive HR professional with more than 12 years of commercial work experience in an MNC environment. You are strategic in mindset and tactical in delivery.

You thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment and have demonstrated resilience, especially in change management. Strong interpersonal and communication skills,as well as a team mindset, will be critical success factors for this role. International candidates who may not necessarily have the Asia experience are welcome to apply.

To apply, please submit your resume to Cecelia Koh at ck@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number CK4139\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

You will oversee all HR processes on payroll, accounting, benefits and expatriate management. You will liaise with internal and external auditors, and IRA. You will perform ongoing review and refine service quality process and risk control for migrated functions, including payroll administration, expatriate accounting, employee data management and on & off-boarding coordination. Expatriate Management covers relocation matters and liaising with an accounting firm on tax matters.

You will monitor and manage vendors on service level. You will manage and participate in HR Services regional projects and will coordinate on BCP and Control Self-Assessment matters.

You will have minimum 8 years of relevant experience, including 4 years of management experience in Operations or similar positions.

You will have a good knowledge of local labour regulations and HR operations, and good experience in vendor management. You will also possess good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of staff from different cultures.

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC4288\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

banking | finance | human resources

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You will be responsible for program execution across multiple continents through working closely with other program directors and managers in the various locations. You will manage training programs and ensure smooth operations of education delivery. You will be responsible for designated location learner administration, scheduling, training communication, enrolment and travel cancellation. You will also deliver training in areas such as soft skills and processes. You will source and maintain service providers, and conduct annual vendor management reviews.

You will analyze and collaborate with other program directors to align curriculum for both internal and external programs. You will provide operational reporting for learning activities.

With more than 5 years of relevant experience, with at least 2-3 years in training program administration, you possess a strong “hands-on� approach. With experience in the banking environment, you are customer-oriented and possess a good understanding of the culture.

You have excellent communication and presentation ability in spoken and written English.

To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number YY4289\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8640 for more details.

executive appointments HRM Awards 2009 Sponsor of the Best HR Manager of the Year Award Asiamoney Headhunters Poll 2009 Best Headhunting Firm - Middle/Back-Office category No. 2 in Asia

Learning & Development Manager, Asia Pacific

Senior Compensation & Benefits Analyst

Organizational Development/ Talent Management Specialist

Real Estate Financial Services

Industry Leader

Leading Global MNC

Asia Pacific Learning and Development

Great Working Environment

Exciting Initiatives

Salary circa S$110k-S$160k base + bonus

Salary circa S$130k + bonus

Salary circa S$150k-S$250k + variable bonus

Our client is a financial services firm specializing in real estate services. There is now an opportunity for a Learning & Development Manager to join the team.

Our client is a leading US multinational, respected for their strong corporate values and employee value proposition. Due to continuing business needs, there is now an opportunity for a committed C&B professional to join them.

Our client is an extremely established global MNC. There is now an opportunity for an OD/Talent Management Specialist to join them in this newly created position.

Reporting to the Head of C&B, APAC, you will manage the full spectrum of C&B functions, supporting both local Singapore and APAC operations. You will develop, design and execute programs in partnership with HR business partners and advise on relevant C&B issues/initiatives. On an ad hoc basis, you may also have the opportunity to engage in regional and global HR initiatives and projects.

You will have experience in running a training/L&D function in a managerial capacity.

You have demonstrated success in developing and implementing L&D strategies aligned to business strategy and organizational capability requirements. You are comfortable working in a client-focused and people-centric environment, balancing client interest with Firm’s interest. Knowledge in various technology tools to deliver L&D platform.

Ideally, you should be degree qualified and have sound knowledge of C&B practices,preferably gained in a progressive multinational. Prior manufacturing experience is highly preferred. You possess analytical skills in problem definition and solution development. You are a strong team player and possess the ability to collaborate across boundaries, disciplines and cultures, especially in an evolving matrix environment.

To apply, please submit your resume to Priscilla Chen at pc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number PC4287\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Yolanda Yu at yy@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number YY4276\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8640 for more details.

Reporting to the Global Head of OD, you will be responsible for the development and implementation of the Talent Management Framework and strategies to address key leadership and organizational development needs for the region as a whole. You will continually drive high performance to ensure the firm’s competitive advantage through the development of their leadership values/competencies, with an emphasis on assessment, development, deployment and retention of talent.

Ideally, you are degree-qualified preferably with specializations in OD/talent development/ employee engagement. You are highly collaborative and work well with global/regional/ in-country senior management (in and out of HR). You are hands-on and structured in approach. Dynamic and committed, you work well in a highly diversified and global culture.

To apply, please submit your resume to Cecelia Koh at ck@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number CK3911\HRM, or call (65) 6333 8530 for more details.

Licence No: C690801Z

Reporting to the Asia Pacific Head of HR, your role will focus on the Learning & Development (L&D) strategy, implementation and the management of L&D processes. You will create a learning environment that provides a platform for employee overall development that aligns to its business performance. This role requires you to manage efforts to develop cost-effective L&D options to meet specific business needs of the organization, including training budget support and recommendations. You will be hands-on and execute plans through a wider network by working with HR Team, business and function leaders across all levels.

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts regional organisational Development/change manager Drive projects throughout the region

assistant Hr manager - oil & Gas navigate into a new challenge

A superb opportunity exists within a multinational organisation for an Organisational Manager to join their regional and global implementation team. You will ensure changes are effectively supported in key strategic projects and develop change management capability and mindset.

Additionally, you will design future operating models and identify emerging and future capabilities. You’re track record will include having the ability and credibility to work with and influence senior stakeholders as well as have demonstrated experience of managing large scale complex change initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.

This exciting opportunity is with a leading offshore transportation organisation. Reporting to the Head of HR, you will be an experienced oil and gas HR generalist. This position requires hands-on and tactical HR management expertise, you will need to demonstrate expat management, recruitment, HRIS and performance management experience. The most challenging aspect of the role is managing the change in offshore personnel, this is a fantastic opportunity for an individual full of personality and willing to achieve. If you can blend between operations and strategy, apply today.

compensation & Benefits manager, apac Design, lead & develop the c&B process

total rewards leader for cemea region Become a key member of the Global total rewards team

A highly successful business with unprecedented growth across Singapore is seeking a C&B Manager. You will be responsible for the complete development, structure and design of long term incentive plans, shares, bonus plans and harmonising benefits and incentives across their various business lines. We’re looking for a true compensation and benefits specialist with the passionate, drive and ability to put together a full C&B strategy combined with a sound knowledge LTI, salary structuring, harmonising benefits and incentive plans.

A global financial services organisation is looking for a Total Rewards Leader for Central Europe, Middle East and Africa region which includes UK, Russia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and other CEMEA/Western Europe.

As a key member of the Global Total Rewards team, you will support and implement the organisation’s total reward strategy and manage local compensation programs and practices in the region. You will ensure that reward programs are competitive, cost effective, able to attract and retain talent and adequately aligned to company’s global philosophy.

please contact ash russell, mamta shukla, thomas Girling or Vargin Yeke at hr.singapore@hays.com.sg or +65 6303 0721.

hays.com.sg

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executive appointments

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executive appointments

Great people are at the heart of every successful business. It is this belief to invest in our team at Charterhouse that makes it possible for us to provide our clients with professional, specialised and tailored executive search services and the best possible talent for each company.

People are our business

Our client list spans across multi-national companies and global enterprises with a vested interest in people and talent development. These companies are currently searching for HR professionals to develop a rewarding professional career for and to value add to the following professional and executive roles.

Senior Organisational Development Manager

HR Regional C&B Manager – APAC

One of the strongest �inancial institutions in Asia is looking for a strategic Senior Organisational Development Manager who is able to work within tight time frames and show passion and determination to lead effective progressive strategies to support the growth and strength of the company.

This company is a leading �inancial institution looking for a Regional C&B Manager to work with HR Business Partners, Centers of Expertise and Shared Services Partners to drive progressive initiatives and to help attract and retain the best talent in the industry.

Responsibilities:

• de�ine focus and budget to build organisational capabilities and culture • engage senior management and key stakeholders to align OD agenda and needs • develop culture and employee engagement to improve staff performance and effectiveness • lead organisational change, talent management and learning and development programs to develop succession planning, key talents and leadership within the organisation

Requirements:

• degree quali�ied with at least 7 to 8 years’ organisational development experience in the �inancial services/banking industry • proactive, driven, strategic, analytical, and creative with excellent business acumen, partnering, communication, in�luential and leadership skills • strong leadership skills to lead people through organisational change • adaptable and able to manage ambiguity

Responsibilities:

• re-engineer the total C&B Structure in the Southeast Asian region • propose and implement new guidelines on how to attract, reward and retain employees • effective implementation and communication of new C&B initiatives in the region • lead C&B change projects of moderate complexity • design and implement changes which help to support strategic business plans and strategies

Requirements:

• understand how to realign C&B strategies with operation needs in the �inancial services industry • committed and fast worker who is able to withstand the high demands of a fast paced environment • knowledgeable in C&B practices in the Southeast Asian region • proactive and able to work well in a culturally diverse team setting • strong organisational skills, meticulous and excellent communication and presentation skills • pleasant personality with great energy and initiative

Senior HR Business Partner

Regional Senior Talent Acquisition Manager – APAC

This organisation is an international MNC continuing its growth and dominance in the Asian market in the technology industry and it is looking for a Senior HR Business Partner to lead a highly skilled team to strengthen its HR capabilities in Singapore.

This company is an international MNC in the global technology industry and it is a recognised household brand name. Due to growth in the communications market, it is looking for a highly experienced Regional Senior Talent Acquisition Manager to drive its regional strategy for hiring the best talent across Asia.

Responsibilities:

• formulate strategies to attract, retain and motivate the best talent in the industry • manage the overall operational requirements in the areas of talent acquisition, OD, L&D, C&B, IR and ER • partner with Regional HR to localise regional initiatives in Singapore • establish networks and updates on HR issues, trends and compliance to new government regulations and laws

Requirements:

• 10 to 15 years' HR Management experience • good contacts with the local industry and able to work with people from diverse cultures • knowledgeable in local labour laws, employment regulations and statutory programs • excellent stakeholder management skills • creative, resourceful and meticulous • only Singaporean and PR will be considered

Responsibilities: • • • • •

headhunt the best talent in the market at all levels build internal talent pipelines preparation of necessary related tracking/pipelines reports proactively seek the latest market intelligence organise networking events

Requirements:

• approximately 10 to 15 years' recruitment experience; preferably with regional exposure • ideally has recruiting agency experience • good networking skills and able to work with top management and people from diverse cultures • committed and fast worker who is able to withstand the high demands of a fast paced environment • independent and able to work well in a team setting • pleasant personality with great energy and initiative

To apply, please email your CV to hr@charterhouse.com.sg or call Perry Barrow or Shereen Foo at +65 6435 5610.

For more information on your career and recruitment needs, please visit www.charterhouse.com.sg Company License Number: 06C3997

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