HRM 13.10 Look Who’s Talking

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Dave Ulrich headlines HR Summit 2014 Plus: • Managing talent in the new Asia • Expat health packages

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hrm ISSUE 13.10

Spurring innovation at Akamai Technologies Microsoft’s talent network HR in Web 3.0

WWW.HRMASIA.COM

Look Who's Talking Price inc.

GST $9.95

ISSUE 13.10

Dave Ulrich headlines HR Summit 2014 Plus: • Managing talent in the new Asia • Expat health packages

HRM 13.10

Contents EDITOR Sumathi V Selvaretnam

20

JOURNALIST Shalini Shukla-Pandey

Look Who’s Talking Dave Ulrich headlines HR Summit 2014 In a dynamic business climate, HR professionals need to master skills that keep them relevant to their organisation’s strategy. So says leadership expert and HR Summit 2014 speaker, Dave Ulrich. In this exclusive interview, he shares his thoughts on the challenges facing the HR profession and why an outside-in perspective can help it add greater value

TRAFFIC MANAGER Azimah Jasman SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amos Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Paul Lozano SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Yogesh Chandiramani ACCOUNT MANAGERS Rebecca Ng Edwin Lim Jolene Ong GENERAL MANAGER Kaveri Ayahsamy REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR George Walmsley MANAGING DIRECTOR Richard Curzon PHOTOGRAPHY BY David Teng (xcalibrephoto.com) Frank Pinckers (pinckers.com)

“C-suite expectations vary by executive, but in general, the top senior business leaders expect that HR professionals will help reach their organisation’s objectives. HR professionals should add unique insights around talent, leadership, and capability”

PRINTED BY Times Printers Pte Ltd PUBLISHED BY Key Media Pte Ltd 121 Telok Ayer Street #02-01 Singapore 068590 Tel: +65 6423 4631 Fax: +65 6423-4632 Email: info@keymedia.com.sg

– DAVE ULRICH, LEADERSHIP EXPERT MICA (P) 137/07/2012 ISSUE 13.10

ISSN 0219-6883

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HRM 13.10

Contents

12

Check out HRM online:

hrmasia.com

16

FEATURES 12 | Building a talent network

Effective collaboration, learning eco-systems and career development are top of the agenda at Microsoft Singapore. Managing Director, Jessica Tan shares how a clear people’s strategy helps drive performance in the organisation

16 | Akamai Technologies – Learning from the past, innovating for the future In the wake of the dot-com bubble bust, Akamai Technologies almost went out of business.

Fortunately, it came back from the ‘brink of death’ to be the success that it is today. James Gemmell, Chief HR Officer, says the company leverages on a culture shaped by its co-founder and unique history

26 | People, productivity, performance By effectively measuring the productivity of people, HR can identify performance gaps and develop optimal training plans to address them

31 | Managing talent in the new Asia The economic landscape in Asia is evolving rapidly and HR is now constantly under pressure to develop and retain a strong talent pool capable of tapping on business opportunities. HRM shares tried and tested talent management solutions from distinguished HR leaders across industries

36 | Expat health packages

An attractive, flexible and internationallyrecognised healthcare package is one of the key provisions that expatriate staff expect from their employers. How can HR assure these workers of their health and well-being while still managing costs? HRM finds out more

41 | Moving families

Moving countries with a family in tow can be a harrowing experience if not managed properly, and that can have a direct effect on the success of an international assignment. Integrating famlies into the local social fabric is critical in keeping expatriate staff worry-free and more productive at work

46 | HR in Web 3.0

Asia’s technology adoption rate is rapidly increasing, bringing with it plenty of new opportunities, as well as confidentiality and privacy issues for companies. How will this impact the HR function?

50 | Best venues for year-end parties

The corporate end-of-year party can be a daunting event for organisers, with the venue alone capable of making or breaking the occasion.

HRM explores Singapore to find some exciting, yet uncommon locations that are sure to keep guests engaged throughout

50 REGULARS 3 | Analysis 4 | News 10 | Leaders on Leadership 55 | In Person 56 | Talent Ladder 57 | Talent Feature 59 | Twenty-four Seven 60 | Talent Challenge 61 | Viewpoint 63 | Resources 64 | 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 2

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ANALYSIS

Work-life Balance

Are we working hard or smart?

In a world dominated by smartphones, people are finding it almost impossible to avoid the increasingly common 24-hour business culture. Just how much work is too much?

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Singaporeans work some of the longest hours in the world, spending an average of 2,287 hours per year at work.

According to a study conducted by the Groningen Growth and Development Centre, Hong Kong is the only Asian country that trumps Singapore, with average work hours of 2,344 hours per year. The global average has been found to be between 1,380 and 2,800 hours per year, with richer countries putting in less hours.

It is no surprise then that 60% of Singaporean workers feel mentally exhausted, mostly due to work stress, according to a recent JobStreet survey.

Ow Seng Fong, Divisional Director – National HR Division, Ministry of Manpower, is taking the data with a pinch of salt. “I’m a little apprehensive about survey data, as some surveys suffer from sampling bias or only a small sampling was polled to extrapolate to the bigger population,” he shares in a personal capacity.

“However, if you look at multinational companies with a global footprint, most of them report growth in their businesses in Asia-Pacific and contractions in other regions,” he adds. “It is thus not surprising that Asian workers clock in longer hours compared to their other counterparts.”

Some of the shorter hours can also be traced to cultural roots. “Certain nationalities are known to abhor longer working hours, while certain nationalities thrive on longer working hours,” Ow explains. “A third factor is the presence, or lack, of physical space whereby workers can wind down. I do believe that if you break down the data collected on a city versus country basis, then workers in densely populated cities (like Singapore, Tokyo, and Hong Kong) are likely to put in longer work hours.”

Although the country has some of the lowest average working hours in the world (1,406 hours per year), Germany is known for its efficiency. In a bid to further cut staff stress and prevent employees from burning out, the country’s employment ministry has recently followed in the footsteps of some major home-grown companies (including, Volkswagen and BMW), in banning out-of-hours emails.

“It’s in the interests of employers that workers can

reliably switch off from their jobs. Otherwise, in the long run, they burn out,” Ursula von der Leyen, the labour minister, told German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The minister called on companies to set clear rules over the out-of-hours availability of their workers, warning that “technology should not be allowed to control us”.

When it comes to progressive HR practices, Singapore has largely operated on the basis of free market forces.

“Guidelines, rather than mandatory legislation, are used to shape behaviours and effect necessary changes,” says Ow. “For example, the mandatory minimum wages policy effected in Hong Kong and Indonesia has proven to be less effective in attaining the desired outcomes.”

“From a very Asian perspective, there is a certain value system for staff willing to go the extra mile in answering emails outside of their office hours,” he goes on to explain. “If our society operates on a meritocracy as we choose to believe, the extra efforts put in by our staff will pay off in the longer term.”

Volkswagen stops forwarding emails to staff from its company servers

half an hour

after the end of the working day Source: The Telegraph

Global average work hours Country

Average annual number of hours worked

Hong Kong

2,344

Singapore

2,287

South Korea

2,193

Taiwan

2,144

Japan

1,706

US

1,703

Australia

1,699

UK

1,650

France

1,476

Germany

1,406

Source: Study by the Groningen Growth and Development Centre

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NEWS

Asia ASIA

Workers take caring bosses for granted Caring bosses who help employees with their personal and work problems shouldn’t expect gratitude, loyalty and commitment in return, new research has warned.

According to a study by IMD business school, most managers believe offering emotional support will benefit their company.

Yet most employees simply view such shows of kindness as part of their superiors’ duties and have no intention of working any harder.

As a result, bosses who lend a helping hand need to manage their own expectations, as they may find themselves frustrated with their staff’s lack of appreciation.

“Managers and employees alike appreciate that controlling negative emotions can be important within an organisation but it seems there’s a marked difference in how the two parties believe this sort of support should be perceived and how employees should respond to it,” research co-author Ginka Toegel said.

“Managers tend to regard emotional support as beyond their responsibilities and therefore worthy of reciprocation in the form of greater commitment.”

For example, managers might think an employee they have helped should have no qualms about working a little bit harder or staying later to meet a deadline.

“Unfortunately, employees just don’t see it like that. They view emotional support as part of what their superiors do and are paid good money for,” Toegel added.

“Consequently, shows of gratitude may never arrive - and negativity can end up perpetuated not by the employee but by the manager, who feels let down.”

Dozens of employees took part in interviews and questionnaires to examine whom they turned to for emotional help and how they felt such support should be viewed.

Around three quarters of lower-level workers

MALAYSIA

Survey: Motivated, Englishspeaking grads wanted A fresh graduate’s positive personality and command of English is more likely to land him/her a job than his/her university qualifications.

According to a survey by Jobstreet.com, almost two-thirds of hirers were not particular about which universities the graduates attended, or whether these were public or private institutions.

Earlier this month, Putrajaya made it mandatory for students to pass English in the middle secondary SPM examinations beginning 2016, as part of its Education Development Master Plan 2013-2025, The Malay Mail reported. The move came despite the common theme from Malay nationalists who consider a proficiency in the language to be a sign of disloyalty to the country.

Chook Yuh Yng, Jobstreet’s country manager for Malaysia, said employers, universities and society should work closely to narrow the gap of expectations.

“Apart from universities needing to create more well-rounded graduates, graduates should also create opportunities for themselves to have proper career planning and seek to constantly improve their skills,” Chook explained.

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and middle managers reported receiving support from their superiors - but not one expressed a feeling of personal debt.

“Some managers expressed social motives for offering support - ‘Christian spirit’, for example, or ‘the right thing to do’ but even they expected they would gain something in return, perhaps in the form of increased recognition,” Anand Narasimhan, also of IMD, said.

“The fact is that managers do benefit from a happy team in terms of productivity and results, even without any additional displays of loyalty and commitment,” he added.

“Based on our findings, maybe the lesson for all concerned is to avoid unrealistic expectations - especially in an era when so much of economic life is built on services.”

The study, which was carried out in collaboration with University College London, is published in the latest issue of the Academy of Management Journal.

VIETNAM

Job security

is one of the top areas of priority amongst Singaporeans Source: Survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and the Our Singapore Conversation Secretariat

Minimum wage increases in Indonesia

should be based on the annual inflation rate plus 5% to 10%, depending on the industry.

Source: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Permits compulsory for foreign workers With effect from November 1 this year, foreign staff will have to be in a management role or have special skills in short supply locally in order to qualify for an employment license.

Work permits will also be limited to a maximum of two years, according to a new decree from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs. Those without work permits will be deported.

The decree specifies four new types of workers who are eligible to work in Vietnam: volunteers, those responsible for forming a commercial presence in a foreign organisation, those who work as managers, executives, specialists, technical workers for companies, and people participating in projects based in Vietnam.

Employers (except contractors) are expected to annually determine the demand for overseas labour for positions that local employees are unable to perform, and report to the People’s Committee of the relevant city or province. The Chairman of the local People’s Committee will then consider the report and approve work permits accordingly.

According to the Ministry, there are over 71,000 foreigners currently working in Vietnam, of which 37% have not been granted work permits.

NEWS

SINGAPORE

ASIA

Mobile workforce as popular as ever Organisations all over the world are leveraging the benefits of a globally mobile workforce. According to the latest annual KPMG Global Assignment Policies and Practices (GAPP) survey, 72% of over 600 organisations surveyed use global mobility programmes to support overall business objectives.

“A globally mobile workforce is as popular as ever,” said Ooi Boon Jin, Head of International Executive Services, KPMG in Singapore. “Over the 15 years of this survey’s existence, in those companies where use of mobility is the norm, we have seen continued expansion and adaptation to the programmes.

We have even observed companies with headquarters in Nordic and Asia-Pacific regions beginning to jump on the globalisation bandwagon. These companies are moving their staff to new strategic growth locations.”

Flexibility and adaptability of programmes to address changing demands is strongly evidenced through the variety of assignment types offered. Some 81% of organisations offer short term assignments. Also, 96% offer long term assignments, while 47% offer permanent transfers or indefinite length assignments.

Surprisingly given the current economic environment, and the noted desire to support the business, only 12% of survey participants said that cost control and assurance of an acceptable ROI were of importance.

“Having agreed-upon metrics to demonstrate ROI helps any global mobility programme demonstrate their value objectively to the broader organisation and secure continued programme funding,” Ooi said. “However, a notable amount of survey participants struggle to track ROI information as it relates to international assignments – 27% do not know the percentage of assignees that leave the organisation within 12 months of repatriation, and 31% do not know why they leave.”

Survey participants continued to include wide definitions of “family” in their expatriate benefit policies. Some 55% included unmarried domestic partners and companions of the opposite gender, and 49% included unmarried domestic partners and companions of the same gender. These broader definitions are most evident in European and Asia Pacificheadquartered organisations, and also within the financial services and high technology industries.

Employers report positive hiring plans

The new government-led

SME Workgroup

aims to help SMEs overcome restructuring and productivity challenges Source: Ministry of Trade and Industry

Bahrain’s monthly

BD10 (US$26.52)

foreign worker fee has been reinstated for both public- and private-sector companies. as of 1 September.

Source: Bahraini government

45%

of Asian HR executives say their leaders are only marginally prepared to address business challenges over the next one to two years

Positive forecasts are reported throughout the Asia Pacific region, with hiring plans growing stronger in three countries quarter-on-quarter – India, Taiwan and Singapore, according to the Q4 2013 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Q4 hiring plans in India are the most optimistic across the globe. Job seekers are likely to benefit from a surge in demand for talent among firms in IT/ ITeS, banking and construction. Employability skills remain a challenge for a number of Indian hiring managers. Many acknowledge that there is an abundance of business and engineering graduates, but that too many of them lack the soft skills that are increasingly necessary as India becomes even more interconnected to the global marketplace.

Singaporean employers report strong hiring prospects for the October-December time frame. While 25% of employers expect to increase payrolls, four per cent anticipate a decrease and 65% forecast no change, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +21%.

Outlooks are positive in all seven industry sectors, with hiring prospects strongest in the Public Admin and Education sector (+36%), and in Finance, Insurance & Real Estate sector, where the Outlook is +34%.

In mainland China, employer hiring plans continue to decline in year-over-year comparisons across most sectors and regions. The most noteworthy declines in employer confidence are reported in Mining & Construction, Services, and the Transportation & Utilities – downturns which might be partly explained by the government’s stated intention to shift from government-backed investment projects to a more consumer-driven economy.

Net Employment Outlook Figure

Source: ManpowerGroup’s 2013 Talent Shortage Survey

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5

HR INSIGHT

Retention

EMPLOYEE CONTENTMENT: 2013 The economic environment is testing the employee/employer partnership, with employees ready and willing to switch jobs should a better prospect arise. Almost half of all respondents, globally, have changed employers in the past year, with the greatest rate of jobchangers in the EMEA region.

Job change: More than 50% Job change: Less than 50%

JOB CHANGE IN THE PAST YEAR

10 Most Volatile Australia

France

62%

61%

Portugal

Denmark

58%

Brazil

56%

55%

India

Germany

New Zealand

Luxembourg

Belgium

Netherlands

Switzerland

China

Thailand

Malaysia

Singapore

Norway

55%

55%

53%

53%

50%

10 Least Volatile South Africa

Puerto Rico

21%

30%

Indonesia

31%

33%

34%

34%

35%

36%

41%

41%

IN SINGAPORE

DID YOU KNOW

42% 39% 50% 69% 72%

are not happy in their current jobs

It’s not all about the money Key factors influencing job choice

frequently think about quitting actively look for a vetter job, even when happy in their current role say their manager has a direct influence on their job satisfaction feel less loyal to their employer when compared with a year ago

Source: Kelly Global Workforce Index 6

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34%

Compensation/ benefits

32%

Personal growth/ advancement

30%

Work/life balance

How to be a better manager Key factors influencing potential employees

Aside from salary/benefits, there are a few key elements that can improve the manager-employee relationship

58% Corporate brand/

58% Training

56% Financial performance

56% Clarify responsiblities,

47% Flexible work

40% More transparent

reputation & Corporate culture

& Location

arrangements offered

opportunities

goals and objectives

communications & more reasonable/ manageable workload

NEWS

International UK

GLOBAL

Older workers key to labour crunch Europe risks a serious labour shortage and a growing burden of pension costs, unless it encourages greater integration of older workers into the workforce. This includes employees who are not yet of state pension age.

The finding was part of a new report published by the International Longevity Centre (ILC) UK, which argues that without changes, the number of workers available to support each retiree will drop by 50% from four to two, thus spreading a greater burden on fewer people. The figures also reflect the fall in fertility rates to below-replacement levels over the past few decades.

Despite the possibility that migration could ease the shortage, the estimated 60 million net migrants over the next 50 years – equal to 0.2% of Britain’s current population – is still too few to sufficiently alter dependency ratios.

“The EU would require a far higher level of net migration to maintain the current dependency ratio,” the report said, adding that an additional 11 million migrants would be needed by 2020 alone. “Older workers are a resource that can be used to address this issue,” the ILC added.

The European Union has already had a taste of the difficulty. It missed its target (set in 2000) to raise the ratio of workers aged between 55-64 years, to 50% of the population by 2010, from the original 37%.

David Sinclair, head of policy and research at the ILC, said that one finding of the study, surprisingly, was that even when policies were adopted to encourage older staff to continue working, few employers seems interested in them. “Even when countries do something, they don’t evaluate it,” he said.

Bonuses unequal among men and women 3.1 million

fewer calories were consumed by 2,000 staff members of Google’s New York office when the company replaced M&Ms with healthier snacks.

Source: Google report

27%

of British workers confess to stealing items such as stationery and food from the office.

Source: Versapak survey

6,829,765

Number of Pakistani professional, skilled and semiskilled workers registered in overseas employment from 1971 to July 2013 Source: Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment

US$1.12 trillion

Projected amount of global business travel spending by end of 2013, a 5.4% increase from 2012.

Source: Global Business Travel Association report

The pay gap between men and women is being made worse by bonus payments given disproportionately to male managers.

According to London-based Chartered Management Institute’s National Management Salary Survey, which interviewed 43,000 UK workers, women are more likely to enter occupations where a culture of bonus payments is not normally practiced.

It also found that male managers earned average bonuses double those of their female counterparts in the last year, and that men’s base salaries were also nearly 25% higher.

The US Census Bureau notes that women in the US are paid 77 centers for every dollar paid to men.

Munich-based Anne Frisch, a former chief financial officer for a number of international organisations, advises women to approach any meeting about salaries or bonuses to remember that resources are limited and they need

to fight for what they deserve.

Marijo Bos, managing director of personal development consultancy Bos Leadership, says that women should not wait for employers to make changes.

“It’s important that women in business touch on the rewards topic openly with their bosses or the HR leaders mid-year so that expectations are transparent on both sides,” she says.

Allison O’Kelly, founder and CEO of the US-based Mom Corps, says that women should talk regularly with their managers about how to dovetail one positive result into another opportunity, and not assume their bosses already know what has been accomplished.

GLOBAL

UN adds new protections for domestic workers A new United Nations (UN) treaty will cover the labour and social rights of around 53 million domestic workers around the world.

The “Domestic Workers Convention” will give employees the rights to claim days off each week, fixed working hours and a minimum wage. To date, eight member states of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) – Bolivia, Italy, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa and Uruguay – have endorsed the convention. Meanwhile, legislative reforms have also begun in Finland, Namibia, Chile and the US, among others. Countries including Costa Rice and Germany have also initiated the process of approving the new law.

The “Domestic Workers Convention” comes in light of worsening working conditions for domestic workers around the world. They have been subjected to labour exploitation and human rights abuses. A lack of legal protection increases their vulnerability and makes it difficult for them to seek compensation, which leads them to be paid less than employees in similar occupations.

“I hope that it will also send a signal to ILO Member States and that we soon see more and more countries committing to protect the rights of domestic workers,” Manuela Tomei, director of the ILO’s Working Conditions and Equality Department said. “All this shows that the momentum sparked by the ILO Convention on domestic workers is growing.

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7

NEWS

International EUROPE

UK

Rates of employees taking sick leave are lower in the UK than in Germany or France. New research published by the Wolverhampton University found that rates of UK staff sickness had decreased from 17% in 2004 to 9% in 2009. This was based on data provided by more than 2500 private sector firms to the European Company Servey.

But sick leave is growing in Germany, and remains relatively high in France. The figures for staff sick leave in Germany rose significantly over the same period, from 17% to 24%, while the number of French workers taking sick leave fell from 29% to 21%.

Wen Wang from Wolverhampton University said, “Workplace absence through sickness was reported to cost British business £32 billion a year – our findings show that Germany and France suffer even bigger losses.”

Fellow researcher, Roger Seifert, correlated tougher employment protection and generous sick pay to the high levels of staff sickness in Europe. For instance, in Germany, where existing laws make sacking or reprimanding staff harder for employers, more than 50% of firms had to cope with changes in workload at short notice in 2009. Twenty-five percent of firms that year had to make all their employees work overtime, with rewards of off-days, instead of additional pay.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has expressed concerns over the level of advice being made available to young people about their future careers. Its research has found that a lack of careers advice and guidance is hindering young British workers’ ability to find jobs, causing a broadening of the gap between them and employers.

53% of employers feel the young people they meet have inadequate career advice, while many youths themselves say the support they have received has been either non-existent or not helpful.

In light of the results, CIPD is encouraging its members and HR professionals in all sectors of the UK to volunteer in schools to give advice on employability skills. As part of the “Inspiring the Future” initiative, hundreds of HR professionals are expected to help some 2,000 school and college students with their CV and interview skills.

“HR professionals are particularly well placed to help young people with their employability skills and it’s in employers’ interest to ensure that those leaving education are well prepared and excited about their future careers,” Katerina Rüdiger, Head of Skills and Policy Campaigns at the CIPD said.

“Many employers are keen to engage with schools, and where possible, schools have a responsibility to open their doors to them.

Sick days lead to big losses

Youths miss out on career advice

* T PACK CHARITY GIF

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8/30/13 9:56 AM

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LEADERS ON LEADERSHIP

Talent Management

Removing Obstacles What is one behaviour or trait that could hinder the career of a leader?

Irene Ang

CEO and Founder, Fly Entertainment

Leaders should conduct themselves in a respectable manner as it is crucial in retaining the respect of their followers or subordinates. Even a slight mistake could cause serious repercussions that would potentially be detrimental to their careers.

However, there have been cases of leaders who have behaved in manners deemed inappropriate by the public and by social norms.

A common deed that is unacceptable would be physical intimacy among coworkers. This has been observed as one of the most damaging to one’s career, especially for leaders and prominent figures who are always in the public eye.

Some examples include professors engaging in physical intimacy with students in return for granting good grades, and prominent people in high positions granting unfair advantages or benefits to external parties in return for immediate physical gratification.

As a result of their behaviour, these leaders will most definitely lose the respect of their subordinates and lose their credibility as professionals. Such behaviours also consequentially cause others to question their trustworthiness and integrity.

They will also no longer be able to lead effectively. Their words will no longer be taken as seriously as before, and their followers might also question them. Those who used to look up to them as an example will no longer feel compelled to follow in their foot-steps whole-heartedly.

Tony Chisholm General Manager, Sofitel So Singapore

One of my favourite inspiring quotes is from Jack Welch who said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others“.

I’ve always been a believer in hiring people that can grow and challenge me. I think the biggest mistake a leader can make is to shy away from risk and forget to think beyond the obvious.

At Sofitel So Singapore, we are trying to build a culture of diverse leaders that encourage feedback and ideas and are open to new and unfamiliar territories. By allowing our ambassadors to constantly challenge themselves and learn, we enable our employees to grow into strong role-models and representatives of our brand and our hotels.

We empower our ambassadors by listening to their ideas and contributions – we recognise how valuable this is to making any company run successfully, but particularly a service driven business like a hotel; the best ideas come from those on the ground. Leaders should strive to encourage an open dialogue and environment of learning.

It’s also critical to motivate employees from day one. We work with each ambassador from the start of the hiring process to outline their future development within the company, demonstrating to them that we are building them a career, not just a job.

Brad Gray

Regional Director, South East Asia.

Polycom

The inability to empower employees is possibly one of the key character traits that will hinder transformational leaders – those who are inspiring, positive, genuine and passionate.

A good leader should not only be concerned about helping the organisation achieve its goals, but also about helping every employee develop and reach his or her full potential.

I believe in empowerment and giving employees autonomy at work. This will engender trust, loyalty and confidence in the team. In order to achieve employee empowerment, leaders need to be fluid in their approach, as well as provide optimal flexibility for employees to feel powerful at work.

The key here is really to collaborate, and share the vision and strategy clearly. At Polycom, we always strive to foster a culture of open and honest communication, in a bid to ensure intentions are clear and commitments are delivered both ways. By keeping the lines of communication open, we find that our employees do feel more empowered to make contributions and decisions.

The process that works for us lies in ensuring clarity on preset goals, setting milestones and rewarding achievements. At the same time, we also try as much as possible to offer employees the flexibility to work from anywhere. While many organisations are often concerned about the dip in productivity that comes with flexi-work options, I believe it’s vital to empower employees with such freedom and simply trust them to get the job done.

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BIOGRAPHY After taking on a role as General Manager for the Enterprise and Partner Group, Asia-Pacific region, Jessica Tan returned to Microsoft Singapore as Managing Director in July 2013. She previously served in that same capacity from 2008 to 2012.

As Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore, she is responsible for developing and driving growth strategies for the Microsoft business in Singapore, as well as deepening relationships with partners, customers and employees.

In her second tour of duty, Tan also takes on new leadership responsibilities in the areas for Education and Citizenship for Microsoft AsiaPacific, and providing counsel and support to the new regional president of Microsoft Asia Pacific, Cesar Cernuda.

Tan joined Microsoft in 2003 and over the years, has taken on regional leadership positions in the Enterprise Group. During her first fouryear tenure as managing director of Microsoft Singapore, she doubled revenue for the company, and made headway in driving Microsoft’s effort to support a national agendas in education, the local software economy, enabling people with disabilities and seniors, and stepping up publicprivate-public engagements on e-citizenry.

Tan has over 24 years’ experience in the IT Industry, serving in various leadership positions in sales, services and strategic business development roles in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2011, she was re-elected the Member of Parliament for the East Coast Group Representation Constituency, having served since May 2006.

In addition, she is chairman of the East Coast Town Council.

Tan graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1989 with a Bachelors of Social Sciences (Honours).

She majored in Sociology and Economics. During her personal time, Tan enjoys reading, cooking, jogging and spending time with her family. She is married with three children.

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LEADERS TALK HR

Microsoft Singapore

Building a

talent network Effective collaboration, learning eco-systems and career development are top of the agenda at Microsoft Singapore. Managing Director, Jessica Tan shares how a clear people’s strategy helps drive performance in the organisation

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam “If you do not dream big for your teams, who is going to show them what’s possible?” asks Jessica Tan, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore.

Tan believes that the role of a leader is to grow teams and make other people successful, and this belief underpins her personal involvement in the people strategy of Microsoft Singapore.

“Regardless of what meetings I go to, I am constantly sourcing for talent internally and externally. We maintain a talent base where we look at key roles and are very deliberate about succession planning,” says Tan who recently returned to the helm at Microsoft- a position she held from 2008 to 2012. She replaces Helene Auriol, who had to return to France for family reasons.

“In the last ten months, the business and market have changed. I’ve spent the past month re-orientating myself to the marketplace here. It’s been very nice coming back and the team has been very welcoming,” Tan says.

Helping employees grow Attracting the right candidates is just one part of the talent equation at Microsoft, says Tan. “For us sustaining that

talent base is as important.” This makes career development and performance management a critical part of long-term business growth.

Employees at Microsoft have ‘Career Stage Profiles’ that help define their career paths, the key stages that they entail, the level of performance expected, as well as what it takes to reach the next level. For example, some of the competencies expected of a people manager include: people leadership skills, business leadership skills, organisational leadership skills, and domain expertise.

Being a performance-oriented company, there is great clarity and a framework around what Microsoft employees are expected to do, what their roles are, and the commitment that comes with each role, says Tan. Employees also receive feedback, coaching and attend one-on-one meetings to discuss their performance and ensure that they are on track.

While the system drives performance, it does not pigeon-hole employees. “Our performance management does not label a person and we are very conscious of that.

For example, a top performer during one year might not always be a top performer.”

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LEADERS TALK HR

Microsoft Singapore “We provide a learning eco-system for each role so that employees can learn from each other” Learning Circles “The ability to learn and grow is something that we hold very dear in our organisation as things don’t stay still in our industry,” shares Tan. While employees at Microsoft have a host of formal training opportunities open to them, structured learning alone is not sufficient for an employee’s growth and development. “We provide a learning ecosystem for each role so that employees can learn from each other.” For example, general managers like herself have their own ‘Learning Circle’. “In my group, the Country Managers have sizes of business and a level of economic development that are equal to mine. We meet up often on the phone and pick a business topic to discuss.”

Apart from bi-monthly phone calls, the country managers in the same Learning Circle also meet up in person when they travel for business meetings and set aside a day for learning. These communities serve as a sounding board for members to test out their ideas with each other. “These are the rich moments of learning.

When I have a business problem, I can call on my counterparts and brainstorm with them,” Tan explains.

Fostering collaboration Microsoft believes in providing an environment that is conducive to employees doing their best work.

To survive in Microsoft, you have to be collaborative, says Tan. “We have a very diverse business and product offering. It is an extremely complex business that requires employees to work across different business groups.“ In 2012, Microsoft Singapore introduced its “New World of Work” concept, featuring redesigned office spaces that emphasised mobility as well as collaoration. With this revamp, employees can work anywhere in the office by using a PC, handset, webcam or smartphone. Managers do not have assigned desks or private offices. Customers are also welcomed into the space to have meetings with their counterparts at Microsoft.

Employee involvement was a key aspect for the re-design. “They had a very big hand in choosing the colours and lighting for the floor,” Tan says.

Tan’s biggest worry about the re-design was that people would not come into the office as they no longer had a space to call their own. But her fears were allayed. “There is a lot of buzz on the floor and people work where it makes most sense.”

Despite these flexible work arrangements, Microsoft also believes in creating deliberate opportunities for people come together. Face-to-face meetings are still important and these are planned ahead to meet everybody’s schedules. “At the end of the day, it is not about the location or the technology, but a company of people coming together,” Tan concludes.

ME-MYSELF-I • My passion: Enabling new possibilities and bridging the social and opportunity divide through technology.

• I’m inspired by: What can be achieved when people work together.

• Biggest achievement: As a manager, I aspire to build and maintain an environment where others can succeed and do their best work. It’s a continuous engagement and I cannot say it has been achieved yet.

• My fav quote: “When you believe something is impossible, your mind goes to work for you to prove why.

But when you believe, really believe, something can be done, your mind goes to work for you and helps you find the ways to do it. ” (From The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz )

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LEADERS TALK HR

the Catch Microsoft at HR Summit 2014 TOPIC:

Engaging Employees Through the Use of Social Media Speaker:

Fiona Mullan

Senior HR Director for APAC, Microsoft Asia Pacific

28-29 April 2014 Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre

enquiry.sg@kaplan.com

Synopsis: Social media is changing the employee communications and engagement landscape. With the increasing adoption of social media, most employees now have it as part of their day to day lives. The new reality is that we are all getting our information quicker and have the ability to communicate wider and farther, in or out of the office. Microsoft recognises that with this, the world is changing, and as a result we must change how we connect with our employees.

We have integrated social media in the workplace through technology and have started to see how it makes employees truly part of the conversation and participate in the success of the organisation. We’ve only scratched the surface but already have some lessons to share.

6309 5738

facebook.com/KaplanProfessionalSG

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HR INSIDER

Akamai Technologies

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HR INSIDER

Learning from the past,

innovating for the future In the wake of the dot-com bubble bust, Akamai Technologies almost went out of business. Fortunately, it came back from the ‘brink of death’ to be the success that it is today. James Gemmell, Chief HR Officer, says the company leverages on a culture shaped by its co-founder and unique history

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey Akamai, named after the Hawaiian word for “smart” or “clever”, was born in the late 1990s. It was co-founded

by Danny Lewin, a math genius from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Growing up in Israel, Lewin was impacted by the country’s intensity and the blunt nature of its people. This created a strong influence on the culture of his company.

“Our culture is very much rooted in our past and we leverage that for future success,” says James Gemmell, Chief HR Officer, Akamai Technologies. Gemmell says employees are inspired by Lewin’s determination to work as hard as possible and his fierce support across the organisation.

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HR INSIDER

Akamai Technologies The Danny Lewin Award, for example, rewards employees who go above and beyond the work at hand. The peernominated award process also means the award truly recognises staff for their dedication. This year, Tatsuya Suzuki, Regional Sales Manager, was the winner of the Lewin Award for Asia.

Although he was unable to attend the ceremony in the US, the CEO went to Japan and presented him the award there.

“This is also testament to the open culture at Akamai where senior leaders want to engage with employees,” says Gemmell.

WHO’S WHO IN HR

Spurring innovation James Gemmell

Chief HR Officer

Rachael Fitzpatrick Director-HR, Asia-Pacific and Japan

Archana Unnikrishnan Administrator

Sharon Kaur

HR Business Partner – Asia-Pacific & Japan

Genelle Kang

Compensations and Benefits Specialist – Asia-Pacific & Japan

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To further embed innovation in Akamai’s talent pool, and create an environment where such innovation can incubate, several programmes have been put in place.

The Wizards programme in the India office, for instance, is a platform that helps bring Akamai employee ideas to fruition. “The vision of this programme is to be able to set the stage, help develop, and evolve all innovations and innovators at Akamai,” says Gemmell.

Launched in May 2013, the programme is in its first phase now. After nearly a hundred idea submissions, the Wizards panel reviewed and communicated the next steps to each participant. “The fact that our CEO is sitting on the panel enforces this culture of innovation through all levels of the organisation,” says Gemmell. “It is also one of the ways he can connect with employees across Akamai.”

After going through several rounds of reviews, with social media used to collect feedback, 10 submissions made it to the “Idea Jam” event held last month – the grand stage where selected ideas are presented to a panel of key Akamai senior management executives

Pushing leadership boundaries Akamai’s network is one of the world’s largest distributedcomputing platforms, responsible for serving between 15% and 20% of all web traffic. The company’s CEO says he wants to grow the internet content delivery company’s revenue five-fold to US$5 billion by the end of this decade. “This poses great challenges to HR in terms of how we will scale the company accordingly to meet this target,” says Gemmell.

One key challenge is building a talent pipeline, ultimately of local talent. “We need to find the right sales capability that’s going to generate the revenue, so hiring talent is a challenge,” says Gemmell. “Also, while we start out with expatriate talent, we want to think about how to more effectively go on to hire and develop local talent.”

HR at Akamai Technologies is also focusing on leadership.

This year, the organisation is taking high potential leaders through a programme to not only self-assess their strengths, but also to take on a real-life Akamai challenge. “They will have a chance to work with other peers to have a safe sounding board and receive feedback about their challenge,” says Gemmell. “This is a great way to accelerate their growth.”

The company’s operating model is also being rejigged to accommodate the fast-tracked growth. Interlocks need to

HRMASIA.COM

occur between product and go-to-market units. Hence, leaders need to start looking at the organisation design more holistically. “HR helps leaders work through the design elements of the organisation, making sure they have the skills required to achieve these results,” says Gemmell.

Akamai uses a leadership competency model to set the structure around which leadership talents are evaluated, ensuring the right leader is always in the right place. “This translates into actions such as focusing heavily on developing people or bringing in new talent to create that ideal fit,” says Gemmell.

The leadership competency model also allows HR to see if each individual is excelling, or whether further training investment is required.

“We can translate the assessment work that we see from the competency model and build a specific development programme that further strengthens the leadership team and their skillsets,” says Gemmell. “From an analytics standpoint, we can act on the data we have gleaned in a very factual and practical manner, evaluating and aligning specific development actions based on the assessment.”

This goes all the way to the top, with even the CEO and the top 15 executives at Akamai going through the LEADs programme, which aims to instil: Leadership, executive maturity, accelerated business outcomes, drive, and sustainable collaboration throughout that top tier of management.

“This programme enables us to create a common language across the executive population so not only do they understand themselves better, but they also understand their teams better,” says Gemmell.

Having career conversations One of Gemmell’s key challenges at Akamai is to develop a new talent process and submit a talent report to the board of directors. “One of the first things I looked at was hiring and on-boarding talent, getting them to understand the culture at Akamai and then getting them productive,” he explains.

Staying true to the history of Akamai, which was born at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, HR actively reaches out to universities and colleges to hire talent. At the same time, 20% of requisitions are made up of internal people. “This ends up being an avenue for employees to go after different opportunities within the organisation,” says Gemmell.

While there are no overly formalised career roadmaps for employees, Akamai aims to have mid-year career

Akamai Technologies co-founder

Danny Lewin

Danny Lewin, co-founder of Akamai Technologies, died on September 11, 2001, at the age of 31. The celebrated internet innovator was on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to hit the World Trade Centre in New York City that day.

HR INSIDER

conversations with each staff member. In these, a manager and employee will sit together and engage in dialogue sessions about performance and career paths. “These are two-way conversations, where a leader and employee can come to a conclusion as to what’s right for the employee’s next career move,” says Gemmell.

Gemmell says Akamai’s roller-coaster history has only added to this powerful corporate culture. Lewin was a true mathematics genius at MIT, and created the start up from scratch. It went to an initial public offering very quickly, but almost went out of business after the dot-com bubble burst. Since that setback however, it has grown to be incredibly successful, and still has many staff from its early heydays.

“For our leaders and many of our employees who have been with the organisation for 14 to 15 years, it really shaped a lot of who we are,” says Gemmell. “It creates a sense of urgency around what we do and who we are.

“We must move fast and move forward because we didn’t have any choice other than that,” he adds. “We’ll continue doing just that – moving fast and move forward.”

At a glance

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• Total number of employees at Akamai Technologies: 40 (Singapore), 225 (Asia Pacific & Japan) • Size of the HR Team: 5 (Singapore, Asia Pacific & Japan) • Key HR Focus Areas: - Attracting engaged thinkers to lead and shape the future of the Internet - Building a company of individuals who are involved in their communities

Tatsuya Suzuki – Winner of Danny Lewin Award 2013

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When Tatsuya Suzuki, of Akamai Japan’s Digital Media team, first joined the organisation, he made no mistake about his ambition. “I will be the number one sales representative,” was how he introduced himself at Akamai one winter morning back in 2007.

As Suzuki got started at Akamai, his colleagues could feel his enthusiasm and aspiration for making Akamai bigger and better with every new business opportunity. “He is a true believer in Akamai in all that he does, and he educates his customers to the point where they become believers as well,” says James Gemmell, Chief HR Officer, Akamai Technologies. “He does not cave in easily and he is unaffected by rejections.”

Suzuki received great training too. He had a strong mentor, who provided guidance, and inspired him along the way, and also pushed him to take risks and aim higher.

Suzuki also frequents seminars and conferences to get connected with targeted companies.

It is most likely him who raises his hand and bombards speakers with questions. Once he makes sure his presence is known, it’s time to follow his signature approach – make the customers want to be “Akamaised”.

That’s how he expanded Akamai’s reach in Japan’s digital media market. It was Suzuki who successfully hunted the largest social gaming company in Japan and then made sure that they were provided the highest possible level of service.

“His dedication to customer satisfaction has enabled him to close and grow many deals that are now in the million dollar club,” says Gemmell.

He is often described as a “Ki-ka-i” (a machine), = because he is a force that sets in motion a sophisticated, mentally-strenuous sales process to makes things happen.

“He truly represents the drive and determination that epitomise Danny Lewin award winners,” Gemmell says. “In short, he moves mountains.”

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Employees can view payslips via mobile app.

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FEATURE

Dave Ulrich

Look Who's Talking Dave Ulrich headlines HR Summit 2014 In a dynamic business climate, HR professionals need to master skills that keep them relevant to their organisation’s strategy. So says leadership expert and HR Summit 2014 speaker, Dave Ulrich. In this exclusive interview, he shares his thoughts on the challenges facing the HR profession and why an outside-in perspective can help it add greater value

Q

How has the HR profession evolved over the years?

What is the biggest shift that has taken place?

We have seen four shifts in the HR profession. In Phase One, HR began as an administrative function managing terms and conditions of employment. It then moved into Phase Two, which focussed on the practices of HR, such as staffing, training, compensation, promotion, communication and organisation development. Phase Three saw HR align these practices with the strategy of the business - strategy served as a mirror in which HR practices were reflected. In Phase Four, which is now emerging, we are looking at “Outside-in HR”. Instead of being a mirror, HR practices align with business conditions outside the firm, which include general environmental conditions and specific external stakeholders. All four phases are relevant and build on each other, but the shift has been towards the different ways in which HR can deliver value to their companies.

Q

What are some of the key challenges facing HR today?

Under the broad challenge of “delivering value” to the company, HR needs to focus on three general areas. First, 20

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talent. HR needs to find people who are competent, committed, and contributing to their firm’s success today and in the future. Second is leadership. HR needs to identify and develop leaders at all levels of a company who master what we call the “leadership code” and embody the “leadership brand” by making sure that their work reflects the interests of their organisation’s customers.

Q

What core competencies does HR lack?

We have studied HR competencies for 25 years, and the competencies have evolved. In our 2012 study, we found six key competency traits required of HR professionals: strategic positioner (able to turn business knowledge into organisation actions), credible activist (able to build relationships of trust and influence), capability builder (able to diagnose and shape an organisation’s culture), change champion (able to initiate and sustain change), HR innovator and integrator (able to align, innovate, and integrate new HR practices), and technology proponent (able to use information to drive long term results). We find that HR professionals are most competent as credible activists, which helps them build personal credibility. But business results come when they

FEATURE

h Catch Dave Ulric ‘live’ at the HR Summit 2014

Top three takeaways At his HR Summit presentation, Dave Ulrich will discuss: • How business leaders and HR professionals can identify the latest developments in talent, leadership, and capability.

• How business leaders can deliver sustained business results by partnering with HR • Seven trends facing HR professionals

28-29 April 2014 Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre

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Employee relocation without the culture shock.

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Cartus is already at home in up-and-coming locales where businesses are finding new footholds. Because it’s important for your assignees to arrive with their feet on the ground, we’re their trusted guide for housing, schooling, and transportation. And that’s just for starters. We also provide expert language and cultural training to connect them with their new communities more quickly.

If you’re looking for information on new emerging markets, we probably already have what you need. Take a look at our videos and other tools at guidance.cartusrelocation.com/emerging-markets-resources, or email us at trustedguidance@cartus.com.

Want your assignees to succeed in emerging markets? Scan now. ©2013 Cartus Corporation. All rights reserved.

www.cartus.com | connect with us

FEATURE

Dave Ulrich demonstrate competencies of capability builders, HR innovators and integrators, and technology proponents.

Q

What does the C-suite expect from HR? C-suite expectations vary by executive, but in general, the top senior business leaders expect that HR professionals will help reach their organisation’s objectives. HR professionals should add unique insights around talent, leadership, and capability. A senior executive is the owner of these HR priorities, but HR professionals should be the architects who offer ideas, frameworks, solutions, and accountabilities for delivering business results through talent, leadership, and capability.

Most senior executives don’t care much how HR is organised (an obsession of many HR professionals) or the particulars of an HR practice (such as the latest trend in executive compensation), but they do want sustainable business results.

Q

Why is it important for HR departments today to take an ”outside-in” perspective?

The most value comes when HR professionals help others succeed. Business leaders succeed if, and only if, they create more value for their external stakeholders – customers and investors. When HR adds value to the values of business leaders, they contribute more. Too often HR professionals encourage conversations about interesting, but not value-creating, activities as discussed above. Value has to be created from the receiver, and when the receiver of HR’s value is the same receiver as the business leader (customer and investor), HR will have more impact.

Q

Let’s talk about leadership. Why is it so critical to talent attraction and retention?

What role does HR play in developing good leaders?

One reason people join, work hard, and leave a firm is leadership. Leaders set visions, make things happen, build cultures, manage people, and deliver results. Leaders matter.

Leadership, or collective leaders throughout an organisation, matter more. HR, as an architect, can play a key role in developing leaders through four steps. First, build a business case for leadership; help current leaders realise that future leaders are the foundation for success. Second, define what it means to be an effective leader as seen by employees inside and customers outside the organisation. Third, assess leaders against the criteria of effectiveness; point out gaps and opportunities. Fourth, invest in future leaders through training, work experience, and life experience.

Q

How do you feel about presenting at the HR Summit 2014? What is your favourite thing about Singapore?

I love coming to Singapore! It has been such a privilege the last number of years to visit this marvellous country. Mostly, I like the people. I have had the opportunity to work with many incredible people who embody what is best about our HR profession, but also who have wonderful values and

character. The people I have worked with in the Ministry of Manpower have been both professionally credible and personally engaging. I also like the business environment focused on growth through knowledge and ideas. There is a commitment to learning and doing. And, I just like the city. I often get up early and walk for an hour in this incredibly vibrant city. The sounds and smells of the city waking up are intoxicating. I have to confess that I do not like the humidity as much, but it is a small price for a great experience.

Dave Ulrich’s presentation at HR Summit 2014

Preparing for the future: What every HR professional should know At his much-anticipated HR Summit session, Dave Ulrich will help participants build organisations that accomplish desired results through strategy execution. It is designed for both business leaders who are owners and primarily responsible for delivering results, as well as HR professionals who are the architects that design and deliver effective organisations.

The session will kick off by looking at competitive advantage, or how to win in today’s changing marketplace.

Ulrich will help participants audit their current competitive advantage and help them see how their organisation capabilities complement future success.

Employee engagement is another area of focus. Ulrich will look at trends in this space as well as ways to ensure employees do their best at work and raise productivity.

“Contribution means that employees are not only behaviorally-committed to their work, but emotionally engaged. We will share recent research on how leaders can become ‘meaning-makers’ so that employees find personal purpose from work,” Ulrich says.

Leadership is about building a leadership brand inside the company that reflects the expectations of customers outside the company. The leadership brand has two dimensions. Firstly, leaders must master the basics of leadership: strategy, execution, talent management, human capital development, and personal proficiency. “We call this the leadership code and we will help each participant identify personal and organisational implications of this code,” Ulrich says. Secondly, the session will also help leaders ensure that their leadership delivers customer value.

Ulrich will also examine organisational cultures and how these can make the whole of the company stronger than the parts.

Participants at the session will receive a clear roadmap for culture change in their organisations.

The session aims to be more of a conversation than a presentation.

Ulrich will work to offer learning solutions to those who attend so that they leave the session with ideas that impact their ability to build stronger organisations. Participants will be asked to share their personal case studies and then, drawing on the experience from hundreds of companies and research studies, find solutions to their talent, leadership, and culture challenges.

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Vineet Nayar, Vice Chairman, HCL Technologies & Author

Chief Facilitator

Turning Conventional Management Upside Down

Jonathan Allen Yabut

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Prof. Dave Ulrich, Management Expert & HR Guru

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Engaging Employees Through Social Media at Microsoft

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FEATURE

Corporate Learning

People, productivity, performance

By effectively measuring the productivity of people, HR can identify performance gaps and develop optimal training plans to address them

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

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FEATURE

At Singapore’s National Day rally this year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong touched on the country’s need to constantly upgrade in order to stay ahead of international competition, especially from emerging markets in the region.

This message was timely. Despite efforts to restructure the economy and raise productivity levels in Singapore, statistics show labour productivity, defined as gross domestic product per worker, has actually declined for seven straight quarters.

According to an exploratory research paper, “Singapore’s Declining Productivity Growth”, co-authored by Neo Boon Siong, the former director of the Asia Competitiveness Institute in the National University of Singapore, reasons for declining labour productivity include: over-hiring during boom times; a shift towards greater knowledge and skill work; inadequate attention given towards system designs; and the lagging effect of technological investments.

Still, that negative trend does appear to be slowing. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) is predicting a slight improvement to labour productivity this year. It says the economy is now strengthening and more companies are implementing specific measures to boost their productivity levels.

Those companies are often investing in productivity audits to assess their current standing and identify possible gaps within their organisations. Priority areas to address are then determined and management works with HR to set in place productivity initiatives.

“Some productivity-related tools include Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma,” says Charlene Ang, Vice President – Local Corporate Sales, TÜV SÜD PSB Learning.

Besides leveraging on these tools and methodologies, it is also important to establish a culture of continuous improvement and a productivity-oriented mind-set within the organisation.

“HR can assist by educating organisations on the benefits of productivity, and reassuring staff that productivity gains will not result in reduced manpower but rather, create an opportunity for staff to take on higher value-added jobs, benefiting both employees and the organisation,” Ang explains.

Raising productivity through training Training interventions can help to address skill gaps in staff, including developing multitasking abilities. Staff who are able to take on more roles have a positive effect on overall productivity levels.

To fulfil Singapore’s national target of two to three per cent productivity growth per annum, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) has introduced the Productivity Initiatives in Services and Manufacturing (PRISM) umbrella of training programmes. There are currently 90 different programmes available to both employers and individuals.

While improving technical skills, education, technology and even infrastructure are certainly important determinants of productivity, the implications of day-today human interactions in the workplace on productivity have not received as much attention as they should, says Alex Lai, Senior Regional Consultant, Development Dimensions International (DDI).

DDI research has shown that there is a core set of skills (“Interaction Essentials”) that every leader needs to master in order to effectively build relationships and get work done, thereby increasing productivity.

“Workplace interactions are anchored on good conversations – they are part of new product launches, facilitating customer interactions, coaching their team members, asking for input to make sound decisions, and the list goes on,” Lai explains. “By driving effective interactions, we are able to increase productivity.”

Although the ability to facilitate effective conversations is critical at every level, many wrongly assume that interaction skills are naturally mastered as leaders move up the ladder.

Measuring productivity Some methods HR can employ to track the effectiveness of training are through productivity measurements techniques. These include measures of labour productivity, capital productivity, and others.

Labour Productivity =

Value Added

• A measure of the value generated by the organisation

Number of Staff

Labour productivity refers to the value-add per worker and measures the effectiveness and efficiency of labour.

Capital Productivity =

Value Added Capital cost

Capital productivity refers to the value-add per dollar of investment capital.

Other performance measurements include: • Output per unit ratios (the number of units built per employee per day, for example) • Examples of indicators that measure the efficiency and effectiveness of operations: - Cost of goods sold or services rendered - Value Added = Sales - Cost of Goods Sold or Services rendered - lower measurement = higher value added = higher productivity - Profitability (or Profit margin) - the proportion of sales left to the organisation after deducting all costs - higher measurement = lower cost = increased productivity - Customer satisfaction levels and intentions to repurchase - measurements of how satisfied customers are and if they are willing to repurchase - higher measurement = higher sales = increased productivity

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FEATURE

Corporate Learning Integrated approach to productivity measurement As manpower is the key resource in many organisations, labour productivity (or value added per worker) is often used as the key measurement for overall productivity. However, a single indicator does not provide a complete picture of an organisation’s productivity performance. Rather, an integrated approach to productivity measurement should be adopted, SPRING Singapore advises.

Figure 1:

Example of integrated productivity measurement techniques used by a retailer

Source: A Guide to Productivity Measurement by SPRING Singapore

• Key management indicators at the top of the diagram are broad measures that relate to the organisation’s goals. Such indicators are usually financial, value added-based ratios that provide management with information on productivity and profitability. They are then broken down into activity and operational indicators: - Activity indicators provide a snapshot of costs, activity levels and resource utilisation rates, which are particularly useful for middle and higher management.

- Operational indicators are usually physical ratios that address the operational aspects that need to be monitored and controlled.

Ultimately, an integrated approach to productivity measurement: • Provides a comprehensive picture of how the various dimensions of an organisation’s operations are linked to the organisation’s overall productivity performance • Helps diagnose problem areas and suggests appropriate corrective actions • Enables the organisation to monitor its performance over time and against the performance of others

“The good news here is that leaders can be trained to use the Interaction Essentials – but they will need to practice and apply the skills conscientiously to master them,” says Lai. “How often we get it right comes down to the quality and the frequency of practice, but yes, productivity can be improved through training of the use of ‘Interaction Essentials’.”

Evaluating training efficacy HR needs to also emphasise that training is not just about the duration spent in seminars and workshops. Rather, the skills learnt must be effectively transferred back to 28

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the workplace. HR and supervisors also have an important role in providing post-training support and feedback on staff performance.

A good practice to adopt is the implementation of “pre-during-post” course training forms. These allow staff, supervisors and HR to discuss the learning objectives of each training intervention, opportunities back at the workplace to practice skills learnt, and post-training support.

“We don’t want to measure training days or attendance; we don’t want to stop at ‘smile sheets’ or just Level One (reactions) or even Level Two (knowledge),” says Lai. “Real ROI begins when there is behaviour change (Level 3), when learners demonstrate or display the new skills back on the job.”

To determine how much leadership behaviour has changed for instance, training providers such as DDI work with HR on survey analysis to see if learners and their observers (leaders and/or direct reports) report more frequent use of key leadership behaviours after the training.

“For example, we found that before attending development programmes, learners and their observers agreed that only 55% of learners were effective at displaying leadership behaviours,” says Lai. “These rose to 86% for self-ratings, and 75% for observer ratings after the learners attended DDI training programmes.”

Also, HR should track productivity measures both before and after a training intervention (see boxout: Measuring productivity on pg27).

“HR will normally measure labour productivity and the greater the ability of the company’s workforce to multi-task and deploy its manpower, the higher the productivity levels will be,” says Ang. Other performance indicators include the usual output-per-unit ratios and those that measure the efficiency and effectiveness of operations, Teresa Yang, Assistant Vice-President, TÜV SÜD PSB Learning adds.

Curbing learning decay Just because training has taken place, doesn’t mean new skills are transferred into the workplace. Training professionals warn that every programme has the risk of “learning decay” if learners are not able to embrace the teaching immediately.

Learning decay has to be prevented, if not minimised so that the right ROI from training can be achieved and productivity enhanced.

“It is important for companies to ensure that there are opportunities for staff to apply the learning at work, have a reward or recognition system in place to spread productivity gains to employees, and most importantly, help facilitate the learning transfer and ensure sustainability through joint reviews and monitoring of outcomes,” says Julia Ng, Senior Director – Workforce Growth and Development Division, WDA.

FEATURE

Lai believes that managers play a significant role in the success of any training initiative. “Successful application heavily depends on a manager’s ability to support and reinforce the usage of newly-learned skills,” he explains.

It is therefore crucial to get managers on-board to support learners before, during, and after training. This drives sustainability and helps the organisation realise a return on its training investment, Lai advises.

“Indeed, HR practitioners play a critical role in supporting top management to co-create a culture of learning, continuous improvement and productivity, as part of organisational development and excellence,” says Ng. To encourage C-suites and leaders of local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to adopt a positive mind-set about service productivity, and enable them to learn essential skills in innovation and strategies in implementation, the WDA and the Singapore Management University (SMU) have co-organised a series of three symposiums, called the SMU-WDA CXO Productivity, Service and Innovation Symposium Series.

The series, which commenced in July and will run until November, focuses on knowledge capability transfer and cutting-edge practices in service quality management and innovation, factors which are key to enhancing overall productivity levels and customer satisfaction.

Setting clear performance indicators is another way to ensure transfer of learning back to the workplace. “Systems should be put in place to monitor, coach and recognise the efforts of staff,” says Ang, helping to prevent learning decay and ensure ROI for the company and staff.

Singapore Productivity Centre A new research and training centre, the Singapore Productivity Centre (SPC), has been launched to provide sectorspecific productivity expertise to small and medium enterprises in the retail and food services sectors.

The SPC is jointly managed by the Singapore Productivity Association and Nanyang Polytechnic, and funded by SPRING Singapore. With a budget of about S$10 million over the next three years, the centre is expected to benefit more than 2,000 companies through productivity improvement projects, training programmes, and workshops.

360 Productivity Framework The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and Human Capital Singapore (HCS) recently launched the 360 Productivity Framework, which helps local enterprises explore and utilise productivity from every angle. This aims to boost economic competitiveness for long-term growth. About 700 local enterprises are expected to benefit from the framework over the next year.

The framework comprises: • Productivity Event – an annual mega-productivity event, 360 Productivity • Masterclass Series – a series of four Masterclasses will be conducted annually (inclusive of one ‘mega-Masterclass’), with internationally-renowned thought leaders sharing the latest thinking and trends of productivity growth • Productivity Practice Sessions – a series of eight sessions will be conducted annually, bringing together like-minded people managers and leaders to share and learn 360-degree productivity initiatives.

• Productivity Award – a bi-yearly award to recognise and commend companies for their efforts at raising productivity.

• The Enterprise Training Support (ETS) Scheme and Productivity Envoys – - The ETS helps companies to defray their costs in implementing progressive HR systems and practices, and enhances in-house training systems and capabilities to raise employees’ skills and productivity.

- ETS envoys, who are senior management representatives of ETS-approved companies, promote the uptake of the ETS scheme within their industry sectors through sharing of best practices.

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FEATURE

Talent Management

Managing talent in the new Asia

The economic landscape in Asia is evolving rapidly and HR is now constantly under pressure to develop and retain a strong talent pool capable of tapping on business opportunities. HRM shares tried and tested talent management solutions from distinguished HR leaders across industries

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

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FEATURE

Talent Management

The focus for many CEOs now is the

ability to innovate

Over the last decade, the ‘Personnel’ function has evolved to become ‘Human Resources’, ‘Human Capital’ and now, Talent Management.

“One of the issues with our field is we have been trying to find an identity,” says David Cohen, founder and senior consultant of the Strategic Action Group.

“While a physician has been known as a doctor or physician for centuries and an accountant has had the same professional moniker forever, our field is searching for a name that will stick.

“With the evolution of globalisation and the emergence in the field of apps and internet connections, it is anyone’s guess what the next rendition of the title will be,” he adds.

The talent management role is complex as it covers the management of people practices, future workforce planning, processes and technological applications, along with day-to-day operations. With many firms outsourcing processes and technological applications, the talent management profession may be going back to its roots of being a ‘personnel’ function, Cohen explains.

“However, since we have not come up with a compelling professional identity that takes a leadership role in business, my concern is that people outside the profession will determine the future of our profession,” he says. “Only when business leaders see the connection between talent management and the company’s success will the role be taken seriously.”

Designing a talent management framework The simplest way to build a successful talent management framework is to base it on a common foundation of company values. That’s not the word itself, such as ‘openness’, but rather the behaviours unique in your company that define that ideal.

“Make certain that the behaviours are interwoven into all the practices of talent management,” says David Cohen, founder and senior consultant with the Strategic Action Group. “Ensure that when it comes to succession and promotions no one, no matter how successful in achieving business results, is promoted if they don’t live the values. If you do, you destroy the heart of your talent management process in a nanosecond.”

Also, ‘integrity’ should not be the most ideal company value, says Cohen.

“This is because ‘integrity’ is not a value but the sum of living one’s values.”

Cohen, also one of the world’s leading Talent Management specialists, will speak at length about putting talent management into perspective, creating a meaningful company behavioural competency model, and more at the Talent Management Asia Congress on 6 and 7 November at Hilton Singapore.

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Talent management today Previously, there was no scientific way to manage talent, says Virendra Shelar, head of Corporate HR, Sony Electronics Asia-Pacific. “People would just talk about talent as being the best performer in the group,” he explains. “This could be biased, more subjective and based on gut feeling.”

Now, HR looks at an individual’s performance, potential and competency. “These factors have started taking precedence,” says Shelar. “For example, pyschometric tools give data about what potential is.”

Also, talent management has shifted from being solely under the purview of HR to also include line managers. “All elements of talent management, such as selection, assessment, career review and succession are not only the responsibility of talent managers but also of lines managers,” says Shalini Bhateja, Director – Talent Management AsiaPacific, Schneider Electric.

Moving forward, agility is important, Shelar says.

“HR should ask itself, ‘Is this person agile to adapt to new situations?’”

Cohen agress, saying the focus for many CEOs now is the ability to innovate. “Without having people at every level innovating and moving the organisation ahead, the company will be left behind,” he explains. “However, with innovation comes risk. The issue then becomes the level of tolerance for risk.”

For example, a gas utility Cohen worked with many years ago wanted ‘risk taking’ as a specific competency within its workforce, but as engineers they were concerned about failure. Therefore, they called it ‘calculated risk taking’; in other words, ‘do it only if it will be successful’.

“That does not align with innovation, which many times, comes out of failure,” he points out.

The other key focus today for finding talent is ‘learning agility’ – the openness to seek out and learn new things. Previously, HR used to look at the skillset of an individual before hiring them as talent.

“We would ask, ‘does person have right skills to do the job?’” says Shelar. “Now though, we look at attitude as well, determining whether the person has the right attitude to thrive in a chased modern world.

We prefer to hire for character and train in skills.”

As globalisation takes a greater foothold, people need to be able to assess situations quickly and accurately and take action based on those assessments. “It is also crucial to involve people who do the job more in the decisions that impact them,” says Cohen. “Resilience is another character trait that HR needs to look out for in talent.”

FEATURE

Tailoring talent management A common misconception in talent management is the urge to adopt western ‘best practices’. These usually prove to be a quick fix but often not the right fix for Asia.

“The very nature of ‘best practices’ is a faulty notion when it comes to people practices,” says Cohen. “Take, for instance, the concept of behavioural competencies. What is the right behaviour in the West is not necessarily the right behaviour in the East.”

For example, how one speaks in public to an employee in Asia is much more sensitive than in the West because of the concept of ‘saving face’. In North America, it is a foreign one while in Asia, violating it has an impact not only on the person you are speaking to but to those around them as well.

“How people communicate or provide feedback in one part of the world is not how it is done successfully in another,” Cohen explains. “As a result, taking from a ‘well-researched’ study of behavioural competencies and saying it will also work here is a grave mistake.”

Sony HR for instance, tries to work closely with the business, instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach to managing talent. “We ask questions such as ‘where is the business headed?’ and ‘what is required?’” says Shelar.

Technology is another way to tailor talent management. Many companies, including Sony, use social media, Skype and video conferencing to engage with potential talent. Still, technology is only a tool to assist HR in managing talent within an organisation. “At the end of the day, recruitment and other facets of talent management is about people, not technology,” says Shelar.

“Only when business leaders see the connection between talent management and the company’s success will the role be taken seriously” – DAVID COHEN, FOUNDER AND SENIOR CONSULTANT OF THE STRATEGIC ACTION GROUP

Training talent A large part of talent management is the need to continually develop talent through all levels of the organisation. “We have a core development curriculum at each level, from individual contributor to the executive level,” says Christopher Goh, Director of Global Learning and Leadership Development, Agilent Technologies.

For example, leaders at all levels undergo a customised personal leadership programme. For new managers, there’s the ‘Managing at Agilent’ programme while for slightly more experienced managers, there’s the ‘First Manager’ programme.

Middle managers and top business and function heads attend the ‘Middle Manager’ programme and ‘Senior Manager’ programme respectively. Highpotential talent are enrolled in yet another

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Christopher Goh Director of Global Learning & Leadership Development AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES

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FEATURE

Talent Management leadership programme – the ‘Emerging Leaders’ programme.

Other learning solutions at Agilent include self-paced learning through a dedicated e-learning portal, webinars, and discussion groups on social media-based learning forums.

“While a lot of our learning solutions may be traditional in nature, the difference is in how we execute it,” says Goh. “The experience is different form company to company, depending on culture.”

The next generation of front-liners at Schneider Electric are groomed through development programmes which involve all three elements of development: education, experience, and exposure.

“Talent is trained in these development initiatives for two weeks,” says Bhateja. “After one week of training, the participants are supposed to work on real business projects in diverse and remote teams for six months.”

They then have another week of training before presenting their project to the top management.

During the project they are coached by a senior leader.

“These are very effective programmes that accelerate the development of our young leaders,” says Bhateja.

Sony Electronics also provides opportunities to young talent to help retain them within the organisation. For instance, a 15-month graduate programme is split into a 12-month exploratory phase

The role of branding in talent management A brand is the expected experience users get from a product or service. The same is true at work. “What is the employee brand? It is the expected experience you have when you work in the company – the company value set lived every day,” says David Cohen, founder and senior Consultant with the Strategic Action Group.

External brands are for the consumption of the external world. Employee brands are the definition of how people get along inside the organisation. All companies have employee brands, whether they know it or not.

“Employer branding is pretty important these days, especially since there are many opportunities available now,” says Virendra Shelar, Head of Corporate HR, Sony Electronics Asia-Pacific. “People are not only looking for big names but also a good environment and worklife balance.”

(with a six-month stint in front office areas and another six-month stint in a support role such as HR or finance) and a three-month international assignment.

“Once the talent identifies what he or she likes, it is easier to for us to plan their career path and retain them in the organisation,” says Shelar.

Measuring outcomes Learning opportunities can indeed effectively address a company’s talent requirements. However, it is crucial to measure the impact of these initiatives so as to understand the ROI from them.

At Agilent, evaluation is done at different levels.

“First we measure whether we have met the learning objectives of the programme and gather participants’ feedback for continuous improvement,” says Goh, “It is not merely a case of handing out ‘happy sheets’.

“We then measure on-going learning during the course of programme,” he adds. “Participants will share what they have learnt at the end of the course.”

Agilent also carries out a leadership audit survey to measure the effectiveness of its leadership team.

Questions have a high statistical correlation to business metrics, and the results are compared against external benchmarks.

Upon equipping employees with new-found knowledge and skills, HR must ensure that this is transferred back to the workplace.

“We don’t look at training as a single learning event,” says Goh. “Development is a process for us and we stretch the learning through pre-training, actual, and post-training initiatives.”

Before staff attend training, Agilent builds ‘intentionality’ by giving them readings to prepare for the session. They then attend the actual training, after which there will be post-training application work.

“Participants form groups to tackle specific business challenges,” says Goh. “They then come back and share results and what they’ve learnt about 10 weeks after the course is over.”

Facilitators also act as coaches for staff through online coaching platforms to ensure continuous learning transfer support.

Ultimately, it is important for HR to continually scan and experiment with possible ways to reach out to staff and engage them. For example, Agilent is currently looking at emerging learning technology such as open online courses such as those delivered

by Coursera, gamification, and social and mobile learning tools.

“Our intention is not to jump on the bandwagon,” says Goh. “We want to inculcate initiative in staff.

They don’t need to wait for formal classroom training to learn. They can get learning anywhere, anytime.”

Look out for these speakers and more at the

Talent Management Asia Congress on

6 and 7 November 2013 at Hilton Singapore.

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FEATURE

Corporate Health

t a p x E

health packages

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FEATURE

An attractive, flexible and internationallyrecognised healthcare package is one of the key provisions that expatriate staff expect from their employers. How can HR assure these workers of their health and well-being while still managing costs? HRM finds out more

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam Expatriates face a host of challenges when moving into a new work environment in a foreign land. These include changes in their residential, employment and lifestyle conditions. Ensuring their healthcare needs are well-taken care of will result in peace of mind and better work performance.

“In today’s competitive recruitment market, good financial remuneration is no longer the only factor considered by prospective employees; it is the total package that they are actually looking at.

Providing quality expat health coverage will also ref lect well on the employers in terms of professionalism, respect and empathy,” says Richard Kwok, Senior Manager, Corporate and Business Development, NTUC Unity Healthcare Co-operative (Unity Denticare).

Nearly all respondents who participated in Mercer’s 2011/2012 Benefits Survey for Expatriates and Internationally Mobile Employees said they currently provide private medical insurance for their globally mobile workforce (98%). That’s a strong jump from the 57% who did so in 2005.

However, keeping a lid on costs seems to be a challenge for employers today(see boxout).

Some of the common healthcare concerns expressed by expatriate employees include infection risks, differences in the brands and quality of medications, as well communication issues when consulting local healthcare professionals, says Dr Wong Kae Thong, medical director, of AsiaMedic’s Wellness Assessment Centre.

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FEATURE

Corporate Health Cost of healthcare benefits increase The provision of healthcare benefits is getting more expensive for employers.

The cost of providing health-related benefits for companies in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) rose by an average of 3.6% in 2012, according to a survey by Mercer Marsh Benefits. Costs rose by 3.4% over the previous year.

According to the survey, the biggest drivers of cost in 2012 were the increasing utilisation of health services, the growing complexity and expense of medical procedures, and the impact of large claims, such as those for cancer treatment.

Cost pressures varied across the surveyed countries. Increasing utilisation of health services was the most commonly cited reason for cost increases by respondents in the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Portugal. The majority of UK companies attributed the cost increase to the impact of large claims.

Health benefit costs as a percentage of payroll averaged 3.9% in 2011, the latest complete financial year at the time of the survey.

The survey also found that employers are offering a range of health-related benefits. About three quarters of respondents (76%) provide private medical insurance to all of their employees and their dependents. While coverage for employees is almost always subsidised, 26% of respondents require employees to pay the full cost of dependent coverage.

When surveyed about managing the costs of health benefits, relatively few employers reported that they were likely to restrict benefit eligibility (12%).

Instead more suggested that they would cut back on the scope of benefits offered (17%) or shift more cost to employees (16%). Employers also appeared more inclined to address workforce health issues driving cost than to cut back on health benefits: two-fifths (40%) said they were likely to invest further in employee wellness programmes to reduce health risks.

Some 500 companies across 16 countries in EMEA participated in the survey in October last year. The report provides insights into healthcare and benefits trends across the region.

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According to Dr Wong, preventive health screenings are an effective way of promoting good health and reducing healthcare costs for employers.

Healthcare service providers such as AsiaMedic offer a variety of health screening options that can be customised to include blood tests and diagnostic tests to meet individual needs.

Ensuring an employee’s total well-being should also extends to dentistry, says Kwok. “Prevention is better and cheaper than cure, and this applies to oral health too. For example, more needs to be done on a dental patient who visits a dentist only when pain or infection sets in, as compared to one who visits regularly. Early detection of oral health conditions also leads to better treatable outcomes,” he says.

Types of coverage As expatriates are exempt from contributions to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) in Singapore, they do not qualify for most of the medical subsidies afforded to local employees. This makes it critical for expatriate employees to have a comprehensive international health insurance plan.

A standard plan normally covers areas such as in-patient services, critical illnesses, medical evacuation, and reconstructive surgery after an accident. In this case, the cost of visiting an outpatient doctor for, say, a common cold, is borne by the employee. A higher premium plan will cover both inpatient and outpatient services.

“The caps for coverage may vary as expats are not entitled to subsidised rates at local restructured hospitals and medical centres. Ideally, the health insurance should cover both out-patient services and selected hospitalisation and surgical benefits,” Kwok says.

Basic dental benefits offered by employers include dental scaling and polishing, extraction, and filling.

“There is an increasing trend in companies providing more comprehensive dental coverage than their peers, including dental implants, orthodontics, wisdom tooth extraction, and crown and bridges,” observes Kwok. While these come at a higher coverage cost, they serve as an additional form of motivation and incentivise staff to boost their efficiency and productivity in their work, he adds.

According to Kwok, companies generally advocate for co-payments and annual maximum caps, as these schemes are deemed sustainable and transparent, and promote accountability in staff’s personal health maintenance. “In addition, employees have the responsibility to reciprocate the corporate coverage with discipline, honesty and responsibility, and maintain good health by leading healthy lifestyles,” he adds.

FEATURE

“In today’s competitive recruitment market, good financial remuneration is no longer the only factor considered by prospective employees; it is the total package that they are actually looking at” – RICHARD KWOK, SENIOR MANAGER, CORPORATE & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NTUC UNITY HEALTHCARE COOPERATIVE (UNITY DENTICARE) What to look out for With so many healthcare service providers in the market, how can HR decide on one that best suits its needs?

HR should gather sufficient information on the track record of the provider, their accessibility, service delivery standard, and their ability to support corporate healthcare requirements over the long run, says Kwok.

Features such as a 24/7 toll-free hotline are useful in the case of an emergency. HR should also check to see if the plan covers pre-existing medical conditions. The provider should be f lexible and be able to customise coverage according to the organisation’s changing manpower needs.

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FEATURE

Relocation

Moving i famil es Moving countries with a family in tow can be a harrowing experience if not managed properly, and that can have a direct effect on the success of an international assignment.

Integrating families into the local social fabric is critical in keeping expatriate staff worry-free and more productive at work

While undertaking an assignment in another country can be a highly fulfilling experience, it frequently comes with a vast array of challenges for the assignee and their accompanying family.

“Challenges may stem from the inability to adjust to unfamiliar professional, social, cultural and environmental surroundings,” says Kenneth Kwek, Senior Vice President and General Manager – Asia-Pacific, Cartus.

Ultimately, relocation service providers can work with HR from the start and manage expectations throughout the whole departure, transition and settling process so that the assignment starts off on the right foot and gives both assignees and their families a smooth and positive experience.

Once settled into their homes and schools, assignees can take advantage of intercultural training and spousal support programmes, including career support, says Andrew Soon, Regional Director, Corporate Services – Southeast Asia and India, Crown Relocations.

Integrating assignees and their families According to Cartus’ 2012 Trends in Global Relocation Survey, a resounding 75% of expatriates believe their families should receive cross-cultural training alongside them. Most (71%) also recognised that cross-cultural training was necessary to promote assignment success by facilitating adjustment into their new host location.

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FEATURE

Relocation VISA & IMMIGRATION SERVICES • Visa applications, tracking and renewals • Work permit applications, tracking, renewals and de-registrations

Considering the high cost of assignments,

58%

of companies did not offer formal repatriation integration programmes in 2013

• Local offices worldwide

Source: Cartus 2013 Talent Management and the Changing Assignee Profile Survey

organisations believe they can be axed completely without any long-term negatives.

One of the challenges in providing cross-cultural training is that there is no hard and fast rule as to how much training is needed. For instance, an American assignee moving to the UK often underestimates how different the UK is to their homeland, Kwek explains.

“Also, while an assignee from South Africa moving to Zambia will clearly need some sort of preparation, it may be their next move, from Zambia onto Singapore, which proves to be more destabilising, despite assumptions of their ‘second-timer status’ and the fact that Singapore is considered a relatively easy destination to settle into,” he adds.

Steven Wong, Assistant Relocation Manager at Santa Fe, which also offers cross-cultural and language programmes to help expatriate employees assimilate into local cultures, says the costs associated with such programmes are but a fraction of the assignment costs that an expat is expected to incur for their company.

“To maintain cost effectiveness, training should be given during the pre-departure stage to ensure the assignee and the family are prepared before they relocate,” Kwek advises.

Giving cross-cultural training a lower priority than the assignee’s daily role at work reduces its effectiveness. Indeed, for moves into particularly hardship locations, cross-cultural training should be mandatory, says Kwek. “The environment in these challenging locations may often be more isolating for an assignee’s partner who may remain at the family home all day whilst the assignee is at work,” he explains.

“Any cross-cultural training given to the assignee should also be offered to their partner and children, ensuring a well-prepared family and a focused assignee,” Kwek adds.

School shopping Schooling is one of the 10 greatest challenges for companies managing global relocation programmes, according to the Cartus survey.

“If the right school is not available for all the children, this can delay the move or change the assignment type from ‘Family’ to ‘Single’ status, or worse; cause cancellation of the move altogether,” says Soon. Schooling choice, space availability and confirmed entrance are crucial to the smooth transition to a new destination.

Different children also have different needs. Older children, who are in their last two or three years of high school, will need to stay in a similar curriculum in their run up to university. “Although traditionally there was more space available in the higher grades, this is now getting more difficult as expats are staying put (possibly localising) to see their children through,” says Soon.

Expats with young children need schooling assistance to ensure their children have a place when it is time to go to elementary school. “Two years in some cases is not too soon,” says Soon. “There may also be some priority if there are older siblings going to the same school.”

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Families who have children with special needs require additional support, as international schools have limited resources to be able to deal with these. “This needs to be discussed up-front before any commitments by the family are made to relocate to determine that proper support is available for the child,” says Soon.

It is critical that HR develops a good understanding of the programmes on offer in schools and the specialities of each school so that it is able to give advice to incoming families and support diverse expat needs, says Dr Margaret Alvarez, head of the ISS International School. For example, schools offering International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes will not necessarily all offer the same educational experience.

“The IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) and IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) are essentially curriculum frameworks (they are not set curricula) which a school works with to develop its unique learning experiences,” Alvarez explains.

“In other words, no two IBPYP and IBMYP programmes are the same and prospective parents need to fully understand what is in fact offered by each school.”

It is also important to understand the depth of a school’s student support systems, such as English support, mother tongue support, learning support (special needs, extension

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“Many schools do not process the application until all the paperwork is complete,” Kenneth Kwek, Senior Vice President and General Manager – Asia-Pacific, Cartus, explains. “Like the UK and France, business connections generally do not have any particular influence in the application process.”

In France and the UK for example, it is important to understand what the assignee can and cannot do during the application process. ‘Influencing’ is not appropriate. In French schools in particular the application process is quite formal, with the emphasis on the child’s previous education and academic record, as opposed to the parent’s business connections. In contrast, international schools in Switzerland typically favour a good, working relationship between parents and school.

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FEATURE

Relocation programmes), counselling support and careers and university guidance support.

“These support systems can make or break a student’s school experience,” says Alvarez. “Very often the educational systems students come from are very different from our schools’ systems and the transition can be daunting.”

This difference, combined with the challenge of leaving friends and the natural physical developmental changes that students experience, means these services become an integral part of a successful educational experience for assignees and their families.

“I believe it would be a valuable service if HR departments could develop tools to help families make good educational choices. These might include check sheets which help families gather meaningful data about a school’s programmes and support services in order to make the best choice possible,” says Alvarez.

“Ultimately, HR has a significant responsibility in demonstrating expertise about the international school community and assisting families with the education transition,” says John Mackle, Canadian Principal, Sunway International School.

School wishlist When shopping for a school, first and foremost, expat parents look for a school with a strong reputation. It should be safe, have strong discipline, high academic standards, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities, says Mackle.

“They want their children to be able to form friends quickly, feel confident and successful in their academic studies, and develop the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve success in life, post- secondary studies, and their future career,” he explains.

Parents also typically look at matching the curriculum to that of their child’s current

school. “For primary school children, the curriculum can be more flexible, while for secondary school children, education matching is critical, particularly for those students who are in or close to an exam year,” says Kwek.

Diversity of student population, good academic results and school facilities, small class sizes, a caring school environment, and after-school extra-curricular activities are other criteria parents look at.

“Quality of programmes and facilities are often high on their agenda but I think parents need to be better equipped with tools and information to identify what is the best ‘fit’ for their son or daughter as this information is difficult to determine from websites, school publications and short visits to the school,” says Alvarez.

Parents also need to consider whether a ‘large school’ environment best fits the learning style and needs of their child, or whether they would blossom in a ‘smaller school’ environment with the advantages that this might provide.

Increasingly, Alvarez has noticed an increase in parents’ interest in global citizenship education. “As successful professionals themselves, parents are keen to ensure that their children acquire the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to develop a world view,” she explained.

“My current research does however suggest that many schools are just beginning to develop strategies to further these understandings; relying currently on offering a wide range of activities but not yet using the reflective tools and teaching methodologies necessary to fully develop global citizenship skills,” Alvarez added. “It will be really exciting to watch how this develops in schools committed to developing these understandings.”

In all cases, the right fit for the child is the ultimate priority in school choice, says Kwek. “Importantly, parents should be encouraged to visit schools as on many occasions, parents’ perspectives of a school can change after the school visits and this may impact their final choice of school.”

When it becomes difficult for expatriate staff to find suitable international schooling options, they have to look for alternative options.

“I have known families to home-school students but in those instances, students miss out on the social aspect of schooling and often feel quite isolated in their communities,” says Alvarez. “Boarding school ‘back home’ is another option but this can be stressful and expensive for families.”

Splitting families When it becomes difficult to integrate families due to factors such as security precautions, cost, scarcity of housing and suitable international schooling options, a growing number of companies are beginning to consider ‘split-family’ solutions.

In these situations a family may reside in a more developed city in the host country, with the assignee traveling to the office or plant location. In some cases the family may not make the move at all, but remain in the home location for the duration of the assignment.

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“In many cases, split family status can be prevented by the level of support offered to an assignee and their family through spouse assistance, education support, cross-cultural and language training, and immigration support,” says Kwek.

Where split family status is unavoidable, the support that companies offer is key to a successful assignment.

“Goodwill gestures go a long way to demonstrate support.

“For instance, if assignees use their own annual leave to visit their family based in another location, companies should consider excluding their travel time from their holiday allowance, or alternatively introduce an interim trip fund (travel fund between host and home destination),” Kwek advises.

“This recognises that when an assignee transfers to an international assignment without their spouse and family, there may be a need for them to travel regularly to their home country to maintain contact, without being financially disadvantaged.”

Also, Soon says some clients provided a budget so that partners of the expat who’s stationed overseas can get support with things like gardening, car maintenance, and childcare. “One client included an allowance for care packages for special items and gifts to be sent,” he added.

For split family moves where the family lives in a neighbouring city or country because the host location is not deemed appropriate, companies may want to adapt the policy to a commuter assignment.

“The assignee may spend Monday to Friday in the host location and weekends with the family or alternatively, intermittent periods with the assignee spending two weeks in the host location and two weeks with the family, where the assignee would work virtually,” Kwek explains.

“After all, the cost of having a family relocate for two to three years is much greater than some travel and local support,” says Soon.

Opting for either of these policy types would provide flexibility, career development, and would meet the skill requirements in the host location. It would also ease repatriation issues and ensure the family remains in the home country, minimising disruption.

“However, there is the risk of potential productivity issues in the long-term and increased administration as well as negative tax implications, which should all be considered before implementing any assignment of this nature,” Kwek warns.

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FEATURE

Strategic HR

HR in

Web 3.0

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Asia’s technology adoption rate is rapidly increasing, bringing with it plenty of new opportunities, as well as confidentiality and privacy issues for companies. How will this impact the HR function?

By Shalini Shukla-Pandey

14%

of data breaches were conducted by insiders Source: Verizon 2013 Data Breach Investigations Report

It’s known in technology circles as Web 3.0, or the semantic web. New programming abilities give websites and online tools the ability to analyse and interpret the meaning of online data; that means an employee’s next career move may well be predicted.

For instance, a middle-manager isn’t going to apply for a senior vice-president position and professional networking portal LinkedIn, using Web 3.0 technology, will know this and not place any ads for that kind of position on the user’s page, Harpaul Sambhi, author of Social HR, says. “Instead, it would place ads for senior manager positions.”

His book, which sheds insights on how social media is impacting the HR function, says technological evolution over the past three decades has indeed streamlined processes and created the capability to access vast resources very quickly and at very low costs to end-users.

“Whilst there are effects of such a rapid evolution which need to be managed carefully, the overriding result is positive in terms of speed and ready access to information, the ability to widen the search net to a more appropriate talent pool, and (the ability) to help people focus on the information – or in this case the candidates – most appropriate to them,” says Renata Janini Dohmen, Senior HR Business Partner – Asia-Pacific, Avaya.

Technology today can also lead to a greater element of ‘self-service’ for employees and managers, where they can handle people-related tasks online or remotely, rather than needing to contact HR teams, says Peter Baker, Global Head – Learning & Organisation Development, Maersk Line.

“While this drives efficiency and also speed, the risk of such a reliance on technology is that HR becomes more remote from employees and managers,” he cautions.

It’s important for HR teams to stay close to people so that they have a feel for the reality that their employees are experiencing. In the past, day-to-day interactions on employee issues would help ensure that HR had their finger on the pulse of the organisation. Baker says HR managers need to be aware of this and ensure that they adjust their behaviour accordingly.

Still, HR is a “people” profession and technology should typically be taken as more of a facilitator than a replacement, says Dohmen.

Tech in business today In addition to changing consumer expectations and increasing employee demands, organisations find themselves competing globally as they expand and disperse across geographical borders, with the increasing need to be ‘always on’ and ‘always connected’ as well.

“Mobile technology and cloud computing, coupled with the rapid proliferation of popular consumer devices like smartphones, iPads and tablets, are helping fuel trends like Bring Your Own Device (BYOD),” says Dohmen.

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Strategic HR and IT departments will have to adapt to and anticipate this radical change. “Employees today are ‘always on’ and ‘always connected’, which can be advantageous for companies, particularly when employees do not have access to the physical office,” says Dohmen.

When the tsunami hit Japan in 2011, Avaya’s infrastructure enabled the company’s Japan-based employees to work from home seamlessly, as if they were working in the office, and so business operations were not disrupted for long.

“With the right unified communications technology, enterprises can have richer, people-driven collaboration that helps improve productivity and hasten decisionmaking while meeting customer demands 24-7,” Dohmen explains.

Furthermore, in the search for top talent, companies are searching in the global talent pool and are

Social networking Social networks can help maintain relationships. As Maersk is a very global organisation, with many staff transferred across the globe, it can be difficult for local country-level organisations to maintain relationships with their staff in other parts of the region.

“Maersk Line New Zealand actively uses social media to remain connected to the large ‘Kiwi Diaspora’ that exists across Maersk globally, keeping them updated on what’s happening locally and making these employees feel connected,” says Peter Baker, Global Head – Learning & Organisation Development, Maersk Line. “It doesn’t replace the formal talent and career management systems, but it adds a more human dimension.”

Social networks can also be useful to keep employees connected with each other. “We often find that younger employees who are brought together to attend a global training course or participate in a global project remain connected on social networks when they return to their home countries,” says Baker. “They can rely upon this network to help them solve problems and generate ideas.”

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increasingly enabling recruits to work from their location of choice, bringing about the emergence of the mobile workforce and the need for a collaborative environment.

“A collaborative virtual enterprise allows personnel to work anywhere in the world, without compromising their access to company resources and systems, leveraging on virtualisation technology, mobility, cloud computing, and social media,” says Dohmen.

As such, the HR function has to not only evolve but go through a dramatic transformation if it wants to avoid becoming redundant and extinct.

Security challenges ahead Organisations large and small are looking at both public and private cloud solutions based on virtualised platforms. They aim to not only drive efficiency and give seamless access to corporate resources, but also bring about cost savings over the long run.

However, the increasing dependence and support for mobile devices also opens up enterprises to the unique challenges of manageability, security and access. The ability to find methods that can help integrate office tools with a variety of devices without jeopardising these key aspects will be critical.

“Enterprises must be able to incorporate all these technologies with unified communications solutions, such as the Avaya Flare Experience, and link them seamlessly in a way that drives costs and energy consumption down,” explains Dohmen.

Also, with increasing prevalence of such technologies, organisations’ data security is put at risk. Weak or stolen passwords and credentials are one of the biggest threats to an organisation’s data security. According to the Verizon 2013 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), 76% of network intrusions exploited weak or stolen passwords or credentials to bypass the organisation’s access controls and to gain access to sensitive and private information.

Furthermore, the report found that 14% of data breaches were conducted by insiders. More than half of insiders committing IT sabotage were discovered to be former employees who regained access via backdoors or corporate accounts that were never disabled. Most of these activities were financially motivated and ranged from simple credentials stealing to more sophisticated plans to transfer intellectual property from one organisation to another.

“Although insider data breaches happened much less frequently as compared to external data breaches, when they do happen, the impact is usually much worse,” says Patrick Lum, Senior Consultant, Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “More data was stolen and the impact to the victim organisation was much worse.”

In this regard, while data security is predominantly an IT department responsibility, HR also has a role to play

FEATURE

in ensuring that their policies tie in and synergise with IT policies to ensure a safe and secure environment for the company’s data. For example, the education of employees using strong passwords or log-in credentials can potentially cut down on data breaches that arise out of weak passwords.

“With many organisations also embracing the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend, it is crucial for HR and IT departments to work together to govern corporate data and put in place processes such as data deletion when employees leave,” Lum advises.

Notwithstanding the risks, technology is still, no doubt, a clear enabler of faster collaboration, smarter decision-making and better business outcomes.

“At Avaya we call that ‘The Power of We’. Because people do business with people – and ‘we’ are stronger than ‘I’,” says Dohmen. “As HR leaders, we too can benefit from the same tools to help manage the most effective workplace environment for our people, and to support the business results our companies are driving to achieve.”

CASESTUDY

Avaya Avaya uses technology to facilitate communication and better interaction between employees. Our collaboration tools such as AvayaLive Engage – a virtual world platform which allows people to interact more effectively using their own personalised avatar – and the recently-acquired Radvision video solutions have helped employees globally communicate better.

“Indeed within three months of our Radvision acquisition, over 4,500 of our employees had their own personal video environment which they use daily for higher productivity Renata Janini Dohmen meetings with colleagues and customers across the world,” Senior HR Business Partner – says Renata Janini Dohmen, Senior HR Business Partner for Asia-Pacific, Avaya Asia-Pacific, Avaya.

“We are also leveraging social media tools such as Salesforce Chatter to ensure that our teams have a ready environment to share ideas, access information more quickly and learn from one another – but ensuring that those conversations and exchanges stay within the organisation, where they belong,” she adds.

Employees at Avaya are increasingly encouraged to use external social media tools too, albeit with clear guidelines.

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MICE

Staff Appreciation

BEST VENUES for year-end parties The corporate end-of-year party can be a daunting event for organisers, with the venue alone capable of making or breaking the occasion. HRM explores Singapore to find some exciting, yet uncommon locations that are sure to keep guests engaged throughout

By Aaron Chong 50

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Picture this familiar scene: There you are at a hotel ballroom with your spouse, and the CEO is giving his loquacious year-end speech. You are tired and hungry, yet there is not a morsel on your plate and you are unable to sneak off under the watchful eyes of colleagues.

We’ve all been there and everyone hates a boring party - especially those hardworking staff who have slogged it out the whole year long.

Instead, make this year’s annual company celebration a memorable one for you and your colleagues to bond over the organisation’s collective efforts.

And even if your party contains the same old routine of endless speeches from various department heads, the amenities at the following venues will provide a welcome distraction from the boredom. Your staff might even find themselves doing a 180-degree enchufla, and you’ll be unable to get them out at the close of festivities.

Putting the ‘play’ in party

Night Safari – Gourmet Safari Express

With clubbing one of the most popular nightlife activities in Singapore, a celebration at a club could be the perfect excuse for your employees to party like there’s no tomorrow and truly let their hair down.

As a hotspot in Singapore’s nightlife, MINK has hosted year-end parties for various organisations, including banks and media enterprises.

One of these was a pyjama-themed party, which saw MINK transform into a bedroom with pillows and bed sheets throuhgout. Invited guests were given pyjamas at the door for them to change into.

Able to accommodate up to 300 people (seating and standing), the venue takes its cue from the hottest

nightclubs in Las Vegas. With opulent red and purple plush decor, dance podiums, premium bottle service, and, most importantly, a high-energy environment, MINK aims to give partygoers a different clubbing experience.

Located in the Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, guests have easy access to MINK should they be coming in from the CBD or Marina Bay financial centre.

Prices for a booking at MINK range between S$40 and S$60 per person for canapés menus and between S$70 and S$90 per person for free flow beverages of up to three hours.

Getting back to nature The importance of family support in your employees’ careers cannot be overstated enough. So think out of the box, especially when your company encourages family-bonding time.

Perhaps have them walk on the wild side, while mingling with the central characters at Singapore’s Night Safari.

Unlike usual corporate parties, events at the popular animal park do not have to be fixed at any particular spot.

The experience at the Night Safari also extends to experiential dining, with the park’s award-winning “Gourmet Safari Express”. The Night Safari’s signature dining adventure is the first of its kind in the world – where visitors can experience fine dining, accompanied by nocturnal creatures, all on board a moving tram.

A customisable five-course meal is served in a candlelit setting that complements the wildlife encounters across various geographical zones. With choices ranging from international to vegetarian fare, the menu caters to diners of every taste and preference.

Each booking for the Gourmet Safari Express also comes with reserved tickets to the park’s Creatures of the Night

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Staff Appreciation The modern garden landscape at Gardens by the Bay is set against iconic features such as the cooled conservatories, Supertrees, the OCBC Skyway, surrounding lakes, and outdoor gardens. These features, together with the nightly Garden Rhapsody light and sound show, make for a truly unique venue experience.

Moreover, the Gardens are strategically located in the downtown Marina Bay financial district and enjoy accessibility via a range of transport options.

Tried and tested MINK

Party venue booking tips • Venue must be easily accessible with ample parking space, and must be large enough for guests to walk around • Compare between several venues to ensure competitive pricing • Confirm the date and attendance of the event as early as possible to ensure ample planning and set-up time • Be prepared to contend with the crowd during the peak period between October and December • Ensure the location, atmosphere and ambience of the venue suit the type of programme you have in mind • Note the guests who are coming to the party. This includes their likes, dislikes and personalities.

show and entry into the Night Safari itself. Prices start at S$199 per person, with each session able to accommodate up to 72 people.

If animals are not your guests’ thing, let them embrace their sensitivity, as they marvel at the rich flora at the Flower Field Hall at Gardens by the Bay. The distinctive venue boasts spectacular views of the Flower Dome and the Marina Bay skyline, coupled with ever changing floral displays throughout the year.

Some of the past floral displays include “Tulipmania” and its vibrant array of tulips, “Flight of Fancy” with miniature hot air balloons amidst colourful blooms, and “Celebrations” which saw the flower field transform each month to commemorate the multicultural festivals of Singapore.

The Flower Field Hall can accommodate up to 750 guests for a sit-down banquet, 800 guests for theatre-style seating, and up to 1,100 guests for standing cocktails.

Each event booking at The Flower Field Hall comes with standard use of the in-house sound system, ceiling-mounted projectors, tables and chairs, as well as special LED lights that offer a choice of colours to suit a specific theme. The venue also comes with a fully-equipped kitchen and a VIP holding room with an en-suite bathroom.

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Should your company prefer to stick with tradition and hold your year-end party at a hotel, there are some new venues that offer more than just the usual sit-down ballroom dinner.

One option is to give your guests an exclusive and elevated sense of arrival, at The Ballrooms at Parkroyal on Beach Road. Located on the grounds of the old Furniture Mall, the new facility has its own separate drive-through off the Nicoll Highway and is connected to the main hotel building via a skywalk. Guests will be enthralled by breathtaking views of the city skyline of Singapore’s CBD. The Ballrooms’ nature-inspired design is coupled with seven-metre high ceilings and double height windows that allow light to flood into the open interior, further emphasising the minimalist decorations throughout.

Set above the facility is the newly refurbished Wellness Floor with the St. Gregory spa, bar lounge, gym and swimming pool. Guests can enjoy a breakout session with a difference, which includes pre-event pampering packages.

The Ballrooms can accommodate up to 860 guests using the combined maximum space of the two halls. The space can also be tailored so that each hall can be broken down into three separate rooms for more intimate meetings and events.

The Ballrooms at Parkroyal on Beach Road

MICE

Prices start from $68 per person that includes food and beverage, fresh floral centrepieces, and VIP car park allocation.

Your staff could also be whisked away from the hustle and bustle of city life and into exclusivity on the resort island of Sentosa, where the W Singapore - Sentosa Cove is located.

Inspired by a dynamic cosmopolitan lifestyle, mixed with Sentosa’s vibrant natural surroundings, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove enjoys the best of both worlds, where luscious greenery meets high-octane entertainment to give a vivacious energy.

Event organisers can arrange for their guests to arrive in style via a private marina berth that leads directly to the Great Room, W Singapore’s main event hosting space. Each event at The Great Room can be customised to suit any specific theme with the hotel’s unique Sensory Set Up, which includes mood music, signature scents and more.

Past events, such as the Audi Fashion Festival and the World Gourmet Summit, have been held at The Great Room, which can accommodate up to 540 guests for a cocktail reception or 480 guests for a banquet-style reception.

PAN0059_The Ballrooms_HRM MazP.ai

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W Hotel Ballroom

Guests can also get some personal time to themselves at the hotel’s Wish Workshops that can help build new skills, like cooking or yoga.

Event bookings start from S$100 per person, which includes food and beverage and entry into Sentosa Island.

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IN PERSON

HR Talent Gloria Chin

HR Director, National Environment Agency

How many years of HR experience?

I have been in human resources for 20 years.

seeing them grow in their HR careers energises me and is an achievement in itself.

Why the decision to embark on this career in HR? After I graduated, the first job that came along was in HR and I have not looked back since.

Biggest challenge?

In 2009, I was appointed as HR Director of JurongHealth, a new public healthcare cluster. I built the HR function from scratch and grew a strong pioneer HR team for the organisation. My team and I worked long hours and it was a really challenging yet fulfilling period in my HR career.

Why NEA? As HR professionals can choose to work in various industries, the nature of the business I work for is important. As NEA is the government agency overseeing environmental protection, public health and weather services, it has a wide and impactful mandate. This gives staff a strong sense of purpose in whatever role they play. I wanted to contribute in a similar manner too.

Biggest achievement?

In the past decade, I have enjoyed the satisfaction of mentoring younger HR professionals. This includes inspiring them to pursue HR as a career, advising them on how to develop themselves so that they can contribute more in their HR roles. The joy I get from

What do you do after work?

I am currently pursuing a part-time Executive Masters of Science in Communication Management at the Singapore Management University and this keeps me quite busy after work. All my other free time is spent with my family and three children aged seven, 13 and 15.

Family?

My husband, is supportive of my career and happily helps with the children when I need to work late or travel for work. I also bring my youngest child into the office occasionally so she knows what keeps mummy busy.

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TALENT LADDER

New Appointments Vivian Wong

Human Resources Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Vivian Wong joined The RitzCarlton, Millenia Singapore with over five years of HR experience in the hospitality industry.

Having started her career in Learning & Development at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, Wong moved into Talent Acquisition and HR Business Partnership at The St. Regis.

Currently, she helms the Compensation & Benefits portfolio and recommends innovative measures to increase the organisation’s

productivity, as well as creative rewards schemes to match the organisation’s evolving workforce and its needs. This includes making the rewards system in the hotel remain competitive and forward-looking.

Wong says she is thankful for her time at The St. Regis, which has opened her eyes to a whole new level of selecting and developing a team of talented and passionate hoteliers to serve the company’s affluent clientele. Wong is also confident that

joining The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore will enable her to apply the knowledge and skills she has developed over her professional experience.

“I look forward to being an integral part of this world renowned hotel brand. My greatest achievement would be to continue the Ritz-Carlton legacy of being the best hotel chain in the world and the preferred employer in the industry in Singapore.”

Samantha Webb

Talent Director, Omnicon Media Group, Asia Pacific Samantha Webb joined Omnicon Media Group (OMG), Asia Pacific with some 20 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry. She first started her career in the creative field and then more recently became a recruitment specialist.

Having interacted with talented people in the media and advertising industry, Webb also developed a motivation to shape the future of OMG by bringing in outstanding

talent from all backgrounds.

“The need to select, manage and retain a wide talent pool in line has never been so important,” she says.

Webb believes that it is not just about hiring great talent, but says that keeping employees engaged is the more crucial factor. She always looks forward to working with senior leadership in OMG to ensure that the organisation has a strong culture and values underpinned by a support system in each of its offices.

Webb’s job is to make OMG’s processes more efficient and effective by centralising the organisation’s initiatives across different markets and ensuring that each of OMG’s offices has access to them and implements best practices.

“The management team at OMG is committed to investing, nurturing and growing talent and really believes in making their agencies the best place to work.”

Lee then moved to Hyflux as the company’s long term goals appealed to him.

“At that point of time, Hyflux was constructing the largest Desalination Plant in Singapore and together with it comes with a combined cycle power plant. This is going to be a major milestone to the Company and I will like to be part of the team

involed in this achievement.”

He considers himself more of generalist in areas of HR, but says his focus has moved towards business partnering and staffing due to Hyflux’s expansion. Lee is also the main HR Business Partner involved in the construction of the Integrated Water Power Plant, which is due for completion at the end of 2015.

Billy Lee

Senior Manager, HR, Hyflux Billy Lee joined Hyflux with over eight years of HR experience, in area such as talent acquisition, operations, compensation & benefits, as well as employee relations. Having started his career with PPL Shipyard, Lee honed his skills in handling HR operations for various employees, including foreign workers and senior engineers.

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TALENT FEATURE

Robert Walters

The new & improved role of the

HR business partner Gwen Lim, Manager of Human Resources Division, Robert Walters Singapore, shares her thoughts on transforming the traditional HR business partner into a strategic management resource

Gwen Lim

Manager, HR Specialist Recruitment Division, Robert Walters Singapore

The demands of today’s businesses are constantly evolving, and with it, HR leaders must first understand that they have to be business partners who manage the organisation’s most valuable asset – the human capital. For this upgrade, the old HR business partner or even generalist skill sets need developing. They play a crucial role in strategising and improving the complex business model in any company with an aim to be closer to the business in order to develop more effective and relevant HR solutions.

Marking the road map As business partners understand the unique circumstances in which their firm operates, this enables them to work more closely with the business on key decisions within the organisation. These new and improved HR leaders are commercially aware and able to more accurately predict and anticipate their business challenges. They are also assertive enough to stand their ground and implement radical HR solutions when needed. Talent development is a high priority on their agenda and coming up with innovative ideas to attract and retain talent to the firm has become paramount, especially in recent years amidst the talent war we face in Asia. The challenge increases when the business is not well informed or resistant to changes, and hence these HR professionals have to understand that they play a consultative role and need to be highly confident in their delivery and execution of HR initiatives.

Outlining key responsibilities HR business partners act as a point of contact for both employees and managers in the organisation. This requires

close liaison with business leaders to deliver customised and forward-looking solutions, programmes and policies to tackle issues faced by the company. A HR business partner has to act as the performance improvement driver to influence positive changes in the business environment.

This enables them to manage complex and difficult projects and take a consultative approach and act as a key advisor to the leadership team.

Making the difference with HR In the recent years, we have seen an increase in strategic elements being added to the role. Companies are now more interested than ever to consult HR business partners in developing and implementing their business strategies The role now requires an active involvement in all preplanning work, which includes how they are being executed, the impact they will have on the business, what is the expected outcome and how can those successes be measured. This shift towards the HR function taking on new and more pivotal responsibilities often requires a significant amount of buy in from the business, and as a result, the industry is seeing a healthy growth in such partnership roles within HR.

Working with the business, not just HR The HR business partner aligns business objectives with HR initiatives and solutions to both employees and business managers. Always keep in mind that the position serves as a consultant to the management on HR related issues. A strong candidate would possess good knowledge of multiple human resource disciplines, such as talent acquisitions and development, employee retention, labour relations, organisational effectiveness, compensation practices and diversity. To top off the list, business partner professionals have to maintain strong, effective and transparent delivery of communication with different stakeholders in the organisation, be it the shareholders, senior management, mid managers or employees. These open channels will foster better cohesion and effectiveness between the HR organisation and the business.

For more information or to discuss your recruitment needs, please visit Robertwalters.com.sg

This article was written

by Gwen Lim, Manager of Human Resources Division, Robert Walters Singapore.

She specialises in the recruitment of human resources professionals across various multinationals, local SMEs and Fortune 500 companies.

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TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

HR at Work 8:15am I will sit at a café near the office and wait for the day’s interview candidate to arrive. I usually start my day with an interview or two that accommodates the schedule of the prospective talents. It is also a great way to meet new people to discuss potential partnerships and career interests!

Tang Seok Hian Talent Management, South East Asia, Starcom MediaVest Group

9:30am A series of meetings and calls take up the morning.

It could be a work-in-progress conference call with my local-market HR managers, a quick catch up with my boss (Regional CEO), a business meeting with my regional HQ members on key initiatives, or a coaching conversation with a key talent. Every now and then, I would also conduct a personality profile debrief to employees who are keen to increase their self-awareness and self-mastery.

12:30pm Lunch is a good time to catch up with some of the colleagues whom I have not had the chance to meet due to my frequent travels. I am grateful that my office location is surrounded with good food!

2:00pm I manage my own to-do items after lunch. It could be closing a hire or proof-reading training material

HRM_GWSAad13.10_186mm(W)x119.5mm(H)_FA.indd 1

for an upcoming overseas coaching workshop. I may also conduct a phone interview with a candidate from abroad or a quick follow up call with my Bangkok country head about a senior employee transfer. In the midst of all these, I try to manage my email inbox.

3:30pm By now, I try to grab my second cup of coffee at the pantry if I was not able to earlier. It is also a habit of mine to move away from my desk to clear my thoughts for a while. “Pantry conversations” can be interesting.

They cover a range of topics such as a colleague’s new insights from a recent conference, talking to a new hire about how she’s settling into the team, or getting the latest parenting tips from a peer.

4:00pm Continue my to-do list or start planning the agenda for my next business trip. I also try to find time to meet up with prospective candidates for senior openings.

6:00pm Time to head home to the family and kids and have my dinner before my conference call with the Chicago office.

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TALENT CHALLENGE

Performance Management

A fair review How can HR seek to improve staff perceptions of the dreaded end-of-year performance review and run an effective appraisal programme?

Spencer Heng

Director, HR Department, Singapore Civil Service College

It is sad that we don’t use “performance review” and “motivation” in the same sentence often enough. Many staff become totally demotivated after their annual review, and we wonder why it is the dreaded activity of the year. I believe the issue lies with the execution – we just need to do it right.

The reality is that people need to know where they stand and what they can do to improve all-year, not just at the annual review meeting. When it is done mechanically once a year, especially with surprises, staff will not feel motivated. The year-end review should therefore be a summary of year-long communication activity between supervisors and their staff.

Many supervisors are unprepared or insufficiently trained for the apparent challenges in providing candid and constructive feedback. For example, supervisors may save up instances of poor performance for the review and surprise staff with poor ratings. This process diminishes staff confidence, creating the opposite effect of eroding the system’s intended benefit.

In today’s operating environment, talent management is key to success and it is imperative for supervisors to be well-trained and plan performance conversations carefully so that employees feel encouraged, inspired and ready to exceed expectations.

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Moira Roberts

Head of HR Singapore, UBS Singapore

At UBS, we believe that the performance reviews support employees’ development, enhance employees’ motivation and reward employees in line with their contribution. It shouldn’t be an activity that takes place once or two times a year, but rather be a core component of the ongoing dialogue and relationship between employees and their line managers.

HR, line managers and employees all have a crucial role to play to ensure a smooth and effective appraisal process.

At the foremost, HR should: • Ensure that the performance review process is kept as simple as possible and make it a core part of your onboarding programme • Provide and communicate process, guidelines and timeline to employees and managers to ensure fairness and transparency • Deliver training and development to ensure that line managers and employees are equipped with the best practices needed for the review process.

At UBS we provide both classroom-based and eLearnings to ensure there is full understanding - some of offerings include “How to conduct performance appraisals”, ‘Giving appropriate feedback’ and “Goals and goal setting”.

The performance review process needs to be employee-owned and employee-driven. It should be seen as a career tracking tool that allows them to evaluate personal performance against set objectives, to receive feedback from line managers and peers, to help them identify development opportunities and ultimately achieve their longer term career aspirations.

Peter Wong Vice President, Naumi Hotels

To improve the perceptions of the end-of-year performance review, an effective appraisal programme should include on-going feedback. This will help set priorities and identify necessary training to equip staff with the relevant skillsets and correct any performance shortfalls immediately.

Ongoing feedback, rather than just a year-end performance review, will also help better manage staff perceptions. HR practitioners should emphasise on effective communication with staff by providing two-way feedback on their performance. Instead of appraisers simply telling the employees how they measure up in accordance to their personal standards, a two-way feedback system allows for both parties to mutually agree on the different levels of performance standards achieved.

At Naumi Hotels we believe it is vital for both the appraiser and employee to fully understand their individual roles and also how the appraisal system in the organisation works.

An effective feedback system enables appraisers to record their views on their performances and at the same time provides employees with an opportunity to comment on their performances.

Performance timelines should be determined and agreed upon at the onset of the appraisal programme and be communicated efficiently and effectively. The appraisal programme should then be driven objectively with openness, as this will ensure a more rounded performanceappraisal, as appraisers can consider the employees’ thoughts in light of their comments.

VIEW POINT Stephen Jenner Former Director, Professional and Teacher Development, British Council Singapore

British Council

So long, and thanks for all the laksa!

Outgoing Director of the British Council’s Professional Development Centre Stephen Jenner describes the three challenges he sees for the training sector in Singapore Sustaining competitiveness Singapore is a country that has no raw materials and barely any manufacturing, but has been rated the second most competitive economy in the world. An economy built on the skills of its people, topped up with foreign talent, has a huge appetite for training. The government knows this, which is why it habitually feeds the sector with incentives (PIC, WDA WSQ among other schemes) to spend money on training. But the bulk of this training is aimed at the executive level.

We see this clearly at the Professional Development Centre, where the biggest take up of our courses is at the executive level of management development, rather than top level management. The challenge going forward will be to continue to develop more home grown talent, not just on the office floor but also in the boardrooms.

From quantity to quality A third of Singapore employees receive some form of workplace training every year, with the public sector and MNCs leading. This is an impressive statistic. But while there is plenty of training in Singapore, it is still on the whole traditionally delivered with workers stepping away from their desks to spend time in training rooms. Sometimes employees are nominated by their HR department, sometimes they get to choose their own courses.

How much of this training is integrated into performance management, or career development, or individual learning needs? Talking to HR and Training Managers, I’ve been hearing more and more the desire to move from simple inputs to measuring outputs, i.e. what is the real impact of training, and how can training deliver a real ROI for the top line of the business.

From training to learning Singapore currently has the lowest uptake of e-learning and blended learning in the region, which is curious

Working in this sector has been immensely rewarding, both personally and professionally, and I’ve been proud to be at the helm of one of Singapore’s premiere workplace training providers. I may be handing that helm to my successor now, but I will also be sticking around, as I have a feeling that training in the little red dot is about to become quite a bit more interesting in the not too distant future… given how sophisticated the economy is, and how Singaporeans love their social media. This will clearly change in the not too distant future, so at the Professional Development Centre we have embarked on our own journey into the brave new world of e-learning, and our first blended learning course is now in the market.

For employers, e-learning looks very attractive because it appears to save costs and also hands more responsibility for learning to the learner. The latter is true; one of the affordances of e-learning is that it can individualise the learning experience by tailoring the content and speed of study to the individual learner’s needs, style and schedule.

However, like any tool, it can also be used as a blunt instrument; with employees spending hours sitting in front of a computer screen completing exercises that do not engage or interest them. The challenge will be to ensure that e-learning adds value to traditional classroom based training rather than simply replace it.

And this means HR and Training Managers will need to learn a new skills set when selecting and implementing e-learning packages.

British Council Professional Development Centre 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, 09-01 HDB Hub East Wing Tel: +65 6664 8152

Would you like to share your feedback about this article? Email your comments about this article to contact@britishcouncil.org.sg At the British Council Professional Development Centre we offer a range of soft skills and English training for professionals. We work with some of the biggest Singapore companies and public sector bodies and we train over 6,000 professionals a year.

Web: www.britishcouncil.org.sg/ corporate-training

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Finalists Announced Soon

2014

Don’t Miss the HR Night of the Year

awards

HRM Awards is Asia’s pre-eminent event for celebrating the best and brightest HR people and practices. Now in its eleventh year, HRM Awards continues to be the benchmark for recognising and celebrating the very best in HR. Join the who’s who in HR at the industry’s biggest night of the year.

AWARDS

2014

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore | 21 February 2014

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RESOURCES

Book Reviews

Communicating to inspire results Contrary to popular belief, leaders need not necessarily be good orators in order to inspire others.

In his book, The Language of Leaders: How Top CEOs Communicate to Inspire, Influence and Achieve Results, Kevin Murray explains that the words we use to communicate our thoughts and feelings fall under a system of communication. He goes on to answer the key issue of what system leaders should use to inspire brilliant results.

The Language of Leaders: How Top CEOs Communicate to Inspire, Influence and Achieve Results comes in light of greater understanding among CEOs and HR professionals that the ability to understand, motivate and inspire others is increasingly the most important characteristic to look out for when hiring senior leaders into their companies.

Via an extensive list of more than 70 top leaders from a

wide range of business and public sector organisations, Murray seeks to give insight into how they responded to the demands of a transparent world, with many of them previously affected by the economic recession.

The book also gives lessons on what the interviewees have learnt from their failures and offers handy, easy-to-digest key points after each chapter.

Topics range from why trust is essential to leadership, to what characteristics leaders should look out for when hiring leaders, as well as what steps are needed to take in order to become a more effective communicator.

At the end of the last chapter, Murray provides a one-page cutout guide with diagrams and bite-sized wisdom to remind leaders to how to continue being an inspiring communicator.

In addition, The Language of Leaders: How Top CEOs Communicate to Inspire, Influence and Achieve Results has also been shortlisted for the Chartered Management Institute Management Book of the Year 2013.

Title: The Language of Leaders: How Top CEOs Communicate to Inspire, Influence and Achieve Results Author: Kevin Murray Publisher: Kogan Page Price: S$25.95

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HR Roles . SINGAPORE Talent Manager, Insurance . Singapore

Regional Head of HR, FMCG . Singapore

Our client, a leading global insurance firm, is looking for an experienced Talent Management professional to join their team.

The role reports to the Director of Talent, and will cover both local and regional remits. This function comprises the full-spectrum of talent principles, including L&D, Performance Cycles, Succession Planning and OD. You should have experience in these areas and be capable of leveraging past knowledge with the business to secure buy-in for these functions. You will be operational in your execution of responsibilities but also capable of working at a strategic level.

Ref: JG192601.

SG$100,000

Headquarted in London, our client is a global leader in the consumer goods industry. An interesting and diverse business, they are currently looking to bring the HR function up to enviable global standards. The business is exciting, fast paced and growing rapidly in the South East Asia region. They are looking for a Regional Head of Human Resources, to be based in Singapore covering a South East Asia portfolio. This role reports directly into the Global Head of HR, and will be instrumental in driving the HR strategy into the business, across the region.

Ref: FN191002.

SG$250,000+

To discuss HR roles across Asia, please contact Fiona Nesbitt or Jenae Grieveson on +65 6420 0515.

Alternatively, email fionanesbitt@frazerjones.com or jenaegrieveson@frazerjones.com

frazerjones.com

PART OF THE SR GROUP

@frazerjonesHR

UK | EUROPE | MIDDLE EAST | Asia | AUSTRALIA | OFFSHORE EA Licence No: 12C6222

Frazer-Jones

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

Senior HR Business Partner

HR Director

Regional Rewards Advisor

› Newly created role

› Newly created senior appointment

› Reputable MNC company

› Strategic business partnering

› Business partnering with the CFO

› Covering SEA, Middle East and North Africa

Our client is a multinational specialised in Technology and Communications Engineering. Due to growing business needs they are looking for a Strategic HR Business Partner to join their team in Singapore. Reporting to the Head of HR, you will have full responsibility to partner with the business on all human capital matters and will be designing HR strategies and driving projects to provide practical solutions to the business requirements. You will be HR degree qualified with at least 8 years of experience in a fast paced environment in the technology industry. You should possess strong analytical and problem solving skills.

Our client is a leading brand in the luxury retail industry offering a portfolio of products to discerning consumers.

They are seeking a HR Director to be an integral part of their transformational team and will be responsible for all HR activities as well as contribute to the organisational culture change. You will have a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, preferably from the retail/service related industry. You will embrace a spirit of continuous improvement and innovation, and be open to new ideas and methods towards achieving a cohesive team atmosphere.

Our client is a globally renowned brand name in the FMCG industry and as part of its ongoing commitment to improve business in Asia, is looking to recruit a Regional Rewards Advisor. Reporting to the Regional Head, you will plan, develop and implement new and revised compensation programs, policies and procedures. You will analyse the effectiveness of existing compensation policies, guidelines and procedures, recommending plan revision as well as new plans which are cost effective and consistent. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of regional experience and strong communication and influencing skills.

Please contact Nupur Agarwal quoting ref: H1916660 or visit our website.

Please contact Cherry Wu quoting ref: H1868150 or visit our website.

Please contact Lucia Deng quoting ref: H1890810 or visit our website.

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

Human Resources

14374_HRM SG.indd 1

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

16/9/2013 4:42:34 PM

#14185 Licence No.: 98C5473 Business Registration No: 199804751N

{

Your career in HR starts here.

Human Resources Manager You will manage the overall human resources spectrum in 2 countries which includes compensation and benefits, employee relations, performance management, employee welfare, training and development, recruitment and selection, payroll management. You will have regular planning and reviews with the management to ensure aligned HR policies, system, structures and work processes to the strategic business goals. You will conduct periodic performance management exercise, compensation and salary structure and competitiveness review to ensure relevance and competitiveness with the industry. With a degree in HRM or related disciplines, you have at least 3 years of relevant HR experience in a similar level role. We are seeking candidates with a strong sense of leadership and entrepreneurial skills, possessing good initiative and resourcefulness.

Contact us at +65 6632 0040 / hrmg@capitagrp.com for a confidential discussion.

HR Executive (2-year contract) Reporting directly to the Head of HR, your scope of work will involve mainly learning & development activities which includes maintaining the training calendar, vendor sourcing, employee onboarding, training evaluation and budgeting, as well as training grant administration. You will also be responsible for administering various medical and welfare employee benefits and schemes. Additionally, you will liaise with educational institutions for internship programmes and be in charge for intern interview scheduling, confirmation, onboarding and payroll matters. Other duties will include miscellaneous HR administrative duties and the maintenance of the HR intranet. Ideal candidates should have a diploma in HR or related disciplines, with at least 3 years of HR administrative experience.

Contact us at +65 6603 8031 / hrmg@capitagrp.com for a confidential discussion.

Assistant HR Manager You will assist in supporting HR activities in the Middle East & South Asia regions to maximize the strategic use of human resources and support functions such as learning and organisational development and human resources policies. You will propose the total training plan and career development program by grading and administer all training programs. You will be involved in implementing the HR system in the Middle East & South Asia regions as well as HR policies and planning activities. You should have a good background in regional HR matters, especially in operating and improving performance management and learning systems. There will be frequent travelling involved, and the ideal candidate should possess a strategic mindset and recommend appropriate plans for the HR organisation.

Contact us at +65 6603 8037 / hrmg@capitagrp.com for a confidential discussion.

Professional. Personalised. Passionate.

THE HALLMARK OF OUR TALENT SOLUTIONS

CAPITA PTE LTD

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

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

HR Manager Newly established educational institute

Interesting and exciting role

Our client is an established UK educational institution and are currently seeking a dynamic HR Manager to join the team for their new operations in Singapore.

In this role you will be responsible for the effective implementation of processes and solutions across the whole spectrum of HR. Streamlining of recruitment strategy/process and rolling out the orientation system will be a key priority upon joining. You will also be heavily involved in establishing policy framework for staff performance, moderation and rewards, and linking performance/career progression to T&D framework.

You will possess a proven track record of performance over 8 years. HR experience in the academic institution or in a similar function, supported by relevant qualifications, is essential. You will demonstrate a passion for your work, attention to detail and possess a hands-on leadership approach. You will be a confident communicator, a team player and be committed to delivering high quality service. Good written and communication skills is also a key criteria for the position.

This is a great opportunity to join a dynamic world-leading establishment. You can look forward to an attractive remuneration package and be a key member of the leadership development team.

To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to lili_kang@kellyservices.com.sg or contact Li Li Kang at (65) 6227 2251 for a confidential discussion.

EA Personnel License No. R1108467

Regional Rewards Advisor Excellent growth opportunity

Regional coverage

Our client, a market leader in the FMCG industry, is currently seeking a dynamic Rewards Advisor to join the team.

Reporting to the Regional Head of HR, you are an integral team member supporting the full suite of Compensation & Benefits (C&B) activities, partnering closely with the regional C&B leads and HR/Business leaders. Your role encompasses various C&B initiatives like regional alignment on processes and policies, salary ranges, competitive pricing and career leveling. You are responsible for review, development and implementation of global programs that are relevant and aligned with global reward philosophy.

You will be a graduate in HRM or Statistics with 5 years of strong C&B knowledge and experience. Strong communication, analytical and numerical ability is highly desired. You must be familiar with job evaluation and pay designs. Ideally, you should come from a sizable organization with regional presence.

To submit your application, please email your resume in word format to lili_kang@kellyservices.com.sg or contact Li Li Kang at (65) 6227 2251 for a confidential discussion.

EA Personnel License No. R1108467

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

kellyservices.com.sg

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

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Regional Head of Human Resources (Pharma)

Regional HR Manager, Asia

HR Business Partner

Established Pharma & Biotech Company

Regional scope

US MNC

Career Development Opportunities

Excellent Career Opportunity

Supporting Sales & Marketing function

Business Partnering

Salary circa S$85k

Salary Circa up to $120K

Our client is a leading Pharmaceutical and Biotech company with an established global footprint and a leading product pipeline undergoing extensive organic growth.

This is an European MNC, in a high growth stage with excellent opportunities in the region.

Due to continuing business needs, there is now an opportunity for a dedicated and high performing HR professional to join them in this exciting role.

This is a global FMCG company and they are seeking to recruit a dynamic Business Partner for Singapore. Singapore is the strategic hub for the Group's operations in the Asia Pacific region including manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, and sales and marketing activities.

Reporting to Head of Human Resources in London, you will work closely with the management team and implement global best practices for their regional operations headquartered in Singapore. This is a generalist role encompassing issues pertaining to resourcing, talent management, compensation and benefits, learning and development, employee relations as well as other ad-hoc issues. You will partner with the business and support the management team.

You will also manage the Expatriates, payroll vendor, and produce reports to the business leaders and Head of HR.

Reporting to APAC HR Director, you will partner with the management and staff, supporting their needs in the entire HR spectrum for Sales & Marketing. You will manage manpower planning, employee engagement, performance management and compensation. Other key areas of involvement include the implementation of HR initiatives and programmes in HR information system, organisational development, talent management and learning & development.

Reporting directly to the APAC General Manager, this role will manage a team and be responsible for all aspects of human resources business partnering for an eighteen market business unit covering areas such as performance management, organization development, rewards, talent selection & management, HR Processes, and strategic business planning. This role has wide exposure throughout the organization and will play a key role in support the General Manager’s commercial strategy and actively participate in senior leadership decision making, develop a robust learning & development agenda, lead change management initiatives, and create an innovative and commercially focused HR team.

You are degree qualified with at least 11 to 16 years+ of relevant experience in the healthcare industry (medical devices/pharma/biotech) in blue chip MNCs. You must be able to build rapport across all levels and markets, demonstrate strong leadership abilities, and display a partnering mentality.

You are HR qualified and have worked a minimum of 5 years in a progressive multinational. You possess great communication skills both verbal and written. You are comfortable with presentation in front of management team. You are hands on, yet have the capacity to think at a very broad level. You are a strong team player and have a strong ‘can-do’ mindset.

You will have at least 8 years of experience with a solid track record in business partnering and developing initiatives to support business goals. You have excellent in depth knowledge of the full range of HR policies and procedures.

Prior experience supporting Sales & Marketing will be preferred. You are confident in supporting the business independently.

You have an inquisitive, curious mind and a natural ability to question when relevant.

Willing to work in the East.

To apply, please submit your resume to Chris Contino at cc@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number CC8201\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at ft@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT5979\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at ft@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6001\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

Financial Services I Commerce I Engineering I Human Resources I Legal I Sales & Marketing I Technology 68

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

Returning the Human to Resourcing

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

Senior Executive/Assistant Manager – Human Resources

Head of HR, Asia

Learning & Development Manager, Asia Pacific

Prominent Non-profit Organization

Services Industry

Real Estate Financial Services

Excellent Career Opportunity

HR Transformation and Change

Asia Pacific focus Learning and Development

Continued Growth

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

Strong career development

This is one of the leading non-profit organisation with a significant regional presence.

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.

This is a prominent financial services firm specializing in real estate services. There is now an opportunity for a learning & development manager to join the team.

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 spear head tactical initiatives e.g. rollout of HR Information Systems, working with the C&B COE towards developing remuneration structures that are aligned with business growth objectives.

Reporting to the Asia Pacific Head of HR, your role will focus on the learning & development strategy, implementation and manage L&D processes. You will create a learning environment that provides a platform for employee overall development that align 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 through working with HR Team, business and function leaders across all levels.

Due to increasing business needs, there is now an opportunity for a dedicated and high performing HR professional to join them in this exciting role. Reporting to Head of Human Resources in Singapore, you will work closely with the various departments to build people capacity to drive changes and ensure structures for organizational excellence.

You will also need to drive the recruitment cycle for the entire organization and implement onboarding and induction program for new starters. Also, you have to support development and implement learning initiatives and be the HR spokesperson i.e. responsible for all HR-related announcements to staff You are degree qualified with at least 5 years of experience in HR management. You have the ability to work closely with internal stakeholders and external intermediaries. Strong communication skills will be essential. You are hands on, yet have the capacity to think at a very broad level. You are a strong team player and have a strong ‘can-do’ mindset.

You are a progressive HR professional with more than 12 years 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 Finian Toh at ft@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6002\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at ft@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6003\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

You are experience in running a training/L&D function in a managerial capacity. You have demonstrated success in developing and implementing learning and development strategies aligned to business strategy and organizational capability requirements. You are comfortable working in client focused and people centric environment balancing client interest with Firm’s interest. Knowledge in various technology tools to deliver L&D platform.

To apply, please submit your resume to Finian Toh at ft@kerryconsulting.com, quoting the job title and reference number FT6005\HRM, or call (65) 63338530 for more details.

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

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

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Human resources professionals speak to tHe experts regional Hr Business partner Be a strong advisor to senior stakeholders

regional Hr manager oversee the Hr operations across seven countries

This renowned global IT powerhouse is looking for a strategic HR Business Partner to oversee the HR function in Singapore and a number of countries within the ASEAN region. Reporting to the APAC HR Director with a matrix reporting line to the business leaders, you will provide advice on multiple initiatives and recommend solutions to complex HR issues. With over seven years experience as an HR generalist, you will have the ability to drive HR initiatives for the business units.

This oil & gas major secures the future energy through developing renewable energies. They are seeking a dedicated and hands on Regional HR Manager to join the HR team. You will be responsible for partnering with all of the regional businesses in formulation implementation, and updating HR policies to advise in performance salary and bonus reviews. You will also be responsible for all end to end recruitment of high potential personnel and lead the harmonising of HR processes. You will have hands on operations experience combined with strong communication skills and an ability to demonstrate effective time management skills.

organisational effectiveness/change manager a newly created pan asian role A new and exciting opportunity exists within a global pharmaceutical company for an Organisational Effectiveness Manager to join their regional and global implementation team. You will be responsible for driving the key areas of the global agenda across the Asia Pacific region which includes strategic consulting, change management, leadership alignment and development, culture shift, employee engagement, organisation design and organisation capability. You will also have the confidence to engage across the organisation regardless of geography, culture or function and have a good understanding of how to fit diverse functional teams together.

regional l&D manager Design, develop & implement programs This global MNC and top logistics provider is seeking a Regional Learning & Development Manager to join the HR team in Singapore.

Reporting to the VP HR Asia Pacific, you will be responsible for providing learning and OD solutions to the business. You will identify, design, develop and implement development programs in close partnership with business heads to strengthen the company’s competitive advantage and enrich their internal talent and support growth plans.

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

hays.com.sg

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

People are our business

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

Senior HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

This company is a Singapore MNC and is established in 1970 with expertise in the �ield of components manufacturing of metal, plastic and rubber. Due to business growth, they are looking for a Senior HR Manager for Asia Paci�ic region.

This company is in travel business, is looking for a HR Business Partner to provide strategic support for the business.

Requirements:

Responsibilities:

• provide business partnering and support business stakeholders in full spectrum of HR functions • to formulate, review and implement HR Policies & procedures that align to company’s objectives • establish HR best practices and implementing strategic clarity in the areas of leadership • knowledge in foreign mobility experience is preferred

Requirements:

• act as an internal HR Business Consultant and partner with managers in support of all areas of human resource including talent acquisition, talent development, people engagement, performance management employee relations, leadership coaching and compensation • identify current and future business needs, design human resource & organisational development strategies to ensure effective engagement • develop new HR policies and procedures and identify gaps in existing ones • drive and in�luence cultural and people organisational change including structures, people processes and business improvements for greater ef�iciency

To apply, please email your CV to shereenf@charterhouse.com.sg or call Shereen Foo at +65 64355610.

To apply, please email your CV to shereenf@charterhouse.com.sg or call Shereen Foo at +65 64355610.

Responsibilities:

• • • • • •

bachelor degree in business / human resource or related studies minimum 8 years of progressive HR business partnership experience experience of developing HR strategy in line with business needs strong analytical skills ability to communicate effectively, verbal and in writing, at all levels introduce best practice in relation to recruitment and selection and employee relations

• bachelor degree in business or equivalent, with a diploma in Human Resources or related studies • ability to demonstrate independent judgment and decision making capabilities • strong analytical skills • strong verbal and written skills • ability to build and develop effective working relationships • strong consulting and coaching skills • introduce best practice in relation to recruitment and selection and employee relations

Regional APAC Compensation & Bene�its Manager

Human Resources Manager

One of the largest General Insurance companies providing innovative solutions to both corporate clients and individual is looking for a Regional APAC Compensation & Bene�its Manager.

This organization is an international insurance and reinsurance company.

They are looking for a Human Resources Manager to drive strategic HR initiatives and plans.

Responsibilities:

• develop and manage policies, practices and strategies to attract, motivate and retain based on country, regional and global objectives • to lead function to create a high-performance culture and market competitiveness • harmonize the global job grading system and annual review cycle seamlessly with the business • drive a new performance culture via relative performance ratings in synch with rewards

Requirements:

• minimum 10 years in regional compensation and bene�its in large corporates or consultancy, preferably in the insurance or �inance industry • credible, analytical and a self-starter with strong numerical, stakeholder management, engaging, in�luencing and communication skills

To apply, please email your CV to shereenf@charterhouse.com.sg or call Shereen Foo at +65 64355610.

Responsibilities:

• to provide a full, effective HR generalist advice and support service to the business • good knowledge of local legislative requirements in each jurisdiction and re�lects "best practice" • to facilitate the attainment of the business goals through the attraction, retention, performance management and development of a high calibre, well-motivated and effective workforce

Requirements:

• a degree with 5 years of generalist experience in preferably �inancial or professional services industry • good understanding of relevant employment law, customs and practices • full understanding of the HR function To apply, please email your CV to shereenf@charterhouse.com.sg or call Shereen Foo at +65 64355610.

For more information on your career and recruitment needs, please visit www.charterhouse.com.sg Charterhouse believes in investing in people. If you want to join a company that provides more than a job but a rewarding career call Gary Lai at +65 6435 5601 or email garyl@charterhouse.com.sg.

EA Licence Number: 06C3997

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