Contemporary HR Issues

A snappy headline catches your eye. You identify with the problem instantly, browse through 1000 words of encapsulated wisdom but at the end of it are left wondering, “So, what is it in there for me? What did I learn from this?”

Often business magazines and trade journals lecture you on how you ought to run your ideal human resource function in a Utopian workplace. However, in reality, seldom do any of these fi ne writing come up with learning points or solutions that can be eff ectively implemented in a not-so-perfect real offi ce environment. We realised it when we were researching for solutions—real-time solutions to real time problems. None of these fi ne prints were of any use. Neither verbose nor fl uff y, we don’t intend to brag about

ourselves. In all modesty, we are simply making an attempt to provide bite-size succinct information for busy HR professionals, and focus primarily on providing practical tips to those in the business of human capital management. Each month in the issues to come, we will consistently participate in debates on current HR issues, analyse human capital trends and seek answers to challenges faced by HR professionals across diff erent industries. Our special column the How To will off er tips that you can carry forward to your workplace and incorporate in your HR design.

In this issue, we have brought you a research-based study on challenges as foreseen by HR for 2011 in our cover story Th e Road Ahead. Also, under the spotlight is the IT industry as two of the

big players SAP and Fujitsu share their growing concerns on human capital issues, particularly talent management and hiring woes. In this inaugural edition, British Telecomm has shared with HR Digest how fl exible working arrangements have not only increased productivity in the organisation but at the same time has successfully proved itself as a strategic retention tool.

So if you are looking for solutions rather than free copies of long-winded essays on problems, grab a copy ofHR Digest...now.

Wish you a very happy and prosperous 2011!

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FOREWORD

02 FOREWORD

LET THE MAGAZINEDO THE TALKING

Anchored by 2 LEADING JOURNALISTSin the HR Field:

Ananya MukherjeeA business journalist who specialises in human resource editorials and has amassed immense experience in dealing with HR trends, challenges and solutions, and best practices in Singapore.

Lisa CheongAs a business journalist, Lisa has been covering Singapore’s HR and employment news for four years and counting. She fi rmly believes that all companies, regardless of size, can implement strong HR policies that work for both the business and employees.

th

e Start

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By Ananya Mukherjee

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS - IT 03

Th e lack of skilled infocomm professionals has been a perennial issue facing companies globally for years, but what is unique in Asia is the unprecedented growth, which in turn has been further driving demand for skilled people.

Whilst the present challenge lies in anticipating skills required for the future, it is crucial to review and evaluate the ever-evolving landscapeand proactively equip potentially obsolete skills with relevant skillsand competencies.

Steve WattsPresident, Asia-Pacifi c,

SAP, Japan

Casslynn Ong Vice President, Regional HR,Fujitsu Asia

alent pool refreshing is a term I often use. It is important to transit the current pool of talent from their current skills to competencies of the future against a highly competitive external landscape of the IT industry. Th is is especially relevant for the IT industry where innovation can be a key diff erentiator. At the same time, it is important that both the employer and employees take responsibility for this transition so as to ensure that the goals and results can be sustainable and realistic.

Every problem has a solution

Focus on business continuity and scalability so that critical skills sets and competencies can be replicated down the line, should the business lose a critical talent. Develop a framework on talent development which includes complete learning roadmaps for diff erent levels of employees.

Th ere has to be a balance between using the carrot and stick approach to ensure that managers and employees are suffi ciently motivated to focus on managing people development. For example, the rewards and recognition framework has to be closely aligned to support the motivations the talent framework is trying to achieve and vice-versa.

At the same time, the profi le of the new HR business partners needs a change. While we need to ensure that the HR Ops is running like clockwork, we also need to step up on our business partnering off erings. To meet the increasing demands and expectations from the HR business partner, it is important to be equipped with keen understanding and knowledge of the business landscape – both internally and externally. HR business partner have to be a co- runner in the business and not be an after-thought like in the past.

Last but not least, it is essential to ensure that employees are appropriately engaged. Employee engagement is one aspect of HR that is often overlooked. It is important to ensure that your employees understand what is in for them and their relevance and signifi cance to the organisation. At the same time, allow them to understand how and where they fi t into the entire framework and defi ne the success of the organisation.

kills shortage remains a challenge for the IT industry across the Asia- Pacifi c and Japan region, including Singapore. Increasingly across the region, we see the role of IT and the ever growing need for skilled IT professionals, as a lever of economic growth. As markets throughout the region develop, a more sophisticated level of economic integration, enabled by IT, is necessary to sustain the economic growth.

Singapore is taking the necessary steps to be a competitive force in the global economy. In partnership with the Infocomm Development Authority, SAP launched its global University Alliance Program across the region to develop a pool of globally competitive infocomm professionals. Th is programme has already been established in 36 countries throughout Europe and the Americas, with the aim of developing a talented pool of globally competitive infocomm professionals. With an investment of around S$7 million in the programme in APJ, we hope to reach over 300 universities in the region and help establish a ready talent pool from which expertise can be drawn by the industry.

We are also seeing stronger customer awareness around the need to continually evolve and grow in the face of global competitive pressure. Businesses are looking at IT as not just an effi ciency enabler, but to enhance innovation of business models and processes, especially in the midst of the economic downturn.

I see technology as a means to an end, but not the end itself. Technology may change, but people are always people – and remain the key driver behind IT. Today, we are seeing technology evolving to become more people-friendly. As a result, IT professionals not only need IT skills, but also people skills to better help their customers maximize the business value of IT.

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS - IT

MMeaasurinng Suuccesss

• Regular employee engagement is key and a good tool to gain the employees’ feedback. • Attention and feedback from training programmes offered by the organisation can also be another good gauge • Include succession slate index and successful internal promotion retention rate • Closely monitor the percentage redundancy rate due to unsuitable skill sets and percentage of internal rotations success with full acquisition of new skills • At the end of the day, it is crucial to have a participative management team. Employers should play an active role to communicate to their teams

How too Attractt and Rettaain?

As we continue to invest in our leadership position in the region, the attraction and retention of talent is high on our corporate agenda and remains an integral part of our business strategy.

We actively provide-- • Career development programmes • Competitive compensation packages • Work Life Harmony programmes • Pro-family policies and benefi ts • A fl exible and rewarding working environment

As the calendar turns a new page, thus closing the curtains on another year, HR Digest looks back at the challenges, analyses the obstacles that lie ahead and off ers solutions for the future.By Ananya Mukherjee

o 2010 has fi nally drawn to a close. Th e year had begun with the lingering fear of an economic Armageddon following the global fi nancial crisis of 2009. Fortunately for Singapore, it turned out to be slightly less dramatic in practice than prophesied. Th e economy bounced back with the market looking more optimistic than the year before. An overall good year for business one might say, yet it has managed to leave few interrogation marks for HR.

Whilst the market continues to recuperate from the downturn and move forward, the immediate need for fundamental reforms in the system that can make organisations more robust and resilient to exigencies in 2011 is more now than ever before. HR pundits have identifi ed the gaps in the existing strategies that when eff ectively addressed can translate into higher productivity and better bottom-line results.

Basic Instinct: Being Fundamentally Right

Naturally, as the market rebounds, employers will be looking at using this upswing to their advantage. Growth is clearly on everybody’s agenda, but what is the bestway forward?

“In times of crisis we have traditionally responded by being conservative and hedging our bets, but with recent events we are realising that the situation is quite volatile and unpredictable. We have to have the combination of being quick to spot opportunities and act on them and being prudent in other places where maybe opportunities are not so intense.  Market-specifi c adaptation is needed,” Milagros C Perez, vice president for Global HR areas, Philips, says.

Learning points

Th erefore, keeping the voice of the markets within hearing distance is key, she adds.  HR needs to truly understand not just what the markets are saying but also ensure that these are accurately translated into its plans concurrently.  “In HR, we are starting to do this through a disciplined approach to workforce planning, working hand-in-hand with the business in concretising the implications of our business plans and projections into structure, headcounts, capabilities and sourcing.  In addition, we intend to review our existing HR practices to see where it makes sense to have market-driven policies instead of global ones,” she underlines.

S

04 THE ROAD AHEAD

Fatter pay packets, bonuses make 2011 look good

Salaries are expected to swell all over Southeast Asia in 2011. Whilst Vietnam is expected to hike up its salaries by an approximate 12%, Indonesia is estimated to increase its average pay by 8%. At 7%, the Philippines are slightly ahead of Malaysia and Thailand (both indicating an increase of 6%). Singapore employers are anticipating a raise of 5%. The fi gures come as a stark contrast to the change in 2009’s average wages. Nearly 45% of companies in Southeast Asia witnessed no net change in average wages in the last one year.

Star Wars: Talent Attraction& Management

Having said that, no matter how foolproof the infrastructure is, businesses cannot run successfully without managing the talent optimally. No strategy or execution can be achieved without the right people in the right places and HR needs to be relevant in achieving this for the organisation.

Moreover, as Singapore transforms itself into a global hub for technical and managerial expertise, global talent will become increasingly central to its competitiveness, HR leaders point out. Th e challenge, however, is not restricted to attracting global talent only, but also to fi nd innovative ways to prepare local talent for global roles. Developing a new generation of leaders and accelerating their development is seen as one of the fundamental challenges in the year to come.

“Singapore, like Japan and China, has a rapidly ageing executive pool. Th e next generation of executives are ambitious and keen to join the executive ranks at a much younger age than their predecessors. Th e challenge is to accelerate their development and build a ready pool of next-executives who can move into leadership positions sooner,” notes Indranil Roy, managing director, Asia Pacifi c for Korn Ferry

International’s Leadership and TalentConsulting Business.

Besides, the workforce today is a combination of diff erent ethnic and cultural groups, with diff erent expectations and as the job market slowly improves, better work opportunities will surface. Employees may be tempted to leave if they feel that their employers are not giving them enough in terms of stability, growth and developmental opportunities, or they do not feel connected with their organisations, Sureish Nathan, vice president, Asia Pacifi c, Center for Creative Leadership, observes. “Perks like compensation and career development opportunities play a big part in retaining talents, but ultimately, the most compelling reason for employees to stay is the relationship they have with their immediate managers,” he says.

Long-term solution

As a starting point, fair pay and attractive benefi ts will have to be in place to reward the employees who have weathered the downturn together with the organisation. Also, it is high time to start coaching your employees and giving them a chance tocontinue learning. A company is likely to lose its key employees if it does not provide enough opportunities for their development, learning and advancement, HR practitioners share.

As mentioned before, engaging and retaining talents is about how good leaders are. A CCL study on employee engagement conducted in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton found that among those who strongly agreed that they worked for a manager that cared about their well-being, 94% said they intended to stay with their current employer. “Th e most eff ective way to engage and retain employees is to improve the quality of managers at every level in the organisation. Companies need to focus on helping managers learn how to be a good coach, give eff ective feedback and provide direction to facilitate the learning and growth of their people,” Nathan suggests.

Never say Goodbye: Talent Retention

Attrition is an issue that remains a major concern for HR whether the market is buoyant or recovering, and so it will remain a dominating factor in HR management in 2011. Human resource gurus agree that retention is linked to engagement and this is strongly correlated with how an individual feels his managers and the organisation are interested in his individual and career development. So why is developing talent a challenge? Andrew Bryant, director, Self Leadership International remarks: “Because it requires an integrated and cultural approach and many organisations are too focused on execution with the

THE ROAD AHEAD 05

minimum cost. In addition, there has been a strong Asian mindset of following establishing procedures rather than fi nding creative ways to lead andsolve problems.”

Follow the leaders

However, not all organisations fall into that category. Employers have formulated all kinds of innovative designs such as workplace fl exibility, work-life harmony initiatives, rewards and recognition policies, healthcare benefi ts amongst others to top up the already existing tools like pay for performance, higher bonuses, career management, training and development opportunities that help retain talent. For instance, NatSteel has found a unique tool to motivate its workforce which has an average age of 42. Protecting the health of its people is key to sustaining productivity and managing medical costs, says Frankie Yung, vice president, human resources, NatSteel. Th e organisation has done well in this regard, having achieved the Platinum standard for the Singapore HEALTH Award.

Th e organisation has a comprehensive health programme, Yung informs. It conducts annual health screenings for all staff aged 40 and above, and bi-annual health screening for other staff . “Th is enables us to arrest any health issue at its early stage. Any employee discovered to have chronic illnesses are managed by our Occupational Health Unit on an ongoing basis. Th rough this eff ort, we are able to reap the benefi ts of having less downtime, while ensuring that staff productivity is not compromised.”

In short, foster a work environment in which employees feel appreciated for their past conducts, see that their present is taken care of and perceive a defi nite growth for themselves in the future.

Measure the Intangible:HR Productivity

Having said that, it is also time for HR to look into its own mirror image and gauge its functional success. Traditionally, HR professionals talk generally and conceptually about employee morale, turnover, and employee commitment as outcomes of HR eff orts. But the HR function can no longer be an expense-generator and administrative function and not a value-added partner. As HR expert Dave Ulrich was once quoted as saying, to fulfi l the business partnership role of HR, concepts need to be replaced with evidence, ideas with results, and perceptions with assessments. 

ROI-the ultimate checklist

Naturally, the need for measurement becomes vital. HR gurus recommend that as managers, you need to focus more on the money spent on people costs for ROI in terms of dollar and compare the improvement with the previous year. Beyond that, begin putting each of your job functions under the microscope. For example, start with checking the quality of your recruitment skills. Are you hiring the right talent for the right job? Check the performance appraisals of new employees and you’ll know if you are doing it right. Determine the diff erence between the talent who take jobs off ered due to development opportunities and the employees who leave the company because of a lack of a good career path, and you will have clues to many unanswered questions.

Furthermore, do not underrate the organisation’s attrition percentage, employee relations, existing feedback mechanism and employer brand strength that directly/indirectly refl ect the direction of human capital management.

Conclusion: Th e Road to Success

With the emergence of signifi cant regional powerhouses like India, China and Korea, Singapore is no longer an attractive destination for low cost activities. Even for higher-end skills like R&D and technical expertise, China and India are proving to be increasingly attractive destinations. Singapore, therefore, has to constantly set the bar higher for its own workforce to remain competitive. Th e emphasis has to be on innovation, creativity and higher-end technical skills and governance skills.

Most importantly, markets and economies are changing fast.  Most of HR insights are from hindsight and no one can confi dently predict what is going to happen.  So organisations make choices based on how it views the world and where it fi ts in it.  Whilst as HR, you can plan for those choices you must also know that at any time you may have to change the course because the landscape will change yet again.  However, by mapping out some of the anticipated challenges, HR managers may be able to plan their strategies more eff ectively, thereby ensuring that 2011 runs as smoothly and prosperouslyas possible.

Key Take Away

• Upgrade your management talent to lead in the new context. This requires careful planning of capabilities needed in the management pool, sourcing of candidates from multiple domains and cultures and fi nally, working hard to ensure that the diverse pool of managers collaborate and work effectively as a team• Develop the emotional competence and cultural agility in leaders. You will need to put muscle behind building these skills across levels• Upgrade the talent management infrastructure – philosophy, governance, systems, practices and skills to effectively manage the new generation of talent in Asia• Focus on market-driven policies and be ready to embrace change as and when it happens• Pay fairly and for merit, reward and recognise talent for being with you through hard times• Examine yourself critically. Get into the mirror mode and scrutinise feedback carefully to know what works and what doesn’t for your employees

Global HR predictions for 2011

1. Increased workplace investigation2. Healthcare reforms3. Focus on performance management4. Increased regulatory pressure5. More innovative retention tools6. More technology usage to facilitate transactional HR functions

06 THE ROAD AHEAD

HR TRENDS 07

espite the quest to seek a perfect work-life balance, only a handful of organisations have found an acceptable defi nition of the concept and a practical strategy to execute

the ideology so far. However, having started as early as 1986, British Telecomm (BT) is one company that has been at the forefront of fl exible working. Today, it has nearly 75,000 employees with means to work fl exibly.

In Singapore and across the Asia-Pacifi c region, a large majority of BT’s workforce has the “technology enablement” to work fl exibly. From an employee perspective, working fl exibly gives them the opportunity to meet needs previously considered as confl icting. “In achieving their desired work-life balance, most people discover not only renewed energy, but new enthusiasm and reward in their work and their other commitments,” says Vicky Chai, senior HR manager, Resourcing, BT Asia Pacifi c.

Interestingly, for employers, employees who work fl exibly have been shown in validated, quantifi ed surveys to demonstrate higher levels of commitment, motivation, and job satisfaction, and lower rates of absenteeism and staff turnover. Going back to its roots, BT in the UK is a pioneer in the ‘Home Worker’ concept, Chai shares. It is

a strategic partner of Work Wise UK, a three-year initiative which aims to encourage the widespread adoption of smarter working practices. Typically, a home based worker in BT will work from home most or all the time and will not have a dedicated desk, or other offi ce space in a BT building. Th ey are fully equipped with the necessary equipment and technology that enables them to perform their jobat home.

Outside the UK, however, there are administrative and compliance obstacles to successfully implement the ‘Home Worker’ concept, though other fl exible working arrangements are possible, Chai underlines. In Singapore, for example, BT employees are equipped with dedicated desks, and have the option of fl exibly working from home if the situation calls for it.

POINTS TO PONDER • Productivity: BT have seen improved productivity in some areas of home-working of around 20% • Medical Leave: A fl exible workforce takes less time off sick. BT home workers take on average just three days a year off sick • Environment: Less commuting benefi ts the environment as well. The policies have saved 12 million litres of fuel, at a cost of £10m, and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 54,000 tonnes

By Ananya Mukherjee

Leeway Builds LoyaltyHR TRENDS

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HeadStart is an annual recruitment magazine for the graduating students of Singapore’s top 3 local universities -- NUS, NTU & SMU.HeadStart has a highly targeted reach via direct postage to the students’ residences.

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08 HOW TO . .

Make the CaseMake the Casefor a HR Business Partnership

HOW TO . .

As HR departments start to shrink, here’s how HR professionals like yourself can become a better business partner in the workplace.By Lisa Cheong

1) Get an outsider’s take

Take the time to understand how the company and how the senior managers perceive HR and its business value. To obtain a 360-degree view of how the HR function is perceived, request for time with decision-makers, such as the CEO, CFO and other heads of departments to understand their job priorities, work and manpower-related challenges. Th ese conversations will enable you to get a deeper understanding of how the HR function can improve to provide better business value to the company.

2) Save your (company’s) time and money  

Reduce your amount of administrative HR clutter. You can do this either by buying an information technology system, building upon an existing one or outsourcing the process out to a vendor. Some of the usual time-consuming functions companies often manage include payroll, attendance and pay leave.

Automating certain HR processes can empower line managers as well. Instead of paper leave systems where employees fi ll out paper forms stating their reasons for leave, an online e-leave application system that gives approval control to managers will increase managers’ say and control over their departments. It also speeds up the leave approval process too.

Due to the economies of scale, bigger companies obviously stand to gain greater benefi ts from outsourcing. But that is not to say that small companies will not benefi t at all. An American survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management found 89 percent of HR practitioners

customers reporting that outsourcing helped signifi cantly reduced the time it took to for HR practitioners to perform HR transactions. Companies with less than nine employees said they saved seven hours on HR transactions per week saved, while organisations with more than 100 employees saw the greatest benefi ts with savings of more than 48 hours each week.

3) Generate higher retention levels

In the current war for talent, one of HR’s most valuable service to the business is helping raise employees’ retention rates. Replacing an exiting employee can be expensive, costing anywhere from 30 to 250 percent of an employee’s annual compensation after one takes factors in fi gures such as a loss in business performance, customer satisfaction and the cost of recruitment and staff on-boarding.

When developing retention plans, one trap HR practitioners and business partners fall into a trap thinking that employees are solely driven by money. Although it is true that money ranks as a high priority, many are also driven by other factors such as a fulfi lling job, work-life fl exibility, job autonomy and having a good supervisor.

In order to develop a retention programme that works, one must fi rst get to the bottom of what really appeals to the employees. If you have a company full of young Gen Y workers, introducing fl exi-work hour scheme may not appeal to their needs and goals. Similarly, subsidizing gym or club benefi ts may not sit well with the more mature workers in your company.

n a time when improving work productivity is everything, it comes as no surprise that HR departments are shrinking in size. While the old HR departments were staff ed with personnel administrators tasked to perform administrative tasks, companies are now outsourcing these tasks to cheaper locations, cheaper vendors or simply making them more effi cient through the use of information technology systems.

So what are some ways to become more eff ective and strategic in your job?

I

HOW TO . . 09

4) Talent development is in your hands

As companies struggle to fi ll their leadership gaps, HR practitioners should take active steps in engaging high-potentials, while carving out a long-term succession pipeline for the company.

A good talent management programme fi rst needs a benchmark on which companies can choose future leaders and high-potentials. By examining the common traits and values of the company’s best-performing employees, HR practitioners can help use this to create a blueprint for the high-potential selection process. By seeking out potential leaders and managers, and investing more time, eff ort and training dollars in this group of people, it helps highly-driven employees defi ne a career path for them within the company while engaging them at the same time.

HR practitioners can also use information system tools to help in their talent management role, making it easier for them to automate and streamline talent management processes such as applicant tracking and goals management. Th e use of performance management tools can also help line managers execute performance reviews, career and succession plans, while aligning employees’ career goals.

Coaching and mentoring leaders and middle-managers is also an eff ective way of raising the organisations’ leadership capabilities. As the business landscape becomes more complex, helping leaders improve on their soft skills and navigate through tricky work decisions will become an valuable HR service to the business.

5) Improve your HR skills

Becoming a successful business partner may entail strategic thinking on issues such as change management and organisational development. For some HR practitioners, the ability to perform at a management level would require an upgrade in their business skills and profi ciencies.

One good way is to attend short business classes or undertake Executive MBA courses where you can learn more about the business undertakings that go beyond the HR cubicle. Another way would be to improve on your soft skills such as negotiation tactics and presentation skills.

Conclusion

When trying to win top management buy-in, always keep in mind that any value HR brings to the table should always have a tangible benefi t to the business. Keep in mind the perennial question lodged in the back of your senior management’s minds: “What’s in it for us?”.

Whether it is a lower attrition rate, a higher employee engagement rate or a higher level of customer service, always sell your proposals and ideas as something which would help your company achieve its organisational goals.

But becoming a strategic HR business partner is not something that can be achieved overnight. Rather, it is a long and hard-won journey in winning the support and validation of your company’s senior management and employees alike.

‘In the current war for talent, one of HR’s most valuable service to the business is helping raise employees’ retention rates.’

HR ManagerTalent Management & Organisational DevelopmentRef no: 111043

Responsibilities: • Review and execute initiatives in the development and management of talent and potential successors, so as to build a pipeline of leaders to succeed key positions • Support and develop leadership programmes to build leadership capabilities at all levels• Review strategic and cross-cutting human capital policies and practices • Conduct initiatives in culture building, staff engagement and organisational improvements • Coordinate the implementation of organisational human capital KPIs

Requirements: • A good Honours Degree in Human Resource or its equivalent• Min. 2 years’ relevant HR – Talent Management & Organisational Development experience• High-level of profi ciency in English• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills• Strong analytical abilities and good project management skills

For more details, contact Ms Tracy Tan at (65) 6567 1233.

Assistant ManagerHuman Capital (Giant / Shop N Save)

Responsibilities:• Assist Human Capital Manager to manage a team in handling the full spectrum of HR and Training functions (such as recruitment, learning and development, employee benefi ts and compensation, disciplinary and grievance handling, and performance management)• Review and support the implementation of HR and Training policies• Prepare monthly KPI reports and monitor key performance statistics• Support and drive special projects

Requirements:• Degree with minimum 3 years of experience in HR /Training at a supervisory level• Candidates with relevant experience in the service/retail sector preferred• Well-versed in Employment Act and good knowledge of prevailing HR practices• Has initiative and strong analytical and problem-solving abilities• Effective interpersonal and communication skills• Able to multi-task and work independently in a fast-paced environment• Profi cient in MS Offi ce applications and working knowledge of HRIS• Offi ce Location: Tampines

Remuneration package will commensurate with candidate’s experience and capabilities.Interested applicants kindly email your resumes in MS Word format to rscrecruit@coldstorage.com.sg

Senior Talent Manager• Creating the future for Talent• Global MNC• $150,000 - $160,000 per annum Global diversifi ed conglomerate with six different businesses covering consumer and industrial markets is experiencing a period of growth and expansion, and requiring a Senior Talent Manager to look after their talent solutions across the group.

The scope of the role will cover talent acquisition, development and management, leadership and employee development, performance management and organisation development.

This role will supervise a team responsible for developing and executing talent solutions strategy and plan, working in collaboration and partnership with HR business partners and key stakeholders.

You will be a degree holder and have a minimum of 8-10 years of HR business partner/talent management and development experience, preferably in multiple environment such as manufacturing, sales and marketing, research and development and supply chain.

With a strong track record, you will have demonstrated the capacity to understand business issues and develop talent strategies to meet country business objectives and at the same time align to corporate goals, will be a key aspect in your success in the role. If you think you have the right skills for this position, please send your CV in Word format to ash.russell@hays.com.sg

VP, HR Business PartnerA Financial Institution in town

The Role:• Responsible for leading, managing and partnering the human resource initiatives of the company• Required to policy formulation and assist management in communicating and implementing policies that will lead to increasing productivity and improving morale besides playing an active role in providing HR advisory and coaching to workforce of the company• Partnering with Staffi ng team and line managers in the sourcing, screening, selection and negotiation of employment terms of quality hires through the various recruitment channels and ensuring that new employees are integrated with their new environment and become fully operational quickly• Monitoring replacement and recruitment costs and periodically reviewing design of jobs and organization to ensure headcount resources are optimized• Facilitating any transition management process and supporting the management team of the company in enabling change implementation and reinforcing any new change initiatives associated with employees’ behavior• Partnering with the Compensation and Benefi ts team on compensation and benefi ts surveys to ensure that employment terms and conditions are market competitive

Requirements:• Degree Holder with at least 10 years of HR experience ideally gained in MNCs• Ability to think strategically, analyze issues and recommend appropriate course of actions• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills• Ability to work independently while being a team player• Mature, driven, resourceful and committed to deliver a robust and proactive business led HR service in a fast- paced working environment

Interested candidate, please contact us for a confi dential discussionLeo Anderson Woon, Director-Executive Search Email: leo@ca-search.comAll information will not be released to anyone without your permission

HR ManagerResponsibilities:• Overall In charge of HR Division• Responsible for the supervision of the daily operational HR functions of recruitment, compensation & benefi ts, performance management, employee relations and industrial relations• Formulate, implement and review HR policies and procedures. • Administer and monitor performance management processes • Prepare Management Reports & handle HR Surveys • Other HR initiatives and projects as and when directed by the Management

Requirements:• Degree in relevant discipline with 6 years of relevant experience or Diploma with 8-10 years of relevant experience • Well versed in local employment legislation, CPF Act and Income Tax Regulations• Profi cient in Microsoft Offi ce Word & Excel applications• Possess strong initiative and good analytical skills• Strong communication and interpersonal skills • A committed and responsible team player with pleasant personality, independent, meticulous and resourceful

Interested applicants kindly email your resumes in MS Word format with your most recent photo toemail: dave@tbchr.com, stating the following details:• Availability & related work experiences• Current/last drawn salaries• Expected salary

Strategic HRBusiness Partner APACRef no: 4195918

A leading US MNC engineering organisation currently number 1 in their fi eld is recruiting for a HR Business Partner to support one of their key business units across APAC

Reporting into the Head of HR for the division you will responsible for providing strategic leadership on HR initiatives across the Asia Pacifi c region. You will advise and coach managers, department heads and VP’s on D&G, performance management and employee development plans. While leading on divisional workforce planning and linking this to talent management and succession planning. Working closely with senior managers you will manage organisation design to ensure its aligned to business goals and partner with HR shared service to ensure the delivery of an effi cient hr service

Degree educated you will have extensive experience in talent management, succession planning, organisational development and generalist HR. You will ideally have 8-10 years experience and show a progressively increasing seniority in positions with experience of working as a true business partner. A strong communicator you the credibility and gravitas to infl uence senior management and drive through key initiatives.

To apply please send an up to date copy of CV to hr.singapore@reedglobal.com quoting reference

10 HR JOBS

HR JOBS 11

Regional HR ManagerThis regional role for an established American MNC calls for an experienced HR Business Partner to take on a full spectrum regional HR role covering Asia Pacifi c. You will be the to-go person for all hiring and salary recommendations, successfully partnering line managers in recruitment & selection, compensation & benefi ts, talent management and policy planning for the region.

To be competent in this role, the ideal candidate would need to possess a related degree with at least 4-5 years of solid HR experience with strong employment law and compliance background to support and advise the ground and management on various internal and external HR issues. A mature attitude and analytical mind to research on a diverse range of topics to provide valuable recommendations and solutions would be desirable as well.

Travelling around the region would take about 30 – 50% of the job role.

We invite qualifi ed and interested candidates to apply for this role by writing in to: headhunt@capitagrp.com

HR Director, Asia Pacifi c• Leading supplier for medical equipment• Excellent growth opportunity Our client is a leader in its market and a trusted name as a provider of medical technologies for the healthcare industry. It has experienced signifi cant and consistent growth both globally and in Asia and that is set to continue.

Due to expansion of their operations in the Asia Pacifi c region, they are looking to recruit a HR professional who will be a key player in helping the organization meet its growth, profi t and expansion plans through the provision of HR excellence. In this exciting and challenging role, you will report to the VP, HR International and partner with Divisional Heads in providing the full spectrum of HR services covering Asia Pacifi c region. As the headcount supported is not large, you need to be independent and be a strong HR leader who can deliver all aspects of HR with the support of a small team.

The successful candidate will be a senior and experienced HR Business Partner, with a degree in HRM or relevant discipline, ideally with 10+ years of broad HR experience covering Asia Pacifi c regions. Having the ability to think strategically, you should be able to apply an extremely operational, hands-on approach and is able to work in a diverse cultural environment. Previous experience working in the healthcare/medical devices industries and China coverage would be a plus.

To submit your application, please email your resume in Word format with “HR Director, Asia Pacifi c” in the subject heading to lili_kang@kellyselection.com or contact Li Li Kang at (65) 6645 3514for a confi dential discussion.

HR Operations ManagerOperational Excellence

We invite highly motivated, dynamic professionals at the Manager level with relevant experience to join our growing Human Resource practice. You will: • Be responsible for the overall execution of HR strategies, projects and initiatives effi ciently which includes the entire spectrum of recruitment, mobility, compensation and benefi ts, management reporting, global performance management tools, employment law, staff welfare and other special HR intervention projects. The ideal candidate should:• Possess a qualifi ed degree and/or a graduate diploma in HRM or related fi elds such as information sciences, fi nance or economics with over seven years of operational or consulting experience primarily in HR operations. Candidates from consulting, fi nancial services or large MNCs backgrounds with a strong strategic people agenda will be an added advantage.• Have strong project management experience with excellent track record of multi-tasking responsibilities, written and verbal communication skills.• Be result-oriented and able to meet tight project deadlines (i.e, execution is key role) with a high degree of integrity and sense of urgency to complete projects on a timely manner. • Have a strong background in project or consulting expertise and deep understanding of people processes and tools.

Apply online at kpmg.com.sg/careers quoting the job reference (SG/HH/HR/021210) and state the position applied for.

HR Business Partner• Strategic HR activities• To $72K p.a. (+ bonus)• Alexandra offi ce location

A leading BPO with over 60,000 employees worldwide and relationships with many well-known global MNC’s has an opening for an experienced HR Business Partner to join their team.

This dynamic role will take the lead in managing key HR functions including employee engagement and relations, organisational development, staffi ng & recruitment, compensation & benefi ts management, in addition to performance management for their business divisions.

The role requires a natural leader with the ability to lead and motivate people and build strong relationships, as you will work closely with other business partners to initiate career mapping and talent management practices. Degree in HR Management with seven plus years HR generalist experience, preferably with a progressive MNC. Previous strategic organisational development exposure within the last fi ve years will be highly regarded.

For further information, please contact Daily Pichay on 6510 3632 or email daily.pichay@randstad.com.sg

Head of ResourcingWe invite highly motivated, dynamic professionals who believes in excellence, with a passion for making a difference in your environment at the Associate Directors and Director level to join our growing Human Resource practice.You will: • Be responsible for setting the direction of the recruitment function to ensure that KPMG attracts and hires the best talent across all functions, including Audit, Tax, Advisory and Infrastructure.• Work closely with the key stakeholders in the business, set the talent acquisition agenda, design and implement solutions to respond to the rapid changing hiring environment. The ideal candidate should:• Possess over 10 years of resourcing experiences as in In-House Recruiter or from an Agency Environment specialising in Financial Services/Advisory positions and able to demonstrate experience of dealing with and infl uencing management across all levels.• Have experience of best practice recruitment, selection policies and regulations from sourcing through selection, providing lawful and appropriate fi rst line advice to the business line. • Be trained and skilled in recruitment and selection systems and tools with excellent written and verbal communications skills.

Apply online at kpmg.com.sg/careers quoting the job reference (SG/HH/HR/021210) and state the position applied for.

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