the singapore management agenda 2015 · 2015-05-11 · the singapore management agenda 2015 daniel...

RESEARCH REPORT

THE SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT AGENDA 2015

Daniel Lucy and Saradevi Gopal

About Roffey Park

Roffey Park is an internationally renowned leadership institute based in the UK and Singapore.

We develop people who develop organisations.

With 65 years’ experience of leadership, organisational development, human resources and coaching, we provide executive education and research to many of the world’s leading companies and organisations.

We offer tailored development programmes, qualifications accredited by the University of Sussex, management consultancy, coaching and training courses. Our research services provide a unique combination of research, consultancy and development expertise for organisations who are investigating ways of improving their effectiveness and intelligence.

Research at Roffey Park

Roffey Park funds its own research programme with the aim of meeting one of its charitable objectives: namely to conduct and publish research in support of the health and welfare of people at work. Our research improves the world of work and organisational performance by sharing knowledge of good practice in people management, leadership and organisational development.

For more information visit www.roffeypark.com or contact:

UK Office Singapore Office

Tel: +44 (0) 1293 851644 Tel: +65 6549 7840

Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]


Daniel Lucy and Saradevi Gopal

May 2015

ISBN: 978-0-907416-09-8


© Roffey Park Institute 2015 3

ContentsIntroduction ��5

Executive Summary �� 7

1� Organisational context ��9

2� People challenges and talent management�� 15

3� Leadership and change �� 25

4� Organisational culture and values ��37

5� Diversity �� 45

6� Innovation and productivity �� 53

7� Working life �� 61

8� Appendices ��75



AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to acknowledge Roffey Park consultants and associates for their contributions to questionnaire design and interpretation of findings. In particular, Michael Jenkins, Stuart Mason, Gary Miles, Adrian Lock, and Kiran Chitta added much value. The authors would also like to acknowledge Janice McBrown for coordinating media coverage of the research; Carol Hatcher for proofreading the report; and Alison Hoare and Debbie Beaney for the design and typesetting of this report.

INTRODUCTION


Introduction

This report presents the findings of Roffey Park’s second Singapore Management Agenda (Roffey Park conducts a similar survey in the UK which is now in its 18th year and features regularly in notable journals and national media). Findings from last year’s Singapore Management Agenda featured in the national and practitioner print media, national radio and TV. The survey aims to highlight the views of employees, in particular those in managerial roles, on aspects of organisational life and hopes to identify what is working well and what may need to be changed in service of Singapore’s continued economic success. The research reports on the views of close to 500 employees based in Singapore, both HR and non-HR, of varying levels of seniority, and from organisations of different sizes and industrial sectors. Details on the profile of the respondents and research methodology can be found in Appendix 1.

The report covers a broad range of topics including leadership, talent management, innovation and productivity. It is structured as follows:

• Executive Summary

• Chapter 1 – Organisational context

• Chapter 2 – People challenges and talent management

• Chapter 3 – Leadership and change

• Chapter 4 – Organisational culture and values

• Chapter 5 – Diversity

• Chapter 6 – Innovation and productivity

• Chapter 7 – Working life

Rather than present an exhaustive account of the data collected in this year’s survey, we have chosen to focus on aspects of the data that appear most interesting and which, we hope, in combination provide an engaging and informative view of the challenges and perspectives of today’s managers in Singapore.

A note on terminology: We refer in the report to employees, managers and non-managers. ‘Employees’ refers to all respondents to our survey, including managers and those not in managerial roles. ‘Managers’ refers to those with line management responsibility and ‘non-managers’ refers to employees without such responsibility.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


Executive Summary

Leadership capability gaps in key areas for growth

Whilst Singapore continues to experience economic growth that many other developed countries would be proud of, there are challenges on the horizon. Managers responding to this year’s Agenda report are looking to grow through developing new products and services and entering new markets whilst becoming more efficient through the better use of technology and the redesign of existing systems and processes. All of this requires leadership which is effective at encouraging creativity and innovation, engaging employees, improving workforce productivity, and above all, managing change.

Our data would suggest that whilst managers identify these issues as some of their key challenges, HR are less certain about their ability to deliver. Less than one-third of HR managers say that leaders in their organisations are effective at managing change. Equally, there is some question as to whether employees feel their leaders have the capabilities to manage change. Whilst it is encouraging that employees, on the whole, seem to regard their line manager as supportive and trustworthy, they rate their capability to articulate a vision and communicate effectively less well.

Productivity still measured in hours rather than outcomes

Improving workforce productivity has become a key challenge in Singapore, with productivity figures in terms

of GDP per hour worked not as high as one would like or expect. Bureaucracy, excessive paperwork, unproductive meetings and heavy workloads are all cited as barriers to greater productivity. Our data tell us that the workforce in Singapore work long hours, regularly working beyond office hours, taking work home and on vacation. It appears, then, that the workforce in Singapore may be working hard but not smart. Encouraging cultures which support autonomy and which see leadership as a process rather than a hierarchical position may all contribute to increasing productivity. There is also a real need for effective teams, those where unproductive behaviours are challenged and where failure is seen as a learning opportunity rather than a secret to be buried.

People’s mindsets perceived as main barrier to innovation

Encouraging innovation and fostering workplaces where new ideas can flourish is often cited as a key challenge for businesses in Singapore. Our data, on the whole, suggests that employees are positive about the extent to which innovation is encouraged in their organisation. Having said that, barriers are still perceived in terms of people’s mindsets, organisational culture and the resources made available for innovation. By far the most common perceived barrier was ‘people’s mindsets’. It is however, important that innovation is perceived as a social process rather than the result of a lone creative genius. To be innovative, organisations need to view innovation less as an occasional product breakthrough and more as an ongoing pattern of strategic behaviour ingrained in all of their operations.

With people factors the main barrier to change, OD capability is key to effective change

The importance of managing change is writ large across our data. Whilst the vast majority of managers responding to our survey report their organisation attempting to change its culture, those rating such change as successful are far fewer in number. The reported barriers to successful change are largely people rather than technical factors. Resistance to change, lack of proper communication with and involvement of employees, lack of leadership in directing the change effort, and lack of transparency around the purpose of change all feature strongly in the list of barriers to change. This places OD centre stage. OD practitioners possess the values and approach that is both people-focussed but at the same time alive to more technical aspects of organisations (structures, systems, processes etc). OD practitioners report their organisations adopting an OD approach to change. This is encouraging. They also report a number of barriers to the more effective use of OD, the principal barrier being lack of knowledge amongst managers about what OD is. There is a responsibility, then, on the part of OD practitioners to educate managers about the value of OD and to find ways to demonstrate and communicate its impact.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Co-creation of values is essential if they are to be widely shared

Central to effective change is a shared set of values and purpose, enabling the organisation and leaders within it to respond flexibly and adapt to complex operating environments whilst remaining true to who they are and what they hope to achieve. Our data suggest that values are less well understood lower in the organisational hierarchy. This only goes to emphasise the point that values need to be co-created and co-owned by the wider workforce if they are to have any value at all. Our findings also make clear that many see a disparity between espoused and lived values. Lack of congruence between actions and words can make values seem insincere and serve to undermine their purpose.

Whilst recruitment challenges loom large, HR needs to ensure that the development of existing talent hits the mark

HR managers, on the whole, report that their organisations are looking to increase the size of their workforce over the next two to three years. At the same time, many report difficulties in recruiting suitable candidates. Whilst pay is clearly an issue when trying to recruit, a lack of candidates with suitable skills and experience features more prominently. Whatever the reasons, difficulty in recruiting from the external market places extra emphasis on what organisations are doing to develop their own staff. Here, our data suggests that whilst talent programmes are widespread, they are not always perceived to be that successful. Indeed, only one-third of HR managers regard their existing talent programmes as such. Why this is the case is not entirely clear from our data, but it is a cause for concern if resources are being wasted on ineffective development

programmes. It is also evident that the majority of programmes focus on employees with the potential to occupy leadership positions and there is less of a focus on highly skilled staff who may wish to develop as experts rather than as leaders. Our own work1 would suggest that providing multiple career routes can aid retention and engagement, as well as helping to avoid the situation where employees (who may not be suitable) seek leadership roles as it is perceived as the only way to progress.

Better leadership the answer to retention challenges

Whilst insufficient financial rewards features as a common reason for looking to move jobs, it is not the most common reason. Lack of career growth and poor management both feature above poor pay. Management style is also reported to be the greatest cause of workplace stress, above workload and organisational politics. All this points to the importance of leadership styles which focus on people as well as task, and manage to marry the two in providing interesting and engaging work. Our findings this year provide evidence to support the contention that engaged employees are less likely to consider a move in the near future, helping to tackle the retention challenges reported by HR.

More could be done to leverage the value of difference

Singapore has a diverse population and this is a strength. In the workplace, diversity is a potential source of competitive advantage if managed well. Too often, diversity is stilted by conformist organisational cultures and a lack of appreciation of difference. Our findings here are mixed. Whilst the majority regard diversity as important for business success, it is still seen as a

1 Gifford J and Finney L (2011) ‘The Expert as Leader’ Roffey Park Institute.

‘tickbox’ exercise by more than one-third of mid-level managers (managers of managers), two-fifths of first-level managers, and one in two employees in non-managerial positions. Less positive impressions are therefore held lower down the organisational hierarchy, in other words in the location where diversity most likely rests. That said, there are encouraging signs of change. The majority of managers, regardless of their gender or role, believe that their organisation is effective at encouraging women into senior leadership positions. This is in spite of the fact that women are still under-represented in senior leadership positions. The jury appears out on another aspect of difference in the workplace, that of the generations. With increasing working-life spans and changing societal attitudes, particularly amongst the younger generations, leveraging the diversity of views and ideas that this could generate is a key challenge. On the whole, it seems that most are undecided as to whether organisations are effective at meeting the needs of the different generations. It seems that organisations could do more in this regard, and in so doing, potentially help solve some of the recruitment and retention challenges they face.

1. Organisational context

1 | ORGANISATION CONTEXT


HR managers are, on balance, positive about the future growth prospects of their organisations. We calculate an Employment Growth Index, or EGI. This is simply the percentage of HR managers expecting the size of their organisation’s workforce to grow minus the percentage expecting the size of their organisation’s workforce to decline. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of HR managers report looking to grow the size of their workforce in the next two to three years. The EGI for both SMEs and larger organisations in Singapore is very positive, at +62 and +47 respectively. With other data suggesting that the labour market is set to tighten over the next few years1 , the recruitment challenges faced by businesses in Singapore are likely to intensify. Our own data in this year’s Agenda suggests that 60 per cent of HR managers report having difficulties recruiting suitable employees ‘often’ or ‘almost always’.

Managers in SMEs report looking for new markets (60 per cent), attempting to develop new products and services (53 per cent), and developing strategic partnerships and alliances (50 per cent) to cope with the challenges and opportunities in the political and economic environment within which they operate. Developing leadership capabilities and cultures that support and encourage both innovation and collaboration appear key for the future of growing businesses in Singapore. Innovation encompasses both cultures that are open to ideas and that are able to learn from failure rather than burying it. Effective change management is also required if ideas are to be implemented and the benefits captured. High on the agenda for SMEs is improving workforce productivity with 50 per cent of managers in SMEs indicating this as a means to cope with

1 http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-budget-2015/labour-market-to-tighten-further-but-help-will-be-available

external challenges. Increasing workforce productivity may, in part, be about making best use of technology but it is also about effective leadership and engagement of the workforce. Encouragingly, there are signs of significant investment in the capability of employees. We calculate an Employee Investment Index, or EII. This represents the percentage of managers anticipating investing more in their employees minus the percentage expecting to invest less. For SMEs, the EII is +23, indicating that, on balance, managers in SMEs are anticipating investing in employee skills and development.

The picture is similar in larger organisations. Looking to develop new products and services (60 per cent) and increasing workforce productivity (56 per cent) are the top two approaches to responding to the external environment reported by managers. What is different is the greater focus in larger organisations on implementing new technology (at 54 per cent, third in the list of responses) and redesign of processes and systems (53 per cent). The latter may well represent a focus on streamlining processes and achieving greater efficiencies. This places the effective management of change centre stage. In changing the systems and processes, there is a need to ensure that the people factor does not get lost or sidelined if change is to be truly effective.

It is encouraging that with organisations looking to grow, there is little sign that managers are looking to move all or part of their business out of Singapore into neighbouring countries. Despite intense regional competition, only 1 in 5 (20 per cent) of managers report looking to move part of all of their business overseas. Nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) report a positive intention to keep all of their business

within Singapore. Where there is an interest in moving overseas, this is most often due to a felt need to reduce operational and labour costs (64 per cent of those looking to move report lower operational costs; 57 per cent lower labour costs), as well as offering the potential to access a wider talent pool. It is worth saying that it is not clear that businesses in Singapore are doing enough to widen the talent pool within their own location. Less than two in ten managers report looking to recruit older workers as a response to challenges faced, and a similar proportion report adopting family-friendly policies.

Summary



Employment expectations remain positive

How do you expect the size of your organisation’s workforce to change over the next 2-3 years?

Percentage of HR managers reporting a… SMEs (%)Larger

organisations (%)

Overall (%)

Increase in size 66 60 63

Decrease in size 4 13 8

Employment Growth Index +62 +47 +55

Base size (n) 110 105 215

How do you expect the composition of your organisation’s workforce to change over the next 2-3 years?

Percentage of HR managers reporting a… SMEs (%)Larger

organisations (%)

Overall (%)

Growing proportion of full-time employees (%) 49 37 43

Growing proportion of part-time employees (%) 7 8 7

Growing proportion of contract/temporary employees (%) 12 20 16

No change (%) 30 26 28

Base size (n) 110 105 215

Each year, we calculate an Employment Growth Index (EGI), which is the balance of positive versus negative expectations that HR managers have towards the growth of their organisation’s workforce� On balance, HR managers in both SMEs and larger organisations anticipate growing the size of their organisations’ workforce in the next two to three years�



Innovation and increasing workforce productivity continue to be key to

responding to external business challenges

How is your organisation responding to challenges and opportunities in the political and economic environment?

SMEs (%) Larger organisations (%) Overall (%)

Investing more in employees 31 36 34

Investing less in employees 8 7 7

Employee Investment Index +23 +29 +26

Base size (n) 131 153 284

SMEs

Looking to developnew products and

services53%


services60%


services56%

Taking steps to increase workforce

productivity50%

Looking for new markets

60%


52%


56%

Developing strategic partnerships or

alliances50%

Implementing new technology

54%

Redesigningprocesses or

systems45%


systems49%


systems53%

Larger Organisations Overall

Note: Percentages may add up to more than 100 as respondents could give more than one answer


productivity56%


productivity53%

Developing strategic partnerships or

alliances50%

We calculate an Employee Investment Index (EII)� This is simply the percentage of managers anticipating investing more in employees minus the percentage expecting to invest less�

All organisations report looking at various ways of being innovative and productive so as to better respond to external challenges� 60 per cent of managers in SMEs indicated that their organisations were ‘looking for new markets’� Larger organisations were more likely to implement new technology (54 per cent) or redesign processes or systems (53 per cent), compared to SMEs� This is most likely due to having larger operations and thus a stronger need to streamline or automate processes to improve work efficiency�



Despite regional competition, the majority of managers are not planning to

move their business operations to other countries

Is your organisation thinking of moving all or some of its business from Singapore to other countries in the APAC region?

Base size (n) = 289

Why is that?

Percentage of managers that indicated… %

Lower cost of operations 64

Lower labour cost 57

Larger talent pool to tap on 47

Greater physical space 28

Tax relief and incentives 15

Base size (n) 53

Note: Percentages add up to more than 100 as respondents could provide more than one answer

60% indicated NO18% indicated YES 22% didn’t know

Of the 18 per cent of managers that indicated they were keen to shift all or part of their operations overseas, 64 per cent were thinking of doing so due to the lower cost of operations� The other top 2 reasons were labour-related, with 56 per cent wanting to move to countries with lower labour costs and another 47 per cent indicating there was a larger talent pool to tap on in other countries� Some of these companies could be facing major challenges with recruiting locally and are looking to widen their talent pools� Having said that, it is not at all clear that businesses are doing all they can to access the full talent available to them within Singapore� Less than 2 in 10 managers report recruiting older workers as a response to the challenges they face� A similar proportion report adopting family-friendly policies as a means to address the challenges faced�

2 | PEOPLE CHALLENGES AND TALENT MANAGEMENT


2. People challenges andtalent management



HR managers report looking to grow and expand their organisation’s workforce (Chapter 1). At the same time, HR managers report recruitment and retention as the two most pressing people challenges their organisations currently face. Difficulties in finding staff with the right skills and experience appears to be the most significant challenge when looking to recruit. With the labour market tight and those with relevant skills and experience in high demand, it is no surprise to see that the compensation and benefits on offer are also a key challenge when looking to recruit. Having said that, one-fifth of HR managers report their organisation’s workplace culture as an issue impacting adversely on the ability to recruit. A quarter cite the image of the industry concerned as a barrier. Both these latter issues are amenable to change, and HR managers should look to build the kind of culture that values autonomy, innovation and voice as a means to attract talented staff. It seems that HR managers are aware of this need with more than half reporting a current focus on developing emotionally intelligent leaders with the capability to engage and motivate staff.

It is encouraging that with a difficult labour market, HR managers are looking to identify and develop talent internally. Roughly four-fifths reported having some form of talent programme. It is less encouraging that only one-third report that their talent programme has been successful by whatever metric they deem most relevant. It seems that in some cases this lack of success may simply reflect a lack of time to see benefits emerge, but in other cases it was clear that the intended benefits had not been realised particularly in terms of changes in employee mindsets, behaviour and performance. Where talent programmes were in place, they were most often focussed on those employees identified or assessed as having leadership potential. Less common was a focus on technical staff with skills in short supply and high demand. It is common to see talent programmes focussed exclusively on those seen as having the potential to be future leaders at the expense of those who may wish to develop their career in a different way. HR managers should be mindful if they are to retain staff of providing multiple routes to development rather than just one, that which leads to a leadership position.

In five years’ time, HR managers anticipate that recruiting and retaining the right staff will continue to be a key people challenge. Succession planning tops the list of anticipated future priorities, rising from 10th in the list of current challenges. It seems, then, that HR managers are also looking to identify and develop employees with the potential to fill key positions in the near future. It is encouraging that HR managers are taking this step, given the current challenges in recruiting staff externally.

Summary



Recruiting and retaining the right staff dominate HR managers’ view of

current people challenges


The vast majority of HR managers report recruiting and retaining the right staff as their key people challenge� Singapore’s labour market is tight and talented employees are in a strong position� At the same time, it appears that HR struggle to find the skills and experience they need� Against this backdrop, HR needs to ensure that it develops leaders with the ability to engage and motivate the employees that they already have� This is clearly in their thoughts with more than half saying a key focus is the development of emotionally intelligent leaders�

In comparison with other workplace issues, diversity is not one of the main people challenges that HR managers report facing now� Increasing workplace diversity was at the bottom of the list, with 27 per cent of HR managers indicating that it is a people challenge� The issue may still be important for HR, it may just be the case that all other issues are overshadowed by the urgent need to recruit and retain key employees in a tight labour market�

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Recruiting the right staff

Retention of key employees

Employee engagement and morale

Managing employee expectations

Career development

Changing the mindset of employees

Increasing workforce productivity

Developing strategic thinking in leaders

Developing emotionally intelligent leaders

Succession planning

Encouraging innovation

Managing the expectations of Gen Y employees

Performance management

Managing a multi-generational workforce

Encouraging flexible working

Working across cultures

Increasing workplace diversity

What are the main people challenges your organisation is facing now?

Base size (n) = 198



The majority of HR managers report struggling with recruiting suitable

employees ‘often’ or ‘almost always’

How often does your organisation experience difficulties in recruiting suitable employees?

Base size (n) =204

18%

37%

42%

3% 1%

Almost always

Often

Rarely NeverSometimes



Lack of employees with suitable skills and experience continues to hinder

recruitment

What do you see as the main reasons for having difficulty in recruiting suitable employees?

Percentage of HR managers that report recruitment difficulties due to %

Lack of candidates with suitable experience 67

Lack of candidates with suitable skills (soft and technical) 66

Candidates are looking for better compensation and benefits than what is offered 63

A preference to work for ‘big-name’/more prestigious firms 28

The industry is perceived to have a ‘poor image’ by people 21

Workplace culture 17

Lack of work-life balance 13

Inconvenient location of office 12

The job role is perceived to have a ‘poor image’ by people 11

Lack of flexible working options (e.g. working from home) 7

Reluctance to relocate to an undesirable geographical location 6

Base size (n) = 197


A lack of candidates with the right skills and experience top the reasons for recruitment challenges� This is likely to exacerbate the pressure on pay and add to the importance of the financial offer in recruiting the right staff� That said, there are also other important factors at work� Workplace culture is cited by one-fifth of HR managers as contributing to recruitment challenges� Similarly, more than one quarter of HR managers cite the image of their industry� These latter difficulties may be more amenable to change than pay� Our own research with SMEs1 in Singapore has suggested a variety of approaches to improving employer brand and providing the right kind of culture that will both attract and help retain staff� The pressure on recruitment serves to emphasise the importance of the engagement and appropriate development of existing employees� In addition to the list of difficulties in recruiting staff listed above, 57 per cent of HR managers reported difficulties as a result of foreign labour quotas and restrictions�

1 Lucy D, Wellbelove J, Gopal Sara Devi (2014) ‘Talent and Productivity in Singaporean SMEs’ Roffey Park Institute on behalf of Ministry of Manpower



HR managers experience greatest difficulty in recruiting more junior

employees

At what level(s) in the organisation do you experience difficulties in recruiting suitable employees?

Percentage of managers that report recruitment difficulties at the level of %

Non-managerial

(ie no line management responsibility) 62

First-level

(supervisor or team leader, responsible for supervising more junior staff but with limited operational decision-making authority)

43

Mid-level

(responsible for managing at least one other level of manager; hold a degree of operational decision-making responsibility but play only a limited role in strategic decisions)

53

Senior-level

(responsible for managing several levels of managers, in charge of significant divisions of the organisation, and have a large degree of operational and strategic decision-making authority)

35

CEO, CFO, CTO, GM, MD

(responsible for the overall strategic direction and operation of the organisation)12

Base size (n) = 199


HR managers report experiencing greatest difficulty in recruiting more junior employees� This may reflect the fact that recruitment at these levels is more common due to the greater number of employees in these roles� It may also reflect the greater expectations of younger generations who are most likely to be applying for these roles� 1 in 2 HR managers report managing the expectations of Gen Y employees as a current key people challenge� It may be that there is a mismatch between what the employer sees as the value of a younger employee and how the potential employee perceives their own value� It may also simply be a case of a lack of suitable skills and experience at these levels, although if this is the case employers could look to recruit on the basis of attitude�



Four in five HR managers report having a talent programme in their

organisation

Which of the following groups are targeted by your talent programme(s)?

Target Groups Overall (%) SMEs (%) Non-SMEs (%)

Staff assessed as having high potential 60 41 78

Staff identified as future leaders of the organisation 55 42 67

Staff with skills in short supply/high demand 33 23 42

Graduates 29 17 42

Staff with international or cross-cultural experience and skills 18 19 18

Everyone 8 10 6

Do not have a talent programme 21 31 10

Base size (n) 194 97 97


With HR managers commonly experiencing difficulties in recruiting appropriate staff, it is encouraging to see that four-fifths report having some kind of internal talent programme to engage and further develop talented staff in their organisation� One in five, however, do not have such a programme� For those that do, the main targets appear to be individuals identified and assessed as having high potential� There appears less focus on staff with skills in short supply or high demand� It is common for programmes of this sort to focus exclusively on staff identified as potential leaders to the exclusion of more technical, but none the less essential, staff� This begs the question whether the talent programmes in operation are focussing on leaders at the expense of other more technical, but equally valuable staff�



Only one-third of HR managers report that their organisation’s talent

programme is successful

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Very successful

Successful

Neither successsful nor unsuccessful

Unsuccessful

Very unsuccessful

How successful have your talent development programme(s) been?

Base size (n) = 152

Of the HR managers that reported their organisation had a talent programme in place, roughly one-third feel that it has been successful by whatever measure they deem appropriate� The majority are undecided� Our conversations with HR managers responding to our survey highlighted a range of explanations for this finding� Some programmes were still in the process of embedding into the organisation and it was too early to tell of their impact� On other occasions, lack of appropriate evaluation was mentioned� Others referred to anticipated benefits not being realised, with attendees of the programmes not developing as expected�



Succession planning is the top HR priority in 5 years’ time


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Succession planning

Recruiting the right staff

Retention of key employees

Career development

Developing emotionally intelligent leaders

Developing strategic thinking in leaders

Managing the expectations of Gen Y employees

Employee engagement and morale

Managing a multi-generational workforce

Encouraging flexible working

Encouraging innovation

Managing employee expectations

Increasing workforce productivity

Working across cultures

Performance management

Increasing workplace diversity

What are the main people challenges your organisation is likely to face in five years' time?

Base size (n) = 189

In 5 years’ time, succession planning moves to the top of list of anticipated people challenges� 61 per cent of HR managers report that this will be the main people challenge in five years’ time� This is most likely due to more senior leaders at the top of organisations retiring from their positions and the need to identify potential internal successors�

At the same time,managing the expectations of Gen-Y employees moves up from 12th to 7th place, and managing a multi-generational workforce moves to 9th, up from 14th� It may be that these changes are related and HR anticipates growing challenges with managing the expectations of Gen Y and millennials entering the workforce�

3 | LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE


3. Leadership and change



It is striking that despite the majority (58 per cent) of managers reporting that their organisation had attempted to change its culture in the last five years, less than one half (37 per cent) of managers believe this change to have been successful. The main barriers to effective change appear to be people factors. Lack of clear communication and transparency around the purpose of change and insufficient involvement of employees are cited as key factors. It is perhaps of no surprise, then, that resistance to change features as the most commonly reported barrier to change.

It seems that managers at all levels recognise the need to manage change effectively, identifying it as one of their key leadership challenges. Based on what their staff say, it seems that these managers may unfortunately be lacking in the key capabilities to meet the challenge they face. Whilst the majority of employees regard their line manager as supportive (68 per cent) and fair (68 per cent), they are less likely to see their manager as articulating a clear strategic vision and engaging them with it (53 per cent of employees did not feel their manager articulated a clear vision). HR managers also are concerned with the ability of leaders in their organisation to manage change. Only 32 per cent of HR managers said that leaders in their organisation were effective at managing change.

The scene seems set for OD practitioners. It is OD practitioners that possess the core values and capabilities that are needed to support managers in managing change more effectively, and putting people at the heart of that change. It is clear that OD practitioners, where present in organisations, are having an impact. The vast majority of OD practitioners report organisation redesigns taking into account the people factor. On the other hand, OD practitioners also report a number of barriers to effective OD, principally lack of manager knowledge of what OD is (53 per cent), lack of leadership support (47 per cent), and change fatigue (43 per cent). Whilst these barriers may be evident, given the importance of managing change effectively and the apparent difficulties in doing so, now would seem to be the perfect time for OD practitioners to engage with managers and communicate the benefits of the support they can offer.

Our findings also shed light on some other important leadership capability gaps. Elsewhere in this report (chapter 1) managers were asked how they are responding to the political and economic challenges faced by their business. The most common answers revolved around greater innovation, workforce productivity and efficiency. Yet when HR are asked to comment on the capabilities of leaders in their organisations, less than one-third report that their leaders

are effective at encouraging creativity and innovation. Slightly more than one-third regard their leaders as engaging employees or having the ability to increase workforce productivity. Our Agenda findings this year point to some possible gaps in leadership capability, particularly those that are seen as most needed for meeting the political and economic challenges faced by businesses in Singapore.

Summary



HR managers see key gaps in the capabilities of leaders in their organisations,

particularly around engaging employees and managing change How effective are the leaders in your organisation with regard to the following…?

HR Managers who indicated managers are effective/ineffective at… Ineffective (%) Neither ineffective

nor effective (%) Effective (%) Base size (n)

Identifying and developing talent 17 39 39 182

Strategic thinking 25 33 34 181

Encouraging creativity and innovation 24 35 30 179

Managing change 23 37 32 181

Improving employee engagement 19 40 36 180

Managing across cultures and time zones 8 42 40 174

Managing a multi-generational workforce 8 45 41 179

Maintaining or improving workforce productivity 15 45 35 179

In chapter 1, managers identified greater innovation and workforce productivity as ways in which they intend to meet the external challenges facing their business. Effectively managing the change implied by redesigning systems and processes and implementing new technology were also highlighted. It is of interest, then, that HR managers do not tend to rate leadership capabilities in these areas highly. Less than one-third feel that leaders in their organisations are effective at encouraging creativity and innovation. Just over one-third rate leaders in their organisation as effective at engaging employees or increasing workforce productivity. One quarter of HR managers think their organisation’s leadership is effective at managing change, with roughly two-fifths equivocal on the matter. This lack of effectiveness reinforces the potential value of leadership development and support form expert OD practitioners.



Engaging employees and managing change top the list of challenges faced by

leaders

What are the top three challenges you face as a leader or manager in your organisation?

Percentage of managers indicating… %

Maintaining staff morale and engagement 32

Managing growth and change 31

Developing effective teams 28

Recruiting for the right skills and experience 28

Lack of strategic direction 21

Managing workload 20

Balancing diverse stakeholder interests 18

Influencing without authority 17

Balancing operational and strategic pressures 17

Dealing with underperformance 14

Increasing workforce productivity 14

Organisational politics 13

Managing the expectations of Gen Y employees 12

Doing more with less 11

Managing across cultures and time zones 6

Base size (n) = 282

Whilst HR do not, on the whole, see leaders in their organisation as effective at engaging em-ployees and managing change, leaders themselves recognise both issues as key challenges. Finding and attracting the right staff and moulding an effective team are also front of mind.



Percentage of C-Suite and Senior Managers (%)








Increasing productivity 16

Base size (n) 105

Percentage of Mid-level managers (%)


Recruiting the right skills and experience 28







Increasing productivity 15

Organisational politics 15

Base size (n) 96

Percentage of First-level managers %








Managing the expectations of Gen Y employees 15



Base size (n) 81

Managing change and enagaging employees feature as key challenges across levels of management� Engaging employees becomes a more significant priority at lower levels of management as does the ability to influence without authority�

Engaging employees increases in priority as you descend the organisational

hierarchy


What are the top three challenges you face as a leader or manager in your organisation?



Whilst a majority of employees see their line manager as supportive and

trustworthy, they are less clear about their ability to articulate and engage

others with a strategic visionHow would you rate your line manager at the following?

Articulating a clear vision and

strategy

Highly Ine�ective 5%

Ine�ective 16%Neither E�ective/Nor Ine�ective 32%

E�ective 41%

Highly E�ective 7%Base size (n) = 343

Being supportive and trustworthy



E�ective 54%


Possessing credibility in the

eyes of their team and wider

organisation



E�ective 53%


Listening well and

communicating clearly



E�ective 45%


Being fairand honest



E�ective 56%


It is encouraging that the majority of employees regard their manager as trustworthy and supportive (although for around a third of employees this is not the case and a cause of concern)� However, there appears to be a real lack of confidence in line managers’ ability to articulate and engage their staff with a strategic vision� Lacking this ability raises questions as to how effectively managers are able to develop a shared vision with staff, successfully manage change and ultimately build engagement�



Whilst the vast majority of managers report that their organisations have

attempted to change culture in the last 5 years, just one-third believe it to

have been successful

YES58%

NO24%

DON’T KNOW

19%

Base size (n) = 271

Base size (n) = 153

Very successful

Successful

Neither successfulor unsuccesful

Unsuccessful

Very unsuccessful

How successful have e�orts been to change the culture in your organisation?

1%

37%

44%

16%

1%

Has your organisation attempted to change its culture in the last five years?



Resistance to change, a lack of communication and leadership are the main

barriers to organisational change


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Resistance to change at the individual-level (mindset, habit, inertia, fear)

Lack of proper communication from senior management

Lack of leadership in directing change efforts

Lack of employee involvement in change efforts

Lack of transparency around the purpose for change

Poor resource allocation

Lack of knowledge and preparation concerning new roles

Organisational structure (too hierarchical)

What do you think are the barriers to successful organistional change?

Base size (n) = 326

The main barriers to effective change are people rather than technical challenges� Lack of involvement of employees appears as a major barrier alongside ineffective communication from management� A perceived lack of transparency around the purpose for change is also evident� All of these barriers combined emphasise the need for an approach to change that places people at its centre� There appears a place here for OD, with its focus on co-creation and democratic values�



OD Practitioners report focussing their work on developing leaders and

supporting change


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Leadership development

Change

Culture

Performance Management

Training and Development

Strategy and vision building

Organisation Design

Working with teams

Coaching

Workforce planning

What are your top three areas of focus as an OD person?

Base size (n) = 85



Where OD practitioners are present, they report organisations taking the

people factor into account when (re)designing their organisations

To what extent does your organisation adopt an OD approach to organisation design?

Base size (n) = 79

To a great extent

To some extent

To a little extent

Not at all

Don’t know

Percentage of OD practitioners indicating

13%

46%

30%

10%

1%



Lack of knowledge amongst managers seen as the main barrier to effective

OD


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Managers don't know what it is

Lack of leadership support

Change fatigue/Resistance

Benefits are difficult to measure

Organisational efficiency is more important than healthand sustainability

It takes too long

Viewed as pink and fluffy

What are the main barriers to effective OD in your organisation?

Base size (n) = 79

OD practitioners report that the main barriers to effective OD in their organisations are lack of knowledge amongst managers and lack of leadership support� Whilst this may be true, given the importance of managing change effectively and the apparent difficulties in doing so, now would seem to be the perfect time for OD practitioners to engage with managers and communicate the benefits of the support they can offer�

4 | ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE AND VALUES


4. Organisational cultureand values



Summary

We asked employees to say which of four cultures their organisation most closely approximated. The four cultures were: high support, high challenge; high support, low challenge; low support, high challenge; and low support, low challenge. Just over one-third of employees (34 per cent) reported working in high challenge, high support cultures characterised by trust, open communication, challenging work and supportive management. One in two employees (50 per cent) reported working in a low support culture where the support available from management is deemed insufficient and there are a lack of development opportunities. It seems, then, that cultures lacking effective support are more common than we would like to think. Managers may either lack the time, appropriate skills or mindset to support and develop their staff. Developing a style of leadership that focuses on people as well as tasks appears key.

Being in a ‘low support’ culture affects retention and engagement levels. Employees in low support cultures were more likely to report intending to leave their organisation in the near future. They also appear less engaged with their work, their team and their organisation when compared with those working in high support cultures. Given the difficulties in recruiting and retaining

the right staff reported by HR managers and highlighted elsewhere in this report, the risks attached to a culture lacking in effective support and challenge are made clear.

This year’s Agenda finds a clear trend in understanding organisational values with respect to levels of seniority. In short, more senior managers are more likely to understand their organisation’s values. Shared values are central to both organisational performance and effective change. They provide a social glue as well as guiding decisions in times of complexity and change. The apparent lack of understanding of organisational values at more junior levels suggests that HR may need to be more deliberate about how values are shaped, taking care to include the voices of the many rather than the few and seeking to create a set of values that are co-created and as a result co-owned.

To be useful, values not only need to be shared but also followed. Our research suggests that in a significant minority of organisations, this is indeed the case. 48 per cent of employees felt that their organisation’s stated values were those practised by management. That said, nearly one-third of employees felt there was a conflict between the espoused values of their organisation and

those practised by management. A further one-fifth were unsure. Employees not in a managerial role were found to be less likely to see congruence between espoused and lived values (50 per cent of managers felt lived values reflected stated values; 38 per cent of non-managers felt the same). As employees tend to look up to senior leaders as role models and as an embodiment of their organisation’s values, leaders may need to be more aware of their actions, and to ensure they are congruent with their organisation’s values.



50 per cent of employees report working in ‘low support cultures’

We asked employees which of four types of culture best described their organisation� The four culture types were:

High support/High challenge: A lot is demanded from employees, but they are trusted and given autonomy� There is sufficient support from managers, clarity about priorities and open communication�

High support/Low challenge: A paternalistic and supportive culture where there are low performance expectations and poor performance goes unchallenged�

Low support/High challenge: Work is demanding, both in content and volume but there is a lack of direction and support from senior managers�

Low support/Low challenge: Individuals are not held to account and poor performance is allowed to continue� Support and development opportunities are not offered�

35 per cent of employees reported working in a culture of ‘high support and high challenge’, the optimum culture for effective performance� Employees working in these environments talked of a workplace characterised by trust, open communication and good relationships with fellow employees�

35%

15%

44%

6%

Percentage of employees reporting their organisation's culture as ��

High Support/High Challenge High Support/Low Challenge

Low Support/High Challenge Low Support/Low Challenge

Base size (n) = 336



Employees working in ‘low support’ cultures are more likely to report

intending to leave their organisation in the near future

Base size (n) = high challenge, high support: 106; low challenge, high support: 46; high challenge, low support: 133; low challenge, low support: 20

LOW CHALLENGE HIGH CHALLENGE

HIG

H S

UPP

ORT

LOW

SU

PPO

RT

NO

44%

Inte

ntio

n to Leave

YES 57% NO 59% Intention to Leave YES 41%

YES 72% Intention to

Lea

ve

N

O 2

8%

YES 70%

Intention to Leave NO 30%



Employees working in low support cultures are also less likely to be engaged

in their job, team and organisation

ARE YOU ...

... extremely or very engaged in your JOB?

...extremely or very engaged in your TEAM?

... extremely or very engaged in your ORGANISATION?

High Support

61%Low Support

39%

High Support

62%Low Support

38%

High Support

68%Low Support

32%

Base size (n) = 183

Base size (n) = 156

Base size (n) = 127



Organisational values are less well understood the more junior the manager

How well do you understand your organisation’s values?

Very well (%) Fairly well (%) Base size (n)

C-suite and Senior managers 54 40 89

Mid-level managers 36 37 84

First-level managers 21 54 67

Non-managerial 24 33 58

Overall 36 41 298

Organisational values play a vital role in employee engagement, satisfaction, commitment and performance� Junior managers are less likely to understand the organisation’s values as much as C-suite and senior managers� 36 per cent of mid-level managers and 21 per cent of first-level managers indicated understanding their organisation’s values ‘very well’, compared to 54 per cent of C-suite and senior managers� Senior leaders and managers would perhaps need to make greater efforts to involve employees in the co-creation of values so that they are better understood and more widely owned�



Nearly one-third of employees do not think that their organisation’s stated

values reflect the actual values practised by management Do you think your organisation’s stated values generally reflect the actual values practised by management?

Although nearly one in two employees felt that their organisations’ stated values generally reflected the actual values practised by management, nearly one-third felt that they did not. Managers were more likely than non-managers to feel that the values practised by management were also lived (50 per cent of managers compared with 38 per cent of non-managers). Employees spoke about there being one rule for those in senior management and another for everyone else. Others spoke about actions not reflecting words. As an example, one manager we spoke with said the following:

YES 48%

NO32%

DON’T KNOW21%

Base size (n) = 298

“Management can be contradictory� One moment they say we need to be more innovative but then when someone comes up with new ideas, when the ideas are unfamiliar to senior management or if it seems to be tedious when it comes to execution for middle management, they will say no� They will tell you that your ideas are too bold, you are too ambitious, you have too many ideas, you think too far ahead� But…in the first place, you told me to be innovative!”

First-level manager, Events Management Industry

5 | WORKING LIFE

45

5. Diversity

5 | DIVERSITY


Diverse teams and workplaces are said to be advantageous, as they play a critical role in an organisation’s ability to innovate, adapt and be creative. Singapore’s workforce is inherently diverse and the topic of workplace diversity has become increasingly important in recent times.

Two-fifths (41 per cent) of the managers we surveyed indicated that workplace diversity is more than a tickbox exercise in their organisation. Just over one-third (35 per cent) of managers said that diversity is a tickbox exercise in their organisation. The data in this year’s Agenda, then, does not offer a clean bill of health for organisations in Singapore when it comes to exploiting the potential advantages of workforce diversity. It is interesting to note that positive impressions generally decline with decreasing seniority. Whilst the majority (55 per cent) of C-suite and senior managers feel that diversity is more than a tickbox exercise in their organisation, only one-third or less of mid-level (34 per cent) and first level (30 per cent) managers feel the same way. For non-managers, the figure is even lower at 20 per cent or one-fifth. It seems, then, that views are less positive in the parts of the organisation within which diversity usually rests.

With a growing population of older workers and changing social attitudes, particularly amongst the young, managing the needs and aspirations of workers across

the generations is essential to workforce productivity. Previous research by Roffey Park in collaboration with the Civil Service College in Singapore1 identified differences between generations across five key dimensions of leadership. Younger generations were found to be more individualistic and questioning of authority than older generations. They were also found to be less conservative and with a greater capability for big-picture thinking whilst having a more short-term focus. These differences are both an opportunity and a challenge. An opportunity as difference can enhance innovation and a challenge as tensions may lead to destructive conflict if differences are not managed well. This year’s Agenda suggests that both HR and non-HR managers are undecided as to whether or not the differing needs and aspirations of the different generations are being effectively met. 52 per cent of HR managers say that their organisation is neither effective nor ineffective at managing the needs of the different generations. 45 per cent of managers outside of HR feel the same. More could be done then to better manage differing needs and motivations, possibly involving re-designing policies and practices to better suit the needs of a multi-generational workforce2. Ultimately, harnessing the value of a diverse workforce requires skilled and inspiring leadership.

1 Hennessy J and Goh Han Teck (2011) ‘Generations and Leadership’. Civil Service College, Singapore.

2 http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/workplaces-advised-adapt-changing-staff-profile/?utm_campaign=20150324_hrdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=SG&utm_content=topstory

Whilst female labour force participation stood at 59 per cent in mid-2014, women held just 27 per cent of management positions3 and 8 per cent4 of directorships in 679 Singapore-Exchange listed companies. It is somewhat surprising, then, that our data suggest that the majority of managers (regardless of gender or level of seniority) believe their organisation is effective at encouraging women into senior leadership positions. If this is indeed true, this is a positive sign for the future.

3 http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore/27-of-management/1688732.html

4 http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/diversity-taskforce-calls-special-training-women-be-board-directors

Summary

5 | DIVERSITY


HR managers and senior leaders are more likely to indicate that diversity is

not a tick-box exercise

Is diversity a tick-box exercise in your organisation?

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 as respondents could answer ‘not sure’.

HR Managers

Non-HR Managers

C-suite & Senior

Managers

Mid-levelManagers

First-levelManagers

Non-managerial

Sta�

Yes 35% Yes 36% Yes 31% Yes 36% Yes 40% Yes 52%

No 48% No 27% No 55% No 34% No 30% No 20%

Base size (n) = 169

Base size (n) = 89

Base size (n) = 94

Base size (n) = 91

Base size (n) = 73

Base size (n) = 65

HR Managers (48 per cent) are more likely to report that diversity is not a tick-box exercise, compared to non-HR managers (27 percent)� The majority (55 percent) of C-suite and senior managers were also more likely to report that diversity is not a tick-box exercise� However, junior managers were more cynical about their organisations’ take on diversity� It seems then, that attitudes towards organisations’ diversity policy and practice are more sceptical in the places within organisations where it is most prevalent� This suggests to us that more attention should be paid to this area of organisational life

5 | DIVERSITY


One in two managers think that diversity is important to the success of their

business

How important is diversity to the success of your business?

HR Managers (%) Non-HR Managers (%) Overall (%)

Extremely important 12 12 12

Very important 36 37 37

Moderately important 30 34 32

Slightly important 16 15 16

Not at all important 6 2 4

Base size (n) 171 89 260

49 per cent of managers reported that diversity is ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important to their business� Whilst that it is very encouraging, it is also the case that one in five think it only slightly important or not important at all� As part of this research we undertook some in-depth qualitative interviews to shed light on some of our findings� Managers we spoke to referred to valuing meritocracy and a concern with how that clashed with diversity quotas� Others felt that diversity was important but less so compared with other, more critical operational matters� Where diversity is not treated as a key strategic issue for organisations and embedded in its culture and values, there is always a danger that this latter view will be prevalent�

Meritocracy is still important, and we will never resort to quotas to fulfil a need for diversity�

Senior manager, Telecommunications industry

Diversity is important but it is not a priority when we have other operational matters that are more critical�

Senior manager, Healthcare industry

We are more interested in thought diversity� We want to bring in different people from different backgrounds, different exposures, who have got different traits that contribute to the organisation’s success� We don’t care if it will be a male or female or whatever age� Because we strongly believe we should look beyond that and see the person for who they are� Things like gender and race are things you do not have control over, and people do not want to be just part of a quota either�

First-level HR manager, Recruitment services industry

5 | DIVERSITY


One in two managers indicated that their organisations are neither effective

nor ineffective at managing the needs of a multi-generational workforce

How effective is your organisation at managing the needs and expectations of a multi-generational workforce?

HR Managers Non-HR Managers Overall

Highly effective 3 5 4

Effective 40 35 38

Neither effective nor ineffective 52 45 49

Ineffective 5 15 10

Highly ineffective 1 1 1

Base size (n) 171 89 260

38 per cent of managers feel that their organisation is effective at managing the needs of the multi-generational workforce� However, close to 50 per cent of managers indicate that their organisations are neither effective nor ineffective at managing the differing needs and expectations of different generations� With increasing working-life spans and changing social attitudes, particularly amongst the young, about what to expect from work, leaders and the organisations they lead need to become better able to manage and leverage this difference� Policies encouraging the mentoring of junior by more experienced workers (and vice versa where technology is involved) is one option that HR may wish to consider, but ultimately what is required is engaging and flexible leadership which understands how to respond to and make the most of difference in the workplace�

5 | DIVERSITY


Majority of managers report that their organisation is effective at

encouraging women into senior leadership positions

How effective is your organisation at encouraging women into senior leadership positions?

HR Managers Non-HR Managers Overall

Highly effective 14 18 16

Effective 44 42 43

Neither effective nor ineffective 35 33 34

Ineffective 5 6 6

Highly ineffective 2 2 2

Base size (n) 170 89 259

Despite data showing that women are under-represented in senior management positions, the majority of managers, whether in HR or otherwise, regard their organisations as effective in encouraging women into senior leadership positions� This holds true regardless of gender or level of seniority� Our data, then, is somewhat surprising but encouragingly positive for the future�

6 | INNOVATION AND PRODUCTIVITY


6. Innovation andproductivity



In chapter 1 of this year’s Agenda, we highlighted how managers were focused on developing new products and services and increasing productivity to meet the challenges faced in the context of their business. In this chapter, we present data showing how positively managers feel about the productivity of their workforce and its ability to innovate.

Managers seem, on the whole, to feel that their workforce is at least as productive as the rest of their industry. On the other hand, only roughly one in five think their workforce outperforms industry average productivity. This data is in contrast to the performance in terms of productivity of Singapore’s economy as a whole. Despite phenomenal economic growth, the productivity of Singapore’s workforce is often reported to be less than what one might expect1. Long hours and a face-time culture are often cited as reasons behind the lower than expected productivity figures. In this year’s

1 http://business.asiaone.com/news/3-reasons-why-singaporeans-work-such-long-hours

Agenda, employees report ‘excessive paperwork and administrative details’ (56 per cent), ‘unproductive meetings that are too long and do not achieve much’ (49 per cent), ‘organisational politics’ (37 per cent), and ‘heavy workload’ (37 per cent) as barriers to improved productivity. We asked employees to answer a number of questions about how effectively a team of which they are a part but do not lead operates. 42 per cent said that unproductive behaviours are rarely challenged, whilst 57 per cent of employees said that team meetings were felt to be productive only ‘sometimes’. It seems, then, that leaders could do more to encourage the kind of team culture that fosters both support and challenge.

It is encouraging that the majority of employees believe that innovation is fostered in their organisation, at least to some extent. This perception is in contrast, however, to HR managers’ views on the ability of leaders to encourage creativity and innovation. Less than one-third of HR managers felt leaders in their organisation were able to create a climate supportive of innovation.

It is also in contrast to the finding that more than one quarter of employees feel that their team members are unwilling to admit mistakes. When asked about barriers to greater innovation, the most common responses are ‘people’s mindsets’ (71 per cent), ‘lack of time, energy and resources to devote to innovation’ (52 per cent), and ‘organisational culture’ (39 per cent). The danger of seeing ‘people’s mindsets’ as the key barrier is that it overlooks innovation as a social process and characterises it more as a result of individual creativity. For innovation to be fostered, leaders must engender a climate that offers autonomy and is experienced by employees as psychologically safe. In other words, ideas are welcomed and failure viewed as an opportunity to learn rather than to blame.

Summary



Managers, on the whole, see the productivity of their workforce as equal to

the average for their industry

HR Managers

Average

21%

58%

11%Below industry average

Above industry average

Non-HR Managers

Average

24%

62%

Below industry average


Overall

Average

22%

59%

Below industry average


11%

11%

Base size (n) = 160

Base size (n) = 79

Base size (n) = 239

Our data suggest that managers, on the whole, regard the productivity of their workforce as equal to the average for their industry� Roughly one-fifth to one quarter, depending on whether you work in HR or not, feel that workforce productivity is above industry average� Only one in ten believe their productivity is below the industry average� This is in contrast to official data which suggests that Singapore, whilst having experienced phenomenal growth, has a productivity challenge� Low productivity is, in part, a reflection of the long hours worked� According to some figures, Singaporeans work some of the longest hours in the World1� It is possible that manager perceptions of productivity are based on how long employees are seen to be at their desks, so-called face time, rather than actual output� To boost productivity, leaders need to focus on outcomes not on hours worked�

1 http://business.asiaone.com/career/news/average-singaporean-works-2287-hours-year-study



Bureaucracy, heavy workloads and destructive micro-politics are seen as key

barriers to increasing workforce productivity


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Excessive paperwork and administrative details

Unproductive meetings that are too long and do not achieve much

Lack of clear goals

Organisational Politics

Heavy workload which leads to burnout

Inadequate communication between staff

Bureaucracy

Inadequate resources and training to do the job

Poor attitude of employees (ie: Distracted by their handphones,Facebook, taking long coffee and lunch breaks, coming in late to work)

Email overload

Person-job mismatch

Open-plan offices

What do you see as the barriers to greater productivity in your organisation?

Base size (n) = 287

There is a suggestion in our data that workers are working hard but not smart� Heavy workloads may work against having time to reflect and innovate� They are also likely to lead to stress and burnout and workers not giving the best of themselves when they are at work� The adage ‘go slow to go fast’ may apply here� Destructive micro-politics covers protecting territory, and an unwillingness to share information and knowledge across the organisation�



The vast majority of employees believe innovation is encouraged in their

organisation at least to some extent

To what extent is innovation encouraged in your organisation?

HR Managers (%) Non-HR Managers (%) Non-managers (%) Overall (%)

To a great extent 22 29 21 24

To some extent 50 46 52 49

To a little extent 22 19 21 21

Not at all 4 4 3 4

Don’t know 2 3 3 2

Base size (n) 161 79 58 298

Given the importance of innovation for businesses in meeting the political and economic challenges in their environment (see chapter 1), it is encouraging that the majority of employees believe innovation is encouraged in their organisation, at least to some extent� This does, however, conflict with other data in this year’s agenda, suggesting that less than one-third of HR managers believe leaders in their organisation are effective at encouraging creativity and innovation� For a culture of innovation to be fostered, leadership which promotes sharing of knowledge and ideas, is willing to take risks and accept failure on occasion is needed�



Main barrier to innovation perceived to be the mindset of employees


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

People's mindsets

Lack of time, energy and resources to devote toinnovation

Organisational culture

Organisational structure

'Kiasu' syndrome (Fear of failure, of 'losing out', ormaking mistakes)

Confucian cultural values

What are the barriers to innovation in your organisation?

Base size (n) = 293

It is interesting to note that the main barrier to innovation is perceived to be the mindset of employees� Contrary to the popular myth of innovation being the result of a creative maverick working alone, innovation is a social process requiring group norms that support the generation and testing of ideas in a psychologically safe environment� Organisational culture is key, and it is notable that this is identified as a barrier by two in five employees�



Barriers to effective innovation and productivity are evident in employee

views of the teams they work in

Thinking about a team at work that you are part of but do not lead, please rate the following statements

Percentage of managers indicating… Usually (%) Sometimes (%) Rarely (%)

Are team meetings compelling and not boring? 17 64 20

Are most important issues discussed and addressed in team meetings? 39 54 7

Do you feel that meetings in the workplace are productive and useful with specific resolutions and calls to action?

28 57 15

Do your team members offer help and support to each other when facing challenges?

44 46 10

Are team members slow to seek credit for their own contributions and quick to point out those of others?

15 53 31

Do you and your team mates openly admit your weaknesses and mistakes?

16 57 27

Are team members open and honest when discussing issues? 28 57 15

Are you able to challenge each other on your plans and approaches? 27 56 17

Does your team acknowledge and recognise each other’s efforts and good work?

38 50 12

Is your team confident that members are committed to and mutually accountable for the team’s decisions?

29 57 14

Are team members concerned about the prospect of letting down each other?

19 52 29

Are your team members comfortable in calling out each other’s deficiencies and unproductive behaviours?

8 51 42

Base size (n) = 300

With more than one quarter of employees indicating that members of teams of which they are a part do not openly admit mistakes suggests that team culture could be improved in service of greater innovation. Similarly, productivity is no doubt hampered by employees not feeling able to challenge the unproductive behaviours of their team members.

It is encouraging that employees feel that team members are compassionate, willing to help and support others when they face challenges

7 | WORKING LIFE


7. Working life

7 | WORKING LIFE


Our Agenda this year finds that employees are motivated by meaningful work, autonomy and the ability to make a difference. Employees reported enjoying the autonomy, independence and freedom they are given to be creative and find solutions to workplace challenges. Having good workplace relationships and good leadership were also important motivators. Gen-Y employees felt more motivated by flexible working opportunities and work-life balance than their Gen-X colleagues. Flexible working was the second-most important motivator for Gen-Ys at 62 percent. It ranked 8th on the list for Gen-X employees at 45 percent. The differing motivations experienced by employees of different generations underscores the importance for employers of being aware of such differences and crafting employee value propositions to suit.

Financial reward does not feature very strongly as a workplace motivator. However, insufficient financial rewards is reported as one of the main reasons why employees are looking to move on from their current organisation. Financial rewards was 9th on the list of workplace motivators, whilst ‘insufficient financial rewards’ was the third most common reason given for looking to move on. A lack of career progression and development (52 percent), poor management (44 percent) and a lack of appreciation (39 percent) were other commonly listed reasons. As noted in Chapter 4, unsupportive managers who may be disproportionately focussed on task rather than people may be adding to employers’ retention problems. Since Singapore’s national unemployment rate is very low the labour market is an “employees’ market” where people leave once they feel they are not getting what they want from their organisations. Leaders perhaps need to do more to ensure that employees are appreciated and that they are given sufficient development opportunities.

More than one in two (56 per cent) employees report experiencing an increase in workplace stress over the past 6 months. Management style, workplace relationships and workload were perceived to be the most common causes of workplace stress. 56 percent of employees attributed their stress to management style. Ineffective workplace relationships in the form of destructive organisational politics (43 percent) and a lack of support (38 percent) were also causes of workplace stress. High workloads may contribute to the perceived lack of support with managers struggling to find the space to offer the guidance that is needed. 44 percent of employees reported workload as a cause of workplace stress. Singaporeans have a tremendous work ethic and this is evident in the 64 percent of employees who report staying in the office after working hours at least three days in a week and the 62 percent who admitted to bringing home work to complete. Whilst the drive to get the job done is admirable, one wonders about the effect of this on wellbeing and productivity. Recent data1 has found that working longer hours actually results in a drop in labour output per hour, leading to more unproductive workers and many more suffering from burnout and other health issues2.

Employees who experience flexibility in their work lives are more productive due to less spillover of work into their personal lives and vice versa. Employees responding to this year’s Agenda report, on the whole, having a satisfactory work-life balance but would prefer a more flexible work pattern. 70 percent of employees reported having a good work-life balance. However, 85 percent felt that they would prefer a more flexible work pattern. Although the number of organisations offering at least one form of flexible work arrangement

1 http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2014/12/working-hours2 http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/health/story/more-young-

professionals-suffering-burn-out-20140414

has increased3, there still appear to be barriers to making flexible working a reality in many organisations. A lack of trust (45 percent), a ‘face-time’ culture (43 percent) and abuse of policies (42 percent) were the top three barriers to greater flexible working cited by employees. The face-time culture is common in Singapore where people who are seen more at work or who stay late at work are often seen as more ‘committed’ and ‘dedicated’ to the job than people who work away from the office.

We asked employees how engaged they felt with respect to their job, their team and the organisation they worked for. A majority of employees were either ‘extremely engaged’ or ‘very engaged’ in both their job and the team they worked in. Employees felt less engaged with the organisation they worked for, with 41 per cent reporting a strong sense of engagement. This may simply reflect the greater distance between the individual employee and the ‘organisation’ when compared with the much closer relationship between an individual and their job or team. Whilst the percentage of employees feeling engaged with their job, team and organisation are positive, there is clearly scope for improvement. Improvements in engagement are likely to lead to improved productivity and performance. There are also risks of lack of engagement evident from our data. Employees who reported feeling less engaged in their job, team or organisation were more likely to report an intention to leave in the near future. For example, just over one-third of employees who reported feeling ‘extremely engaged’ in their job reported an intention to move on in the near future. The comparative percentage for those feeling ‘slightly engaged’ was 93 per cent.

3 http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/half-singapore-employers-now-offer-flexible-working/

Summary

7 | WORKING LIFE


Meaningful and interesting work, the ability to make a difference and

autonomy are the top motivators for employees

We asked employees what motivates them at work� In general, intrinsic factors like meaningful and interesting work, the ability to make a difference and autonomy at work served as key motivators� Good relationships with work colleagues and effective leadership also feature strongly� What appears comparatively less important are financial rewards� Given the difficulties reported by HR managers in recruiting and retaining talented employees, our data would suggest that employers, even if they are unable to offer the best compensation and benefits, could usefully adopt other approaches to attracting and holding on to talented employees� Developing leaders who are able to engage their teams with meaningful work that is seen to make a difference stands out as a lever open to employers� Our data also suggests that Gen-Y employees are more likely to be motivated by flexible working opportunities and work-life balance (62 percent) than Gen X employees (45 percent)�

WHAT MOTIVATES

YOU AT WORK?

Personal achievement

52%

Financial rewards

and perks

48%

Enjoyment of job

48%

Flexible working / work-life balance

50%

Making a di�erence

58%

Meaningful and interesting

work

63%

Autonomy and freedom

at work

58%

Good leadership

53%

Respectful and friendly colleagues

55%

Learning new skills

46%

Being part of a successful

team

45%Recognition by others

42%Base size (n) = 308

7 | WORKING LIFE


Close to three-fifths of employees are considering a move in the near future

Are you considering a move in the near future?

53% 47%

YES

YES

NO

NO

62% 38%Larger organisations

SMEs Base size (n) = 141

Base size (n) = 167

58 per cent of employees report looking to move on from their organisation in the near future� It appears that employees working in SMEs may be less likely to report an intention to leave compared with their counterparts in larger organisations� This may reflect the sometimes greater sense of opportunity to contribute to the business and closer relationships in SMEs1�

1 Lucy D, Wellbelove J, Gopal SaraDevi (2014) Talent and Productivity in Singaporean SMEs. Roffey Park Institute on behalf of Ministry of Manpower, Singapore.

7 | WORKING LIFE


Lack of career growth and development opportunities, poor management

and insufficient financial rewards are the top three reasons for employees

considering a move

Why are you considering leaving your current organisation?


8%

Long hours

Poor management

Incompatible ethical aimsNo opportunity

to travel

No opportunity to broaden skills

Lack of responsibility

Lack of appreciation No promotion

prospects

33%44%

14% 13%21%

Insu�cient financial rewards

52%

Lack of career growth and development

28%

No challenge

20%

Lack of work-life balance

42%

14%

39%

Whilst managers and non-managers had similar reasons for wanting to move on, managers were less likely to report insufficient financial rewards as a reason when compared with non-managers (38 per cent of managers cited insufficient financial rewards as a reason for wanting to move on compared with 49 per cent of non-managers)�

7 | WORKING LIFE


Nearly three-fifths of employees report an increase in workplace stress over

the last six months

Has the level of workplace stress you experience increased, decreased or stayed the same over the last six months?

Base size (n) = 303

56%

7%

37% 37%

Managers were more likely than non-managers to report an increase in workplace stress over the last six months� 59 per cent of managers reported an increase compared with 42 per cent of non-managers (although caution is required in interpreting this figure as the base size was less than 100)�

7 | WORKING LIFE


Management style, workload and organisational politics are the main sources

of workplace stress


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Management style

Workload

Organisational politics

Lack of support

Lack of clarity concerning my role

Level of responsibility

Lack of control over how/when I work

Interpersonal relationships

Pressure to perform

Pace or extent of change

Length of working day

Insecurity

Bullying

What do you consider to be the major stressors in your working life?

Base size (n) = 295

Management style was the source of workplace stress most commonly reported across levels of seniority (46 per cent of CEOs, CFOs; 53 per cent of senior managers; 64 per cent of mid-level managers) with the exception of first-line managers for whom workload was the most common source of stress reported (49 per cent of first-line managers reported workload as a source of stress)�

7 | WORKING LIFE


Employees cope with perceived high workload by working extra hours,

bringing work home and working whilst on vacation

Percentage of employees indicating that they��

Base size (n) = 304


64%

43%11%

47%

62%

...stay in the o ce for at least an hour after work hours, at least three days a week

...bring home work to complete

...work whilst on vacation

...do none of the above

...work from home whilst on medical leave

The perception of many employees is that workloads are high and this is clearly having an impact on work-life balance� As might be expected, managers were more likely than non-managers to report staying in the office late (66 per cent compared to 54 per cent), taking work home (65 per cent compared to 51 per cent) and on vacation (44 per cent compared to 41 per cent)� It is not possible for us to say whether workloads are indeed high or whether or not employees simply do not possess the right skills and behaviours to manage the work they have to do� Equally, it is not clear whether a face-time culture prompts employees to work outside of hours as this is recognised and possibly rewarded� Working out of hours does not necessarily equate to productivity or performance, and in the long run being ‘always on’ may diminish well-being and ultimately performance�

7 | WORKING LIFE


Employees have a satisfactory work-life balance but would like a more

flexible work pattern

YES

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

YES YES YES YES YES YES NO NO NO

YEO NO

Do you have a satisfactory work-life balance?

69% 31%

15%85%

Would you like a more flexible work pattern?

Base size (n) = 304

Base size (n) = 300

On the whole, employees report having a satisfactory balance between their work and home life� This appears true regardless of seniority level, gender, age or generation� That said, more than four in five would like a more flexible work pattern� Again, this pattern does not vary greatly by level of seniority, gender, age or generation� It seems, on the surface at least, that employees are happy with the hours they work but would just like greater flexibility in where and when they perform those hours of work� It also appears, from our data at least, that there is a consensus about the need for change�

7 | WORKING LIFE


A lack of trust, an emphasis on ‘face-time’ and the abuse of policies are the

top barriers to flexible working in the organisation


0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Lack of trust between employer and employee

A 'face-time' culture

Abuse of policies

Excessive workload

Manager scepticism

Fear of loss of productivity

Perceived difficulty with supervision of employees on flexi-workarrangements

Fear of being perceived as less serious about one's career

Fear of negative career consequences (ie: termination, denial ofpromotion)

Lack of appropriate IT equipment and infrastructure

Fear of colleagues' resentment

Costs of policies that facilitate flexible working (ie: childcare leaveetc)

Unaware of flexi-work policies

Costs of setting up IT equipment

There are no barriers

Don't know

What are the barriers to flexible working in your organisation?

Base size (n) = 294

We asked employees what were the barriers to flexible working in their organisation and 45 percent reported a lack of trust between employer and employee� 43 percent attributed it to the ‘face-time’ culture where employees who showed up physically at work and who stayed late often were deemed more ‘hardworking’ and ‘committed’� Whilst actual or potential abuse of (flexible working) policies (42 per cent) and excessive workload (34 per cent) were given as barriers, it seems that cultural barriers appear uppermost in the minds of employees�

7 | WORKING LIFE


Majority of employees report feeling engaged in both their job and the work

of their team

Percentage of employees who indicated�� Your job (%) The team you are working in (%) Your organisation (%)

Extremely engaged 17 11 9

Very engaged 44 42 33

Moderately engaged 27 34 38

Slightly engaged 10 11 16

Not at all engaged 1 2 3

Base size (n) 299 299 300

The majority of employees report feeling ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ engaged in their job (61 per cent) and with the work of their team (53 per cent)� Employees are less likely to report feeling ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ engaged with their organisation (42 per cent)� This suggests that HR managers and their employers could do more to engage their employees with the purpose of their organisation, and make clear the links between the work of individuals and teams and the objectives of the organisation as a whole� Whilst levels of engagement are positive in many ways, there is also clearly scope for improvement�

7 | WORKING LIFE


Engaged employees are less likely to be considering a move in the near

future

0

20

40

60

80

100

Very/Extremely Engaged

Moderately/Slightly/Not at all Engaged

Perc

enta

ge

Engagement with Job

Engagement with Team

Engagement with Organisation

Percentage of employees considering a move in the near future

What employees in engaging workplacesare saying

Feeling that the company values you is certainly impor-tant. And a sense of being in the same boat as everyone else makes you want to keep the boat sailing and sailing well.

The reason why I am engaged in the job is because this is the only way which I think I can contribute. Another reason is also the passion I have for my job.

I enjoy the work that I do because of the empowerment and authority I am given to carry out the work that needs to be done to solve the issues. So this spurs me to continuously find areas of the work or processes to be improved upon. Being ‘very engaged’ with the team means I work very closely with the other functional teams along the course of finding a better solution, especially for our clients. This helps us in the long run too.

It is important to stay engaged by connecting with your peers and to really be engaged with them on a professional basis. It’s vital. So we exchange information, and perspectives. We constantly link up and communicate with head o�ce and other regional o�ces. We try to make personal visits to the head o�ce, whenever we can. So there’s a lot of communication and there’s a lot of assistance as well, so in that sense it’s quite good, it’s quite engaging.

Base size (n) = 299 Base size (n) = 299 Base size (n) = 300

8. Appendices

8 | APPENDICES


Respondent profileFindings of this year’s Singapore Management Agenda are based on the responses of 474 employees from organisations of a range of sectors and sizes. 66 per cent of these worked in HR, with 34 per cent working outside HR. The characteristics of the individuals who responded to the survey and the type of organisations they work for are presented here.

Respondent characteristicsFigure 1 below shows the profile of survey respondents by level of seniority. Figure 2 shows the profile of survey respondents by age group.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Appendix 1 - Respondent profile and method

5%

25%

27%

24%

18%

Profile of respondents by role level

CEO, CFO, CTO, GM, MD (leaders in a decision-making position for the organisation)

Senior Manager (manager of mid-level managers)

Mid-level Manager (manager of first-level managers)

First-level Manager (supervisor, team leader)

Non-managerial staff (No managerial responsibility) Base size (n) = 406

15%

16%

20%

29%

17%

3%

Profile of respondents by age group

20-29 30-34 35-39 40-49 50-59 60+

Base size (n) = 411

8 | APPENDICES


36 per cent of respondents were male. 64 per cent were female. Figure 3 shows the breakdown of seniority within each gender

Figure 3

CEO, CFO, CTO, GM, MD (10%)(Leader in a decision-making postion for the organisation)

Senior-level (32%)(Manager of mid-level managers)

Mid-level (25%)(Manager of first-level managers)

First-level (24%)(Supervisor, team leader)

CEO, CFO, CTO, GM, MD (3%)(Leader in a decision-making postion for the organisation)

Senior-level (21%)(Manager of mid-level managers)

Mid-level (28%)(Manager of first-level managers)

First-level (24%)(Supervisor, team leader)

Non-managerial (9%)(No managerial responsibility)

Non-managerial (23%)(No managerial responsibility)

Respondents’ role level by gender

Base size (n) = 406

8 | APPENDICES


Respondent Organisation Characteristics

Respondents to the survey worked for a range of organisations of different sectors and sizes. Figures 4, and 5 show the breakdown of respondent organisations’ by number of employees and broad industrial sector. Table 1 shows a more detailed breakdown by industrial sector.

Figure 4 Figure 5

22%

13%

14%25%

14%

12%

Respondent profile by organisation size (number of employees)

Up to 50 51 – 100 101 - 200201 – 1,000 1,001 – 5,000 5,001 +

Base size (n) = 413

14%

73%

8%

5%

Respondent profile by industrial sector

Production and Manufacturing Private Services

Public Sector Charity/Not for Profit

Base size (n) = 451

8 | APPENDICES


Sector Percentage Number

Production and Manufacturing 14 61

Electronics 31 19

Precision Engineering 13 8

Chemicals 12 7

General Manufacturing 10 6

Transport Engineering 8 5

Biomedical Manufacturing 7 4

Others 20 12

Private Services 73 319

Financial Services 12 37

Hospitality/Catering/F&B 9 30

IT and Telecommunications 9 29

Retail/Wholesale 9 27

Management Consultancy 7 21

Distribution/Transport 6 19

Sector Percentage Number

Engineering 6 18

Media/Publishing 5 15

Construction & Manufacturing 3 11

Private Health Services 2 5

Pharmaceuticals 2 5

Private Education 1 3

Accountancy services 1 2

Others 30 97

Public Sector 9 39

Ministry 8 3

Statutory Board 46 18

Organs of State 5 2

Others 41 16

Table 1 : Respondent profile by detailed industrial sector

8 | APPENDICES


The Management Agenda Singapore is now in its second year. It aims to identify current and future challenges that managers face in the workplace in Singapore. The content of the questionnaire was determined following consultation with research and consultant staff in Singapore.

The survey is a self-completion questionnaire consisting of 59 multiple-choice, closed and open-ended questions.

An English language online version of the survey was open from end-September until early December. An email invitation with a link to the survey was sent to a list of managers known to Roffey Park and an external database of managers based in Singapore. The incentive for participants to complete the survey was a free copy of the final report, a donation by Roffey Park to World Wide Fund for Nature – Singapore (WWF) for each completed survey.

In addition to the survey, 11 in-depth qualitative interviews were undertaken with respondents to the survey. The aim of these interviews was to explore in detail some of the themes covered in the survey and to capture what respondents meant by some of their answers.

How we designed and conducted the research

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Forthcoming research

Executive coaching – beyond the client’s agenda: How has coaching changed over the last decade? How do coaches manage their responsibility to the client, to their organisation and to the wider world? What is the art of coaching? What does the future look like for executive coaching?

The Nine Box Model: issues and challenges – we are investigating the views and perceptions of managers on the use of the Nine Box Model for assessing potential. Do managers know where they have been placed on the grid? Do they know why they have been placed there? And how has all this affected their motivation and sense of engagement with their organisation? How easy or difficult did they find it to use the grid and assess potential in others? How has the process affected the motivation and engagement of their teams?

Trust heat map – how do people’s sense of trust in their relationships at work change over time, and why? What critical incidents lead to a burgeoning sense of trust or distrust?

Rebuilding trust - The research aims to look at repairing organisational trust when it has been broken. Our aim is to focus on employees’ perceptions of the trustworthiness of their organisation and the strategies required to repair these perceptions once they have been damaged.

Visit www.roffeypark.com/reports

for further information

ISBN 978-0-907416-09-8 Published May 2015

Roffey Park Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, 3 Temasek Avenue, Level 34 Centennial Tower, Singapore 039190 Tel: +65 6549 7840 / 7841 / 7842 Fax: +65 6549 7011email: [email protected] www.roffeypark.com

Roffey Park Institute Limited is a charity registered with the Charity Commission No. 254591

Roffey Park’s Singapore Management Agenda highlights the views of managers on aspects of organisational life. The survey is based on Roffey Park’s UK Management Agenda, now in its 18th year and widely recognised as one of the most important and reliable indicators of emerging workplace issues in the UK.

Based on the views of nearly 500 employees working in organisations from a wide range of sectors and of different sizes, the report covers managers’ views on leadership, talent management, innovation and productivity, and engagement. The report presents the views of employees from all levels of seniority and those in both HR and non-HR roles.

This research should appeal to a wide audience, from Board members through to HR, OD and managers in the wider business. It should also be of interest to anyone with responsibility for developing effective people management strategies, OD initiatives, and effective organisations.

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