10 quick steps that can be adopted to enhance the impact of HR in Singapore

1. A reflection of my journey to bring together learning and experiences to put
in place a set of HR solutions authentic to Singapore
Prepared by: Sam Neo
HR

2.  Just when I believed that I had pretty much figured out what
HR is all about and thought that things worked pretty much
the same way, subject to the context we operate in, along
came a number of ideas from different thought leaders to
shake things up.
 I researched, read and listened with a curious mind hoping to
find interesting concepts that could be applied to Singapore
and true enough, I was totally blown away!
 So let me share some of the key reflections I developed with
respect to Singapore’s context after I began my journey…

3. Pro-management, not
pro-people
Administrative
support rather than
strategic partner
“Hands and legs” for
the line managers
“Headcount
reduction” unit
“Compliance police”
to ensure policies are
adhered to
This seems limiting / boring!
Is this really the truth?
Is HR capable of doing more?
What does HR need to have in order to level up?
BUT!
But Singapore companies still say PEOPLE is their greatest asset!
Lingering Common Perceptions of HR in Singapore

4. • In theory HR can and should go beyond being a
support function i.e. Administrative Expert
• With the right vision, HR can take on bigger
and more meaningful roles: Strategic Partner,
Change Agent,Talent Champion and
Employee Advocate.
• But first, HR needs to have a meaningful
business based purpose.
Develop a HR vision on how HR helps the execution of the business

5. 10 Important Steps HR in Singapore Needs toTake:
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert
• The 10 steps are not in order of importance and definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution.
• It is important for HR teams to have a clear goal in mind (strategic partner, employee champion and
change agent) and adopt the tools according to their own unique context.
1) Data-driven approach
2) Focus on the 2 tails of the
performance bell curve
3) Have a good balance of internal
and external training
4) “Wisdom of crowd” approach
Strategic Partner EmployeeChampion Change Agent
8) Remove status symbols
9) Endless experimentation
10) Nudging
5) Build trust and knowledge
through transparency
6)Turn work into play
7) Create meaning

6.  According to a research by PwC, only a mere 4% of CEOs in South East Asia
recognize the value of using data analytics and predictive analysis in their
talent strategy1.
 CIPD Asia also added that even though companies in the region use data for their
people decisions, it is often one-dimensional and in the form of lagging
indicators which doesn’t provide HR with predictive capabilities2.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

7.  Rely on unbiased data sources, both internal to your company and external to what is happening in
Singapore, to achieve an objective view before making people-related decisions.
 Examples of internal sources: Employee surveys, hiring and attrition records, exit interviews etc.
 With unbiased data to back up claims, decisions will be less debatable and HR can more readily get
the buy-in from their stakeholders. HR has to define it’s stakeholders.
 Internal data sources can also help HR identify useful patterns to predict organizational/ people issues
ahead of time and tackle them effectively. In turn, this will also aid the company in making more well
considered business decisions confidently.
 Don’t blindly take the data from outside Singapore because it is biased and likely applicable only to
where it is coming from.
 But first, HR has to build trust with employees so they get truthful data.
 Second, understand that stories in Singapore are powerful. Back up all data with anecdotal stories.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

8.  A notable trend in Singapore is for companies to place a large part of their focus on
developing their potentials/performers through leadership programmes while
trying to manage out their weaker employees who are delivering below
expectations.
 It has been observed that one common way of managing employees out in
Singapore is the Performance Improvement Programme (PIP)3.
 Instead of using the PIP to help the poorer performers improve, companies in
Singapore tend to perceive it as a tool that facilitates the exit of such individuals.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

9.  HR in Singapore should continue developing their top talents through
targeted programmes but at the same time, appreciate the value
collectivism by leveraging on their top talents’ competencies to help the
weaker performers improve.
 Example: Appoint specialists and top performers in the respective fields as
internal trainers to share and help everyone else level up at work.This can come
in the form of brown bag sessions, classroom training, coaching etc.
 HR in Singapore needs to first identify the bottom % staff with the
intention to help them get better, not fire them!The affected staff will
appreciate the effort and potentially, be even more committed than
before.
 Remember, it is more costly to hire a replacement than to train an existing
staff4 (replacement cost ranges between 50% - 200% of salary) .That said,
if the staff’s poor performance is a result of bad fit, it’s better for both the
company and the individual to part ways as soon as possible.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

10.  According to a report from Human Resources Online, classroom
training is the hottest mode of training in Singapore – 83% across
industries5.
 HRD Singapore also shared that despite the implementation of L&D
programmes, barriers to formal learning still exists within local
companies.They come in the form of low relevance to the job,
employees not being held accountable for using the learning and
weak connections to personal development plans6 among others.
 Even though the objective of training is to help employees improve
their performance, most companies in Singapore still tend to
emphasize more on tracking the training hours and training dollar
spent per employee rather than truly studying the impact resulting
from the training e.g. behavioral change, productivity, engagement
level etc.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

11.  HR in Singapore should identify a good mix of external and internal speakers to help provide employees with
insights on the company’s strategy while also exposing them to updated market practices/trends.This will
provide their employees with a more holistic view when considering options and making business decisions.
 Train the trainers: First, HR needs to equip their best people in the respective fields to be able to train the rest.
In a culture where people are generally uncomfortable doing stand up training, it is necessary to provide them
with a safe environment and make the process easy for the trainers.
 Courses do not always have to be in the standard “2-days crash course” format!
 Effective training can be done by breaking down courses or skills taught into smaller components and providing
prompt, specific feedback.
 To examine the effectiveness of trainings conducted, measure behaviors in various forms
 Example: Manager and peer feedback, both before and after the training.
 HR in Singapore needs to encourage a culture of constant sharing and feedback, which may be tough in the local
context, but definitely necessary.
 It's also important to regularly review the effectiveness of the training and refresh it according to the ever-
changing business needs.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

12.  Asian values primarily revolve around showing
respect towards seniority/authority, collectivism
and preference for social harmony7.
 These values often result in a top down decision-
making culture in many organizations in Singapore.
 Even when opinions are seek from the middle to junior
level, decisions are still made with strong influence
from the top management.
 In turn, decisions made can be rather subjective based
on several individuals’ interests rather than one that is
objective and well-debated.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

13.  Rather than following the norm and over relying on one or few individuals for
important decisions, HR in Singapore needs to build a consultative culture where
voices of others can be heard i.e. "wisdom of crowd" approach.
 Examples: Performance rating/promotion calibration, panel interviews etc.
 The approach will benefit the company by helping them make a more well-informed
decision, create joint accountability as well as reduce potential blind spots and
personal biasness.
 Considering the hierarchical nature in the Asian culture, it is imperative for HR and the
senior leaders to create a safe environment for voices to be aired during discussions.
 A word of caution for HR teams is to ensure that the group consists of people from
different teams/background as much as possible to avoid groupthink.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

14.  Singapore’s workers have been polled as the world’s unhappiest in 2011. Only 17% of the local
workforce see themselves staying with their current employer forever as compared to a global
average of 35%8.
 One key reason cited for the poor showing by talent management companyLumesse was the lack
of transparency.
 It was also highlighted that in the context of anAsian country, the lack of transparency resulted
from the lack of trust.This in turn leads to bottlenecks in knowledge sharing9.
Strategic
Partner
Employee
Champion
Change
Agent
Administr
ative
Expert

15.  Transparency: Open sharing of information is key for knowledge flow and building trust
within the organization and across functions.
 HR may help the company kick start this practice among teams or across selected
processes then move to an organization wide level depending on context and readiness of
the company.This is especially so in Singapore where practices tend to be a little more
conservative.
 A selective approach could be adopted to build confidence and trust in the management
team before a large scale roll out.
 Example: Share information and seek opinion from an assembled group of people
(outside of top management) based on their ability to both represent views of various
constitutions and credibly communicate how and why decisions were made.This is a
starting point for transparency across the organization where all stakeholders are
involved rather than just the typical management team themselves.
Strategic
Partner
Employee
Champion
Change
Agent
Administr
ative
Expert

16.  Besides the fact that most Singaporeans look to move on
from their current role, the Ministry of Manpower’s
statistics also revealed that the average paid hours
worked per employee hovered around 46 hours per
week10.
 The long working hours ranked in Singapore was ranked
number 1 in the world in 201511.
 Despite employees spending a large portion of their time
in office, companies in Singapore are still not doing
enough to create a working environment that evokes a
strong sense of belonging.
 One important element that is often lacking or included
only as an afterthought would the fun factor i.e. turning
work into play (Sawyer Effect).
Strategic
Partner
Employee
Champion
Change
Agent
Administr
ative
Expert

17.  An element of fun will help encourage unguarded exploration and discovery, especially in a
stressful environment where people are constantly rushing to meet deadlines and high expectations.
 Regardless of the extent, fun can be incorporated into the organization at various touch points to
increase the level of engagement and provide “sparks” for people to think out of the box.
 It will also create a greater sense of belonging and provide a good platform for the management
team to get in touch with the ground.
 Examples: allowing employees to design their own workspace, “kids at work” day, durian party in
office etc.
 But first, HR in Singapore needs to break the mental barrier that fun and work cannot co-exist
because workplace in Singapore is rarely associated with anything fun; this often proves to be a
tough challenge because of the hierarchical nature at work where a lot of respect has to be shown
whether it is to the superiors or work itself.
 One way to convince is to experiment with selected groups and show how such fun factor can
translate into better staff engagement and in turn, better performance (data-driven approach).
Strategic
Partner
Employee
Champion
Change
Agent
Administr
ative
Expert

18.  In an Asian context where companies tend to be hierarchical, the focus is usually on
the overarching organizational goals and thereafter, cascading that meaning down
to the individuals to ensure that everyone work towards a common direction.
 However, such practices by local companies often reflect the failure to recognize
that each individual is unique and that their interpretation of meaningful work
varies.
 Without a strong sense of purpose at work, a large majority of employees in
Singapore may simply view their job as a means to an end rather than one that
they take pride in i.e. disengagement.
Strategic
Partner
Employee
Champion
Change
Agent
Administr
ative
Expert

19.  Performance at a high level can only be sustained over time if individuals find meaning in what they
do.
 For HR to effectively unlock maximum output from each individual talent, it is key toempower and
help them find meaning at work. When employees feel strongly about what they do, the level of
commitment increases and quality of work tend to rise as well.
 One way is to allow employees 20% of the time to do something outside their scope or even
champion causes.This work should still contribute to the organization in one way or another but
does not need to be related to their direct responsibilities.
 Example: Creating unofficial forums that encourages active discussion on selected topics.
 In a relatively conservative culture like Singapore, HR can also consider to divide and conquer by
getting each departments to come up with their own team’s mission and purpose statement.
Unlike foreign companies that can consider modifying the company’s mission statement, such
gradual change that does not shake up the overall position will more likely be accepted and
effective.
Strategic
Partner
Employee
Champion
Change
Agent
Administr
ative
Expert

20.  In Singapore, office layouts/settings ranging from
high cubicles to seating arrangements in meetings
inevitably reflect the hierarchical nature of the
organization12.
 As functional as it may be, companies tend to not
recognize that such workplace layouts are also a
form of status symbols that shape the culture of an
organization.
 Examples:Open concept workplace could reflect a culture
with flatter hierarchy while encouraging greater
collaboration.One the other hand, high cubicles could
signify difference in power and a more hierarchical approach
when making decisions.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

21.  To create an environment that brings out the best in all employees, status symbols
can be removed as much as possible to ensure that everyone can comfortably let their
“voice” be heard and do so constructively.
 Not only will this give employees a greater sense of purpose at work, it will probably
increase the sense of belonging as well since their inputs are valued by the
organization.
 For this to work in Singapore, overcoming the hierarchical barrier is once again a
critical aspect. HR needs to create an environment that is perceived as safe and
initiate platforms which encourages such free flowing exchanges for the greater good
of the organization.
 A big part to work on will be for HR to convince a shift in mindset of the management
team and in turn, sending a strong signal to the rest of the company that they are
actively pursuing the change movement.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

22.  While working towards becoming a smart nation, it was highlighted that
Singaporeans still need to overcome the fear of failure and be prepared to keep
experimenting13.
 Such fear has often directed organizations to operate base on “best practices” from
the past rather than challenging the norms to accomplish their goals.
 Common statements/terms such as “we have always done it this way” or “legacies”
are self-imposed constraints that prevent the company from scaling new heights.
 People might question them but not do enough to verify if those are the most
effective ways around things.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

23.  Do not just question, test it out: HR can introduce a culture of experimentation to help debunk such
myths and legacies to convince everyone when in doubt.
 Experiments need to be done with at least 2 groups of people – a control group and one with the
variable that you are testing in order to ascertain the effect of the variable involved.
 Example: if you are testing on the effect of giving flexible hours, try it out on 2 similar groups of
employees where one is given the benefit while the other does without it.
 Under a conservative setting like Singapore, it’s once again important for HR to take gradual steps
when approaching experiments rather than going in full throttle.
 Example: Pilot testing within a short timeframe
 At the end of every experiment, it is ideal to share the results with the entire company/target group to
eliminate any wrong inferences/expectations. Results of the experiments will speak for itself!
 Remember, failure to fail leads to stagnation; If you never failed, it just means you haven’t tried
enough!
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

24.  In the Asian culture where people tend to defer to seniority, it’s very common for managers
to simply instruct their subordinates to execute a particular tasks with minimal consultation.
 This culture is worsen with Singapore’s fast pace of life and often not having time to
elaborate on instructions and decisions to the junior staff.
 In addition, the rise in literacy rate over the years14 has also equipped the newer generation
of workers with stronger abilities to challenge views rather than simply taking instructions.
 Considering the Asian values of respect and deferment, these employees can carry out tasks
as instructed but may not be as willing/convinced without clear elaboration. This may
result in a lack of effort and commitment when delivering their work.
 Without a conscious effort to rectify the situation, it could become a stumbling block when
building a culture that encourages accountability and initiative.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

25.  It’s human nature to dislike being forced upon doing things they don’t enjoy.Thus, nudging is a
useful and subtle tool which alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding their
options.
 Examples: Just in time email reminders to get people into action, creating simple checklist so
that it is easy for staff to start working on things without having to think much and placing
healthy food options at eye level to encourage take up etc.
 Even though it might be easier to instruct employees in Singapore as compared to other western
countries, HR should still be wary of the ramifications from such actions.
 HR can start off by identifying areas where nudging can be immediately implementable and
transform those into quick-wins for the organization.
 When employees do things out of their own initiative, they tend to be more committed and
produce better quality work to help the organization achieve their goals.
 The great thing about nudging is it does not cost much or even comes free for most instances.
Strategic
Partner
Change
Agent
Employee
Champion
Administr
ative
Expert

26. Data-driven
approach
Nudging
Focus on the 2 tails of
the performance bell
curve
“Wisdom of
crowd” approach
Good balance of
internal and
external trainings
Build knowledge
and trust through
transparency
Turn work into
play
Create meaning
Remove status
symbols
Endless
experimentation

27. It’s time for HR to lead the way and make our moves!

28. 1. http://www.hrdmag.com.sg/news/why-do-only-4-of-ceos-value-people-data-219550.aspx
2. http://www.cipd.asia/resources/research/business-strategy-insights/evolution-hr-analytics-asia
3. http://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/18297/guest-comment-get-out-before-you-get-put-on-a-performance-
improvement-plan
4. http://sbr.com.sg/hr-education/commentary/why-singapore-firms-need-make-each-employee-special
5. http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/classroom-training-hottest-mode-training-singapore/
6. http://www.hrdmag.com.sg/news/the-barriers-to-learning-that-squander-landd-experiences-199038.aspx
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_values
8. http://www.stjobs.sg/career-resources/training-and-development/spore-workers-worlds-unhappiest/a/11402
9. https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=k_gcBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=singapore+lack+transparenc
y+and+knowledge+sharing&source=bl&ots=zqIBSkBofa&sig=elug-
IPlftLyoqlmKHCkPyQKaiQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9x4uXitLOAhXLQ48KHXfYD0oQ6AEILjAC#v=onepage&
q=singapore%20lack%20transparency%20and%20knowledge%20sharing&f=false
10. http://stats.mom.gov.sg/Pages/Hours-Worked-Summary-Table.aspx
11. http://statestimesreview.com/2015/06/16/singapore-maintains-its-no-1-ranking-in-longest-working-hours-in-the-
world/
12. http://www.commercialguru.com.sg/property-management-news/2016/4/123209/evolving-office-space-concepts
13. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/attitudes-to-success-and-failure-must-change-for-singapore-to-become-
smart-nation
14. https://www.singstat.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-
library/publications/publications_and_papers/reference/sif2016.pdf