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CONTENTS

2021

IN THIS ISSUE OF HR ASIA

COVER STORY 08.. Servant Leadership CHRO UNPLUGGED 12.. Marc Chan, RingCentral China HR ASIA BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN ASIA 14.. Winner’s Spotlight

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FEATURE 24.. Retaining the Working Parents 26.. Setting Managers Up For Success 28.. Conflict Resolution: Bosses vs Employees

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 30.. Growth, Salary And Work-Life Balance: What Comes After ‘The Great Resignation’? 24

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26

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hrasiamedia.com w w w.f ac e b oo k .c o m / hr a si a HR Asia is published by Business Media International. Issues are published weekly online at hrasiamedia.com. All rights reserved © 2021 Business Media International.

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

HR METRICS: BOON OR BANE? I have always loved numbers. My favourite class in school was maths. So you can appreciate why I love HR metrics and understand that my scepticism is not based out of some pre-conceived hatred for numbers. HR metrics, or the more fashionable term, HR analytics, have suddenly seen so much activity in the past decade that one begin to wonder why hasn’t it taken off much earlier? HR metrics – both the term and the practice – must have its origins in some consulting firms, as did most of the more interesting things that have ever happened to us in HR. I love consultants, but there are times when I wonder if there are absolute necessity to complicate our already complicated lives with new terms and practices that may or may not add value to our job and businesses. HR metrics could very well be one of them. I am no fan of offending people, so I will state here that I do support measurements. Indeed, we dedicated an entire issue of HR Asia not so long ago on evidence-based HR. I understand the practical need for metrics. Chief of which is accountability. In

an age where CFOs could override CEOs, it is not wise not to proof our worthiness with figures that HR and non-HR would understand and buy. Indeed, a recent study by SEO firm Brightedge discovered that 80% of CEOs do not trust and are not impressed with their CMOs because they are unable to proof the ROIs of campaigns. That is the fallacy of measurement – the more the board and management perceive there’s a need to measure, the more time is spent on doing just that, to the exclusion of other objectives. As a profession, we have not always been associated with numbers. I suppose metrics give us the opportunity to justify what we do, and in the process, be more in-tune with business expectations. My concern is that unless somebody

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William Ng is Group Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Business Media International. [email protected] williamngpage

able to identify scientifically the reasons behind high or low turnover? How can we even follow through on our measurements if we are to compare our metrics with that of other functions. For example, the production function regularly measures and works towards achieving Six Sigma (about 3 errors per million) – try that with HR programs like recruitment, retention and performance management! shout ‘STOP’, and give us all an More importantly, I am of the old opportunity to dwelve on the whys and hows, we may go down that lane where we school that sees HR as much an art as it measure for the sake of measurement and is a science. That’s because I have met many of you old school people who can forget the real reasons for our existence. tell if a candidate would make a good Metrics when applied to the HR PA or sales person from pure instinct. practice can at best be predictive in And most of the time these instincts and nature. Do we see the danger in basing our decisions on figures that may not paint hunches are correct! Now, how do we measure and proof these hunches? the whole picture? More importantly, how If we allow the current trend for more are these metrics going to be used and numbers to win, we may some day lose analysed by CFOs, CEOs and investors? our battle to be taken seriously. And oddly, For example, what metrics are in that’s the very reason why we invented place for the cost of doing nothing? What these metrics to begin with. Bottom line about the costs of excessive cost-cutting is that good HR, while requiring good to morale, organisational effectiveness, measurability, must not be based solely cohesion and ultimately bottom line? And on evidence-based decision making. what does a turnover rate really mean if we can’t compare across the industry or be Sometimes, gut feeling works too.

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NEWS 07

SonicWall Threat Intelligence Confirms Alarming Surge in Ransomware The 2022 SonicWall

Cyber Threat report details a sustained meteoric rise in ransomware with 623.3 million attacks globally. Nearly all monitored threats, cyberattacks and malicious digital assaults rose in 2021 including: ransomware, encrypted threats, IoT malware and cryptojacking.

The Global Recovery Continues In 2022, But A Bumpy Road Lies Ahead

After the lull in the 3rd quarter of 2021, Omicron has highlighted the unpredictability of the pandemic and exacerbated one of the main factors affecting the recovery: disruptions in supply chains.

Remote Workers Demand Better Broadband

Cisco’s Broadband Index revealed that approximately 85 percent of their respondents said that broadband connection is important to them, with nearly half or 48 percent of the workforce relying on their home internet in order to work from home or run their own business.

Malaysian Skills Are on The Rise

In Malaysia, 44 percent of locally based respondents have seen their skills become more relevant during the pandemic. This is the highest in the region, with Singapore, Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR trailing at 21, 28 and 17 percent respectively.

08 COVER STORY

W

hen bringing up the term ‘Servant Leadership’, people might get a little confused. This is understandable, as the word ‘servant’ makes people immediately think about subservience, which is a far cry from what leadership

represents. However, its true meaning is fare more figurative than literal. Rather than leaders being subservient to their employees, the word ‘servant’ in the phrase leans more towards being a servefirst or selflessness in a leader. The term itself was coined by Robert

COVER STORY 09

PROS AND CONS OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP Often develops a shared vision and greater trust Individual advancement in a supportive environment

Is not very conducive to rapid and agile decision making

Employee opinions contribute greatly to company decision making

PROS CONS

Adopting this style of leadership may require difficult cultural change

Leaders often earn the respect of their fellows

Not a familiar form of leadership to most

Stakeholders and team members may have responsibilities that are beyond the leader’s abilities

Source: Investopedia

K. Greenleaf, way back in 1970 in his essay ‘The Servant Leader’. In it, he famously wrote that servant leaders are servants first, and that such leaders are compelled over time to aspire to lead. When looking at a typical corporate setup, traditional leadership models will

usually include top management, which is then followed by middle management below them, before finally coming to the frontline employees and the customers. This traditional model will usually include the undisputed leader at the top of the hierarchy while employees remain at the

10 COVER STORY

leadership second. This is start contrast to the traditional ‘leader-first’ perspective, where an individual aims to gain control as quickly as possible to have full agency over the situation. Servant leaders will prioritize HOW IT WORKS The servant leadership developing and mentoring their teams, or style attempts to move away from a more the client’s/customer’s needs, will often take controlling, authoritarian relationship between leader and employees, and seeks precedence over their personal elevation. Even when given a position of power, to adopt a more synergistic one. As such, servant leaders will generally encourage authority figures in a servant leadership their subordinates to look to serve others system will attempt to promote innovation, as a priority. This will naturally lead to empower employees, an ensure the a system of shared power and health and wellbeing of those responsibility. around them. In other words, While of course, such leaders seek to Servant leaders servant leaders also wish ‘serve’ the needs of will prioritize to benefit themselves their team members developing and and appease a rather than the personal desire for other way around. mentoring their power, However, Servant leaders teams, or the client’s/ said leaders tent also aims to develop customer’s needs, will to first look at how leadership qualities often take precedence their service benefits in others and requires over their personal others. As an example, a number of soft elevation. servant leaders might skills such as empathy, take the time to wonder listening, stewardship, and how their efforts uplift the commitment to overseeing the underrepresented or those from personal growth of others. lower economic standing before making an attempt to gain personal power. CHARACTERISTICS A servant Their fulfillment in leadership comes leader tends to approach issues and after a commitment to serve. This kind situations within their organization from of leadership style is commonly found the perspective of a servant first, hence in industries such as healthcare, law the name. As such, they are constantly enforcement, or a number of public on the lookout for the needs of the services. organization and others, so that they ay lend their expertise or presence in order THE ADVANTAGES OF SERVANT to meet those needs. Thus, servant LEADERSHIP Different leadership leaders seek to address stakeholder styles will have their advantages and wants and requirements first and pursue bottom. When a servant leader is thrown into the mix, the entire hierarchy is turned on its head, where the needs and wellbeing of the team members mattering more.