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News on HRM, 11 Sept 2013

One in four companies does not use workforce analytics

11 Sept 2013

Despite the growing importance of workforce analytics as an essential tool among organisations to improve business results, more than a quarter of companies are struggling to deploy analytics.

According to a new global survey of business leaders by the Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (HBRAS), more than a quarter of respondents use little or no workforce analytics.

Sixty-one percent report its use as tactical, ad hoc and disconnected from other key systems and processes. Close to 50% say they are unable to integrate workforce data with other systems to make decisions critical to the business in real time.

Many others also report using KPIs, such as the number of performance reviews completed or the headcount of employees who have completed learning coursework. HBRAS said this transactional data is not enough for making strategic business decisions.

HBRAS notes that with workforce analytics, companies need to integrate technologies, data, metrics and processes to measure and improve workforce performance. This is done by employing suitable staff with the specific skills for the relevant job, as well as providing them with training and development opportunities to engage them to give their best.

The research indicates that the effort will pay off. Proactive users of analytics are more likely to say their organisation is effective in utilising their workforce.

Such companies are said to have fewer headcount reductions, as they have a lean and efficient workforce that consists of engaged employees. They also enjoy higher quality, productivity, customer satisfaction and market share, all on top of greater company profits.

News on HRM, 12 Sept 2013

Airline pilots demand safety investigation

12 Sept 2013

Pilots at Europe’s largest budget airline, Ryanair, feel repressed from reporting safety concerns and want the relevant watchdogs to emphasise the impact of safety of the company’s employment practices.

The views were aired by a group of pilots seeking union representation.

The carrier’s low-fare no-frills service has seen the controversial charging for items ranging from reserving seats, to payment by most credit cards, to checking in at the airport and bringing carry-on bags.

The unofficial Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG) had interviewed over 1,000 of their fellow pilots and first officers, and found that 94% of them wanted watchdogs to conduct an investigation over the impact of employment practices on safety.

The group also said that 89% did not think the airline had an open and transparent safety culture while two-thirds were uncomfortable with raising issues through an internal reporting system.

In addition, RPG added that almost 75% of Ryanair pilots are employed through agencies on zero-hour contracts that offer no guaranteed work.

This has led the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association trade union to state that such zero-hour contracts had some of the worst conditions in the industry. Such examples include having the pilot to fly when he is sick or not reporting whether the aircraft is carrying enough fuel.

The news comes after the Irish Aviation Association (IAA) launched an investigation following emergency landings by three Ryanair aircraft in Spain after they approached their minimum required fuel level.

News on HRM, 12 sept 2013

Singaporeans reluctant to be posted overseas

12 Sep 2013

Singapore has been limited by its own citizens for being reluctant to be posted overseas, and in turn hinder their progress in multinational companies (MNCs).

The view was aired by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his speech at trade agency International Enterprise Singapore’s 30th anniversary dinner.

“Singaporeans don’t always go as readily as their employers would like them to,” he said in a dialogue session.

“It’s a limitation for us. If we are not able to do that, I think it constrains our potential in the world,” responded Lee to a question.

The common reasons for this reluctance to uproot include the education of an employee’s children and a spouse’s career.

However, Lee said that if an employee wishes to reach high positions and eventually lead an MNC, he must be willing to travel, even to difficult places.

“You must have that experience not just of Singapore, not even just of South-east Asia, but also of being deployed to headquarters, being familiar with another continent,” he added.

News on HRM,12 Sept 2013

People at the heart of business performance-12 Sep 2013

The importance of focusing on human capital cannot be emphasised enough if a company wants to improve its business performance.

This was part of a series of findings of a recently completed study commissioned by the Ministry of Manpower, which validated the common wisdom that having the right talent practices will pay off.

Launching the survey results was Acting Minister for Manpower, Tan Chuan Jin, who delivered the opening address of the Human Capital Summit 2013.

The study found that when business leaders in Asia applied talent practices effectively, it accounted for 54% of business results, thereby being able to somewhat control more than half of the variance in business performance.

The report also suggested that among good talent practices, the ability to identify and groom leaders well has the greatest impact on driving business performance.

In addition, there is a significant focus gap in talent development. This is seen among Asian leaders who are much more proficient in establishing HR standards, in recruitment and in orientation, and lacking in proficiency in talent development.

As such, the Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI) will launch a modular programme to help companies develop the next generation of Asian leaders in 2014, as well as work with top international business schools to design and conduct the Asian leg of the Global CEO programme in Singapore and Indonesia.

Tan said that human capital management was not just only about leaders. They too need the support of top quality HR professionals. To meet this need, the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) has partnered Republic Polytechnic to launch two new programmes in the form of a part-time Diploma in Business Practice or the International Human Resources Management and the full-time Diploma in Human Resource Management with Psychology.

News on HRM, 13 Sept 2013

Dancing for a job

13 Sept 2013

British electronic retailer, Curry is believed to have forced potential employees to dance for them during the interview at one of its outlets.

One candidate, Alan Bacon said he felt “degraded and humiliated” and compared the experience to a scene out of popular British comedy “The Office”. He was asked to perform a robot dance in his suit in front of a group of strangers, to the tune of a Daft Punk song.

The 21-year-old said, “I really needed the job so I thought I'm going to get this over with, I'm going to smile, I'm going to do it. But inside it wasn't a very pleasant experience.”

"There was an older gentleman there who was telling us just before the interview that he was made redundant from his last job and had recently had a child so he was pretty desperate for this job and (we were) watching him having to dance to rap music," he added.

Meanwhile, Curry has launched an investigation and has invited all the candidates back for another interview where they will have a "proper opportunity” to demonstrate their capabilities and potential contribution.

A spokeswoman for Curry's owners Dixon Retail said, "We are extremely disappointed that one of the management team at the store in question did not follow our official recruitment processes on this specific occasion - formal processes that ensure we attract, inspire and retain the right sort of people.”

"We are investigating the store member who held the recruitment session. We are extremely sorry to those interviewees impacted; all are being asked to attend another interview where they will be given a proper opportunity to demonstrate how they can contribute to our business," she added.

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