Human Resources

Q1: What industry are you in?
A1: Head of Human Resources

Q2: Can you tell us about your personal work background and career path?
A2: I graduated with a BBA degree majoring in Marketing. I joined a high-Tech company as their Marketing Officer that focused on the Greater China market. After 2 years, I found myself not interested in the marketing function.

I then took the opportunity to transfer to the Human Resources Department as a Project Officer. Since then, I have enjoyed working in different HR functions and changing roles from time to time, including roles as an HR Generalist, Recruitment, Operations, Compensation & Benefits, Training, Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, Change Management, Inclusion & Diversity, Organizational Design, Employee Communication & Engagement and HR Business Partner. You may scroll to the end for more details on each roles.

I have received various promotions, and my last title was Vice President, Organization Effectiveness & Performance, Asia.

Q3: What are the responsibilities of your current role, and what do you enjoy about it?
A3: I oversee Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, Inclusion & Diversity, Change Management, Employee Communication & Engagement and Organization Design for Asia region. Working in the Human Resources field has provided me with opportunities to understand the different functions of a company and how they operate. I was able to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and levels, which has been very rewarding and interesting, allowing me to learn from them.

Q4: Could you share a memorable professional experience?
A4: In the early stages of my career, I decided to change my path from Marketing to Human Resources, though I was initially unsure if that was the right decision. I then reached out to various people to seek advice, and received a lot of helpful guidance. Looking back, I can confidently say that this career transition was the best decision I've made.

The truth is, not everyone starts their career with a clear vision of the path they want to pursue. Without real-world work experience, it can be challenging for some to identify the right field to develop their career. Maintaining an open mindset is crucial in such situations. When I found myself struggling with the marketing role and not performing to my full potential, I took two key steps: 1) I carefully reviewed all the functions within my company and reflected on which one interested me the most; 2) I had an open discussion with the HR team to seek their advice on managing my career progression.

After identifying the new function I wanted to explore, I then reached out to the hiring manager and discussed the skills I needed to acquire for a successful transition.

There are a few important differences between an internal transfer and applying for a job externally: 1) Your resume is less crucial than your "word of mouth" reputation within the organization. Hiring managers are likely to reach out to your current manager and working partners to understand your behaviors, such as how you interact with others, if you are a responsible person, and if you demonstrate a high interest in learning when dealing with unfamiliar tasks. 2) Hiring managers are often more willing to accept internal candidates with less relevant job experience or technical skills, as long as you exhibit a positive attitude. 3) It is generally easier to adapt to the new role when transferring internally, as you already understand the company culture, people, and policies.

Q5: What personality traits are well-suited for this profession?
A5: Since there are various functions within the Human Resources field, it's not difficult to find one that suits your personality. For example, if you are more outgoing and enjoy communicating with others, roles in/as HR Generalist, Recruitment, Employee Communication & Engagement, Training would be good choices. On the other hand, if you are more detail-oriented and prefer quieter work, functions like HR Operations or Compensation & Benefits Specialist may be a better fit.

Q6: Are there any considerations or limitations in this profession?
A6: I don't see any particular drawbacks to working in HR, as long as you enjoy the job. If you genuinely like the work, you will enjoy it.

Q7: How can someone enter this profession, and what are the promotion opportunities?
A7: Many companies hire fresh graduates as HR Assistants or HR Officers to manage day-to-day operations. Their responsibilities typically include arranging interviews, inputting new employee data, organizing training sessions, and processing benefits, among other tasks. Only some companies require candidates to have an HR or related degree. Other companies are open to considering applicants from diverse backgrounds, such as Management or Language-focused fields.

The opportunities for advancement depend on your performance. I would encourage you to try different functions within HR, as this will help you build a solid understanding of how the various departments work together to create value for the company. When you eventually promote to a senior HR position, this cross-functional knowledge will prove invaluable and assist you in becoming a successful HR leader.

More information on the different roles in HR

HR Generalist:

• Responsible for a variety of job duties, allowing for experience in multiple HR areas

• Duties include:

  1. Drafting and reviewing policies and guidelines

  2. Listening to employee concerns and proposing solutions

  3. Assisting with employee onboarding processes

  4. Updating records to accommodate new hires

  5. Providing new ideas and organizing activities to engage employees

  6. Preparing and analyzing data for others

  7. Conducting interviews

  
  

Recruitment:

• Communicate with hiring managers to understand their requirements

• Post job advertisements

• Select applicants for interviews

• Interview candidates and recommend the most suitable one to the hiring manager

• Make a job offer to the selected candidate

 
HR Operations:

Support the day-to-day functioning of the HR department to ensure smooth operation, including:

• Manage employee data and records

• Administer payroll and benefits

• Develop HR policies and ensure compliance with employment laws

• Support the implementation of HR policies and procedures

 
Compensation & Benefit:

• Design compensation packages aligned with business goals and strategy

• Create consistent compensation guidelines that matched organizational culture and job requirements

• Develop and analyse job descriptions, evaluations, and classifications

• Conduct salary and labour market research to establish benchmarks

• Communicate and educate line managers on compensation practices

• Keep up to date with compensation trends and best practices in the market

• Ensure compensation practices complied with relevant laws and regulations

Training:

• Benchmark annual training needs across the organization

• Prepare an annual training calendar to address identified needs

• Administer and facilitate training courses for employees

• Analyze training feedback to identify improvement opportunities

• Monitor the training market for innovative approaches and best practices

Talent Development:

I oversaw Talent development at that time and the team encompassed all of the company’s activities and initiatives that support employee learning and growth, e.g.

• Tailored processes and programs to match organizational needs and team members' goals

• Developed programs to provide clear pathways for employees to expand skills, advance, and achieve professional ambitions

• Trained leaders and HR professionals on soft skills for recognizing and developing employee potential

Talent Acquisition:

The primary goals of talent acquisition are to attract qualified candidates, hire the best-fit talent, and improve employee retention, productivity, and engagement. To achieve these objectives, talent acquisition teams are responsible for:

• Attracting qualified candidates to the organization

• Hiring candidates that are the best fit for the organization and roles

• Developing a strong pipeline of potential candidates

• Building and maintaining a strong employer brand

• Identifying, assessing, and hiring candidates to fill open positions

• Conducting future resource planning to anticipate hiring needs

• Diversifying the labor force to bring in different perspectives

Change Management:

The primary objective is to facilitate people's acceptance and adaptation to change.

At that time, my team & I developed a systematic change management approach to help the organization and employees successfully navigate transitions or transformations in goals, processes, or technologies.

Key elements of our approach include:

• Effective communication

• Promote benefits

• Training programs to develop any new skills required

• Incentives and rewards to celebrate success

Inclusion & Diversity:

This function enables the company to be supportive and welcoming of individuals from different backgrounds and identities, including race, ethnicity, religion, ability, gender, and sexual orientation.

 My team has developed programs and training activities to educate leaders and employees on cultivating the right mindset and behaviors to foster an inclusive workplace. We have also reviewed all organizational policies and practices to identify and address any potential biases facing minority groups.

Organizational Design:

It is the process of structuring an organization's workflows, roles, and reporting relationships. Working closely with company leaders, we define the responsibilities and requirements of each job and department. This enables us to optimize resource allocation, establish clear strategic priorities, streamline workflows, and implement an effective organizational chart.

Employee Communication & Engagement:

Internal communications is a critical part of employee engagement. We keep our employees up-to-date on company news, policies, and procedures. This helps ensure employees are engaged and informed about what is happening in the company.

 Regular two-way communication is also key to maintaining positive employee relationships. We not only talk to employees regularly, but also launch annual surveys to understand their thoughts. This helps ensure employees feel valued and connected to the company, boosting overall performance.

We also organize various activities to create a family-like environment, such as family days, ice cream days, movie nights, volunteer work, and Christmas parties. Employees can participate in these activities with their families.

HR Business Partner:

We are assigned to different business units to develop a deep understanding of their unique needs and challenges. Our goal is to translate those insights into actionable HR strategies and initiatives that drive measurable impact.

 We work hand-in-hand with department heads and executives to fully understand their requirements. We then develop and implement tailored HR programs to ensure they are effective, compliant, and aligned with the organization's culture.

 In addition, we provide specialized HR expertise and advisory services on a wide range of topics, such as compensation and benefits, legal compliance, and employee engagement.

 Importantly, we also serve as a trusted sounding board for leaders. We discuss their concerns, brainstorm solutions, and help navigate complex HR-related situations.

By Sonia, Head of Human Resources

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