BLINK Design Group is going places

BLINK Design Group is broadening the horizons of its team through a new programme of travel grant ‘rewards’ and talent swaps with likeminded industry innovators. 

The inaugural S.W.A.P. programme, a six-week cultural and design exchange with Keiji Architects in Tokyo, allows participants from both firms to immerse themselves in new projects while gleaning invaluable insights into different markets and practices. 

BLINK founder and creative visionary Clint Nagata called the programme an exciting way to reward and inspire talented team members, while helping strengthen BLINK’s foothold in Japan.

“Talent inspires talent and needs constant nourishing,” said Nagata. “One handpicked designer from each firm will participate in the exchange, with potential to expand globally with other likeminded firms in key destinations.”

BLINK has already established its own following in Japan with its award-winning work on the Six Senses Kyoto. Other recent notable projects for the firm include Banyan Tree Dongguan Songshan Lake, Capella Shanghai Jian Ye Li, Raffles Maldives Meradhoo Resort, Six Senses Uluwatu, Roku Kyoto LXR Resort, Regent Phu Quoc and Amanoi Spa Houses.

Meanwhile, BLINK’s Kayte McMillan A Wish to Remember Travel Award series, now in its 6th year, has five travel grants set to be awarded for high-performing team members in 2025 to visit the destination of their dreams.

The first of 2025’s winners is Ploypak Ayasanond, a designer from BLINK’s Bangkok studio. She has visited Japan and was thrilled to view the two completed BLINK projects in person. 

"This trip could be said as an opportunity for my personal growth to explore the culture of the places where I can learn and of course recharging myself,” Ayasanond said.

Source: BLINK website. The central lobby space at Six Senses Kyoto overlooks the inner courtyard of the resort. Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) displays, natural materials and earthen textures encourage a connection to nature in the interiors.

“Experiencing Six Senses Kyoto allowed me to truly appreciate how thoughtful design can transform a space into a sanctuary—where every detail, from the materials to the ambiance, fosters a profound sense of peace and connection. To create spaces that resonate with cultural authenticity and sensory engagement.

“I am grateful in receiving this award, this has been an inspiring milestone and profoundly enriching. The experiences and insights gained have significantly contributed to my development as a designer. I am thankful to BLINK for fostering an environment that encourages us to be explorers, not just designers. And thank you to Kayte for being a continual source of inspiration to all of us.”

Kayte McMillan, a BLINK design director who died from cancer in 2018, was known for her lust for life and love of travel and new experiences. To celebrate her memory, selected team members get a trip to remember as well as an experience that will help fuel their passion for travel, hospitality and embracing new places while truly living BLINK’s brand values. 

Nagata said the award has become a story of motivation, inspiration and reward for team members. “The spirit of travel and exploration is perfectly aligned with BLINK’s philosophy,” Nagata said. 

“I was incredibly fortunate to work closely with Kayte McMillan. She was an amazing individual who really had a strong passion for travel and for life, and she was taken from us tragically far too soon. In her honour we created a travel grant for to reward team members who are excelling, so they can recharge, get inspired and experience the different aspects of travel and living abroad, seeing and experiencing amazing things.

There is no greater inspiration than the world around us and we encourage everyone at BLINK to be an explorer, and to strive for excellence so that they might win the award.”

BLINK has studios in Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai and London.

NTUC LearningHub reveals perception gap on learning between leaders and employees

Source: NTUC LearningHub. Infographic on the leadership gap uncovered by recent research.

Leaders today are expected to thrive in a dynamic and digitally driven workplace, while cultivating human-centric capabilities and competencies, said NTUC LearningHub. In research conducted by the organisation, over four in five business leaders (11% "very well", 72% "quite well") believe they demonstrate emotional intelligence well, whereas only half of employees believe their leaders possess the skill (2% "very well", 48% "quite well").

According to employees, emotional intelligence (31%) is in fact the top skill they believe their leaders are lacking, followed by effective communication (30%), and people development (30%).

Similarly, the majority of business leaders are confident in their ability to lead effectively and achieve organisational goals (13% "very confident", 73% "quite confident"). However, only half of employees are equally confident in their leaders’ capabilities (3% "very confident", 52% "quite confident").

This disconnect between the two groups is evident in how most business leaders believe they understand their employees’ needs (17% "very well", 72% "quite well") and meet their evolving expectations (11% "very well", 73% "quite well"). Yet, less than half of the employees share the same sentiment, where 46% agree leaders understand their needs “very well” or “quite well”, and 45% agree leaders meet their evolving expectations “very well” or “quite well”.

These are some of the key findings from NTUC LearningHub’s Leadership and Coaching Report, which investigates the essential skills and competencies that future leaders must cultivate. The research also explored the role of coaching in driving individual and organisational growth across all levels and roles.

Based on a survey involving 150 business leaders and 300 full-time working professionals, the report also examines how organisations can develop and sustain strong leadership pipelines by leveraging people-centric approaches and emotional intelligence to build resilient, high-performing teams.

More than nine in ten business leaders (41% "very important", 51% "quite important"), as well as employees (32% "very important", 56% "quite important") view emotional intelligence as important in leadership.

Business leaders cited the ability to communicate more effectively (55%), make better decisions (55%), be more flexible and adaptable to changes (53%), build strong relationships with employees (51%), and motivate employees more effectively (50%) as the top reasons why they perceive emotional intelligence as important for leaders. While employees voiced similar sentiments, they also highlight the ability to better manage and resolve conflicts (65%) and react to challenges or highly pressurising situations calmly (58%) as other key reasons.

The perception divide also shows up in leadership styles where business leaders are most likely to apply democratic leadership (40%), followed by situational leadership (39%), and laissez-faire (hands-off) leadership (31%). Meanwhile, employees ranked situational leadership (44%) as their most preferred leadership style above democratic leadership (43%) and transformational leadership style (41%).

Business leaders have to contend with keeping their teams engaged and motivated (38%) as a consequence, managing relationships with employees (35%), and balancing performance with employee wellbeing (29%) in today’s workplace. This is also accompanied by other challenges cited such as developing future leaders (29%) and adapting to change and uncertainty (28%).

On the other hand, three in five business leaders (60%) acknowledge gaps in their leadership abilities and have identified areas for improvement. However, fewer than half of business leaders (44%) have participated in relevant training to enhance their leadership skills in the past year, with two in five (39%) rarely attending training. Lack of time (48%), high workload (47%), and lack of motivation (31%) are among the top challenges business leaders face when participating in leadership training programmes.

Paradoxically, roughly four in 10 business leaders (38%) express a desire for more frequent training to develop their leadership skills. Three in four business leaders (9% very effective, 67% quite effective) also believe that the leadership training they received was effective in developing their abilities.

Jeremy Ong, CEO, NTUC LearningHub said: “The apparent disconnect between leaders and employees highlights an urgent need for leadership to evolve in tandem with workforce expectations. As leadership expectations broaden beyond formal roles, organisations are looking to cultivate a culture where more employees feel empowered to take initiative, make decisions, and contribute to team direction.

"Technical skills alone are no longer enough today, as a more balanced and human-centric approach towards leadership has become a key competency that will enable leaders to adopt the right leadership approach, connect meaningfully with their team, sustain employee engagement, and ultimately drive organisational success. Therefore, it is important for leaders to continuously improve themselves through learning and development as a strategic imperative to bridge existing skills gaps and nurture future emotionally intelligent and visionary leaders.” Details

Download the Leadership and Coaching Report at www.ntuclearninghub.com/media/research-reports/2025/leadership-coaching

More information about the courses, training, and grants can be found at www.ntuclearninghub.com.

Blackhawk Network: decline in employee satisfaction and engagement in Singapore

Concept artwork about workplaces generated by
Bing Image Creator (Dall E 3).

Leveraging employee recognition, rewards, and incentives to foster engagement and increase loyalty in an evolving workplace environment, according to Blackhawk Network (BHN).

BHN's latest research highlights how leaders can help guide their organisations through these transitions:

Employee satisfaction and engagement

Employee satisfaction and engagement in Singapore has recently declined. Amid fears surrounding job security and pay, productivity has begun to suffer. According to BHN research, 93% of employees expressed concerns about their current employment situation.

The two top concerns were “pay increases that won’t cover the cost of living” (41%) and “being asked to do more without a pay increase” (36%).

The current uncertainty is clear, with one in four employees actively seeking new opportunities. They often prioritising pay and benefits when considering potential employers, said BHN.

However, the desire for higher pay alone is not enough. More than half (51%) of the respondents stated that they want more frequent recognition and rewards as part of a broader engagement strategy.

BHN VP of Incentives in APAC, Peter Malycon said: “Companies are encouraged to consider their recognition and incentives programmes, and ensure that they are aligned with the evolving needs of their workforce. Our research clearly highlights that employees are increasingly seeking not just higher pay, but more frequent acknowledgement for their contributions.”

The role of AI and technology in the workplace

BHN’s survey showed that 66% of employees are using AI in their roles, with 83% reporting an increase in productivity as a result. However, there is a delicate balance to be struck between leveraging AI’s benefits and maintaining human-centred recognition programmes, BHN noted. Employees continued to value personalised, timely recognition and rewards that reinforce their sense of value within the company.

The hidden significance of employee engagement and wellbeing

As AI continues to redefine the traditional workplace, re-engaging and rebuilding employee commitment will become more critical in the coming years, BHN suggested. Meaningful engagement, alongside efforts to support employee wellbeing, will play a key role in driving and enhancing business outcomes.

This is reflected in the fact that 81% of respondents indicated that receiving recognition and rewards from their company helps to keep them energised and boosts their loyalty. Moreover, 61% emphasised that the timeliness of these rewards is key. Digital or prepaid cards are a great solution to this and are loved across a range of ages and work environments.

“As we approach Employee Appreciation Day, Singaporean employers should consider how they can integrate both small and large-scale recognition tactics; it’s not just about the big bonuses, but about creating a culture where employees feel consistently valued and rewarded for their contributions”, Malycon emphasised.

Employee Appreciation Day, celebrated annually on the first Friday in March - 7 March this year - offers an ideal opportunity for employers to show their gratitude and celebrate employees’ achievements and contributions, BHN said. 

Declining employee engagement in hybrid work models: Zoom

Zoom has released Navigating the Future of Work: Global Perspectives on Hybrid Models and Technology, a survey* which has found that the majority of organisations in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) are embracing flexible working arrangements, with 84% of organisations adopting either a hybrid (58%) or remote (26%) working model. 

Launched at Zoom's EX Summit 2024 in Asia Pacific, the study found that productivity is now the top priority for organisations. Eighty-seven percent of leaders in APAC considered increasing productivity to be the biggest consideration when determining the best working style for their company, surpassing sentiment in North America (NA, 86%) and 81% in Western Europe. 

The study further found that employees feel most productive in hybrid settings, with 83% of employees in the region agreeing they get more work done in a hybrid/remote setting than in-office/onsite. Zoom noted that having the right technology in place to keep the workforce connected, regardless of workers’ physical locations is therefore critical. 

Respondents revealed that many APAC companies are still experimenting with the various types of hybrid models to find their best fit. Notably, scheduled hybrid (27%) and flextime hybrid (19%) have emerged as the most common workplace models in the region, with another 13% of organisations adopting other kinds of hybrid workplace models organised around roles, locations, and outcomes. In fact, 97% of APAC leaders say they have made their workplaces more flexible in the past two years. 

Source: Zoom infographic (PDF). The most common workplace model in APAC is 'scheduled hybrid', where specific days are spent at remote locations and other days at the office, followed by 'flextime hybrid', where the employee divides their time between remote working and the office on a more variable schedule.

On the downside, more needs to be done to engage employees. Six in 10 leaders in the region report a decline in employee engagement attributed to hybrid models. 

“Workplace flexibility is not only becoming increasingly commonplace in the APAC region, but more diverse in itself — ranging from flextime to location, role, and even rotation-based models,” noted Ricky Kapur, Head of Asia Pacific, Zoom. 

“Leaders today are faced with a new challenge of finding the best-fit hybrid model while keeping up with the evolving expectations of a multi-generational workforce and the impact of rapidly-advancing technologies like AI.” 

In order to prepare for the future of work, the study revealed that organisations need to improve their current tech stack. More than eight in 10 employees (81%) agree that the tools and technology their organisation currently uses for remote work needs improving, highest among the other regions surveyed (NA: 79%; Western Europe: 65%). 

Generative AI has already become a key tool to support employee productivity and overall experience in the hybrid era. Eighty-five percent of APAC leaders believe that generative AI has made their workforce more productive, and 69% of employees in the region strongly or slightly agree that “generative AI makes it easier to do my job. 

APAC organisations recorded the highest use of meeting transcripts/summarisation (53% in APAC, 40% in NA, and 38% in Western Europe), and chatbots (59% in APAC, 52% in NA, and 58% in Western Europ” 

However, significant barriers to generative AI adoption for employees in APAC still remain, as 70% believe that generative AI has a high learning curve. Over six in 10 (63%) are not yet comfortable with generative AI. More than half (55%) are concerned that generative AI will negatively impact their job/position. 

Moving forward, increased education on the benefits, use cases, and how they can mitigate risks must be done before teams can fully unlock the true value of AI for their workforce, Zoom said. 

“While our study shows that APAC leaders generally recognise the productivity benefits that adopting AI at work can bring to their teams, many are not utilising AI to their full potential. As organisations seek to reduce friction in the transition to hybrid ways of working, AI is a critical tool at their disposal to help employees collaborate better and feel more connected to each other. 

"Beyond direct productivity benefits, leaders should look toward exploring more AI use cases to engage, inform, and connect employees. This will be key to building and maintaining company culture amidst changing workplace dynamics,” added Kapur. 

Even as hybrid becomes the dominant work model, 77% of leaders in APAC say it is likely that their organisation will change its workplace model in the next two years. Globally, this figure sits at 75%. 

Ultimately, building a successful, future-ready workplace requires organisations to continuously adapt to employees’ feedback and evolving preferences. Having the right technology in place that can adapt and evolve with the organisation at the same time, including AI tools that are both scalable and right-fit, is also a key piece to the puzzle, Zoom observed.

*The Future of Work survey and the IT Leadership survey were global studies conducted by Reworked, a global community of employee experience, digital workplace, and talent management professionals, on behalf of Zoom. The companies surveyed more than 600 IT and C-suite leaders and nearly 1,900 knowledge workers across the globe including 604 in APAC, exploring their views on different workplace models, productivity levels across models, the impact of generative AI on work, and other topics related to the future of work. 

Markets in APAC included Australia, India, Japan, and Singapore. Data was collected online, all questions were required, and results were collected anonymously. Employer survey dates: April-May 2024; Respondents: 624. Employee survey dates: April-May 2024; Respondents: 1,870.

Singapore workers worried about burnout, layoffs: UiPath

UiPath, an enterprise automation software company, has found that 18% of employees globally are concerned they may be affected by layoffs, and that 23% of them have already experienced them at their company. The numbers in Singapore are above-average at 30% and 34% respectively, with even more Indian respondents reporting the same (46% and 44%).

The leading contributors to burnout for Singapore workers are: Pressure from managers/leadership (40%), too much time spent on tactical tasks; working beyond scheduled hours (38%) and uncertainty about career opportunities at their company (33%).

The UiPath survey* also found that 69% of workers in Singapore believed that automation can address burnout and improve job fulfillment, higher than the global average (58%) and third-highest of all countries surveyed globally. In the Asia-Pacific region, the numbers range from Japan at 36%, and India at 86%.

Nearly three quarters (73%) of workers in Singapore also reported that they view employers that use business automation to help support employees and modernise operations more favourably than those that do not. In general, 79% globally view employers more favourably if the employer uses automation. The numbers trended higher than average for India (93%), Japan (77%), and Singapore (82%).

Employees are being asked to do more work with less support, with 47% of all Singapore respondents saying they’ve been asked to take on more tasks at work in the past six months because of layoffs or hiring freezes (globally, 28%; Australia 32%; India 53%, and Japan, 5%). As work piles up, it takes a toll on employees — about one in four workers (26%) in Singapore report feelings of burnout (against Australia, 35%; India, 36%; and Japan, 13%;) — and more staffers are leaning on AI tools to provide relief, giving rise to the Automation Generation.

The Automation Generation does not represent a specific age or demographic, the company said, but rather, the professionals embracing AI and automation to be more collaborative, creative, and productive. This generation of workers wants these technologies to enrich their work and personal lives and prevent them from feeling like robots themselves, UiPath explained.

Forty-nine percent of Singaporean workers are already using business automation solutions at work, the second highest among all countries surveyed globally. Of these workers comprising the Automation Generation, 87% feel like they have the resources and support needed to do their job effectively and 81% believe business automation solutions can help address burnout and enhance job satisfaction. The numbers for business automation benefits are also high globally at 83%, with India topping the ranks at 94% and Japan scoring the lowest at 67% of respondents. Australian respondents were also optimistic (88%).

The survey of 581 Singaporean workers also found:

● Automation Generation workers desire flexibility, upward mobility, and spending less time on manual tasks: When asked what aspects of their job would change with the help of automation tools, Singaporean workers said they wanted more flexibility when it comes to their work environment (47%), more time to learn new skills (43%), and less time spent on manual tasks (42%).

● Workers are increasingly looking for automation and AI-powered tools to help with mundane, repetitive tasks:

○ Nearly seven in 10 (69%) of Singaporean workers believe that automation can address burnout and improve job fulfillment. This contrasts with global figures of 58%, and 67% in Australia, 86% in India and 36% in Japan.

○ Workers are most interested in automating these tasks:

- Analysing data (58%);

- Inputting data/creating datasets (54%); and

- Resolving IT/technical issues (50%).

○ Workers who are using business automation solutions say it has enabled greater productivity (55%), more accurate work (46%) and better internal workflows (45%).

○ Regardless of job role, 55% of workers are interested in becoming citizen developers to create new automations that could enhance their work/life balance. A citizen developer does not have the traditional coding skills that programmers have, but is able to achieve results with a low code/no code solution.

● More than half of all Singaporean workers across generations are receptive to the potential of AI-powered automation in helping them at work. More than half of all Generation Z (85%), Millennial (72%), Generation X (65%), and Baby Boomer (57%) respondents think that automation would help them do their jobs better.

“Disruption in the workplace and macroeconomic factors often mean employees are asked to bear that burden by doing more with less—but it doesn’t need to be that way,” said Brigette McInnis-Day, Chief People Officer at UiPath.

“The employees of Automation Generation are embracing AI-powered automation so they can better manage their workloads, excel in their careers, and improve their work-life balance. Businesses that deploy AI in an open, flexible, and enterprise ready way are best positioned to attract and retain the types of employees that will help them thrive in an automation-first world. Automation is a key differentiator for companies to attract and retain by empowering employees and driving engagement.”

“As the Singapore economy continues to remain volatile due to the global outlook, automation can play an important role in helping organisations navigate challenges, as it has the potential to transform industries and improve the lives of workers,” said Jess O’Reilly, Area VP, Asia at UiPath.

“The insights from our survey has shown that the majority of Singaporean workers are ready to embrace AI-powered automation to support them at work. To enhance job satisfaction and increase productivity of workers, organisations in Singapore must augment capabilities of the human workforce with automation to ensure sustainable business growth.”

*In partnership with Researchscape, UiPath conducted this research via an online survey fielded in March 2023. There were 6,460 respondents to the survey. Topline results were weighted to be representative of the collective economy by each country’s GDP: US (55%), Japan (10%), Germany (9%), India (8%), UK (7%), France (6%), Australia (4%), and Singapore (2%).

Source: UiPath Automation Generation Survey Report. Workers from India feel the most burnt out.

Adapting workforce culture to the new normal

Source: Microsoft. Digital transformation requires change both externally and internally.

The changing face of Singapore’s workforce has resulted in a need for organisations to foster a new culture of work to achieve digital transformation success, a Microsoft study* has concluded. In fact, 77% polled felt that more can be done by their organisations to invest in culture development.

The Microsoft Asia Workplace 2020 Study found the following factors influencing the culture of work in Singapore today:

Increasingly mobile workforce and exposure to new security risks

The rise of mobility and proliferation of mobile and cloud technologies have resulted in individuals working across multiple locations and devices. In fact, the study found that only 38% of respondents are spending all of their work hours in the office, and 84% of respondents are working off personal smartphones. The latter raises new security challenges for organisations.

The rise of diverse teams

The research also found that 26% of workers in Singapore are already working in more than 10 teams at any one point in time. This makes the availability of real-time insights and collaboration tools crucial to get work done.

Gaps in employees’ digital skills even as leaders are in the process of embracing digital transformation

As the bar is raised with new technologies adopted across industries, deployment is uneven. In fact, 74% of respondents feel that more can be done to bridge the digital skills gap among workers.

Said Borko Kovacevic, Director, Productivity Solutions, Microsoft Singapore: “The rise of digital technologies, along with a new generation of Millennials entering the workforce, has brought about a need to address changing workers’ expectations, knowledge and skills, as well as the tools they use. And with more than half of the world’s Millennials residing in Asia, the workplace will need to transform to adapt to the technology habits of these digital natives. In addition, due to deployment of advanced and emerging technologies, organisations need to relook at reskilling its workforce to develop creative and strategic skills for the future.”

Even as 75% of business leaders in Singapore acknowledge the need to transform into a digital business in order to succeed**, successful digital transformation will ultimately depend on people and the tools they are provided with.

“People are at the heart of digital transformation. Their expectations, knowledge and skills, as well as the tools they use for work, are determining factors in the level of transformation that any organisation can achieve. The challenge that they face now is how to implement new ways to foster a modern culture of work to better empower Asia’s workers, especially those at the frontline. By estimates, there are 2 billion firstline workers globally, and make up majority of our workforce today,” said Kovacevic.

Firstline workers serve as the initial point of contact between companies and the rest of the world - they are first to engage customers, represent brand, and see products and services in action, Microsoft said. The company suggests unlocking the potential of employees, organisations need to address and elevate their workforce, especially firstline workers, through addressing the core values of the new culture of work: 

Unlocking employees’ creativity

Collaboration fuels innovation through sharing of ideas and enables flexibility in how people work through a connected experience, while working seamlessly across devices. However, the Microsoft Asia Workplace 2020 Study found that majority of respondents feel restricted in the way they work today, with 58% highlighting that they needed to be physically present in office as equipment or tools used for their line of work is only available in the workplace.

Fuelling teamwork

By giving all workers a universal toolkit for collaboration, organisations offer its people choice and ownership as to how they work together and collaborate in real-time. In fact, the Microsoft Asia Workplace 2020 Study found that two in five workers highlighted that access to technology for collaboration such that they can respond in a timely manner to internal and external requests was important in their line of work. 

Strengthening security

Today, 61% of respondents are working on employer-issued PCs, but 84% are also working on personal smartphones or using corporate devices for personal activities, which underscores potential security risks. In fact, 66% of respondents admitted to checking personal emails on company-issued devices, and are doing so for the convenience. Therefore, leaders need to strengthen their security not to put organisation’s confidential data at risk to address the need for workers to work without barriers and without impeding productivity. 

Making it simpler

With the rise of apps, devices, services and security risks in the workplace, there is a need to streamline the IT management, break down service siloes so that disparate data can be combined and reasoned in new ways and reduce complexity. In fact, a Microsoft Asia Pacific IT leaders study*** found that 72% of IT decision makers (ITDMs) in Singapore agreed that there is a need to reduce complexity of managing their existing IT security portfolio.

“We believe that every worker – from the factory floor to the front desk, to the executive boardroom – can contribute to an organisation’s collective endeavours. It is our view that involving firstline workers in digital transformation will drive unprecedented opportunity – for workers, the organisations that they work for, and the industries and society at large,” added Kovacevic. “At Microsoft, we see the opportunities that can be unlocked with technology by equipping frontline workers with the right tools, such as Microsoft 365. Ultimately, digital transformation projects can only succeed if the right tools are in place for workers to leverage and maximise upon.”

Microsoft has been diversifying the Microsoft 365 family to address workforce challenges with Microsoft 365 F1, a version of Microsoft 365 which provides purpose-built capabilities that help foster firstline culture and community, train and upskill employees, digitise business process, deliver real-time expertise, and minimise risk and cost. New intelligent search capabilities, a vision for intelligent communications centring on Microsoft Teams, and security and IT management enhancements to help customers stay secure and compliant were also introduced at Ignite:

- Microsoft 365 F1 brings together Office 365, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security to empower the more than two billion firstline workers worldwide, who serve as the first point of contact between a company and its customers, or who are directly involved in making products.

- A new vision for intelligent communications, including plans to bring Skype for Business Online capabilities into Microsoft Teams, along with cognitive and data services. This makes Teams the true hub for teamwork in Office 365, including persistent chat, voice and video.

- Intelligent search experiences use AI and machine learning to deliver more relevant search results across Microsoft 365.

- Microsoft 365 is delivering improved advanced threat protection (ATP) features like enhanced anti-phishing capabilities, expanded protection to SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams and integration between cloud and on premises identity threat detection capabilities.

- For organisations still on Office 2007, end of support will happen on 11 October. Customers who are still using Office 2007 products and services are encouraged to move to Office 365 or Microsoft 365 to stay supported, and ensure uninterrupted support from Microsoft.

Kovacevic said: “With cloud-based productivity tools being a key pick among Asia’s mobile workers to drive greater collaboration among teams, we urge organisations to take the opportunity to evaluate Microsoft 365 as an option to modernise their workforce.”

Source: Microsoft. Infographic illustrating findings of the Microsoft Asia Workplace 2020 Study,

Interested?

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about the Ignite announcements

*Microsoft Asia Workplace 2020 Study, conducted between February and March 2017 involving 4.175 respondents in 14 Asia markets. The 14 markets include Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. All respondents were prequalified as at least spending 30 hours per week in a full-time role, or spending at least 20 hours per week in a part time role. This included 307 respondents from Singapore.

**Microsoft Asia Digital Transformation Study. The study surveyed 1,494 business leaders from Asia, including 118 from Singapore. All respondents were prequalified as being involved in shaping their organisations’ digital strategy. The study found that only 34% of business leaders in Singapore have a full digital transformation strategy while half are in progress with specific digital transformation initiatives for selected parts of their business. Another 16% of respondents said they had a very limited or no strategy in place.

***Microsoft Asia Pacific survey of 1,200 IT leaders across 12 markets, including Australia, mainland China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Four in 10 (41%) of respondents are working in organisations with 250 to 499 PCs; 59% work in organisations with 500 and more PCs.

Minimise travel risk for employees with Concur solution

Concur, an SAP company and the provider of travel, expense and invoice management solutions, has introduced the first integrated traveller risk management solution featuring a travel and expense data set. The new solution includes an option for 24x7 monitoring services to help communicate with and assist employees at any time on a company’s behalf – from pre-travel guidance to emergency safety information.

“With global uncertainties and business travel on the rise, Concur has a strong sense of responsibility for our employees and customers around the world,” said Mike Eberhard, President of Concur. “From civil unrest to natural disasters and terrorist attacks, businesses need to be sure they know where their employees are and direct them to safety as quickly as possible. Our data set extends beyond traditionally booked travel itineraries, maximising visibility and empowering businesses to take action in these situations. During recent global incidents, Concur was able to locate employees in affected areas within an hour.”

Unlike other solutions, Concur Risk Messaging can capture traveller location data via Concur Travel & Expense, Concur Mobile, Concur TripLink, TripIt from Concur, supplier e-receipts and more, providing travel managers immediate visibility into employees that may be at risk. Concur Active Monitoring, powered by HX Global, will offer 24x7 monitoring, proactive communication capabilities, and assistance.

In 2016, Concur issued more than 10 million alerts notifying business travellers of potential risks in locations they were visiting. The number of Concur users who received alerts also increased by 770%, from 151,000 users in January 2016 to 1.3 million users in December 2016.

Rewardz introduces employee benefits app

Singapore-based HR technology solutions provider Rewardz has launched Cerrapoints, a mobile-friendly incentive and flexible benefits programme.

"Since we launched Rewardz in 2012, we had always wanted to create an app like Cerrapoints to assist companies in providing bespoke employee benefits that contribute towards employee wellness and satisfaction while also allowing for better targeting of specific behaviours to incentivise," said Nicole Seah, Co-founder of Rewardz.

"Providing a performance-based spot rewarding platform and offering employees a choice of their incentives has been proven to boost morale and productivity and can help companies to succeed in achieving a lower turnover amongst their employees."

Cerrapoints aims to empower and reward employees for actions that contribute towards their company's strategy and business goals, beyond the traditional salary and bonus compensation model. Companies can choose to reward staff for staying healthy, long service, or job-specific activities such as client or staff referrals, among others.

Companies can use the app to keep staff updated on training sessions or a colleague's birthday. Staff members can also be reminded of scheduled appointments. The app can additionally be synced with sports devices such as the Jawbone or Fitbit, track steps and even remind users to get up from their seats regularly.

The Cerrapoints app can make vouchers from brands like Capitaland, Dairy Farm, Isetan, Kinokuniya, and Robinsons available at once. There are also product redemptions such as Dyson fans and fitness products; as well as medical screening.

"We are in discussion with a regional healthcare provider for a strategic partnership that will allow us to integrate cashless mobile payments at GP clinics and medical centres to complement our rewards vendor network on a single platform. Our vision is to evolve Cerrapoints into a gamified and fun flexi-benefits platform that can consolidate medical spending (MSA) and flexible spending (FSA) budgets for large companies," said Sudhanshu Tewari, CEO of Rewardz.

"We believe that this is a unique offering for insurance brokers and companies looking for a flexible benefits solution in Asia."

Over the past few years, Rewardz has secured over 100 clients and serves more than 200,000 employees, including DBS, Manulife, Disney, NUHS, JTC, Fuji Xerox, DB Schenker, Intercontinental Hotel, Ascott Holdings, Lendlease, amongst many others. The Cerrapoints app is currently used by DBS and Carrier; and has been receiving positive feedback since its implementation.

In December 2016, Japanese giant Benefit One invested S$3 million in Rewardz. Founders of Rewardz Tewari, Seah and Jaya Maru remained as shareholders together with Benefit One shareholders, with all other shareholders exiting as part of the agreement.

Rewardz is also behind the customisable employee engagement programmes Emperks and Flabuless.

Interested?

The mobile app is available on both the Apple and Google Play stores.

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New HERO Scorecard targets companies outside US

HERO and Mercer have launched the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer – International Version. Modelled after the US version, the HERO International Scorecard is designed for use by employers in any country*. Available online and free of charge, the new framework allows employers to evaluate their health and well-being efforts by using a comprehensive inventory of current best practices compiled by industry thought leaders.

“Social and workplace norms can differ greatly from office to office within large companies and from community to community within the US. Companies with an international presence face additional challenges because workplace health and well-being best practices that have been tested and proven in America might not be relevant in the other countries,” said Dr Paul Terry, President and CEO of HERO. “Business leaders need comparative data, but that can be quite costly and difficult to secure without the help of a resource like the HERO Scorecard.”

In the US, where the domestic version of the Scorecard has been available since 2008, employers can benchmark their program and outcomes against companies of similar sizes and industries. As employers begin completing the new HERO International Scorecard, benchmarks will become available that allow employers to compare their programmes to others in their own country and in other countries where the Scorecard is used.

The HERO International Scorecard asks employers to provide information about organisational and cultural support for employee health and well-being, specific programme offerings, integration of health and well-being programmes with other areas of the company, strategies to encourage participation (such as communications and rewards), programme costs, and outcomes. After submitting the online scorecard, the employer immediately receives an email showing their best practice scores in six areas that contribute to employee well-being. When available, benchmarks will also be added.

“Companies benefit in multiple ways by completing the HERO Scorecard: from access to information about best practices and comparative benchmarking, to planning for future program enhancements and building internal consensus for improvements,” said Dr Steven Noeldner, Mercer partner and chair of the HERO Research Study Subcommittee. “Providing this breadth of analysis and comparison for domestic and international business will streamline efforts for employers and give them a competitive advantage in building a healthy workforce now, and in the future.”

“With continuous, double-digit growth in health costs, ageing populations and ever-increasing health consciousness, companies in Asia take workplace health and wellness very seriously. Most employers are looking for the right solution to address health issues and related decreases in engagement and productivity,” said Cecilia Deasy, Partner, Regional Consultant, Mercer, Asia. “Unfortunately, too many organisations are implementing programmes that are passive in nature, with limited experience or guidance. As a result, most programmes fail to generate the material impact that organisations are looking for.

“Workplace health and wellness cannot be effectively managed with band aid solutions. Engagement, motivation, support andstrategy are critical to ensure success. With the best practice framework and achievable results, the HERO scorecard offers the evidence and navigational tools required for employers in this region to implement successful workplace health and wellness programmes and generate real results.”

Interested?

The International Scorecard is currently available in English only. Learn more about the HERO International Scorecard (PDF)

Take the International Scorecard

*The initial HERO Scorecard was intended for use in the US only.

posted from Bloggeroid

Employees prefer recognition to money

Source: ACCA report. Tone at the top influences corporate behaviour the most, according to 61% of respondents.

A new report, Culture and channelling corporate behaviour: ACCA member survey, published by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has found that recognition at work is the highest motivator, regardless of age, industry or location – even outstripping monetary reward.

The survey, which was co-funded by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council), harnessed the views of almost 2,000 ACCA finance professionals from across the globe. The results also highlighted geographical variations, including the desire to reach a more senior position as being a stronger motivator in Africa and Asia while having a more challenging role was most important for employees in the Americas.

Jo Iwasaki, ACCA Head of Corporate Governance, said: “The survey highlighted some clear distinctions between employee views in Europe and America and Africa and Asia. For example in Africa and Asia rules and procedures play a larger role than for respondents in Europe. However, the tone of corporate leadership is vitally important in channelling the overall culture of an organisation in any region.”

The issue of performance management will be of particular interest to business leaders. Although half of the respondents conceded that performance-related pay schemes could help foster best performance, nearly two-third thought that such systems may invite people to exaggerate or otherwise falsify their measures. This shows the fine line employers need to tread when putting in place performance related targets and the need for careful consideration when linking them to pay.

Konstantinos Stathopoulos, Professor of Accounting and Finance at Manchester Business School and co-author of the report, said: “The survey results reveal there is no 'one size fits all' strategy when it comes to building corporate culture and behaviour. Even though the role of leadership in setting the tone is highlighted in most responses, the survey uncovers significant differences in attitudes and perceptions regarding effective channels of corporate behaviour. These disparities are also intensified by differences in respondents’ geographic location, industry and characteristics.”

Interested?

Read the report

More than a third of the APAC working population are free agents

Kelly Services’ 2015 Free Agent Survey, the first-ever global survey by the company, finds that nearly one in three workers globally is a free agent.

The survey further reveals that in Asia-Pacific (APAC), 34% of the region’s working population is considered a free agent. This is slightly ahead of the global average of 31%. Free agents are defined as individuals who consult; perform temporary, freelance or independent contract work; or have their own business.

“The findings of the 2015 Free Agent Survey provide some interesting insights into the talent’s mindset of wanting a workstyle which provides greater freedom, flexibility and entrepreneurial benefits,” said Natalia Shuman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Kelly Services for EMEA and APAC.

“Employers should capitalise on this trend and look to free agents as a solution to managing their talent supply chain in the face of continual pressure to attract and retain skilled talent,” she added.

posted from Bloggeroid

Getting people with disabilities off the training treadmill and into real jobs

People with disabilities should not be trained for the sake of training, with no jobs in sight, but placed where they can learn on-the-job. In a speech titled Best Practices of Employers in Supported Employment for Persons with Disabilities, Christy Lynch, Chief Executive Officer, KARE Ireland, an organisation which provides support to people who have an intellectual disability and their families, advocated working with people with disabilities and employers to ensure that there is real empowerment.

Speaking at Towards an Inclusive Workforce 2015, an event jointly organised by SPD, and supported by SG Enable and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), Lynch noted that the reality of people with disabilities is that they are disconnected from the labour market and typically do not get the opportunity to go to work. Regular supported employment is attainable, he said.

"The problem is – not was – that lots of people do lots of training and never get to the labour market," he noted, pointing out that many people with disabilities are still stuck in less desirable options of sheltered workshops - a daily programme - and vocational training centres.

While many believe that the severely disabled cannot work, Lynch gave real-life examples of people who have done just that with regular supported employment, with job responsibilities matched to their abilities. "Employers don't hear the success stories," he said.

Supported employment enables individuals with disabilities to be employed in real jobs in regular settings where training and other supports are provided on an ongoing basis, Lynch explained. Kare negotiates with employers on what a disabled person may need to learn to fulfil the requirements of the job, and assigns a job coach to work with the person to ensure that he or she can do the job to the standard that the employer requires.

There may be physical adaptations required for the workplace, and the disabled person may need to learn social skills appropriate for the corporate culture, Lynch noted. Many people may fit the job requirements, but need help on the logistics, such as how to get to the workplace, he added.

Misconceptions with the practice are that employers may think disabled people are a source of cheap labour, or that they create a token job that would not have existed otherwise, Lynch cautioned. "It's about real wages and benefits," he said.

Another misconception is that the support for supported employment stops once the disabled person has been successfully placed in the job. Problems can crop up years later, requiring the support organisation to step in again, Lynch said.

"No two people are the same so no support package is the same," he said. "You have to tailor this to the individual."

The fifth Towards an Inclusive Workforce 2015 was held in conjunction with the 2015 Microsoft YouthSpark Scholarship Award Ceremony, which offers financial support to students with disabilities studying in IT-related disciplines. Over 100 participants comprising employers and representatives from institutes of higher learning attended the event at the NTUC Business Centre.

“People with disabilities have work potential. When given the opportunity, job accommodation and support, they too can contribute to the economic growth of Singapore. We are encouraged by the help of Microsoft Singapore in supporting the IT-related aspirations of students with disabilities, and our partners SG Enable and WDA in advancing the employment of people with disabilities, and hope that inclusive hiring will become second nature, and not initiated as a corporate social responsibility exercise,” said Abhimanyau Pal, Executive Director, SPD.

Interested?

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about the Microsoft YouthSpark Scholarships for 2015

DBS receives NTUC Women's Development Secretariat SG50 Special Award

DBS has received the NTUC Women’s Development Secretariat (WDS) SG50 Special Award in recognition of its dedicated flexible working programme and employee support schemes designed to help staff better manage their time and balance their professional and personal needs. 

Said Cheong Meng Foong, Managing Director, Group Human Resources – Reward: “We adopt a holistic approach in creating a workplace where employees feel empowered, connected and valued. As a company that has a diverse workforce, we understand that our employees will have different needs at various phases of their lives and have put in place a number of initiatives to encourage staff to take charge of their career progression and to promote greater work life integration.”

Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all policy, DBS offers staff benefits that meet different needs. These include:

- Flexible work arrangements

- Staff loans that generally offer better terms than commercial loans, helping staff who are looking to set up their homes make their first home in the early years of their careers

- Re-employment at 62 on terms that are better than tripartite guidelines and industry norms in Singapore

- Free health screenings for all our employees, which at the same time helps DBS understand any possible health issues of its population for more targeted intervention

- Being the first to pioneer the “Shield Companion” Plan - a medical plan that complements employees’ portable enhanced MediShield plan, reducing duplication of medical coverage. The bank also pays a certain amount into their MediSave accounts to subsidise their portable medical plans premium.

Joyce Chua, DBS Assistant Vice President, Corporate Trust & Fund Services, has benefitted from the bank’s flexi-work arrangements. “DBS’ flexi-work scheme has given me the opportunity to spend more quality time with my three teenage children. I was a full-time stay-at-home mother for about three years before deciding to join the workforce again. Under the bank’s part-time work arrangement, I managed to work out an arrangement that would allow me to work four full days a week instead of the standard five-day working week. This made the transition back to work easier for me," she said. 

"Now that I have a day off during the week, I am able to have a longer meal with my children on a weekday, and they will in turn share with me what is happening in their schools and the different problems they face – something that I think would not be possible if I had less time. Through this, I also get to know their friends better. What makes this all possible are my supportive managers and colleagues, who understand the situation I’m in, and whom I know will step up to help me in a heartbeat.”

One of DBS' flexi-work arrangements is Flexi-Time. While official working hours are from 8.30am to 6.00pm, full-time employees may choose their starting and finishing work hours  provided they complete a stipulated number of hours. For example, staff can commence work an hour earlier at 7.30am and end the day at 5.00pm, or commence work an hour later at 9.30am and end the day at 7.00pm. Line managers are encouraged to schedule meetings during the core working hours between 9:30am and 4:30pm.

Employees may also consider part-time work - fewer fixed hours per day or fewer full days per week - or to take unpaid leave beyond their earned annual leave entitlement period. This arrangement is highly valued by employees, especially in cases where they wish to follow their spouses on overseas assignments or do overseas volunteer work for a few months.

Two DBS employees also won awards in the Most Supportive Colleague category: Samantha Lau, Assistant Vice President, T&O-SG-Customer Centre, and Delia Tan, Analyst, T&O-SG-Customer Centre.

Good people are still hard to find: ManpowerGroup

Source: ManpowerGroup infographic.

Globally, the top five talents that rarest are skilled trade positions (especially chefs, bakers, butchers, mechanics and electricians), sales representatives, engineers (mechanical, electrical and civil), technicians and drivers (particularly of heavy vehicles), says the US-based workforce expert ManpowerGroup.

In Singapore, the picture is quite different. With the exception of engineers which are also in the top five positions that are toughest to fill, the others are: accounting and finance talent, sales representatives, secretaries (including receptionists and administrative assistants), and marketing, public relations and communications specialists.

The findings are part of ManpowerGroup's annual Talent Shortage Survey (TSS), for which 41,700 hiring managers in 42 countries and territories were surveyed. Linda Teo, ManpowerGroup Singapore’s Country Manager says that of the 234 respondents in Singapore, 40% said that these are the positions hardest to fill. She attributed the shortage to “widespread restructuring that is sending tremors across sectors, with shocks being added from a tightening labour market”.

"At the same time, employers do not seem to show an urgency to put into place strategies not just to tackle the talent shortage but to stay ahead of the curve to find individuals to meet their business needs,” Teo said.

“Today, merely recruiting and placing candidates will not yield results. Employers need to encourage a learning culture among their employees and to get them to chart their own careers.”

Employers also need to explore untapped talent pools such as youth and older workers, and look to enhancing benefits, she said.

According to the TSS, key reasons for organisations’ difficulty in filling jobs include:

• Lack of available applicants – 35%
• Lack of technical competencies (hard skills) – 34%
• Lack of experience – 22% 
• Lack of workplace competencies (soft skills) – 17%, and 
• Looking for more pay than is offered – 13% 

The most likely consequences of a talent shortage are a reduced ability to serve clients (42%) and reduced competitiveness and productivity (42%). In addition, 30% expect an increase in employee turnover and 26% anticipate lower employee engagement and morale.

In Asia Pacific, nearly half of all employers report talent shortages (48%). Apart from Japan, where 83% of employers are facing challenges, lack of talent is also a concern in Hong Kong (65%) and Taiwan (57%). However, talent inadequacies are least likely to be a concern for mainland Chinese employers (24%) given the country’s huge population.

Source: ManpowerGroup infographic.

On the flipside, a global career survey of employees released in April by Right Management, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup, signal a disconnect between employee aspirations and the performance demands of employers worldwide.

The Global Career Aspiration Survey finds that only one in 10 of employees defines career success as high performance and productivity. Nearly half - 45% - of respondents rank work-life balance as their No.1 career aspiration, and the top definition of workplace success is "enjoyment and happiness".

Teo said: “Understanding employee career motivations and aspirations is key to creating a high performance culture that motivates individuals to do their best work. When people have ongoing career conversations with their managers, they experience effective career development and are more likely to be engaged, motivated and ready to take on new challenges.”

The Global Career Aspiration Survey was commissioned by Right Management in Q4 2014 to better understand career motivations and how perceptions are shifting in the workplace. The survey included results from 1,225 respondents in countries such as Canada, the US, Australia, India and Singapore.

Interested?

Visit the TSS microsite
View the complete infographic

Cisco discovers how technology is shaping the way we work

Workforce demands by Generation (Gen) X and Millennial workers to increase flexible work styles have been met with employers shifting their own policies to accommodate changing attitudes, according to the 2014 Cisco Connected World Technology Report* (CCWTR). Generation X, typically describes those born in the 1960s to 1980s, and Millennial workers or Generation Y are those born in the 1980s to the 2000s.

As in previous years, the CCWTR shows the mindset, expectations, and behaviour of the world's next generation of workers, but this year has added insights into Gen X and human resources workers, and how they value their connectivity (over physical needs), view their availability for work communications (24/7) and the consequent shaping of enterprise IT and security policy, product development and design, and the ability of businesses to compete.

The report, which includes inputs from India, China, Japan, Korea and Australia, demonstrates the fundamental ways in which technology is shaping the future of work and how the devices, apps and solutions preferred by these generations are enabling new ways of working – including the rise of the "Supertasker" who uses four devices – and changes in the way workers and businesses view remote working (44% of Millennials feel most productive in the office), application use (six in 10 respondents prefer a pen and paper to the hottest note-taking app) and global talent recruitment (50% of hiring managers would hire from only video interviews).

Key findings:

Supertaskers
Nearly two thirds believe in the year 2020, Supertasking will be most coveted by their organisation. More than four in 10 Gen X and Gen Y professionals, as well as nearly six in 10 HR professionals, consider themselves to be a "Supertasker," defined as an individual who can successfully do more than two things at once, and do them well.

HR professionals feel that Supertaskers increase the expectations of a "high performer" at their organisation and as such, most feel Supertaskers are best suited for a managerial role, an individual contributor or an executive role.

About half of Gen X and Gen Y professionals believe Supertasking would make an individual more productive. Similarly, HR professionals (62%) predominantly believe Supertaskers increase their organisation's productivity.

Most indicate learning to become a Supertasker by managing their personal lives, and the majority typically mix work and personal activities, particularly Gen X professionals (70%).

Gen X versus Gen Y
Gen Y (Millennial) professionals are more likely to indicate being "wired" differently than Gen X employees when it comes to efficiency and multitasking. More than half (56%) of Gen Y professionals say that they are more efficient than Gen X employees.

More than four in 10 professionals believe Gen Y employees are most effective at Supertasking, relative to other generations. Six in ten Gen X professionals and 81% of HR professionals think that Gen Y employees are able to perform tasks faster than older employees using mobile devices and apps. Further, seven in 10 HR professionals think Gen Y employees are able to perform tasks faster if they are allowed to use their mobile devices and apps instead of desktop PCs or laptops.

Managing Gen X and Gen Y employees
Nearly two thirds of Gen X and more than eight in 10 HR professionals have previously managed or currently manage Gen X and Gen Y employees. Among those who have managed both Gen X and Gen Y employees, the largest proportion notes that Gen X professionals are easier to manage than their younger counterparts. On the other hand, roughly one third indicate both groups are easy to manage.

More than one third of Gen X and HR professionals who have experienced managing Gen Y employees cited the greatest challenge is their "I want it now" ambition. Gen X and HR professionals agree managers in the future will need to change their approach to coaching/mentoring and collaborating with Gen Y employees as a result of more of them joining the workforce.

The future of HR and recruiting
Nearly six in 10 (58%) HR professionals would be willing to hire a candidate by only interviewing the candidate using video conferencing (without ever conducting an interview in person). When asked of hiring managers in general, slightly less (50%) believe hiring managers would be open to hiring someone without an in-person interview.

When it comes to hiring based on their organisation's culture, HR professionals are equally divided on whether having the best talent or finding the best fit for their culture is most important. Most HR professionals (40%) believe personal skills are most important to hiring managers when looking to fill entry-level positions.

While one third of professionals indicate their job hunting approach will always remain local, nearly one in 5 indicate their approach is already national or worldwide, including those from India.

The always-on lifestyle
More than half of professionals (Gen X and Gen Y) consider themselves accessible for work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including three in 10 who are accessible by both email and phone.

Which leads to the abolition of the 9-to-5 workday. It is more like a 7-to-8, with 9am to 12am being next-most popular. These are followed in popularity with the 2am-to-5pm and 9am-to-10pm workdays. Professionals are somewhat evenly divided when it comes to the typical white-collar workday, with slightly less than half indicating that they desire the freedom to work and play from anywhere at anytime with no restrictions (vs. having a traditional, scheduled workday of 9am to 5pm).

Most Gen X professionals believe Gen Y employees would prefer a flexible work schedule, although Gen Y professionals actually tend to slightly prefer a traditional work schedule, at 54%.

The largest proportion of Gen Y professionals (44%) indicate being more focused and productive when working in the office, while Gen X professionals (38%) cite being equally focused and productive both at home and in the office. Though somewhat evenly split, slightly more professionals believe there should be a traditional time for work and time for personal life – especially those in China, Korea, Russia and Mexico.

Flexible working schedules
About half of Gen X and Gen Y professionals feel their organisation's Human Resources department is adjusting to enable a more mobile, flexible work style for its employees, though nearly one third feel it is not doing so quickly enough.
From an HR perspective, 56% indicate their HR department has already implemented or is planning on implementing a more mobile, flexible work style.

Most professionals believe physical offices will still exist in 2020, though about four in 10 believe they will be much smaller. Further, more than half of Gen X and Gen Y professionals believe their job will sometimes require them to be in the office depending on their schedule. HR professionals are split when it comes to the future work schedule, though 4 in 10 believe employees will be able to work from home occasionally.

About one quarter of Gen X and Gen Y professionals indicate their organisation allows them to work from home, but Gen Y professionals who have the opportunity to work remotely are more likely to prefer working from the office, relative to their Gen X counterparts. Despite this the minority of Gen X and Y professionals say they prefer the office - 28% of Gen Y, 19% percent of Gen X and 6% of HR professionals prefer to work in the office.

Among those who are employed by organisations that allow them to work from home, more than four in 10 Gen Y professionals indicate they are most focused and productive when working in the office.

Driven by those in Germany and France, more than one quarter believe organisations will be more nationally and/or globally distributed by the year 2020, where managers will not need to be in the same office as their direct reports every weekday.

Roughly two thirds of professionals believe that an organisation that has adopted a flexible, mobile and remote work model has a competitive advantage over one that requires employees to be in the office from 9am to 5pm every weekday.

While salary is the most important factor for most, the flexibility to set their own schedule or the ability to work remotely is most important to roughly one in five Gen X and Gen Y professionals, as well as one third of HR professionals. Overall, professionals are unwilling to take a pay cut in return for greater work flexibility, although, those in HR tend to be most willing, with four in 10 indicating they would accept a pay cut. Similarly, HR professionals are willing to accept the largest pay cut, with 56% accepting a pay cut of more than 10% (versus 35% of Gen Y and 34% of Gen X professionals).

Said Rowan Trollope, Senior Vice President of Cisco Collaboration: "These days people in the office are looking for instant access to great communication and collaboration tools. And we expect these tools to be always on, global and available on any device, anywhere. The findings in the Cisco Connected World Technology Report provide businesses with insights that will give them a competitive advantage when it comes to IT decisions and HR processes. 

"In fact, it suggests new approaches to consider deploying technology tools and solutions for the workplace. Users will continue to drive adoption, while demanding a terrific experience with the products they use. We are focused on delivering that excellent experience as we bring them the tools to be more productive and work better, regardless of from where or at what time of day."

Added Lance Perry, Vice President of IT Customer Strategy and Success, Cisco: "The results of the Cisco Connected World Technology Report provide valuable insights into the care-abouts of our evolving workforce. Businesses should grab this opportunity to re-examine how they need to evolve in order to attract top talent and shape their business models. 

"Without a doubt, our world is changing to be much more Internet-focused and becomes even more so with each new generation. CIOs can plan and scale their networks now to address the security and mobility demands that the next-generation workforce will put on their infrastructure. At the same time, they can use this information to assess and evolve their corporate policies for a win-win transformation that will position technology as an enabler of collaboration and business success."

*The annual Cisco Connected World Technology Report examines the relationship between human behaviour, the Internet and networking's pervasiveness. Examining this relationship unearths data about how companies will remain competitive amid the influence of technology lifestyle trends. The fourth annual Cisco Connected World Technology Report was commissioned by Cisco and conducted by InsightExpress, an independent market research firm based in the US. The global report, based on surveys of professionals between the ages of 18 and 50 in 15 countries, includes 100 respondents from each of 15 countries: the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Poland, India, China, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Glassdoor shares list of top-rated companies for culture and values

Glassdoor has announced its report of the Top 25 Companies for Culture & Values, based on workplace insights shared by employees. Recognisable names in Asia Pacific include:

Twitter, which tops the list with a rating of 4.5* and the comment "the best place I have ever worked".

Rated no. 2 is PR agency Edelman, rated 4.4, which one employee says is "the only agency I will ever work for". Google was ranked no. 3 and also scored 4.4. It is called "an amazing company to work for" by one reviewer.

Riverbed is no. 4, with a score of 4.3. Facebook is rated 5th with the same score and National Instruments is 8th with a score of 4.2.

Apple is in 15th place and Nike is 16th; both scored 4.1. Disney is next at 17th, Citrix is 19th and Adobe is in 20th place; these three scored 4.0.

View the full list of 25 here.

*A rating of 4.01 or higher is equivalent to 'very satisfied'.

More employees in Asia Pacific lying about their job history, First Advantage says

First Advantage, a Symphony Technology Group (STG) company and a provider of screening analytics and identity solutions, has released First Advantage Employment Screening Trends Report: Asia Pacific, Q1 2014, which has found that almost one in five of all Asia Pacific employees have not been completely truthful about their employment history and other details.

According to First Advantage, which conducts around 23 million global background checks annually, the challenges of hiring the right candidate have increased as regional legislation surrounding anti-corruption, data privacy and consumer protection is changing. The regular updating of the legalities in different countries complicates the background screening process, making it extremely difficult for employers to perform proper background checks on their candidates. 

“Through this trends report, First Advantage seeks to help employers in Asia Pacific identify the current employment background verification trends and understand how they can optimise their screening programmes,” said Matthew Glasner, Managing Director of South APAC at First Advantage. 

“We are seeing a significant increase in discrepancies in region and this further highlights the importance of using state-of-the-art screening practices available to ensure companies know who they are hiring, thereby mitigating the business loss associated with a wrong hire.”

Key findings from the report include:

• The total number of checks done per case in the APAC region has gone up from four checks on average in Q1 2013 to five checks in Q1 2014, indicating that there is more awareness among companies about background screening services. Employers are also demanding better output. 
• About a quarter (26%) of employers in the Asia Pacific region are now conducting more than six checks and above. They are 11 times more likely to uncover a discrepancy as compared to those who conduct only two checks (3%) or five checks (9%). 
• The report shows that there is an overall increase in discrepancy rates (5.8%) compared to Q1 2013. 
• Nearly one in five (18.9%) of the discrepancies in the Asia-Pacific region are related to education of employees.
• Employment history discrepancies top the list at 54.6% of all discrepancies. This constitutes an increase of 5.6% in Q1 2014 over Q1 2013, when employment discrepancies made up close to 50% of all discrepancies in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• Employers in Australia and New Zealand are the most interested in employee screening with 23.38% of respondents reporting they do it in Q1 2014, a significant increase from Q1 2013 when they stood at just 12.96% of respondents from this region. This is followed by Singapore, which had 18.78% of respondents reporting they screen in Q1 2014. 

First Advantage also notes that there is now a growing trend toward “infinity screening,” in which screening programmes are extended to include contractors and vendors, and existing employees are periodically rescreened. Infinity screening has led to fewer discrepancies in employee information where is practised, the company said.

*The report is based on data drawn from 300,000 employment background verifications and reference checks conducted by First Advantage in APAC from January to March 2014. The screening results represent a cross-section of the company’s clients located in Japan, Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.