Competencies and complexities for citizens of the world

Source: INSEAD. Cover,
The Global
Cosmopolitan Mindset.

An INSEAD professor’s new book explains the unique competencies and complex issues facing multinational, multicultural “citizens of the world”, the people who have multiple passports or live outside their country of citizenship.

“Many of them come from humble immigrant backgrounds, growing up in multiple countries, languages and cultures so have had to work very hard to get where they are today. Some are simply from bicultural families and have been born into a world of globalisation and change,” says Linda Brimm, an Emeritus Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD. 

“A global mindset is essential in international business and in solving complex problems,” says  Brimm. Given their life and work experience across borders, citizens of the world “have a great deal to teach us about the new ways to address some of the complicated challenges of today,” says Brimm in The Global Cosmopolitan Mindset.

A global cosmopolitan mindset, Brimm says, “is a culmination of a growth mindset, a global mindset and a creative mindset.” Crucially, “their cognitive flexibility also enables global cosmopolitans to think locally while remaining global,” adds Brimm, an important skill to have as the world increasingly looks for new solutions to local challenges.

The book tells the stories of hundreds of global cosmopolitans Brimm has researched throughout her career. While every story is different, Brimm draws them together to find commonalities to understand what makes people successful when they cross borders and what others, especially managers in organisations, can learn from such individuals.

The new book is the sequel to Brimm's Global Cosmopolitans: The Creative Edge of Difference, which introduced the 7Cs Model of Change and Development for the changes people are likely to face on a global journey. The Global Cosmopolitan Mindset delves deeper into how global cosmopolitans develop, the identities they form for themselves and what they have to consider when they want to return home or retire.

Brimm structures the book around three main areas. 

- Part 1: how global cosmopolitans learn from their global lives to develop a mindset and a skillset they use to help them

- Part 2: how global cosmopolitans form their identities throughout their lives

- Part 3: how global cosmopolitans make sense of their journeys as they continue to create new chapters in their life stories

Part 1 explains how global cosmopolitans learn from their global lives to develop a mindset and a skillset they use to help them. Brimm characterises the global cosmopolitans mindset as a combination of learning and growth with a global perspective and creativity. For instance, along their journeys, they will face unpredictable situations such as learning new ways of communicating, new ways of relating to people, even the most mundane things such as how to seek medical care in a foreign land. 

“Those with attitudes of learning and flexibility are able to better learn from their experience and articulate it in constructive ways,” says Brimm.

Part 2 looks at how global cosmopolitans form their identities throughout their lives. Brimm acknowledges that “Some of the classic ways that individuals present themselves as part of their identity story are as relevant for global cosmopolitans as for anyone else. But global cosmopolitans add levels of complexity when facing a major challenge…they author and understand who they are, what they can change, and what must remain the same…black and white perspectives are rarely found in a global mindset.”

Brimm suggests that internal monitoring is a necessary skill for global cosmopolitans and using the image of a “life mosaic” helps them describe a sense of self that travels over time and through change. This helps them manage differences and gives them an acute sensitivity to local vs global norms in the workplace allowing them to feel at home with people of different backgrounds. She also illustrates the unique dilemmas faced by these individuals as they develop their own sense of identity.

Part 3 explains how global cosmopolitans make sense of their journeys as they continue to create new chapters in their life stories. “They write new chapters in their developing lives, which define them as individuals, as well as providing examples of answers to some universal questions, such as how to satisfy the need to belong, what gives a sense of meaning to life, or how to have an impact,” says Brimm. 

“‘If you are used to questioning your life and your possibilities, reflection and personal growth will continue’, is what global cosmopolitans have taught me.”

While nationalism and a resistance to globalisation are ascendant, Brimm believes that it is becoming increasingly clear that solving issues of trade, immigration and climate change transcend any one country or individual. “The global cosmopolitans who have obtained experience in moving skillfully across borders are a major source of energy and expertise to build the coalitions that can address such cross-national, cross-cultural issues,” she concludes.

Southeast Asia to see salary growth with IT skillsets in high demand across key sectors

● 2018 will see high demand in IT skillsets and contracting opportunities especially in fintech, healthcare and technology sectors in Singapore

● The accounting and finance, human resources, sales and marketing, and technology sectors seek professionals with specialised skillsets in 2018

Source: Robert Walters. Fowlston.

Specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters has released the 2018 edition of its annual Salary Survey*. The survey shared optimistic predictions for next year, suggesting a strong economic outlook, and said that ongoing digitalisation as well as steady market expansion poised to drive salary growth next year in the Southeast Asian region. Local market candidates with strong technical skills, particularly in information technology (IT), and with international experience will be highly sought after.

The overall job market in Southeast Asia has remained active throughout 2017, despite variable economic conditions. This was largely attributed to the region attracting new market entrants and supporting the expansion of existing businesses. Despite varied country settings, digitalisation continued to be a key priority across most markets. The survey noted that this is mainly driven by a rapidly growing younger population and increased consumerism.

Toby Fowlston, MD, Southeast Asia, Robert Walters said, “The digitalisation trend that is sweeping the region has spurred many businesses to create online or mobile platforms as companies seek to enhance their competitiveness and increase market share with the consumers. As a result of these transformations, many companies were looking to hire professionals with digital expertise, across both marketing and IT, especially those who are proficient in running back office digital infrastructure or with niche technology skills.

Wall showcasing the Robert Walters branding.

“In addition, IT professionals in the areas of cloud computing, cyber security and big data were also in demand as these IT subsectors became key growth areas, and this trend is expected to continue in 2018.”

The focus on business transformation also helped trigger a demand for human resource (HR) professionals with experience in change management experience and especially those with a proven ability in cultural transformation.

However, the region faced challenges in terms of talent attraction and retention due to talent shortages and high staff turnover rates. Hiring managers are advised to look at simplifying and streamlining their recruitment processes to ensure timely hires, and be flexible in hiring candidates with learning potential instead of purely for their technical skills.

Despite the economic slowdown last year, Singapore remained an attractive proposition for companies looking to establish local and regional hubs. This led to key pockets of hiring activity in a number of growing sectors, supported by shifts in consumer behaviour and rising government investment in the local business ecosystem.

In line with the government’s drive to strengthen technology infrastructure and build a Smart Nation, businesses are expected to continue to improve their digital processes, generating permanent and temporary opportunities for people with both traditional and new technology skills. The survey indicates that the e-commerce, insurance and logistics will be some of the key sectors driving digital transformation.

Following this year’s trend, the IT job market will remain active in 2018 as digital transformation continues to be a hot topic, with all sectors investing heavily in modernising their customer-facing e-channels. While robust activity is predicted in various industry verticals this year - fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, luxury and healthcare - for sales and marketing professionals proficient in specialised areas such as commercial excellence, digital marketing and e-commerce and professionals in general who are up-to-date with digital trends, and have strong analytical skills.

Sales and marketing professionals can expect an average increment of 10-15%, similar to the increments enjoyed in 2016 and 2017.

For HR professionals, continuing on trends from this year, 2018 is set to remain client-driven. There will still be a high demand in HR experts who are business-savvy and have change management experience as a trend towards restructuring continues. As firms increasingly recognise the importance of offering their employees solid training opportunities, there will also be demand for senior regional learning and development professionals, especially those skilled in leadership development and organisational design. In Singapore, candidates looking to switch jobs are expected to receive salary increments of between 10-15% in 2018.

Whilst inflation rates in Singapore are likely to remain flat and in general, minimal salary increments are anticipated in 2018, Robert Walters said. In Singapore, increments for 2018 should be between 5% and 15%, the company forecasts. The demand remains for candidates with skills in digital marketing and cyber security in particular. These candidates can expect to see increments in their annual salary reviews, especially those with local market knowledge.

Survey highlights for 2018 include:

● The accounting and finance sector will see increased consolidation in the market generating a high demand for candidates with broad skillsets – proficiency in financial reporting and systems implementation, or financial planning and analysis (FP&A) and treasury. Tax compliance, advisory, transfer pricing and FP&A business partnering skills are of particular interest. Those who can double up as business partners and add value from a finance perspective will be highly sought after. Robert Walters forecasts that 10-15% salary rises are likely for accounting and finance experts when moving jobs.

● In the IT sector, there will be a high demand for business/consumer-facing professionals who have deep learning and machine learning skills. User experience/user interface (UX/UI) professionals, specifically front-end developers who have a strong instinct for design, were in demand in 2017 and will continue to be be in demand in 2018. This is because attractive interfaces remain a differentiating factor in user acquisition. Companies are also looking for cloud architects.

● As regulatory requirements remain a core issue in the banking sector and increased digitalisation in companies looking to secure their systems, tech professionals with cybersecurity skills will also continue to be in demand, as they were in 2017. However, with a currently limited talent pool, hiring managers will find it a challenge finding techno-commercial digital professionals, local developers and solution architects.

● Robert Walters says a 3-5% rise in salary is likely for banking and financial services professionals who change jobs. Fowlston noted that firms continue curbing new hires and increasing offshoring to less expensive countries such as the Philippines. Infrastructure in other countries is getting better as well. According to Fowlston, Thailand is becoming a regional hub, and is seen as a potential entry point into frontier markets. He also said that banks continue to strengthen their anti-money laundering (AML)/combating the financing of terrorist (CFT), know your customer (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) functions.

● It is anticipated that the HR sector will also see a great demand for professionals who are strategic talent acquisition leaders, able to head regional teams and design and develop solid recruitment strategies and talent management initiatives. The survey recommends that hiring managers simplify and streamline the recruitment process to ensure timely hires and to also consider taking on candidates based on potential and learning ability rather than technical skills.

● Other in-demand skillsets include multitasking abilities, resilience to change, and proficiency in multiple languages spoken in ASEAN.

● Key industries that will drive digital transformation in 2018:

• E-commerce
• Insurance
• Logistics

● Banking and financial services sectors will see demand in these qualities for IT professionals:

• Workspace transformation
• Cloud infrastructure and virtualisation
• Project and programme management
• Business analytics with strong regulatory understanding

The 2018 Salary Survey indicates that contract work is a viable option to overcome the skills gaps required across various sectors, with candidates becoming more open to contracting opportunities to broaden their corporate exposure.

While this year saw employers hiring more mid-level professionals for interim positions, particularly for projects that require niche skill sets, there was also a rise in short-term contract legal roles, triggered by a limited talent pool and tighter budget constraints. This trend is likely to continue in 2018 as employers recognise the value contractors can bring to a business, particularly for legal professionals in the fintech, healthcare and technology sectors. Companies are looking for people with experience in International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) negotiations and who are multilingual in ASEAN languages. Robert Walters notes that the legal sector has seen year-on-year salary increments on average of 3-7%.

The Balik Kampung campaign.

The company introduced the Balik Kampung campaign in 2015 to attract and connect with overseas Singaporeans who want to return home to work in Singapore. The company said it currently has access to 3,000 untapped overseas candidates, and suggests that the Balik Kampung candidates could contribute to a long-term local permanent or contract talent pipeline, especially as demand for domestic talent continues to rise, Robert Walters said. "There's still nobody else that we're aware of that actually plays (in this space)," Fowlston said.

Robert Walters operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and, since last year, the Philippines. It has had a presence in Southeast Asia for nearly 20 years. While some recruitment consultancies have consultants which work with one client and cover hiring for all disciplines, Robert Walters consultants focus on one core discipline.

Explore:

Request a copy of the Salary Survey

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts on the 2017 Salary Survey and the launch of the Balik Kampung campaign

*Compiled by Robert Walters' dedicated research division, the Salary Survey is based on an analysis of placements made across its network of offices and specialist disciplines during the course of 2017. Now in its 19th year, the survey is used by employers, HR managers and employees for benchmarking salary levels within their industry.

Alliott Group releases new Expatriate Services report

A new Expatriate Services report is available from the Alliott Group for businesses which need to move employees across geographic borders. Alliott Group member firms worldwide help companies to better manage the mobility process, assess optimum remuneration packages and monitor cross border employment structures and company costs.

The report, published by a leading international alliance of professional services firms, covers 29 countries and provides a reference tool on the mesh of interrelated tax, immigration and employment law issues that will be encountered by an internationally mobile workforce. The 29 jurisdictions covered include Turkey, Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, and Singapore.


Questions covered in the report include:

The necessary formalities and procedures an employer must follow when assigning employees from one country to another
Whether a work permit or visa is required in the host country
Benefits that can be provided to employees and the costs
The impact of an international assignment and relocation on a social security scheme
Conditions and circumstances that enable expatriates to benefit from tax advantages and exemptions in different jurisdictions
The number of days a foreign individual needs to spend in a different jurisdiction to be considered resident for tax purposes?

Luc Lamy, Chairman of Alliott Group’s Expatriate Services Group and a partner at Tax Consult SA in Belgium, comments: “In today’s competitive global business world, employee mobility is crucial. Many governments have been creative in developing ‘impatriate’ schemes that aim to attract senior executives and world class leaders to live and work in their countries. However, to expand abroad successfully, companies need to be able to assign the right people to the right locations at the right time. A full appreciation of the correct tax and legal procedures in different countries will ensure companies and individuals save time and money and avoid the debilitating penalties that make the difference between an international assignment’s success or failure.”

Interested?

Read the report

Expatstoday offers essential tips for Gulf expats

Source: Expatstoday

A new portal targeted at expats wants your eyeballs. Would-be expats expecting to relocate to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & the UAE can check out living conditions in the Gulf countries on the Expatstoday website.

According to the company, the information it carries is as secure, relevant and reliable as possible. The pages for individual countries for the Gulf are fairly well-populated, indicating an existing community, but pages for other countries seem quite new, often with no listings in a number of categories. 

Source: Expatstoday website

The sections available include:

• Secure job exchange portal - job seekers can feature their profiles while employers can list job requirements. 
• Accommodation for rent - Accommodation profiles from owners who are open to expats as tenants.  
• Used cars - Details include what documentation is needed from expats, and the procedures to conclude a transaction successfully.
• Furniture and household items  
• Household and essential service providers - Look for home cleaners, painting, gardening, exterminators and similar services here.  

As with all communities, the success of Expatstoday will depend on how active individual members are and whether there are enough listings to make it worth visiting over and over again. There is definitely some level of utility for the GCC countries, and it could well extend in future to the pages for the rest of the world.