2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report:
talent strategy game-changer series
Game-Changer #4: how work will evolve from
a place to a collaborative process
contents
8
Today’s business leaders know success depends on their
ability to understand and adapt their workforce at warp
speed, with the pace of social and technological change
greater than at any time in modern working life.
the changing global workforce
11
a new era of collaboration
11
flexibility in demand
18
understanding the whole worker
20
remote working trends
24
strengthening employee engagement & collaboration
30
the role of diversity
32
in summary: the 10 new rules for moving work
from a place to a collaborative process
The 2013/14 Randstad World of Work research
— tapping into the perspectives of over 14,000
employers and professionals across Asia Pacific
— confirms we are not just witnessing incremental
shifts in the world of work, but game-changing
forces that require fresh thinking and new, innovative
approaches to building a sustainable talent strategy.
As momentum continues to move from West to East,
the growing innovation economy in Asia Pacific
will demand new and adaptive skills — particularly
as work becomes increasingly knowledge intensive
and technology enabled. In this new world of work,
knowledge workers will continue the transformation
of work into a collaborative process. Talented,
creative thinkers and those with specialised skills will
hold the cards as the rules of the new game require
leaders to develop world-class talent strategies to
find and attract them.
country snapshots
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
36
Australia
40
China
44
Hong Kong
52
Malaysia
56
New Zealand
60
Singapore
48
India
From talent analytics and ‘big data’, to strategic
global sourcing, digital communication and managing
the blended workforce; the 2013/14 Randstad World
of Work Report 4-part Talent Strategy Game-Changer
Series will outline what it takes to become a leader
in positive workforce change and ride a wave of
competitive talent advantage.
Our Randstad Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series
explores:
•
Game-Changer #1: Leadership will ignite to
drive talent strategy (released November 2013)
•
Game-Changer #2: The innovation economy
will create demand for new skills
(released December 2013)
•
Game-Changer #3: Talent will drive the
engagement agenda (released January 2014)
•
Game-Changer #4: Work will evolve
from a place to a collaborative process
(released February 2014)
•
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 3
State of the Region: Evolution of Work Asia Pacific
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
46%
of employers rate their
organisation’s performance in
creating flexible work options — variable
work hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
31%
of employees currently have remote
working options
61
say it gives them greater job satisfaction
64%
without remote working options find
the idea appealing
41%
say 70% in the office
& 30% working at
home is the ideal
work week
%
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
31%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
19%
more people from overseas
24%
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
29%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate, yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (13%)
OR more people of mature age (14%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (28%)...
What employers agree on:
86%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
26%
of employees think workforce collaboration
is highly effective in their organisation
43%
describe themselves as collaborators
permanent, contract & virtual teams
82%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
60%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
60%
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
45%
...but
improving employee engagement &
satisfaction is the #1 benefit (36%)
of employees say collaboration
within their immediate team or
function is most common
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 5
To collaborate
/ ’K
ә' lab ә r er t /
to work together, particularly
in an intellectual effort
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 7
the changing
global workforce
organisations will increasingly manage a blended
workforce of permanent, transient & virtual teams
88%
12%
84%
%
16
86%
%
14
on
Ze
ys
ia
w
Ne
aland
la
Ma
ra
lia
g
86%
%
14
K
89%
11%
ia
I nd
Hon g
86%
%
14
a
Chin
91%
9%
ap
ore
No
Yes
g
Sin
As well as changes to modes of work and talent
mobility, demographic change means most
countries in Asia Pacific — with the exception
of India and Malaysia — face ageing populations,
a reduction in new workforce entrants and the
need to manage several generations with
wide-ranging expectations in the workforce at
once. Two-thirds of employers surveyed agree
managing a multi-generational workforce is one
of the biggest challenges they face over the
next decade. These converging changes in the
make-up of the global workforce create the
imperative for a new approach to effective
human capital management.
st
Au
Increasingly borderless global markets — created
by technology gains, greater cross-cultural
cooperation by governments, international free
trade agreements and aligned international
regulatory frameworks — are driving increases in
workforce mobility, and this is only expected to
surge in the next decade. In a few short years, the
career diversity once frowned upon by employers
becomes a huge advantage for many professionals;
as broad, multicultural experience become more
highly valued. Our research confirms the intraregional workforce is set to grow, with 31% of
employers looking to recruit more people from
culturally diverse backgrounds or more people
from overseas (19%) to address talent scarcity
in the next five years. During this time, crossborder talent flows are expected to move from
a West-East orientation to a more global one, as
Asian companies look to develop new markets in
emerging Africa and South America.
Over the last few years, Randstad research and
expert commentators have charted the rise of
the blended workforce — where contractors,
consultants and virtual teams work alongside
the permanent workforce in a critical capacity.
Findings from the 2013/14 Randstad World
of Work Report show a steady march toward
a blended workforce, driven by demand for
greater flexibility from both employees and
organisations. At the same time, global brands in
banking & financial services, telecommunications,
utilities and IT, have moved their customer service
and shared service centres to Asia Pacific to
improve margins. This has fuelled the offshoring
trend and increased the number of multicultural
and virtual teams who now work with permanent
employees across Asia Pacific to achieve critical
company objectives. The trend first began with
West-East outsourcing, but now includes
widespread outsourcing within Asia itself.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 9
a new era of
collaboration
According to the 2013/14 Randstad World of Work
Report, HR and business leaders overwhelmingly
recognise a new era is upon us, and the command
and control organisational structures of the 20th
century must now give way to more inclusive and
collective workplaces and leadership styles. As such,
employers across Asia Pacific intend to strengthen
employee engagement to improve productivity
over the next five years.
Employees also report a desire for more flexible
and collaborative work options that may play a
key role in addressing some of the region’s biggest
human capital challenges: increasing workforce
performance and productivity, and attracting and
retaining top talent. This, the fourth installment
of our Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series, looks
at the cornerstones of this new era of employee
engagement and collaboration — job flexibility,
holistic people management, adaptive work styles
and remote work — to help employers create
enlightened workplaces that will attract, inspire
and retain talented professionals.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
flexibility in
demand
Findings from this year’s report show strong
demand for greater flexibility from both employees
and organisations. Employees across Asia Pacific
increasingly value work/life balance over money,
causing them to seek more flexible work options.
Similarly, HR and business leaders see contract
and virtual workers as an opportunity to tap
into specialist skills on demand and reduce fixed
headcount costs. The research found 24% of
employers will look to recruit more people on
a temporary or contract basis to combat talent
scarcity in the next five years, while 29% will recruit
more people on flexible work arrangements.
Flexibility is more of a focus for organisations in
Australia (35%) and New Zealand (39%), who have
the weakest permanent employment expectations
in the region and are under the greatest pressure
to reduce employment costs. Yet, the findings show
around a fifth of employers in Asian countries
also intend to hire more people on flexible work
arrangements, such as part-time or job share roles
to combat talent scarcity in the next five years.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 11
how do you rate your orgnisation’s performance
in creating flexible work options
19%
Australia
Despite good intentions, progress remains
slow. Forty-six per cent of Asia Pacific's HR
and business leaders rate their organisation’s
current performance in creating flexible work
options — such as variable work hours, jobsharing or working from home — as average or
poor. Management concerns about employee
productivity (28%) is still the number one barrier to
organisations offering flexible work options in all
countries, well ahead of technology limitations or
concerns about team culture and communication
(both 13%). Yet, employers know increased
flexibility is both inevitable and an important part
of the talent management equation. More than a
third (36%) say improving employee engagement
is the single biggest benefit of adopting flexible
work practices, while 25% cite attraction and
retention of talent.
It’s vital that organisations develop the culture
of trust, leadership support and sound middle
management capabilities required to reap the
benefits of workplace flexibility without having
a negative impact on productivity. Interestingly,
employers in China say creating a culture of
trust (29%) is the biggest benefit of introducing
flexible work options, and 51% believe they
are doing a good (35%) or excellent (16%) job
in creating such opportunities — the top selfrated performance in Asia. India, Malaysia and
Hong Kong are further behind with positive
performance on flexibility rated around 40%,
while Australia and New Zealand lead the region
with approximately 60% rating their performance
in providing flexible work positively.
40%
16%
China
Hong Kong
13%
India
11%
Malaysia
10%
35%
27%
31%
27%
19%
New Zealand
14%
Singapore
42%
31%
Excellent
Good
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 13
what is the single biggest barrier to
offering flexible work options?
Technology
limitations
Lack of support from
business managers
Management concerns
about employee
productivity
Management concerns
about team culture &
communication
Lack of leadership to
champion flexible work
Health, safety
& legal concerns
Australia
13%
10%
26%
11%
11%
11%
China
16%
14%
24%
18%
18%
6%
9%
14%
34%
14%
13%
3%
India
16%
4%
34%
13%
11%
6%
Malaysia
11%
7%
48%
11%
13%
1%
New Zealand
14%
6%
26%
12%
9%
9%
Singapore
10%
17%
27
17%
12%
2%
Hong Kong
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 15
what is the single biggest benefit of adopting
flexible work practices?
2%
11
%
3%
5%
8%
1%
3%
7%
10%
6%
10%
3%
4%
2%
18%
14%
2%
5%
12%
3%
8%
7%
29%
2%
16%
9%
41%
40%
3%
3%
4%
7%
3%
4%
17%
7%
46%
36%
32%
18%
attraction&&retention
retentionof
oftop
toptalent
talent
attraction
improving employee engagement
& satisfaction
20%
26%
creating a culture of trust
30%
27%
23%
23%
27%
23%
16%
reducing absenteeism
smfs.
reducing employment costs
increasing workforce productivity
improving employer brand
Australia
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
China
Hong Kong
India
Malaysia
New Zealand
Singapore
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 17
understanding the
‘whole’ worker
One of the clear drivers of employee demand for
flexible work options is the desire to balance work
with parenting, eldercare, study, charity work or
other personal pursuits. While a lack of opportunity
for growth and advancement is still the main reason
64% plan leave their job, work/life balance is the
number one reason 51% of employees across Asia
Pacific intend to stay in their current role. This trend
has intensified in mature markets where workers
have been afforded a good lifestyle for many
decades, and in turn have become focused on broader
life fulfilment — seeing work/life balance trump
competitive salary as an employee retention factor in
Australia and New Zealand in recent years.
Over the same period, employees in emerging Asian
markets have been more focused on competitive
salaries and career advancement, but as job security
and lifestyles improve across many countries, findings
from the 2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
show work/life balance is now second behind
competitive remuneration as a key factor to retaining
employees throughout Asia.
which of the following best matches your
ideal work week when it comes to working
in the office &/or working remotely?
This growing region-wide trend is set to bring
about a new focus on understanding the ‘whole’
worker as a strategy for improving employee
satisfaction and engagement, retaining top
talent and improving productivity. It requires
organisations to consider their employees’ quality
of life in and outside of work, to understand
what motivates them to perform at a high level,
to support them in maintaining good mental and
physical health, and to know how to tap into their
discretionary effort to encourage the flow and
transfer of knowledge and ideas.
Australia
17%
China
9%
Hong Kong
12%
India
27%
Malaysia
15%
New Zealand
18%
Singapore
13%
37%
12%
26%
38%
37%
51%
8%
29%
40%
33%
44%
46%
2%
14%
7%
22%
6%
16%
32%
24%
29%
1%
5%
4%
9%
9%
5%
3%
100% in the office
70% in the office / 30% working remotely
50% in the office / 50% working remotely
30% in the office / 70% working remotely
100% working remotely
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 19
remote working
trends
Working remotely — away from a central
workplace — is increasingly seen as a way of
achieving the work/life balance employees desire.
Our findings show spending 70% of time in the
office and 30% working remotely represents the
ideal work week for 41% of employees ­— also the
preferred option for employees in every individual
country surveyed. Though in China and Malaysia, a
working week where 50% of time is spent working
remotely is equally as popular.
Interestingly, China (41%), and Malaysia (36%) also
have the highest numbers of remote workers in
the region, likely due to the fact many employees
work in locations far from their homes. China also
encourages teleworking initiatives as part of its
carbon reduction efforts. Australia has the fewest
employees with remote working options (21%)
— well behind its Australasian neighbour New
Zealand (35%) — bringing the regional figure to
under a third.
how does the ability to
work remotely impact
your job satisfaction?
is the option to work
remotely part of your
current employment
arrangements?
Importantly, 61% of those who have the
opportunity to work remotely say it makes them
more satisfied, compared with 35% who say it
makes no difference to their satisfaction.
The rapid growth of technology, in particular the
prevalence of internet-enabled devices across Asia
Pacific, is a significant driver of remote working.
So it’s not surprising that high-tech industries such
as IT and media & communications have greater
numbers of remote workers. India, with its huge
IT and software services market, has some of
the highest remote worker figures (38%), and
employees here find remote work most satisfying
(66%). It seems those who don’t yet have remote
working options will soon be driving for change —
two-thirds find the idea appealing (39%) or very
appealing (26%).
Australia
China
Hong Kong
60%
36%
4%
Australia
YES 21%
NO 79%
YES 41%
NO 59%
66%
Malaysia
32%
2%
YES 36%
NO 64%
43%
6%
Hong Kong
YES 35%
NO 65%
32%
5%
Malaysia
35%
Singapore
Singapore
YES 30%
NO 70%
51%
New Zealand
63%
YES 38%
NO 62%
5%
China
India
India
34%
YES 35%
NO 65%
61%
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
61%
65%
31%
4%
New Zealand
4%
It makes me
more satisfied
It doesn’t make
any difference
It makes me
less satisfied
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 21
re-defining the
workspace
which of the following workspace innovations
appeal to you?
What is activity-based working?
Findings from the 2013/14 Randstad World of
Work Report show HR and business leaders are
most focused on the talent management benefits
of remote working options, such as improving
talent attraction, engagement, satisfaction and
retention. This is evidenced by low numbers of
people currently working remotely in countries
like Australia, which indicates the practice is
primarily used when required to source or retain
hard-to-find skills.
Yet as working remotely becomes more
widespread — as it already has in China — it
enables organisations to significantly reduce
business overheads like property, utilities and IT
infrastructure. It has the added benefit of reducing
transport congestion and carbon emissions in
population-dense urban cities across Asia Pacific.
Organisations who implement wide-spread
teleworking can also consider moving to more
sustainable, activity-based working environments,
as seen in new office developments around the
region. These state-of the-art workspaces rely on
high-speed connectivity to enable workers to use
portable devices to work in a variety of ‘zones’,
and often include facilities like standing work
stations, collaboration spaces, cafés, relaxation
areas and multimedia centres.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Activity-based working (ABW) is an office space design
concept that supports the individual work activities
employees need to undertake, rather than creating
permanent, individual spaces for each employee. ABW
can reduce costs as it enables the same amount of office
space to cater to more workers, but the primary benefit is
potential gains in employee engagement, collaboration
and productivity. It’s a particularly popular trend in the
professional services, banking & financial services,
property development and consulting industries.
For companies considering their future office
requirements, our 2013/14 Randstad World of Work
Report found a range of workspace innovations
are appealing to employees across the region. Not
surprisingly, social and relaxation spaces (53%) and
café-style facilities are most appealing (39%), offering
further evidence of the need to consider the ‘whole’
worker when it comes to job satisfaction.
Demonstrating the growing importance of
environmental issues, 37% also find the paperless office
appealing. The convenience of BYOD (bring your own
device) where employees are able to access company
64% using their own smartphone, tablet or
35
network services
laptop has appeal for 32% overall, but is more popular in
India (46%) and China (42%). Indicating most employees
still prefer to sit at their own desks, few employees find
the idea of standing work stations (15%) or trading
individual space for collaborative space (19%) appealing.
Australia
21%
34%
52%
16%
15%
32%
China
42%
33%
34%
9%
23%
36%
Social/relaxation spaces
Hong Kong
32%
37%
60%
20%
17%
49%
Standing work stations
India
46%
48%
54%
19%
24%
35%
Trading individual space
for collaborative space
Malaysia
35%
44%
69%
18%
28%
43%
New
Zealand
28%
36%
58%
18%
17%
41%
Singapore
32%
41%
65%
12%
21%
48%
Bring your own mobile
device (BYOD)
Paperless office
Café-style facilities
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 23
strengthening
employee engagement
& collaboration
how effective is workplace
collaboration in your organisation?
59%
59%
56
%
59%
56%
55%
49%
42%
29%
29%
20
15%
16
%
24
21%
%
28%
%
17%
23%
16
%
18%
highly effective
somewhat effective
9
%
Australia
China
It may be some years before activity-based working becomes
mainstream, but most organisations will continue to make
incremental changes to their workplaces to improve employee,
engagement and collaboration. With the continued growth
of smart devices and flexible working options like part-time,
staggered start and finish times, teleworking or phased
return from leave, employers must carefully consider how to
encourage greater workforce collaboration.
Our 2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report found just
26% of employees describe workforce collaboration in
their organisation as highly effective, while 56% say it is
somewhat effective. Employees in India, arguably the country
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Hong Kong
India
with the most technology-enabled services sector, give
their employers the best rating on the effectiveness of
workforce collaboration.
Most regular collaboration takes place within an
employee’s immediate team or function (45%), while
29% collaborate across different project teams and
just 15% collaborate with cross-cultural teams in other
countries. Even in foreign-owned companies, less than a
third of employees (29%) collaborate with international
colleagues. This is a lost opportunity for multinationals
that often have middle managers with different levels
of skills or experience in different markets. Better
not at all effective
Malaysia
New Zealand
cross-cultural collaboration could go a long way to
improving middle management skills across the board.
So what initiatives should be at the top of the list to
strengthen employee engagement and collaboration?
Forty-seven per cent of employers plan to improve
middle management capabilities, which is a great place
to start. Leaders must ensure middle managers are
equipped with the skills to effectively communicate and
motivate teams with diverse work arrangements. Time
needs to be set aside for regular touchstone calls with
remote employees, in addition to group phone or video
meetings. Aim for the informal check-in conversation
that takes place between people in the same location.
Singapore
Go beyond project parameters to enquire about the
whole worker — health, family and general wellbeing —
as appropriate, depending on the cultural and personal
dynamics in a given situation.
Another important step is creating a dedicated IT project
to ensure your organisation is technically equipped to
support different work modes. Issues for consideration
include network and telephony infrastructure, BYOD
policies, and the efficacy and user knowledge of digital
conferencing equipment. Remember older workers, new
employees and remote workers may need more training
to get the most from enabling technologies.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 25
keeping pace with rapidly evolving
technology to enhance workforce productivity
& performance will be a challenge
21 % %
6
30 % 22 % 14 % 19 %
20 %
%
67
18 %
58 % 58 %
57 % %
60
22 %
19 %
%
Disagree
ia
Ind
18 % 22 % 65
18 %
16 % Strongly Agree
Agree
n
Ko
g
Hon
g
na
Chi
lia
tra
s
u
A
63 %
Where possible, ensure reward and recognition programs
encompass all employees — including contractors,
entrenched consultants and remote workers, and look
for ways to unite these workers in a common goal. Make
use of cloud-based collaboration tools that enable people
to communicate, share and collaborate in real time or
across different time zones. Improve cultural awareness
by putting the clock face of each market you operate in
a prominent position in every office. It will encourage
employees to think about what might be going on in
their colleague’s life on the other side of the world.
al
an
d
New
Ze
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
sia
lay
Ma
Strongly Disagree
a
Sing
re
po
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 27
how employees regularly collaborate at work
employees of foreign-owned companies
who collaborate with cross-cultural
teams in other countries
43%
We collaborate with
our immediate team or
function
We collaborate across
different project teams
in our office
We collaborate with
different project teams
within our country
We collaborate with
cross-cultural teams in
other countries
Australia
60%
28%
8%
4%
China
28%
34%
16%
22%
Hong Kong
31%
31%
6%
32%
India
43%
33%
10%
14%
Malaysia
47%
25%
9%
19%
Australia
35%
9%
China
28%
Hong Kong
India
New
Zealand
51%
28%
14%
Malaysia
16%
7%
New Zealand
Singapore
39%
26%
6%
29%
Singapore
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
23%
38%
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 29
the role of
diversity
One important way leaders can improve
collaboration and engagement is to encourage and
consider a wide-range of views from their diverse
workforce. An inclusive leadership team that hires
diverse talent has the best chance of dealing with
fluctuating global market environments, increasing
talent mobility and changing consumer needs.
Organisations under-represented by older workers,
young graduates, women and people from
multi-cultural backgrounds, miss out on access to
much needed skills and the ability to better target
products and services to those markets. In addition,
the demographic realities of ageing populations and
fewer new workforce entrants across much of Asia
Pacific, makes workplace diversity critical to future
growth and success.
There are understandable differences in how the
various cultures approach diversity. Australia,
New Zealand and Singapore will hire the most
women and mature-age workers in the next five
years; while cultural norms, the large number of
family businesses and differing social values see
China, Hong Kong, India and Malaysia less focused
on this area. Yet, despite these differences and the
well-documented benefits of diversity, less than
15% of employers in the region intend to recruit
more women or more people of mature-age.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Asian nations, who often have complex ethnic
diversity among their populations, lead the
region in their intentions to hire more talent from
culturally diverse backgrounds — more than 40% in
Singapore (46%), Malaysia (44%) and Hong Kong
(41%), compared with just 25% in Australia and
29% in New Zealand.
Employers — from large multinationals to private
or family businesses — operating in Asia Pacific
need to ensure hiring managers are equipped
with knowledge of the varying factors that impact
diversity in different countries. It’s also crucial they
have the policy support and cross-cultural sensitivity
to handle any diversity issues that may arise in the
recruitment process or workplace. CEOs can lead
the way by demonstrating a genuine awareness of
cultural differences and encouraging inclusiveness
at all levels.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 31
in summary:
the 10 new rules for
moving work from a place
to a collaborative process
Consider the ‘whole’ worker when
evaluating job satisfaction. Work/life
balance is important to employees
right across Asia Pacific. Are your
employees able to care for family
members, study or pursue other life
goals? If not, they will be open to job
offers from your competitors.
2
#
#
1
Embrace flexibility. Employees will
continue to demand flexibility
and will reward employers with
loyalty and engagement. Look
for opportunities to attract and
retain top talent by offering
job sharing, staggered start and
finish times, remote working,
and phased leave or retirement.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
3
#
#
Look to how you can remove
barriers to remote work. Review
remote work policies and consult
with staff and middle managers to
cater for the majority of employees
who would prefer to work remotely
30-50% of the time and say it makes
their job more satisfying.
4
8
#
9
How can you improve cross-cultural collaboration?
Even in multinational organisations, collaboration
mostly occurs within existing teams or offices.
Establish global or regional project teams to gain
international input on key challenges and goals.
Champion diversity. Hire people from
a mix of ages, genders and cultural
backgrounds. The more diverse your
organisation, the better the likelihood
of sourcing niche skills, developing
successful teams and collaborating
across borders.
#
Make your office a hub for
communication and collaboration.
Empower people to work remotely
on project-based tasks where
possible and desired. Technology
like smart phones, tablets and
cloud-based services have made
the need to be in a central office
permanently unnecessary in many
industries and organisations.
5
#
6
#
Up-skill your middle managers and
supervisors. Effective management of
diverse, virtual and transient teams
requires cross-cultural sensitivity and
super-charged communication skills
to ensure optimal productivity from
all employees.
7
#
Develop a plan for optimising
flexible work in a blended
workforce. Ensure it aligns
with your business plan, is well
communicated and equitable. Give
employees shared responsibility
for reporting progress on tasks and
communicating effectively with their
manager and other team members.
Ensure your technology strategy supports
collaboration. Provide your teams with the right
tools to encourage collaboration and information
flow between workers across diverse locations,
work hours or time zones. Encourage BYOD
policies and utilise cloud-based collaboration and
sharing tools.
#
10
Make collaboration a priority.
Set up teams to create initiatives
to improve collaboration among
your blended workforce and
regularly review progress. Put it
on your 2014 talent management
scorecard and seek tangible
productivity improvements.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 33
game-changer #4:
how work will evolve
from a place to a
collaborative process
country snapshots
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 35
Australia
As Australia’s economic outlook remains weak
and fewer full-time job are being created, many
organisations are using flexible working options to
improve engagement and satisfaction — particularly as
bonuses and even pay rises remain unlikely in current
market conditions.
Flexibility is also paying off for employers, giving them
the ability to scale up and down as required, and
helping them to manage through uncertain business
conditions. Australia leads the region with the number
of employers who will hire more people on a temporary
or contract basis (29%), or more people on flexible work
arrangements (35%) in the next five years.
Greater employee flexibility has also been enshrined
in Australia’s industrial relations legislation — where
employers must consider requests for flexibility from
employees — and through the introduction of statutory
paid maternity leave in recent years. The previous
Government established targets to see one in eight
public servants working from home by 2020, but the
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report shows why
that may be a difficult task.
Australia’s public sector employs a large number of
older workers and Baby Boomers who find remote
working options 13% less appealing than Generation Y
(69%), and 10% less than Generation X (65%).
Perhaps many in the latter phase of their career —
empty-nesters or those transitioning to retirement —
seek the social outlet and structure of time in the office.
It’s important for HR and business leaders to consider the
impact of flexible work and remote working options for
employees at different life stages, and to offer choice
where possible.
Our results also highlight the importance of considering
individual employee work-styles and preferences. HR
and business leaders could consider including a similar
question on employee engagement and satisfaction
research. The 2013/14 Randstad World of Work research
found less than half (41%) of Australian employees
see themselves as natural collaborators. Networkers
(businesses developers and managers) and soloists
(often technical specialists like graphic designers or
programmers) may need more training, structure and
encouragement to collaborate effectively.
As managers and technical specialists are often afforded
more flexibility, and are more likely to work remotely,
these findings highlight the importance of reaching out
to remote and contract workers to ensure effective
team communication.
Just 21% of Australian employees currently have
remote working options, the lowest number in the
region. Sixty percent of those say it makes their job
more satisfying, but employers say management
concern about employee productivity remains the
biggest barrier to offering flexible working options.
As the region’s most regulated employment market,
managing the occupational, health and safety aspects
of remote work is also a growing concern for
Australian employers.
how to foster
workforce flexibility
& collaboration in
Australia
Tailor flexibility
With the biggest multi-generational workforce in
the region, tailoring remote working options is
critical for success. Generation Y and younger
employees will be interested in variety and
work/life balance through flexible hours,
Generation X workers in autonomy and meeting
family needs via part-time and compressed weeks,
and Baby Boomers in maintaining work satisfaction
and social contact via flexible working hours and
phased retirement.
Practice virtual team work
Remote and part-time workers are often managed
in an intensive one-on-one style to cater for their
absence from a central office. Often inefficient and
time consuming, a better approach is taking the
time to create a common reality of shared goals and
achievements. Get a virtual project team together —
even if you have introduce them by phone or video
— and get them focused on a common goal to see a
tangible boost in productivity.
Foster outward focus
In the Asian century, Australian organisations
must look to build collaborative networks and
communities beyond the local workforce or specific
industry expertise. Turning to other countries or
experts for a fresh perspective will help leaders
innovate, increase employee engagement, solve
problems faster and reach new markets beyond the
traditional borders.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 37
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work Australia
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the
workplace evolve
in the next 5–10
years?
40
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options — variable work
hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
21%
of employees currently have remote working
options
60%
say it gives them greater job satisfaction
59
without remote working options find the
idea appealing
37%
say 70% in the office & 30% working at home is the
ideal work week
%
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
25%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
16%
more people from overseas
29%
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
35%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate , yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (15%)
OR more people of mature age (18%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (26%)...
What employers agree on:
86%
30%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
41%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
80%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
61%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
64%
of employees describe themselves as
collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
60%
...but
improving employee engagement &
satisfaction is the #1 benefit (41%)
of employees say collaboration
within an immediate team or
function is most common
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 39
how to foster
workforce flexibility &
collaboration in China
China
The 2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
found Chinese organisations rank highest among
their Asian counterparts when it comes to their
performance in creating flexible work options.
Half of employers rate their performance as
good (35%) or excellent (16%), reinforced by the
highest numbers of employees in the region who
have remote working options in their current job
(41%). As companies face rising employment costs,
flexible working options like part-time, compressed
weeks and remote work, offer the chance to save
on travel, labour, property and energy costs. The
Government also supports teleworking initiatives as
a part of their efforts to reduce carbon pollution. It’s
hoped virtual meetings will create significant carbon
reductions by cutting commercial aviation emissions
by 40% by 2030 .
Flexible work options are also appealing to
China’s young professionals who expect both
the Government and companies to take action
to ease the nation’s significant environmental
challenges. They also seek greater flexibility, trust
and autonomy from their employers than any
generation in China’s history. A fact well understood
by 29% of employers who say creating a culture
of trust is the single biggest benefit of adopting
flexible work practices.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Interestingly, employers in China cite a wider range
of barriers to implementing flexible working than
other nations — which gives them more in common
with Australia than with their Asian neighbours.
The size of both nations, and the fact professionals
often have to travel long distances to multiple
locations (when compared with smaller Asian
nations like Hong Kong or Singapore), is no doubt
part of the reason for this similarity. Management
concerns about employee productivity is the biggest
barrier for 24% of employers, however, concerns
about team culture and communication (18%), a
lack of leadership to champion flexible work (18%),
and technology limitations (16%), are close behind.
The pattern of employee collaboration in China
also differs to other nations in the region.
Indicating a more structured work approach
and paternal leadership styles prevalent in many
organisations, just 28% of employees collaborate
within their immediate team or function. This
represents the lowest team collaboration figure
in the region and around half the collaboration
rate of Australian employees, who are the region’s
best team collaborators. However, the more
organised, hierarchical structures common in the
manufacturing and construction sectors also make
China the regional leader in collaboration between
different project teams, both in the employees’ office
and across the country. When it comes to cross-cultural
collaboration, China ranks third in the region behind
Hong Kong and Singapore. A fifth of all employees
regularly collaborate with cross-cultural teams in other
countries and the figure rises to 35% for employees of
foreign-owned companies.
When asked about their preferences when working
with others, fewer employees in China described
themselves as collaborators (41%), and more as soloists
(23%) than in any other country. In addition to personal
preference, cultural norms — like the importance of
face, harmony and respect — are key considerations in
the implementation of initiatives to broaden flexible
work and collaboration in China.
Some Western-style approaches, like challenging the
ideas of superiors or requesting open and transparent
communication, may be seen as disrespectful or
confrontational by both leaders and employees. This
may explain why fewer employers in China intend to
strengthen employee engagement and collaboration
to improve productivity, than in any other country.
Yet, changing employee expectations and the global
ambitions of Chinese companies will make workforce
collaboration a human capital management issue to
navigate into the future.
Build cross-cultural skills
Strong cultural knowledge and sensitivity
is required to build collaboration among
a workforce with strong values based on
relationships and hierarchy. Ensure managers
are equipped with this knowledge and localise
global HR policies accordingly.
Adapt workforce communication
Recognise collaboration, trust and open
communication is increasingly important
to China’s newest workforce entrants and
long-held workplace norms will have to be
adapted to attract, engage and retain younger
generations.
Prepare for regional differences
Having undergone rapid economic reform,
vast differences in technological and social
development remain between different regions.
These need to be understood and considered
when implementing collaboration tools or
remote working options.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 41
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
49
34%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
14%
more people from overseas
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work China
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options — variable work
hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
41%
of employees currently have
remote working options
61%
say it gives them greater job
satisfaction
66%
without remote working
options find the idea appealing
38%
say 70% in the office & 30%
working at home is the ideal
work week
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
19%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate , yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (6%)
OR more people of mature age (8%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (24%)...
What employers agree on:
13%
84%
16%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
41%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
94%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
64%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
38%
of employees describe themselves as
collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
34%
...but
improving creating a culture of trust
is the #1 benefit (29%)
of employees more commonly
collaborate across different
project teams in their office
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 43
how to foster workforce
flexibility & collaboration
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Our 2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
shows Hong Kong’s organisations rank only behind
Malaysia’s when it comes to their performance in
creating flexible work options.
Just a fifth of employers will recruit more people
on a temporary or contract basis, or on flexible
working arrangements, to combat talent scarcity in
the next five years. For a nation whose employers
cite talent attraction and retention as their
greatest human capital challenges, a renewed
commitment to greater workplace flexibility is
clearly needed.
Hong Kong’s employment market continues to
attract a large number of workers from overseas
in traditional sectors like financial services. As the
celebrated gateway to China, this is largely due
to the variety of experience and the diversity of
environments which it offers in a relatively small
space. As local, regional and expat talent create
a blend of working expectations, Hong Kong’s
employers may face many of the challenges their
more mature regional neighbours, Australia and
New Zealand, have experienced on their path to
greater workplace flexibility.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Obstacles such as the perceived importance
of ‘face-time’ in the traditional hierarchy, the
stigma that flexible work equates to poor job
commitment, and a belief that flexibility is not
appropriate for leaders, must all be overcome.
Hong Kong say remote working makes their job
more satisfying than in any other country. This is
probably because remote working is taking place
in addition to a full week in the office, not as an
alternative to time in the office.
As new generations enter the workforce with
stronger demands for work/life balance, employers
will be compelled to embrace flexibility. Almost
two thirds of employers recognise the role
improved workplace flexibility could play in
addressing these challenges — 40% say improving
employee engagement and satisfaction is the
biggest benefit of adopting flexible working
practices, while 23% cite talent attraction and
retention. Yet, 34% say concern about productivity
is still a barrier to implementation.
Half of all employees — the greatest number in the
region — favour a week where 70% of time is spent
in the office and 30% is spent working remotely.
Yet, two-thirds of employees don’t have remote
working options in their current job — a higher
figure than China, India or Malaysia, but on par
with Singapore.
With employees enduring some of the region’s
longest working hours and with the relentless
pace of global business in Hong Kong, it’s not
surprising café-style facilities have more appeal
for employees in Hong Kong (49%) than in any
other country. Social and relaxation spaces are also
popular with 60%. Indicating a further desire for
better work/life balance, fewer employees in
Consult widely
Ask managers, teams and individuals about how
to create higher engagement and productivity
results from flexible working options. Consider
employee life stage, individual work-styles and
team dynamics. Establish a pilot program in
certain functions where remote working makes
sense, and measure the potential impact and
benefits of more flexible working arrangements.
Commit time and resources
Investing in the right management training,
tools and processes to generate employee
engagement and performance dividends from
implementing flexible working options can
mitigate productivity concerns. For example,
make use of the world’s fastest broadband speed
to replace 'real face-time' with 'online face-time'.
Focus on team collaboration
Hong Kong leads the region in cross-cultural
collaboration, reinforcing its reputation as
an international hub for global financial,
services and FMCG brands. Yet, internal team
collaboration is among the lowest in the region,
with just 31% of employees collaborating
with their teams on a regular basis. Looks at
ways to bring functions together around joint
projects and goals to foster greater internal
connectedness and a culture of teamwork.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 45
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work Hong Kong
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
41%
60
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options — variable work
hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
35%
of employees currently have
remote working options
51%
say it gives them greater job
satisfaction
60%
without remote working
options find the idea appealing
51%
say 70% in the office & 30%
working at home is the ideal
work week
26%
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
more people from overseas
20%
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
20%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate , yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (11%)
OR more people of mature age (8%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (34%)...
What employers agree on:
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
88%
20%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
49%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
81%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
48%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
64%
of employees describe themselves as
collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
32%
...but
improving employee engagement &
satisfaction is the #1 benefit (40%)
of employees more commonly
collaborate across cross-cultural
teams in other countries
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 47
how to foster workforce
flexibility & collaboration
in India
India
Historically, there is a relationship between a
country’s stage of development and the flexibility
its labour market demands. Typically, in the early
stages of development, plentiful low cost labour
makes full-time work more common in many
industries. As a nation and its workforce matures,
industries become more complex and require
more specialist workers, people become better
educated, and employees begin to demand better
working conditions and greater work/life balance.
This is a pattern seemingly repeated across
developing Asian nations over the last
two decades.
Yet, India’s story is somewhat different.
Commencing its economic rise in an already
rapidly growing region and its unique role in
the evolution of global technology services like
cloud computing, means India’s almost exclusively
young, tech-savvy workforce is already ahead of
the typical curve.
Having developed many of the tools that facilitate
flexible working options, professionals in India
find the paperless office (48%) and bring your
own device (BYOD) innovation (46%), more
appealing than those in any other country in the
region. Demonstrating the link between strong
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
uptake of technology and effective collaboration,
42% of employees in India rate workforce
collaboration in their organisation as highly
effective — two and half times that of China, the
country with the lowest score on this measure, and
12% more than a developed nation like Australia.
Most (43%) collaborate with their immediate team,
but a third also collaborate with project teams as
is common in the IT services sector. Yet, despite
the high-tech nature of work in big cities like
Bangalore and Mumbai, poor infrastructure is a
barrier to remote working beyond these centres.
In addition to playing a key role in the creation of
workforce collaboration tools, India’s employees
are at the centre of another part of the global
mobility revolution — the rise of virtual teams in
the blended workforce. India has long been at
the centre of the global industry for outsourced IT
services and many organisations are expanding into
multi-outsourcing, including the provision of virtual
teams for a range of back office functions.
Yet, as customer expectations for quality and
complexity of services grows — and along with
them the salaries of the best virtual workers —
employers struggling to maintain competitive
margins in an already slowing economy are bound
to hire less people.
The slowdown may mean less full-time jobs for
graduates, but Indian HR and business leaders
look set to manage the slowdown by hiring
more staff on demand in response to a growing,
but uncertain, flow of work from recovering
export markets in the United States and Europe.
Employers in India will hire more people on a
temporary or contract basis (26%) than any other
Asian nation surveyed over the next five years.
Like many other nations in the region, India is also
grappling with how to get more women to remain
in the workforce to progress to more senior career
levels. More than half (57%) of employers agree
getting more women into leadership roles will be
a critical success factor for organisation over the
next decade.
Go beyond technology
Strong technology adoption and skills is a great
advantage for India’s workforce, but leaders
must ensure both managers and employees also
have the organisational and communication
skills to realise the benefits of productive
collaboration.
Improve diversity
Greater workforce diversity fuels positive
collaboration by bringing together different
perspectives that better reflect the view of
regional and international markets. Look to
create diversity programs such as ‘women
in leadership’ to foster the development of
female workers into senior level careers and see
how you can support the greater participation
of women in leadership roles.
Review incentives
Capitalise on the already favourable views of
workforce collaboration in India by rewarding
collaborative behaviour both tangibly via
remuneration, bonuses and team incentives,
and by allocation of resources, status and
approvals across the organisation.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 49
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
The intra-cultural workforce
will grow:
42
33%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
7%
more people from overseas
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work India
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options such as variable
work hours, job-sharing or working
from home as average or poor
38%
of employees currently have
remote working options
66%
say it gives them greater job
satisfaction
66%
without remote working
options find the idea appealing
40%
say 70% in the office & 30% at
home is the ideal work week
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
26%
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
20%
more people on flexible work arrangements
Workforce participation is on the rise in India, yet
few employers intend to recruit more women 13%
OR more people of mature age 8%
Employee engagement and
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options 34%...
What employers agree on:
86%
42%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
51%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
80%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
57%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
Improving employee engagement &
Improving
employee
&
satisfaction
is theengagement
#1 benefit 26%
satisfaction is the #1 benefit 26%
...but
...but
53%
of employees describe
themselves as collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
43%
of employees say collaboration
within an immediate team or
function is most common
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 51
how to foster workforce
flexibility & collaboration
in Malaysia
Malaysia
As in much of Asia, diversity and work/life
balance issues are in the spotlight in Malaysia.
Tax incentives introduced by the Government
in the 2014 budget are aimed at encouraging
companies to develop more inclusive workforces
through the adoption of flexible working
arrangements.
Companies who develop flexible work
arrangements (FWA’s) and obtain FWA
status from TalentCorp, will be eligible for a
double tax deduction for cost associated with
re-training women returning from a career break.
Female participation in Malaysia’s workforce lags
behind its Asian neighbours, with professional
women often leaving the workforce in their
mid-20’s and failing to progress to more senior
roles — which could hinder Malaysia’s aim to
become a high income nation by 2020. The
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report found
more than half (58%) of employers agree more
women in leadership roles will be a critical success
factor for organisations in the next 10 years.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
With greater diversity comes the need for new
and more effective methods of workforce
collaboration, often facilitated by workspace
innovation and technology. Most employers (82%)
agree keeping pace with evolving technology to
enhance workforce productivity and performance
will be a challenge over the next 10 years. Yet,
Malaysia is making good progress. The design and
construction of innovative commercial workspaces
has boomed in Kuala Lumpur in recent years, as
Malaysia’s growing business capital aims to attract
more multinationals.
As a result, many professionals enjoy workspaces
that encourage effective collaboration. Social and
relaxation spaces appeal most (69%) to Malaysian
employees, but the paperless office (44%),
café style facilities (43%), and bring your own
device (BYOD) concept (35%), also have broad
appeal. Malaysia also boasts the highest number
of employees in the region (28%) who would
trade individual space for collaborative space.
Reinforcing the more collaborative style of the
new generation of professional workers, 55% of
Malaysia’s young workforce describe themselves
as collaborators, again the highest in the region.
With modern corporate workspaces and high
speed broadband increasingly the norm in
Malaysia, it’s not surprising 83% of Malaysian
employees say workforce collaboration in their
organisation is effective or highly effective,
the second highest score in the region behind
India. The number of employees who regularly
collaborate with their own team or function
(47%) is the highest in Asia. These strong
collaboration figures come despite the fact
36% of Malaysia professionals have remote
working options as part of their current role.
Yet, management concerns about employee
productivity as a barrier to implementing flexible
work arrangements (48%) are greater than for
employers in any other country.
Augment existing talent
Use contractors, freelancers and virtual
on-demand workers to support teams where
acute shortages of skills or resources are having a
negative impact on morale. This is a great way to
boost performance, make productivity gains and
create greater levels of workforce flexibility.
Be opportunistic
Consider outsourcing when faced with persistent
talent challenges. You may not always be able
to recruit top talent, but you may be able to
purchase project outcomes from a relevant
consultancy.
Engage the workforce
Decisions about how employees should
collaborate are often driven from the top down,
but Malaysia’s well educated, in-demand young
workforce will have their own ideas about how
that can achieve the best outcomes. Consider
piloting cross-functional collaboration programs
to design your next critical company project.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 53
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work Malaysia
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
64
44%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
20%
more people from overseas
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options — variable work
hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
36%
of employees currently have
remote working options
63%
say it gives them greater job
satisfaction
70%
without remote working
options find the idea appealing
33%
say 70% in the office & 30%
working at home is the ideal
work week
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
21%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate , yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (12%)
OR more people of mature age (10%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (48%)...
What employers agree on:
24%
89%
24%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
55%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
82%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
58%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
62%
of employees describe
themselves as collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
47%
...but
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
improving employee engagement &
satisfaction is the #1 benefit (32%)
of employees say collaboration
within an immediate team or
function is most common
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 55
how to foster workforce
flexibility & collaboration
in New Zealand
New Zealand
The 2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report shows
employers in New Zealand will hire more people on
flexible working arrangements (39%) in the next
five years to address talent scarcity than those in
any other country. Over a third of employees (35%)
already have remote working options as part of
their current job, and 65% say it makes them more
satisfied in their role.
The upheaval that beset the business community
in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes has
produced somewhat of an evolution in the way
we work — in that more organisations and their
employees have realised the benefits of working
remotely. While offices continue to be rebuilt, many
professionals simply had no choice but to work
remotely — and many have never looked back.
Management concerns about employee productivity
(26%) are far lower than in Asia and in line with
Australia, demonstrating those countries that have
implemented widespread flexible work options have
a positive experience over time.
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
Under the circumstances, New Zealand’s employers
rate their organisational performance in creating
flexible working options as among the highest in
the region. Sixty-one percent say they are doing
a good (42%) or excellent (19%) job, and the
research shows HR and business leaders are seeing
the benefits. Almost half (46%) cite improving
employee engagement and satisfaction as the
single biggest benefit of adopting flexible working
practices, up from 28% in 2012 — and the highest
figure in the region.
Strengthening employee engagement and
collaboration is also high on the agenda for
employers (72%) looking to improve productivity
over the next five years, While 45% cite
the importance of keeping up-to-date with
new technology to drive business efficiency.
Technology-enabled workspace innovations such
as the paperless office is appealing to 36% of
employees, while 28% say the bring your own
device (BYOD) concept is appealing.
A growing interest in environmental sustainability
is driving the development of innovative
‘green’ office spaces across New Zealand’s major
cities, which should see technology-enabled
collaboration only grow further.
Consider use of serviced offices
With a mature workforce and 50% of
employees describing themselves as
networkers, organisations could further boost
job satisfaction and reduce costs by replacing
smaller offices with serviced offices for highly
mobile professionals.
Utilise cloud-based collaboration tools
As many employers already have a growing
remote workforce, increased use of file sharing
technology and project management tools
could offer a boost to employee performance
and productivity.
Tailor remote collaboration tools
Peer-to-peer networking and relationship
building will be more important to mature
workers than access to detailed training or
project plans. Leverage video chat software
such as Skype and invest in video conferencing
to maintain team morale.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 57
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work New Zealand
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
40
29%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
34%
more people from overseas
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options — variable work
hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
35%
of employees currently have
remote working options
65%
say it gives them greater job
satisfaction
65%
without remote working
options find the idea appealing
44%
say 70% in the office & 30%
working at home is the ideal
work week
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
39%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate , yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (16%)
OR more people of mature age (18%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (26%)...
What employers agree on:
26%
86%
27%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
34%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
79%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
56%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
72%
of employees describe themselves as
collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
51%
improving employee engagement &
satisfaction is the #1 benefit (46%)
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
of employees say collaboration
within an immediate team or
function is most common
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 59
how to foster workforce
flexibility & collaboration
in Singapore
Singapore
Realising the importance of workplace flexibility
and diversity, the Singapore Government recently
announced funding initiatives to help employers
enhance work-life harmony, and attract and retain
local employees returning to the workforce and
mature-age workers. The WorkPro scheme offers
employers a range of subsidies and incentives to
implement flexible work arrangements (FWA’s)
and the redesign of jobs accordingly. The move
is timely, as our 2013/14 Randstad World of Work
Report indicates Singapore’s business leaders —
particularly those in the financial services sector —
are yet to be convinced of the benefits of flexible
work outweigh the disadvantages.
In line with most Asian countries, just 20% of
employers intend to hire more people on flexible
working arrangements to combat talent scarcity
in the next five years. This is significantly below
the figure for other developed economies in
the region, such as Australia (35%) and New
Zealand (39%). Yet, our research confirms the
ideal work week for most employees (46%) is one
where they are in the office 70% of the time and
working remotely 30% of the time — with almost
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
a third (29%) preferring to work remotely 50% of
the time. This demonstrates just why employers
need to reconsider flexibility to attract and retain
top talent.
In addition to providing incentives for
implementing FWA’s, the Government has
tightened regulations in an effort to ensure a level
playing field for local Singaporean professionals.
One of the challenges is changing Singapore’s
traditional business culture, where work status
is associated with job commitment through long
hours and where a culture of presenteeism — the
practice of being present at one’s place of work
for more hours than is required — is common.
Our findings show entrenched concerns about
employee productivity (27%), and team culture
and communication (17%), are creating a lack
of support from business managers (17%), and
acting as the biggest barriers to offering more
flexible working options. However, experts agree
presenteeism from a lack of flexibility is likely to
be a bigger drain on productivity, through poor
employee engagement and collaboration. Just
19% of employees say workforce collaboration is
highly effective in their organisation, the second
lowest effectiveness score in the region behind
China (16%), and well behind regional leaders
India (42%) and Australia (30%).
From August 2014, organisations that apply for
an employment pass (EP) for foreign workers will
have to advertise the role on a new jobs bank
administered by the Workforce Development
Agency. Job advertisements must be open to
all Singaporeans and run for at least 14 days.
The qualifying salary for an EP will also rise to
encourage more middle management opportunities
for local professionals.
As multinationals are compelled to reduce
their reliance on expatriate workers for entry
and mid-level roles in the face of ever-tightening
labour market conditions, embracing flexible
working options will be critical to attracting a more
diverse workforce, including women returning to
the workforce and mature-age workers.
Build a business case
Use market research and talent analytics
— such as the findings from employee
satisfaction surveys and retention statistics
— to build a business case for flexible and
collaborative work options.
Start small
Look for departments or teams where there
is a strong desire or need for flexible work
and where it suits the style of work. Run a
pilot program and collect data on satisfaction,
retention, performance and productivity.
Proven success is the most powerful way to
persuade sceptical business leaders about the
benefits of flexible work.
Focus on performance not presence
Ensure managers have clear performance
management plans for all employees.
Communicate the need to achieve specific
goals in a specific timeframe, and provide
feedback on progress and outcomes. Teams
used to a performance-driven approach adapt
well to flexible working arrangements.
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 61
State of the Nation: Evolution of Work Singapore
views on workplace
flexibility
How will the workplace
evolve in the next 5–10 years?
55
The inter-cultural workforce
will grow:
46%
of employers will recruit more
people from culturally diverse
backgrounds
33%
more people from overseas
%rate their organisation’s
performance in creating
flexible work options — variable work
hours, job-sharing or working from
home — as average or poor
30%
of employees currently have
remote working options
61%
say it gives them greater job
satisfaction
75%
without remote working
options find the idea appealing
46%
say 70% in the office & 30%
working at home is the ideal
work week
Flexibility will continue to drive
a blend of work modes:
of employers will recruit more people on a
temporary or contract basis
20%
more people on flexible working arrangements
Ageing populations & low birth rates dominate , yet
few employers intend to recruit more women (15%)
OR more people of mature age (15%)
Employee engagement &
collaboration in focus:
Management concerns about employee productivity is the
#1 barrier to offering flexible work options (27%)...
What employers agree on:
24%
91%
19%
of employees think workforce collaboration is highly effective in
their organisation
43%
of organisations will increasingly manage a blended workforce of
permanent, contract & virtual teams
78%
believe keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology to enhance
workforce productivity will be a challenge
62%
say more women in leadership roles will be a critical success factor
67%
of employees describe themselves as
collaborators
of employers will strengthen employee engagement
& collaboration to improve productivity
39%
...but
2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report
improving employee engagement &
satisfaction is the #1 benefit (36%)
of employees say collaboration
within an immediate team or
function is most common
Talent Strategy Game-Changer Series | 63
Look out for the 2013/14 Randstad World of Work Report: Talent
Strategy Game-Changer Series released in March — where we will
have an exclusive printed report available for Randstad's valued
business partners.