Performance Management – turning a foe into an ally

collaboration-based performance management framework has the power to positively transform your performance appraisals. By learning the tools of performance management, you will gain a better understanding of your employees and their career aspirations, for a start. The framework sets out the steps to optimise your goals, through helpful techniques and processes such as two-way feedback and constant alignment.

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So…What is Agile About?

Frameworks that follow these values and principles are known as "agile techniques". In short, Agile project management is defined as an iterative development methodology that values human communication and feedback, adapting to changes, and producing working results. It is interesting that businesses are now steadily incorporating Agile approaches, but what is noteworthy is the fact that Agile projects have better success then traditional projects (nearly 30% higher success rate according to PWC research).

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Why Leaders Cannot be Complacent

Innovation acts as a catalyst for change, and sometimes with change there can be a discontinuity with the old ways and models. Today, disruption driven by technology, customers and artificial intelligence is rapidly increasing. The Business Times (October 4, 2018) has this to say: “Organisations that are actively embracing digital transformation and new technological opportunities are seeing significant, measurable results and gaining a competitive advantage.” For this reason, it is imperative that leaders are prepared to navigate an ever-changing and unpredictable environment.

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Being a Part of 'HR Leaders Summit 2018'

Today, technology, consumers, and artificial intelligence are responsible for changes to the status quo and can initiate major disruptions. We wanted to ask - how can HR professionals succeed in such an unpredictable environment? How can organisations facilitate innovation and change, and what do leaders need to do to adapt? These topics and more about the future HR landscape were discussed at the HR Leaders Summit 2018 #HRLeadersAsia organised by HRD which took place on 2nd October. Our Managing Director, Evelyn Chow, was the chairperson and reflects on the event:

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Role of the Leader for a Successful Transformation Journey.

We know that such a transformation would inevitably involve the use of technology, in a bid to be future-ready. These results align with a global trend to initiate transformation through HR digitalisation and technology, and business leaders are becoming more and more aware about its importance for business success. The leadership skills needed in today’s world are expanding from coaching skills, discussed at the workshop, to the ability to leverage technology for business.

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A Bit of Blockchain Technology 101 for me...

I dare say I left with a better understanding than when I entered the room. It seems the likes of IBM and EY (presenters for the evening, including MarketAlly) are getting traction with leveraging this technology but yes, as the moderator for the evening, Professor Boh Wai Fong of NBS, NTU, points out - is this a hype? And the other 'hot' question was around what the evolution of blockchain technology could look like in 5 years' time.

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Better Supporter Equals Better Leader

A couple of weeks ago, DecodeHR hosted two speakers from Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute to speak on the topic of ‘Leader as Coach’. During the event, the audience was polled, and we would like to share some of the results. On the roles of a leader, the audience was asked which roles – advisor, coach, mentor and supporter - are you least comfortable using. Findings of the poll uncovered some interesting results. Most people 37.04% are least comfortable in the role of supporter. DecodeHR has seen first-hand how crucial it is for a leader to be an advocate for their team. So, what does it mean to be a supporter?

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It Pays to Strategise Now to Maximise Employee Retention

Organisations that are fairly progressive in their talent management and employee engagement practices have traditionally focused on leveraging career paths to demonstrate strong career prospects to their employees, particularly the ones with the most promise. This is often used in conjunction with high-potential programs to provide a path to accelerate the advancement of these individuals. Such accelerated programs may include management trainee programs, overseas postings, mentorship programs, and inclusion within high-visibility project teams to work on coveted projects.

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3 tips for using technology for better customer service

The advent of technology has transformed the face of business everywhere, in any area conceivable. One of the key areas in which technology has been harnessed to strengthen a company is the area of customer service. In order for your business to continue to grow in the midst of cutthroat competition, it is imperative that it maintains its competitive edge. One of the ways in which this can be done is to harness technology for better customer service.

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How to Design a Successful Performance Bonus Plan

If there is any reason why December is the best month of the year (besides the Christmas holidays, of course), it has to be the bonus pay-outs for which many employees have been working so hard for.

Bonuses are commonly used by companies as a motivational tool for employees. In the past decade or so, we have seen an increasing trend in performance-related pay as competition amongst enterprises as well as maturity of the workforce rise.

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The Monthly Checklist To Keep Your Small Business On Track

Are you running your business like an easy sprint or a tiring marathon?

With limited resources and so much to do, it is not uncommon for teams to lose sight of their original goals when they first initiated the project. Nothing is more demoralising than reaching the end of a quarter or year with no clue or consensus on whether your results indicate a success or a failure.

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3 Tips For Managing Your Virtual Office

Once your business establishes itself in one market, your next step as an entrepreneur is to think about expanding your business into new markets. This is important for the survival of your business especially when you hail from a country with a small market. Governments around the world are also realising the importance of supporting businesses in expanding internationally, as evident from the SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) in Hong Kong and the International Partnership Fund in Singapore.

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Difficult Conversations Made Easy

‘Performance appraisal’ - words which bring unease not just to employees but to managers.  Many managers find it challenging to provide feedback to employees whose performance have not been up to their expectations.  Having these difficult conversations need not be as challenging as one would think, and could help improve performance as well as your working relationships with your team, if done well.  At the same time, performing employees should not be neglected as well.  It is just as important to recognise their contributions and reinforce positive behaviour.

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Job Competency Modelling

Competencies are the skills, knowledge and personal characteristics that contribute to superior performance. A well-developed competency framework can achieve alignment and integration of business strategies:

 

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Newsletter - September 2017

In September, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced the introduction of a new Work Pass (WP) card with a QR code and a free mobile application called the SGWorkPass. The app enables employers, pass holders and any other stakeholders to check the status of work passes with their smartphones. This is more reliable as the date of expiry printed on a work pass may not reflect the most up to date status for various reasons, e.g. cancellation due to resignation or restructuring.

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The 5 Key Features of a Good Incentive Plan

Incentive plans are becoming an increasingly popular tool to drive employee performance. A well-designed plan can help to accelerate business growth as well as achieve talent attraction and retention. Today we explore 5 key features of a good incentive plan.

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Does Cultural Fit Impact Hiring Success?

Ignoring Cultural Fit Can Be Costly

All organisations will definitely benefit from an awareness and benefits of the role of cultural fit in the recruitment and selection process. The challenge lies in knowing how to strike the delicate balance between probing further to ascertain a candidate's likelihood to succeed in that organisation's culture and recognising there is sufficient 'evidence' of a good cultural alignment. 

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