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Great Places To Work For All.Singapore Insights 2017

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017From our MDs

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of Great Place to Work®’s long-standing partnership with Fortune magazine in producing the gold-standard Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. There is much to celebrate, but we have also started looking and charging ahead. We are excited for what is to come, being now on a bold mission to help organizations become Great Places to Work FOR ALL™! And we want to achieve this by 2030.

Building a ‘For All’ organization is ever more pertinent in Singapore. With a population of over 5.6 million, we have reached a new peak in socio-diversity; more people of different backgrounds, ethnicity and cultures are living and working together today compared to 10 years ago.

Given that the average Singapore worker spends more than 70% of their waking hours at work, we owe it to all our team members to provide the best possible work environment; a place where they feel valued and can actively contribute. When employees are motivated, appreciated, and engaged, our organizations stand to benefit. Our research, as well as independent studies, have confirmed the link between a great workplace culture and strong financial and performance growth.

In this edition of the Great Place to Work® Institute Singapore Insights Paper, we seek to uncover what inspires and guides Singapore Best Workplaces of 2017 when it comes to building great places to work, and their unique journeys towards being “FOR ALL” organizations.

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017From our MDs

This Paper provides breadth and depth. We start by sharing the state of affairs in Singapore organizations, specifically in relation to two, big trending ‘I’s of our era – Inclusion and Innovation.

This year we have also collaborated with a management expert from the Singapore Management University. This early research report sheds light on the first steps towards becoming a great workplace.

We then deep-dive with a case study feature on Royal Plaza on Scotts. Having first received a Great Place to Work® special mention in 2015, to being ranked 6th in 2016’s list, we wanted to understand their remarkable transformation efforts over the years.

We trust that every reader will take away something valuable from here. It is our hope that when you reach the end of this Paper, you will be convinced that there is both a moral case and a business case for diversity and inclusiveness in Singapore workplaces. We have further hopes that you will be inspired to do something about it in your workplace.

We could begin by asking ourselves: Are there deep-seated values and beliefs around different groups of people (e.g. men vs. women; old vs. young; rank and file vs management) that undergird our current policies, practices and behaviors?

What happens if we start addressing them – how will our organization’s employee profile, quality of collaborations, engagement levels, and brand reputation change, for the better?

We know that a Great Place to Work® For All™, is not just better for people, but also better for business, and our world. We are excited to partner with more organizations and work hard towards our 2030 goal. We invite you to make a difference with us.

From our

MDs

Managing Directors, Great Place to Work® Institute Singapore

Joni Ong and Evelyn Kwek

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Contents

From Our MDs

Context & Research

The Collaborative Study: Creating a Great Workplace For All in Singapore

- First Steps for Business Leaders

The Case Study: 4 Paradoxical Truths About Great Workplaces

About Great Place to Work® Institute & List Methodology

2017 Singapore Report Card

Demographic Breakdown

Glossary

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06

12

18

24

25

26

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Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017Context and Research - The Way Forward: Great Workplaces for All

Context andResearchThe Way Forward: Great Workplaces For All

As workplaces evolve, so do the expectations of employees. Today, a much greater value is placed on meaningfulness at work, and a positive environment; expectations go beyond financial incentives12. As a result, it is no longer adequate for an organization to simply dispense perks and benefits, in the hope for them to be “silver bullets” to the engagement problem. To inspire long-term commitment among employees and a willingness to consistently give their personal best, it is necessary for organizations to first offer them a great workplace experience.

Although discussions about cross-generational differences often end with the conclusion that they have contrasting ideals, this does not appear to be the case when it comes to the work environment and culture. According to the Great Place to Work® Generational Report3, the survey of 230,000 employees reveal a unanimous desire for great workplace experiences predicated on meaningful workplace relationships. It did not matter if an employee is a millennial, Generation X-er, or baby boomer; at varying degrees, they all want to feel personally connected to their organization, job and colleagues. They also want to know that their leaders are fair and trustworthy. People are also particularly engaged and motivated when work environments are cooperative, caring, friendly, and welcoming.

Ultimately, a workplace that provides a great experience for all employees is not just better for people, but also better for business in terms of revenue growth and stock returns4. Through real examples from great workplaces globally, we see the impact of how a positive workplace experience can be larger than itself – it helps bring out the best in people, and encourages healthier, more fulfilling lives in and outside of work. Further, leaders who commit to building great workplaces for everyone have the power to repair and strengthen social bonds, improve individual lives and elevate the human spirit. The more great workplaces there are for all, the better for the world. For these reasons, in our capacity as culture experts, we are on a bold mission to partner more organizations to help build Great Places to Work For All™ by 2030.

Creating a great workplace experience starts with a strong intent to hire for ‘culture fit’ and ‘culture add’, with follow-through practices like personalized inductions and collaborative teaming. In Singapore, the Best Workplaces are found to provide a more holistic experience compared to other workplaces (‘the Rest’). For instance, 84% of employees in Best Workplaces believe that leaders hire people who fit in well, compared to 51% of employees in the Rest. Additionally, 93% of those in Best Workplaces feel that new hires are made to feel welcome – this is 26% more than the other organizations.

Without compromising on the pursuit of organizational goals, employees in Best Workplaces manage to maintain a healthy level of interpersonal care (on average, 87.5% indicate the presence of Teaming and Camaraderie). For many, motivation is derived from the experience of collaborative teams and genuine mutual concern.

1http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/what-makes-work-meaningful-or-meaningless/ 2http://www.greatplacetowork.co.kr/storage/attached%201.pdf 3http://learn.greatplacetowork.com/rs/520-AOO-982/images/GPTW-2016-Generations_Report_final.pdf 4https://www.greatplacetowork.com/images/reports/GPTW_2017_ForAll_Trends_report_FINAL.pdf

All companies – including the Best Workplaces – face

the challenge of creating an outstanding culture for

everyone, no matter who they are or what they do for the

organization. They have to build a Great Place to Work For All.

Michael C. Bush CEO, Great Place to Work®

“

”

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Context and Research - The Way Forward: Great Workplaces for All Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017

84%

Best

Management hires people who

fit in well here

When you join the company, you are made

to feel welcome

People care about each other here

We are all in this together

Rest

93% 88% 87%

51%

67%58% 56%

How to Interpret % reported in this section?

Results reflect % of employees who said their experience was

consistently positive.

The Challenge of Creating Great Workplaces For All

One of the major challenges to creating a great workplace – and what really distinguishes the Best Workplaces – isensuring a consistent and positive experience across theorganization. When there are large discrepancies in how employees are treated, such discrimination invariably leads to perceptions of unfairness and resultant disenchantment.

Common examples of unfair treatment include biased actions against older age employees, working mothers and minority races. Among the five areas of disadvantage surveyed, ageism appears to be most prevalent – only 66% of employees in the other organizations had a positive experience. This is 25 percentage points lower than those in the Best Workplaces. Comparing across generations, millennials as a cohort had poorer

In general, there is a tendency to focus on overt forms of discrimination such as the unfair dismissal of expecting mothers and older workers not offered re-employment. Singapore has been somewhat successful in countering this - with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices reporting a year-on-year drop in the number of reported cases of discrimination since 20135.

In contrast, subtle forms of discrimination often go undetected although they are potentially more detrimental in the long run. For instance, when the opinion of a young female employee is repeatedly disregarded in favor of a male colleague, or when an elderly worker is only assigned simple, non-critical tasks despite his or her competence. The ambiguity of such

68%Treated as a full member

Treated fairly regardless of sexual orientation

Treated fairly regardless of gender

Treated fairly regardless of race

Treated fairly regardless of age 66%

91%

91%

74%

76%

72%

95%

95%

92%

Best

Rest

experiences compared to the oldest group of workers in Singapore. The gap in workplace experience between millennials and baby boomers is the largest when it comes to perceptions of pay equity (Best-58% ; Rest-43%) and work-life integration (Best-64% ; Rest-50%). A gap difference of about 14 percentage points was found.

5http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/workplace-discrimination-complaints-down-but-bias-towards-foreigners-still-the

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Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017

6https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-subtle-bias-is-so-often-worse-than-blatant-discrimination 7http://vernamyers.com/ 8https://www.population.sg/jobs-and-economy

incidents makes it difficult to take legal recourse, which requires irrefutable evidence that there was deliberate and discriminatory action against a particular individual.

Research shows people who are subjected to subtle discrimination may end up worse off than victims of overt discrimination (e.g. stress, performance)6. For instance, over-rationalizing the subtle acts of prejudice could cause severe mental and emotional strain on an affected individual. The frequent acts of undetected discrimination may also cause these affected individuals to continue suffering in silence for prolonged periods.

While not directly causal, there is significant correlation between poorer perceptions of inclusiveness, and lower levels of psychological and emotional health – only about 5 in 10 employees from the Rest are experiencing a workplace that promotes mental and emotional well-being, compared to almost 9 in 10 employees who work at the Best Workplaces.

In Singapore, the importance of embracing diversity within organizations is reflected in the National Population and Talent Division’s mission to create “Fair and progressive workplaces, where everyone is valued for their skills and hard work, regardless of age and background”8. According to the Great Place to Work® Inclusiveness Index, the Best Workplaces in Singapore are much better at treating different groups of employees fairly and without prejudice, with a score of 93%, compared to 71% for the Rest.

Adopting an Inclusive and Risk-Taking Approach Toward Innovation

A workplace which provides fertile ground for the exploration of new ideas is typically characterized by an open and inclusive culture, where a rich diversity of opinions, backgrounds and skills are present and fully optimized.

The Best Workplaces in Singapore also rate more highly on the Great Place to Work® Innovation Index compared to the other organizations - they are better by one and a half times.

From a go-to-market perspective, it is evident to Best Workplaces that creating positive workplace cultures have supported their pursuit of innovation and development of breakthrough products and services.

Specifically, leaders of these Best Workplaces understand that proactive engagement of their teams is critical to the innovation process. Thus, they endeavor to make inclusiveness, collaboration, and genuine, purposeful communications a way of life in their workplaces.

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”7

Context and Research - The Way Forward: Great Workplaces for All

93%71%

Best Workplaces are 1.3x more likely to provide an inclusive

workplace experience

BestRest

Best Workplaces are 1.5x more likely to provide employees a conducive

environment for innovation

Great Place to Work® Inclusiveness Index Great Place to Work® Innovation Index

86%56%BestRest

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Learning from the Best – A Great Workplace for All is Possible!

Amongst these, the one most critical to the innovation process is an organization’s ability to tolerate and accept honest mistakes. It would be counterintuitive to aim for breakthrough yet penalize those who fail as a result of genuine error. In the Singapore sample, there is some room for improvement among the Rest – only about 6 in 10 employees feel safe to make mistakes, in contrast to almost 9 in 10 employees in the Best Workplaces.

At the Best Workplaces, leaders put in place key building blocks that are essential to developing an innovative and empowering workplace culture.

While there are workplace experience gaps in organizations, the Best Workplaces show that it is possible to engage and provide a conducive work environment for a large majority of their employees. As part of the 2017 research, Great Place to Work® evaluated all organizations’ management and people practices using the proprietary Culture Audit® tool. Numerous programs and practices of Best Workplaces were found to rate highly on the ‘All-inclusiveness’ criteria. The following are highlights from Best Workplaces in Singapore.

Seek and respond tosuggestions and feedback

Involve and includeemployees in decisions that affect them

Foster cooperationamongst colleagues

Show appreciation forextra effort

Forgivehonest mistakes

Best

Best

Best

Best

Best

Rest

Rest

Rest

Rest

Rest

VS

VS

VS

VS

VS

87%

83%

86%

87%

89%

55%

51%

54%

54%

59%

LISTEN | Feedback: More Than A Gift. At Intuit, listening is an expectation and this begins from day one. The HR team conducts regular one-on-one sessions with new joiners and hiring managers to get candid feedback on the process. Feedback is taken seriously and Brad, the CEO, sets the tone by acting on what is shared. Last year, he committed to closing the gaps for teams with lower engagement scores by reviewing individual action plans across Intuit, globally. Listening platforms are aplenty - from pulse surveys and skip-level sessions, to monthly manager check-ins and quarterly results Q&A. Listening also happens organically through informal stand-ups, casual conversations and team meetings. Feedback, coupled with implementation, have enabled Intuit to improve and innovate work processes (e.g. travel and expense claims, job requisition, brainstorming). Listen, acknowledge, and act – these are what leaders do at Intuit.

In order for organizations to evolve and grow successfully, they must establish a psychologically safe environment for all employees. To achieve this, leaders must be willing to reflect and reframe not only their perspectives, but also their approach toward collaboration, experimentation and recognition across the entire organization.


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INSPIRE | 1-1-1: A Model that Outlives.Beyond business success, Salesforce is most proud of its #SalesforceOhana culture built on the core values of Equality, Innovation, Trust and Growth. The strong family-like culture doesn’t mean they are inward looking. On the contrary, Salesforce has a distinctive philanthropic spirit that inspires all to give back, as teams and as individuals. This is materialized through their signature 1-1-1 model where 1% of employee time, 1% of equity, and 1% of products are given back to the community. Here in Singapore, the 1-1-1 Foundation Council seeks out unique opportunities for integrated philanthropy, that is, to leverage on Salesforce’s technology, people and resources to help improve communities locally, and regionally. This independent voluntary group is equitably represented by Salesforce employees from each department. Their goal is long-term and high-impact partnerships, ensuring that needs of non-profit partners in the community are fully met.

THANK | Appreciation Opportunities.Employees are respected at all Furama Hotel premises. Leaders show their gratitude in tangible ways, no one shys away from saying ‘thank you’. Sincere appreciation features prominently from the twice-a-month special ice cream treat, to the General Manager’s Compliments program (shopping vouchers, photos displayed at notice boards), to the quarterly appreciation buffets served by Heads of Departments, to Team Player & Hospitality Champions of the month and year. Small gestures go a long way at Furama in making team members feel valued.

CARE | Family Matters. At Tableau, leaders do their best to help employees better manage their work-life priorities by designing a family-friendly environment. One example is Tableau’s generous initiatives for new parents. While Singapore’s labor law only requires organizations to give 2 weeks of paternity leave, Tableau provides an additional 2 weeks for new fathers, and even those who adopt. Newborns also receive personalized gifts bearing fun words like ‘Future DataGeek’. All employees also enjoy family care leave that allows them to spend more time with their loved ones.

HIRE | Back-to-Work Program. SAP is serious about workplace gender diversity and inclusiveness. Beyond ensuring that at least one female candidate is shortlisted for a position where possible, they now specifically want to enable professional women to seamlessly re-enter the workforce after a career break. The progressive Back-to-Work program gives women opportunities to apply for a 6-month long project that complement their skills and experience – the end goal is to transition successful candidatesinto permanent roles. While on the program, womenare offered competitive remuneration packages andare also given practical assistance to integrate into theworkplace. Since its launch in 2016, over 80% haveopted to convert to a permanent role and further theircareer with SAP. This spells success for all in SAP -leaders already know and are confident of the valuethese talents bring to the organization, the lead timefor hiring is reduced greatly, and these women cansuccessfully demonstrate economic relevance within asupportive environment. With the goal of having 30%of women in management by 2022, SAP continues tobe innovative in the way they inspire women to unlockand rediscover their potential.


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Creating a great workplace for all is not something that can be achieved overnight or even in a span of a few months. Long-term commitment is required to see this strategic imperative through to fruition. The truth is that even in Best Workplaces, there are still pockets of employees who do not feel like they work in a great workplace. A mindset shift is needed to change the status quo – we should hold ourselves to a higher standard and not just settle for a 90% engagement score. Every employee counts, and the experience of the remaining 10% should matter.

The other sections in this 2017 Singapore Insights whitepaper seek to stimulate further conversations and thinking around this topic of inclusiveness and creating great workplace experiences for all, without exception.

For the first time, Great Place to Work® Institute Singapore is partnering with a local domain expert. Richard R. Smith, Professor of Strategic Management from the Singapore Management University (SMU) is working closely with the Institute to glean new insights from the 2015-2017 Great Place to Work® Singapore database. An early research report, in the next section, provides preliminary guidance for Senior Executives and HR leaders on key steps to building a great workplace for all.

In the last section, an in-depth case study feature on Royal Plaza on Scotts (RP) sheds light on counter-intuitive leadership behaviors and paradoxical truths required for effective change and transformation. The General Manager of RP, Patrick Fiat, together with his team openly share their culture building journey and lessons learnt along the way.

With this, we invite you to be a part of Great Place to Work®’s greater vision for Singapore and the world’s workplaces: Great places to work, for all, by 2030.

LISTEN | Conversations Build Capabilities. NetApp’s basis for listening rests on a value in the Leaders’ Code of Conduct - “be humble and be willing to learn”. The preferred approach is always through face-to-face dialogues, at any time and with anyone. Leaders are proactive in making themselves accessible. For example, after each APAC All Hands meeting, CY Yau, APAC Head of HR, walks the floor to engage employees in conversations. Remote employees engage virtually through Jabber and informal 1-1 virtual meetings. Local leaders also avail themselves to new joiners via the Training on All Special Things (T.O.A.S.T) program via presentations and lunch in small groups, facilitating more conversations. Senior Vice President and General Manager, Rick Scurfield, works in a cubicle. All employees can stop by to speak with him, and he almost always has time for a brief conversation. Leaders at NetApp know that informal discussions are the ones that often uncover important insights about NetApp’s business and culture.

#GPTWFORALL - We are All in This Together

The inconsistencies are not good for people or business. They

amount to wasted human and business potential. If people are

not feeling fully alive at work, they are not contributing their best ideas and performance to

the organization.

“

”Michael C. Bush CEO, Great Place to Work®


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Creating a Great Workplace For All in Singapore: First Steps for Business LeadersRichard R. Smith Singapore Management University

Benjamin HoGreat Place to Work® Institute Singapore

In a highly competitive business world, the pressure for bottom-line results can be intense – sometimes at the expense of a positive workplace environment. Yet, it seems there are organizations that not only do well, but also have people who trust their leaders, possess deep pride in their work and organizations, and take genuine pleasure in working with their colleagues. How do these Best Workplaces manage to balance both performance and people goals? A closer observation and analysis demonstrate that these two are not at odds. There is, in fact, a dynamic synergy between both objectives and ignoring either one can be detrimental – resulting in a ‘Culture of Burnout’ or a ‘Culture of Comfort’, based on the Great Place to Work® Culture Spectrum.

It is crucial to examine and understand this oft-cited dilemma of senior leaders in order to devise realistic and effective business solutions. For this purpose, we analyzed data from Great Place to Work® Institute Singapore for insights, and developed recommendations on how a ‘Trust Fuels Performance’ culture can be achieved.

The Great Place to Work® Culture Spectrum - A ‘Trust Fuels Performance’ culture is where organizations

should aim for. Too much emphasis on performance, or trust, can be detrimental for an organization – you end

up either with a ‘Culture of Burnout’ or ‘Comfort’.

THE COLLABORATIVE STUDY

Culture ofBurnout

Perf

orm

ance

Foc

us

Trust Focus

Trust FuelsPerformance

Culture ofComfortAt Risk

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017Creating a Great Workplace For All in Singapore: First Steps for Business Leaders

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When compared to the market average, the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, curated by Great Place to Work® Institute, consistently outperformed the rest for almost two decades. This was the case regardless of whether it was a bull or bear market. In fact, great workplaces in the United States had stock returns 3 times more than the market average1.

Delving into the 2015-16 Singapore Best Workplaces database, a preliminary analysis identified several significant areas of difference between Best Workplaces and the other unranked list contenders. These early findings, when considered alongside existing government and thought leadership initiatives, point toward three observations:

Strategic Human Resource (HR) leadership has a strong impact on the bottom-line

Diversity as a strategic initiative, properly executed, cultivates a climate of innovation

Inclusive learning and development opportunities maximize both performance potential as well as returns

1)

2) 3)

For some, these observations may sound unsurprising as management experts have suggested that human resource management, diversity, and employee development are important for optimal organizational performance. However, the research has surfaced unique insights in relation to the Singapore context. Ahead of the full report scheduled for release in 2018, this early research paper provides an initial analysis of key considerations and how they can be applied in Singapore businesses.

Each year, The Conference Board asks CEOs around the world to share their top challenges and issues2. For years now, human capital has repeatedly surfaced as the most pressing of all issues. Yet, when top business leaders are asked about how the HR function is helping them with this challenge, the answers are mixed. In fact, only 27% of CEOs indicate that they have confidence in addressing human capital challenges in their businesses. While HR professionals are in every organization, few are said to play a truly strategic role.

1.1 Elevating Strategic Human Resource Leadership

Key Consideration 1: Be Relentless in Building Strategic Human Resource Capabilities

Strategic HR leadership is primarily concerned with the factors that affect an organization’s ability to effectively execute business strategy. Individuals who are empowered in these positions are actively involved in pivotal areas such as aligning organizational culture, structure, leadership, and talent management practices. However, it is impossible to address these macro-level organizational issues, when HR is constantly saddled


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with administrative functions pertaining to payroll, performance management, and compliance.

Elevating the role of HR from one that is administrative to one that is a strategic and integral part of the top management team can be critical for creating a great workplace. Global research has shown that organizations with a more senior-level HR leader are more likely to be great places to work in3. For Singapore businesses, this remains an area of challenge. The Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI) recently completed a study on HR leadership careers and found several “Stall Points” in the advancement to leadership roles4.

Armed with a macro perspective and deep understanding of people issues, experienced HR leaders can help inform and guide strategic decisions. They can also acutely identify development priorities for management. To balance the workload, technology may also provide much-needed assistance and enable HR leaders to carry out both functional and strategic work – firstly, by automating time-consuming HR administrations, and secondly, by gathering relevant data and generating insights into the organization’s “realities”.

1.2 Staying at the Forefront of Human Resource Management Operating in a fast-paced economy requires adaptability, constant innovation and, when necessary, rejuvenation. This applies to HR leadership as well. In general, senior executives tend to establish themselves and peak between the 5th to 9th year in the role5. Global research also shows that top-level leaders with longer tenures in a single role within an organization, tend to prefer the status quo, may be less inclined to accept strategic change, and show signs of performance decline67.

Interestingly, there is some indication that Best Workplaces in Singapore are aware of the importance of senior HR leadership renewal. Across the Singapore sample, Senior HR leaders at the top-ranking Best Workplaces have held that position for an average of 5.75 years, compared to 14.5 years at other organizations.

It is important to highlight that this does not mean that we should simply retire long-standing HR leaders. To stay relevant and on top of its game, there are various ways to refresh and renew HR leadership. For example, purposeful professional development, internal promotions, lateral movements, and growing the team with external talents. All these could lead to fresh perspectives, desire to make greater impact, ready embracement of change, and a willingness to try new HR practices to meet organizational needs.

What remains more pertinent is the continuous need to stay abreast of cutting-edge practices in the field and learn from organizational development thought leadership. There is also a need to re-evaluate the alignment between existing HR strategy with the strategic imperatives of the organization. On one hand, HR needs to stay relevant and play a proactive, value-added part in senior leadership conversations. On the other hand, the senior leadership team must allow HR a seat at the table and value its contributions in equal measure. Regular review of HR capabilities and programs could prove to be vital as well.

While adopting best practices may be useful, it is not merely replicating what other organizations do. It is essential, instead, to factor the unique context and challenges of each organization before identifying the most strategic actions within the key areas of culture, structure, leadership, and talent management. By adopting a holistic, open-minded and future-forward approach, it will help drive results while fostering a positive work environment.

As Singapore transitions to a manpower lean economy, there is an even greater need for organizations to maxi-mize human potential and invest in HR as a strategic asset, rather than a utilitarian function.

1.3 Tapping on The Ecosystem to Grow Strategic Human Resource Capabilities

The role of the HR profession will only become more

critical as we transit towards a manpower lean economy.

Lim Swee Say Minister for Manpower

“

”

Hold the HR function to a higher standard, ensuring they adopt a holistic and strategic view - taking into account the alignment between organization culture, business performance, leadership, structure, and talent management

Elevate the status of HR by including HR leadership in strategic business discussions; ensure their professional views are sought and considered before making decisions Encourage HR professionals to get certified, seek new training opportunities, and to be proactive in staying abreast with the latest HR developments and industry trends

SUGGESTED BUSINESS LEADER ACTIONS:

Recognizing the importance of building future HR capability at all levels, the Singapore government launched a comprehensive HR industry manpower plan in 2017. This includes the establishment of the Institute for HR Professionals (IHRP), which aims to raise the bar for the profession through a national certification program.

This signals the government’s commitment to address the human capital needs of businesses, while instituting a career and competency framework for HR professionals. Ultimately, building strategic HR capabilities is not only good for the profession, it also makes better business sense. In the longer term, organizations become better equipped to hire right; designing people policies that potentially generate exponential returns in multiple aspects of the business.


5.75

HR Head Tenure (Years)

BEST REST

0

3.75

7.5

11.25

15

14.50

p.14This might suggest that HR leadership rejuvenation could potentially give rise to a competitive advantage when it comes to being ranked as one of the Best Workplaces.

Research shows that diversity can unlock innovation and help drive market growth8. For global multi-national firms today, diversity and inclusion efforts have become an important and permanent part of organizational culture and policy. What started out as legal obligations have reaped tangible benefits for organizations, and have since become more than just a “feel good” practice or politically correct branding.

At successful organizations, there is room and recognition not only for inherent diversity (i.e. traits that we are born with such as race and gender), but acquired diversity (i.e. what we gain from our personal experiences) as well. Our preliminary research shows that 89% of all firms ranked by Great Place to Work® as Best Workplaces in Singapore have a clearly defined diversity strategy, compared to 62% among all other unranked organizations.

These Best Workplaces are also more likely to have definitive programs to include and integrate individuals from a diverse range of differences: from gender, to sexual orientations, ethnicities, and abilities. These companies are also more likely to have older workers, reflecting an inclusive approach to the age issue.

In Singapore, diversity forms one of the basic pillars of society, with the co-existence of different ethnic and religious groups, four official languages and foreign talent of various nationalities. While our social backdrop is diverse, the ability to instill a culture of diversity and inclusion within an organization is not a given. In fact, psychologists tell us that it is human tendency to seek out individuals who are like ourselves.

Admittedly, promoting and implementing workforce diversity across all aspects can be complex and challenging. This will, however, be increasingly expected of most workplaces and an indispensable part of successful businesses9. A recent study by global consulting firm PwC shows that many companies in Singapore are making a strong effort to improve gender diversity starting with the recruitment process10.

While this preliminary report does not discuss financial growth, it is evident that organizations that embrace diversity with a sound strategy and plan are more likely to succeed in creating great workplaces with peak performance and people goals. The Great Place to Work® Singapore 2016 research revealed that employees in Best Workplaces are 1.2 times more likely to experience higher trust levels with their leaders and amongst their colleagues.

For many organizations and even the Best Workplaces, diversity is a deeply complex issue. It requires constant and conscious efforts to build a genuine, long-lasting culture around it. A sensible starting point would be to review existing recruitment and succession planning polices and processes to adjust the mix of talent across the organization.

89%

Diversity StrategyBEST REST

0%

23%

45%

68%

90%

62%

Organizations with clear and published diversity strategies in Singapore

are more likely to be recognized as great

places to work.

“

”

Unsurprisingly, organizations recognized as Best Workplaces in Singapore are more likely to focus on employee learning and development. Yet, the degree of difference is quite striking. Preliminary analysis showed that 95% of the top-ranking organizations in Singapore indicated that they have development plans in place for all levels, compared to 75% of the rest. Leaders from the Best Workplaces understand that for a business to thrive, there is a need to invest in all their talents, without exceptions. This inclusive practice also empowers employees who feel appreciated and valued, and subsequently motivated to give their personal best and more for the organization.

Key Consideration 2: Make Diversity a Central, Everyday Reality Across the Organization

Key Consideration 3: Ensure Inclusive, Ongoing Learning and Development for All


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The high WEF ranking can be attributed to strong foundational values centered round education and an openness toward international talent. This endorsement comes with high expectations from employees for ongoing development and life-long learning. In this regard, the Best Workplaces in Singapore appear to be doing significantly better. When employees were asked to what extent their organizations are future-proofing the workforce, 84% of employees from the Best Workplaces were confident that they would be up-skilled and remain relevant, compared to 73% for the rest.

Summary and Conclusion

In recognition of its progressive human capital development, Singapore was ranked #1 across Asia and #11 globally by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Comprising a study of existing research, original data and fresh insights, this preliminary research report aims to shed light on what makes a great workplace, with specific reference to Singapore’s context. Findings point toward strategic HR leadership as the linchpin of truly great workplaces, with their ability to shape the people and business aspects of an organization.

Firstly, giving HR the mandate it needs is but the initial step. It is a long-term journey that requires fresh perspectives on HR policies and programs, in line with broader organizational and business goals. Secondly, a hallmark of great workplaces is a culture of diversity in all aspects. Having a clear strategy on diversity and inclusion is necessary, but what is more essential is allocating resources and commitment needed to make it an everyday reality. Finally, great workplaces do not stop at welcoming people of different backgrounds just to hit diversity metrics. They enable and encourage the pursuit of diverse personal and professional aspirations without losing sight on what their organizations need to succeed.


I will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to stay relevant in the workforce for the next 5 years

BEST REST

60%

68%

75%

83%

90%

In our study of Best Workplaces in Singapore, we find that employees in top-ranking organizations are more than twice as likely to be offered training and development opportunities to further themselves, compared to the rest. When it comes to building great workplaces, this is clearly an area that makes a significant difference.

Employees from Best Workplaces are

2x More Likely to be offered training and/or development to further

themselves professionally.

“

”

Business leaders can find ways to leverage government support to help refresh and reskill the workforce based on changing needs. With the launch of the SkillsFuture program in 2016, the Singapore government has sent a strong signal regarding the importance of life-long learning and the need to constantly develop new skill sets. A year on, more than 126,000 people have tapped on the SkillsFuture Credit scheme12. The nature of work is changing and nationwide initiatives like this allow citizens to develop their own skills in a way that maximizes their career potential – regardless of profession or years of experience.

recognized as Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work® have development plans drawn up and executed for all levels of employees.

95% of organizations

Develop fit-for-purpose competency frameworks for different job types

Ensure that employees have a development plan aligned to the competency framework Offer a range of internal and external learning and development opportunities Leverage government programs for direction and financial support Allow employees to seek development opportunities beyond what is formally offered

SUGGESTED BUSINESS LEADER ACTIONS:

The qualifying criteria includes a review of current skills across 130 countries, which illustrates how well some nations are doing in the development of human capital in conjunction with the changing nature of work11.

p.16

84%73%

Notes:

1Great Place to Work® (2016). The Business Case for a High-Trust Culture Report (2016). Available at: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/business-case

2Conference Board CEO Challenge® (2017). Available at: https://www.conference-board.org/ceo-challenge2017/

3Smith, R. (2016). Who Makes a Great Place to Work? Creating the Human Capital Resource of the Firm. Strategic Management Society Annual Conference, Berlin Germany.

4Singapore Human Capital Leadership Institute HR Leadership Stallpoints Study. (2016). Available at: http://hqasia.org

5Kets de Vries, M. R. R. (2014). When It’s Time for the CEO to Go. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2014/03/when-its-time-for-the-ceo-to-go

6Wiersema, M. F., & Bantel, K. A. (1992). Top management team demography and corporate strategic change. Academy of Management journal, 35(1), 91-121.

7Luo, X., Kanuri, V. K., & Andrews, M. (2013). Long CEO Tenure can Hurt Performance. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2013/03/long-ceo-tenure-can-hurt-performance 8Hewlett, S., Marshall, M. & Sherbin, L. (2013). How diversity can drive innovation. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation

9Ng, E. S., Schweitzer, L., & Lyons, S. T. (2010). New generation, great expectations: A field study of the millennial generation. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 281-292.

10Loon, K. & Wakefield, N. (2017). Winning the fight for female talent: How to gain the diversity edge through inclusive recruitment (Singapore Highlights). Available at: https://www.pwc.com/sg/en/diversity/assets/iwd-winning-the-fight-for-female-talent-sg-2017.pdf

11World Economic Forum (2017). The global human capital report. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-human-capital-report-2017

12126,000 learn new skills using SkillsFuture Credit” (2017). The Straits Times. Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/126000-learn-new-skills-using-skillsfuture-credit

About the Research Study:The observations highlighted in this report were based on a review of the results from the 2015-2016 Great Place to Work® Singapore database, representing close to 20,000 employees. The proprietary instruments used in this research include a Culture Audit© tool that captures factual company information and managements’ people practices, which are then verified through interviews. In addition, an employee Trust Index© survey is administered in each organization to gather employees’ perceptions and sentiments on their leader, colleagues and workplace. While a complete report is scheduled to be published in 2018, this early release is targeted to share initial findings from participating organizations for the benefit of all in the Asia region.

About the Authors:Richard R. Smith is a Professor of Strategic Management and Associate Dean in the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University. He is a co-author of Human Capital and Global Business Strategy and numerous other publications on human capital for competitive advantage in business. Prior to his current appointment, Richard was a Partner and Managing Director at Accenture, a leading global professional services company, where he retired after 25 years of service.

Benjamin Ho is a Senior Consultant with the Great Place to Work® Institute in Singapore where he leads the research and analytics team. He is a registered Psychologist and over the past decade, he has held numerous roles leading teams focused on organization development and talent management in both the public and private sectors across Asia and Australia.

Acknowledgements:We wish to thank the Great Place to Work® Institute in Singapore for their openness and cooperation for this study. This research would not have been possible without the full support of the Singapore Management University faculty and staff including Professor Toru Yoshikawa and Professor Gary Greguras. We owe a special thanks to our research assistant, Raghvendra Narang and our co-collaborator, Valerie Tan.


p.17

4 Paradoxical truths about

great workplacesMost organizations work hard on providing benefits, perks and

frameworks. They have missed the point.

For one of Singapore’s Best Workplaces,Royal Plaza on Scotts, the secret to building a great workplace for all lies in 4 paradoxical truths. This is a business that innovates, is productive, delivers their A-game every time and consistently wins in the competitive hospitality industry. Yet, Royal Plaza on Scotts’ greatest pride is knowing that they have created a distinctive, high-trust workplace culture which all employees love and are proud of. Here’s why and how.

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017Case Study - 4 Paradoxical Truths About Great Workplaces

One legendary GM

PARADOXICAL TRUTH #1: HAVING A GREAT LEADER IS ESSENTIAL, BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR TRUE SUCCESS

THE CASE STUDY:

Meet Patrick Fiat, General Manager (GM) of Royal Plaza on Scotts (RP). Highly recognizable, Patrick is a seasoned hotelier with an unmistakable French accent, peppered with a dash of Singlish. A man whose career in hospitality spans decades and geographies. He is the longest serving General Manager – 19 years and counting – in the hotel’s 42-year history.

While the most memorable milestones of his career are captured in a series of photographs that line his office wall, the best is yet to be and he has space for many more. Patrick continues to live life fully and creates the best experiences every day; from his bright “Hello” to his team at 7.30am, to his last warm appreciative “See you” and “Thank you” in the evening.

The deep passion that Patrick has for what he does and the different people he gets to meet and work with, fuels an unabated drive for people and business excellence. To this leader, however, striving uncompromisingly for performance and profit is never at the expense of empathy for his team and guests.

To all at RP, he is something of a legend. Described as passionate and inspiring, empowering and sincere, a great mentor and a caring boss who “walks the talk”, this is a man who is widely known, well-loved and deeply respected by many of the hotel’s employees.

Under his leadership, RP has become a place where people are engaged and motivated to come to work every day, proud to contribute and give their personal best as part of a team that feels like family to many. These attributes are evident as you observe and interact with his team of multi-talents.

Patrick’s approach to enduring success hinges on a fundamental philosophy - “Happy staff make happy guests”, and this simple, yet profound adage is embodied by all in RP, from those at the ‘front of house’ like Housekeeping to the ‘back of house’ like Finance and Human Capital.

p.18

“ If people are not happy, they won’t perform their best. It’s as simple as that.

”

p.19


IN BRIEF

Organization: Royal Plaza on Scotts (RP)

Employees: 335 Chief Experience Officers (CEOs) (Y2017)

Market: Hospitality

Market Challenges: Employee retention, fierce competition, productivity, service standards

Success Factors: Study reveals that a high-trust, high-performing culture overcomes market challenges. It hinges on the following 4 paradoxical truths: #1. A great leader is essential, but not enough for true success; #2. Mountain-top success can be found in rock-bottom situations; #3. Leaders must first give their all to receive; #4. Very different people achieve more together.

86%

2015

2014

2.31%

4.3%

INDUSTRY

ROYAL PLAZA

1.33%

4%

1.06%

3.6%

2016

2015

2017

2016

+5% +9%

Royal Plaza’s Growing Trust Index© Score

Monthly turnover

(as measured by Great Place to Work®)

In the fiercely competitive and volatile hospitality industry, this independent hotel has made a real impact with bold steps to transform itself, creating a truly extraordinary workplace with a monthly turnover rate that is 3 times lower than the market average in 2016.

RP has grown from strength to strength on Great Place to Work®’s Best Workplaces™ lists. In 2015, it won the Watch Out World Special Mention Award. Following which, it placed sixth in the 2016 Singapore Best Companies to Work For and a strong seventh in Asia’s Best 25 Small & Medium Workplaces 2017 lists.

Successful businesses are built around profits. Truly successful businesses, however, are built around people who create profits.

In many organizations, power is disproportionately centered on the Chief Executive and the senior leadership team. Patrick has instead adopted a counter-culture approach, rooted in his deep belief that everyone in his team should be considered equally as peers and domain experts.

Many remarkable leaders and teams

At RP, every employee is a CEO – a Chief Experience Officer, and this an official title that features prominently on their business cards, regardless of job role or seniority. The title simply captures the essence of ‘the Spirit of RP™’ and reflects a daily reality: Everyone is trusted, and empowered to make a difference for guests and co-workers. All, have the ability and autonomy to provide world-class guest experiences, even if one does not hold a guest-facing role.

This humanized approach not only fosters a sense of individual purpose and ownership, it has also resulted in consistent industry recognition for service excellence. RP has most recently been recognized as Asia Pacific’s Best Independent Hotel again, marking its 10th consecutive win of this prestigious award.

Always leading by example, coupled with a healthy dose of humor and humility, Patrick has been a major influence on the leadership team and this, in turn, shapes the way they lead – a ripple effect that has a positive impact on each team member.

PARADOXICAL TRUTH #2: MOUNTAIN-TOP SUCCESS CAN BE FOUND IN ROCK-BOTTOM SITUATIONS

Of trust and respect: Values-driven listening, supporting and developing

The 2008 global economic crisis created widespread uncertainty and dissatisfaction amongst RP’s CEOs. The following year, RP’s organizational climate survey revealed a significant drop in engagement levels ̶ from 72% in 2008 to 58% in 2009. Rather than being weighed down by the findings or attributing it to “extraneous factors”, the leadership team saw an opportunity for positive change amidst the poor sentiments. It was the perfect time to do a hard reset by tapping into the wisdom, and grouses, of their talents or CEOs.

A bottom-up approach was taken, starting with extensive focus group discussions organized to hear from CEOs across all generations and what really mattered to them. The insights gathered from these sessions enabled the leadership to strategically focus and act upon key pain points.

The ‘heartware’ of RP was also enhanced as a result of this process. A set of Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) was developed and has since served as RP’s commitment to existing and new CEOs, leaving no ambiguity of what is to be expected of leaders and their day-to-day experience. “We trust and respect every CEO” continues to serve as the bedrock of the EVPs.

As a measure of their commitment to build and reinforce a culture of high trust, the leadership team did what seemed unthinkable for many businesses at that time. Despite the bleak economic outlook, a conscious decision was made by the leadership to avoid a retrenchment exercise, safeguarding all employees’ jobs. Instead, RP proactively invested time and resources to train and develop employees during this downturn, to prepare them for the next market upturn.

Buvaneswaran, a Senior Security Officer and employee of 11 years, shares that managers are always keen to listen and quick to act for the benefit of their staff. That is the norm here. Starting out as a temporary contract hire, he had asked to be converted to full-time employment. His boss, deeming him suitable, readily supported his request and acted on it without delay.

Over time, employees have learnt to trust in their supervisors and leaders, knowing that their views will be heard and considered fairly. From feedback and suggestions to personal issues, anyone can speak up freely, knowing their opinions will be respected.

A constructive approach towards mistakes

Management or business schools don’t teach you how to build culture or how to be a people person. You need to learn from experience and the people you work with.

In a high-trust environment, mistakes are never personalized and always constructively evaluated. At RP, nurturing measures are always preferred over punitive ones. Leaders take time to understand the circumstances leading to the error rather than immediately pinning blame on the individual. Here at RP, it is believed that to err is human, which explains why mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities. In this spirit, leaders openly acknowledge and apologize for their mistakes as well – an example set by Patrick.

To gain trust, leaders must first give it. Going against industry norms and despite apparent risks, many radical changes were introduced in RP. These were initiatives which relied heavily on CEOs to do the right thing, an approach that could be taken only if leaders trusted their team members.

For instance, CEOs no longer need to submit a medical certificate (MC) as evidence for calling in sick. Director of Finance and Business Support, Ian Ang, assessed that making MCs a requirement was costlier to the company and an ineffective deterrent to those who might abuse the system anyway. Patrick agreed with the business case that was put up, and the leadership team made a collective decision to implement a system based on individual accountability instead.

Trust people, abolish rules

PARADOXICAL TRUTH #3: TO RECEIVE, LEADERS MUST FIRST GIVE THEIR ALL

”

”

”

”In many cases, a keen sense of personal responsibility and respect accorded to the team naturally serves to keep any violations in check. When organizational and personal values are aligned, employees are more driven to act for the good of the organization.

Another example is the change to RP’s timecard system, a mainstay for hotels in general. This was also removed after a CEO gave feedback that it was counterintuitive to a culture of trust. Making good on their commitment to trust employees and respect their views, the suggestion was evaluated for feasibility and implemented shortly after. This was despite having recently invested in an expensive piece of new technology for staff clocking activities. To date, operations remain stable with no issues of absenteeism or drop in productivity.

Housekeeping Manager, Michelle Yap, who left RP and returned after two years, notes that few places treat their staff as well as they do at RP. “Unlike many other hotels, the culture of trust here is very strong. Rather than just being task-oriented, it’s the people who matter.”

Rules, both present and absent, should collectively benefit 98% of the staff population who appreciate the trust and respect accorded to them; not to ‘control’ the 2% who may take advantage of the system.

Case Study - 4 Paradoxical Truths About Great Workplaces

p.20


”

Recognize and appreciate mutually

Effective organizations are those that set their teams up for success. At RP, employees are given the opportunity to drive their own career growth with ever-ready support from their leaders.

Director of Operations, Neeta Dave, first joined the hotel as a Guest Relations Officer 13 years ago, with no prior experience in hospitality. She credits the generous support of bosses and peers which has helped her to flourish, and says that she has never been left alone in her journey. She grew in confidence and capabilities, moving from Front Office roles to becoming Operations Manager at 8 on Claymore Residences (also managed by the hotel), before being promoted to Director of Operations overseeing both properties.

Aligned with RP’s brand value of Versatile, leadership invests heavily in training, more specifically cross-training opportunities. This is a hallmark of RP’s CEO development plan. For instance, it is made clear to prospective CEOs that, in order to future-proof their jobs, Guest Services Officers will also be cross-trained in areas like Concierge, Call Center and Club Services. This is unlike other hotels where Guest Services Officers only learn how to carry out duties that are specific to their existing role and nothing more.

To make it easier for more employees to access valuable learning opportunities, an annual Learning Buffet Week was introduced. During the week, employees are free to pick from a lineup of sessions on well-curated topics according to their interests and schedules.

Director of Human Capital, Juliana Ong shares that today, her team is engaged more often to explore growth opportunities for CEOs rather than to solve disciplinary issues – a stark contrast with the scenario a few years ago. She attributes this to the fact that leaders have become much more accountable for their CEOs, demonstrating proactive involvement in their development and well-being.

Joining Royal Plaza on Scotts has allowed me to be more than I’d ever thought I could be, to dream bigger and consider things like career progression.Buvaneswaran, Senior Security Officer

The act of thanking others is second nature at RP. Everyone gets involved, and conscious effort is made to show appreciation on a regular basis. Through the Weekly Delight initiative, each department takes turns to organize a mini appreciation event, activity or treat for all CEOs.

This year, on International Thank You Day, the leadership team stationed themselves at the CEOs’ dining area and served employees their meals as a gesture of thanks and as a way of saying “I appreciate you”.

As a strong appreciation advocate, Patrick sets the tone and plays a very active role in this regard. He never fails to make time and effort to spring surprises. Among his many guises, this sporting GM has dressed up as a pastry chef giving away pastries for breakfast and as a hawker serving tea and coffee. During the Lunar New Year period, he has even dressed up as the God of Fortune giving out red packets and mandarin oranges!

At the core of the various thanking initiatives and opportunities – be it the ‘At Your S.E.R.V.I.C.E’ program or ‘Spirit of RP™ Forum’ – lies the DNA of sincere appreciation as exemplified by all leaders and emulated as a way of life by all CEOs.

”

”Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017Case Study - 4 Paradoxical Truths About Great Workplaces

Equip all to succeed

p.21

Shared purpose and ownership

When everyone’s role, no matter how different, is tied to a larger purpose, it becomes more than just form and function. Here at RP, that purpose is to create a great guest experience through happy, passionate staff. The message frequently communicated is: we share the same goal and everyone has a vital part to play in enabling the success of their team and RP.

Trusting in their leaders, and guided by shared RP values, CEOs respond by going above and beyond for the good of their teams and the hotel.

From investing in an industrial ice cream machine and serving counter-cum-freezer at the in-house restaurant, to the introduction of flexible benefits, birthday leave and children education subsidies, these are some of the many tangible changes that have resulted directly from CEOs’ suggestions.

When employees’ views are valued and suggestions acted upon promptly, it cultivates a much greater sense of ownership. This stems from the belief that every individual can make a real collective difference in the workplace.


Respect at every level

At RP, every person is to be treated with an equal degree of respect and appreciation. This not only applies to guest relations, but to all internal activities from working-level communications to decision making, supervisory duties to peer interactions.

At the leadership level, Patrick takes an open and collaborative approach on how decisions should be made, respecting the domain knowledge of his department heads. For decisions that affect multiple areas of work, the respective leaders are always consulted, seeking their individual expertise and insights, before a consensus is sought. This has created supportive and constructive peer relationships amongst RP’s leaders, which set the example for teams to follow. The introduction of a 5- or 6-day work week is a prime example of the respect that middle and senior leadership team have for their CEOs’ personal commitments. This flexibility was implemented because several CEOs required personal and family time on the weekends.

Leaders like Assistant Chief Engineer, Abdul Subhan, have persisted with this practice despite the challenge of scheduling to balance employees’ needs and manpower requirements in the hotel. He does it simply because he knows team productivity can only be achieved if people have healthy and stress-free relationships, both inside and outside of work.

PARADOXICAL TRUTH #4: VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE ACHIEVE MORE TOGETHER

Across all CEO levels, diversity is celebrated and staff have the freedom to express their individuality while still maintaining high standards of professionalism and service excellence. From sporting tattoos to colored hair, the message is the same: we respect who you are just as much as what you can do.

p.22

Disclosure Statement To maintain independence and objectivity in the assessment of RP for the 2017 Singapore Best Workplaces award, researchers involved in the development of this case study did not participate in the evaluation process.

Growing from strength to excellence

(Room Manning Ratio – manpower to available rooms)*

Productivity Annual Profit

* A lower ratio indicates higher productivity because fewer employees were required to service the same number of rooms

Looking ahead, the team is optimistic about the future, confident that the qualities which make RP such a great workplace will continue to grow in strength.

When asked about their personal dreams for the company, Ian said that he hoped for more ways to share their RP culture and all the good that it has done for the business and its people. “What we have here is just too good to be contained in one building!” Neeta added with a wide smile.

2014 2014

RP Rest of industry

2015 20152016 2016

0.75 0.7 0.744 44.3 4536.7 33.5 37.9% % %% % %


For the RP team, receiving commendation and earning places on the lists of Best Workplaces™ in Singapore and the region are added affirmation that they are on the right track to building a great workplace for all.

Yet, as Patrick often points out, “good is not good enough”; it takes deliberate and constant efforts to improve and stand out from the intense competition.

The partnership with Great Place to Work® provides RP’s leadership team with the tools and recommendations they need to take the next step forward. For instance, the assessment model has enabled the effective tracking and measurement of organizational health each year while setting goals for the next.

Over time, a combination of proactive leadership, consistent effort and bold initiatives have paid off. To date, the hotel boasts one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry as well as improved levels of productivity and annual profit. Happy staff do indeed make happy guests, as evidenced by a growing number of returning guests who feel much at home in RP.

p.23

Great Place to Work® (Great Place) is the global authority on building, sustaining, and recognizing high-trust, high-performing workplace cultures. We have crafted our perspective by learning from great leaders, surveying millions of employees, and examining thousands of the best workplaces around the globe.

Today, we utilize decades of our data to create a new global standard for what people can expect from their work experience. We thrive on sharing these insights from across industries and organization sizes, to help more organizations around the world build, sustain and scale their great workplace cultures.

By giving all organizations the ability to assess themselves using the most reliable and comprehensive definition of a great workplace, it sets the foundation for our partnerships and fuels our sole purpose: to build a better world by creating great workplaces for all.

www.GreatPlaceToWork.com.sg

Facebook: @gptwsg, Great Place to Work Institute - Singapore

LinkedIn: Great Place to Work Institute Singapore

Twitter: @GPTW_Singapore

65.6338.3201 [email protected]

JOIN US ONLINE

CONTACT US

FIVE FACTS: WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

HOW WE CURATE THE BEST WORKPLACES™

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017About Great Place to Work® Institute

We have identified and journeyed with great workplaces globally for over 30 years.

Great Place provides executive advisory, culture consulting services, and leadership training and coaching. Our client portfolio consists of businesses, not-for-profits, learning institutions, and government agencies in Singapore and over 50 countries across six continents.

The Great Place to Work® Trust Model© is built on 30 years of research and data collected through our Trust Index© Survey taken annually by millions of employees worldwide. Our Model© defines a great workplace as one where employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with.

Comprehensive and easy to administer, outcomes of the Trust Index© Survey helps organizations analyze employees’ perceptions of the workplace, compare results to quality benchmarks with custom recommendations.

Great Place publishes gold standard Best Workplaces™ lists across 52 countries annually, including the highly regarded Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list in America. This recognition of Best Workplaces ™ occurs at the national, regional and global levels.

In Singapore, Great Place has been curating and producing the Singapore Best Workplaces™ lists (previously known as Singapore Best Companies to Work For®) since 2015. Our Certification Program is a fuss-free way to help organizations kick start their participation.

The following scoring criteria and standards apply to the curation of all Great Place to Work®’s lists globally:

Two-thirds of an organization’s score is based on the outcomes of the Trust Index© Survey, which is answered by employees of the legal entity. It would typically be a census survey or a random sample of an organization’s population (with participation rates that meet our 95% confidence level). Our proprietary Survey tool asks questions related to employees’ perceptions of their leaders’ credibility, respect and fair treatment of people, their overall job satisfaction, and camaraderie with others in their workplace.

The remaining third of the scorecard is informed by the responses to the Culture Audit©. This process requires organizations to respond to a series of questions, which seek to understand the organization’s philosophy on leadership practices and the overall “way of life”. The Audit© tool looks into aspects such as hiring practices, methods of internal communication, employee development, pay and benefits, recognition and community programs, including diversity efforts. A robust and standard evaluation framework is strictly adhered to by Great Place to Work®’s approved evaluators.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Great Place to Work® Institute

About

p.24

Key indicators: The Best vs. The Rest

2017 Singapore Report Card

In our 30 years of research, we have found that people experience a great workplace when they consistently:

Taking Everything into account, I would say this is a ‘Great Workplace’

Are Organizations in Singapore Future-Proofing their Workforce?

“I will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to stay relevant in the workforce for the next 5 years.”

*% indicates proportion of employees who have consistent and positive experiences

Best Workplaces 2017*

Other Workplaces 2017*

“”

Trust the people they work for

87% 60%

87% 64%

89% 59%

Have Pride in what they do

Experience Camaraderie with their colleagues

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 20172017 Singapore Report Card

Best Workplaces 2017*

Other Workplaces 2017*

Great Place to Work® Barometer Statement

90%58%BestRest

87% 56%

Best Workplaces are 1.5x more likely to provide a great workplace

experience

p.25

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017Demographic Breakdown

Demographic Breakdown

Gender

Tenure (Years)

Age

Job level

Industry

Female25 or younger

2 to 5 11 to 15 Over 20

26 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 or olderMale

60.3 %

39.7 %

Less than 2

IT

Hospitality

Telecommunications

Finance & Investment

Professional ServicesBiotech & Pharmaceutical

Education

Manufacturing & Production

Utilities

Textile

Logistics

Urban Development

Others

Staff Manager/ Supervisor

Executive/ Senior Manager6 to 10 16 to 20

26.7 26.8 18.9 8.1 8.7 8.7% % %%%%

69.2

5% 26.8% 33.8% 22.9% 22.9%

23.5 7.3% % %

18.1%5.7%3.4%

11.5%4.9%3.2%

13.4%

11.8%7.9%4%

4%8.6%

3.5%

p.26

Glossary

Great Place to Work® Singapore Insights 2017Glossary

Trust Index©: The Trust Index© is a quantitative indicator that tells us the extent to which an organization is deemed a great workplace by its employees. The Trust Index© score for an organization is determined by the comprehensive evaluation of employees’ workplace experiences via the Trust Index© Survey diagnostic tool. The Trust Index© value is proportionately related to the strength of an organizations’ employees’ perceptions of a great workplace. In other words, the more consistent and positive experiences there are across the organization, the greater the Trust Index© indicator.

Great workplace: A great place to work is defined by 3 key relationships that forms the Great Place to Work® Model©: employees’ relationship with their leader(s), their job, and their co-workers. It is a workplace where employees trust the people they work for (the leaders’ credibility, respect for individuals, and level of fairness), have pride in what they do (job, team and organization pride), and enjoy the people they work with (camaraderie).

Best Workplaces™: Best Workplaces are organizations that have a clear majority of their employees who consider their workplaces ‘great’. They also have stellar and distinctive people and culture practices that help achieve their organizational objectives, empower employees to give their personal best, and be able to work together as a team or family. The Best 10 Medium & Large Organizations and the Best 3 Small Organizations are identified and ranked in order of excellence within their respective categories on the Singapore Best Workplaces™ list for 2017.

p.27

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, the Institute provides the benchmarks, frameworks, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. With its global headquarters in the United States, Great Place to Work® produces the annual Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® and a series of Great Place to Work® Best Workplaces lists, including lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small and Medium Companies representing employees’ voices from across industries.

Great Place to Work® Institute Singapore established its presence in Singapore since late 2014. Since then, the Singapore office has been a regional hub, servicing clients with operations across the Asia Pacific region.

Our mission is to build a better world by helping organizations become Great Places to Work FOR ALL™. Join our cause at www.greatplacetowork.com.sg

ABOUT GREAT PLACE TO WORK® INSTITUTE

SalesforceCiscoRoyal Plaza on ScottsSAP Asia Pte LtdAutodesk Asia Pte LtdDHL Express (Singapore) Pte LtdAbbVieNetApp Singapore Pte LtdFurama Hotels Singapore Tableau Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Intuit Singapore Pte LtdROHEI CorporationOrbium Pte Ltd

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3.

SINGAPORE

2017Best Workplaces™

Small Organizations

SINGAPORE

2017Best Workplaces™

Medium & Large Organizations

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