HKMB Hong Kong Means Business

Hong Kong Means Business Hong Kong Means Business
  • Login / Register

Languages

  • EN
  • 繁
  • 简
  • Events
  • My Feed
  • Contact HKTDC
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe

Section Menu

  • multimedia
  • market spotlight
  • first person
  • Venture Hong Kong
  • heads-up
  • inside china
  • life & style
  • hktdc research

Languages

  • EN
  • 繁
  • 简
  • HKTDC.com |
  • About HKTDC |
  • My HKTDC |
  • Login / Register |

HKTDC.com About HKTDC My HKTDC

Login Register

Hong Kong Means Business

Section Menu

  • multimedia
  • market spotlight
  • first person
  • Venture Hong Kong
  • heads-up
  • inside china
  • life & style
  • hktdc research

https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X0AJVIX

first person
SAVE FOR LATER
SHARE / SEND

"Scan QR Code" in WeChat and tap "..." to share.

Reshaping the future of HR

Thanks to data analytics, AI and an increasingly employee-centric approach, recruitment is changing.

17 February 2020

Jonathan Lo

Global business-service and accounting firm KPMG is looking to shake up human resources. The company’s research into the global future of human resources (HR) revealed that human resources departments are investing in technology and data analytics, with a greater focus on putting employees’ needs first. “We continue to see the rising importance of the employee experience in a tight labour market,” said Jonathan Lo, Partner, HR Transformation, People & Change Advisory, HK HR Transformation Lead, Asia Pacific at KPMG.

Using data and analytics, HR in Hong Kong is relatively proficient in spotting burnout and identifying external labour market trends, Mr Lo said. “Roles with the largest investments from HR include data scientist, employee experience consultant and workforce shaper,” he said.

How do leading firms embrace the changing function of HR?
In our survey, we uncovered a group of “pathfinders”, those who have a best-in-class HR function that makes significant revenue contributions to the business. These pathfinders have holistically embraced four essential pillars: Workforce Shaping, Workforce Insights, Employee Experience and Culture. Such pathfinders make up approximately 10% of our survey participants globally, and around 6% of the Hong Kong survey participants.

Which businesses are best-placed to embrace these four pillars?
Small firms have a unique opportunity to capitalise on their relative nimbleness and transform their HR function to develop these four pillars. They tend to be less tied down with rigorous policies and processes and provide an environment to prototype and pilot change initiatives.

What kind of support do you offer small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to what extent can these strategies enhance their competitiveness?
SMEs are an important client segment that we service. We typically find they have niche specialist products or service offerings, and one of their strengths is their agility and relative speed to market. The thriving ones think like start-ups and operate like seasoned players.

How do technologies such as data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) transform talent acquisition?
The talent acquisition process has been digitally transformed in recent years with the advancement of AI aiding the assessment of candidate profiles and conducting video pre-screening – that is, the screening of potential candidates against the critical competencies required for vacant roles and estimating their degree of fit and probability of success.

What challenges are posed by driving change within HR?
Driving change successfully requires much deliberation; it’s 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. A balanced perspective requires a pulse check on external disruption, and diagnosis on the changes required internally to align organisational structure – governance, culture, processes and policies – to ensure congruence. Change is a constant, and successful companies are those that embed innovation and change as part of their DNA, embracing continuous improvement in their pursuit of excellence and relevance.

You have worked all over the Asia-Pacific region helping clients transform their HR function. What is unique about the Hong Kong HR market?
Hong Kong is regarded as one of the key HR transformation hubs in the region, along with Singapore and Australia. Hong Kong is culturally diverse and benefits from an advanced infrastructure, relative stability and ease of doing business. The recent turbulent environment is a test of resilience and calls for a reassessment of the HR function and how it can respond to the changing dynamics of the business.

Unique is Hong Kong’s proximity to Mainland China, readily accessible via the high-speed rail network. There is rich expertise and resources in HR transformation, AI and analytics that Hong Kong may draw from.

Which HR turnarounds are you most proud of and why they were so successful?
Successful transformation projects tend to be those where clients undertook strong governance and invested internal resources to orchestrate sound change management. From the outset, “seeing the end from the beginning” is a necessary critical success factor. Securing senior sponsorship and driving the change top-down, and working with frontline staff at the coal face to ensure the right support, including upskilling, is provided, is crucial to enable new ways of working to ensure that change will “stick”.

What major talent-acquisition issues does Hong Kong face?
Our survey found that Hong Kong participants are more confident in developing talents, somewhat confident in retaining talents, and less confident in attracting talents. We believe the [Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao] Greater Bay Area may offer significant talent acquisition opportunities. Firms should strategise what talents are required onshore, nearshore and offshore, and fulfil these talent demands accordingly.

Is technology growth or talent acquisition more important – or do they go hand in hand?
They do indeed go hand in hand. Having a digitally enabled, employee-centric talent acquisition process is pivotal to engage and attract talent. Technology is a necessary enabler to interact with those who may expect a consumer-grade platform and differentiated experience.

Related link
KPMG

BACK TO TOP ^
CONTENT PROVIDED BY
    Topics:
  • Business Management & Consultancy,
  • Hong Kong,
  • recruitment
  • Business Management & Consultancy
  • Hong Kong
Home

Article Topics

ARTICLE TOPICS

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT...24628
HONG KONG36026
RECRUITMENT78163

ARTICLE TOPICS

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & CONSULTANCY24628
HONG KONG36026
RECRUITMENT78163

interest_article

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

16 May 2022

Making people more complete

29 April 2022

SMEs target passage to India

26 April 2022

Sourcing surges online

12 April 2022

New trade pact draws bullish response

Related Events

RELATED EVENTS

7 June 2022

HKTDC Research Seminar “Exploring the Metaverse: Industry Aggregation and Crossover Opportunities” (Webinar)

5 - 8 September 2022

Hong Kong Pavilion at FHA–Food & Beverage, Singapore

26 - 29 October 2022

Eco Expo Asia 2022

14 - 18 November 2022

electronica, München, Germany
FIND AN EVENT

Social Share

FOLLOW US

GET WEEKLY UPDATES

newpaper-img

GET OUR WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATES

banner-img


I acknowledge that the above information may be used by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for incorporation in all or any of its database for direct marketing or business matching purpose (and may therefore become available to the public within and/or outside of Hong Kong for use by them), and for any other purposes as stated in the Privacy Policy Statement; I confirm that I have the consent and the authority of each individual named in this form to release their personal data for the purposes stated herein.


*For non-EU/EEA customers, please skip this box which is solely for EU/EEA customers as required by the relevant data protection law in the EU.

THANK YOU

Thank you for registering.

SHARE THIS STORY

EMAIL
LINKEDIN
WeChat
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
WHATSAPP

ID: HKTDCofficial

Don't have an account?

Create An Account

successfully added on your preferences.