Inspiring people
MARCH 2014
HRMarketUpdate
Call London 020 3587 7070 Manchester 0161 416 6224 | Email global@mdhr.co.uk | Visit www.mdhr.co.uk
INSPIRING PEOPLE | UK & Asia Pacific Market overview | BLOG OF THE MONTH
MARKET OVERVIEW
in high demand are being quickly
managed through recruitment
processes and often have multiple
The end of 2013 and start of 2014 were
offers to choose from. So it seems
a mixed bag for job seekers. Whilst the
our December 2013 prediction for
general recruitment market is a lot
sustained growth in talent acquisition
more positive with movement expected
is on track. We did see a sharp increase
throughout the year, the statistics don’t
in recruitment roles with nearly 20%
necessarily reflect that. According to
of new assignments taken on in Q1
the job site Indeed.com, the number of
being resourcing related. The increase
HR roles advertised in February 2014
in resourcing roles is certainly a positive
was down 9% on February 2013, while
indicator, with organisations putting
January 2014 was down 5% on January
the drivers in place for increased talent
2013. However February 2014 was up
acquisition. Mid-level roles still seem
8% on January 2014 – which perhaps
to be in high demand, especially in the
correlates with a slow start after the
£50,000 - £80,000 range.
Christmas break.
There has also been an increased
The British Chamber of Commerce
number of retained selection and
reported last week that the Q1 2014
executive search assignments being
Economic Forecast conveys increasing
business optimism, with GDP expected to mandated. It suggests that many
exceed its pre-recession peak in Q2 2014 organisations are looking for a greater
level of certainty and robustness in
– a quarter earlier than we predicted in
December 2013. With numerous positive their recruitment as they identify that
business growth and transformation
reports coming from official bodies
creating a more optimistic outlook, there is dependent upon key hires in areas
such as talent and organisational
is a sense that candidates do feel more
development.
comfortable looking for a new role thus
creating demand in the market again.
By Kerry Gird, Senior Consultant
Candidates with skills and experience
UK HR Recruitment MARKET UPDATE
MOVERS AND
SHAKERS
Ross Maxwell
Consultant - Manchester
Having worked with Hays and MWA/
Randstad focusing on accounting and
finance for around 5 years I took the
opportunity for change and travelled for
a year. On returning to the UK I wanted
to challenge my skills and try something
different. Working in managed services for
2 years allowed me to be heavily customer
focused across a broad range of sectors.
The time was right for me to return to
recruitment and the culture at Macmillan
Davies resonated with my own approach.
Dean Elliott
Senior Consultant - London
After a year-long sabbatical I’ve returned
to Macmillan Davies, initially joining in
2007. I specialise in delivering HR Interim
assignments across all sectors in the UK,
Europe and the Middle East. I have an
extensive client portfolio which includes
pharmaceuticals, FMCG and Energy. And all
the while I’ve had a great time, thanks to the
people I work with.
To contact Ross or Dean please visit:
www.mdhr.co.uk/our-people
34 Lime St, London EC3M 7AT | Call us on 020 3587 7070
Manchester Business Park, 3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG | Call us on 0161 416 6224 www.mdhr.co.uk
ASIA AND PACIFIC
MARKET OVERVIEW
Australia – The Next Step
An Improving Sentiment
2014 got off to a slow start with many organisations encouraging (or mandating) staff
take extended leave over Christmas/New Year. However as Q1 unfolds, we are seeing
an upturn in the market with slightly more positive business sentiment. Key market
indicators are generally improving, including retail sales and housing market clearance
rates. The only exception being the unemployment rate, which hit a 10 year high in
February of 6.0%. Productivity, performance and cost minimisation remain top of the
agenda across most industry sectors as does an increased focus on customer centricity.
Improved consumer confidence has no doubt helped create movement in the market
generally, giving some candidates the confidence to change roles.
The senior end of the market which was very stagnant last year, particularly for
generalists, is now seeing some movement again across the board. This is largely driven
by churn, though in some cases by restructuring but the talent pool remains highly
competitive. Whilst we have seen an uplift in generalist roles, there continues to be
strong demand for senior Change and Transformation practitioners, both for interim and
permanent positions at the senior end. The mid-level market is typically being driven by
clients looking to acquire true strategic business partners off the back of implementing
new HR operating models and transitioning transactional HR functions to HR Shared
Services and centres of excellence. This has directly impacted the junior level roles, as
duplicate positions across business units are being rationalised and centralised.
In Sydney, increased demand is evident across the market, where stronger
sectors continue to be State Government (due to the continuing restructuring of
departments and a focus on acquiring top talent), as well as professional services and
telecommunications. In Melbourne the market remains highly competitive for senior
talent and we have seen an uplift in senior generalist opportunities across a variety of
industries. The intermediate and early career markets are also gaining some momentum.
The Brisbane market, soft in 2013 following cost cutting measures by the more dominant
resources, oil and gas sectors is starting to see some recovery with the State Government
hiring again. There has been a greater call for specialists rather than generalists.
by David Grant, Director (Sydney)
For more information on The Next Step please visit www.thenextstep.com.au
ASIA – PROFILE SEARCH AND SELECTION
2014 has so far been a busy year for us in Asia. The market unseasonably picked up in
January – ahead of Chinese New Year in February – and we have seen a wide spectrum of
roles come into the market. The junior and mid-level remains particularly buoyant across
all industries and with bonuses being paid this month, we expect senior roles to come
into the market soon. Learning & Development (plus Talent Management) is particularly
hot at all levels and while the banks have started to hire again, Retail & Luxury Goods
is especially busy with Insurance not far behind. Bonuses have for the most part paid
10-20% at the junior end and averaging 20-40% at the senior end. Some banks have
reputedly paid zero to those still performing.
Already we are seeing a shortage in Asia of best-practice talent. By the summer, and as
the market continues to pick up, we predict that those who want to secure strategic HR
professionals, will have no choice but to open their search to Europe, Australia and the
US markets.
JOB OF THE
MONTH x 2
Hr Advisor
£32,000 - £36,000
Manchester with UK travel
Ref: 21727
Newly created role working for a global
commercial property firm. Reporting
to the Senior HR Manager and working
closely with the senior management
team, this is a broad generalist role
covering ER, change management
(including TUPE and redundancies),
recruitment, employee benefits, HR
systems, policies & procedures, union
negotiations, training & development,
employee performance reviews, people
development, succession planning and
performance management.
The successful candidate will be a CIPD
qualified or equivalent HR Advisor with
proven experience of managing TUPE
transfers and restructures. You will
also possess strong negotiation and
relationship building skills.
Please contact Ross Maxwell on 0161 416
6228 or rmaxwell@mdhr.co.uk
compensation & benefits director
£80,000 - £130,000
West London
Ref:21725
Recently acquired by AMC Networks,
Chellomedia a leading international
media business. The Compensation &
Benefits Director role reports to the
SVP HR and will be a pivotal position in
helping the business into the next stage
of its evolution.
With an employee population spanning
Europe and Latin America, you will
manage and advise on individual
company compensation and benefits
schemes, as well as assisting in the
development of the wider Total Reward
strategy, ensuring its alignment to
business strategy. Supported by a C&B
analyst, you will need to be pragmatic
and hands-on in your approach. The
ideal candidate will have significant
international C&B experience in a
multinational blue chip with a strong
commercial sector background,
preferably media or technology.
Please contact Brett Smitheram on 0203
587 7067 or bsmitheram@mdhr.co.uk
by Amanda Clarke, Director
For more information on Profile Asia, please visit www.profileasia.com
34 Lime St, London EC3M 7AT | Call us on 020 3587 7070
Manchester Business Park, 3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG | Call us on 0161 416 6224 www.mdhr.co.uk
BLOG OF THE MONTH
UPCOMING EVENT
Here’s what got the industry talking recently....
Engagement Party
By Noreen Curtin, Associate Director
A fully engaged workforce is motivated, driven and
passionate in wanting to succeed, so what is the secret to
successfully engaging your workforce?
Employee Engagement is crucial in any organisation,
particularly in a recession and a recovering economy. It has
been reported in a recent white paper titled ‘Evaluating
Employee Performance through Sponsorship’ that the
UK has an employment deficit and that only 1/3 of
employees are engaged. That means that essentially 20
million employees are not fully engaged in their work and
therefore not contributing 100% to the productivity and
therefore profitability of the organisations they work for. The
taskforce, ‘Engaging for Success’ set up in 2011 to improve
levels of employee engagement in the UK released a report
highlighting that the UK ranked 9th out of 12 of the world’s
largest economies for engagement. It is also estimated to
be losing £20+ billion every year as a result. What is also
shocking is that only 13% of employees globally are engaged
at work.
Being engaged isn’t just about being rewarded financially.
The recession has developed a new breed of employee, one
who has helped support and grow the organisation through
a tough economy. These individuals can look beyond salary
and genuinely want to be happy and motivated within their
working environments.
So which organisations succeed in Employee Engagement
and why? Google has created an environment in which
people can thrive, where individuals are given the
opportunity to be creative and flourish. DHL demonstrate
their appreciation through annual recognition awards
and others look at honouring top performers and offering
monetary rewards. At SAP, they promote open and honest
communication. Smaller organisations without dedicated HR
support need to look at what they can do to ensure they keep
their employees engaged. For example, one to one meetings
or ‘tea with the MD’ as I have experienced in the past, have
always been positive where as an employee you have the
opportunity of face time with senior leadership to express
your thoughts and dare we say it, feelings about your work,
managers, environment etc.
CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
Wednesday 30th April 2014
A BREAKFAST SEMINAR ON
CSR INSIGHT AND INITATIVES
We are delighted to welcome an
expert panel for our Q2 HR breakfast
seminar held in our London City office.
Sharing their knowledge and
experience, the panel of speakers
includes:
•
•
•
Nicola Moss & Noa Burger from the
City of London Corporation
David Perry, Head of HR at
Maitland working with the The
Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
Emma Cockerton - previously at
Scotiabank & NEST Pensions/PADA
If you are interested in attending or
want to know more please visit our
website by clicking on the image
below or contact Daniela Cabras on
0203 589 7065 or email dcabras@
mdhr.co.uk
Spaces are limited.
Unfortunately there is no real secret to successfully engaging
your employees. Employee Engagement shouldn’t necessarily
just fall to HR, everyone has to take some responsibility
and understand the impact they can have as a leader in
a business. So really there is no real secret to successfully
engaging your employees. Employee engagement needs
to be something embedded culturally in a business, where
managers and leaders are able to identify the behaviours of a
disengaged employee and be prepared and able to respond
in the best possible way. For the full blog please click here.
34 Lime St, London EC3M 7AT | Call us on 020 3587 7070
Manchester Business Park, 3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG | Call us on 0161 416 6224 www.mdhr.co.uk
HR INSIGHT - LEARNING AGILITY
Here we talk to Gene Johnson on how to go about using Learning Agility to objectively measure
‘potential’ and encourage dynamic leadership and decision making.
PROFILE
EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR: GENE JOHNSON
Gene is an
organisational
psychologist with an
expertise in talent
and Leadership.
He has worked
in corporate HR
and also lectured
at the University
of Auckland for 7
years and worked
in consultancy
for 8 years. His specialities include: Talent
Management, Leadership Development,
Organisational Development & Change
Management, Learning & Development,
Selection & Assessment, Employee
Engagement and Diversity.
We were delighted to host our Q1 HR Seminar in London on “Learning Agility”
where Gene Johnson provided us with an insight on how to use Learning
Agility to objectively measure ‘potential’ and encourage dynamic leadership
and decision making.
GENE’S TOP TIPS
Learning-agile individuals practice
disciplined personal development in
five ways:
Innovating: They are not afraid to challenge
the status quo
Performing: They remain calm in the face of
difficulty
Reflecting: They take time to reflect on their
experiences
Risking: They purposefully put themselves in
challenging situations
Defending: They are simply open to learning
and resist the temptation to become defensive
in the face of adversity
Don’t use self-assessment when testing for
Learning Agility: People with high LA tend to
under sell themselves and people with low LA
will oversell themselves
Gene talked about Learning Agility (LA) being a relatively new concept but
how it is now becoming more and more important in leadership and talent
identification and development. To Gene, traditional learning is about IQ,
grades and straightforward problem solving whereas agile learning requires
quick thinking, initiative and the ability to admit strengths and weaknesses.
When discussing LA, Gene began by exploring the well-recognized 9 box
model which takes Performance AND potential into consideration, which
makes more sense in determining High Potentials (HiPos). He backed this up
with a quote from the Corporate Leadership Council in 2010 of “only 15% of
high performers have high potential”.
Gene discussed the different models that can be used. The Korn/Ferry Institute
model measures 5 factors: mental agility, people agility, self-awareness,
results agility and change agility. In identifying how can we measure this
in the work place, Gene believed that we should not use self-assessment people with high LA tend to under sell themselves and people with low LA
will oversell themselves. Gene also suggested that measuring LA should not
be used as the sole tool to measure potential and it makes sense for it to be
used in conjunction with other
tools for talent or leadership
identification and development.
Gene and the group debated
how to create situations in
which people can flourish in?
Gene believed that you needed
to think carefully which model
you should use in order to get
the best results. Learning Agile
would be a HiPos to begin
with and LA cannot be tracked.
However it can be developed
and the more experience a
person has the more LA would
be visible.
Make sure you select the right tool for your
business: There are different models out
there from companies such as Korn/Ferry
(Choices Architect Model), PDRI (Learning
Agility Simulation) and LAAI (Learning Agility
Assessment Inventory)
Gene and the group discussed why are we being agile in our learning when
we’re not agile when we recruit? Organisations are becoming too risk adverse
and are beginning to develop a blame culture. Excuses are being made for
failure rather than learning from their mistakes and becoming accountable
for their actions. It was also said that when employers are recruiting, they
should stop concentrating on an individual’s drive and results and seek
candidates from their same business sector.
Make sure you select the right tool for your
business: For example, give a person 9 months
in a new job experience to yield substantive
lessons and then equal amount of time to
apply to these new challenges.
So can LA be learned or is it innate? Gene’s answer – “it depends”. Gene
highlights that businesses need to support and develop the Learning Agile.
It’s not all about promoting our HiPos but stretching and challenging them.
Finally, do not be adverse if someone wants to leave your organisation - if
there’s no development for them, why make them stay?
34 Lime St, London EC3M 7AT | Call us on 020 3587 7070
Manchester Business Park, 3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG | Call us on 0161 416 6224 www.mdhr.co.uk
INSPIRING PEOPLE Q&A
Here we talk to HR Professionals and find out what and who inspires them....
ANDREW DYOS
Group HR Director - Quintessential Brands
Who has inspired you and has this impacted on your career?
I think if you really follow your own path in life you are bound to bump into people who inspire you
on your way. I’ve worked closely both with and for, a number of great people who I would have no
hesitation in linking up with again.
I’ve been very lucky to work for the BT (UK) Group HR Director in the 1980’s, who had phenomenal
vision and drive particularly when it came to the evolution of the HR function and investing in
people. I worked for the O2 Group HR Director (around 1990) who had superb business acumen
and stakeholder skills as well as the DSGi Group HR Director (in the new millennium) who could
not only speak 6 languages and could truly relate, influence and operate in such a wide range
of cultures in terms of nationality but also in terms of all areas of and backgrounds in society. In
addition I worked with a CEO who had amazing commercial & financial competence but also a
fantastic sense of humour and relaxed approach to life. If it’s true that you can grow a piece of
yourself from those you’ve worked with, then I’ve been very lucky. Each of them gave me a stronger
appetite to see more of the world, to go for more and to achieve more.
What would you consider a ‘personal best’ for you?
I loved the challenge of building credibility across various sectors in the UK, the USA, Canada and India which will always be a
highlight of my working life. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some great people in so many places – some of whom really
wanted to work in my team too (perhaps they didn’t work there long enough). And of course now a new personal best awaits
after landing as Group HRD in a great European-based, independent, international spirits company the challenges of product
knowledge & focus has never been so important!
What do you see as the biggest challenge for HR for the next few years?
(1) Moving on from generally being the only business function still far too generically referred to by two letters across industries
and the globe. (2) Finding ways to enable the huge source of talent that seems to be entering or already within our profession to
get ‘their stage’ and to get on. (3) Deciding whether Greenalls, OPIHR, Bloom or Berkeley Square is your favourite botanical gin!
EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATES
Changes from 6 April 2014 onwards:
Employment Tribunal Changes
ACAS Early Conciliation: From 6 May 2014 prospective claimants will be required to contact ACAS either by submitting an early
conciliation (EC) form online or by post or by telephoning ACAS who will then complete the EC form for the prospective claimant.
For more details visit ACAS.
Financial Penalties for Employers: In cases presented on or after 6 April 2014 tribunals will have the power to impose a financial
penalty on employers who lose at a tribunal of 50% of any financial award made, with a minimum threshold of £100 and a
maximum cap of £5,000. Click here for more information.
Discrimination law changes
Discrimination questionnaire: From 6 April 2014, employees who wish to bring discrimination claims against their employers will
no longer be able to use the statutory discrimination questionnaire procedure. Click here for the latest ACAs guide on Asking and
responding to questions of discrimination in the workplace:
Flexible working
Changes to the right to request flexible working have bee delayed until 30 June 2104. The Government originally proposed that
the extension to the right to request flexible working would come into force on 6 April 2014. This has been delayed by the Children
and Families Bill which received Royal Assent on 21 March 2014, with the new implementation date set as 30 June 2014. Please click
here for the press release.
Unfair Dismissal Compensation Cap
As of the 6th April 2014, the new maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal increases to £76,574 (from £74,200) matching
rates of inflation. For the full schedule of increases please click here.
34 Lime St, London EC3M 7AT | Call us on 020 3587 7070
Manchester Business Park, 3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG | Call us on 0161 416 6224 www.mdhr.co.uk