It's apt i guess. New job, new year ahead, new OS.
ROAR!
Oh and I took the KPE today. It did save me some time. Plus i'd always preferred to take PIE home rather than ECP.
My only gripe is I think i sped and i thought i saw a flash in the tunnel. :(
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Leopard
The Leopard roared into my life today.
It's apt i guess. New job, new year ahead, new OS.
ROAR!
Oh and I took the KPE today. It did save me some time. Plus i'd always preferred to take PIE home rather than ECP.
My only gripe is I think i sped and i thought i saw a flash in the tunnel. :(
It's apt i guess. New job, new year ahead, new OS.
ROAR!
Oh and I took the KPE today. It did save me some time. Plus i'd always preferred to take PIE home rather than ECP.
My only gripe is I think i sped and i thought i saw a flash in the tunnel. :(
Monday, October 29, 2007
Done
It is done.
After a week of pushing and shoving of the resignation letter and with my boss taking a sudden trip to Shanghai in the middle of it all, it was settled today.
I left a note on his car windscreen as he left his car parked in the office carpark before he left for his trip, asking him for lunch today (Monday).
Not many quiet places in the vicinity of such an occasion. Nearly had to choose Olive Tree at the InterContinental. But I was interviewed there more than three years ago! Didnt want to make it too dramatic.
Decided on Phin's which was having a quiet afternoon.
We skirted around the topic a lot by talking about the growing problems of prostitutes' overt solicitation in Shanghai, Suzhou and Beijing (serious!) and how office rents in Shanghai are skyrocketing.
It came as suddenly as "So when do you start work over there?"
Ha!
It seemed like he read a book just on Wednesday night that contained this paragraph:
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.
And then he let go.
And then it was a catching up on three years of experiences and joys and tears.
Then he asked me who should be promoted in the next round.
And that was it.
I've resigned.
After a week of pushing and shoving of the resignation letter and with my boss taking a sudden trip to Shanghai in the middle of it all, it was settled today.
I left a note on his car windscreen as he left his car parked in the office carpark before he left for his trip, asking him for lunch today (Monday).
Not many quiet places in the vicinity of such an occasion. Nearly had to choose Olive Tree at the InterContinental. But I was interviewed there more than three years ago! Didnt want to make it too dramatic.
Decided on Phin's which was having a quiet afternoon.
We skirted around the topic a lot by talking about the growing problems of prostitutes' overt solicitation in Shanghai, Suzhou and Beijing (serious!) and how office rents in Shanghai are skyrocketing.
It came as suddenly as "So when do you start work over there?"
Ha!
It seemed like he read a book just on Wednesday night that contained this paragraph:
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.
And then he let go.
And then it was a catching up on three years of experiences and joys and tears.
Then he asked me who should be promoted in the next round.
And that was it.
I've resigned.
Counter-Strike
Quite an interesting article in light of things.
.........................................................................
Business Times - 29 Oct 2007
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC<
To keep or not to keep?
Would you make a counter-offer to an employee who wants to quit, and if so, what form would it take? What other solutions would you consider?
Make offers, but not in money terms
Derek Goh
Executive Chairman
Serial System
AS AN HR best practice, we implement the exit interview for staff planning to quit. This will give us good feedback on the reasons for quitting and improve our HR policy and practices. Not all quitters are leaving for more pay. Some move on for a change of environment or a career switch or to take a break. When an employee is critical to the organisational growth and profitability, then it is logical to make a counter-offer, especially in the current tight labour market.
A pay rise is not the ideal way to retain quitters as we may not want to set a precedent for more quitters demanding pay increments. Often, greater job satisfaction and motivation will keep the staff happily working for the organisation. Thus, annual corporate recognition will boost staff morale as well as raise the corporate and employee profile.
Another form of HR retention is to grant sabbaticals to deserving staff to recharge themselves so that they can return to the organisation fully energised and committed.
An overseas posting is another good change of scene for staff to rejuvenate themselves and yet remain gainfully employed.
Fong Loo Fern
Managing Director
CYC The Custom Shop
IN GOOD times or bad, loyal and capable staff are hard to come by. When times are hard, like the economic downturn of 1998, the relationship is tested on the part of the employer. Many companies took the easier way out by retrenching staff. That was not so long ago. Times have changed and the economy has posted several consecutive years of good growth. But people's memories of those hard times are well etched while new job entrants do not have any recollection of it. Employers like us recognise that the tide has turned and getting the right staff is becoming increasingly challenging and expensive.
As an employer running my own business, I have to be mindful just how much I can afford to put aside for staff salaries without severely affecting profitability. Yes, I would consider making a counter-offer to an employee who wants to quit - but not always in the form of higher salaries.
We are all creatures governed by emotions and needs. While money could be a main factor, sometimes there are other factors like more flexible hours, a better work environment, recognition or simply the opportunity to work in a different job function.
It is important to get to the root cause of the resignation. From experience, if all the employee values is a higher salary, I would let him go. It is just too stressful and time-consuming to have to go through the process of 'bargaining' each time the employee is lured by a higher salary from another company. I think what is important for businesses is to build a culture that is people-oriented and which encourages personal development, loyalty and a shared vision.
Always keep them motivated
Joel G. Momberger
Managing Director
Informatica S-E Asia, Divisional Headquarters, Asia Pacific
TALENT management programmes have gained importance in sectors like IT, retail, banking and financial services which witness high levels of employee turnover. Informatica believes that employee retention is of utmost importance as each individual brings a unique set of skills to the organisation. This is especially so in the IT sector where talent is already rare and people with requisite skills and experience are difficult to find.
While monetary compensation such as salary, perks and stock options are a given, it is the intangible benefits like a career roadmap and healthy work environment which determine whether one will seek out greener pastures. Counter-offers are usually not an effective solution to talent retention. Employers need to understand that employees want attention, interaction with bosses, performance incentives and clear direction on exactly what is expected of them. These are the basic needs of employees at all levels and it gives them the reason to stick around.
Sam Yap S G
Group Executive Chairman
Cherie Hearts Group Int'l
AT CHERIE Hearts, we believe that the best option is to prevent such a situation from happening in the first place. It is always better to spend some effort retaining a good employee than to let him go and seek another one. The costs associated with rehiring and retraining new employees are often high, if not higher than retaining current ones.
We recognise that employees today, especially the younger ones, have high aspirations and are constantly seeking opportunities to achieve them. Hence, we seek to provide our employees with these opportunities, through challenging job assignments, promotion prospects, good work-life balance, etc. Of course, remuneration plays a part as well, so we offer competitive pay packages that are in line with the industry.
Having said that, in exit interviews, we do check with employees to see if we can match their needs, other than financially. A horizontal move may be deemed necessary in order to retain them.
Leonard Tan
Managing Director
Diethelm Singapore
WITH a raging talent war in the market these days, addressing the issue of employee retention is an urgent across-the-board business concern. The yearly expense to an organisation of replacing a good employee (including replacement, training and lost performance costs) can range from a couple of months of the employee's salary to even his annual salary. Turnover of talented employees also erodes morale among those who stay and quite likely harms customer retention.
The challenge today is not just about retaining good talented people, but more importantly, about fully engaging them. It is about capturing their hearts and minds at each stage of their careers. To be fully engaged requires emotional involvement in the work.
If an employee who has proven to be an asset to the organisation reaches the point of quitting, understand his core reasons for doing so. There is usually no real mystery for his disengagement; the common factors include a lack of challenge, uninteresting work, limited career growth, restricted development opportunities, a bad boss, lousy colleagues, and the perception of unfair pay. Whether or not to make a counter-offer, as well as how far to go, depends on the reason(s) for the employee's intention to quit, the company's ability to meet his demands, the company's alternative(s) if the employee does leave and very importantly, the message that will be sent to the good talented employees who are still fully engaged. Smart retention goals, therefore, need to be established. It is true that we often have to compete on compensation and benefits, but we really win on culture, learning and development.
The speed and intensity of change today requires all managers to be responsible for the retention of their staff and to be alert to problems that can be fixed. Retention must be part of the organisation's DNA. Recognise managers who keep good employees, ie, anyone at any level who brings value to the organisation.
Reciprocity is fundamental. Employees are investors in the organisation and expect a return on their service investment. Employees' engagement, commitment and loyalty are a result of being challenged, developed, appreciated, heard and respected. Thus, check in with your talented employees often. Build learning relationships in all directions and hold all partners responsible for the success. Train intelligently continuously and create a development culture.
Of course, it's often said, too, that people don't leave the organisation; they leave the boss. So yes, be aware that people are always watching and assessing us and our actions as leaders. We need to walk our talk.
Dora Hoan
Group CEO
Best World International
AMONG the top reasons for quitting a job is better compensation. Understandably, a job more than anything is for bringing home a good pay cheque, and essential talent must be justly rewarded. Another foremost reason is perceived lack of opportunity for advancement within the organisation.
Quite simply, talented employees driven by professional success and status may grow discouraged when there is not an apparent plan by the superiors for their professional development. When better opportunities knock, they often won't wait around for a chance to advance in their current company if they do not see it as attainable in the near term.
Must we enter a counter-offer situation? When a valuable employee resigns, the company's reaction will depend on many variables. A counter-offer may encourage an employee to stay but an employer will be better off determining in advance how to make work engaging and fulfilling for a good employee.
Poul Lorentzen
Vice-President
Dematic S-E Asia
IN DEMATIC, we strive to keep employees motivated and committed rather than resort to counter-measures when they want to leave the company. The logistics industry in South-east Asia is relatively small and often faces competition between companies for senior, experienced and talented individuals.
Our goal is to build a dedicated and skilled knowledge-based workforce which adds value to our customers through an understanding of their needs. The culture in Dematic S-E A, therefore, seeks to groom budding talent and breed staff loyalty through a balanced system of continuous reviews, recognition and rewards. Thus, we aim for employees to grow with us in the long run as an alternative to job switching at the next available opportunity.
We believe the best strategy to address staff retention is by investing in our staff through creating a conducive working environment, skills improvement and welfare. Good staff are the ultimate source of competitive advantage and a crucial asset for the long-term growth of any company.
Saw Phaik Hwa
CEO
SMRT
A DECISION to leave is never made on a whim. Thus, rather than react to departures, I believe organisations should focus on putting in place a good people strategy. This means offering staff a compelling future, investing in human capital development, creating a positive work environment and rewarding staff for their contribution.
While it is painful to lose good, capable people, it helps that at SMRT, we have in place talent development and succession planning that prepares the next generation of leaders for the helm. With our strong people policy, we have also had staff return to the fold, bringing with them new perspectives and a greater sense of loyalty and belonging to SMRT.
George Wong
Managing Director, Asean
BEA Systems
A COUNTER-OFFER should not be a means to an end. Instead of proposing extra benefits such as monetary compensation, a company should understand the motive of an employee who wants to quit. More often than not, the situation can be managed by simply getting a better understanding of the employee's expectations. At BEA, we make sure our employees are constantly motivated to ensure job satisfaction. Retaining employees is an ongoing process with well-thought through HR measures. Work-life balance, flexible work structures and clear career paths are just some of the ways that ensure employees' commitment to the company and mitigate the risks of losing valuable colleagues.
Pay if the person is worth it
Joey Chang
Chief Executive Officer/Founder
AXS Infocomm
YES, I would make a counter-offer, especially if that person is worth it, and has proven over time that he deserves to be pursued by both sides.
I have done it a number of times, and have a 50 per cent success rate. Most times, we lose the staff due to the fact that they are joining a new industry or taking on a different role. It usually starts by trying to understand where the failure is. Is it a pull or push factor? When deciding on a counter-offer, many considerations will come into play. For example, the reaction of other staff, affordability, cost of replacement, loss of time, etc.
But the cardinal rule is that at no time must the company be held to ransom, or the employee appear to be indispensable. If that is compromised, no matter how painful, I will not proceed with the counter-offer.
Often, the offer will be in monetary terms. Other methods would be to try and meet the expectations for career development and advancement. Seldom will I use perks like cars or clubs memberships.
Na Boon Chong
Director - Consulting, South-east Asia
Aon Consulting (Singapore)
I WOULD make a counter-offer if I have satisfied myself that money is the issue and the employee is a valued contributor. When we stretch employees by exposing them to challenging work and rapid learning on a sustained basis, sometimes we may not have kept compensation in pace with their development. While money is a hygiene factor, it is also an issue of fairness, recognition and sense of achievement. It would certainly have been better if compensation is planned, proactive and well-communicated. That has to go in tandem with the ability to value employee contribution and then compensate individuals accordingly.
When the counter-offer doesn't work, I would make it clear that the door is always open for a valued contributor. People often return to good companies with even more commitment, having seen the outside world and concluded that the pasture is not necessarily greener. I would also ask for a personal referral of someone who would fit in with our firm, which usually turns out to be a better choice.
Thomas Ting
Managing Director
TJ Systems (S)
WHEN an employee decides to leave the company, it is for a combination of reasons and we should identify the true reasons before any counter-offer is made. We do make a counter-offer based on how critical his role is, and business needs. In the current tight labour market we have to bite the bullet to keep talented employees in critical roles, such as the financial controller, for instance.
But money is not always the best solution as it can lead to lower morale among other employees and send the wrong message that the best way to get a pay increase is to quit. Also, retaining staff by making counter-offers is mostly a short-term tactic and not a long-term solution.
Ng Kong Yeam
Group Executive Chairman
Sino-America Tours Corporation
WHEN an employee in my company submits a letter of resignation, I normally call him for a chat and find out the reason for his resignation. The first question I ask is: 'Is money the main satisfier?' The second question is: 'Are you getting a new position at a very much higher salary, and if so, how much.'
The answer will help me decide if I should make a counter-offer. Undoubtedly, people do leave for a better deal, especially when the new package contains a large signing bonus and plenty of stock options. It's often just too much to resist.
To keep my staff, I take good care of them as well as, if not better than other companies in my industry. Money is important, but if our culture meets the needs of our employees, money alone is unlikely to make them leave.
Not wise to make counter-offers
Angeline V Teo
Principal Consultant
d'Oz International
IF YOU keep a quitter today, he might still quit tomorrow. Where do you draw the line? Keep people with passion to succeed, who are honest to themselves and to the organiation. Quitters will leave the organisation when they are not able to perform at their peak, and they do not have the perseverance to see completion of a project.
If they are lured by monetary goals today, you can only keep them for a limited time before they come back to ask for more. It is perhaps more effective to train and retain those who make a sincere contribution and add value to the organisation, rather than those who are always scheming to 'take' from it.
Jake S Jacob
General Manager
Foster's Asia
IF A team member has decided to quit solely because of money, and assuming he was being paid at the correct level given his position and experience, I would not make a financial counter-offer.
I would, however, take the opportunity to review his development plan with him (which every team member at Foster's has). I would first ask him to check that the plan and underlying objectives are up-to-date and then look for ways in which his plan can be accelerated to further support the achievement of his career goals.
Anyone who is already being paid well and who is keen to leave the business just for money is not really worth holding onto, in my view, as one runs the risk of pay increase demands becoming a vicious cycle, not to mention the question it raises in my mind regarding his passion for our business.
Fahmi Rais
CEO
iBrand Strategy Group
COUNTER-OFFERS buy people, they don't make them. As such, I have refrained from making any counter-offers to staff who have sought opportunities elsewhere. Such moves are made on the basis of either a strong push or pull factor and keeping such staff only extends the countdown of a time bomb. Once the thought of leaving has been entertained, loyalty is zero.
What I would rather focus on is to build a relationship with staff that creates a 'stay' factor. A relationship is a more effective motivator and it matters more than providing a better environment, higher pay and even greater prospects. Management-staff relationships that are built around good mentorship and sound understanding will keep staff committed and feeling appreciated and valued. A good employee is more valuable than one with good skills. It is better to keep a good employee and work on the skills, than to convince one with good skills to stay a little longer.
Teng Yeow Heng Michael
Managing Director
TR Formac
AS A management practice, I do not normally make counter-offers to staff who have threatened to resign if the company does not match his new job offer. I have done so before and these employees eventually leave as the trust is already broken. Also, by acceding to these requests, I have opened up a Pandora's Box by inducing other staff to do the same. However, I would listen to the feedback during the exit interview and make improvements without any immediate counter-offer in monetary compensation. There is no end as there will always be other jobs that can pay better.
However, as a CEO, I believe that I should compensate my people fairly and they should not have been instigated in the first place to seek alternative employment because they feel that their compensation is not adequate.
R Theyvendran
Chairman/Managing Director
Stamford Media International Group
WE would not make a counter-offer to an employee who wants to quit. We would, however, find out in detail the reasons why the employee wants to leave, especially if he has obvious potential. From such feedback, we would address any weakness in our systems.
The flaw may not always be a deficient remuneration structure. Besides monetary incentives, encouragement, motivation and a proper career path are just as important to most employees. We would endeavour to find a permanent solution so that we do not lose capable or talented staff.
Being an on-going concern, we are just as watchful of good public relations. The services of our employees will always be appreciated and wherever appropriate, rewarded. As far as possible no employee should leave our company with any ill feelings except for the fringe few, who may not fit in for whatever reasons.
An 'open-door' management policy can be practiced, where employees can just walk in and raise matters that are bothering them. Teamwork is important and for that to happen there should be good communications with employees at all levels so that whatever real or imaginary problems can be eliminated.
Industry-wise, too, it is important to have an understanding that employees are not poached improperly.
Richard Hoon
Chief Executive Offiicer
I Search Worldwide Group
I THINK it is generally not wise to make counter-offers to entice employees to stay especially when they have already made their decision to leave. If the employee has gone through the whole process of looking for a job, gone for interviews and finally accepted an offer only to be tempted to stay, why would anyone in their right mind want to retain them? They have shown no respect for others, cannot keep their commitments and are only thinking of themselves.
It may resolve a short-term staff crunch but it will create a long-term systemic challenge for the organisation. Morale among existing staff will take a dive if it gets out on the grapevine that one can hold the management to ransom and be rewarded at the same time. What message are we sending to the rest of the employees who have been loyal?
Having said that, however, if an employee is quitting due to other considerations such as a sudden change in personal circumstances or a need to achieve work-life balance, then the company should do all it can to accommodate the employee to allow him to stay. But any accommodation given should be above board and be made available to all employees.
Ideally, a company should try to avoid such precarious situations in the first place by creating an environment where their company is the preferred place to work, and where employees feel they are valued and appreciated. Adequate succession planning and competitive compensation will also help.
By all means, woo employees but not quitters!
Lim Soon Hock
Managing Director
Plan-B Icag
IN MY more than 30 years of working life, I have succeeded in only one counter-offer. It turned out to be a bad decision, as the incumbent involved had to be terminated subsequently.
I would strongly discourage companies from making a counter-offer to employees looking to leave as it is a waste of a company's time and resources, unless there are exceptional reasons for doing so. Having said that, employers must carry out the requisite exit interviews with the intention of gathering feedback from employees who have resigned, so that they can improve their employee relations and employment practices.
I would propose companies spend time and resources focused on creating a congenial yet challenging work environment for the employees. Apart from having a benefits and compensation policy which is competitive and designed to attract and retain employees, companies must intensify their efforts to promote work-life harmony. More importantly, companies must have a succession plan in place to ensure that the business operations will not be inadvertently compromised, should incumbents leave the companies.
The best returns a company can realise is through investment in human capital, more so in today's highly competitive milieu where talents are greatly sought-after and where every company wants only the best to take them forward.
Higher offer should be strictly justifiable
Dhirendra Shantilal
Senior Vice-President, Asia Pacific
Kelly Services
IN OUR tight labour market where talent is scarce and top candidates are in limited supply, the success and continued growth of an organisation depend significantly on its ability to attract and retain valuable talent. With the war for talent persisting and average salaries scaling up, key employees who have valuable skills and work experience are highly sought-after by other organisations.
Organisations should determine the criteria for defining which employees are key based on the impact of their role, performance, difficulty in replacing and long-term potential. These are the individuals that management and HR can consider making a counter-offer if they decide to leave.
The decision to extend a counter-offer should not be reactionary but based on reason and management consideration as the decision will affect the manager, staff and the organisation. As the employee is likely to have considered many factors before choosing to leave, money may not be the primary factor and, therefore, a salary increment can only be a short- term solution.
In the quest to attract and retain the best talent, it is critical for organisations to develop good performance management strategies and know how and when to engage their top performers. With performance management, leaders would collectively, and in a structured manner, talk about performance, development and aspirations with their employees so as to consistently align the organisation's vision and objectives to the desired behaviours, expectations and results expected from its employees.
In turn, employees will be engaged in the company's strategy and understand the important role they play in the organisation. Once you win the heart and trust of your employees, you will have a motivated and focused talent pool that will enable your organisation to achieve greater success.
Liu Chunlin
Managing Director
K&C Protective Technologies
OUR company, K&C Protective Technologies, is what you would call a boutique firm, offering niche protective design and solutions for buildings and infrastructure. As such, we require a tight fit between our staff's capability and attitude and the company's business requirements. We have a process to spot talent and track staff development. When an employee wants to leave because of any mismatch that was not evident previously, we would reluctantly have to agree. There is no point perpetuating an untenable situation with higher pay, even if it is hard getting a replacement in a tight labour market.
For staff that fit well into our business, we would manage their development and track personal aspiration. If higher pay is justifiable, we would agree but we would certainly like to do it in a way where we are in control by pre-empting the situation.
Staff stay with you for a host of reasons other than pay which can be a coarse measure if it is solely relied upon. People find satisfaction in a workplace when there are things like appropriate challenge, personal development, a conducive work environment, hours allowing family-work balance, recognition, trust, teamwork, welfare, etc. In other words, one has to manage a basket of conditions which ensures you have strong staff with you to help you meet the challenges of the business.
Deb Dutta
VP, Asia Pacific & Japan
Brocade
WHILE the knee-jerk reaction would be to make a counter-offer to a departing employee, I personally seek a deeper analysis of the reasons for the employee's departure. I try to focus on the appropriateness of the goals and expectations of the employee that he feels the new environment will help accomplish more optimally than the present employment and determine how realistic they are.
This understanding helps me choose from a range of appropriate actions including counter offers, new roles, new locations, counseling or, in some instances, letting the employee go as the best action.
Contrary to popular belief within hiring managers, monetary considerations are not the No 1 reason for employee departure. Every organisation strives to hire the best talent. What is more important, though, is to continually develop, empower and grow this critical resource, especially in a tight marketplace. Rather than seeking creative methods of retaining employees when they announce their departure, I prefer to create an environment where they feel respected, energised, collaborative and passionate about their roles, their teams and have pride in the environment they work in. Being able to create this work environment is what Gold Standard organisations are all about!
Corrective measures could help
Lim Pun Kok
Managing Director, South Asia and Australia/New Zealand
Blue Coast Systems
WHEN an employee tenders his resignation, I believe that it is always important to find out the exact reason why he wants to leave. Have a candid talk with the person. Ascertaining this would allow you to better understand the needs of the person and to see if corrective measures, like improving the current working environment, can be done to get him to continue. For example, if he has a conflict with an immediate supervisor then instead of losing this talent, a reassignment could be implemented to solve this issue.
Generally, counter-offers are needed when a company does not adjust existing salaries according to the market rate. At Blue Coat, we have a firm assessment of market trends in salaries and regularly conduct salary reviews to ensure our employees are well taken care of. What has worked well for us is our proactive HR approach of regular feedback sessions on improving work environment and employee productivity. Organising regular social and team building activities do help bond the team and create a family atmosphere.
.........................................................................
Business Times - 29 Oct 2007
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC<
To keep or not to keep?
Would you make a counter-offer to an employee who wants to quit, and if so, what form would it take? What other solutions would you consider?
Make offers, but not in money terms
Derek Goh
Executive Chairman
Serial System
AS AN HR best practice, we implement the exit interview for staff planning to quit. This will give us good feedback on the reasons for quitting and improve our HR policy and practices. Not all quitters are leaving for more pay. Some move on for a change of environment or a career switch or to take a break. When an employee is critical to the organisational growth and profitability, then it is logical to make a counter-offer, especially in the current tight labour market.
A pay rise is not the ideal way to retain quitters as we may not want to set a precedent for more quitters demanding pay increments. Often, greater job satisfaction and motivation will keep the staff happily working for the organisation. Thus, annual corporate recognition will boost staff morale as well as raise the corporate and employee profile.
Another form of HR retention is to grant sabbaticals to deserving staff to recharge themselves so that they can return to the organisation fully energised and committed.
An overseas posting is another good change of scene for staff to rejuvenate themselves and yet remain gainfully employed.
Fong Loo Fern
Managing Director
CYC The Custom Shop
IN GOOD times or bad, loyal and capable staff are hard to come by. When times are hard, like the economic downturn of 1998, the relationship is tested on the part of the employer. Many companies took the easier way out by retrenching staff. That was not so long ago. Times have changed and the economy has posted several consecutive years of good growth. But people's memories of those hard times are well etched while new job entrants do not have any recollection of it. Employers like us recognise that the tide has turned and getting the right staff is becoming increasingly challenging and expensive.
As an employer running my own business, I have to be mindful just how much I can afford to put aside for staff salaries without severely affecting profitability. Yes, I would consider making a counter-offer to an employee who wants to quit - but not always in the form of higher salaries.
We are all creatures governed by emotions and needs. While money could be a main factor, sometimes there are other factors like more flexible hours, a better work environment, recognition or simply the opportunity to work in a different job function.
It is important to get to the root cause of the resignation. From experience, if all the employee values is a higher salary, I would let him go. It is just too stressful and time-consuming to have to go through the process of 'bargaining' each time the employee is lured by a higher salary from another company. I think what is important for businesses is to build a culture that is people-oriented and which encourages personal development, loyalty and a shared vision.
Always keep them motivated
Joel G. Momberger
Managing Director
Informatica S-E Asia, Divisional Headquarters, Asia Pacific
TALENT management programmes have gained importance in sectors like IT, retail, banking and financial services which witness high levels of employee turnover. Informatica believes that employee retention is of utmost importance as each individual brings a unique set of skills to the organisation. This is especially so in the IT sector where talent is already rare and people with requisite skills and experience are difficult to find.
While monetary compensation such as salary, perks and stock options are a given, it is the intangible benefits like a career roadmap and healthy work environment which determine whether one will seek out greener pastures. Counter-offers are usually not an effective solution to talent retention. Employers need to understand that employees want attention, interaction with bosses, performance incentives and clear direction on exactly what is expected of them. These are the basic needs of employees at all levels and it gives them the reason to stick around.
Sam Yap S G
Group Executive Chairman
Cherie Hearts Group Int'l
AT CHERIE Hearts, we believe that the best option is to prevent such a situation from happening in the first place. It is always better to spend some effort retaining a good employee than to let him go and seek another one. The costs associated with rehiring and retraining new employees are often high, if not higher than retaining current ones.
We recognise that employees today, especially the younger ones, have high aspirations and are constantly seeking opportunities to achieve them. Hence, we seek to provide our employees with these opportunities, through challenging job assignments, promotion prospects, good work-life balance, etc. Of course, remuneration plays a part as well, so we offer competitive pay packages that are in line with the industry.
Having said that, in exit interviews, we do check with employees to see if we can match their needs, other than financially. A horizontal move may be deemed necessary in order to retain them.
Leonard Tan
Managing Director
Diethelm Singapore
WITH a raging talent war in the market these days, addressing the issue of employee retention is an urgent across-the-board business concern. The yearly expense to an organisation of replacing a good employee (including replacement, training and lost performance costs) can range from a couple of months of the employee's salary to even his annual salary. Turnover of talented employees also erodes morale among those who stay and quite likely harms customer retention.
The challenge today is not just about retaining good talented people, but more importantly, about fully engaging them. It is about capturing their hearts and minds at each stage of their careers. To be fully engaged requires emotional involvement in the work.
If an employee who has proven to be an asset to the organisation reaches the point of quitting, understand his core reasons for doing so. There is usually no real mystery for his disengagement; the common factors include a lack of challenge, uninteresting work, limited career growth, restricted development opportunities, a bad boss, lousy colleagues, and the perception of unfair pay. Whether or not to make a counter-offer, as well as how far to go, depends on the reason(s) for the employee's intention to quit, the company's ability to meet his demands, the company's alternative(s) if the employee does leave and very importantly, the message that will be sent to the good talented employees who are still fully engaged. Smart retention goals, therefore, need to be established. It is true that we often have to compete on compensation and benefits, but we really win on culture, learning and development.
The speed and intensity of change today requires all managers to be responsible for the retention of their staff and to be alert to problems that can be fixed. Retention must be part of the organisation's DNA. Recognise managers who keep good employees, ie, anyone at any level who brings value to the organisation.
Reciprocity is fundamental. Employees are investors in the organisation and expect a return on their service investment. Employees' engagement, commitment and loyalty are a result of being challenged, developed, appreciated, heard and respected. Thus, check in with your talented employees often. Build learning relationships in all directions and hold all partners responsible for the success. Train intelligently continuously and create a development culture.
Of course, it's often said, too, that people don't leave the organisation; they leave the boss. So yes, be aware that people are always watching and assessing us and our actions as leaders. We need to walk our talk.
Dora Hoan
Group CEO
Best World International
AMONG the top reasons for quitting a job is better compensation. Understandably, a job more than anything is for bringing home a good pay cheque, and essential talent must be justly rewarded. Another foremost reason is perceived lack of opportunity for advancement within the organisation.
Quite simply, talented employees driven by professional success and status may grow discouraged when there is not an apparent plan by the superiors for their professional development. When better opportunities knock, they often won't wait around for a chance to advance in their current company if they do not see it as attainable in the near term.
Must we enter a counter-offer situation? When a valuable employee resigns, the company's reaction will depend on many variables. A counter-offer may encourage an employee to stay but an employer will be better off determining in advance how to make work engaging and fulfilling for a good employee.
Poul Lorentzen
Vice-President
Dematic S-E Asia
IN DEMATIC, we strive to keep employees motivated and committed rather than resort to counter-measures when they want to leave the company. The logistics industry in South-east Asia is relatively small and often faces competition between companies for senior, experienced and talented individuals.
Our goal is to build a dedicated and skilled knowledge-based workforce which adds value to our customers through an understanding of their needs. The culture in Dematic S-E A, therefore, seeks to groom budding talent and breed staff loyalty through a balanced system of continuous reviews, recognition and rewards. Thus, we aim for employees to grow with us in the long run as an alternative to job switching at the next available opportunity.
We believe the best strategy to address staff retention is by investing in our staff through creating a conducive working environment, skills improvement and welfare. Good staff are the ultimate source of competitive advantage and a crucial asset for the long-term growth of any company.
Saw Phaik Hwa
CEO
SMRT
A DECISION to leave is never made on a whim. Thus, rather than react to departures, I believe organisations should focus on putting in place a good people strategy. This means offering staff a compelling future, investing in human capital development, creating a positive work environment and rewarding staff for their contribution.
While it is painful to lose good, capable people, it helps that at SMRT, we have in place talent development and succession planning that prepares the next generation of leaders for the helm. With our strong people policy, we have also had staff return to the fold, bringing with them new perspectives and a greater sense of loyalty and belonging to SMRT.
George Wong
Managing Director, Asean
BEA Systems
A COUNTER-OFFER should not be a means to an end. Instead of proposing extra benefits such as monetary compensation, a company should understand the motive of an employee who wants to quit. More often than not, the situation can be managed by simply getting a better understanding of the employee's expectations. At BEA, we make sure our employees are constantly motivated to ensure job satisfaction. Retaining employees is an ongoing process with well-thought through HR measures. Work-life balance, flexible work structures and clear career paths are just some of the ways that ensure employees' commitment to the company and mitigate the risks of losing valuable colleagues.
Pay if the person is worth it
Joey Chang
Chief Executive Officer/Founder
AXS Infocomm
YES, I would make a counter-offer, especially if that person is worth it, and has proven over time that he deserves to be pursued by both sides.
I have done it a number of times, and have a 50 per cent success rate. Most times, we lose the staff due to the fact that they are joining a new industry or taking on a different role. It usually starts by trying to understand where the failure is. Is it a pull or push factor? When deciding on a counter-offer, many considerations will come into play. For example, the reaction of other staff, affordability, cost of replacement, loss of time, etc.
But the cardinal rule is that at no time must the company be held to ransom, or the employee appear to be indispensable. If that is compromised, no matter how painful, I will not proceed with the counter-offer.
Often, the offer will be in monetary terms. Other methods would be to try and meet the expectations for career development and advancement. Seldom will I use perks like cars or clubs memberships.
Na Boon Chong
Director - Consulting, South-east Asia
Aon Consulting (Singapore)
I WOULD make a counter-offer if I have satisfied myself that money is the issue and the employee is a valued contributor. When we stretch employees by exposing them to challenging work and rapid learning on a sustained basis, sometimes we may not have kept compensation in pace with their development. While money is a hygiene factor, it is also an issue of fairness, recognition and sense of achievement. It would certainly have been better if compensation is planned, proactive and well-communicated. That has to go in tandem with the ability to value employee contribution and then compensate individuals accordingly.
When the counter-offer doesn't work, I would make it clear that the door is always open for a valued contributor. People often return to good companies with even more commitment, having seen the outside world and concluded that the pasture is not necessarily greener. I would also ask for a personal referral of someone who would fit in with our firm, which usually turns out to be a better choice.
Thomas Ting
Managing Director
TJ Systems (S)
WHEN an employee decides to leave the company, it is for a combination of reasons and we should identify the true reasons before any counter-offer is made. We do make a counter-offer based on how critical his role is, and business needs. In the current tight labour market we have to bite the bullet to keep talented employees in critical roles, such as the financial controller, for instance.
But money is not always the best solution as it can lead to lower morale among other employees and send the wrong message that the best way to get a pay increase is to quit. Also, retaining staff by making counter-offers is mostly a short-term tactic and not a long-term solution.
Ng Kong Yeam
Group Executive Chairman
Sino-America Tours Corporation
WHEN an employee in my company submits a letter of resignation, I normally call him for a chat and find out the reason for his resignation. The first question I ask is: 'Is money the main satisfier?' The second question is: 'Are you getting a new position at a very much higher salary, and if so, how much.'
The answer will help me decide if I should make a counter-offer. Undoubtedly, people do leave for a better deal, especially when the new package contains a large signing bonus and plenty of stock options. It's often just too much to resist.
To keep my staff, I take good care of them as well as, if not better than other companies in my industry. Money is important, but if our culture meets the needs of our employees, money alone is unlikely to make them leave.
Not wise to make counter-offers
Angeline V Teo
Principal Consultant
d'Oz International
IF YOU keep a quitter today, he might still quit tomorrow. Where do you draw the line? Keep people with passion to succeed, who are honest to themselves and to the organiation. Quitters will leave the organisation when they are not able to perform at their peak, and they do not have the perseverance to see completion of a project.
If they are lured by monetary goals today, you can only keep them for a limited time before they come back to ask for more. It is perhaps more effective to train and retain those who make a sincere contribution and add value to the organisation, rather than those who are always scheming to 'take' from it.
Jake S Jacob
General Manager
Foster's Asia
IF A team member has decided to quit solely because of money, and assuming he was being paid at the correct level given his position and experience, I would not make a financial counter-offer.
I would, however, take the opportunity to review his development plan with him (which every team member at Foster's has). I would first ask him to check that the plan and underlying objectives are up-to-date and then look for ways in which his plan can be accelerated to further support the achievement of his career goals.
Anyone who is already being paid well and who is keen to leave the business just for money is not really worth holding onto, in my view, as one runs the risk of pay increase demands becoming a vicious cycle, not to mention the question it raises in my mind regarding his passion for our business.
Fahmi Rais
CEO
iBrand Strategy Group
COUNTER-OFFERS buy people, they don't make them. As such, I have refrained from making any counter-offers to staff who have sought opportunities elsewhere. Such moves are made on the basis of either a strong push or pull factor and keeping such staff only extends the countdown of a time bomb. Once the thought of leaving has been entertained, loyalty is zero.
What I would rather focus on is to build a relationship with staff that creates a 'stay' factor. A relationship is a more effective motivator and it matters more than providing a better environment, higher pay and even greater prospects. Management-staff relationships that are built around good mentorship and sound understanding will keep staff committed and feeling appreciated and valued. A good employee is more valuable than one with good skills. It is better to keep a good employee and work on the skills, than to convince one with good skills to stay a little longer.
Teng Yeow Heng Michael
Managing Director
TR Formac
AS A management practice, I do not normally make counter-offers to staff who have threatened to resign if the company does not match his new job offer. I have done so before and these employees eventually leave as the trust is already broken. Also, by acceding to these requests, I have opened up a Pandora's Box by inducing other staff to do the same. However, I would listen to the feedback during the exit interview and make improvements without any immediate counter-offer in monetary compensation. There is no end as there will always be other jobs that can pay better.
However, as a CEO, I believe that I should compensate my people fairly and they should not have been instigated in the first place to seek alternative employment because they feel that their compensation is not adequate.
R Theyvendran
Chairman/Managing Director
Stamford Media International Group
WE would not make a counter-offer to an employee who wants to quit. We would, however, find out in detail the reasons why the employee wants to leave, especially if he has obvious potential. From such feedback, we would address any weakness in our systems.
The flaw may not always be a deficient remuneration structure. Besides monetary incentives, encouragement, motivation and a proper career path are just as important to most employees. We would endeavour to find a permanent solution so that we do not lose capable or talented staff.
Being an on-going concern, we are just as watchful of good public relations. The services of our employees will always be appreciated and wherever appropriate, rewarded. As far as possible no employee should leave our company with any ill feelings except for the fringe few, who may not fit in for whatever reasons.
An 'open-door' management policy can be practiced, where employees can just walk in and raise matters that are bothering them. Teamwork is important and for that to happen there should be good communications with employees at all levels so that whatever real or imaginary problems can be eliminated.
Industry-wise, too, it is important to have an understanding that employees are not poached improperly.
Richard Hoon
Chief Executive Offiicer
I Search Worldwide Group
I THINK it is generally not wise to make counter-offers to entice employees to stay especially when they have already made their decision to leave. If the employee has gone through the whole process of looking for a job, gone for interviews and finally accepted an offer only to be tempted to stay, why would anyone in their right mind want to retain them? They have shown no respect for others, cannot keep their commitments and are only thinking of themselves.
It may resolve a short-term staff crunch but it will create a long-term systemic challenge for the organisation. Morale among existing staff will take a dive if it gets out on the grapevine that one can hold the management to ransom and be rewarded at the same time. What message are we sending to the rest of the employees who have been loyal?
Having said that, however, if an employee is quitting due to other considerations such as a sudden change in personal circumstances or a need to achieve work-life balance, then the company should do all it can to accommodate the employee to allow him to stay. But any accommodation given should be above board and be made available to all employees.
Ideally, a company should try to avoid such precarious situations in the first place by creating an environment where their company is the preferred place to work, and where employees feel they are valued and appreciated. Adequate succession planning and competitive compensation will also help.
By all means, woo employees but not quitters!
Lim Soon Hock
Managing Director
Plan-B Icag
IN MY more than 30 years of working life, I have succeeded in only one counter-offer. It turned out to be a bad decision, as the incumbent involved had to be terminated subsequently.
I would strongly discourage companies from making a counter-offer to employees looking to leave as it is a waste of a company's time and resources, unless there are exceptional reasons for doing so. Having said that, employers must carry out the requisite exit interviews with the intention of gathering feedback from employees who have resigned, so that they can improve their employee relations and employment practices.
I would propose companies spend time and resources focused on creating a congenial yet challenging work environment for the employees. Apart from having a benefits and compensation policy which is competitive and designed to attract and retain employees, companies must intensify their efforts to promote work-life harmony. More importantly, companies must have a succession plan in place to ensure that the business operations will not be inadvertently compromised, should incumbents leave the companies.
The best returns a company can realise is through investment in human capital, more so in today's highly competitive milieu where talents are greatly sought-after and where every company wants only the best to take them forward.
Higher offer should be strictly justifiable
Dhirendra Shantilal
Senior Vice-President, Asia Pacific
Kelly Services
IN OUR tight labour market where talent is scarce and top candidates are in limited supply, the success and continued growth of an organisation depend significantly on its ability to attract and retain valuable talent. With the war for talent persisting and average salaries scaling up, key employees who have valuable skills and work experience are highly sought-after by other organisations.
Organisations should determine the criteria for defining which employees are key based on the impact of their role, performance, difficulty in replacing and long-term potential. These are the individuals that management and HR can consider making a counter-offer if they decide to leave.
The decision to extend a counter-offer should not be reactionary but based on reason and management consideration as the decision will affect the manager, staff and the organisation. As the employee is likely to have considered many factors before choosing to leave, money may not be the primary factor and, therefore, a salary increment can only be a short- term solution.
In the quest to attract and retain the best talent, it is critical for organisations to develop good performance management strategies and know how and when to engage their top performers. With performance management, leaders would collectively, and in a structured manner, talk about performance, development and aspirations with their employees so as to consistently align the organisation's vision and objectives to the desired behaviours, expectations and results expected from its employees.
In turn, employees will be engaged in the company's strategy and understand the important role they play in the organisation. Once you win the heart and trust of your employees, you will have a motivated and focused talent pool that will enable your organisation to achieve greater success.
Liu Chunlin
Managing Director
K&C Protective Technologies
OUR company, K&C Protective Technologies, is what you would call a boutique firm, offering niche protective design and solutions for buildings and infrastructure. As such, we require a tight fit between our staff's capability and attitude and the company's business requirements. We have a process to spot talent and track staff development. When an employee wants to leave because of any mismatch that was not evident previously, we would reluctantly have to agree. There is no point perpetuating an untenable situation with higher pay, even if it is hard getting a replacement in a tight labour market.
For staff that fit well into our business, we would manage their development and track personal aspiration. If higher pay is justifiable, we would agree but we would certainly like to do it in a way where we are in control by pre-empting the situation.
Staff stay with you for a host of reasons other than pay which can be a coarse measure if it is solely relied upon. People find satisfaction in a workplace when there are things like appropriate challenge, personal development, a conducive work environment, hours allowing family-work balance, recognition, trust, teamwork, welfare, etc. In other words, one has to manage a basket of conditions which ensures you have strong staff with you to help you meet the challenges of the business.
Deb Dutta
VP, Asia Pacific & Japan
Brocade
WHILE the knee-jerk reaction would be to make a counter-offer to a departing employee, I personally seek a deeper analysis of the reasons for the employee's departure. I try to focus on the appropriateness of the goals and expectations of the employee that he feels the new environment will help accomplish more optimally than the present employment and determine how realistic they are.
This understanding helps me choose from a range of appropriate actions including counter offers, new roles, new locations, counseling or, in some instances, letting the employee go as the best action.
Contrary to popular belief within hiring managers, monetary considerations are not the No 1 reason for employee departure. Every organisation strives to hire the best talent. What is more important, though, is to continually develop, empower and grow this critical resource, especially in a tight marketplace. Rather than seeking creative methods of retaining employees when they announce their departure, I prefer to create an environment where they feel respected, energised, collaborative and passionate about their roles, their teams and have pride in the environment they work in. Being able to create this work environment is what Gold Standard organisations are all about!
Corrective measures could help
Lim Pun Kok
Managing Director, South Asia and Australia/New Zealand
Blue Coast Systems
WHEN an employee tenders his resignation, I believe that it is always important to find out the exact reason why he wants to leave. Have a candid talk with the person. Ascertaining this would allow you to better understand the needs of the person and to see if corrective measures, like improving the current working environment, can be done to get him to continue. For example, if he has a conflict with an immediate supervisor then instead of losing this talent, a reassignment could be implemented to solve this issue.
Generally, counter-offers are needed when a company does not adjust existing salaries according to the market rate. At Blue Coat, we have a firm assessment of market trends in salaries and regularly conduct salary reviews to ensure our employees are well taken care of. What has worked well for us is our proactive HR approach of regular feedback sessions on improving work environment and employee productivity. Organising regular social and team building activities do help bond the team and create a family atmosphere.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Fad
Amongst the newest new things in my life (read imac, KPE, car, penguin water dispenser and LCD TV), i also recently joined Facebook.
I was holding out on joining it for some time. Largely because of the disappointment of getting just 70+ friends in Friendster, as compared to 250+ friends other people had... I even read of two sisters in the newspapers who, between them, had 17,000 friends on their friendster accounts. They even had to create multiple accounts because of the limitations of whatever.
But i caved in. Largely cos I was semi-bored whilst i was in the interview-considering-contemplating limbo.
At first, I added some unsavoury ple from my uni. A bit distasteful, i thought, to be wasting my time on these kinda people. These people dont deserve my time! Not even the time that im planning to waste. Oh, but i digress.
Then i started to find some people by accident, simply cos Singapore's so small! I searched thru my JC friend's page and saw one of her friends who looked pretty. SO i went to the pretty girl's page to see her friends. Then I saw the sister of a long-time friend on the pretty girl's page. Then i went to the sister's page and found my long-time friend!!!!!
I sent her a message some 3 weeks ago and didnt get any reply. I was afriad that Friendster II was going to haunt me again. Then i got a reply
"Hey!! I´m great! To sum up, I quit my job in Jan, spent 2 months in Paris studying French, then studied Spanish and then took off for 5 months in South America backpacking!
I´m now in Chile and it´s been almost 4 months already! Can´t believe it...will be back in Singapore in mid Dec...so give me your cell no. and we´ll meet up when I´m back...with XXX as well..what´s that guy up to these days?"
Gosh.. so fun. Though I am not the hugest fan of travelling but her lifestyle seems quite carefree. So cool.
And then a JC junior of mine also added me and it was like a 10 years of catch up.
And then with the JC junior came lots of my own JC classmates and from their profiles, I saw a couple of them being married already. Not that I was hurt they didnt invite me. (In faact because they didnt invite me, i could have enough money for my imac). But it seems like there're more of them married than i thought. So that's a good thing.
Amidst the sheep throwing and (fluff) friends races, Facebook provides a non-threatening way to connect in ways that would seem startling after non-existant contact in the last 10 years. Even though you have not contacted them for ages, it is extremely interesting to see how your peers turn out after going through the same "system" as you.
I have 87 friends now, hoping for more for a better tomorrow.
I was holding out on joining it for some time. Largely because of the disappointment of getting just 70+ friends in Friendster, as compared to 250+ friends other people had... I even read of two sisters in the newspapers who, between them, had 17,000 friends on their friendster accounts. They even had to create multiple accounts because of the limitations of whatever.
But i caved in. Largely cos I was semi-bored whilst i was in the interview-considering-contemplating limbo.
At first, I added some unsavoury ple from my uni. A bit distasteful, i thought, to be wasting my time on these kinda people. These people dont deserve my time! Not even the time that im planning to waste. Oh, but i digress.
Then i started to find some people by accident, simply cos Singapore's so small! I searched thru my JC friend's page and saw one of her friends who looked pretty. SO i went to the pretty girl's page to see her friends. Then I saw the sister of a long-time friend on the pretty girl's page. Then i went to the sister's page and found my long-time friend!!!!!
I sent her a message some 3 weeks ago and didnt get any reply. I was afriad that Friendster II was going to haunt me again. Then i got a reply
"Hey!! I´m great! To sum up, I quit my job in Jan, spent 2 months in Paris studying French, then studied Spanish and then took off for 5 months in South America backpacking!
I´m now in Chile and it´s been almost 4 months already! Can´t believe it...will be back in Singapore in mid Dec...so give me your cell no. and we´ll meet up when I´m back...with XXX as well..what´s that guy up to these days?"
Gosh.. so fun. Though I am not the hugest fan of travelling but her lifestyle seems quite carefree. So cool.
And then a JC junior of mine also added me and it was like a 10 years of catch up.
And then with the JC junior came lots of my own JC classmates and from their profiles, I saw a couple of them being married already. Not that I was hurt they didnt invite me. (In faact because they didnt invite me, i could have enough money for my imac). But it seems like there're more of them married than i thought. So that's a good thing.
Amidst the sheep throwing and (fluff) friends races, Facebook provides a non-threatening way to connect in ways that would seem startling after non-existant contact in the last 10 years. Even though you have not contacted them for ages, it is extremely interesting to see how your peers turn out after going through the same "system" as you.
I have 87 friends now, hoping for more for a better tomorrow.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Knocked Up
I discovered this scratch on the bumper of my car this afternoon.
SIAN
Duno how i got it too.
It's yellow. Indicative of the car park barriers. But weird leh. DIdnt feel it leh.
SIAN
SIAN
Duno how i got it too.
It's yellow. Indicative of the car park barriers. But weird leh. DIdnt feel it leh.
SIAN
Overdone
The age-old cry of civil servants spending their time on useless things is a well-documented and often justified one.
I'm not one usually to care how the government spends its money, as I'm quite a spendthrift myself but some faux pas have made me chuckle like the renaming of Marina Bay to... Marina Bay.
Then there's the KPE. The engineering wunderkid that is Singapore.
For the opening of one section of the KPE, we have:
1. A brand new radiostation
2. Car decals
3. Tee shirts
4. A CD aptly named - Songs of the Underground
5. Wallpapers
6. A very impressive website http://www.kpeunderground.sg/, which gave the completion date down to the hundredth of a second. Like a 100m dash that god-forbid a foreign nation like Malaysia should win by completing just 0.01 second before us.
The website's pretty weird. The "Benefits" section has a map which lists the districts which benefit from the KPE. When you mouseover on each district, the distances between the other districts shorten. Like dat only ah?
I'm not one usually to care how the government spends its money, as I'm quite a spendthrift myself but some faux pas have made me chuckle like the renaming of Marina Bay to... Marina Bay.
Then there's the KPE. The engineering wunderkid that is Singapore.
For the opening of one section of the KPE, we have:
1. A brand new radiostation
2. Car decals
3. Tee shirts
4. A CD aptly named - Songs of the Underground
5. Wallpapers
6. A very impressive website http://www.kpeunderground.sg/, which gave the completion date down to the hundredth of a second. Like a 100m dash that god-forbid a foreign nation like Malaysia should win by completing just 0.01 second before us.
The website's pretty weird. The "Benefits" section has a map which lists the districts which benefit from the KPE. When you mouseover on each district, the distances between the other districts shorten. Like dat only ah?
Mood
I was driving along ECP today when i didnt feel like going to work. Whilst going up Benjamin Sheares and just before going down the Rocher exit, I called my chiro.
"Can i come by in the next 10 mins?" " Sure"
Instead of keeping right to go to my office, I turned left to Suntec.
Whilst I was there, another headhunter called me to ask if I'm interested in a senior position in Hong Kong. I told her i wasnt looking to move. Nowadays I'm so popular. Duno why.
Then i took the next step in my new job: Going for the medical. It was a WEIRD experience.
Firstly the doctor asked me how much i wanted to bribe him to make sure he declares me fit.
Then as he was feeling my tummy, he said he was feeling to see if i have a kidney and liver for him to sell.
Then there was a color blind test which i totally couldnt decipher some of the pics.
Then there was the urine test which was disconcerting when you have to pee into a tiny bottle and it becomes warm really quickly and then there's some condensation. W.E.I.R.D
After my medical, i went shopping for acceessories for my imac. Will post a pic later.
Then my headhunter called to make sure i wasnt having second thoughts. Haha.. oopsy.
Then the HR director from the new company called me to ask me how come I havent reverted on my start date. I kinda hinted on the ineptness of my current HR department of which he said if he took more than 15 minutes to reply, he'll resign. *gulp*
Then i went off to lunch at Old Airport Road and got back to office at 2pm.
It's now 5:05pm. I wonder what time I should go home today. 5:30pm sounds good.
"Can i come by in the next 10 mins?" " Sure"
Instead of keeping right to go to my office, I turned left to Suntec.
Whilst I was there, another headhunter called me to ask if I'm interested in a senior position in Hong Kong. I told her i wasnt looking to move. Nowadays I'm so popular. Duno why.
Then i took the next step in my new job: Going for the medical. It was a WEIRD experience.
Firstly the doctor asked me how much i wanted to bribe him to make sure he declares me fit.
Then as he was feeling my tummy, he said he was feeling to see if i have a kidney and liver for him to sell.
Then there was a color blind test which i totally couldnt decipher some of the pics.
Then there was the urine test which was disconcerting when you have to pee into a tiny bottle and it becomes warm really quickly and then there's some condensation. W.E.I.R.D
After my medical, i went shopping for acceessories for my imac. Will post a pic later.
Then my headhunter called to make sure i wasnt having second thoughts. Haha.. oopsy.
Then the HR director from the new company called me to ask me how come I havent reverted on my start date. I kinda hinted on the ineptness of my current HR department of which he said if he took more than 15 minutes to reply, he'll resign. *gulp*
Then i went off to lunch at Old Airport Road and got back to office at 2pm.
It's now 5:05pm. I wonder what time I should go home today. 5:30pm sounds good.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Warning: Graphic Content
As above, the following post is of a graphic nature. Please stop scrolling down if you think you cant take it.
I bought an iMac over the weekend. And then i ordered Leopard at S$16. It'll come this friday. Means i have something to do this weekend too. YAY!
I bought an iMac over the weekend. And then i ordered Leopard at S$16. It'll come this friday. Means i have something to do this weekend too. YAY!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
D-Day
Tomorrow is D-Day. 22 Oct is D-Day. H-Hour is 1700. NMT is 1600.
How should I tender?
Verbal without letter?
Letter without verbal? (pass letter then run)
Should the letter be handwritten or typed?
Should i write/type it on a company letter or my own?
Decisions decisions
I need to go spend some money today to clear my mind.
How should I tender?
Verbal without letter?
Letter without verbal? (pass letter then run)
Should the letter be handwritten or typed?
Should i write/type it on a company letter or my own?
Decisions decisions
I need to go spend some money today to clear my mind.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Stoopig
I received a wedding invitation today.
My name was spelt wrongly on the front label. What a dumb ass.
My name was spelt correctly in the inside label. Does anyone know how to use mail merge?
Why are people so dumb? I'm faced with random acts of stupidity at work daily. At the risk of sounding high and mighty, i.. oh what the heck.. some people are just stupid. May-Ann msned me out of the blue the other day to ask me " Why why why.. why are some people so stupid? Are some people just plain stupid or is it because im a grad student?"
To her question, I answered " cos we expect of them more than they expect of themselves"
I thought that was a good answer. She agreed.
In many ways, we expect people to be of certain intelligence and when they fail to meet the mark, we brand them as stupid or as someone told me before " high cranial density".
Make no mistake, I'm still going to be exasperated by the stupidity of mankind and make fun and blog about in this space whenever possible.
I hate it when people spell people's names wrongly. So insincere, so careless. I remember once Newtboy told me that he hates it when people leave out the hyphen between the 2nd and third characters of his dialect name. Pisses him off.
I have a client whose email id name differs from the name which appears in emails he sends. Missing an "h". He never rectified it and i never asked. So weird.
The wedding's at Acte D'Amour Restaurant. I went to the website and saw that wedding lunches are at S$22++. I think I'm going to give S$28. Should more than cover the cost ba.
I have three other weddings before the end of the year.
Some of my evil friends were lamenting on how come the resturant so shabby one? I must admit i also joined in. But at the same time, I also said that "hey as long as got someone who wanna marry you, who cares if it takes places in a crummy restaurant?
My friends went silent for a nano of a second before one went on to say she went to a wedding at the Ritz where the customised decoration alone cost S$300,000 and the dessert was a dessert buffet!
My name was spelt wrongly on the front label. What a dumb ass.
My name was spelt correctly in the inside label. Does anyone know how to use mail merge?
Why are people so dumb? I'm faced with random acts of stupidity at work daily. At the risk of sounding high and mighty, i.. oh what the heck.. some people are just stupid. May-Ann msned me out of the blue the other day to ask me " Why why why.. why are some people so stupid? Are some people just plain stupid or is it because im a grad student?"
To her question, I answered " cos we expect of them more than they expect of themselves"
I thought that was a good answer. She agreed.
In many ways, we expect people to be of certain intelligence and when they fail to meet the mark, we brand them as stupid or as someone told me before " high cranial density".
Make no mistake, I'm still going to be exasperated by the stupidity of mankind and make fun and blog about in this space whenever possible.
I hate it when people spell people's names wrongly. So insincere, so careless. I remember once Newtboy told me that he hates it when people leave out the hyphen between the 2nd and third characters of his dialect name. Pisses him off.
I have a client whose email id name differs from the name which appears in emails he sends. Missing an "h". He never rectified it and i never asked. So weird.
The wedding's at Acte D'Amour Restaurant. I went to the website and saw that wedding lunches are at S$22++. I think I'm going to give S$28. Should more than cover the cost ba.
I have three other weddings before the end of the year.
Some of my evil friends were lamenting on how come the resturant so shabby one? I must admit i also joined in. But at the same time, I also said that "hey as long as got someone who wanna marry you, who cares if it takes places in a crummy restaurant?
My friends went silent for a nano of a second before one went on to say she went to a wedding at the Ritz where the customised decoration alone cost S$300,000 and the dessert was a dessert buffet!
End
The sucky week cumulated to a lonesome bak kut teh dinner along the roadside near my office.
Im glad the week's over.
Im glad the week's over.
iMac
With my new job, means I have to return my current office laptop. Which means I dont have a computer at home.
I'm eyeing this baby as a replacement.
I'm eyeing this baby as a replacement.
Timing
There's a time for joy, there's a time for sorrow.
A time for change, a time of stability.
The last five days has been a roller-coaster ride for me. Health was bad, work was stressful, then health got worst and work got worst.
A sliver of light sipped through the clouds with the signing. But along with it brought clouds of flux (i always wanted to use this word) and uncertainty.
Would I be able to be up to the job, which i promised i was fully qualified to?
Would my new colleagues like me?
Would there be nice colleagues?
Would i get a table at a nice position?
Would someone make milo for me?
Would i get a crummy PC or a l33t laptop?
My boss went back to his hometown on an emergency trip yesterday cos his mum wasnt feeling well. Damn i hate to break my resignation to him when he returns on Monday noon.
Talk about timing.
A time for change, a time of stability.
The last five days has been a roller-coaster ride for me. Health was bad, work was stressful, then health got worst and work got worst.
A sliver of light sipped through the clouds with the signing. But along with it brought clouds of flux (i always wanted to use this word) and uncertainty.
Would I be able to be up to the job, which i promised i was fully qualified to?
Would my new colleagues like me?
Would there be nice colleagues?
Would i get a table at a nice position?
Would someone make milo for me?
Would i get a crummy PC or a l33t laptop?
My boss went back to his hometown on an emergency trip yesterday cos his mum wasnt feeling well. Damn i hate to break my resignation to him when he returns on Monday noon.
Talk about timing.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
TV
It seemed apt that today the TV i bought on sunday arrived.
Decided to buy an LCD tv for the living room.
Welcome to the new 37" Hitachi LCD TV with a made in Japan single-piece panel and supports 1080p and HD ready. It even swivels at a 200 degree angle. Though that's mildly useful cos my living room aint that big anyway.
And there's even a new DVD player! woooooot HD ready as well!
Decided to buy an LCD tv for the living room.
Welcome to the new 37" Hitachi LCD TV with a made in Japan single-piece panel and supports 1080p and HD ready. It even swivels at a 200 degree angle. Though that's mildly useful cos my living room aint that big anyway.
And there's even a new DVD player! woooooot HD ready as well!
Tender
I signed the papers today.
Yup, the call came this morning. "Can you come down this afternoon?"
My heart was palpitating from both the medicine and the fear of the unknown as i walked down the corridor to the office.
I read every single word of the four-page document. Twice.
I've never joined a big company before. Like very swakoo.
1. Must set up bank account to deposit salary (no more monthly cheques for my salary!)
2. Submit photo for security pass (chose a nice, flattering pic)
3. Set up appointment for health checkup.
4. Take in all the health/dentist benefits (so cool)
5. Think of when i can start (Jan 2008)
There you go. 2008 will be a new year for Cornball.
My boss is currently travelling. Will only be able to tell him when he's back on Monday.
Yup, the call came this morning. "Can you come down this afternoon?"
My heart was palpitating from both the medicine and the fear of the unknown as i walked down the corridor to the office.
I read every single word of the four-page document. Twice.
I've never joined a big company before. Like very swakoo.
1. Must set up bank account to deposit salary (no more monthly cheques for my salary!)
2. Submit photo for security pass (chose a nice, flattering pic)
3. Set up appointment for health checkup.
4. Take in all the health/dentist benefits (so cool)
5. Think of when i can start (Jan 2008)
There you go. 2008 will be a new year for Cornball.
My boss is currently travelling. Will only be able to tell him when he's back on Monday.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Down
I am sick.
It came all of a sudden.
Yesterday i woke up to a slight sore throat and then by the noon, my nose started to leak and headache set in.
Today (Wednesday), i woke up to a full blown headache, sore throat and clogged nose.
But i still had a meeting to attend.
As I thought about it, I've never taken MC before in the last 3 years, save for the wisdom tooth operation i had.
Just as I was starting my car this morning and about to pair my Bluetooth headset, a call came.
It was from the new company!
They're looking to sign me up before the end of the week (apparently, I passed the personality test).
The guy was rattling off all the benefits which was like all the types of coverage, my leave entitlement blah blah.
So yeah, i guess it's pretty much confirmed.
Now, I got to think of how I'm going to tender.
It came all of a sudden.
Yesterday i woke up to a slight sore throat and then by the noon, my nose started to leak and headache set in.
Today (Wednesday), i woke up to a full blown headache, sore throat and clogged nose.
But i still had a meeting to attend.
As I thought about it, I've never taken MC before in the last 3 years, save for the wisdom tooth operation i had.
Just as I was starting my car this morning and about to pair my Bluetooth headset, a call came.
It was from the new company!
They're looking to sign me up before the end of the week (apparently, I passed the personality test).
The guy was rattling off all the benefits which was like all the types of coverage, my leave entitlement blah blah.
So yeah, i guess it's pretty much confirmed.
Now, I got to think of how I'm going to tender.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Don't Know Where to Begin
It's really been some time and I dont know where to begin.
So let this post be a canvas on which I'll let my mind roam.
On the new job front, I took a personality test last midnight two nights ago and they're reviewing the results of that test. I'm actually quite worried. Shitfong told me before the test (or was it after) to not reveal what a terrorist i am. hahahhahahaa... that was funny, yet true at the same time.
I've lost all drive to work really. Which means coming to work was a chore and a pain. I touched down from seoul last night at 2am and couldnt get to sleep till 4am. Was a killer getting up at 8am. I decided to take it a bit easy and went to pump petrol and wash my car before going to work.
To illustrate how i dont care anymore, i was supposed to configure this blackberry for a new colleague before i left for seoul. Before my trip, i was supposed to go collect a rented 3G phone for use in Seoul cos i dont have a 3G phone. So i decided to take THAT blackberry which i was supposed to configure to Seoul. Hhahahahahahahah..
And i decided to leave early from work today. Left at 5pm to go to my chiro. They made me wait an hour, which was damn boring but it sure was better than sitting in the office. I was making some small talk with the receptionist again when she said she was going to church. After a huge round here and there, i found out her church was 5 minutes from my house and she lived 10 minutes away from me. Ha! All this while, she knew where i stayed but didnt tell me. I sent her to church since i was going home anyway.
That was my Friday.
So let this post be a canvas on which I'll let my mind roam.
On the new job front, I took a personality test last midnight two nights ago and they're reviewing the results of that test. I'm actually quite worried. Shitfong told me before the test (or was it after) to not reveal what a terrorist i am. hahahhahahaa... that was funny, yet true at the same time.
I've lost all drive to work really. Which means coming to work was a chore and a pain. I touched down from seoul last night at 2am and couldnt get to sleep till 4am. Was a killer getting up at 8am. I decided to take it a bit easy and went to pump petrol and wash my car before going to work.
To illustrate how i dont care anymore, i was supposed to configure this blackberry for a new colleague before i left for seoul. Before my trip, i was supposed to go collect a rented 3G phone for use in Seoul cos i dont have a 3G phone. So i decided to take THAT blackberry which i was supposed to configure to Seoul. Hhahahahahahahah..
And i decided to leave early from work today. Left at 5pm to go to my chiro. They made me wait an hour, which was damn boring but it sure was better than sitting in the office. I was making some small talk with the receptionist again when she said she was going to church. After a huge round here and there, i found out her church was 5 minutes from my house and she lived 10 minutes away from me. Ha! All this while, she knew where i stayed but didnt tell me. I sent her to church since i was going home anyway.
That was my Friday.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Troubled
I'm troubled.
It's 4:30am now.
I woke up with a jolt at 3am.
Tummyache.
And now i cant sleep.
I keep thinking about the job.
It seems to have gone to the final stages REALLY quickly.
Which is a good thing, since i hate to dilly dally.
But it's also scary cos within 10 days from the first call from the headhunter, things have moved swiftly.
And if I take the offer, i dont know how to resign.
I've never done it before, given that this is my first job. I need to ask my sis.
Ever since i got promoted recently, I now need to serve 3 mths' notice. 3 months should be suffice for me hand over my stuff.
But who can i hand over my emotions and memories to?
It's 4:30am now.
I woke up with a jolt at 3am.
Tummyache.
And now i cant sleep.
I keep thinking about the job.
It seems to have gone to the final stages REALLY quickly.
Which is a good thing, since i hate to dilly dally.
But it's also scary cos within 10 days from the first call from the headhunter, things have moved swiftly.
And if I take the offer, i dont know how to resign.
I've never done it before, given that this is my first job. I need to ask my sis.
Ever since i got promoted recently, I now need to serve 3 mths' notice. 3 months should be suffice for me hand over my stuff.
But who can i hand over my emotions and memories to?
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Punk'd
My perspective new boss called me in the office today to ask for some help on some markets, which i boasted that I knew a lot about.
I was glad the questions werent too difficult.
Scully he likes my answers/help so much that he doesnt hire me so that i can continue in my current company.
I was glad the questions werent too difficult.
Scully he likes my answers/help so much that he doesnt hire me so that i can continue in my current company.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Interview
I hate to go for interviews cos i hate to look like i need something from others. But that's just me, the pompous ass.
On the other hand, I like interviews cos it gives me the chance to talk about myself and my achievements, the pompous ass.
So it's a mixed feeling.
My interview was at 11am this morning so i didnt go to work. Just lazed around for Seinfeld at 7:30am and FRIENDS at 8:30am..
Then the interviewer called and asked to move it to 10:30am. I scrambled and zoomed down. From my house to the office, 18 mins. ZOOOOOOOOOM.
The big big boss came in and started to say that he was glad that i went to the finest high school (secondary school) in Singapore.
WEEEEEEEEERT?
Turns out he went to the same sec. sch as me.
Then the HR director said his wife taught GP at my JC.
Dammit, it felt like a family reunion.
I made some jokes, to show that I'm not a nasty person (until they hire me)
And i hate to sound gay about it but my direct bosses (one of which is the owner's son) is damn good looking. So it was very easy for me to pay attention and actually look earnest to him/them.
On the other hand, I like interviews cos it gives me the chance to talk about myself and my achievements, the pompous ass.
So it's a mixed feeling.
My interview was at 11am this morning so i didnt go to work. Just lazed around for Seinfeld at 7:30am and FRIENDS at 8:30am..
Then the interviewer called and asked to move it to 10:30am. I scrambled and zoomed down. From my house to the office, 18 mins. ZOOOOOOOOOM.
The big big boss came in and started to say that he was glad that i went to the finest high school (secondary school) in Singapore.
WEEEEEEEEERT?
Turns out he went to the same sec. sch as me.
Then the HR director said his wife taught GP at my JC.
Dammit, it felt like a family reunion.
I made some jokes, to show that I'm not a nasty person (until they hire me)
And i hate to sound gay about it but my direct bosses (one of which is the owner's son) is damn good looking. So it was very easy for me to pay attention and actually look earnest to him/them.
Psych
I was trying to psych myself up for the interview.
It's difficult.
Because it's difficult to show the hunger when you already have a current job which u can fall back on.
It's hard to pretend that you're yearning and craving for that job when you already are comfy for you.
It was getting difficult even with my power suit, power tie, power shoes, power pen, power puff(ed) body, power everything.
It was difficult until my boss called me just now at 11pm and talked about work till 12mn.
:(
I missed the 11:30pm edition of Seinfeld.
On a happier note, I can feel each of my tooth individually, now that the tartar is gone.
It's difficult.
Because it's difficult to show the hunger when you already have a current job which u can fall back on.
It's hard to pretend that you're yearning and craving for that job when you already are comfy for you.
It was getting difficult even with my power suit, power tie, power shoes, power pen, power puff(ed) body, power everything.
It was difficult until my boss called me just now at 11pm and talked about work till 12mn.
:(
I missed the 11:30pm edition of Seinfeld.
On a happier note, I can feel each of my tooth individually, now that the tartar is gone.
Lessons from the Drill
I went to the dentist after work today.
Partly becuase i havent been to the dentist in ages!! and partly cos i have an interview tomorrow so i thought i'd shine my teeth somewhat.
My dentist just moved and even at night, they were fixing the plasma tv... then i saw this.
I guess that's one way to drown out the screams from the patients.
There were many FHMs in the waiting room and i was browsing through when i saw this...
"Ways to Breeze the Interview.. Dress to Impress"
In it, it said:
1. Wear a two-button, instead of a three-button suit
2. Wear a nice tie; tie it with a dimple
3. Wear brown shoes to rev up the style factor
4. Bring a card holder
5. Bring a nice pen
6. Talk only 60% of the time
The headhunter met me today for lunch. And she gave me a pep talk. Like those u do to spur the troops, to pump up the adrenalin, to stir the loins, to... you get the idea..
So i'll do points 1-6 tomorrow.
Tomorrow it shall be then.
Partly becuase i havent been to the dentist in ages!! and partly cos i have an interview tomorrow so i thought i'd shine my teeth somewhat.
My dentist just moved and even at night, they were fixing the plasma tv... then i saw this.
I guess that's one way to drown out the screams from the patients.
There were many FHMs in the waiting room and i was browsing through when i saw this...
"Ways to Breeze the Interview.. Dress to Impress"
In it, it said:
1. Wear a two-button, instead of a three-button suit
2. Wear a nice tie; tie it with a dimple
3. Wear brown shoes to rev up the style factor
4. Bring a card holder
5. Bring a nice pen
6. Talk only 60% of the time
The headhunter met me today for lunch. And she gave me a pep talk. Like those u do to spur the troops, to pump up the adrenalin, to stir the loins, to... you get the idea..
So i'll do points 1-6 tomorrow.
Tomorrow it shall be then.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Soul
I'm happy to be in the office for an entire week this week. It's time to do some admin like catching up with friends, paying bills and possibly playing mahjong. *hint*
I'll be going to Seoul next week.
Seems like it's 21 deg high and 16 deg low there...
Brrr... cold...
I'll be going to Seoul next week.
Seems like it's 21 deg high and 16 deg low there...
Brrr... cold...
Dispenser
I realised that my readership of the blog is dropping.
In a lame-ass attempt to boost the figures, i'm posting more pics.
First is this penguin water dispenser i recently got. Enough capacity for 8 glasses of water, just what i need per day.
I went to do my 1k servicing over the weekend and also collected my Ralliart membership stuff.
A toy..
A personalised cash card.. i think it's quite cool, except that the cashcard is INSIDE the machine 96.5% of the time.
Here's the interior of the car... check out the sports pedals..
In a lame-ass attempt to boost the figures, i'm posting more pics.
First is this penguin water dispenser i recently got. Enough capacity for 8 glasses of water, just what i need per day.
I went to do my 1k servicing over the weekend and also collected my Ralliart membership stuff.
A toy..
A personalised cash card.. i think it's quite cool, except that the cashcard is INSIDE the machine 96.5% of the time.
Here's the interior of the car... check out the sports pedals..
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