Spring 2008 Issue > The Hunt for Talent in Asia - Part II
The Hunt for Talent in Asia - Part II
Competency Development is a Two-Way Street
In Part I, I focused on how Eastern cultural influences and education have an impact on workplace competencies and workforce development, and how it might be that multinational corporations (MNCs) perceive critical leadership skills to be lacking in locally educated staff.
However, we note that competency development is a two-way street, in which a mutual appreciation of cultural strengths can only serve to drive one’s own career and performance. Not appreciating the significant local competencies that exist in the East can cause employers to overlook valuable contributions from their employees. There are many skills that the West can learn from the East. Take for example the ingrained diligence and work ethic driven by societal and familial expectations, customer service values driven by respect for hierarchy, and the ability to accept and follow instructions, again driven by respect for authority and relationships.
One also cannot overlook the fact that many Eastern countries are former British colonies and are now cultural melting pots, resulting in a lack of insularity and an acceptance and tolerance of other cultures. Last, but not least, take the decision-making process. Compared to their Eastern counterparts, Western decision making is very task focused, based for the most part on facts and observable data, which in turn may sometimes be detrimental to relationships. In Asia, decisions are usually made at a more conservative pace, with a great deal of pragmatism, taking into account the other players, their input and the long-term effects of these decisions. On the surface, this may appear to make decision-making slower but as a result of this approach, decisions are not made in haste, which can actually save time in the long-run.
Encourage Idea Sharing
Western managers unfamiliar with Eastern cultures are often surprised if they get little or no response when they invite opinions from their Asian staff, especially in a group setting. They may not be aware that in the East, authority figures are expected to guide their juniors, not ask for their opinions, so instead of being gratified at being asked for their opinion, staff are alarmed and left wondering if their manager is setting a trap for them!
With more cultural awareness, an expatriate manager might find more success if they encourage “idea sharing.” The manager may, for instance, spend more time setting the stage for why he or she is asking an opinion. or, conduct this type of questioning on an individual basis instead of in a group, so their subordinate can “save face.” Another approach would be to give the staff member time to think about it in advance so they can prepare what they feel is an appropriate response. On the flip side, instead of being impatient with what might be perceived as a lack of initiative or lateral thinking, perhaps managers can appreciate the fact that it is better for staff to wait for direction instead of taking the wrong initiative, with all its unintended results! Some restraint is a good thing–consider how very annoying it is for staff to openly and vociferously proffer their opinions and suggestions at every turn, without so much as a by-your-leave…
Competency Perceptions
One can argue that “perception” is nine-tenths of the law. Competency gaps in the workforce in the East, as perceived by Western managers, will affect recruitment strategies, often times ending up as a self-fulfilling prophesy. Perceptions of limitations in their key competencies might have a “halo or horns” effect (which can lead to overrating or underrating an employee’s performance). Worse is the perception’s affect on the long-term grooming of competencies in the local population.
An unintended result of this might be that the populace who cannot afford an international education will lose the motivation to develop critical soft skills required by MNCs, which would only perpetuate the market segmentation between locally educated staff, overseas returnees and expatriates.
Developing Behavioral Skills
Traditionally big business has seen no need to sponsor primary education, and some only get involved in driving academic courses suited to their businesses at tertiary levels. Typically, Asian schools focus primarily on academic results, with extra curricula activities being a very expensive add on–something which only the privileged can afford. These traditional practices reinforce the notion that industry knowledge and academic results are the only criteria needed for success.
In the last decade, managers have started to realise that other traits such as personality and interpersonal skills are equally important. Successful life behaviours are not developed overnight but are honed from a very young age. The Asian workforce is much more likely to develop these behaviors if they were provided with opportunities beyond academia at an early age. Critical skills such as adaptability, lateral thinking, initiative, etc., are no longer just the domain of leaders. These skills are needed at every level, ranging from client-facing customer service staff to the most senior managers. Once these behavioral skills are developed, they are transferable across industries, jobs and roles.
Improving the Educational Landscape
All of this reinforces the fact that companies will be serving their own best interests and workforce sustainability by contributing to basic local education, for instance by:
- Educating HR recruiters about the need for higher weighting of extra curricular activities and the resultant well rounded personalities.
- Sponsoring local programmes in public schools so students can engage in more activities such as sports, theatre, debates and music.
- Lobbying governments to drive free or heavily subsidised extra curricular activities and employing first-rate professional trainers.
- Providing scholarships from secondary school onwards. Getting involved in school curricula and teacher education.
- Raising the bar for business language skills instead of accepting mediocrity.
If companies wish to develop long-term staffing solutions to ensure local competencies and workforce sustainability, they must work with governments and educational entities to enhance and develop grassroots education (offering internships don’t go far enough). They must help develop progressive thought in local public school teachers who are forming young minds for the demands of a globalised world, and learn to capitalise on the existing strengths that make the East a great place in which to live and work.
Debbie Mannas is the Regional Manager, HRD (Human Resource Development) & Strategy for Crown Worldwide Asia-Pacific. Debbie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Sociology and a Master’s degree in Training & Human Resource Management. She has over 13 years of HRD experience and has spent the last five in a senior role at Crown. We asked Debbie to share her expertise on the challenges Western HR Managers are facing while recruiting in Asia.