All-In Recruitment is a podcast by Manatal focusing on all things related to the recruitment industry’s missions and trends. Join us in our weekly conversations with leaders in the recruitment space and learn their best practices to transform the way you hire.
Transcript
The transcript has been edited for clarity.
Lydia: Welcome to another episode of All-In Recruitment by Manatal, where we explore best practices, learnings, and trends with leaders in the recruitment space. If you've liked our content, please subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Spotify.
And stay tuned for weekly episodes. My name is Lydia and with us today is Dr. Loo Leap Han, Group Head of Talent Management at Biomed Global.
Good afternoon, Dr. Loo. Thank you for joining us on this podcast.
Loo: It's a pleasure to be here, Lydia.
Introducing Dr. Loo
Lydia: So, Dr. Loo, you've spent about two decades in the HR industry. With your experiences, I believe in manufacturing, infrastructure, construction, and healthcare. You also hold a Ph.D. in strategic HRM. So, walk us through some of the key moments in your journey as an HR leader.
Loo: I started my career in 1999, right after graduation. I spent almost the first decade in manufacturing setup. During that period, I was exposed to ensuring operations and transaction of works, exposed to efficient technical practices and policy. And on the second decade of my career, I've been involved very much in that construction infrastructure and healthcare, where I'm executing a lot of HR strategy and leadership roles. For example, policy-making, HR transformation of works, talent development, organizational designs, and building organizational culture.
So, throughout that 20 years of HR journey, I can see the evolution of HR tremendously change. Of course, way back, we are twofold. You're moving from personal illustrations to people and culture management now and involve a lot of HR digital tools to move away from transactional work and then towards the value creation of works. We're also focused very much on skills-based competency, where we upskill and rescale our talents.
Now, we are so bombarded with work-life integrations, employee well-being, and mental health. These are people agendas we are championing in this time, 2022, 2023, and onwards.
Of course, not to mention the Diversity Equity positions, and we have multi-diverse generational differences in the workforce. And not to mention young people’s analytics.
“When I was way back in 1990, people analytics was not very new to HR practitioners, but now, it's a massive skill. We all need these fundamental people analytics to make strategic human capital decisions.”
And last but not least, how we see HR can supplement and support the ESG, which we call ‘Environmental Sustainability and Governance.’
Trends in Healthtech Recruitment Over the Next Year
Lydia: What are some key observations you've made about recruitment in this Southeast Asian region?
Loo: We can see, we can analyze, and we also experience the new trend of recruitment, where we have a large population of talents, and they are connected to social networks, for example, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. I can also see the trends very focused on soft skills. We focus very much on creativity, empathy, communication skills, as well as emotional intelligence.
Of course, the hard skill is a subject matter expert, that is, pre-requirements. However, we can see the criteria for selection in equipment. We are focusing very much more on soft skills for now. And we can see a new trend where we do not. We call it ‘Blind Hiring,’ where we remove all the identification details from the resume and application, allowing the hiring teams to evaluate the candidate based solely on the applicant's skills and experience, not by who the person is or what the individual looks like.
And, of course, we talk about HR technology. Recruitments can speed up all the processes, especially knowing how long it takes to fill a position. This technology is called the ‘Applicant Tracking system.’
Lydia: Biomed Global is in the health tech space. And the healthcare industry, in particular, has been seeing an expanding demand for qualified specialized talent. Healthcare is booming. So, what are some trends you foresee in health tech recruitment over the next year?
Loo: So, we have two core groups in the health section. One will be focused very much on the life sciences, or clinical, in which we have technical application groups, scientists, and medical officers. The other group is called the digital team. So, we're looking at how we combine these two groups to work together to bring forward that health tech industry.
Now, what I can foresee is that we have high demand but very low supply in terms of our talent gaps. We need someone with an Artificial Intelligence background, those machine learning, new skill sets, and Pluck software, which is very limited and very scarce in the market. However, this is the biggest challenge most talent and talent acquisitions face regarding their health attack.
The next trend will be focusing on contract-based opinion. This approach enables us to have the opportunity to select from a larger pool of candidates. And also, the roles that require specific skill sets are filled with contract-based recruitment and healthcare companies.
Some of you might have a project based on how we revitalize our technology. It may take one or two years. So, instead of looking for permanent FTE talents, we may look at contingency or contract-based-recruitment. They have the mobility options to move as they grow. Next will be the offering of lucrative salaries and perks.
These are some of the trends I can foresee in the coming years when discussing recruitment in health tech.
Lydia: So, what skills should a recruiter in the health tech industry should have to be ready for these trends?
Loo: First and foremost, technology. The ability to use that technology to outreach these talents. We no longer depend on the traditional way. We must use many platforms to outreach to a larger group of talents. Secondly, you have to be very in with the communication skills. You need to have very good negotiating and persuasive skills in order to attract and bring talent on board.
Of course, analytical skills are a requirement for us to do an assessment, talent assessments to match the skill sets and competency. Marketing skills, even though we are HR practitioners, we also need to be able to market our company even if the job is out there. So, it's about how we can present that information more.
So that when people approach, they will have better clarity and better expectations for this particular role. And last but not least, attention to detail. The HR practitioner or even a talent acquisition professional has to be very attentive in terms of what you want and what is in for the candidate. So for organizations, these are some of the skills that are vital to have and be ready for.
How Do Leaders Tackle the Talent Shortages in Media?
Lydia: Many companies, including Biomed, and every company are into a tech-driven sort of business operation today.
And looking at the pandemic as well as where we've come so far, many businesses have been pushed into becoming tech businesses themselves. So, what would you say are the biggest challenges facing tech recruitment? And how do HR leaders tackle them?
Loo: As I mentioned earlier, media, labor, or talents in this area of industry, the shortage is something that will not be over in this short period.
We need to make a recruitment plan. Now, it's not so much about preparing for what’s next but more about ensuring that there are enough people to fill this position well in the future. And our recruitment strategy should be geared towards the needs and habits of this new wave of job seekers. We must understand the talent needs. Next, the challenge will be targeting passive candidates.
“Leaders must learn to identify where these passive candidates are and how we can tap into their networks. They are looking out, but they are not desperate to look out. It's about keeping them warm and ensuring that the networks continue. That's an opportunity.”
I think that will help bring this talent on board after knowing how we work, our culture, etc. And to improve the candidate experience, we need to improve our system by streamlining all the tasks such as candidate engagement and contacts, the recruitment process management, marketing, and more. The easy way to do it is to tap into recruitment services providers' expertise and understand the job market and hiring trends.
“It's all about the right digital tools that can bring a better candidate experience that will be beneficial and speed up our recruitment drives.”
Lydia: We've seen plenty of disruptive forces, so to speak, hybrid work, the gig workforce contingency workers, and then we're also looking at a heated war for talent. So, what are your observations of this in the four countries regarding operations and strategy?
Loo: I will share Biomed Global's experience with some of my counterparts in the HR pier. I think flexible work hours are a must. Everyone enjoys these flexible working arrangements or hours where we give them a lot of trust and power to manage their work effectively.
And then we also involve collaborative online tools to ensure that we are connected and able to have meetings by using Microsoft Teams, Zooms, etc., as well as ensuring that we have the right facilities to support this work method.
And, of course, now, my challenge or focus will be on the Flexi-benefits, how we monetize our benefits based on employee needs and preferences instead of one basket, where we fit everything in.
We realize some may not be enjoying certain benefits. So, what we do is monetize by values, and you decide what you think is best for yourself. At Biomed Global, we are undergoing HR and other digital transformations. And, of course, talent management is also part of the department involved in how we streamline our HR processes, and we spend a lot of investment into employee well-being. This will give a good ambiance in terms of life integration inside our organization and so forth.
So, in our industry, healthcare, we champion social purpose because what we do matters. We have a lot of activities of corporate social responsibility campaigns, working together with the public and private sector, public and private healthcare sector, not to mention upskilling our talents. Regardless of whether they are hybrid, gig, etc., we need to upskill to be very competitive in the market.
Last but not least, we've talked about robots and humans in the workplace, right? So, this is a new evolution of how we mix, how we hybrid the way we work. With systems and humans, we believe that we can achieve better efficiency and productivity.
How Can Recruiters Communicate Culture Effectively?
Lydia: You mentioned earlier about looking at skills, first hiring strategy. Looking at what competencies people have, blind hiring, etc. And very often, hiring takes place for the skill first. And conversations about culture, whether it's a fit, adaptability, enrichment, or culture add for that matter. Sometimes it's not so easy to determine that at the get-go.
How might recruiters or even hiring managers communicate that culture effectively, especially towards those candidates or even new hires?
Loo: I would strongly suggest that you do it before day one. Talking about culture, our company culture in the interview, talking about what it means to work at the company, and how we set clear expectations from the very start. This will help the recruiter to hire the talent for culture as much as skills.
So, we did that. In our interview, we will display our corporate video, show our office design, and share our purpose. That will make candidates say, "Wow, this is the company that I want to work with. Wow, this is how the global working environment is."
And that will give us a higher confidence level to engage and probably close the hiring deals. Next, I would like to talk about simplicity. We do not use bombastic words to share our communication content with our people. We need to make it easy to understand. Simplicity is one of the approaches in how we communicate culture in the workplace.
And, of course, we use a lot of multiple platforms, like WAX or even video platforms like TikTok. You have all of these in place to get the message, culture, and organizational message across more effectively.
Lydia: And we're also seeing a multi-generational workforce now that more and more Gen Z candidates coming in. So, what is your perspective or even some tips for the audience on how to facilitate this multi-generational workforce in terms of building strong and cohesive culture?
Loo: At Biomed Global, we recognize talents. Everyone enjoys recognition, especially the younger generation, like Gen Zs and the Millennials. And we also look for opportunities where we can share our recognition with someone, like, "Hey, your input in this report is amazing." Just a very simple statement, "Oh, you work hard on the sales pitch, and it shows excellent presentations."
These are some very simple dialogues that we can use to recognize someone's contributions and our effort to put in a moment at the right time. I believe that it will give you a very good positive working culture in terms of how we respect each other ideas, opinions, or even contributions in the workplace.
And then what I can share next is about the economy. Always look for the flexibility that we can offer our employees to help them. For example, do they need time off to take their kids to daycare? Do they love being in the office because it gives them a break from the family? So, we try to accommodate their well-being concept. And with that, we can portray a healthy culture and incorporate this autonomy principle into our workplace.
And last but not least is coaching. So, coaching is something every leader should be prepared to do for both the team and the individual. They can take support. And this coaching ties in well with our workplace culture, which promotes continuous learning and helps team members and the company to stay fresh while also helping a lot to create a very inclusive and multi-generational workplace culture and promote or collaborate well in inclusive behavior. With that, we can build this culture organically. And with that, I believe we will have a very conducive and healthy workplace culture.
Lydia: And that culture contributes to how long someone wants to stay in an organization. There's a direct correlation right there. But do you have any other ways in which there's a dedicated approach toward talent retention?
Loo: Of course. Besides workplace culture, we also look at the total reward system. I believe it's a must. But it's a matter of how we make them more attractive and personalized. I'm quite privileged because my headcount is not huge. So, we can do a lot of personalized benefits to different levels of different groups or categories. And here, we always champion our set of brand values. And we walk to talk. We empower our talents to make decisions. That allows them to be the best version of themselves in organizations. And we give a lot of recognition, we even have casting gifts for those loyal employees with us for many years, and then after they complete the service, we just reward them with a gift, a company card gift.
There are many ways we can do retention, per se. But you also look at the cost factor, the affordability as to how effective this talent retention strategy can last. So, these are some of the most prominent kinds of retention strategies that we're working with now. And, of course, there is no perfect retention chart at the end of the day. There is no perfect strategist. So, we work along as it goes.
What Is the Best Approach to Manage the Company’s Brand?
Lydia: Let's talk about where we're headed into the rest of the decade. We're in an economic pinch right now. And we've seen mass layoffs in very large companies. So, how should professionals approach employer branding when companies are downsizing?
Loo: That's a very good question. Employer branding may not seem a high priority to some because we talk about downsizing, right-sizing, and job security. So, some may not look at it at that moment as a high priority. But you shouldn't neglect that because, at that time, it is exactly when organizations must take care of, respect, protect, and even elevate their reputations across internal and external stakeholders.
So, whether you need to hire quickly, need to face a reduction in workforce, or anything in between, you must uphold your values and promises in a very transparent and honest way. So there is a way, the best approach to manage the company brand as per our reputation. You may need to rethink how the product or services you provide are truly important to the greater community or healthcare. Especially at Biomed Global, we are in healthcare, so we stress our purpose or what we do matters.
Being relevant and adapting to new circumstances is the key to our brand power, as well as to the overall reputation of our organization. And last but not least, be transparent about your business situations and about what's going on. Do share important contacts with the employees. Adopting a frank and clear communication plan will help the workforce be informed and assured that they are well taken care of. The right may not be 100%, but at least to some extent.
When employees are in the dark, your organization is certainly subject to disruptions. And your employer brands and anti-brands can be timeless. So, clarity is important. We also look into the possibility of retaining our talents by re-skilling them, changing their job profile, or across projects to support the organization and business.
What Has Been the Impact of Recruitment Tools like ATS On Talent Strategies?
Lydia: You spoke earlier about the importance of Applicant Tracking Systems and HR technology. And you said that Biomed Global is undergoing a digital transformation, and HR is not excluded from that. So, what would you say has been the impact of recruitment tools like an ATS, like a monitor on talent strategies that you may be working on?
Loo: I've seen Manatal as a very useful software application. And they have a lot of features that can support local as well as international recruitment. Now, that implies how we can be efficient.
“Recruitment tools can automate and streamline all our administrative recruiter tasks and free our time to have a very meaningful conversation with prospective candidates.”
I realized my team is too focused on checking the process, but we neglect the engagement part with the candidates. So, this system with this tool helps us to streamline all these non-value-added processes. And, of course, be able to do a lot of automated screening of profiles. And then we also can do interview scheduling for candidates with any queries.
We can alert and communicate with the candidates. With that, we can save so much time and spend a lot of our attention on more value-added recruitment with our candidates. And with that system itself, we can present a very strong corporate branding because we realize talents or candidates are very cautious, and they are looking into how advanced this company they're planning to work with. And with a very strong recruitment tool, we can champion many, for example, social media recruitment campaigns.
And we can have a lot of those diverse, inclusive, bias-free practices. When we do our recruitment with a hub of recruitment, those digital recruitment tools, we can have a better candidate experience. With all the technology features, we can communicate virtually or even with automated scripts to have more real-time conversations with the candidates if they have any inquiries. So, with digital recruitment tools, you can be free of 70 or 80% of our administrative recruitment tasks.
Lydia: You've had two decades of looking at the evolution of HR, right up to the point where you've seen so many HR technologies, including an ATS. So, what advice would you give someone starting today in recruitment as a freshie?
Loo: My advice would be to dare to speak up if we do what is right and for the right reason. Because we are the sharing service departments, and, of course, we want to ensure that every position is filled at the soonest possible time. If we struggle, we dare to speak up and share our challenges with the management or the hiring manager. Also, be humble. Ask if you do not know, and share what you know.
And we talk about recruitment being so borderless with so many trends in the market. So, learn as much as you can. And I also stress being accurate in your people analytics and decision-making. Always validate. When you do recruitment and hiring, ensure you validate all the assessments and all the evaluations between the hiring manager and the potential candidates.
And, of course, be resilient, do your best, and be tested at what you do. Check up on professional costs, professional certification in recruitment, or personality assessment. Anything that helps you to bring up your professionalism as a talent acquisition subject matter expert.
Lydia: Thank you so much, Dr. Loo, for your wonderful insights and your time today. I'm sure the audience would like to know where they can connect with you. Maybe they want to take a conversation further.
Loo: You can direct message me on my LinkedIn. My email is michael.loo@biomed-global.com. And if you need any help, please engage with me. I will do my best to support the HR community.
Lydia: We have been in conversation with Dr. Loo Leap Han, Group Head of Talent Management at Biomed Global. If you like our content so far, please subscribe to our channels to stay tuned for more weekly episodes from All-In Recruitment. Thank you.
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