Wider net: May 2008

Uniquely Chindia

There is no one homogenous culture that works across Asia. Every country in Asia has its own unique culture and way of doing things. What works well in one country may yield the opposite result in another. That is why Asia is such an interesting and challenging region to manage.

Being a HR practitioner in Asia, the ability to be flexible and adaptable is the key to managing HR matters in the region. Majority of the employment laws in Asia are pro-employee so hiring the right person on board is critical. As you have heard over and over again, the talent war in Asia is prevailing.

In economy booming countries such as China and India, staff retention is the key challenge. In China, with its "young" global commercial history, it is extremely difficult to find experienced veterans for senior roles. As a result, experienced employees are high in demand. Fresh graduates can join a company for a year, get trained and be poached off easily with a 30% to 50% salary hike. This has led to unsustainable sky-high salary hikes.

One possible way to counter such trends is to ensure that there is a continuous learning and development plan in place for the employees. This will show the company's genuine sincerity, interest and investment in their employees' career development. Even if we are still unable to stop employees from the lure of monetary gain but at least, we could minimise the impact. Asia is never a dull region to work in but definitely has its fair share of challenges.

Stephanie Chua
Regional HR director
Y&R and Wunderman Asia