#BreakTheBias Gender Equity At Work​​New research from ManpowerGroup reveals that while 86% of companies are measuring gender parity, most are looking purely at pay equity (often driven by regulation), with far fewer measuring the number of women in traditionally male-dominated roles and the number of women in senior leadership positions.​To learn more about the research click HERE

What Women Want (at Work)​​​To #BreakTheBias ManpowerGroup is calling for more companies to respond to What Women Want at Work – new data shows autonomy, career progression, and feeling motivated/ passionate about the work they do matters most.​​​Find out more about the research here:Download now​​​​

The Great Realization Report: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency 2022 has the potential to be one of the most transformative years in recent history. From workers taking more control of their professional lives to the seemingly never-ending struggle of employers to recruit and retain talent to the rapid acceleration of digital adoption to businesses realizing they need to become more sophisticated; several trends have emerged that will impact organizations of every size and the people who work for them.  It’s those transformative emerging trends that are the focus of ManpowerGroup’s latest report and look at the 2022 labor landscape, The Great Realization: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency identifies the top 20 trends that will shape the world of work throughout the course of the year and beyond.  ​While these topic areas and the respective trends within each are not new, they have taken on a renewed urgency as we continue to transition to the next phase of what the new normal looks like. These 20 trends, and what they mean for the future of work and workers, represent the tipping point for what we see on the horizon in terms of how businesses around the world will need to evolve and adapt in order to operate in this new era of normal. Change is constant, and no organization is immune to the way the current playbook is being rewritten.  ​For more information about the top 20 trends for the 2022 labor landscape, download Full Report​The Great Realization: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency

​​The Asia Pacific region is generally considered to be a low-cost option for offshoring human capital, and while that continues to be the case for the most part, consideration of regulations, skilled supply, and productivity influence which markets make sense for various employment strategies. ​​ManpowerGroup 2021 Total Workforce Index (TWI) has ranked Malaysia 31st out of 75 markets as the most favourable country for business based on skills availability, cost efficiency, regulation and productivity globally. At the same time, it ranked 32nd on the Remote Readiness Ranking and the informal workforce currently comprises 26% of the total workforce. ​​In the Asia Pacific, Malaysia ranked 9th out of 15 markets in the TWI. ​​TOTAL WORKFORCE INDEX MALAYSIA​The TWI analysed 75 markets for more than 200 unique factors, providing a comprehensive and comparative analysis of four categories: Workforce Supply, Cost Efficiency, Regulation and Productivity. The markets that rank highest in the Total Workforce Index™ are United States, Singapore and Canada with the highest relative performance across all four categories and have successfully responded to remote workforce readiness, automation, skills gaps and potential talent shortages, shifting regulations and the rapid pace of technology. ​Malaysia's scoring for each indicator is as follows: ​Workforce Supply ​​Malaysia's total workforce is 16.01 million. By generation in the total workforce, Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1965) make up 13%; Generation X (born between 1966 and 1975) make up 18%; Generation Y (born between 1976 and 1995) make up 35% and others make up 34%. The country comprises of 26.50% highly skilled workforce that is white collar. ​While this category is not solely dependent on the size of the market's workforce, larger markets have tended to have an advantage in past years. But today's focus on virtual employees tethered to centralized projects has increased the importance of language proficiency, border access, remote scalability of resources, and workforce demographics. With this remote readiness in mind, Malaysia captures 20.56% remote work suitability with 21% of the workforce with working English proficiency. ​​Workforce Cost Efficiency ​Cost efficiency is a factor that most organizations consider a deciding point in the market selection. This factor may remain a primary influencer driving new investments into these markets, however, ensuring that a market has an adequate supply of the right talent and legislation conducive to hiring strategies must be considered for successful hiring in foreign markets.​The reported cost of doing business in Malaysia is at 11.10% of the country's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. Equal pay for equal work is currently not mandated, and the average monthly wage in the country is at US$779. ​Workforce Regulation ​Though labour regulations are rarely the primary focus of market selection, they are often a deciding factor among top contenders. The impact that the regulatory environment has on the overall investment opportunity in a particular market is critical, but too often overlooked when employers choose which markets to hire in. Evaluating markets that rank well in this category from the start can prove advantageous to organizations as they explore remote and onsite employment strategies. ​As with last year, sub-contracting (contingent staffing) is allowed in Malaysia, and there is no maximum tenure for a single-term contract. In terms of openness of visa policies, Malaysia ranks 89th (Ranking of countries based on the openness of its visa policies where 1 is most open globally). At the same time, the country ranks 12th (based on economics and regulation where 1 is easiest) for ease of doing business. ​Productivity ​With cost often leading the way in market evaluations, wages are always top of mind. Evaluating the potential workforce productivity can ensure the accuracy and relevance of that wage analysis by accounting for the overtime, holidays, and standard working hours in a given market. ​Countries with longer workdays or more hours in a workweek offer increased opportunities for higher levels of productivity without the additional cost associated with overtime premiums. ​However, these markets were not ranked highest in productivity based on working hours alone. Other workforce considerations include labour market stability, infrastructural and technical readiness, and other employment restrictions that could impact an organizations workforce strategy. ​The average workweek in Malaysia comprises 48 hours, versus an average of 41.7 hours in the region. However, the average workday is made up of eight hours, on par with the regional average. Further, labour market efficiency is at 70.20, slightly higher than the region's at 67.10. ​Thus, with the right combination of data and insight, companies can ensure their workforce strategy is aligned to their business strategy. ManpowerGroup has spent decades developing strategies and tools that organizations can leverage today to face change. The Total Workforce Index™ is a robust tool company can leverage to make decisions for a reimagined future. ​Read the summary and download the reportThe Total Workforce Index Summary Report​​

The Total Workforce Index Summary Report​For eight years, the Total Workforce Index™ (TWI) has measured the relative ease of sourcing, hiring and retaining contingent and permanent workers. It’s the only index of its kind to analyze over 200 factors across 75 competing labor markets, providing a comprehensive and comparative view of four key categories: WORKFORCE SUPPLY, COST EFFICIENCY, REGULATION and WORKFORCE PRODUCTIVITY.​This paper takes a closer look at the macro-level TWI data to identify market characteristics of Mature, Emerging and Incubator markets. It surfaces three important labor market opportunities while looking specifically at investment opportunities in key growth sectors of Digital Services, Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Energy.​Mature markets:  These  20  markets  are  home to the largest contingents of growth talent (average 40% skilled workers) and have infrastructures to support upskilling and reskilling; exposed to wage inflation.  ​In Mature markets, 40% of contingent work is among highly skilled.​Incubator markets:  There are 16 high-potential markets for Digital Services, Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Energy technologies and they  provide an opportunity to balance skilled labor with cost competitiveness.  ​Advanced Manufacturing Incubator Markets have a young (39% Gen Z/millennials), highly skilled workforce (33%) with an average monthly wage nearly half ($2,314) that of Mature markets.​Emerging markets:  These are 31 markets with a rising Gen Z/millennial workforce (50% or greater share of total labor pool) but a shortage of skilled talent due to low rates of tertiary education and they require long-term investments.   ​Emerging markets have half the number (20%) of highly skilled workers as  Mature markets (40%) with only 19% of workers aged 25+ having a tertiary education as compared to 39% in Mature markets.​ ​Market intelligence tools such as the Total Workforce Index™(TWI) have become a go-to intelligence source that has proven to be a difference-maker in a company’s ability to execute growth strategies.​Organizations can also conduct customized analyses with the weightings for data adjusted to factors that drive growth uniquely within a specific industry and market(s). The opportunities for customization are extensive. ​Download the full reportTWI 2021​or visit the TWI website to explore the data and rankings.​​​

The global economy, Malaysia included, continues to endure the severe challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This black swan event has affected Malaysians of every ethnicity and social strata as well as workers in both the public and private sectors. Whole industries faced upheavals, and many of our day-to-day interactions are now conducted virtually.​Some sectors experienced growth. The Financial and Insurance, Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, Human health and social work activities & Information and communication sectors grew by 11%, 7% and 6% and 4% respectively in 2020. More recently, the highest growth of filled jobs in Services was in ICT Sub Sector of 4% in Q1 2021 VS Q4 2020.​If you wonder what and how the talent market is evolving for Telco in Malaysia, we prepared a quick snapshot for you:​​Talent Market Report Telco Industry - Malaysia​Key Areas of Consideration​Commoditised offerings from industry players with differentiation mainly in areas such as pricing and customer service. The market has reached near full saturation in terms of individual users rendering business growth ever more challenging. Increased requirements of capital expenditure for 5G infrastructure deployment along with compliance burdens. Opportunities for introducing new services that are enabled by 5G technologies especially in the B2B sector to monetise investments. Larger focus on users’ data management, analysis and security. Talent shortage in areas that are crucial for future growth. ​​Talent Demand Update​In Malaysia the Critical Occupations List highlights several positions that are needed by the Telco industry. They were mainly in IT & Networks, Data Security & Analysis, Business Development & Content Creation.​We are observing solid demand growth across these positions in Malaysia. Key skills that are needed by Telco’s to introduce new services such as Network Engineers, Developers, Sales & Marketing professionals have all grown since 2020 by an average of 240% and in 2021 by an average of 30% ​​Telco's Dilemma​The Malaysian mobile subscriber base is saturated with 137% of population being cellular subscribers. ​Moreover, user experience across 5 major providers is relatively same. In fact the difference in experience between top and bottom Telco companies on a 100 points scale is negligible. For example, in video experience, Maxis scored 58/100 as a top performer. Celcom scored 52.2/100 as a bottom performer.​With the increased reliance on networks as a direct result of the pandemic, Telco providers have a great opportunity to leverage new technologies and introduce 5G enabled services especially in the B2B market. For this, finding the right talent will be a key differentiator that enables business growth.​​Telco Talent Preferences​The top 3 preferences candidates in Malaysia look for when considering working in the Telco Industry are Salary, Career Development and Work-life balance.​Interestingly, unlike average Malaysian candidates, in the Telco sector Career Growth takes the second spot as the most important factor rather than Work Life Balance.​​Download Whitepaper here​Talent Market Report Telco Industry - Malaysia​Get the Telco Market Snapshot to explore key questions that may help your company save costs and align with business strategies:​​​

Top 21 Trends for 2021 - Full Report​​Existing trends are accelerating, driving digital transformation at an unprecedented scale as a result of the global health, economic and social crisis. Coupled with uncertainty and the emergence of new trends organizations need to transform their workforces to ensure they have the skills and competencies needed to retain and retool for an uncertain future.​Organizations can better prepare for the coming 2021 trends impacting talent and the new global “work” order by:​Creating greater workforce flexibilityStrengthening talent sustainability and worker wellbeingPowering digital transformations​These 21 Trends in 2021 outline the major forces of demographic shifts, a rise of individual choice, growing client sophistication, technological revolution as well as emerging trends shaping the workplace and workforce of the future.​For more information, download ManpowerGroup's Top 21 Trends in 2021Top 21 Trends in 2021​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant

​Many have pondered when the world will return to "normal" since the coronavirus pandemic began. But it's uncertain whether things will ever return to the way they were: remote working, for example, appears to be here to stay, and going to the movies may never be as popular as it once was.​If you wonder what and how is the talent market is evolving for BFSI in Malaysia, we prepared a quick snapshot for you:​Download Whitepaper hereTalent Market Report BFSI Industry - Malaysia​Key Areas of Consideration​BFSI industry in Malaysia has a lot to improve concerning digitalization Managing information technology (IT) risk Emerging developments within the financial sector workforce ​Talent Demand Update​ManpowerGroup's recent Talent Shortage Survey found that 69% of employers globally – a 15-year high – are reporting difficulties hiring skilled workers. Competition for talent is heating up and companies increasingly need help in finding and reskilling talent for their fast-changing needs. ​As tech disruption accelerates employers are looking for the right blend of technical skills and human strengths. The top global roles in demand globally are Operations & Logistics, Manufacturing & Production, Sales & Marketing, IT & Data, and Administration. ​In Malaysia specifically, we are seeing a similar trend. We observe solid growth in demand across all positions in 2021. Although the strongest growth is seen in IT and Customer Service related roles, Finance, Accounting, Audit, and Tax specialists, when combined together, have consistently been among the highest roles in demand in volume. ​​​BFSI Dilemma​Arising from the pandemic, there was an accelerated shift towards online financial services. In 2020, online banking transactions grew by 49% while e-wallet transactions increased by 131% compared to 2019.​It is evident that this sector will continue to adapt to digital disruption. Customer retention is more and more dependent on Cyber and IT risk management that financial institutions can provide. ​​With that, paradoxically, there is an increased need for the human side of transformation and talent that can connect the dots between tech and business​​BFSI Talent Preferences​The top 3 preferences candidates in Malaysia look for when considering working in the Financial or Banking industries are Salary, Career Development, and Work-Life balance.​Interestingly, unlike average Malaysian candidates, in the Banking & Financial Services sector, Career Growth takes the second spot as the most important factor rather than Work-Life Balance.​​​​Download Whitepaper hereTalent Market Report BFSI Industry - Malaysia​Get the BFSI Market Snapshot to explore key questions that may help your company save costs and align with business strategies:​​​

​How Does Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Work? ​​We are seeing that Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) has risen in popularity in Malaysia. To help you understand this recruiting solution, we wanted to share a few thoughts.​RPO is one of Malaysia's fastest-growing service models due to its ability to manage high volumes of recruitment. With a more customized approach to hiring, sourcing, and screening, executive positions can be filled more easily and efficiently.​What is RPO?​RPO is the process of permanently outsourcing your hiring needs to an external company. It enables employers to outsource part or all of their internal recruitment operations to an RPO provider and they offer you with the requisite skillsets, technology, and process methodologies.​How does it work?​Sourcing – Experienced RPO firms have access to vast candidate databases that they have accumulated over time. Moreover, they understand how to leverage the power of social media by discovering and learning about candidates you are less likely to face.​In-depth screening – RPO providers will carefully screen each applicant they bring, making sure to cover any industry-specific specifications. An agency will determine if the applicant is a good match for the company's culture, and whether they uphold your ethics and principles, at this stage of the hiring process.​Hiring – Following that, an RPO provider will begin scheduling and facilitating interviews. They will be able to support you with any pay or benefit package negotiations once you've made your final call.​Besides, as a long-term partner, an RPO provider is able to provide continuous evaluation of the hiring process. This is likely to include the duration to hire, cost to hire and the retention rates. ​​How does RPO differ from conventional recruiting?​RPO differs from traditional recruitment due to the nature of the relationship between the provider and the client company. A typical staffing firm will collaborate with you to fill one or two open vacancies. ​An RPO provider, on the other hand, gets more involved and works with you over time, knowing all there is to understand about your business and what a candidate needs to fit in. So, RPO:Optimizes your recruitment processStreamlines your operationsFocuses on long-term business strategyRe-build talent pipelines with high-quality talent in a rapid, cost-efficient way while receiving a guaranteed 100% project fulfilment.​​Why should you consider engaging with a RPO provider?​​Today's hiring environment is very challenging. You must negotiate a tight employment market, become competent in a set of related technologies, and handle and nurture applicants and hiring managers in order to efficiently attract top talent.​​​Why Manpower Group?​​We at Manpower RPO Project provides an agile recruiting solution that is cost-efficient and rapidly scalable.  ​​Talent Mapping Insights​We provide deep insights on talent trends in your market to guide strategic planning and strengthen your employee value proposition (EVP). Through an in-depth understanding of local markets, we provide seamless, engaging hiring experiences. We leverage data for hiring decisions to improve job matching, leading to higher satisfaction and talent retention.​​Global Delivery Hubs​Accelerate the deployment of high-volume recruiting solutions via our shared RPO delivery locations strategically located worldwide. Multi-language capabilities enable us to source and qualify a strong network of diverse candidates, to provide you with a flexible and scalable sourcing option.​​PowerSuite / Technology​​By partnering with best-in-class technology providers, key capabilities are integrated directly into PowerSuite, which creates the flexibility to tailor our offerings to meet evolving client and candidate needs. Leveraging data and automation, our solutions increase your efficiency, improve candidate experience, reduce cost and risk, and improve hiring quality while reducing time-to-fill.​​Project RPO-Playbook from Mohammad Kashif​​Get in touch today and an experienced consultant from our Talent Solutions team will gladly provide you with needed advice.​​

Many have pondered when the world will return to "normal" since the coronavirus pandemic began. But it's uncertain whether things will ever return to the way they were: remote working, for example, appears to be here to stay, and going to the movies may never be as popular as it once was.​As Business Process Outsourcing Services start to pick up in Malaysia, competition for BPO is intense in Asia-Pacific. While India and China have dominated the market for a long time, Malaysia ranked third on AT Kearney’s 2019Global Services Location Index (GSLI),an annual ranking of BPO and IT outsourcing destinations. If you wonder what and how is the talent market is evolving for BPO in Malaysia, we prepared a quick snapshot for you:Download Whitepaper here​Talent Market Report BPO Industry - Malaysia​Key Areas of Consideration​Increased skills deficits especially in Data Analytics, Automation, Innovative Thinking, Functional Expertise and Digital Competencies Productivity improvement challenges Limited availability of multilingual candidates with closed borders in Malaysia and Requirements for release letters from current employers. Longer timelines for foreign hiring with requirements such as advertising in MyFutureJobs​Talent Demand Update​ManpowerGroup's recent Talent Shortage Survey found that 69% of employers globally – a 15-year high – are reporting difficulties hiring skilled workers. Competition for talent is heating up and companies increasingly need help in finding and reskilling talent for their fast-changing needs. ​As tech disruption accelerates employers are looking for the right blend of technical skills and human strengths. The top global roles in demand globally are Operations & Logistics, Manufacturing & Production, Sales & Marketing, IT & Data and Administration. ​In Malaysia specifically we are seeing a similar trend. What is interesting for BPO sector is that one the highest roles in terms of demand growth in 2021 compared to 2020 is Content Moderation. In addition Call Centre and Tele Marketing roles also experienced significant demand increase in 2021. ​​​BPO Dilemma​Feedback from BPOs and Shared Service Centres in Malaysia communicate important skills gaps. These shortages are combined of hard skills such as Data Analytics, IT, and Functional expertise, and soft skills such as Innovative Thinking, Leadership, General Business Acumen and Communication. This reality combined with constant pressure to improve organizational productivity, poses a dilemma in how to drive productivity improvement methods.​​BPO Talent Preferences​The top 3 considerations candidates in Malaysia look for when considering working for a BPO are Salary, Career Development and Job Security. However, it is important to dive deeper into specific needs and expectations under each factor. ​Interestingly, unlike average Malaysian candidates, Work-Life Balance is not one of the top 3 priorities for BPO talent, but Job Security is. ​​​Download Whitepaper Here​Talent Market Report BPO Industry - Malaysia​Get the BPO Market Snapshot to explore key questions that may help your company save costs and align with business strategies:​​​​

​Is Your Company Ready for a More Diverse Workforce?​Malaysia is a unique nation that is multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural. This diversity translates to the Malaysian workforce, which is highly sought after for their multilingual talents and skill sets. ​If you’re an HR professional, you're undoubtedly well aware of the challenges surrounding diverse workforce. It's a contentious issue in the industry right now, and with good cause. ​It seems to sense that having people from various cultures and perspectives on your team will help you generate newer and more diversified ideas to solve challenges and create innovation. Also, companies with more diversity are more effective, economical, and provide superior returns to shareholders. ​What are your thoughts on this?​But, ensuring Diversity & Inclusion is not easy. There is no visible ‘silver bullet' in this adaptive obstacle, as there is in any other. Change is slow, and some of the barriers, such as communication channels, reluctance to change, and cultural stereotyping, are deeply ingrained.​Sit with your team and figure what you'd like to accomplish. Do you wish to employ more women in tech jobs? Great! Collect accurate figures on how many women you presently employ in those positions, and set a target for how much you want that number to rise.​The greatest approach to increase diversity in your candidate recruiting is to build a corporate image that values people and perspectives from all walks of life spontaneously. Talk to your employees about the advantages and importance of diversity, gain their buy-in, and embed those principles in your corporate culture.​We recognize that there is no ‘quick-fix’ response to getting this right. Attracting, advancing, developing, engaging and retaining a diversity of talent while fostering an inclusive culture – one where difference is valued and embraced – is not easy. ​Remember, when you look for new candidates, don't rely on the same sources again and again. Concentrating solely on the sources you are most familiar with can lead to a talent pool of identical applicants and a lack of diversity.​That’s why we are here!​Hiring managers or recruiters usually think of online job posts, newspaper advertisements, and sometimes even career fairs when they think of recruitment advertising. When we think about recruitment advertising, we think of reaching out to potential employees and interacting with them where they live and work. That is to say, we go above and beyond what has already been accomplished (and overdone).​​At ManpowerGroup, we believe in human potential and we advocate acceptance, respect and inclusion. We are committed to do all we can to fight racism and to strengthen diversity, equality and inclusion within our company, and in the communities in which we live and operate. ​We know that building a diverse workforce isn’t just the right thing to do. It also makes good business sense, as it helps instill a sense of belonging for employees, ultimately leading to increased productivity and greater profitability for companies.​​Ready to get diversified? Contact us today to learn how we can help your business staff up with Diversity Recruiting.​​​​

​Crucial Qualities to Look for When Hiring Talent​For companies, turnover and hiring new employees may be time-consuming and pricey. Companies must not only fight to keep as many diligent employees as possible, but they must also attempt to make excellent hiring decisions to prevent the need of re-investing on new hire training.​But, let’s take a step back for a moment, from the ‘how’ to the ‘what’. What are the attributes of a good employee and applicant that you should constantly look for, out of the dozens of soft skills and personality traits that exist? Knowing what to look for in a potential employee increases your chances of recruiting the best people and minimizing the awful expenses of a bad hire.​Key Qualities of a Good Employee​Before reading the items below, I would like to point that especially with talent, there is no one size that fits all. Different organizational circumstances dictate different parameters for what makes a good resource. However, I believe generally speaking organization will be looking at the following:​Long term potential for growth with the company​Recruiters should look for traits of dedication and longevity attributes in an interviewee’s resume. When new hires come in with a proven record of achieving excellent outcomes, sustaining a growth strategy in your company is significantly easier. ​Encourage new recruits to speak about their accomplishments in the past, and explore on how they achieved specific professional goals. Hiring managers should seek for applicants who are determined to push the boundaries and have a strong desire to succeed in the future.​​Enthusiasm and passion for work​​Look for people who are passionate and enthusiastic about their work. You can assess this by reviewing at their past employment history, professional affiliations, or educational path. People who enjoy what they do tend to remain at organizations longer than those who merely work for the pay check.​​Look for the right personality and skills​​When interviewing candidates, it's critical to assess their "fit" in two ways. To begin, assess their suitability for the job based on prior knowledge, skill capacity, and overall capabilities to perform the relevant tasks. ​Next, assess their overall fit for the company by envisioning how well they would personally "fit" into the culture. Because, an applicant’s work ethic, uprightness, keenness to learn, presence and the connection with the rest of the team are often far more crucial than learnable skills.​​Go-getter or self-starter​​Few things bother an employer more than having to repeatedly direct an employee over basic responsibility. Alternatively, you want someone who will not only complete the tasks assigned to them, but also identify the need for new projects. ​A suitable approach to assess this ability is to give the prospect some job role and ask them how they would tackle it. A self-starter will think outside the box about what to bring to the table.​​Constant improvement​​With the constant advancement of new technology, it is crucial to hire individuals who can rapidly adapt and enhance their skills. It's a significant plus when an employee is familiar with the ever-changing technology that is directly linked to your business and competitors. ​They can not only provide you with a fresh perspective, but they can also effortlessly teach those around them, saving you time and money on hiring an outside source.​​These traits are part of what makes a good employee, but they're not the whole story. That's why, if you want to hire the best people, it's important to work with experts who know how to recruit top talent.​​Ready to get started? Contact us today to learn how we can help your business staff up.​​​

​Conversational Interviewing: Modernize Your Effective Approach To Hiring​“An interview is not a scripted list of questions and answers, rather an exploration of a partnership from both sides”.​In general, the whole concept of a typical job interview format is intrusive, artificial and one-sided in favor of the employer. Consequently, candidates have repetitively gone through a similar interview session and have formulated common responses to standard questions.​What are most common interview questions?Tell Me About YourselfWhy Should We Hire You?What Are Your Greatest Strengths?What Do You Consider to Be Your Weaknesses?​As candidates have a much wider choice in where they choose to work, it is vital that you consider restructuring your approach to hiring: conversational interviewing, in this competitive labor market.​So, instead of asking the same sort job interview questions, start asking questions worthy of thoughtful answers. ​​What is conversational interviewing?​Conversational interviewing is all about the candidates having a real, less-structured conversation with the recruiters/hiring managers such as yourself. It's a two-way conversation where questions and information are freely exchanged between the employer and the candidate.​“Treating the interview as a collaboration to make sure that the role is a good fit is the first priority. Making sure the candidate has a positive experience is the second priority”.​​Why? ​Truthful answers - Interviews are your greatest chance to get to know a candidate and determine if they’re the person you’re looking for your team. So, don't get it squandered. Conversational questions set the candidates up to express who they really are.​More flexibility - Candidates will be given a chance to ask insightful questions to the interviewer, and you, as the recruiter or hiring manager should be prepared to provide information about the role, the organizational culture and the selection process moving forward.​​Transforming your way of asking questions!​​It begins with changing the way you ask questions. You can get better insights into the candidate’s experience, goals, expectations and fit for the role by slightly tweaking the way you frame the interview questions.​Need some thoughts? Here you go!​​OLD WAY:​TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF​NEW WAY:​​​WHO DO YOU ADMIRE AMONG THOSE THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH, AND WHY?​​​What they admire in others tells you a lot about what they find significant. It's a revealing glimpse into the characteristics he/she seeks to cultivate himself/herself.​​OLD WAY:​WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS?​​NEW WAY​​WHAT’S YOUR SUPERPOWER AND HOW WILL THAT SPECIFICALLY HELP YOU IN THIS ROLE?​​As a hiring manager, it’s crucial to help candidates flex what they’re really superior at (something you don’t already know), instead of just trying to figure out the areas they’re battling with.​​OLD WAY:​​WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?​​NEW WAY​​TELL ME ABOUT A TIME YOU MADE A MISTAKE OR FAILED AT SOMETHING. AND, WHAT DID YOU LEARNT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?​​What’s the possibility they’ll genuinely share with you if you directly ask them about their deficiencies? Because, after all, they want to be hired for the job. So, I like this question (new way) because it allows hiring managers to evaluate their well-honed habit of looking objectively at a problem and talking openly about what improvements they’ll bring to their next role.​​OLD WAY:​​WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?​NEW WAY​WHAT YOU WANT TO DO DIFFERENTLY IN YOUR NEXT JOB?​​After all, you’ll be hiring the present-day version of this person, not their future self. So, try to unpack their career path and job search towards their current path goals.​​OLD WAY:​​​​WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?​​​NEW WAY​​WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN ACHIEVE WITH US PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY?​This way, the candidate is able to articulate his/her aspirations, individual motivations & his/her commitments towards your mission in a clearer & bigger picture. This helps establishing that your company will be a great platform for the person to thrive and how you can help him/her attain them, you are one step closer to closing her.​​We believe this compilation serves as a valuable stepping stone that you can optimize as you design your own interview questions to give your approach a refresh. As a Workforce Solutions Company with over 22 years of hiring experience, we help employers to streamline their overall hiring process, and attract the best candidates for their team. ​Simply get in touch today and a member of our expert team will gladly contact you for a chat!​​​​​Posted by:Yogakumari Sankar- Prospect & Content Development Executive​

​A Practical Guide to Safe Restart: Best Practices for Organizations​Given the desire to move quickly, the HR administration industry has shaped an Alliance initiated by Randstad NV, the Adecco Group, and ManpowerGroup. Together, the business – as the world's biggest private area business and work market expert* – tries to make an indispensable commitment to the way toward getting ready for the new normal, and assist getting individuals securely back to work and organizations and economies running once more. Bosses, exchange associations, and NGOs will all be welcome to team up. At the equivalent time, the coalition will connect with governments to help, animate, and support these efforts.​This practical guide is designed to summarize the extensive technical guidance drafted by the Alliance to support business recovery and operational continuity efforts around the world.​You can download the report here:A Practical Guide to a Safe Restart​Practical guidance and good practice​In Malaysia, some of the states and areas (W.P. KUALA LUMPUR, W.P. PUTRAJAYA, SELANGOR, KEDAH, PENANG, PERAK, NEGERI SEMBILAN, MELAKA, JOHOR & TERENGGANU) are experiencing Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 9 November 2020 (from 12.01 am) until 6 December 2020 (11.59 pm). However, a chain of economic and industrial activities still are allowed during CMCO.​As a first step, where organizations have an existing health and safety function, they will play a pivotal role as they adapt existing health and wellbeing measures – and define new controls – to address the emerging challenges of COVID-19. More than ever, it is important that senior management engages early with these specialists to brief them on the company’s objectives, strategy, and re-opening timetable so both health and business responses are joined-up and coordinated. ​In the absence of a health and safety function, the following guide will help managers review the major issues. They can be assured that many of the measures highlighted below, which are designed to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, are fit for purpose. Many of the activities continue to form the basis of the pandemic response in key businesses that were permitted to operate throughout the initial outbreak and lockdown.​1) Avoiding the health hazard’ in the workplace. ​Where remote working has proved possible, successful, and productive, organizations should consider extending this approach to lighten the pressures on transport, services and to drive social impact in communities, where more onsite working maybe required by other organizations. ​2) Communicating internally and externally is critically important. ​As a rule, people will be hungry for information insight, and advice, so over- rather than under-communicate. Select the most appropriate channels and tools to communicate on topics that are health-related, address behavioural expectations, and inform on regulations. The measures to communicate range from online training on worker safety and health, posters on handwashing and other critical hygiene rules, (physically distanced) face-to-face or video briefing on the need for shift patterns and teams to change; internal newsletters on health-related updates, rules, and regulations. ​3) Provision of sufficient quantities of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and sanitary products/facilities.​Organizations define their own standards of protection and are responsible for compliance with local or national government rules, like providing the correct PPE and sanitizers before re-starting operations. These items are in extremely high demand and are normally ‘consumables’ intended for a one-off use, so the business will want to assure a continuing supply of this equipment. ​4) Physical distancing. ​Establish and apply a rule of physical distancing that conforms to government requirements. Support compliance via communications (as above) and with physical markers on floors, walls, work areas, and chevrons in walkways – all as a reminder of the physical distancing rules. For example, defining breaks and meal times for certain departments or shifts, and limiting time spent in the canteen, while extending the overall time during which food will be served will eliminate ‘busy times’ and facilitate physical distancing. ​5) Physical barriers to reduce infection. ​In addition to physical distancing, physical barriers to reduce or prevent the spread of the virus are vital. They are equally important for the smooth running of the business by reducing absenteeism through ill-health. But it’s crucial that a company is seen to be first and foremost focused on preventing the risk of virus transmission, and secondary to business considerations, to avoid any criticism that business comes before health. In terms of specifics, physical barriers like transparent screens and taped-off areas to separate personnel from each other and from customers are all helpful.​​​While governments define the country-wide preconditions for progressively lifting their lockdowns or movement orders, businesses, their staff, contractors, employee representatives, health and safety experts, and regulators are expected to put in place practical protocols to support the safe reopening of businesses and economies worldwide. ​The transition from a life-saving response to regenerating the economy is rapid, dynamic, and unprecedented. This guide is therefore intended to share the lessons that have already been learned and to provide practical guidance on managing a sustainable restart for businesses around the world.​In light of this, read our guide A Practical Guide to a Safe Restart: Best Practices for Organizations intended to share the lessons that have already been learned and to provide practical guidance on managing a sustainable restart for businesses around the world.​​​​​To support you ManpowerGroup Malaysia is open for free consultations on your workforce needs and for developing custom workforce solutions at a competitive rate. Fill up the form below and our consultants will reach out to you with a free consultation within 24 hours.​​​​​​​​13 Nov 2020Posted by:Nadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant

​How To Boost Engagement With Employees Working From Home​The WFH trend is not a new concept. The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development actually highlighted this business model in Malaysia back in 2013, however the initiative did not get a positive reply from employees who still prefer to work in offices.​Today, that mind-set has obviously changed.​​​About 800,000 employees from both public & private sectors, at the Management & Supervisory levels in areas under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) have been instructed to work from home full time until further notice.​The issue is not, then, whether or not working remotely is worth the time or effort, but how a corporation can handle it assertively to get the great outcomes. ​Conversely, the reality is that this way of working can also present challenges: teams working in more than one spot, the absence of face-to-face interaction and a potentially lower level of management communication could all hinder the instillation of a culture and values of the company, and overall engagement.​To help you communicate and engage with your remote employees during the pandemic, we've gathered a few tips for making WFH work for your teams.​1) COMMUNICATE​Develop an effective strategy for interaction so you can reach every member of your organization.Establish performance goals for the week/monthChannels should be created(E.g. Microsoft Teams/Zoom)for each situation such as one-to-one chats, team meetings, video calls, or open forums for sharing of ideas​2) CREATE A CULTURE OF CONNECTEDNESS​Employees crave connection and want to feel included. They want to share what’s happening in their lives, hilarious moments, and jokes and develop relationships with their co-workers. One way that managers can do this is by taking some time to have alight-hearted conversation at the beginning of the meeting. Another way is to ask employees about their plans for the weekend or what they have done for a recent vacation. This is a great way to relieve tension throughout these challenging times.​3) ASK FOR FEEDBACK​Ask them for suggestions on anything and everything, such as how to achieve business objectives, enhance customer satisfaction, innovative approaches for training, fun activities to do as a squad, and more. But don't just listen to their thoughts and opinions, rather act on those that are good.​4) SHOW APPRECIATION/RECOGNITION​Working remotely isn’t something most employees signed up for but they’re doing the best they can to make it happen. Now that school is back in session, and working parents are struggling to keep their kids involved with their online school while managing their own professional responsibilities. Hence, showing appreciation with a simple thank you or a genuine compliment goes a long way.​5) ORGANIZE TEAM BUILDING GAMES & ACTIVITIES​Team-building activities promote healthy working relationships that result in better retention, greater productivity, and better overall satisfaction and happiness of employees. ​Try organizing a game that can be played digitally so that your team can take a break from work. There are some popular games that are accessible online or can be adapted to be played virtually, such as: PictionaryCharades via video chat Draw the picture – a communication game where someone describes a picture, everyone draws what they hear and it leads to a good laugh when everyone shares their artwork. ​When you’re looking into how to engage remote employees and keeping them engaged, remember that engagement is never something you do once in a blue moon, rather it’s a constant task to nurture and develop. Keeping remote employees engaged turns them into your best and biggest asset.​

​Safely back To Work in the New Normal​Numerous organisations are currently at a basic crossroads as they explore a staged move from remote work to restart activities and support their staff to re-visitation of the work environment, all inside the prerequisites of the new physical distancing economy.​We’re learning a lot from countries who are ahead of the curve. As a global employer, we’re paying close attention to what’s working in markets where business hasreopened. The common denominator is building confidence and trust with employees. Worker confidence is bolstered through widespread testing, the reliance on data and technology, and open, transparent communication.​Because of the most serious worldwide wellbeing crisis in living memory, and to counter its impact on economies around the globe, we formed a unique alliance led by the three biggest worldwide HR administration organizations – Randstad NV, the Adecco Group, and ManpowerGroup - has formed into a development that incorporates uphold from Recruit, ASA and WEC and others.​Organizing a safe return to work ​It’s a step-by-step process. To advance people’s wellbeing as they return to work, clear guidelines, cycles, and protocols should be consequently be set up to help both employers and employees. This should be composed per nation, per area, and at last per organisation. Wellbeing and safety protocols should be refreshed for the impermanent 'economy driven by physical distancing'. How the HR services industry can help? As HR services are dynamic across countries and areas, they work for both enormous endeavors and SMEs, and would thus be able to use best practices ofnations that are on top of things and areas that stayed open.  Specifically, players in the HR services industry:have inside and out information on work market measures in different areas and organisationsThey work as intermediaries between employers and employees – as such, they understand the problems/challenges faced by each and serve both interests have huge global networks covering all every single important stakeholdershave demonstrated dexterity with evolving conditions, and in helping customers and ability to plan for the future – it is their centre business​Enabling a safe return to work  In close cooperation with employers and workers, HR services providers have since quite a while ago grasped and coordinated the necessary health and security measures, for example, legislative and area guidelines. This is important for the area's customary exercises while putting workers on location. The additional estimation of major parts in the HR services industry lies in their capacity to share information and skill about existing prescribed procedures in the distinctive Health and Safety approaches across areas and nations. ​They help coalesce the sector’s combined knowledge and expertise:​Specialists in the area can provide access to company cases to gain from peers in the equivalent or various areas.   They can open existing material and potential methodologies based on individual difficulties.They can assist managers with exploring the designs to restart their business dependent on best practices and associate them to the correct contacts (locally orglobally). They can offer reasonable help as far as adaptable gracefully of work, labour force the executives, actualizing distant working, progressing, preparing and abilitiesimprovement, and that's just the beginning​An adapted version of NIOSH’s (National Institute for Occupational Safety / Health) Hierarchy of Controls to define the levels of risk and the rightapproach in specific circumstances (e.g. COVID-19 prevention and strategic recovery.)​​In light of this, read our global report Safely Back to Work in the New Normal that talks about specific endeavours to make a vital contribution to the process of preparing for the new normal, and expedite getting people safely back to work.You can download the report here:Safely back to work in the new normal​​As an active member of the community, we understand the challenges that employers are going through right now. ​If you are planning to reopen your workplace, let us know how we can help on your workforce needs and for developing custom workforce solutions at a competitive rate. ​Fill up the form below and our experts will be in touch with you in 24 hours:​​​​​​31 Oct 2020Posted by:Nadhirah Afiqah - Marketing Assistant

​Jobs in Demand during the Pandemic of Covid-19 in Malaysia​​Malaysia's unemployment rate is now the highest in a decade at 3.9%, as people saw their livelihoods affected amid COVID-19 and the movement control order (MCO).​However, the job employment market has started to recover with the Recovery MCO (RMCO)in June that enabled the reopening of the private sectors. So, here is what we have learned and can expect during and after COVID-19 to emerge from the employment market.​E-commerce and healthcare leaped to the rescue because, except for essentials, many could not travel outside their homes. We have seen more warehouse workers and packers being employed to accommodate to the ever-increasing demand for e-commerce.​Logistics companies, particularly food deliverers, rocketed in the tens of thousands to match supply and demand. Many took up the mantle of deliveryman as a temporary or side income gig. And, we as a talent provider observed that part-time and contract jobs have increased especially since the nation moved into the recovery MCO.​Alongside demand for delivery drivers, warehouse workers and health professionals, we are also seeing an increase in niche role requirements such as sales/marketing managers, robotic/cyber security engineers, IT/technical roles and significantly more.​​Top 3 occupations that are significantly growing in demand?​In particular, IT infrastructure played a crucial role in how companies responded to the disease outbreak and will stay fundamental as new ways of doing things become the norm. ​As employers proactively review their activities during the early stages of the pandemic and work on improving or extending their digital systems, roles involving planning, implementing and supporting IT infrastructure will remain critical.​​INFORMATION/CYBER SECURITY ANALYST​​Thanks to COVID and the restrictions on industries in need of physical manpower, the software infrastructure has been growing exponentially.Covid-19 pushed many into experiencing and living in a digital economy on a fast track. ​Digital wallets, digital shops and many other activities in the post-Covid-19 "contactless" economy help people maintain their standard of living and lifestyles while adapting to the new normal.​Thus, cyber security will be the new frontline post COVID-19, with analysts and penetration testers rising in demand, patrolling against the rise of digital forgery, counterfeiting and cyberattacks in both public and private sectors.​​MARKETING JOBS​Since companies need to communicate with their customers during these uncertain times, there’s been a spike in demand for communications & content specialists. Employers are looking for people who can quickly adapt to a new role and assist them in getting their message across at this time.​​Digital marketers are in significantly higher demand right now as corporations move to digital portals to find clients and potential revenue streams that will enable them to remain afloat during the crisis.​One of the benefits of having a job in marketing is that you would typically have skills that are transferable between industries, making you quite the commodity. This enables one to switch from an industry that might not be doing so well during and after the pandemic, to one that’s thriving.​SALES/ACCOUNT MANAGERS​​Many organizations are experiencing a sales downturn during COVID-19, particularly, non-essential businesses in other sectors are feeling the pinch as consumers scale back and focus their spending on securing basic necessities. As a consequence, B2C and B2B sales representatives are in high demand, including business development specialists who are able to find the balance between boosting sales and delicately managing this crisis.​​If you’re looking to try new career opportunities, head over to our jobs portal to see the latest jobs in the labor market today.​If are you also planning to expand your workforce in the following sectors? Feel free to connect with our specialist consultants to guide you through. ​​​​​​

​Looking For Recruitment Outsourcing? Be Sure to Partner With The Right Recruitment Agency ​Firstly, you have probably pointed out that your organization needs an additional range of skills. That is needed to assist with a particular project, to promote growth or to solve problems that none of the current employees would do. In other words, you need to employ more people, but to facilitate this essential process of acquiring talent, you don't have enough internal resources. ​At this stage in the hiring process, you will probably be thinking about obtaining assistance from the expert services of a recruitment agency. ​However, with several options available to you, how can you ensure to make the right decision and choose the most appropriate hiring consultant to help you recruit the best talent?We’ve assembled everything you should consider when selecting the right recruitment agency for your company that will assist you in finding the best talents in the marketplace.  ​​1) Analyze your business needs and internal recruiting challenges​Before you start looking for a recruitment agency, meet with your team to discuss your business needs as well as the current hiring challenges. ​At some point, management and everyone who has a hand in the existing recruitment process of the organization ought to have the chance to contribute to the discussion. ​After you have decided on a list of your challenges and needs, rank them by priority. This will serve as your evaluation criteria when contemplating on potential agencies with your team.​​​​2) Do your research about the workforce company​​Research agencies in a similar way you would do when assessing a candidate. After all, you want the greatest benefit in return for the costs you pay. Therefore, prior to actually hiring any recruitment consultancy, make a conscious effort to get all your queries answered. ​Also, scrutinize their LinkedIn profile for their industry experiences:Is there an indication of their experience in the area you want them to work in?Do they signify as much experience as they claimed in your conversation?​​One more important question to add is “Have the agency worked with companies in similar industries and what services did the agency provide”​​3) Look for an agency that is specialized in your field​Not all recruitment agencies are the same. As with any competitive marketplace, each corporation has its own strategy to talent acquisition, techniques and philosophy which may or may not be integrated with the brand, objectives or principles of your organization.​One type of recruitment agency that has been expanding over the recent times is the niche agency. Expertise is the core value they give to their clients. Their potent resources and expertise allow them to understand where the purple squirrels are and how to employ them.​Our strategy at ManpowerGroup, for example, is to provide full suite of Innovative Workforce Solutions, ​from recruitment, to workforce management, to training and upskilling through our brands that will drive your business forward.​So, there are many ways that agencies differ and separate themselves from one another. What matters, is identifying the attributes that are most compatible with your company and hiring goals.​​4) Evaluate Their Terms​Often, recruiting agencies can be very inflexible when it comes to talent procurement contracts and the like. The best recruiters are agile and able to move quickly and creatively in efforts to support your company find and retain the best talents.​Reputable agencies often provide a free replacement guarantee to a candidate who failed to complete the probation period. That is always a plus! ​So, ensure that the terms are clear, understandable and that you have read them carefully. Also, insist that the contract agreement is signed by both sides.​​5) Candidate pools​​The most important part of a recruitment agency is its candidate pool.What candidates are the recruitment agency in contact with? How suitable are those candidates to your business?​At ManpowerGroup, we have a database full of amazing candidates and ensure these candidates are right for you before they are sent. With over 22 years of networking and contacts, we are pretty sure we will be the right fit for your specific recruitment needs.​​6) Costs​How much are you willing to pay? There is no point hiring an agency you cannot afford. Generally, recruitment agencies charge a percentage of the pay rate rather than a fixed fee. This percentage can vary, but it usually starts at about 12% in Malaysia.​​Compare the costs of different agencies, but avoid looking only at the price. You have already identified the criteria you are looking in an agency so choose the one that offers the best overall value.​​If you are still unsure whether or not your recruitment could be enhanced by the support of a recruitment agency, we are glad to discuss your specific business requirements with you in order to figure out the best hiring route for you. Let us know a bit more about your organization and the sort of job you are looking to fill.​Simply get in touch today and a member of our expert team will gladly contact you for a chat!​​​​​​​​​​19 Oct 2020Posted by:Yoga Kumari Sankar- Prospect & Content Development Executive​​

​Recruitment Agency in Malaysia: Do You Really Need It? This Will Help You Decide!​​In today’s highly competitive, candidate-driven job market, identifying and hiring the ideal candidate is quite challenging. ​If you've ever gone through the process of writing and posting a job ad, sorting through the applications, and then sitting down to interview the candidates, you'll know how much time and effort it takes to recruit the best talents. ​Especially if you are the owner of your business, or the manager of a particularly close-knit team, you want to ensure you make the right choice. ​That's why more businesses are turning to recruiting firms to help them find the best candidates for their job openings. Should you do the same? ​How can a recruiting firm help you fill the roles available to the job? There are a range of services available, but should you use them, and how do you get the most for your money? ​Ready to find out if recruitment agencies are right for you?  Let's go!​​What do recruitment agencies do?​Put simply, recruitment agencies aim to fill vacancies on behalf of an organization or business owner in exchange for payment. ​Wait! You might be thinking about doing the same without incurring any extra costs (recruitment fees if you would like to engage them) for your corporation.​What if you don’t have a devoted in-house recruiter? Even if you have a devoted in-house recruiter, sometimes you might not be able to identify and reach the type of candidates you need. Right? ​Consequently, recruitment agencies not just identify and source the type of candidates you need but also onboard, train, engage, develop, retain and manage their (candidates)transitions.​​​There are also various other services that recruitment agencies in Malaysia can offer — it's worth talking to various suppliers to find one that provides the type of services you need.​​Why recruitment agencies are good for businesses?​Understanding Companies Hiring Needs​Before bringing on a recruitment agency,it is recommended for you to have an understanding of your hiring needs in order to know how to best use the agency’s services. ​However, sometimes it is worth asking recruitment agencies for advice on how to achieve your strategic business objectives rather than just filling vacancies. ​Good agencies become your partners with workforce solutions ideas and best market practices. Let 's say you recruit frequently: you generally post, interview, verify, or fill a position at any given time.​You have a lot of balls in the air at once and they can all be difficult to juggle. It would be amazing to have a whole division to support but it's not in the plan or the budget.​Now here, a recruitment company can be your Human Resources department: They can take the bulk of the work off your hands and free you up to hire for quality, rather than quantity.​​Extensive market knowledge​The best recruitment agencies can have their finger on the pulse of their specialty industries, and can provide insight into what's happening. ​This may mean you can get a better match for the position because of the wider applicant pool at the recruiter’s disposal. That indicates they have greater knowledge and a thorough understanding of their targeted job market segments.​​Extended reach for the best candidates​Typically, recruiting firms are well versed in their respective field and can recognize and interact with a wider pool of applicants.​This may mean you can get a better match for the position because of the wider applicant pool at the recruiter’s disposal. In fact, recruiters often have a voluminous existing network of applicants already looking for a job. ​With decades, of collective experience between them, the best recruitment agencies know how to reach out to candidates, what to look for in applicants, and how to streamline the process of getting job seekers and employers together.​​Recruit for hard-to-fill roles​If you are struggling to fill a job either because it needs a very specific skills and expertise or your local region has a shortage of talent, recruiting firms will typically help. ​With connection to industry-specific applicant databases, a recruitment firm is far more likely to find someone who's right for the job than a single employer advertising on generic sites.​​Retain your new hires​For many organizations, the major advantage of using a recruitment agency rather than in-house recruiters is that recruitment agencies provide extra protection when it comes to retaining of new hires. ​All the top recruitment companies provide guarantee periods. This means they guarantee that your potential employee will remain at your organization for a certain period of time (usually months).​If the new hire is dismissed or leaves before the expiry of a warranty period, you can receive a full refund from recruiting companies or, more often, find a new replacement applicant at no extra charge.​​Thus, choosing the right recruitment agency can help you recruit and retain the right people not only faster but also save your total costs over time. ​​To support you ManpowerGroup Malaysia is open for free consultations on your workforce needs and for developing custom workforce solutions at a competitive rate. Fill up the form below and our consultants will reach out to you with a free consultation within 24 hours.​​​​​4 Sept 2020Posted by:Yoga Kumari Sankar- Prospect & Content Development Executive​

What Do You Look For When Hiring Talent? Fitting Personality VS Professional Skills​What should you value most when you’re making a recruitment decision – the skills listed on the resume or the personality of the person that sits before you? The choice isn’t always easy and there’s no “right” or “wrong” answer. ​When you’re faced with a tough hiring decision, you need to pick the best choice for your organization, and that depends on a number of factors. ​Read on as we discuss personality vs. skill, and what is eventually the most fundamental in today’s market. The result may surprise you.​Recruitment-To-Selection Process​Now, the common practice is hiring via job ads on some job portals. We look forward to a huge number of applicants there, yet the quality fails almost regularly. ​Well, it is our professional and moral responsibility to appropriately look-overall applications to assign them the needed observation and assess every single one of them. ​While assessing, you will probably analyze;​​You might now go over to round two of a precise screening (after the first screening) for the best candidates and select the outstanding profile to the interview process, right? ​While the resume screening process focuses predominantly on work history skills, the interview process focuses on the candidate’s personality, not to mention their fit with their potential co-workers. ​There are tools though that enable recruiters to evaluate skill sets better, something resumes typically don’t,such as pre-employment assessments. Eventually, it’s time to make the call on who gets the job offer.​But if you have two candidates before you, one with all the skills for the job but few personality traits, and the other whose skills are inadequate but has an awe-inspiring personality, which should you hire?​​As it is so often said, there is no silver bullet! When you make your way through the screening/ interviewing/ hiring process, do you weigh skills vs. personality on an even scale or is one more crucial than the other? ​Although the interview is a great chance to assess personality, some hiring managers do not put much weight on this determinant. In the end, experience and special skills often win out. ​​To me, skills and personality are both equally important. You need to employ talents that possess both features to some degree. Organizations—particularly those in the technology sector— are perceiving that hiring entirely for skills doesn’t work. ​​They’ve come to understand that intelligent people who have the right character for their culture can learn. Conversely, employing highly-skilled talents who have the inappropriate personality traits for their workplace can be devastating.​So, what skills to look at?​When we talk about professional skills, we’re generally talking about hard and soft skills.​Hard Skills These skills refer to the capabilities, expertise and the level of education (degree/certificate) of the candidate. ​They are basically the first introduction you get to a potential new hire because these are the skills most commonly tallied up on a resume before deciding whether you want to proceed an interview with the candidate. ​Soft SkillsWhen you’re conducting the actual interview, you’re customarily gauging their people/interpersonal skills.​These skills refer to the candidate’s personality, their aspiration, and even the way they impart their ideas or describe the hard skills on their resume.​However, I believe a candidate’s personality can be a much preferable touch stone of how well they’ll do in their career.​​Now, it’s the first working day for our superstar and pride (indeed, they have become all of that on the first day), we walk them through the passage way and introduce them to our co-workers to build the rapport. ​Subsequently, our new joiner has begun working (or at least it seems like that), the rest in the office involved in the process of shaking their hands (not so much after COVID-19 though) with a gratification of our great work. ​However, the honeymoon is drained every now and then by incidents rooted by our fellow new member, but we see that as newcomer’s misapprehension (although they are not freshers but experts). ​​No matter how hard we strive to justify their personality, the newcomer keeps creating issues on occasions, which now might’ve already started to devastate the peace in the organization. ​Within the blink of an eye the new colleague has disconnected from the team and everything appears to be going in the wrong direction. Now we are sure – we have made a huge mistake. ​​Let’s take a look at what we did not notice then...​Blinded by our strong believe and concentration, we did not perceive the obvious. We oversaw how this candidate might fit into our culture. We have seen their skills, knowledge, we even have their psychological profile, and yet we did not define whether their personality fits our values. ​That said, putting in the time and energy to really discover your candidates’ characters and judging how they will jumble with your existing team, exploring their passion, potentiality for self-direction and aspiration– all while stabilizing that with their expertise and skill set can be no brisk nor elementary task.​​​What is needed in today’s corporate world?​A candidate’s skills and knowledge of the discipline are almost always considered more fundamental than personality in a potential hire. ​​However, skills can be learned, but people can’t remold their characters. Once thrown in a job, most people can learn the demanded skills swiftly. Employees on an average know all the ins and outs of a new position after about three months.​Nevertheless, personal qualities are difficult to be transfigured. With this in mind, an applicant’s work ethic, uprightness, keenness to learn, presence and the connection with the rest of the team are often far more crucial.​​When a recruitment agency is hiring for their sales team, which do you think they would rather get: an outgoing, positive thinker with a great personality who doesn’t have much experience with recruitment, or a fifteen-year sales manager who is so bored with selling that he has a hard time forcing a smile when presenting to prospecting clients?​​Skills and knowledge can always be taught, but not attitude.​Today, employers are increasingly looking beyond an impressive resume and interview smarts to ensure they’ve hired an individual who’s the best fit for their company culture and environment. ​51% of employers chose ‘great personality’ as the main criteria of a good employee, only 14% of them chose ‘qualifications’. Even if you lack the technical skills, employers are willing to overlook that if you have a teachable attitude. ​Taking these factors into consideration, do you think personality is an important qualification for new hires? Or do you think experience is more important?​Whether you’re seeking to hire specialized talent or looking for ways to continue your professional development, recruiters at ManpowerGroup Malaysia can customize an approach specific to your needs. ​Please visit our website for details on how we can assist you or fill up the form below and our consultants will reach out to you with a free consultation within 24 hours.​​​​​​​25 August 2020Posted by:Yoga Kumari Sankar - Prospect & Content Development Executive​​

​How business in Malaysia are tackling workforce needs despite COVID-19 and what is the role of HR services industry to support them? Many organizations are now at a critical period, as they try to re-balance responsible health and safety and their duty of care as an employer with the economic impact of the lockdown.​How can a business restart responsibly? In collaboration with main industry layers, Adecco and Randstad, we ManpowerGroup, prepared a global report that talks about specific endeavors to make a vital contribution to the process of preparing for the new normal, and expedite getting people safely back to work.​You can download the report here:​Safely Back To Work In The New Normal​As we want to achieve acceptable levels of safety and security as well as limiting economic impact, we will first need to find the right balance in the order of controls. ​There are examples of sectors that are still (partly) operational under specific conditions (e.g., construction, food distribution centers, health care, cargo transport, supermarkets, etc.). We can learn from these sectors to help other businesses adapt to the new normal.​In Malaysia:​Construction:​Despite of the Movement Control Order (MCO) exemptions are granted to works that are deemed to be 'critical works'. This is defined as works that if not continued, may bring danger to workers, the public or the environment. Examples given include:​(i) hill slope repairs;(ii) traffic management control;(iii) upgrading works on facilities at premises providing critical services; and(iv) emergency works that are covered under the contract of works. ​In the Phase 3 MCO, some construction activities will be allowed to carry out with the strict implementation of a specific Site Operating Procedures (SOP) to prevent the pandemic from spreading at work sites. Food distribution centers:​Food supply, e-commerce activities and logistics and transport services are allowed to operate during the Movement Control Order (MCO).​Among those listed are food manufacturers, retail, packaging, distribution, wholesale and distribution centres.​E-commerce platform company, Shopee still continue the services during MCO period. Shopee Mart is operating as usual with a next-day delivery commitment to fulfil its customers' daily necessities during this period.​There are safety precautions where only those with no Covid-19 symptoms would allowed to work, and all must maintain social distancing among workers, as well as adopt good practices such as maintaining a high level of hygiene among staff and the premises.​Healthcare:​It’s a war without weapon for healthcare in Malaysia. As for now, no healthcare workers in Malaysia infected from handling COVID-19 patients, says Health D-G Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.​The Ministry of Health Malaysia also collaborate with private hospitals and labs for the home sampling of Covid-19.​For now, the cases of Covid-19 are handled by government hospitals but large-capacity private hospitals that are members of the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) are ready to receive Covid-19 patients with the Health Ministry anticipating Covid-19 cases will likely peak in mid-April.​They use the Personal Protective Equipment gear while handling cases and also dispose it correctly to avoid the spreading of Covid-19.  Cargo transport:​Cargo transport still remain important in the amidst of Covid-19. Ports and logistics companies were allowed to operate. As for Maersk operations, to curb with the spread of Covid-19, they revised their operational hours for all their offices in Malaysia. ​Their operating hours - 10am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. They reduced access for visitors to all our offices only to those delivering/picking up documents/cargoes. Supermarkets:​While many restaurants, shops and services are closing to slow the spread of Covid-19, supermarkets remain open. With revised operating hours, implementing social distancing measures, and stickers on the floor to guide customers that they need to be one meter apart from each other to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.​There is increasing need of workers to help the operations as supermarkets remain open and they need to make sure that all the distribution of foods and groceries are at the top notch.​AEON Malaysia announced that they are providing personal shopper at their supermarkets where you can drop your order to the Personal Shopper. Then, wait in your car or have a seat while they pick up the items for you.​They will contact you once your order is ready to be collected and lastly, make payment at their appointed cashier counter.​There is no one-size-fit-all solution as every type of ways have to be considered on its challenges. As an HR services, we look for solutions that can help the employer to reduce the impact of the business by providing solution that can be tailored according to the mature of business. Everyone should play their part, together we will be able to face the challenges head-on to minimise any adverse impact for the greater good of the industry and the economy. ​In light of this, read our global report Safely Back to Work in the New Normal that talks about specific endeavours to make a vital contribution to the process of preparing for the new normal, and expedite getting people safely back to work. ​25 April 2020Posted by:Nadhirah Afiqah - Marketing AssistantMohammad Kashif - Senior Marketing Executive

The Top Hiring Managers Checklist to Conduct Successful Remote Interviews​You must have noticed that with the lockdown in Malaysia, dynamic and forward looking companies are leveraging on the advantages of hiring talent right now. ​However, traditional recruitment or hiring activities are replaced with digital and virtual alternatives. Although nothing beats face to face interactions in an interview for example, hiring managers and recruitment professionals are getting used to remote interviewing practices. ​So, to help you conduct successful remote interviews, we came up with a checklist. Mind you that this checklist is not only particular to a lockdown, but rather for any remote interviewing situations.​Here is the checklist you can download for your easy reference:Download​​1. Keep necessary documents at your reach ​For your easy reference during the interview, keep important documents such as the candidate’s CV and application form easily available. ​You will be able to open these files on your screen and ask relevant questions to the candidate during the call. ​Easy access to these files will save you searching time and unnecessary anxiety during the conversation.​2. Check the functionalities of your hardware​We have all been there. A virtual meeting starts and we do not have either headphones, a working mic, a camera or stable internet connection.​To avoid this uncomfortable situation, try to conduct a mock call with your friend or colleague. ​Make sure your equipment is working as expected and that the person on the other end of the call can clearly see and hear you.​3. Check the functionalities of your software​With so many virtual conferencing applications available, Zoom, Teams, Webex, and Skype to name a few, it can quickly become confusing which tool to use. ​Simply pick the one that you are most comfortable with and familiarize yourself with its functionalities. ​Search for quick tutorials on YouTube to become more comfortable on the software usage and practice with your friends or colleagues. ​Regardless of what tool you choose, keep in mind the availability of functions such as video calls, file sharing and screen sharing. These functions are very important in remote interviews. ​Also, make sure you know how to share a link to people you want to join your call. Test the links with others and check if they are able to easily access the virtual meeting. ​It might be useful to share the links with people from outside your organization as sometimes certain applications only allow individuals from within your company to join the call. ​4. Consider Your Environment​To provide the right first impression, it is important to take into account your surroundings. ​Things like the room where you will conduct the interview, your background and your clothing. ​Depending on the image you want to convey about your company, your environment will play a crucial role in forming that first impression. ​5. Give candidates heads up on remote interview expectations​It goes without saying that candidates today expect transparency. So it is important to share information that will help them prepare for the interview.​The most basic is a detailed job description. Even if it was already communicated in the job ad, sharing a formal document with job details reaffirms what the role entails. ​To get better understanding of candidate’s skills, share with them exercises, case studies or problems for which they will have to prepare solutions or observations. ​Although the details of these exercises are very much role specific, candidate’s answers will give you a practical evaluation of their logical reasoning, problem solving, research and creativity skills. ​Share with them the problem statement and set expectations of how you would like to get their feedback during the interview. For example, it could be a presentation, a word document, a design file, or lines of code. ​Remember to send them a link to an online assessment if that is one of the requirements before the interview. ​6. Prepare questions to address during the remote interview​This point is a best practice for offline interviews too but it is even more important for remote interviews. ​Having a list of questions in front of you to address areas of candidate’s CV, presentation and specific role requirements will keep the conversation structured and on point. ​This will also help in evaluating other candidates in a consistent manner and make better hiring decisions. ​7. Share relevant links to join the remote interview​Before sending any links, check if they are working as expected.​Remember to share with the candidate the link to the call through email, a calendar invite and a messaging tool if possible. ​For a better candidate experience, send them a YouTube tutorial on how to use the conferencing tool. ​It will spare them and you the time having to figure out where the buttons are and what they do during the actual call.​Request the candidate to confirm that they have received the link and familiarized themselves with the application. ​8. Be ready for disruptions​No matter how much you prepare, it is always possible to have hiccups right before or during the interview. ​So be mentally and emotionally prepared for such disruptions and accept them as potential steps of the process. ​Be prepared to think on your toes for fixes and allocate time for such situations.​9. Have alternative channels ready​When your initial channel of communication for one reason or another didn’t work, always have an alternative mode of communication. It could be a different conferencing tool or, if everything fails, a standard phone call might be sufficient. ​Just ask the candidate to email you whatever materials they have prepared and walk you through the content over the phone. ​10. Get recording consent forms signed​If you are planning on recording the interview, remember to inform the candidate on this procedure and work with your legal advisor to prepare a consent form for the candidates to sign. ​11. Keep candidates updated on the outcome ​Although not particular to remote interviews, this is nevertheless a very important step for a good candidate experience. ​Remember that candidates talk to each other and even if you did not select them for a particular role, update them. ​They will appreciate your feedback and will hopefully spread positive word of mouth about your employment process. ​If you are finding it challenging to hire people now, we have a fantastic track record with candidates’ selection, onboarding and pipelining. ​Get in touch today and our consultants will reach out to you with a free consultation within 24 hours. ​​2 April 2020Posted by:Mohammad Kashif - Senior Marketing ExecutiveFeroz Ghafoor - Talent Acquisition Lead