HR Review

HR Market Update: Sept 2020

I have been quiet on social platforms recently and think it is a good idea to give you an update on the HR recruitment market, purely based on my own experience so far this year!

It is helpful especially for candidates to know the realities of the current job market; what do companies want from HR now, what are they paying and what impact does this have on the overall market conditions.

But let me start with a quick overview of what I have been focusing on at Holden Reilly, as a start up in 2020.

Launching a start-up during a crisis  

When I launched in January, I had the vision to work with a few loyal & professional clients who I have known and successfully supported over the last 9 years. There was immediate interest, and positive conversations where had. Fees agreed, procurement process started, I was then able to focus on the candidate side to build a strong HR database of my own. Since launching I have personally or virtually met over 200 HR professionals in my network, speaking with many more over email. As I have mentioned in previous communications, the influx of CVs is difficult to manage but candidates should be confident that their CVs are at least viewed in my own case.  

In March everything slowed or stopped completely, and the reality is it took Holden Reilly the best part of 6 months to get signed contracts and processes into place with clients. I am not one to waste peoples’ time, and therefore any role that I work on is a verified position, even if not exclusive. Going into September, I have witnessed more commitment from organisations to engage with agencies on signed-off opportunities and to manage the recruitment process at a more appropriate pace for all parties. Roles still go on hold, but this is purely for financial/budgetary reasons.

What I am trying to show is that it has been a very reactive year. The only strategy I currently have is to place good HR candidates when possible and to keep Holden Reilly active in people’s minds for when the market finally gains momentum, which it will inevitably do.  

At the same time, I realise the value-add, especially for candidates is much less in 2020 that ever before. Candidates are still very worried, frustrated and in some cases disappointed with the recruitment market, agencies, and in-house recruiters.

It is the first time that many of my own candidates have been out of work for so long, and it has become disheartening for most. If you are reading this and you are in that position still, please be assured that you are not forgotten. Financially it can be an extremely difficult time but understanding the drivers in the market are key (more on that later).

Who is recruiting HR professionals now?

Sector wise, placements have been across industrial sectors, FMCG, professional services and local diversified groups going through change. Almost every role I have worked on in 2020 has been a generalist or recruitment focused position. Learning & Development, Talent and Reward have been less prominent.

Many MNCs have global hiring freezes in place and have gone through restructures leading to HR being taken out of the ME region to consolidate cost. They have moved senior HR roles to Asia, India, Australia & Europe and in some cases back to the US.

Regional companies have also gone through redundancies in HR and witnessed voluntary resignations due to personal considerations such as schooling or pay cuts within the family unit.

So, from what I can see, many senior HR roles in MNCs have been taken out of the region (salaries AED 60-90K per month). At the same time, regional companies are more likely to replace a senior HR hire who resigns, but not at a pre-covid rate of pay. In previous downturns I would suggest that this is a risky strategy for organisations – as soon as the market improves, people leave. However, this crisis is very different. Salaries across most disciplines and sectors have reduce by 15-25%. Pay cuts are in place until the end of the year, but there is no guarantee of increases for some. Add to this the fact that many employees can now effectively work from home, companies can now attract talent without the cost of expatriate benefits and relocation. I therefore do not necessarily see HR salaries increasing any time soon.

I do not, however, condone organisations taking advantage of the covid situation. The salary for any HR role should be fair based on the candidate’s knowledge, skill set and experience, and the cost of living in the country. Otherwise we will see a huge exodus of true talent, which will not be easily replaced.

This leads me on to the levels being hired. It is a junior-mid level market, with clients looking to find strong operational HR skills, coupled with an ability to build relationships with management & leadership. Of the few senior level roles in the market, the clients are extremely detailed about the skills, experience, and cultural fit of the shortlisted candidates. It is not easy to land an interview in this market, and I fear this is having a negative effect on some excellent talents.  

Advice for HR candidates still actively looking after lock-down

My advice in this situation is to make sure your CV is tailored to any organisation and role you apply for, and you have researched the company in advance of applying. Take the time to read the job descriptions and acknowledge the fact your CV might not highlight the correct examples or skills in its current state. Changing your CV is not time wasted and could make all the difference to being shortlisted. This is where the “Easy Apply” function on LinkedIn can be misleading! Applying for any role requires effort in this market….

As an agency recruiter, I am now asked for incredibly detailed candidate interview notes from contingent clients and I understand this due to the sheer number of CVs on the market. If you are being represented by an agency for a role, make sure the recruiter has at least interviewed you adequately by telephone. If not, it is unlikely you are not being sold into the client in a way that will guarantee an interview.  

Make sure you CV is also up to date. Many candidates who were made redundant during covid where not expecting it and do not have an adequate CV which highlights recent projects, commercials and value add. If you do not know where to start, ask for CV advice. And before you apply for a role through an agency, ask them if your CV needs to be amended for the client.

What organisations should know

If you are reading this as a hiring manager, you should know that there is some excellent HR talent still available in the UAE at all levels. The candidates I have registered have a breadth & depth of experience, often gained in multinationals and strong local companies. They are diverse, commercially aligned and people oriented – which companies need in difficult economies. In addition, they are realistic and flexible on their salary expectations, within a fair benchmark. However, this talent pool is shrinking and many more will leave before the end of 2020. The ME has come so far in its HR journey, progressing from admin focused teams to business-aligned people functions which supports the bottom line. It would be disappointing to see us go backwards in HR, and extremely difficult to regain momentum.

Final thoughts….

This is a longer piece than I envisaged! But I hope it gives some insight to the reality of the HR recruitment market from my perspective. As always, we need to stay positive and try to support the UAE HR community in 2020. It is not easy, and motivation is low for many.  I am grateful to have helped some incredibly good HR professionals this year and hope to continue as we move into the latter part of 2020.

Wishing you all a successful September and I hope to hear some positive outcomes soon!  

HR Alignment to Business Vs being Business Informed

In today’s declining economic climate, we can already see a shift in what business leaders’ look for when recruiting HR professionals.

Demonstrating true commercial acumen at interview can really set you apart especially at HR Director or CHRO level and moving forward it will become an increasingly important skill.

The HR consultancy Human Insights, who work with clients across MEA, has published their view on what it now means to align your HR strategy to the business strategy. They highlight an interesting comparison between being an HR business partner Vs being a business-informed HR professional.

Human Insights can be contacted in the UAE through Nathalie Atallah nathalie@humaninsights.global

COVID-19: Is HR ready?

Let’s go back to December 31^st, 2019.

As the clock hit midnight, many of us assumed 2020 would be an extra special year. Being a new decade, there is heightened positivity and hope for the future, in both our personal and professional lives. Not to mention the excitement and effort going into the international events planned in the UAE and Qatar; 2020 looked promising from all angles.

After the financial crisis in 2008 and the oil crisis in 2014, the GCC had proven its’ resilience in the face of extreme economic adversity. Yes, there was major cutbacks across all sectors during both these times, and the job market was in decline for the most part – but going into 2020 these pressures seemed to be easing and we were entering a new period of growth and in some cases, like in Saudi Arabia, dynamic change. The retail sector showed real signs of recovery after long periods of restructuring; the banking sector continued to digitalise and consolidate at a local level; technology start-ups were multiplying; and the developers where building.

From an HR perspective, recruitment was once again a key priority, coupled with talent management and true business partnering. Leadership looked to HR leaders for support in what appeared to be a positive start to the year. And for that reason, HR teams were adding headcount, especially at the mid-management and specialist level.

Fast forward to the end of quarter 1, and it’s a very different picture. COVID-19, a new strain of the coronavirus, has threatened our professional lives like nothing else in our lifetime. And it’s not limited to one region; it is truly a global HR issue affecting every sector, every discipline and every level of employee – both blue and white collar. In large global organisations like Google and Apple, there are rigorously tested, business continuity plans ready to be put into action in these situations (such as a national state of emergency or a war).

But what happens at a regional level for local organisations and SMEs? In these companies, the leaders suddenly look to HR to implement immediate changes to the way employees work, develop compensation strategies to reduce the chance of long-term redundancies, and in extreme cases decide if employees work at all. The pressure on the HR function is very different in these situations – the safety and well-being of employees, suppliers and customers must come first. This can often mean making ground level changes to daily tasks. These changes need to be communicated clearly and quickly, and in a way that guarantees a change in behaviours and accountability. As an HR professional, you need to understand the processes within the business itself, and be able to work with the other support functions to enable efficient changes – be it working from home, limiting the need for business travel or reducing personal contact in the office. At the same time, commercial decisions need to be taken and communicated by HR in a fair and legal manner.

Like an act of terrorism, a pandemic also creates fear of the unknown – and this can have a huge effect of the productivity, mental health and engagement of employees. Suddenly, technical HR skills are less important and there is a need for empathy, advisory and leadership skills.

For larger organisations, the threat of the virus is even broader. The stock markets are in decline and in some countries business operations are halted. The timescales are unknown and therefore the impact on employees is also unknown. As anyone would agree, it is a very worrying time.

So how can HR be a positive influence during a global crisis? At this point, the word Human is the most important one. This is a Human crisis and it is not limited to any demographic. HR must find a safe way to keep teams and communities together and reassure employees that we will all get through this. Companies have a responsibility to care and protect their employees, and HR can be the driver for this. They must communicate, update and relay the facts, daily if possible and on all platforms. Above all, they must continue to deliver an efficient employee service during a time of fear, uncertainty and anxiety.

Indeed, colleagues & teams can be as important as family during a global crisis and this is where HR can take the lead role. Supporting employees during this time will ultimately lead to a more engaged and loyal workforce once we come out the other side – which we inevitably will do.

Stay safe & stay positive.

Julie

The HR Insider – Issue 2

In our 2^nd Issue, we speak to Ross Seychell who is Chief People Officer at fintech TransferWise. Reporting to the CEO, Ross is responsible for the HR strategy globally which is currently 13 countries and over 2000 employees. TransferWise is headquartered in the U.K. and facilitates online money transfer to over 6 million consumers & businesses worldwide. The company is experiencing exponential growth and has the vision to enable money transfer without borders. TransferWise recently set up their Middle East office based in Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM).

1. Describe your current scope and agenda at TransferWise?

I’m responsible for the people experience and HR function globally for over 2,000 employees spanning the Americas, EMEA and APAC. This includes everything related employer brand, recruitment, reward, engagement, technology, analytics and HR operations.

We’re a mission driven business – our mission is money without borders. Current global banking systems don’t let us send, spend or receive money across borders easily. Or quickly. Or cheaply. With more and more people working and living globally, this is a big problem to solve. Our company mission helps to guide our people strategy and plans. 

Our people plan this year is built around a 3 key pillars – helping the company to grow at the pace we need to, support our leaders and employees development and investing in technology, tools and analytics so we can scale effectively and sustainably as an HR team for the long term 

1. Considering your global coverage, how does the HR strategy differ in certain regions? 

We’re a global tech company with a big mission and a start-up heart and like to think we’re the perfect mix of big and small. We also must consider the local needs in each of our offices and employees, as well as recognising we’re a global business with many teams working across regions together virtually 

We form our overall people strategy based from needs of TransferWise overall – using data, metrics and insights to get clear on the problems we need to help solve. However, we do tailor the implementation of our plans by region and now functionally where it makes sense. It’s important to ensure the work you’re doing is relevant for the markets you’re in, but also not forget that we are one company with one mission and set of values 

1. What do you think are the key skills or knowledge needed to work in a global role?

For me there are 3 attributes I look for in those who will work in or lead teams with a global reach, other than having the experience needed in their area:

• Use data and metrics to figure out where best to focus and prioritise, plus be able to measure their impact
• Curiosity & openness to learn about new cultures, with the ability to flex their approach to blend local with global
• Being resourceful and using their network, tools and investigation skills to get stuff done fast. It’s ok to launch something that is 80% completed and iterate it to make it even better once people start to use it and give you feedback 

1. From your own experience, why is international HR experience important (in terms of career progression)?

For me personally it’s helped me to be a much more inclusive leader – for my team, the business that I’m helping to build and ultimately our customers. If you have spent time working with or leading teams in other countries than your own, you must work hard to adapt and consider important aspects like language, communication, cultural customs and different expectations. 

• What has been your biggest challenge in a global position?

In the last 2 years we’ve more than doubled in size! As a hyper growth global business, each region and country we have teams have has their own needs and plans, as well as priorities to deliver for the company overall. At some points it has been extremely overwhelming, and it is tempting to try to do too many things at the same time. I’ve learnt hard about prioritisation and focusing on what’s most important. Delivering a project or new product well is much better than trying to do 2-3 things half well!  

• Are they any countries or regions you have covered where you feel HR has really progressed or transformed in recent years?

I’ve seen our team in APAC, especially Asia, grow particularly fast in the last few years. Many of the countries in the region have fast growing economies – with nearly 50% of the fastest growing companies in the world hailing from the region. This means that many businesses, together with their HR teams, are working hard to respond to continually shifting employee trends and opportunities, whilst keeping pace as they scale up. Some of these companies also becoming even more global themselves working closer with other regions. This creates new and exciting problems for the HR teams based there to help solve in partnership with business leaders and teams. 

• What advice would you give an HR professional looking to reach a global HR position?

I’d recommend getting involved in a project or initiative in your company that gives you some exposure and experience in other countries or regions. If your current business isn’t international – you could find yourself a mentor in another company with an international footprint who could help you. I’ve used my network to do this in the past or reached out to people directly with lots of success! If there are specific countries or regions you’re interested in expanding to in time, you can find a lot of great information and resources online too.