The great disconnect: Why Singapore companies' HR agenda do not appeal to employees

62% of employees prioritise health, but only 37% of companies focus on this.

According to Mercer’s 2017 Global Talent Trends Study, what is not on the HR agenda for 2017 demonstrates misalignment and perhaps missed opportunities to leverage what employees report as important:

Health over wealth – Despite 62% of employees in Singapore ranking their health as more important than their wealth or career, only 37% indicate they expect their workplace to become more focussed on employee health in the next few years, and health and wellbeing ranked second to last on HR leaders’ list of top talent management priorities this year.

Wealth over career – Whilst the majority (95%) of employees reported that they want to be recognised and rewarded for contributions beyond the organisation’s financial results and activity metrics, not quite half (45%) think their company does this well.

Furthermore, fair and competitive compensation ranked at the top when asked what would make a positive impact on their work situation, yet rewards still ranked outside the top five priorities for HR leaders.

Gig is big – Flexible work arrangements are important to employees, with more than half reporting that both their direct manager and company leaders are supportive of it (55% and 51%, respectively). Nevertheless, 50% of employees believe working remotely or part-time can adversely impact promotional opportunities.

And whilst more than three-quarters (80%) of full-time employees would consider working on a contingent or contract basis, neither business executives nor HR leaders have embraced these new forms of employment as much as expected or desired.

Both the C-suite and HR leaders agree that they do not expect the “gig economy” to have a significant impact on their business in the next two years.

A relevant experience – Beyond flexibility, personalisation is essential for creating an experience that resonates with employees. Less than half (40%) of employees say that their company understands their unique interests and skills, whilst 53% want their company to increase this understanding and help them invest in themselves.

Digital divide – Aspects of technology also show HR is lagging expectations of both executive leadership and employees. Business executives (75%) believe technology at work, including automation, robotics, machine learning, and wearables, is the workforce trend likely to have the most impact on their organisations in the next two years.

Yet, just over half (56%) of HR professionals agree. For employees, it is even more basic: less than one in five (18%) organisations in Mercer’s study say they do not provide any digital experience for interacting with HR.