AEC and manager mobility: Impact on business in Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. Report prepared by en world group

Transcription

1 AEC and manager mobility: Impact on business in Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam Report prepared by en world group

2 Contents Page 3 Methodology Page 4 Major findings Page 6 en world recommendations for corporations and job seekers Page 8 Regional comparison Page 15 Further highlights Page 17 Conclusion Page 18 Message from en world Thailand Page 19 Contact AEC and manager mobility 2

3 Methodology When the survey was conducted: Numbers of respondents: 44% of respondents in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam had at least 10 years of work experience. OCTOBER 2015 Survey respondents: Managers and Directors from MNCs 1,605 Survey locations: Thailand Singapore Vietnam Vietnam Thailand Singapore AEC and manager mobility 3

4 Major findings SINGAPORE Laos Campuchia Phillipines 67% 71% Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines were the least popular work locations in the AEC with only 1-3% of respondents choosing them. respondents in Thailand respondents in Vietnam chose Singapore as their workplace of choice within the AEC. AEC and manager mobility 4

5 According to respondents in Singapore, experiencing different cultures was more important than career development opportunities. Respondents in both Vietnam and Thailand cared more about job opportunities, including career development opportunities and better remuneration. The biggest downside for Singaporean respondents to travel and work in ASEAN countries was the low economic development in comparison with Singapore. Personal/family matters were one of the key causes that prevented Thai and Vietnamese respondents from traveling to work in other ASEAN countries. Thai respondents considered themselves hard-working with the ability to work independently and problem-solving skills. Singaporean respondents said they were better equipped to work abroad, with better English skills, global mindsets and ability to work independently. Vietnamese respondents said they were hard-working and had the ability to learn and adapt quickly to change Singaporean and Thai respondents were more likely to actively ask a domestic recruitment agency to help find a job in their chosen country or a recruitment agency in that country to find a job. Vietnamese respondents said they must continue to improve their English skills and create or update their profiles on social networking sites. AEC and manager mobility 5

6 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORPORATIONS How to deal with the Brain drain issue: To retain talented employees, enterprises need to invest in hiring the right people, develop their "Employer of Choice" brand and improve the impact of engagement programs. How to deal with scarcity of skilled personnel and shortage of senior managers: Training and development: different programs are needed to meet different levels of employees needs such as leadership training program, on-the-job training program. Long term employee development programs like high potential development programs are required. How to attract talented personnel from oversea countries: Build the Employer brand Build proper salary and incentive programs for the talented candidates Make sure that enterprises are ready to accept diversity in corporate cultures Make sure that enterprises develop leaders with cultural dexterity to manage a diverse and dispersed workforce. AEC and manager mobility 6

7 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JOB SEEKERS Ask a domestic recruitment agency or a recruitment agency in your chosencountry to help you find a job. These agencies areprofessional firms that specialize in recruiting candidates for companies. By doing so, your application or profile will be widely communicated to recruiters and employers. Need to study foreign worker policies of host countries in depth. This will help you live and work by the laws of these countries. Make the best preparations in terms of health, family matters, English skills and functional skills as well as knowledge of relevant laws in your chosen country. This will boost your confidence and prepare you before traveling to work in a foreign country. Learn about the labour market in the host country. This will help you understand the country s recruitment and labour markets. Identify your strengths and decide on the industry you want to work in so you are in a position to prepare your application, profile and relevant work experience. This will enable recruitment agencies to help you find a suitable job faster. AEC and manager mobility 7

8 Regional comparison AEC and manager mobility 8

9 Most attractive work locations in the AEC Singapore is hugely popular with Thai and Vietnamese respondents. 67% Singapore 31% Thailand 71% Singapore 10% Vietnam 15% Malaysia 9% Thailand 6% Myanmar 12% Vietnam Thailand Singapore Vietnam 7% Malaysia AEC and manager mobility 9

10 Workplace of choice based on personal experience and relationships Respondents from Singapore and Thailand chose the preferred work location based on: Vienamese respondents have a different approach: Travel experience Their companies have offices in that country They have friends working there Travel experience Media & Social networks They have friends working there AEC and manager mobility 10

11 Top 3 reasons to work internationally Better remuneration Better career development opportunities Better career development opportunities Can experience a different culture You can work in an international environment Better job opportunities Fluent English is an advantage Can work in an international environment Can work in an international environment You can experience a different culture 71% 50% 62% 44% 43% 35% 35% 43% 38% 40% Thailand Singapore Vietnam AEC and manager mobility 11

12 Why managers don't want to work in other ASEAN countries According to the survey, although respondents were ready to choose a country to work in, there was still a big gap between their readiness and realisation. 57% Lack of information on foreign worker policies of host country 58% Low economic development in comparison with Singapore 55% Lack of information on foreign worker policies of host country 51% Lack of information on policies and laws of host country 52% Lack of information on policies and laws of host country Personal / family matters 51% Personal / family matters 49% 47% Lack of information on foreign worker policies of host country 42% Lack of information on policies and laws of host country AEC and manager mobility 12

13 How managers evaluate their own strengths Thailand Singapore Vietnam Ability to work independently Hardworking Problem English skills Global mindset Ability to work Ability to learn Hardworking Ability to adapt solving skills independently to change By living and working in a developed economy, it seems that Singaporean managers feel more equipped to work on a global stage than their ASEAN peers. Therefore, many respondents in Singapore said they would like to have more options of working in countries outside of ASEAN such as Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, China and India. AEC and manager mobility 13

14 Approach to AEC mobility Thailand Singapore Vietnam 50% Ask a recruitment agency in the chosen country to help find a job 59% Find a job through online recruitment channels in the chosen country 69% Research the chosen country including policies for foreign laborers 46% Ask a domestic recruitment agency to help find a job in the chosen country 58% Ask a recruitment agency in the chosen country to help find a job 67% Improve English skills 42% Research the chosen country Find a job through online including policies for foreign recruitment channels in 48% laborers 59% the chosen country Create /update LinkedIn profiles AEC and manager mobility 14

15 Attitudes to notice period Respondents in the 3 surveyed countries said that 2 months was a reasonable time to start to work after accepting a job offer. 41% respondents in Thailand chose this option 38% respondents in Singapore chose this option 38% respondents in Vietnam chose this option AEC and manager mobility 15

16 Attitudes to global mobility and family commitments 41% 30% 40% 48% respondents in Singapore said they would bring their families to the chosen country as soon as they found a job respondents in Thailand respondents in Vietnam said they would only bring their families to the chosen country after at least 1 year of work there respondents in Vietnam said they would settle in the chosen country if given the opportunity 68% respondents in Thailand 60% respondents in Singapore said they do not intend to settle in the chosen country. AEC and manager mobility 16

17 Conclusion 1 Within this report, when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is officially established, Singapore is likely to become a country which faces more challenges and opportunities than others because a large number of regional personnel will come. Meanwhile, Cambodia, Laos and Philippines may not be able to attract high quality personnel to help diversify their workforce. 2 By living and working in a developed economy, Singaporean respondents have more strengths than their peers from other ASEAN countries. They have better English skills, global mindsets and the ability to work independently. Many respondents in Singapore said they had more options to work in countries outside of ASEAN such as Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, China and India. 3 Most respondents chose a country to work in based on their own experiences or indirectly through activities related to the companies where they are working, or family and friends living and working in that country. These factors may be the reason they would feel more secure working in that country. 5 Traditional family values are very common in Vietnam and Thailand. This has a direct impact on candidates from the two countries when they want to find better job opportunities in other countries. Family matters could discourage these respondents from traveling to work in other regional countries. 6 Vietnamese respondents are not fully confident about finding jobs in other regional countries due to their English skills. They are not familiar with new approaches to find a new job in the digital age. 7 Both Thai and Vietnamese respondents care more about taking their families with them to work in a host country. They need time to evaluate the stability of their jobs before deciding to bring their families to join them. Singaporean respondents generally take their families with them to the host country when they accept the job offers. 8 Both local and international enterprises in Vietnam may face with a brain drain of mid-level and senior managers when the AEC is officially established. 4 Recruitment agencies play a very important role in counseling and helping respondents to find a job in another regional country. By clearly understanding the candidates needs, strengths and disadvantages, recruitment agencies will help them find suitable jobs in a host country. AEC and manager mobility 17

18 Representatives from other countries surveyed Yusuke Nishino Country Managerz Nguyen Thi Van Anh Managing Director, Navigos Search, Vietnam AEC and manager mobility 18

19 Message from en world Thailand Should we be apprehensive about AEC? I suppose it depends on whose perspective we are looking from. Introduction of AEC is an occurrence to be revered not feared. Why? Firstly, as the new people enter, it increases different skill sets that other countries possess, that other nationalities may be stronger in. However, it also increases the necessity for those currently in the company to improve their current skill levels as they become apprehensive of those coming in may replace them. The most common skill that seems to be lacking across all countries except Singapore is the English proficiency level. The benefits employers will notice, is firstly these increased skills but also an increased choice of applicants. For employees, a heightened opportunity of working and living abroad and experiencing new cultures. This report highlights that Singapore would be most affected, where salaries are higher, living standards are higher and so those living in Thailand and Vietnam have a stronger desire to move there. The drawback for these candidates wanting to make the move, is that English skills in Singapore are far higher than any other country in the AEC. So employers expectations from the new visitors will be high. More than half of the respondents in both Thailand and Vietnam chose Singapore as their preferred destination. So how do we, in Thailand, attract these people? Belinda Skinner Country Manager What problems will candidates face? With more choice of candidates, employers will set a higher criteria. For employees wanting to move to another AEC country, they will have to work harder to improve their skills, the main one being English. It was shown that the common factor that stops employees from wanting to move from Thailand or Vietnam is their strong family commitments. However, personally, I would like to recommend to candidates is they should take into consideration how the move will be beneficial to their career. The countries are all so close in proximity that the ease of transportation to get back to their home country is easier than they imagine. As a recruitment agency, we can play an integral part to help the process for both parties. We have the connection to the APAC region. For an employee we can help you understand the role more, help you locate the job you want, in the country you want and not rely on social media. As an employer, you will see an influx in mismatched applications. We are here to save you valuable time to sift through these applications, really understand your culture and the culture of the candidates applying. Leaving you more time to concentrate on the more important strategic HR issues. AEC will strengthen the economic ties between the various countries, it will lift the skill sets in each country and the countries will become more competitive. All I can see is a better future for us all. AEC and manager mobility 19

20 Contact en world is a group of recruiting consultancies specialising in professional and managerial roles. Operating from 7 countries, we support global companies recruitment needs through our Asia Pacific network. THAILAND (Bangkok - Headquarters) Headquarters in Bangkok 12F Athenee Tower, unit Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok Phone: Fax: JAPAN (Tokyo - Headquarters) 12F Tokyo Square Garden, Kyobashi 3-1-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Phone: Fax: info@enworld.com AUSTRALIA Level 1, 1 Chandos Street St Leonards, Syney, NSW 2065 Phone: Fax: australia@enworld.com Office in Chon Buri Add: 9th Floor, Room number 906, Talaythong Tower, 53 Moo 9, Tungsukla, Sriracha, Chonburi Phone: +66 (2) Fax: thailand@enworld.com INDIA (New Delhi - Headquarters) 1F E-156, Main Road, Kalkaji, New Delhi, Phone: info@neweraindia.com SINGAPORE 30 Raffles Place, unit #13-02 Chevron House, Singapore Phone: Fax: singapore@enworld.com KOREA 10F Seoul Finance Center, 136 Sejong-Daero, Jung-gu, Seoul Phone: Fax: korea@enworld.com VIETNAM (Ho Chi Minh City - Headquarters) Floor 7, Room 702, Sunwah Tower, District 1 Phone: Fax: contact@navigossearch.com AEC and manager mobility 20