In order to attract and retain high-quality staff, it is important to have a broad total rewards package that is cost effective, yet which does not come across as impersonal or transactional.

In this keynote session, we analyse:

• The challenges of tailoring employee benefit programmes to meet the diverse needs of a modern workforce, considering demographics such as age, job role, and cultural differences.
• Approaches to incorporate an individual and tailored approach to benefits, with the aim of supporting talent retention.
• Strategies for organisations to measure the return on investment (ROI) of their employee benefit programmes, as well as fitment to business goals.

No talent or organisation wants to be part of a wage war which leaves both parties with less room to negotiate or have a conversation. What today’s society does need is leaders who are sensitive to individual needs and circumstances. This is more so in Asia, where the concept of ‘pay transparency’ is layered with gender advocacy, cultural norms, and mindsets.

This conversation will aim to provide insights into:

• Aligning the necessity for establishing company-wide awareness and knowledge standards on pay transparency in a way that matches the organisational culture & cultural norms of the place of operations.
• How to put a dollar value against the skills & experiences of each employee to assess human capital better.
• Analysing the approaches to make data-driven compensation benchmarking decisions rather than relying on unfair and outdated practices.
• Setting up accessible yet centralised communication channels that provide clear opportunities for recognition to all employees, regardless of hybrid/in-person setups.

Effective “glocalisation” of rewards requires more than just surface-level adjustments; it demands a deep understanding and readiness to navigate the intricate tapestry of local cultures, norms, societal expectations, and employee expectations.

In this session, two leaders take the stage to converse about:

• Cultural factors, such as local business practices and ways of rewarding, that need to be accounted for when setting up an international office in Malaysia or a new region.
• Strategies to design rewards systems that acknowledge and respect cultural differences while promoting organisational objectives.
• How to make a business case for glocalised rewards strategies to senior stakeholders, to come up with a framework that incorporates flexibility, responsiveness, and local sensitivity.

About three-quarters of Malaysian youngsters are in debt. Alarmed by an increasing population of low-income and daily wage earners, organisations with progressive mindsets have started to take initiatives to alleviate the financial burdens of their employees by redefining the ‘once-a-month’ payday norm.

In this insight-packed session, let’s understand:

• The adverse effects of financial instability on the workforce, in terms of productivity, behaviours, turnover, and engagement.
• The concept of ‘earned wage access’: Understanding the merits & risks of using flexible payroll by providing an early payout for money already earned.
• Aligning earned wage access to organisational priorities such as ESG interventions.
• Financial literacy principles to empower the workforce to address their cash flow challenges and reduce reliance on predatory lending services.

Straight after lunch, let’s get refreshed through this facilitated networking session designed to re-energise you as well as expand your professional network. Don’t miss this opportunity to build relationships and gain perspectives from your peers!

One of the most important ways to improve employee satisfaction from rewards to ensure they understand what they are getting. Rewards frameworks that are overly complicated run the risk of being underappreciated and underutilised. Those who attend this panel can look forward to discussions on:

• Strategies to ensure a clear and accessible rewards communication strategy, across all levels of the organisation.
• How to instil financial and digital literacies, stress management skills, cultural and diversity awareness, and more in employees to create a more work-ready talent pool.
• Equipping employees with critical-thinking and problem-solving skills such that they will be able to adeptly handle adversity and maintain their well-being during times of change or uncertainty in the future.

Gone are the days where retention bonuses or matching the competitor’s salary package were the #1 ways to attract and retain talent. With a more purpose-driven workforce in place, many have stopped linking their job with money, but rather with ‘value’ – the value they generate for themselves, their families, and the society.

As such, rewards & recognition have been elevated for their contribution in engaging talent. In this session, facilitated by an experienced HR leader, let’s come around and identify:

How the composition of the rewards & recognition package has evolved to include career development, regular performance alignment, talent exchange programmes, and upskilling.

Best practices for aligning employer branding efforts with the cultural and business values of each organisation.

Creating a strong communication loop that ensures open & timely feedback, avenues for appreciation, and project-based developmental opportunities.

From once-a-year performance evaluations to quarterly conversations, and now weekly check-ins, managing performance has gotten snappier and more current. Has performance-based compensation kept up with these developments?

This case study will appeal to attendees seeking insights into:

• As organisations transition from traditional models to ongoing feedback mechanisms, how can we better align performance assessments with real-time goals and employee growth trajectories?
• Ways to empower employees with actionable insights and clarity by simplifying the process of performance management evaluations and the linkage with rewards.
• Integrating the values of timely feedback and coaching into compensation discussions, such that people managers can foster a greater sense of direction and purpose among employees.

As we emerge from a wintery economic climate that entailed restructuring across various sectors, what the workforce wants is to future-proof themselves so as to escape any further jolts. This, in addition to intrinsic motivation, is creating a demand for professional development opportunities among workers.

Stay tuned as two speakers take the stage in quick succession to discussion their philosophies around:

• The means to implement skills-based talent approaches, such as building a skills inventory, redesigning job descriptions, aligning KPIs, and defining success metrics.
• How leaders can overcome challenges around skills-based rewards, including data silos, mismatch around skills classifications, and differing managerial expectations.
• Strategies to create a talent pool with specialised and niche skills by cultivating high-impact digital and human skills in the existing workforce.
• Determining the frequency of conducting skills-based assessments and using this data to relook at job modelling and job evaluation models.
• How organisations can leverage technology to provide flexible, accessible, and personalised learning experiences for employees of all ages and backgrounds.