Career advice

Practical guides for a Hong Kong career

Curated writing from operators, recruiters, and HR leaders — written for people building real careers in HK.

Search result for "managers"

The secret to discussing pay with employees

Universally speaking, money is an uncomfortable subject – be it with friends, family or in the workplace. In fact, the “pay” conversation that managers are required to have with their employees might be one of the most unanticipated talks of the year. Pay is a sensitive subject Pay is a highly sensitive subject as it is, so relaying the wrong information, or even expressing the right information in the wrong way can contribute to your employees losing trust.

HR Career Success

Own your anxiety: How to make workplace anxiety work for You

Workplace anxiety is pervasive. It affects all employees, regardless of age, tenure or industry. As the modern workplace continues to undergo changes pertaining to decentralisation, downsizing and restructuring, workplace anxiety will continue to escalate. What’s more, the culture of overtime in Asia has made stress more common than not, further enhancing feelings of anxiety at work.

HR Career Success

Are your high flyers flying under the radar?

Success isn’t born, it’s made. Day after day. Year after year. The challenge for big and busy companies is spotting those executives who are quietly putting in the late nights and diligently developing themselves into the leaders of tomorrow.

HR Career Success

How far behind is your HR department with AI?

As HR leaders, the question that we need to ask is, what does it mean to elevate your HR function in an AI driven future, and what are the steps to get there.

HR Career Success

How do I approach salary negotiations?

Q: I have worked as an accountant, for both Big Four and small firms, for 15 years and I am returning to Hong Kong after 10 years away, so I am looking to get back into the job market here. I earned a fairly high wage in my job in Australia and I would like to keep my salary on an upward scale. I have never before had to negotiate a wage though and I worry that I might be a little out of touch with salary trends in Hong Kong. How do you think I should approach the process?

HR Career Success

Tips to help you manage millennial workforce

People grumble that the younger generation of workers are getting worse; that they are immature and irresponsible; that they don’t work hard enough; that they want quick results while not willing to put in the effort. Many feel that the “internet generation” is too used to instant gratification, and don’t persevere for more meaningful rewards. Are younger workers as bad as many of their supervisors and bosses’ complaints about them suggest? Many of the millennial generation don’t think so.

HR Career Success

Don’t discount arts graduates for tech roles

What do an arts major and IT managers have in common? In short, the answer could well be “a lot more than you might think”. Personally, I have been involved with the arts from the age of 10 and had no intention of going into technology until after I had left university. The greatest programmer I ever worked with had a philosophy degree and, throughout my career, the majority of my colleagues didn’t offer computer science degrees.

Advice Columnist

5 Rules for Managing Talent

In order to keep your employees loyal and happy for the long haul and avoid quick turnover, here are some rules for managing talent……

HR Career Success

The best way to stay competitive in recruiting

In today’s volatile, uncertain and complex business environment, it is critical for organisations in Hong Kong to embrace new ways of thinking and working. This requires linking business strategy to talent strategy, critical to the success of talent acquisition. While tech trends such as big data and AI will continue to make the HR practitioner’s role significantly easier, it remains vital for HR professionals to continuously refine their skill sets and work with the right kind of tools.

Advice Columnist

5 Ways to Master the Art of Great Corporate Communication

Corporate communications has come a long way in recent years. It can be one of the single most important ways that a business can connect with their customer base, as well as foster a sense of security and pride for their staff members.

Productivity Tips

12 Proven Strategies to increase Job Satisfaction

Making your employees more satisfied with their work is surprisingly easy to do if you genuinely care about their well-being. There are 12 simple, proven things that you can do……

HR Career Success

Remember that candidates are consumers too

As consumers, it isn’t hard to recall times when we were let down by a service or a business. In fact, at one time or another, we’ve all probably promised to “never again” buy from a company after a particularly frustrating experience, and complained to our family, friends or colleagues about it.