Is a good boss an 'employee benefit'?

Singapore is one of the most competitive working environments in Asia, and is generally in a head-to-head battle with Hong Kong on wages, qualification status, c-suite positions available, and general employment prospects. But Singapore and Hong Kong share some less desirable traits: good people are hard to find, staff turn-over is high, and skilled labour shortages are affecting productivity.

Businesses have responded to this situation by increasing pay rates, opening up management opportunities for those individuals wanting career advancement and a 'manager' or 'VP' title, and by encouraging a range of skills training opportunities for general staff. And yet staff turn-over remains high, and productivity remains flat.

What is really driving change?

In Singapore, a recent survey stated that while pay was still the key reason for moving jobs, 60% of people wanting a 'good' manager was the prime driver for moving roles. For all businesses in Singapore this is a scary number. It is also a number that shows management isn't working at some level.

In the vast majority of businesses, ambitious and successful executives are promoted to management positions. For those involved, this is seen as a natural progression, and for young graduates this career pathway is seen almost as a right. But are the people who get promoted really the best suited to lead? Should a successful salesperson take over management of a whole team?

Staff want more than numbers

Increasingly, in Singapore, this system is being questioned. Not by managers and shareholders, but by staff -- and the results are not manifested in employee feedback and 'town-hall' meetings, but through increasing turnover rates and surveys which highlight good management as a reason to take a new role.

Staff demand different skills from their managers, and in the local market, it seems that few management candidates understand that different things are required once they take up leadership roles.

Better management training is, of course, one solution to this problem. But there is a danger that this just leads to more formulaic 'management-speak' and MBA best-practice processes.

Generally speaking, staff want to know that managers care about and appreciate what they do, that they have an interest in their work and the impact this has on their personal life, and that they feel like the business treats them as a valued person -- not just an employee number or, worse, an overhead.

Employee benefits as a way in the door

On top of wanting a good boss, employee benefits are also in heavy demand in Singapore -- medical plans, education, wellness programs, and company events are all now part of the modern employment package. But these 'employee benefits' can be much more than just add-ons to remuneration packages.

For smart HR teams and line managers these benefit programs, if developed with individual flexibility in mind (or 'flex' as it is known in the industry), can be a way to build staff loyalty and manager-employee relationships.

Well-constructed 'flex' programs can force managers to have conversations with staff they may not have wanted to have before -- but that staff think are vital. Talking about employee benefits with staff will give managers an insight into what drives individuals at different stages of their careers and lives.

They are also a way possibly to start a wider conversation around performance, management expectations, flexible working arrangements, and the general work environment. In short, the 'benefits' conversation might force managers to think about employees in a wider context than just sales numbers. Which is what most employees want.

Working with HR to make benefits 'manageable'

Thinking about benefits in this context should help HR and management better assess the overall needs of staff, and feedback should also make HR more aware of the needs of line managers and the 'management' issues they face when dealing with both improving underperforming employees and keeping stars.

However - for all this to work - the business needs to be prepared offering a range of benefits and flex structures to deliver on staff and managerial demands. To be effective, a one-size-fits-all offering may not work. In real-life, different people want different things, and smart businesses need to pay attention, and deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.