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Category: Leadership

  • Cornerstone Global Partners: Building Future-Ready Teams Across Borders 

    Cornerstone Global Partners: Building Future-Ready Teams Across Borders 

    Most executive recruitment companies focus on aligning resumes with jobs. However, there are few that tackle the real problem, which is finding culturally agile, crisis-tested leaders in places where the leadership pipeline is still developing. Nowhere is this more pressing than in Asia, where accelerating economic expansion outstrips talent supply. The demand is not just for executives but visionaries who can take businesses across borders. Filling this leadership void demands not only process—but purpose. 

    It is this purpose that propels Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP), one of the fastest-growing executive search and recruitment firms within the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 2012 by six pioneers in the executive search industry in Greater China, CGP started with the big ambition: to reinvent executive search in a rapidly shifting world. What began as a local enterprise is now a worldwide firm with offices across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, and European expansion in the pipeline. 

    “Having an operating model based on multi-brand and multi region, we have made over 15,000 successful placements and boasted more than 600 team members,” says Sean NG, Co-founder and Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region at Cornerstone Global Partners. However, its focus is not on numbers, but on people. The firm’s mission is to liberate talent and empower entrepreneurs to pursue their career, financial and personal objectives. This candidate-first vision implies prioritizing leaders who shape the company’s futures and creating meaningful careers for individuals. It also provides its people with the power of ownership, growth and global prospects. 

    A Full-Spectrum Talent Strategy Engineered for Growth 

    As the Asian continent continues to face shortage of leaders, especially in Southeast Asia and Singapore, CGP is designed to take on the burgeoning complexity in the market. The need for interim executives in technology, life sciences, ESG, and financial services keeps on increasing. Despite the uncertainty of the economy and rapidly changing global dynamics, organizations demand faster, high-impact hiring. The firm meets this challenge through the deployment of sector specific teams, the creation of executive talent communities, and through bespoke, strategic support. 

    Also to mention, CGP is a perfect blend of local understanding and international capability which allows customers to tap into local and international expertise. It has developed a highly innovative talent intelligence platform that combines features of predictive hiring tools, compensation analytics and real-time market mapping capabilities. Furthermore, they use AI-based search to help their recruitment process become efficient without sacrificing the high-touch, consultative experience that defines their services. 

    In addition to executive search, CGP provides the full cycle of talent services through contracting, RPO, inbound/outbound hiring strategy and talent consultancy. The company provides its recruitment services across 20 industries, which includes AI, financial services, semiconductors, retail, and real estate, spanning functional roles in sales, marketing, finance, operations, supply chain, IT, and HR. Each of the engagement is supported by a strong proprietary database and research capacity. 

    executive search & permanent recruitment team

    Technology is central to CGP’s innovation. Its hybrid recruitment platform provides over 1,500 curated positions, backed by offline consultants and one-on-one career guidance. This combination of AI-based capabilities and human intelligence enables candidates to make more intelligent, timely, and informed decisions about their career pathways and provides better results to clients. 

    CGP’s leadership exemplifies the firm’s entrepreneurial approach. Sean brings over 21 years of executive search experience across industrial, construction, property, FMCG, and life sciences. Chris Watkins, Co-founder & CEO, has more than 27 years of leadership experience in the U.S. and China, advising both multinational and Chinese firms at the board level. Adding further, the founding team — Alfred Chu, Jillian Wu, Sally Li, and Sophie Wong – each contribute over two decades of expertise in executive search and talent consulting. “Together, we have built a leadership culture grounded in deep industry knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit,” mentions Sean. 

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    “Having an operating model based on multi-brand and multi region, we have made over 15,000 successful placements and boasted more than 600 team members”

    Awards, Accolades, and a Vision That Scales 

    CGP’s approach has earned widespread recognition. It was awarded Best Executive Search Firm in Singapore in the year 2022 and 2023, and Best Mid-Management Recruitment Firm 2023. It holds Great Place to Work certification across Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan (2024–2025), and has won China’s Shanghai “Bo Le” Award five years running, along with LinkedIn’s Global Excellence Talent Management Award in 2021 and 2022. 

    Clients have repeatedly acknowledged CGP for its strategic advisory, responsiveness and accuracy in hiring executives. One HR Transformation Project Lead at A Regional Telco credited the firm with helping them access “high-caliber candidates that wouldn’t have reached otherwise.” HR Director at a fast-growing Technology Start-up noted, “The process was seamless, consultative, and tailored — a true extension of our internal team.” Candidates, too, speak highly of the firm’s role in shaping career pivots and long-term success. These testimonials are a reflection of the trust it has earned over time, by showing up, staying curious and delivering consistently. For CGP, success is not just about placements; it’s about impact.

    HR VOTY Awards Team Images
    CGP Singapore Won Best Executive Search Firm and Best Mid-management Recruitment Partner in 2023

    Looking ahead, CGP’s ‘Going Global’ initiative is focused on entering new markets, including the U.S., Europe, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The firm is building a million-level cross-border talent database, positioning itself as the only HR provider with a global pool across multiple sectors. In doing so, CGP is not just filling leadership roles—it’s helping companies build the future, one visionary hire at a time. 

    At CGP, we believe every great business begins with the right leadership. Whether you’re seeking visionary executives, building regional teams, or scaling globally, our consultants are here to help you secure talent that drives lasting impact.

    Partner with us today to discover how CGP can support your hiring needs across Asia and beyond.

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    *As featured in Asia Business Outlook – Top 10 Service Providers From Singapore 2025

  • How To Foster Innovative Thinking In Your Team?

    How To Foster Innovative Thinking In Your Team?

    As a leader, what are the most effective ways to activate your team’s creativity? Well! The answer that must top your list is developing a mindset of curiosity and innovative thinking. And, we are pretty sure you also consider our response apt.

    The business world is growing in a fast-paced environment fueled by new technologies and changing market trends. Businesses that can consistently come up with new and better ways of doing things are the ones that will thrive. Employers must identify opportunities to foster innovation in their teams to keep up-to-date with the dynamic world. However, the question is: how do you bring about innovative thinking among your people?

    To foster creativity and innovation within and across teams, you must create a culture for your workforce to empower them to share their ideas freely. Your role is to let mindsets thrive. To help, we offer insights on cultivating an innovative culture within your organisation.

    Must Read: How Can Employee Engagement Benefit the Company?

    Cultivating Innovative Culture

    #1 Create a supportive and open environment

    Create a safe workplace culture for your team that discourages judgment and encourages idea-sharing. If you build an environment that enables employees to share their ideas and suggestions, you ensure your organisation’s long-term success.

    #2 Keep things fun

    Life is too short to be anything but happy. Likewise, work life is too short to be lived under stress at all times. Therefore, ensure you have a relaxed atmosphere with lots of laughter, a stress-free work schedule, and one that supports creativity.

    #3 Keep toxic workers away

    No matter how healthy your work environment is, things won’t work as expected if you have a few toxic people. So on that note, it is always better to let go of that toxic set of people. As a result, the rest employees will feel psychologically safe.

    #4 Set boundaries

    Boundaries create innovative people. While you may assume freedom is a synonym for innovation, boundaries create innovation. So establish boundaries, let your team know that they exist, and train them to be innovative within those boundaries.

    #5 Embrace experimentation & risk-taking

    Strive to create a collaborative environment that encourages experimentation and risk-taking. Simply put, driving disruption requires a culture that allows employees to learn from failures at work that helps them capitalise on the disruptive potential.

    #6 Promote collaboration

    Unity is strength!

    The phrase applies to the business world, too. Bring together a bunch of smart workers for the generation of new ideas. This way, team building helps employees get introduced to new perspectives and improvise their thinking capacities.

    #7 Invest your confidence

    The most crucial step towards building an innovative workplace culture is investing trust & confidence in your team. Be a leader that cares about your people’s aspirations & feelings and shows complete confidence in their potential to think and work innovatively.

    ALSO READ: Learn how to promote leadership development in your organisation

    #8 Challenge your teams

    Run a drill where employees switch roles with each other for a day. The exercise might take time to bring results, but it helps deepens relationships and boosts team morale. The onus is on you to devise a balanced strategy before undertaking the exercise.

    #9 Recognise & acknowledge

    When an employee comes up with a new and innovative idea, make sure you recognise and acknowledge them. It’s essential for you to make your team members feel recognised for their contribution and receive feedback. This will encourage them to continue thinking outside the box.

    #10 Foster outside-the-box thinking

    Ask your team to come out of their shells and look at other industries to see how they solve problems. In other words, the world around your organisation has a lot to teach, but it is on your team to grasp it at the right time.

    Key Takeaway

    Fostering innovation is a process— it does not happen overnight. So help your organisation stay ahead of the curve by crafting a winning strategy. Certainly, and shortly, you will be on the road to building a workplace culture that will make your employees feel comfortable and think freely.

    About CGP Singapore

    We are a team of the most professional recruiters delivering Executive Search, Contracting, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and Human Resources Outsourcing services to multi-national and domestic firms. With over 1000k pre-screened mid- to senior-level candidates in our database, we can assist you in finding the right fit for the vacant positions within your organisation.

    We have won multiple industry awards and recognitions demonstrating our capabilities, dedication, and efforts to deliver the best recruitment products and services to job seekers, clients and partners.

    • 2022 Best Executive Search Firm 2022 (HR Vendors of the Year, Singapore and HK),
    • 2022 Most Popular Recruitment Agency (Fast Jobs Employer Awards, Singapore),
    • 2020-2022 Best Recruitment Portal (HR Vendors of the Year, Singapore),
    • 2020-2022 “Bole” Award of Shanghai Human Resources Service,
    • And more.

    In 2020, the Ministry of Manpower’s HCP (EA) Programme recognised CGP for our efforts around investing in human capital, adopting fair and progressive workplace practices, and helping employers strengthen their Singaporean core. We are one of the first 5 agencies to receive the MARK Award from the Ministry of Manpower.

    If you are looking for talented professionals to help your organisation achieve its goals, contact the experts at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP) Singapore and access cutting-edge talent.

    Be a one-of-a-kind leader for your company and build a forward-thinking team with us.

    FAQs

    1. How do you encourage innovative thinking in the workplace?

    To encourage innovative thinking in the workplace, leaders must become the most exemplary role models for their teams. Secondly, they must create a safe and healthy workplace culture to enable workers to share their ideas freely. Next, team collaboration must bring brilliant minds together that can work collectively to achieve organisational goals. Also, the organisation must recognise and acknowledge the contributors who share their impactful suggestions and ideas.

    2. What is the best way to foster innovation?

    While there are various ways to foster innovation, the best way is to build an environment that makes its people psychologically safe for idea-sharing. This helps encourage people to come forward and contribute with their ideas without fearing judgment.

  • Finding, Connecting & Building Success For People & Businesses

    Finding, Connecting & Building Success For People & Businesses

    Interview with Sean Ng, Co-founder and MD, Cornerstone Global Partners Asia Pacific

    As an alumnus of NTU Singapore, Sean is leveraging his exception in-depth knowledge of recruiting industry and leadership skills to lead his venture – CGP Group, one of Asia’s largest recruitment solutions and HR Technology platforms delivering exceptional Executive Search, Contracting, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and Human Resources Outsourcing services worldwide.

    A visionary, sincere, and extraordinarily skilled business leader, Sean Ng is the Co-founder & Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region for Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP) – one of the Asia’s largest recruitment solution providers and HR Technology platforms with 20 offices globally. With his strong understanding of the recruitment industry and over 20 years of experience within the executive search space, he is delivering Executive Search, Contracting, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, and Human Resources Outsourcing services to global and domestic firms.

    Prior to establishing CGP, Sean was with Hays China as General Manager in Shanghai. Before that, he also acquired a significant experience in recruitment activities in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shen Zhen. His unrivaled experiences and training from these organizations have made him an expert in recruitment methodology and have helped him to formalize the best strategy to run CGP. He is also an active member of the SME Challenge organization where he advises SMEs in SE Asia on transformation projects.

    At CGP, Sean is spearheading a team of exceptional individuals and empowering them to operate with an ownership mindset where they successfully build solutions for the industry while bringing together great people with great companies.

    Let’s hear it from Sean as he speaks about his venture and more.

    #1. Tell us about the unique experiences you had at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore. What did you learn from the campus beyond academics?

    NTU gave me the opportunity to master new skills, take up new sports and embrace new challenges – I had the freedom to learn about myself and what I enjoy. In the first three years of my journey with NTU, I was more focused on non-academic activities. I was the President of the NTU Diving Club and worked towards making diving activities very popular among students within the campus. I was also the Chairman of the Miss University Pageant and the Student Union Ball. I have been a significant part of sports as well as non-sports social events, managing their sponsorship, program planning, and financials.

    NTU has given me extraordinary platforms to build my leadership capability which has been extremely valuable to me throughout my career.

    Apart from all my academic and non-academic successes at NTU, I also met the love of my life during my NTU days, and we are now blessed with 4 children aged between 9 and 20 years old. Looking beyond my corporate life, I deeply appreciate the value of family time and cherish every moment spent with my loved ones. Despite the demands of running a successful corporation, it’s important to recognise that there is more to life than just work, and I strive to find a balance between my professional and personal responsibilities.

    Sean with APAC Leadership Team​
    #2. Tell us about your leadership approach.

    I believe I have a very sincere approach to leadership, and I am known for being straightforward, warm & kind, and very approachable to my team members. At CGP, I create a comfortable zone for my employees as I believe they should find me easily approachable if they have issues and work here with no barrier to escalate. I feel that establishing a family culture within the company is essential to creating a positive work environment where our employees feel supported and valued.

    We operate with a ‘serving others’ mentality where we equally serve all our employees ranging from junior to managerial positions; and with that mentality, employees become comfortable with us and approach us to learn. By fostering a sense of community and togetherness, everyone gets more engaged, productive, and committed to the company’s success. We want to impart our success and teach the younger generation how to be successful in the world of recruitment and create a significant impact in the Human Resources industry. Our leadership approach has been one of the most important factors that have enabled us to retain 700+ employees globally including in the APAC region.

    ​​#3. What makes Cornerstone Global Partners different from other competitors in the region?

    We are one of the fastest-growing mid-size recruitment firms across APAC. What makes us unique is our built-in expertise across various industries; we go very deep into every industry understanding our clients, competitors, and appropriate candidates, and with our strong research & database we are able to help business owners build their businesses faster.

    Sean Celebrating Successes with SG Executive Search and SG Personnel Teams

    We take a very close approach with our clients to understand their needs and help them do their market mapping of their competitors and then find them the best people in the industry. Our primary aim is to make sure our clients are able to get the best people for their business because only if they have the right people, they will be able to succeed.

    “We want to impart our success & teach the younger generation how to be successful in the world of recruitment and make a difference in the Human Resources sector by fostering a positive and productive workplace culture that values and uplifts each team member.

    #4. What is the future destination you are heading towards?

    We aspire to build a stronger global presence by launching our office in at least one or two countries every year. We launched ourselves in Thailand and Vietnam last year, which reinforces our presence in Asia where we already have operations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, etc. We recently opened an office in Dubai and gearing up for our operations in New Zealand and Indonesia. Moreover, we are also investigating the U.S. market to expand our operations there and also looking forward to growing in European countries.

    #5. What would be your advice for upcoming industry leaders?

    Everyone needs to know their ‘why’ – the purpose of their mission statement in life and why they are starting up a business. With the correct ’why’ and purpose’, I believe industry leaders can get to their goals successfully. And along the way, they must always walk beside positive and successful people and stay away from the pessimistic ones.

    What are effective leadership qualities and what does it take to excel as a recruiter? Listen to Matt Nicholls and Alex Zoboli, Managing Directors of Cornerstone Recruitment Japan K.K. talking with Sean Ng, Managing Director and Co-founder of CGP APAC sharing his thoughts.

    Who Are We

    At Cornerstone Global Partners, we are experienced in delivering Executive Search, Contracting, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and Human Resources Outsourcing services to multi-national and domestic firms. We are a team of specialists committed to helping our clients and candidates find the job and talent for mid to senior positions across several sectors. Whether our clients are newly entering the market, expanding their existing operations, or going outbound from Asia, we have the ability to support their demands.

    Founded in 2012, CGP Group is one of Asia’s largest recruitment solutions and HR Technology platforms, with 20 offices worldwide including mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, the Middle East and United States.

    Get in Touch

    View our Expertise

    ​ALSO READ:

    ​This article was originally uploaded by CEO Insights Asia.

  • The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership

    The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership

    Daniel Goleman, in his book ‘Emotional Intelligence,’ pens that people’s emotional intelligence was more important than their IQ.  People who were well-adjusted emotionally were more likely to have better leadership skills, mental health, and job performance. According to the author, superior EI (Emotional Intelligence) was twice as necessary as the skills and IQ required for completing a job.

    Emotional intelligence is a hot topic that has gained traction in recent years. Furthermore, it accounts for nearly 90 percent of what sets great performers apart from competitors. As a result, many leaders turn to emotional intelligence to analyse the performance of their employees.

    How is that?

    Emotional intelligence in leadership is extremely important as it works toward self-awareness, increases accountability, improves communication, and builds relationships. This blog examines how emotional intelligence can have a substantial impact on leadership. We will also discuss tips on how to improve your emotional intelligence.

    Emotional Intelligence & Leadership: The Importance of Their Synergy

    Emotional intelligence is the ability to comprehend, control, and develop your own feelings while understanding others’ feelings. Due to the growing complexity of society, the need for leaders to create happier and more productive workers has increased.

    Since it does not come naturally to everyone, emotional intelligence can be learned and developed. The good news is that high EI makes you an effective leader and enables you to help others improve their EI. Let us walk you through the results of emotional intelligence in leadership.

    #1. Builds Trustful Relationships

    No one but a leader with high emotional intelligence can understand the importance of building confiding relationships. Unarguably, trust forms the basis for developing any connection. Therefore, it becomes imperative for leaders to create an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

    A leader with high emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills strives to set the tone right and ensures its flow down the hierarchy.

    #2. Enables Leaders to Manage their Own Emotions Better

    Self-awareness is the first step in the direction of controlling emotions. Emotionally intelligent leaders efficiently manage their emotions and get through difficult conversations.

    People who make impulsive decisions or lose control over emotions lose their team’s respect and trust. But on the other hand, effective leader sails through turbulent waters while handling people around them.

    #3. Enables Leaders to Understand Others

    People with high emotional intelligence gauge the emotions of others more accurately. The reason is they have a good understanding of their own mental state. The increased empathy leads to more thoughtful decisions while motivating team members.

    This very characteristic allows the leaders to relate to the organisation and build a rapport with its people. And it results in developing a better understanding among human resources.

    #4. Leads to Collaborative Communication

    Emotional intelligence in leadership develops leaders who understand their coworkers. On that account, emotionally intelligent leaders instantly match the tone and mitigate communications that create tension.

    The world has seen enough leaders who speak with honesty & sincerity, and the credit goes to their emotional quotient.

    #5. Enhances Leadership Decision-making Skills

    Decision-making skills aren’t something you can develop overnight. However, an emotionally intelligent leader determines and analyses all his options before deciding. Simply put, they don’t jump to unplanned conclusions but make informed decisions with both the head and the heart.

    Effective leadership involves leaders incorporating logical reasoning and weighing the impact of their choices on the organisation.

    ALSO READ: How to Promote Leadership Development in Your Organisation?

    Tips to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

    Let’s examine the aspects you must include to improve your emotional intelligence as a leader.

    • Self-awareness – Become self-aware of your emotions before you begin understanding the emotions of people around you. A better understanding of your emotions will enable you to manage them more efficiently.

    • Manage your reactions – How you react to things is your choice. Pause to think before you take action. This will give you an opportunity to respond in a constructive way that is helpful for others, too.

    • Effective communication – Communicating effectively is the key to becoming an emotionally intelligent leader. Also, try to listen to what others say and respect their opinions. When you understand others’ perspectives, you get to know the other side of the topic in discussion.

    • Practice stress management – Stress is a factor that can impact your decision-making power. Therefore, it is necessary to keep a check on your stress levels. If you feel your stress is worsening, look for ways to rejuvenate yourself or try relaxation techniques to boost your physical and mental power.

    In Summary

    Whatever workplace model your organisation follows, emotional intelligence never fails to nurture efficient leaders. Therefore, relationships thrive when leaders step up to understand their employees and work toward emotional management. The world is living in times of a pragmatic approach toward emotional intelligence to understand what it includes and doesn’t.

    The scientific viewpoint states that emotional intelligence is perceiving emotions— yours and others, and managing them. After all, you would want your employees to feel valued and respected as you create an environment they won’t want to leave.

    Our profession demands professionalism, trust, and reliable service regarding clients and candidates. If you are looking for talented professionals to help your organisation achieve its goals, contact the experts at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP) Singapore and access cutting-edge talent.

    Be a one-of-a-kind leader for your company and build a forward-thinking team with us.

    RELATED READ:

    FAQs

    1. What is emotional intelligence in leadership?

    Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one’s emotions and recognise others’ emotions. It comprises empathy, social skills, self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation. Developing emotional intelligence makes one a better leader and ensures one gets the most out of their team.

    2. What is the importance of emotional intelligence?

    Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise and manage your emotions and understand other people’s emotions and perspectives. Emotional intelligence is essential because it allows a person to manage his emotions better and make informed decisions in his personal and professional life.

    3. How can emotional intelligence make leaders more effective?

    An emotionally intelligent person can make informed decisions as he thinks before taking any step. Moreover, developing emotional intelligence lets a person control his emotions without making decisions in haste. As a result, the person becomes a better and an effective leader who can guide the organisation in the right direction. In other words, an emotionally intelligent person is:

    • Self-aware

    • Better decision maker

    • Empathetic

    • Good listener

    • Careful of his reactions

  • Why Employee Upskilling Is Essential During Economic Uncertainty?

    Why Employee Upskilling Is Essential During Economic Uncertainty?

    The year 2023 started with economic uncertainty looming worldwide and is gradually becoming a real problem for organisations. Consequently, businesses may consider cost-cutting and slashing their workforce. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but organisations can pull down storm shutters to combat the unpredictable times ahead.

    Now, the question is how?

    LinkedIn Global Talent Trends, October 2022, reveals the importance of opportunities for upskilling and career development and how people place them on their top priorities.

    Additionally,  the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Reports states that because of the growing uptake of technology and automation, half of the workforce will need reskilling by 2025.

    In this blog, we will help you understand how employee upskilling focusing on relevant knowledge and skillsets to reduce the skill gap can help you improve work efficiency and innovation rate, thus nullifying the effects of current market uncertainty.

    Reasons to Upskill Employees

    #1. Boosts Motivation & Morale

    Imagine having two different teams. While team A comprises continuous learners, team B has people who don’t learn much and perform only what’s required.

    Which team would be motivated and committed to producing the best output? Without any doubt, it would be team A.

    Unarguably, if your employees come across a lack of learning opportunities, their work will start becoming burdensome. But, on the flip side, employee upskilling always brings job satisfaction among employees. Sending your team for upskilling courses shows your commitment to their professional development, increasing motivation at work, increasing productivity, reducing attrition rates, and improving job satisfaction. As a result, there arises no point in disagreeing on the benefits of having an invested and engaged team to fight economic instability.​

    #2. Saves on Recruitment Costs

    Organisations that train existing employees are said to have better talent retention rates and save the cost of replacement hiring. Of course, every time an employee leaves, it brings a financial burden, and things worsen during economically uncertain times. Nonetheless, upskilling your existing employees is a much more cost-effective way to hire and train replacements, especially when the economy is unsettled.

    Employee upskilling makes the organisation more agile and responsive to changing times without disrupting the organisation’s social capital.​

    #3. Prepares a Well-prepared Team for the Future 

    Employee upskilling helps team members develop varied skills and abilities. On top of that, it makes them prepared for the changes that lie ahead in the market. Once you identify the benefits of skill programs, there will be no looking back. Your employees will get proof that their career development matters to you.

    When the economy suffers turbulence, your organisation can fill in the gaps without new hires. In other words, upskilling your team will help you have your existing team drive toward goals by playing more than one organisational role. Thus, saving the company from the odds of economic uncertainty.​

    #4. Helps Workers See the Bigger Picture

    In the wake of economic uncertainty, millions of organisations like yours have understood the importance of upskilling. Straight from the shoulder, employee upskilling not only focuses on a promotion or a salary increase but also embraces other crucial factors. While an efficient upskilling program can boost employees’ confidence at work, it also improves their quality of life.

    Career advancement leads to better work-life balance and instills a sense of purpose while making work more interesting. Moreover, modern-day organisations also could nurture better employee experience and create a healthy workplace. Therefore, you can always maintain the best levels of talent retention even during uncertain times by making them reflect on what they might gain.​

    #5. Perseveres Relationships and Teamwork

    Upskilling your employees help improve collaboration and productivity. And when we mention improved teamwork and productivity, we indicate its benefits for your organisation during economically uncertain times. The fact that only some new hires can fit into the role as per your expectations, employee upskilling will keep you afloat without fail. Additionally, you can maintain the best composition of your company’s social capital.

    At this point, you have learned the benefits of employee upskilling, but we haven’t concluded. It would be considered incomplete if we didn’t discuss how to level up the benefits of upskilling. So let’s have a look.

    Get an up-to-date view of ever-changing employment landscape in Southeast Asia to optimise your recruitment strategies to retain top talent.

    Download 2023 Salary Trends Report​

    Getting Through the Uncertainty Ahead

    Leaders must adopt a transparent approach

    Leaders must see uncertainty in the economy as an opportunity to recap and make the necessary adjustments. An adaptive approach by leaders will provide more clarity to employees about the short-term goals and priorities of the organisation.

    Encourage Team Collaboration

    Nurture a work environment that promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing among employees. Nothing can overpower a strong connection of an employee with their colleagues and further strengthens company culture. You just need to know the ways to develop a high-performance team.

    Understand the skills gap

    Identify the difference between the skills your people have and the skills your company needs in the future. It will give you a better idea of designing and developing your skills program to fill the gap.​

    Leveling up: Where to Begin With Employee Upskilling?

    Upskilling could be in any form. From business courses to webinars, build learning paths with your employees customised to the skills they wish to acquire, and get insights into their progress to ensure they’re on the right track. Here we have collated some of the resources

    • SkillsFuture Series – which provides training courses across emerging skills in the four economic growth pillars – Digital, Green, Care, and Industry 4.0.

    • Udemy Business is another useful online learning platform that offers courses on technical and soft skills alike

    • At LinkedIn Learning with Lynda, where you can access business, technology, and creative courses taught by industry experts from various sectors and get course recommendations based on your employees’ unique skill sets.

    • Edx.org is another useful resource offering expert-led to build career-critical skills – ranging from executive education to professional certifications to build today’s in-demand skills.

    Final Words

    Upskilling provides benefits to both employees and organisations. Times have changed, and money is not the only factor that motivates the workforce. Currently, job seekers are looking for meaningful jobs aligned with their professional goals. In that case, organisations can offer upskilling opportunities to their people and make their job roles more purposeful.

    Our exceptional recruitment consultants at CGP Singapore’s team can help you spot suitable candidates and fill the vacant positions within your organisation.

    We pride ourselves on our personalized approach to matching top talent with the perfect job opportunity. Our team of experienced positive recruiters uses the latest technology and modern techniques to ensure a seamless and successful hiring process.

    Get in Touch

    FAQs

    How can employee upskilling help during economic uncertainty?

    Upskilling helps employees prepare for the future of work and boosts their competitiveness. Employers offering skills programs to their employees will help future-proof their organisation and sail through uncertain times due to economic reasons. Moreover, employers that invest in their people always gain their employees’ trust and loyalty.

    How can employee upskilling help with career development?

    Skill development happens over time and is a natural process. However, people who choose to upskill themselves in a planned way can get more benefits, such as

    • Fosters continuous self-improvement

    • Increases competitiveness in the market

    • Helps secure better jobs

    • Qualifies an employee for promotion

    • Assists in progressing toward goals

  • What Are The Most Important Non-salary Benefits For Top Talent?

    What Are The Most Important Non-salary Benefits For Top Talent?

    How do we ensure that the best talent is attracted?

    And then, how to make them stick around?

    That’s where employee benefits and perks can be a dealmaker or a dealbreaker. Although non-salary benefits are only a part of talent acquisition and retention strategy, they form the most crucial part when attracting and keeping hold of top talent.

    We will explore the essential non-salary benefits that will make your best employees stay. This is a must-read post even if you already have a list of non-salary benefits to offer your employees. After all, if there are any of them that you don’t provide, adding them can ease your retention worries.

    What are Non-salary Benefits?

    Non-salary benefits refer to the non-monetary rewards that employees receive for working with your organisation. Therefore, we define non-salary benefits as benefits that do not directly add money to the employees’ bank accounts.

    From the employees’ point of view, benefits are the reasons for them to choose working with your organisation over others. In simple words, benefits are what set you apart from other businesses.​

    Attract & Retain Top Talent Effectively

    While health insurance and retirement benefits are the factors job seekers consider while weighing career options. Howbeit, numerous other non-salary compensation aspects determine a person’s employment decision.

    Here are the vital non-salary benefits that can help you outgrow competitors by placing top talent within your organisation.

    #1. Health Insurance

    Modern-day employees don’t even consider joining an organisation that doesn’t provide a health insurance plan. In point of fact, getting health insurance is the holy grail of their employment decision. Therefore, including health insurance as a part of job offers has become a norm in the corporate world.

    #2. Paid Time Off & Vacation Days

    At present, job seekers rank paid time off and vacation days as the second most important non-salary benefit in the company. Most assuredly, in a world with an entity like Google that offers 30 paid days off annually, your organisation might get overshadowed in its absence.

    #3. Retirement Plans

    Employees not only intend to get a fixed monthly salary but also strive to secure their future. And there could be nothing better for them than obtaining retirement benefits. Admittedly, employees invest their money in different plans, but those options cannot replace retirement benefits. Once your organisations’ people hit their 40s, they start finding how much money they need to retire and ways to source it.

    #4. Flexible Working

    Flexible working options have become the new normal, whether it’s Gen X, millennials, or Gen Z. Seemingly, every age group has its share of responsibilities and point of view that requires flexibility in work. This gives them the right opportunities to balance their personal and professional life.

    #5. Employee Development Plans

    Your list of non-salary benefits in the company is incomplete if it does not include employee development plans. Being an excellent option to show genuine care towards employees, you must have a plan for employees’ growth & development. Such programmes will assist you in upskilling, cross-training, and setting new goals for your current workforce’s personal development.

    #6. Wellness Benefits

    Employees want their employers to consider them as assets that must never depreciate. By introducing health and wellness benefits, you can ensure their good health and make them feel valued in your business. For instance, you can provide health club memberships, yoga or meditation sessions, or chiropractor visits to make the workplace less stressful.

    #7. Meal Allowance

    It has become apparent that offering employees a complete employee benefits package is important. In this context, meal allowance can make your people feel more valued and appreciated. Moreover, the option is cost-effective and puts both employers and employees in a win-win situation.

    #8. Employee Savings Account

    Nowadays, employees look beyond a paycheck. Therefore, employers must acknowledge their job offers’ role in fulfilling their employees’ dreams. Offering an employee savings account can provide additional financial benefits that employees could use for buying their dream home close to nature after retirement or paying their children’s tuition fees.

    #9. Employee Assistance Programmes

    An employee assistance programme provides counseling for employees and their family members conducted by professional therapists. Generally, they provide training on mental well-being and also offer resilience resources. Invest in your people and understand they are human first.

    #10. Reward programmes

    ‘Start of the month’

    ‘5th work anniversary’

    ‘The most dedicated employee’

    Employees love being recognised for their work and dedication. You can boost their morale and earn their loyalty by rewarding them suitably. On top of that, such rewards float in the market through social media handles and bring mass recognition to your organisation.​

    Conclusion

    Are you prepared to offer non-salary compensation to your people? If your answer is affirmative, it’s time to go beyond salary. Make non-salary benefits a part of your offers, or the employees will soon find an employer that does.​

    FAQs

    1. What are the benefits given to employees?

    Traditionally, most benefits given to employees fall under the four categories:

    • Medical insurance

    • Life insurance

    • Retirement plans

    • Disability insurance

    2. What are the common employee benefits?

    The common employee benefits that organisations give to employees are:

    • Corporate discounts

    • Paid vacation

    • Paid sick leaves

    • Performance bonus

    • Office perks

    • Paid parental leaves

    • Childcare facilities

    • Wellness programs

    • Employee training

    • Profit-sharing

    3. What are non-salary benefits?

    Non-salary benefits include employer expenditures on employee healthcare, retirement programs, disability insurance, and maternity benefits. This compensation is provided in addition to the base salary and can be both cash and non-cash. It includes but isn’t limited to cash awards, gift certificates, vehicle allowance, club memberships, or other special benefits.

    4. Why are benefits more important than salary?

    Benefits are more important than salary because they act as a source of motivation for employees. Moreover, they give them enough reasons to stay loyal to the organisation. For instance, paid maternity leaves allow employees to look after their newborns. As a result, they feel more valued and connected to their organisation by maximising their contribution to the company’s growth and development. Therefore, these benefits are highly important for organisations wishing to retain their workforce and accelerate their success.

  • How To Promote Leadership Development In Your Organisation?

    How To Promote Leadership Development In Your Organisation?

    It’s a competitive era, and you risk blotting your organization if you still place followers, not leaders, in your organisation. Companies recognise they need to promote leadership development to survive in today’s volatile, complex & ambiguous environment.

    As John C. Maxwell quotes, “The single biggest way to impact an organisation is to focus on leadership development.”

    While it is undoubtedly complex and challenging to promote leadership development, there are numerous ways companies can invest in the leadership development of their employees. For example, the corporate world sees the provision of learning opportunities or having personnel from higher management coach the employees as highly beneficial. And these have proved to help retain the best of the best leaders over the long term.

    Are you seeking ways to promote leadership development in your organisation?

    Navigate your way toward achieving your goals with the below-mentioned deep-rooted methods.

    #1 Ensure Clarity & Visibility of Goals

    “Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.”- Brian Tracy

    Encourage your leaders, managers, and executives to underpin the pursuit of promoting leadership in your organisation. The first aspect is to have clarity & visibility of goals— goals that must be SMART.

    • S-Specific

    • M-Measurable

    • A-Achievable

    • R-Relevant

    • T-Time-bound

    Correspondingly, the goals must be communicated well to ensure complete visibility and improve leadership effectiveness. Everyone in the team must know the organisational goals and their role in achieving them.​

    #2 Identify Potential Leaders

    “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”- Sheryl Sandberg.

    As quoted by Sheryl Sandberg, companies that can spot the quality in their employees are carving a promising future for themselves. In the present-day dynamic work environment, it has become inevitable to establish a sturdy leadership pipeline for the future. Most importantly, organisations need to identify and select the best potential leaders with unconscious bias.

    Sometimes, the leader may not “look the part” due to experience, position, appearance, or communication style. But the correct identification is crucial, owing to the need to find leaders at all organisational levels.​

    #3 Preach Accountability & Responsibility

    “Creating a culture of integrity and accountability not only improves effectiveness, it also generates a respectful, enjoyable, and life-giving setting in which to work.”- Tom Hanson.

    Create an environment that supports and promotes accountability and responsibility among the leaders. The idea is to bring around improvement and effectiveness in their leadership.

    Provide them with leadership training & build a work culture that is entirely participating, both with responsibility and accountability.​

    #4 Practice Inclusivity

    “When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become a wiser, more inclusive, and better organisation.”- Pat Wadors.

    Make sure your leaders know you want them to continue growing with the company and that their growth matters. Allow them to bring up new ideas and provide feedback on improving the process. Eventually, the organisation will witness a paradigm shift in how leadership goals are viewed and promoted.

    Related Read: What is Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace, and Why is it Important?​

    #5 Tread a Path

    “Leaders are the ones who have the courage to go first, to put themselves at personal risk to open a path for others to follow.”- Simon Sinek.

    Since only a leader can identify another leader, it becomes important that the top management plays a role here. This means the top-level management must show a clear path to their employees-turned-leaders to advance and achieve goals.

    Furthermore, it will also enlighten them regarding the necessary steps to achieve leadership team development goals.​

    #6 Foster a Coaching Culture

    “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”- Timothy Gallwey.

    Various organisations develop formal leadership development programs for leadership training. However, the need is to have coaches at all levels that are inspiring & knowledgeable. For leadership development to proliferate, individuals must be allowed to coach or be coached.

    The method fosters a work environment where knowledge sharing is prioritised, and feedback impacts performance.​

    #7 Focus on Continuous Performance Management   

    “The only real difference between one organisation and another is the performance of its people.”- Peter F. Drucker.

    It would take a closer look to understand that leadership is not only about influencing people. Veritably, it is about leaders leading the organisation to attain goals. The fact here is that leadership is not just a title but a responsibility. Leadership development can be mapped out as leading the self, leading others, and leading the organisation as a whole.

    Continuous performance management becomes crucial here to monitor the performance holistically. Further, results can be measured against the expectations and the efforts that go into promoting leadership.​

    #8 Promote a “Learn by Doing” Attitude

    “For there to be a true maturity, people must be given room to grow, which includes room to fail.”- Charles R. Swindoll.

    Unarguably, you cannot support leadership team development merely by advocating it. Instead, as a leader developing other leaders, you ought to give them room to achieve goals or learn the ways.

    One thing worth mentioning here is your leaders may sometimes misfire. But nevertheless, they will never hit right unless they have the opportunity to shoot.​

    Final Words

    The corporate world has a long way to go before it gets hold of future-proof methods to promote leadership development. However, by the time it becomes a welcoming process, seeking the best talent & identifying foundational components within your organisation is a strong starting point.

    Stay awake instead of waiting for leadership development to happen.

    Stay open to ideas and let your organisation adapt to suitable ways to achieve leadership goals.

    Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP) Singapore, an award-winning recruitment firm in Singapore, believes people are the cornerstone of every great company. And our mission statement clearly states it:

    As every building requires a cornerstone, we believe people are the cornerstone of every great company.​ Our recruitment experts are passionate about bringing together great people with great companies.

    We have a comprehensive line of HR solutions to help you spot your organisation’s future leaders. Get in touch with us to learn more about CGP and its services.

    LEARN MORE

    FAQs

    1. What are the three ways to improve leadership in the workplace?

    The most powerful ways to improve leadership in the workplace are:

    • Promote clarity of goals across the organisation so that every employee knows them and understands their role in achieving them.

    • Focus on personal learning where the chosen leaders can learn and lead through uncertainty.

    • Enable feedback so the leaders can bring up new ideas and share feedback on the current processes.

    2. Why is it essential to promote leadership?

    The present world is very volatile and complex. Additionally, it isn’t easy for a single person to manage and run an organisation smoothly. Therefore, employers have recognised the power of having leaders at all levels who can take the responsibility to bring the desired results by achieving goals. This has given rise to the need for promoting leadership.

  • 5 Simple Steps To Choosing The Right Recruitment Agency

    5 Simple Steps To Choosing The Right Recruitment Agency

    ​Hiring the right candidate is very essential and important in today’s competitive market. Thus, partnering with a reliable and professional recruitment agency is the best way to find employees.

    As the job market continues to boom, recruitment companies are seeing an increase in business. Whilst this might be considered a good thing, it begs the question which agency to choose?

    Here are some easy ways to help navigate the minefield of finding the right recruitment company:​

    #1. Specialism

    You wouldn’t go to the Doctor for a haircut and similarly whoever you choose to partner with for your recruitment needs should be an expert in their field. Having access to the best talent in your chosen space is one thing but also consultants who can offer advice and counsel for your market is invaluable.​

    #2. Staff retention

    There once was a time when clients and candidates only cared about the brand of recruitment agency they would use. Now that there are an increased number of businesses out there, the people who work for that brand matter more than ever. Most good recruiters have worked for their employer for a few years at minimum which doesn’t just build up their skills base but their network which adds a great deal of value.​

    #3. Regional Presence

    Due to the talent crunch, it is increasingly hard to find local talent. Conversely, a number of Singaporeans are choosing to get regional or global experience. With offices in Thailand, Japan, Dubai, across China and Malaysia, we at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP) have seen an increase in demands from our Clients and Candidates for a more mobile solution to their staffing needs.​

    #4. Flexible Recruitment Solutions

    Whether you are looking for volume hiring or a very senior C suite mandate, clients just like candidates, prefer options. These days you need to be able to look at cost-cutting exercises such as RPO or staffing solutions for lower-level hires or Search for the more hard-to-fill niche positions.​

    #5. Experience

    The ability to listen to the needs of your clients and candidates before offering advice/solutions requires experience and knowledge. We have 10 disciplines at Cornerstone Global Partners Singapore and every Leader has been in the industry for a minimum of 8 years and the majority have worked at Cornerstone Global Partners for an average of 4 years. That brings a depth of knowledge that flows down throughout the business.

    Whether you are an MNC with a number of outstanding hiring needs or a job seeker looking for their next challenge, you need to feel comfortable with your recruitment partner. Ultimately the process of sourcing for or finding a role is a significant one!

    ​View the latest job openings »

    Why choose CGP Singapore?

    In today’s candidate-driven job market, particularly post-pandemic, finding and hiring the ideal job candidate can be an enormous task. More and more highly qualified candidates seeking new roles than ever before, and many companies turn to recruitment agencies to help them find the right people.

    At CGP Singapore, we are experienced in delivering Executive Search, Contracting, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and Human Resources Outsourcing services to multi-national and domestic firms. Not only do we specialise in a variety of sectors, but we also have a great reputation.

    In recent years, we have provided companies with more than 5,000 successful mid-to-high-end talent worldwide. Our recruitment consultants in Singapore are highly experienced and experts in their field in providing the best recruitment solutions to achieve your objectives.

    Save your time finding the best talent matching your needs from our diverse candidate pool in 10 specialised sectors. Contact us today.

  • Coffee With Tricia Liverpool – General Manager, Singapore

    Coffee With Tricia Liverpool – General Manager, Singapore

    Tricia Liverpool is the General Manager for CGPO2O Search business overseeing 9 different verticals in Singapore. With over 20 years of recruitment experience gained across Australia and Asia Pacific, Tricia founded Leo Harper specifically to service the Communications industry whether that be placing Senior PR Managers or Communications Heads to the MDs of Creative Agencies. She partnered with Fortune 500 companies in Singapore, mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Australia with her USP being people in the industry can be confident they are dealing with someone who was from the industry.

    Prior to running her own business, Tricia was the Managing Director of a major UK owned Singapore based recruitment business, working across 7 different verticals. She was instrumental in starting the contracting desk in order to serve the changing Asian recruitment model and doubled the size of the organisation before venturing out on her own.

    1. Where are you from and tell us a bit about your background?

      I am originally from the UK but left in 1996 to spend a few months in Hong Kong. 25 years later and I have since moved to Sydney, Melbourne, back to Sydney then Singapore, Bali, and back to Singapore!

    2. How did you fall into recruitment?

      I was dating someone who worked for a large British recruitment firm, so I spent a lot of time in their reception waiting for him and listening to the buzz of what was happening in the office. I began figuring out how to “join the dots’ in regards to candidates, clients, and roles and became quite adept at asking questions and making suggestions. His boss eventually suggest I make the move to Australia to join a completely new recruitment business he was setting up and the rest is history.

    3. How has Covid-19 situation impacted the culture of the business?

      I started at CGP in the middle of this year at the height of WFH and so I had never had the luxury of meeting the team either in a professional or social environment. However, I was struck by the camaraderie of the teams even before we finally got to see each other in the flesh, albeit briefly, in the new office we moved into in June. The Covid-19 situation has definitely meant less interaction and less of an ability to promote a corporate culture.

    4. As a leader of a business, what have you learnt during such unprecedented times?

      That every opinion matters. Given we do not have a traditional physical presence in the office, remote working has meant that we spend a lot of time on Zoom calls and it is easy for fatigue to set in and for people to not contribute. Therefore, it is even more important that everyone has a chance to be heard as it can be quite isolating otherwise. We encourage feedback at all levels and allow individuals to take the reigns away from purely the management.

    5. Has CGP needed to evolve as a business?

      Definitely but that has more to do with growth than covid. Having started in China the company is now expanding rapidly in Singapore and South East Asia so we have had to ramp up our hiring and ensure our brand is relevant to this region hence the new website, the added headcount and even the new office.

    6. How has CGP supported the mental health of its employees?

      We already had a regular HIIT session instigated by our Head of Marketing and we also engage in regular virtual games with fun prizes at month end which have proved to be popular. More recently we have recently signed up for a Wellness App called Isabel to help our employees to focus on everything from meditation to financial wellbeing to nutrition.

    7. What other initiatives has CGP come up with to help employees stay engaged?

      A monthly newsletter to share results, new joiners, new client wins etc. “Virtual Gong” i.e. a placements board that is shared via WhatsApp. Food deliveries to reward/surprise employees who are WFH. Remote training sessions to foster their development.

    8. Given the changes in the economy, what does onwards and upwards look like for the business?

      We are ahead of target and intend to keep the momentum in 2022. We will be adding a couple new disciplines to increase our value proposition and focus on promoting from within. We also intend to increase our footprint in the Southeast Asian region.

    9. If you could go back in time, would you have changed any of the decisions you have made during such challenging times?

      No, so far the journey with CGP has been rewarding and if I am honest since I ran my own business before joining, the WFH scenario has made the transition easier. I have had more time to plan whilst being in my home office and look at the strategy for growth. I am very much looking forward to 2022.

    10. What advice would you give to those considering recruitment?

      I always equate recruitment consultants to being part Matchmaker, part Private Detective and part Counsellor. Since people are our commodity, a recruitment consultant must be comfortable in knowing there is never a day that’s the same as the next and if you are comfortable with that, then it can be an exciting and lucrative career choice. Also, there is a severe lack of talent in the market currently and so it is a very busy time!