HR Strategies for small and medium sized businesses (SMB/SME) in today's talent scarce and high mobility environment. A keynote address delivered at this year's Association of SMEs Business Symposium Event, Concorde Hotel, Singapore.

1. HR Strategies for SMEs
in today's talent scarce and
high mobility environment
Tay Thain Lin
Director, PayrollServe (Chio Lim Stone Forest Group)
17 October 2013
SME: Small & Medium Sized Enterprises

2. The Payroll & HR Administration Services
division of the Chio Lim Stone Forest Group
International Experience, Local Knowledge
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3. RSM Chio Lim LLP is a public accounting entity offering
assurance and tax services.
Stone Forest is the umbrella name under which the business
advisory and business support services operate.
We are the largest accounting and business advisory group
outside the Big 4 in Singapore.
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4. Our Corporate Profile
• Home grown professional business services group
• 100% locally owned
• Established in 1985 with 3 employees
• Now: 760+ employees in Singapore and 300+ employees in 6
major cities in China
• 20% per annum growth
• 17 Nationalities under one roof
• Despite our size, HR is one of the most challenging issues
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5. How do we cope?
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6. The Rules Have
Changed
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7. Generation Y: The New Workforce
The “New” Organization
🐙
Multitaskers
📱
🏂
Work-Life
Integration
Tech-Savvy &
Connected
The Generation Y
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🌏
Social
Awareness

8. 7
HR Strategies for SMEs
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9. #1
Make HR Strategy Part of Your
Overall Business Strategy
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10. If the success of your
organization is
dependent on
people, shouldn’t HR
become part of your
business strategy?
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Business
Strategy
HR
Strategy

11. #2
Business Owners as
HR Directors & HR Managers
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12. The business owner’s
deep involvement in
all key HR matters is
critical to the SME’s
success.
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13. #3
Don’t Try To Be Everything
To Everyone
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14. Why should they work for you?
Do they
your company?
💰
Is it just for
the money?
💪
⏰
🎓
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🌟 Feel appreciated
🚶
👍
✈
Recognise strength
Flexibility
Mobility
Like environment
Learning opportunities
Travel

15. #4
Never Underestimate the
Power of Corporate Culture
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16. Your corporate culture is
your company’s DNA.
Values
Tradition
System
Language
Vision
Habits
Beliefs
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17. #5 Communicate Effectively
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18. Gone are the days of top-down, closed
communication style.
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19. #6 Focus On Your “A-Players”
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20. Identify the bright-sparks and nurture them.
They are your future.
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21. #7
Promote The Mentality of
Growth & Abundance
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22. Paint and share the vision of growth…and
that there are opportunities for everyone.
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23. Conclusion
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24. • No magic formula
The Hard Truths
• It’s not going to
happen overnight
• Doing nothing is
not a solution
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25. How does the beetle become the
most prevalent species on earth?
It adapts to survive!
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26. 1. Reconfigure
Business
2. Automate
3. Outsource

27. 


Don’t be a follower. 
Lead change. 
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28. Thank you.
Tay Thain Lin
 tltay@stoneforest.com.sg
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