Society (Overseas HR Strategy)

  • Andrea McDonald

    WILL GROUP Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

  • Patrick Halaka

    WILL GROUP Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

Creating Opportunities for Learning and Growth, Supporting Career Development

In order to maintain competitiveness and achieve continuous growth within the global HR market, it is essential that we hire and develop exceptional employees. At the core of Learning & Development (L&D) initiatives led by WILL GROUP Asia Pacific (WAP) is the operation of WILL Academy, our dedicated platform for personnel development. In response to feedback gathered from our employees during the Voice of Workforce survey conducted across WAP, we identified a strong demand for enhanced learning opportunities. Taking these insights to heart, we launched WILL Academy—a dedicated platform for learning and growth. This initiative aims to improve engagement and performance while fostering the sharing of best practices across our brands.

A flagship initiative of WILL Academy is the "Voices of WILL" session, a virtual learning program held quarterly for all WAP employees. Each one-hour session attracts an audience of 200 to 250 employees. Featuring external speakers and in-house experts, the program covers a wide range of topics, including industry trends, skill development, and leadership. These sessions can be watched at any time over our company Intranet. Not only do these sessions offer employees the opportunity to acquire the latest knowledge and skills, but they also serve as a platform for staff to exchange ideas across brands, divisions, and locations.
We also carry out Voice of WILL Leadership sessions focused on developing the next generation of leaders. These sessions aim to enhance leadership skills and foster strategic thinking, with approximately 100 leaders and leadership candidates in attendance. To foster continuous growth for all, it is crucial that we cultivate employees who will take on the responsibilities of shaping WAP's future. Through these sessions, participants refine their leadership skills and develop the ability to approach business from a broader perspective.
Onboarding session for new employees is another important program at WILL Academy. Considering the diverse brands overseen by WAP, it can be challenging for new employees to fully understand our overall structure and strategy. To enhance their understanding of WAP, we provide opportunities for learning about our company's history and culture, the unique characteristics of each brand and other relevant information. Every month, 10 to 15 new employees participate in these sessions. Through these sessions, they develop a strong sense of identity as members of WAP early on, enabling them to perform their duties more seamlessly.
We support the growth of individual employees through the various sessions offered by WILL Academy, while simultaneously strengthening collaboration across brands. As a result, we foster a deeper understanding of WAP and significantly increase the number of employees who feel there are additional opportunities for career development. These findings are also clearly reflected in engagement surveys.

Organizational Unity Arising from Internal Communication

At WAP, we believe that effective internal communication is essential for organizational unity and greater employee engagement. To achieve these goals, we have declared our purpose as "We unlock the full potential of our hero brands and team members."
This purpose is not just a simple slogan. In collaboration with each brand’s CEO and marketing leaders, we analyzed the unique purpose of each brand, identified the shared values and goals, and developed the above purpose to represent the entirety of WAP. Through this process, we have not only articulated these ideas, but also reaffirmed and shared the course of action pursued by WAP as a whole. This purpose serves not only as a guideline for our daily operations, but also as a foundation that promotes a sense of pride and responsibility in every employee as a member of WAP.

Furthermore, we have developed various communication measures that revolve around this purpose. Through methods such as internal bulletins, Intranet and regular town hall-style meetings, we communicate the significance of this purpose and share real-life examples of its implementation. This in turn gives rise to a common language that is used between different brands and divisions, further strengthening our cooperative relationships.
From here forward as well, we will listen to the voices of our employees, respond flexibly to the changing times and develop a superior work environment. We will "unlock the full potential of our hero brands and team members," and strive to achieve sustainable growth and contributions to society.

Examples of Initiatives

Mentoring Program

This is one of the initiatives within WILL Academy. In a nine-month program focused on promoting employee growth and fostering unity throughout WAP, employees from different brands work together as pairs. Through conversations conducted with each pair once a month, mentors improve their active listening ability and coaching skills, while their mentees promote their own career development. The effects of these sessions are further amplified during the quarterly skill improvement sessions. This program has received much praise from participants, leading to increased satisfaction toward the career development opportunities provided. On top of enhancing individual growth, it has also strengthened our organization, such as by building relationships and mutual understanding between brands.

Mentoring Program

Employee Award Program

We have set up two award programs. The Circle of Excellence is the highest honor given to individuals or teams who have achieved outstanding results over the course of a year. Staff are evaluated based on various factors including performance, innovation and leadership. Recipients are then recognized organization-wide as one of WAP's key contributors. The WOW award, on the other hand, is given once a month. We look at smaller daily successes and then choose its recipients. Our leadership team selects noteworthy conduct that makes one think, "Wow!", and presents the recipients with digital award certificates and gift cards. In this way, the Circle of Excellence honors long-term endeavor, while the WOW award keeps a spotlight on daily contributions. Together, they give form to WAP's culture that is based on gratitude and growth, and bring out each employee's utmost potential.

Employee Award Program