Room to grow at Ngai Heng – 05 Aug 2016

Top talent often feel that only larger organisations are able to provide them with the challenge, growth and progression that they desire. This is untrue, says Ida Lee, HR Director, Ngai Heng.

In fact, those who can perform well in an SME will find that they provide excellent grounding for the business world, she says.

“Working in an SME provides talent with greater opportunities to learn directly from, or be mentored by the CEO. Staff can take on bigger projects when they are more junior, and they can succeed in an environment where resources are arguably more finite,” explains Lee.

Employees at Ngai Heng are encouraged to take calculated risks in developing new product and service offerings.

“At Ngai Heng, we believe that innovation is fundamental to a company remaining relevant to its clients,” Lee says.

“In our safe-to-fail environment, even if the initiative eventually does not pan out, employees are not penalised.

“Having an innovative environment is important as, without it, a company will stagnate and eventually become a dinosaur.”

While Ngai Heng’s core business is printing, the company has evolved into a full-service communications company. “Our belief in continuous innovation means that Ngai Heng will evolve as the industry and technology evolves. Talents that join Ngai Heng, will therefore be able to learn and grow with an organisation at the forefront of the communications industry,” says Lee.

Talent retention

Ngai Heng believes in helping every employee achieve their personal goals and aspirations. “We believe that as long as Ngai Heng can help fulfil their aspirations, they will stay,” Lee says.

The company, which has a staff strength of 145, has introduced a number of HR initiatives to boost retention.

It conducts regular career interviews, where employees are spoken with at least three times a year. These interviews take place at the start of the work year, where work KPIs and personal and professional development goals are set; six-months into the work year where employees are provided feedback on the progress of the work year’s KPIs; and once again when bonuses are paid. “These regular career interviews provide both employees and management with continual feedback on their performance,” says Lee.

Employees also benefit from what the company describes as a personalised Route-of-Advancement (ROA). Depending on the employee’s inclination, aspirations and assessed potential, supervisors will develop individual career plans with their direct reports.

“For example, if an employee who is currently in sales has the desire to further their interest in design, the supervisor will work with them on how to successfully switch tracks. Assuming they have the potential to be an Associate Director, the supervisor will plan a path so they can reach that position via stints in relevant departments,” Lee explains.

There is also room for horizontal movements.

“If an employee is comfortable where they are, their supervisor will not plan for them to take on new responsibilities. In this instance, the ROA will then focus on how the employee can better contribute in their current capacity. ROA discussions would be based on a five-year rolling time-frame,” Lee says.

Training is also fundamental in enabling employees to reach their full potential, says Lee. The company’s career interviews are complemented by individual development action plans which help to document the training needs of each employee in relation to their own career goals.

“If an employee is falling short in their management skills or is identified for promotion within the next year, they will be scheduled to attend a management workshop,” explains Lee.

“Or, if an employee is lacking the technical proficiency to complete their work efficiently and effectively, they could be sent for specific training, or be assigned to another employee to be coached.”