MAY 2023 EDITION

A special issue
from ITD World Vietnam
 Table of contents

Letter from the Editors 3

High Engagement & Fulfilment at Work 5

The Missing Half of Managing 10

Employee Engagement

Building Engagement by 18
Asking Daily Questions

Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed 24

Upcoming Training Workshops 32

& Webinars

Explore ITD’s publications 35

About ITD World 36

2
 Letter from the Editors
Welcome to ITD World Vietnam’s May 2023 issue, in which we explore
the importance of High Engagement & Fulfilment in the current
workplace!

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing business environment, it's more

critical than ever for organizations to keep their employees engaged,
fulfilled, and motivated. High employee engagement not only leads to
better productivity and performance but also increased job satisfaction
and retention. In this issue, we dive deep into the concept of employee
engagement – as well as discuss strategies and best practices for
organizations looking to improve engagement among their workforce.

At the end of the issue, we spend some time taking a closer look at the
Human Resource Business Partner (HRBP) role, which has been
becoming increasingly popular as companies are looking to align HR
more closely with business objectives. HRBPs serve as strategic partners
to the business, working closely with leaders to develop and implement
HR initiatives that support the organization's goals. For people to take
on and perform this role optimally, there are certain key competencies
and skills that need to be mastered.

We hope the May issue will provide valuable insights and inspiration for
HR professionals, business leaders, and anyone interested in creating a
more fulfilling, strategic workplace that paves the way for sustainable
growth.

To your boundless success,

ITD World Vietnam team

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 02

HIGH ENGAGEMENT &

FULFILMENT AT WORK
4
High Engagement & Fulfilment at Work
Explore the concept

"There are only three

measurements that tell
you nearly everything
you need to know about
your organization's
overall performance:
employee engagement,
customer satisfaction,
and cash flow.”
Jack Welch
Former CEO of General Electric

Employee engagement has become a hot topic in recent

years, as organizations realize the importance of a highly
engaged workforce. Engaged employees are more productive,
more satisfied with their jobs, and more likely to stay with the
company long-term.

At its core, employee engagement is about creating a work

environment where people feel valued, respected, and
supported. Engaged employees are emotionally invested in their
work and feel a sense of ownership over their roles. In addition,
they are also more likely to go above and beyond their job
duties, contributing to the organization's success in a meaningful
way.

5
High Engagement & Fulfilment at Work
Why care about Employee Engagement?

• More productive workforce • Positive workplace culture

A study by Gallup found that A study by Harvard Business

highly engaged teams are 21% Review found that employees
more productive than their who feel that their work is
less engaged counterparts. In meaningful – and that they
addition, a report by Towers are part of a supportive and
Watson found that companies positive work environment -
with engaged employees are more engaged, which
have a 6% higher net profit contributes to a more positive
margin than those with workplace culture. As
disengaged employees. employees feel valued and
supported, they tend to
When employees are develop a positive attitude
engaged, they are more toward their work and their
motivated to perform well – as colleagues – which helps build
well as more likely to put in up a virtuous cycle where
extra effort to achieve their engaged team members
goals. This results in higher contribute to fostering a
levels of output, better quality collaborative work
work, and faster turnaround environment for everyone.
times.

6
High Engagement & Fulfilment at Work
Why care about Employee Engagement?

• Increased profitability to the company's success and

growth, with annual revenues
Research has proven a strong of over $160 billion.
correlation between employee
engagement and talent • Stronger employer brand
retention. When people
achieve fulfilment in their Engaged team members are
roles, they are less likely to more likely to speak positively
leave the organization for about the organization they
another job – which saves the are working for to their
organization tons of resources connections. This, over time,
on recruitment and training should massively contribute to
costs. attracting new talent – as well
as positioning the business as
According to the Corporate an employer of choice in the
Leadership Council, engaged industry.
employees are 87% less likely
to leave their organization A study by Glassdoor found
than disengaged employees. that 69% of job seekers are
likely to apply to a job if the
An example of organizations employer actively manages its
that have successfully employer brand.
adopted this principle is
Google. The company has
always placed a strong focus
on employee engagement –
and has consistently been
ranked as one of the best
places to work in the world.
The approach has contributed

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High Engagement & Fulfilment at Work
"If you take care of your employees, they will take
care of your customers and your business will take
care of itself.”
J.W. Marriott
Founder of Marriott International

Strategies & Best practices for fostering workforce engagement

Employee engagement & fulfillment is critical for the long-term

success of any organization. Below are some strategies that can
help:

Provide opportunities for Foster a positive work

growth and development environment

• Employees want to feel like • A positive work environment

they are growing and has the power to go a long way
developing in their roles. in creating engaged employees.
According to a study by In fact, research by Gallup has
LinkedIn, 94% of employees revealed that those who feel
say that they would stay at a positive about their workplace
company longer if it invested in are 13% more productive.
their career development. • Organizations can promote
• Organizations should offer positive relationships among
training and development coworkers, recognize and
programs, mentorship celebrate achievements, and
opportunities, and other career create a culture of respect and
advancement options to enable trust.
team members to feel invested
in their future with the company.
For example, Google's Career
Guru program provides
personalized career coaching to
help employees identify their
goals and develop skills to
achieve them.

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High Engagement & Fulfilment at Work
Strategies & Best practices for fostering workforce engagement

Recognize and reward

Collect feedback
employees

• Employees want to feel valued • Everyone desires to have their

and recognized for their voices heard - that their
contributions. According to a opinions matter. Organizations
survey by Globoforce, 89% say can conduct regular surveys,
that recognition motivates them focus groups, and other
to work harder. feedback mechanisms to gather
• For this reason, it is strongly input from employees and
recommended that make improvements based on
organizations offer incentives, their suggestions.
bonuses, and other rewards for
outstanding performance - as
well as provide regular
feedback and praise for a job
well done. For example,
American Express has a peer
recognition program where
employees can give each other
points for exceptional work,
which can be redeemed for
rewards.

"The way to engage employees is to create a

culture and leadership that truly values and
supports them.”
Kevin Sheridan
Author of "Building a Magnetic Culture."

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 03

THE MISSING HALF OF

MANAGING EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT 10
The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

What most people are leaving out

In his short blog series with HRD Business Summit, World #1

Executive Coach – Dr. Marshall Goldsmith - was asked questions
that are highly pertinent to leaders, especially leaders of HR. The
first question he was asked is: “Why engage employees?”

The simple answer:

Employee engagement is critical for business success.

Employee engagement is defined by marginal effort. In other

words, what are employees doing that they don’t have to do?
How hard are they trying?

Compare two employees – one is working very hard, putting in

extra marginal effort; the other is not. It would be a mistake to
think that the second will perform as well as the first.

Even so, this is NOT the biggest mistake made in employee

engagement.

After attending various HR conventions around the world –

listening to incredibly smart, experienced HR professionals who
had done their homework about the topic of engagement and
important related factors, Dr. Goldsmith realized one thing:

Everything that these great HR leaders talked about focusing on

what the COMPANY could do to engage the employees –
absolutely NOTHING that they discussed focused on what the
employees could do to ENGAGE THEMSELVES.

This is the biggest mistake we make in employee engagement!

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The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

What most people are leaving out

“Ask not what your

country can do for you.
Ask what you can do for
your country.“
John F. Kennedy

Dr. Goldsmith realized that one hundred percent of what was

being said was the reverse of Kennedy’s inaugural speech. The
entire presentation revolved around what can the company
can do for employees, while zero percent focused on what
employees can do for the company.

While he respected and appreciated everything shared by the

HR leaders at the conference, Dr. Goldsmith believed they were
missing the most important factor in employee engagement –
the person who is doing the work.

It’s true that creating a great environment is a key factor

building engagement, and we all have the opportunity to take
responsibility for our own lives and to do our best to build our
own engagement – regardless of what the company is doing.

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The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

“Sometimes, it’s okay to put

OURSELVES FIRST, in spite of
what others think.“
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

The secret to employee engagement

In his book "Triggers", Dr. Goldsmith proposed a radical new

approach to employee engagement – which he regarded as the
"other half of the equation", the missing piece, the thing that
we’ve been overlooking that could change the business
landscape for good!

What is this radical new concept? It’s that the key variable in
employee engagement is the individual, the employee, NOT the
program.
Although it may sound obvious, this idea is not taught or acted
upon. Instead, companies spend billions of dollars every year
trying to get employees and leaders to believe that the solution
to employee engagement problems is “out there” not “in us”. For
example:

• Historically, almost all of the evaluations of leadership

development programs have focused on participants
grading the popularity of the speakers. The goal of the
program developers is to develop popular programs.

Who learns to take responsibility? Who is really being trained?

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The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

The secret to employee engagement

The speaker!

The speaker is reinforced for being a popular presenter.

The speaker almost never has any responsibility for the actual
development of the leaders. The leaders may or may not take
responsibility for their own development.

Many take no responsibility for implementing what they learn in

programs and, not surprisingly, do not become more effective.

• Historically, almost all of the evaluations of executive

coaching are on the popularity of the coach. Companies
want to hire coaches who are popular with executives.

Who learns to take responsibility? Who is really being trained?

The coach!

The executive coach is reinforced for being popular. The

coaching clients may or may not take responsibility for
changing their own behavior. Many take no responsibility for
implementing suggestions from their coach and, not
surprisingly, do not become better leaders.

• Historically, almost all of the evaluation on employee

engagement has focused on the company. These are
important things like delivering fair pay and benefits,
providing tools and resources, creating a safe workplace
environment, and so on.

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The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

The secret to employee engagement

But who is learning to take responsibility? Who is being trained?

The company learns to roll out popular employee engagement

programs; however, the employees may or may not take
responsibility for engaging themselves. Many take no
responsibility for engaging themselves and, not surprisingly, do
not become more engaged though they do have good benefits.

“It’s hard for any of us to look

in the mirror - and face the
fact that we didn’t even TRY
to do what we said was MOST
IMPORTANT in our lives.”
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

The message here is simple: ideas that are not implemented

definitely will not work!

While some of our life is going to be impacted by the

surrounding environment, by a program, coach, or company – a
lot is going to be up to each of us! The fact is that while we can’t
make ourselves taller, we can make ourselves more engaged.

Maybe we can’t change the company, boss, or employee, but we

can change how we react to them.

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The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

The secret to employee engagement

Our success in becoming engaged, being happy, finding

meaning, and leading people will largely come from inside us –
not from some teacher, coach, or program. It is not just what we
learn, but how we (and if we) use it that will make the difference.

What’s next?

From Dr. Goldsmith’s findings above, we come to the conclusion

that the success of employee engagement activities hinges
heavily on the inclusion of activities that focus on developing
individual responsibility and accountability.

Here are some steps that can be taken:

• Encourage employees to reflect on their

actions and reactions, and help them
Encourage identify areas for personal growth and
self- development. This can be achieved
awareness through coaching, regular self-
assessment and feedback from peers
and managers.

• In all situations, employees should be

Foster a inspired to see challenges and failures as
opportunities for growth, rather than
growth setbacks. This starts with fostering a
mindset supportive culture that values
experimentation and learning.

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The Missing Half of Managing Employee Engagement

Triggers – by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

What’s next?

• Give employees the freedom and responsibility

to take ownership of their work and make
Provide decisions that impact their role. For this
autonomy and purpose, leaders are expected to practice and
ownership refine interpersonal skill such as delegation,
empowerment, and creating a sense of
ownership.

• Encourage employees to build strong

relationships with their colleagues and
Build strong managers, and foster a sense of community
relationships within the organization. This can be achieved
through team-building activities, regular
communication, and social events.

• Leaders should aim to celebrate successes

Recognize and recognize team members’ contributions in
a meaningful way - through regular feedback,
and reward rewards and recognition programs, and public
acknowledgments.

By focusing on individual responsibility and accountability,

organizations are better equipped to build up a culture of
engagement that drives business success and fosters personal
growth and development.

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 04

BUILDING ENGAGEMENT BY
ASKING DAILY QUESTIONS
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 Building Engagement by Asking Daily Questions

by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

Let’s start with the foundation

Daily questions are a way to The idea when utilizing this

ensure that we not only plan – technique is to ask questions
but also take action. that begin with “Did I do my
best to…” - followed by a
One of the most important
specific goal such as, “Set
parts of creating a fulfilling life,
clear goals?” and “Exercise?”
an earned life, is figuring out
and “Not waste energy on
your path and sticking to it.
what you cannot change?”
How do you do that? How do
you gain insights into the right After that, we score each
next steps? question from a low of 1 to a
high of 10, based on how well
Here, we explore the notion of
we tried.
the Daily Questions –
proposed by Dr. Marshall The process measures
Goldsmith himself. EFFORTS, not RESULTS.
Many of us make to-do lists We can’t always control the
every day to ensure that we’re outcome, but all of us can try.
getting things done. But how
many of us reflect on how Years ago, Dr. Goldsmith hired
we’ve spent our day? How a coach to help him stick to
many of us review the lists of his plans. The coach called
things to do and determine him each evening for his
how we’ve accomplished scores.
them, or if we’ve managed to As Goldsmith admitted, it was
spend the day as productively the best enforcement routine
as we liked? he’s come across for earning
Daily questions are a way to a desired outcome. But it was
ensure that we not only plan - also painful – specifically, it
but that we take action. That was extremely disheartening
we are always on track. to regularly post 1s and 2s for
goals that he claimed really
The fact is, we are matter to him.
superior PLANNERS - but
inferior DOERS.
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 Building Engagement by Asking Daily Questions

by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

Let’s start with the foundation

“The pain eventually leads to giving up. But if you stay with it, it
works. For anything.”
Below is an example of how a daily questioning checklist may
look like (credit to Benjamin Franklin).

Rise, wash and address

The morning question 5
Powerful Goodness

What good shall I do Contrive day’s business and

6
today? take the resolution of the day

Prosecute the present study.

7
Breakfast.

10 Work

11

Read, or overlook my
12
accounts, and dine.

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 Building Engagement by Asking Daily Questions

by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

2 Work

5 Put things in their places

Supper, music, or diversions or

6
conversation

7 Examination of the day.

Evening questions. 10

What good have I done today? 11

12

1 Sleep

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 Building Engagement by Asking Daily Questions

by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

Questions that make a difference

According to Dr. Goldsmith, every day he challenges himself by

answering 32 questions that represent behavior that is
important but is often easy to neglect. (side note: there is
nothing magical about ‘32’. Just use the number that works for
you)
Each question is put on an Excel spreadsheet and is answered
with a ‘yes’ (use a 1 on the spreadsheet) and ‘no’ (use a 0) or a
number. This exercise moves very quickly!
Dr. Goldsmith then pays a person to call him every day – just to
listen to him reading the questions and answers.
One person asked him, “Why do pay someone to call you every
day, just to listen to you read questions that you wrote and
provide answers that you wrote? Don’t you know the theory
about how to change behavior?”
To which he replied, “I wrote the theory. That’s why I pay
someone to call me. I know how difficult this is to do on my own.”
One approach recommended by Dr. Goldsmith is to answer 6
‘active questions’ that begin with, “Did I do my best to…”. For
example:
Did I do my best to…:
Set clear goals?

Make progress toward goal achievement?

Be happy?

Find meaning?

Build positive relationships?

Be fully engaged?

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 Building Engagement by Asking Daily Questions

by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

Questions that make a difference

The good thing about beginning these questions with “Did I do

my best to…” is that it is almost impossible to blame someone
else for our failure. No one can be responsible for “Did I do my
best to…” but us!
Why does this self-reflection process work so well?
For one, it forces us to confront how we actually live our values
every day. We either believe that something matters or we don’t.
If we believe it, we can put it on the list and do it! If we really don’t
want to do it, we can face reality and quit kidding ourselves.
Imagine a person was going to call you every day and listen to
you answer questions about your life. What questions would you
want to ask yourself, every day?
Try it out. Write the questions that you should ask yourself every
day. Even the process of writing questions will help you better
understand your own values and how you live or don’t live them
on a daily basis. If you really have courage, have someone listen
to your answers every day – and be ready to be amazed at the
end results!

“Happiness is not something

ready-made. It comes from
your own actions.”
Dalai Lama

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 05

Bonus:
HOW THE ROLE OF HR
HAS CHANGED 24
Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

These days, executives are anticipating a heightened level of

strategic contribution and value from their Human Resources
department - necessitating a significant HR transformation in
both their delivery model and mindset. A key aspect of this
process is the introduction of the Human Resource Business
Partner (HRBP) role.
HR transformation requires a fundamental redefinition of the role
and purpose of the HR department, with CEOs seeking a more
proactive, strategic approach from their HR team.

“For HR to master a new role,

centered on deliverables with
new patterns of behaviors,
both learning and unlearning
needs to occur. Learning
means appreciating new
alternatives; unlearning
means letting go of the past.”

Prof Dave Ulrich

co-founder of HR Consulting firm RBL

What does an HRBP do?

The main responsibility of an HRBP is to come up with – and
implement – HR initiatives that directly support the goals of the
business. What differentiates them from traditional HR officers is
that HRBPs do not deal with administration, compliance, training,
or employee benefits.

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Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

What does an HRBP do?

Instead, they work closely with senior leadership to understand
the big picture - and participate in meetings about the future,
mission, goals, and overall strategy of the company. Their input
is highly valued and used to guide the direction and
development of the company.
HRBPs do not oversee job interviews, C&B, or training. Instead,
they focus on Organizational Development (OD) – e.g, guiding
the recruitment department about the requirements of a
position, and the potential candidate sources. During the
recruitment process, they collaborate with the Hiring Manager
and Recruiter to assess a candidate's suitability for
management level and corporate culture.

The inception of the HRBP Model

The concept of the HRBP model was first proposed by Professor

Dave Ulrich in the 1990s. According to Ulrich, the HR department
plays a crucial role in a business’ interests, especially in today's
rapidly changing world.
In his work 'HR Champions', Ulrich summarizes the 4 main roles of
HR as follow:
• Strategic partnership.
• Change agent.
• Employee role model.
• Administrative expert.

“What is the most important thing an HR or business leader can

give an employee? It is a sense of purpose, meaning, belonging,
teamwork, rewards, opportunities, vision, and more. These are
the great things that Human Resources can bring to
employees.” - Prof Dave Ulrich

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Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

How can businesses leverage the role of HRBP?

Businesses can benefit from leveraging the role of HRBP.
However, the level of success and understanding of this role
varies among organizations.
While the main focus of Human Resources is to reduce scale and
cost efficiency, businesses are often more concerned with talent
management, leadership development, succession planning,
and team building. Unfortunately, many are not fully aware of
the role and responsibilities of HRBPs, which can make it
challenging for them to succeed in their role.
HRBPs must demonstrate their ability to influence the company's
strategic agenda and improve the efficiency of HR performance.
In addition, it's important to note that a single HRBP cannot
achieve success alone, and they need to utilize the entire HR
function, including specialist centers and HR service centers, to
be effective.

The secret to becoming an HRBP expert

To become an HRBP expert, HR professionals need to develop
specific skills. As a strategic partner for senior management, it's
essential to understand that business strategy should not only
focus on immediate concerns. Instead of being short-sighted
and only looking at the next 12 months, HRBPs must expand their
vision to many years into the future. This requires a deep
understanding of the business and the industry it operates in, as
well as the ability to anticipate and adapt to changes in the
market.
Here, we would like to discuss the 11 key skills that make up HRBP's
competency framework:

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Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

The secret to becoming an HRBP expert

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
• HRBPs need to be skilled in building and maintaining
positive relationships with stakeholders, including
employees, managers, and senior leadership. They
should be able to establish trust and credibility with
these stakeholders, which can help them better
understand the business's needs and goals.

INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE
• HRBPs should be able to work effectively with
individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
They need to be aware of cultural differences and be
able to navigate them to ensure that everyone feels
valued and included.

DIGITAL COMPETENCE
• HRBPs need to be proficient in using technology to
manage and analyze HR data. They should be able to
use HR information systems, analytics tools, and
other software to make informed decisions and
improve HR processes.

ANALYTICAL SKILLS
• HRBPs need to be able to analyze data to identify
trends, patterns, and insights that can inform HR
strategy. They should be able to interpret complex
data and use it to make strategic decisions

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Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

The secret to becoming an HRBP expert

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
• HRBPs should be able to integrate technology into
HR processes to improve efficiency and
effectiveness. They should be able to identify areas
where technology can be used to streamline HR
functions and improve the employee experience.

BUSINESS ACUMEN
• HRBPs should have a deep understanding of the
business and its operations. They should be able to
identify business needs and goals and develop HR
strategies that align with them.

STRATEGIC PLANNING
• HRBPs should be able to develop and execute HR
strategies that support the business's long-term goals.
They should be able to align HR initiatives with
business objectives and measure their impact on the
organization.

SOFT POWER

• HRBPs need to be skilled in influencing others

without relying on formal authority. They should be
able to use their interpersonal skills to build
relationships and persuade stakeholders to
support HR initiatives.

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Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

The secret to becoming an HRBP expert

CHANGE EVALUATION &

NAVIGATION
• HRBPs should be able to evaluate the impact of
change on the organization and navigate through it
successfully. They should be able to manage
resistance to change and ensure that HR initiatives
are implemented smoothly.

COMMUNICATION

• HRBPs need to be skilled communicators who can

effectively convey information to stakeholders at all
levels of the organization. They should be able to
listen actively, ask questions, and provide feedback to
ensure that everyone is on the same page.

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

• HRBPs should be able to manage relationships with a

wide range of stakeholders, including employees,
managers, senior leaders, and external partners.
They should be able to identify stakeholder needs and
develop strategies to meet them, while also managing
stakeholder expectations and concerns.

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Bonus: How the Role of HR has Changed
From Admins to Strategic Partners & Change Champions

The secret to becoming an HRBP expert

ITD World Vietnam’s 5-day workshop describes how to reinvent
and fundamentally transform HR in an organization, describing
various strategic choices for a new HR so as to transform HR into
a true business partner. To meet the challenges of the future, HR
practitioners must move beyond technical professionals to
becoming true HR partners and strategic change agents.
Upon fulfilling all workshop attendance requirements and also
the timely submission of all coursework assignments, you will be
awarded a Certificate in HRBP.

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