Importance of Adapting to Modern HR Strategies

Jason Leong, Head of Talent, APAC at Groupe Clarins

Jason Leong, Head of Talent, APAC at Groupe Clarins

Jason Leong, the head of talent for APAC at Groupe Clarins, has over a decade of experience globally in talent practice across diverse industries. His journey includes leadership roles in high-growth start-ups and multinational corporations. He has extensive experience in business transformation, building talent acquisition infrastructure and data aggregation. His expertise in various sectors such as media, e-commerce, and consumer goods, makes him a seasoned professional in recruitment strategies and team leadership.

In an exclusive interview with HR Tech Outlook APAC, Leong shares his valuable insights on the importance of creating a compelling employee value proposition.

As the head of talent for APAC at Groupe Clarins, what does a typical day look for you?

As the head of talent for APAC at Groupe Clarins, I oversee talent acquisition, development and management across eight countries. I collaborate with senior management on talent strategies to identify issues across different countries and ensure we implement country-specific initiatives. My responsibilities also include working with the global team on innovations and projects.

Recently, our team has integrated a new hiring process for Groupe Clarins across APAC, a pilot for a global initiative. This process emphasizes skills-based hiring over traditional qualification-based methods. We have standardized processes across APAC region with systems and functions developed by the global team, implementing them at regional and local levels. In addition, we have upskilled the hiring managers’ capabilities with face-to-face training sessions. For example, our team trained 40 senior managers earlier this week to enhance their interviewing skills, align them with the hiring processes, and update them on the latest talent strategies and trends.

What are some common challenges you face when implementing talent management initiatives, and how do you overcome them?

Talent Management has transformed significantly over the past decade. Traditionally, it was a company-centric interview process where organizations held the power in candidate selection. Today, candidates have become evaluators, and the selection process has become bidirectional. As HR professionals, we must adjust our approach to prioritize employee satisfaction.

Attracting top talent is no longer about branding or having a great product; it is about creating a compelling value proposition. The interview experience matters and throughout this process, candidates want respect and transparency. Retention challenges have shifted too. It is not just about career progression anymore, employees place great importance on a company's values and are willing to make choices based on those values.

The talent market has also become fiercely competitive and people are more adventurous, exploring startups despite the risk. And it is not just young talents, mid-career professionals are taking calculated risks too. We need a holistic view to attract and retain employees as agility is the key, necessitating the need to understand, adapt and stay ahead of these shifts.

Is there any new approach or technology in the talent management space that excites you and could potentially reshape the industry?

One major trend is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), significantly impacting the world. The importance of embracing AI cannot be ignored to avoid becoming obsolete as it presents the future and is indispensable.

There are various ways I utilize AI in HR. At Groupe Clarins, we automate dashboards and search functions, but perhaps the most straightforward application is simplifying complex job descriptions. By using AI tools like ChatGPT, HR can transform detailed and technical job descriptions into something easily understandable by a broader audience. This helps us effectively attract potential candidates.

“HR professionals should embrace new methods and experiment with innovative approaches to stay effective.”

For instance, we can take a comprehensive job description, input it into ChatGPT, and ask it to generate a more accessible version. This accelerates our ability to advertise roles clearly and concisely, making it easier to attract the right candidates. While complex job descriptions can be daunting, a simplified version ensures a wider pool of suitable applicants. There are many other ways AI can be utilized, yet the key point is that we must evolve with the rise of AI and adopt these common trends in the market.

How do you use AI in your organization? Are there any significant applications that save time or solve major challenges?

The company utilizes AI for advertising and simplifying job profiles. By using AI tools like ChatGPT, we transform complex job descriptions into accessible versions that can reach a broader audience, making it easier to attract suitable candidates.

My team further uses simple yet effective AI tools for summarizing tables, interpreting charts, and streamlining processes. Groupe Clarins is collaborating with vendors on AI-driven resume screening and candidate evaluation. These projects are in the pipeline but have not yet been fully implemented.

Is there any project or initiative you have recently undertaken or been part of that you can share?

One key initiative we are working on is enhancing our candidate evaluation process, focusing on competency and cultural fit. We believe that successful hires need to excel in two key areas—competencies and values.

From a competency standpoint, I analyze historical data, trends, attributes, and behavioral traits that contribute to success at Groupe Clarins. This helps us create a comprehensive competency framework and mapping it to our current employees to identify gaps. Depending on the gaps, we decide whether to address them through talent development resources or targeted recruiting.

Our interview process is designed to be diverse, with each round assessing different aspects of a candidate's profile. For example, the first interview focuses on cultural values, the second on key competencies, and the final on leadership attributes. This approach ensures that each candidate experiences distinct evaluations, providing a holistic assessment of their fit for Groupe Clarins. We avoid redundancy in interviews where candidates feel they are being asked the same questions repeatedly, which is a common issue in the current candidate experience.

This initiative is currently being piloted in the APAC region, and we plan to roll it out globally over the next few years. The goal is to improve the hiring process and ensure that every candidate is thoroughly evaluated on multiple dimensions.

What advice would you offer to aspiring professionals in the field of talent management?

It is crucial for HR professionals to continuously learn and adapt to current trends. Regardless of having 10-20 years of experience, staying relevant in today’s dynamic environment requires an open mindset and a willingness to learn.

The talent landscape is constantly evolving, especially with younger generations entering the workforce. Their motivations, expectations, and ways of thinking differ significantly from those of job seekers a decade ago. Therefore, it is essential not to rely solely on past successes. Instead, HR professionals should embrace new methods and experiment with innovative approaches to stay effective.

Being open to learning from candidates, hiring managers and fellow HR professionals is vital. This continuous learning ensures one remains relevant and can address the needs of the current talent market effectively. Adapting to these changes and staying informed about the latest trends will be the key to success in the HR field today.