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Shell Talent Management

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32 views

Shell Talent Management

Uploaded by

Suraj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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How Shell is powering the leaders of tomorrow by

developing diverse talent


A framework that caters not just to leaders and emerging talent, but equally to critical
roles, backed by open and frequent conversations, is at the heart of Shell’s leadership
development programmes, Ernest Lee, Head of HR, Shell Companies in Singapore and
Indonesia, tells us.
In today’s market, talents have choices. People move on not just for higher salaries or
better employment terms and conditions, but also for a sense of purpose. Global energy
player Shell believes in the need to be transparent with employees in terms of
development, expectations of leaders, their performance, and their potential.

In this conversation with Ernest Lee, Head of HR, Shell Companies in Singapore
and Indonesia, facilitated by the experts from TAFEP (Tripartite Alliance for Fair &
Progressive Employment Practices), we find out how Shell fuels its employees’ drive for
growth and development through a range of opportunities in leadership roles,
succession planning, and more.

The foundation lies in how Shell views talent under three broad buckets:

● Leaders with team leadership accountabilities,


● Critical talent or roles with deep insights and skill sets, and
● Emerging talent.

The first group are individuals who already possess the right capabilities to take on
leadership roles.

The second group are the ‘ready later’ candidates, who may take about three to five
years of development. These individuals may be in roles that require critical capabilities
or subject matter expertise. “We will have open conversations with them on their
development areas, be it technical or functional, and we will be focused on developing
their experiences and competencies,” Lee says.

he third would be emerging talent – individuals that Shell would like to develop early in
their careers. They usually come in new, and show potential to take on bigger roles in
the future. While there will be slight differences in terms of the experiences offered to
them, and the moves offered from a career perspective, the idea is that they are better
informed and equipped to take on bigger roles at a faster pace.

Lighting up the talent pipeline


Succession planning at Shell is about thinking ahead on how to develop its talent to
support future business needs. Lee adds: "Equally, it is about how we sustain our
businesses now so that we progress to the future, and talent is a key enabler to get us
there."

To support talent development, the 36-month ‘Talent Acceleration Programme for Asia’
(TAPA) is in place. Specifically curated to develop Asian leaders, it was designed using
extensive research as well as a belief in the value that Asian leaders bring to the global
organisation. Lee shares: “As a global company, we need multiple perspectives, and the
Asian lens is increasingly relevant given the forecast by the World Economic Forum that
by 2040, Asia is likely to generate more than 50% of world GDP, and could account for
nearly 40% of global consumption.”

As one of the key hubs for the Shell Group, Shell Singapore is viewed as a key partner
in developing a robust talent pipeline of Asian leaders to lead effectively in a global
setting, and build on Asian strengths such as culture attributes, value systems, and
different perspectives from a diversity of races and religions.

The four developmental themes of the TAPA programme are building courage,
encouraging curiosity, enhancing strategic storytelling, and making a global impact.

TAPA is structured to provide continuous assessment and feedback, with 360-degree


assessments conducted at the start, and end of the programme. The scores from the
exit assessment are compared to the initial assessment to evaluate the impact of the
curriculum on the talent and the businesses they lead. These indicators also serve as
additional data points when the individual’s readiness to progress into the next role is
reviewed.

Specific tools and learning interventions employed in TAPA include the Leading to
Engage and Deliver (LEAD) programme which covers core leadership foundation skills;
fundamentals of storytelling and powerful one-on-ones, coaching to build one’s personal
leadership narrative; a global senior leader assigned as a mentor; and peer group
coaching.

Turbocharging the future of leadership


Among the unique actions Shell is taking is its Asian Talent Council (ATC), akin to an in-
house company-wide talent council for Asia, which brings to life the outcome of
succession planning, and identification and growth of leaders.

Lee explains the concept: "Shell Singapore operates in a global ecosystem, and even
more so in the region. Using the access to opportunities in the region as an extension of
Singapore, the ATC sets out to bring meaningful, strategic career opportunities to our
talents."

Putting all of its might behind it are the most senior global leaders in Shell in Asia who,
not only sponsor the initiative but through the ATC platform focus on facilitating and
inspiring cross-business and functional development moves to enable future talents and
leaders in Shell to be exposed to a diverse range of career development moves that
broaden and prepare them for senior leadership roles.

Milestones in an electrifying journey


Shell believes that real diversity is about bringing different perspectives to the table,
which is why the energy giant has dedicated real resources to nurture as many
segments of talent as possible, such as through TAPA.

At Shell Singapore, which is recognised as an exemplary employer under the Human


Capital Partnership Programme, 30% of the workforce is female and women comprise
39% of senior leadership roles. In addition to a living, breathing inclusive community,
female talent benefits from development opportunities such as the Women’s Career
Development Programme, and Senior Women’s Connect.

The Chairman of Shell Companies in Singapore, Aw Kah Peng, Senior Vice-President


Chemicals & Products, Shirley Yap, and GM, Aviation Asia, Doris Tan, are just some
examples of capable women who have successfully advanced their careers at Shell.

Fadhiilah Abdul Wahab is another shining example. She is one of the only two
Singaporean female marine engineers – out of a group of 15 globally – who is currently
on her exciting, development journey with Shell.

Reasons to celebrate also come in the form of Shell’s communities and partners
acknowledging its culture of honesty, integrity, and respect. Lee opens up: “While Shell
is not immune to the dynamism of market forces and the evolution of societies, we
continue to offer good, planned career pathways for our talent. We continue to provide a
good mix of development options to retain and attract quality talent into our mix."

Key takeaways
In a nutshell, talent management does not need to be complex. It’s about starting,
starting small, and starting simple. Lee emphasises the importance of showing your
talent that their development as individuals is important to the company. In fact, talent
identification and categorization allow leaders and talents to share a common language.
It is an appreciation of the distinct edge and contribution that individuals bring to the
role, their teams, and the community.

While this sets the tone for talent development, it is authentic, transparent engagement
and the commitment to action of its leaders that hits home for the talent.

"Having authentic conversations with talents lets us share with them that talent potential
can change. We innovate on career options in the near and longer term, and also set
clear expectations of the individuals’ commitment to deliver,” Lee says.

“If you are not transparent with your talent or keen to develop them, someone else will.”
Questions:
1. Discuss the talent management component(s) focused in this article with reference to
the QUAD model.

2. Explain how can focusing on this/these component(s) can give a boost to other
components of the QUAD model of talent management.

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