Gemini April Newsletter

As the year has progressed, it may have escaped your notice that the employment market compass poles have switched. From an employment market where our clients were able to pick candidates from the cream of the crop, we have moved to a candidate driven market where hiring decisions are very much focused on candidate negotiation power. In previous years, these employment negotiations have focused on salary and other package options, and although this is still the case in many situations, we note that career path, title and the longevity of the role candidates are being hired for are becoming more important questions.

For the first time in many years we are seeing clients needing to justify their company brand and the long-term benefits for candidates at all levels. This type of market change fits well with Talent Management, where understanding your corporate brand, vision, succession plan and even "cradle to grave" career path for staff becomes vital in winning the best people to join your business.

During the month of April I had the chance to visit our Bangkok offices, and will be in Singapore next week should any of our clients wish to meet me while there. Bangkok is facing a number of issues at present, yet I am pleased to say that Jos Bosman and his team do an excellent job in helping our clients navigate the bamboozling employment legislation and market.

As usual, if I can assist, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Callan Anderson
Group General Manager
callan@gemini.com.hk

Quick.. Describe your Company's Business Model!

If your employees (or you) can't answer this question immediately, your organization is, to use the latest jargon, seriously misaligned.

This query should be as easy for staffers to answer as, "Quick, describe your company's mission" and "Quick, who are your companies most valued customers?" Yesterday, when top-down management was in style, it was OK if only the suits in the top floor knew the answers.

After all, they were the ones making all the critical decisions. The people way down the organisation chart, like you and me, were just the crew pulling the oars. But in today's fast, flat, and - more to the point - empowered organisations, everyone has to understand the company's critical values, strategies and even tactics, because everyone is making important decisions.

To cut to the chase, he suggests a business model must answer a number of key questions including:

Why would someone want to buy something from you? Identify your customer value proposition.
How will you make money selling it? Articulate your profit model.
What, exactly, are the important things you need to do to succeed with the plan? Identify which company resources and which processes are essential to delivering your customer value proposition.

Identify the answers to these questions and and you will go a long way toward understanding why your company is successful in what it's doing.

Because it so succinctly ties together strategy and execution, these questions becomes a central business document every employee should have some grasp of. It reveals much more about an organization than a mission statement, org chart or customer list possibly could.

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