Strengthening Resilience Through People and Conversations

Chevaun Chee, Head of Group Talent Management

Chevaun Chee is an accomplished leader in the Talent Management sector with around 20 years of experience in the industry. Presently, she serves as the Head of Group Talent Management at OCBC, where she oversees the talent management portfolio for the entire group. OCBC, headquartered in Singapore, is a regional bank with key markets in Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and Hong Kong, and has offices in 14 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, London, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. Chevaun's professional background is rooted in learning and development, with a significant focus on training, learning and driving cultural change. Prior to her current role, she dedicated several years to leadership development, emphasizing the preparation of leaders for contemporary challenges and future demands. Her expertise in leadership development remains closely related to her responsibilities in talent management today, as she believes that leaders are the key pillar of the organization.

In an interview with HR Tech Outlook APAC magazine, Chevaun Chee shares her insights on the major challenges in the talent management space and the experience she has gathered while implementing effective strategies to mitigate them.

When it comes to the talent management sector itself, what would you say are some of the major challenges that exist today in the marketplace, post Covid?

Post-Covid, we are not entirely out of the woods, but life has resumed a sense of normalcy. Covid-19 has fundamentally shifted people's approach to change. Previously, change was seen as inevitable, but the pandemic truly tested our preparedness. Organizations had to adapt quickly to continue functioning and, eventually, to thrive.

Initially, everyone was in survival mode, facing an unprecedented crisis and uncertain duration. However, realizing we couldn't stay in survival mode indefinitely, we learned to thrive despite the circumstances. This experience has redefined change management, emphasizing the need to operate and thrive in prolonged states of disruption.

Now, as we move forward, people view change in two ways: transitioning to a new normal and preparing for future crises. The key lessons from Covid-19 are: the ability to adapt rapidly, prioritizing people's wellbeing, and maintaining the capacity to thrive in any situation. During the pandemic, the emphasis on wellness and empathy became paramount. Financial services, including OCBC, thrived, challenging the notion that crisis leads only to survival or collapse. The focus now is on sustaining growth and momentum beyond the crisis.

How you mitigated these challenges for OCBC?

Covid caught everyone by surprise, including us. Personally, I see opportunities in every crisis and believe it is okay not to have all the answers upfront. My team quickly adapted, becoming early adopters of hybrid and online learning. We embraced creativity and learning as we went along, accepting that mistakes were part of the process.

“We are looking for people with the right mindset instead of skill sets, because once you have the right mindset, we can develop the skillset.”

We faced resistance from two main sources, from our partners, who preferred in-person training and urged caution, and some employees, who questioned the priority of learning amidst the crisis. In hindsight, continuing learning during that time was crucial. It kept people engaged and moving forward. For the organization, it was vital for building bench strength. The pandemic underscored the importance of having a robust talent pool. Despite the challenges, including burnout and losing good people, our focus on constant development ensured we were not in a dire situation.

What are the upcoming technology or approach that you are really excited about and you feel might just change the face of the sector?

In terms of technology, there's a lot of excitement around generative AI and its potential. We've been exploring how generative AI can enhance talent mobility, matching skills to jobs and people to roles. This technology is poised to drastically change job skill sets, prompting us to consider the new skills our employees will need. Tasks that once required human intervention may be transformed by AI, and we must prepare our workforce accordingly.

Succession planning has also become more dynamic. It's no longer about having a checklist of specific skills for the next CXO. Instead, we're looking for individuals with the right mindset, as skills can be developed. We value curiosity and a willingness to explore new approaches and technologies. While we are not tied to any specific technology, generative AI is an area we are particularly excited and curious about.

As a talent management expert, what would be your piece of advice for your peers and also the new entrepreneurs entering your space in the field today?

I wouldn't call it advice, but I've always found it enriching to engage in conversations, meet new people and stay curious. I recently spoke with a senior leader who has weathered multiple crises, including financial ones. We agreed that each new crisis may look different, but the fundamentals remain the same. The key is learning to be more resilient and surrounding yourself with good people who can support you through difficult times.