The First Word: Why 2026 will redefine the employee experience across Southeast Asia
As workplaces evolve across Southeast Asia, HR leaders are facing a pivotal moment. Digital transformation is now a daily reality, AI is moving into mainstream use, and expectations around the employee experience are growing rapidly. These shifts are already influencing how people work and how organisations prepare for the future. In my role overseeing people […]
HR Tech Update: How SMEs are shaping the future of HR tech in Southeast Asia
Small and medium sized enterprises play a central role in Southeast Asia’s economies, employing a large proportion of the workforce. Unlike large organisations, SMEs often operate with limited HR resources, making efficiency and simplicity critical. As a result, their approach to HR technology is reshaping how learning and development tools are designed and used. In […]
HR Tech Update: Workforce planning tools for volatile labour markets
Labour markets across Southeast Asia remain highly volatile, shaped by economic shifts, regulatory changes, and ongoing skills shortages. For HR and learning teams, workforce planning has become more complex, requiring faster adjustments and better visibility. Traditional planning methods, often based on static headcount assumptions, are no longer sufficient. In 2026, workforce planning tools are increasingly […]
HR Tech Update: Managing cross-generational tech adoption at work
Workforces across Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly multi generational, with employees spanning different digital experiences and learning preferences. HR technology is often introduced with the assumption that all employees will adapt at the same pace, yet this is rarely the case. Differences in comfort with digital tools can directly affect how learning platforms, analytics, and […]
HR Tech Update: Lessons from Lunar New Year workplace practices
Lunar New Year continues to shape how work is organised across Southeast Asia, influencing leave patterns, productivity cycles, and employee expectations. For HR and learning teams, the period highlights how cultural practices intersect with technology use at work. While digital systems operate year round, employee engagement with learning, performance, and communication tools often shifts significantly […]
HR Tech Update: Simplifying HR tech stacks in complex organisations
Across Southeast Asia, HR teams have accumulated a growing number of systems over the past decade. Learning platforms, performance tools, engagement surveys, payroll solutions, and workforce analytics often sit side by side with limited integration. Each system may have been introduced to solve a specific problem, but together they create complexity that slows decision-making and […]
HR Tech Update: HR data literacy as a core leadership capability
HR data has become central to how organisations across Southeast Asia plan, develop, and retain their workforces. Learning platforms, performance systems, and workforce analytics now generate large volumes of information, yet many leaders remain uncomfortable interpreting what this data actually means. As HR technology becomes more embedded in daily decision-making, data literacy is no longer […]
HR Tech Update: Addressing digital fatigue through better HR systems
Digital fatigue has become a growing concern across Southeast Asia as workplaces adopt more platforms, dashboards, and always-on communication tools. HR systems that were introduced to improve efficiency have, in some cases, added to cognitive overload rather than reduced it. Learning platforms, performance tools, and collaboration software now compete for attention, leaving employees struggling to […]
The First Word: The truth behind ATS rejections
The claim is everywhere: “75% of resumes are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems before a human ever looks at them.” It appears in LinkedIn posts, career-coach webinars, and countless template-selling sites. Job seekers spend hours tweaking fonts, removing tables, and stuffing keywords, convinced they’re outsmarting a ruthless robot. A new study from resume platform Enhancv […]
HR Tech Update: Why HR tech pilots struggle to scale in Southeast Asia
HR technology pilots are becoming increasingly common across Southeast Asia, particularly within learning and development. New platforms are often introduced to test digital learning, skills assessment, or analytics capabilities in a controlled environment. These pilots are supported by a growing number of regional start-ups and global providers offering flexible, low risk entry points. However, while […]
