-Creating Synergy in the Workplace

The nature of the workspace is shifting. Mobility, greater geographically dispersed teams, and an increased reliance on social networks means that collaborative spaces are more necessary than ever to spark the behaviour needed to create and foster informal relationships in the workplace. In order to create synergy, these effective spaces need to help flourish the informal relationships into an exchange of ideas. So how do we go about it?

-Using visuals in meetings to generate innovation

Nearly every company today is talking about innovation and how innovation will enable them to excel in the knowledge economy. Sadly, this still remains a slogan for many because these firms lack a proper methodology to tap into their innovative capabilities, that is, the creative minds of their very own people. However, some companies have started to use simple drawing skills in meetings and brainstorming sessions in order to better capture ideas and encourage creativity. In the industry we call this ‘visual thinking’.

-Why HR needs to think like marketers? “What’s in it for the employee?”

This is how Oxus China Managing Director, Mark Baldwin, simplifies the complicated concept of ‘Employer Branding’. Baldwin, a co-founder of Chinese online recruitment website and HR service provider, Zhaopin, has since side stepped out of the mass recruitment game and into the delicate field of building brands, but not for potential consumers, rather for the potential workforce.

companies in China seem to be constantly trying to improve their talent base and identify employees who have leadership potential. Why are leadership related issues such a major challenge in China?

This article will look at some of the recent research that was conducted by Universal Ideas in their 2011 Annual Training Directory in China in the hope to identify key research findings around leadership . We will also draw on further insights from executives who are faced with the challenge of developing leadership in one of the fastest growing global economies.