This article is translated from TechOrange.
In today’s world, talent shortage has become the norm. HR managers are scratching their heads, trying to figure out how to create an “employer brand” that truly attracts top talent. The GOLF Academic-Industry Alliance, jointly initiated by AUO, Compal, and Wistron, currently includes over 50 corporate members. To help schools and businesses work together and keep a strong flow of talent, these companies regularly hold workshops to share ideas. Recently, the alliance invited Tess Fang, Organisation Development Department Manager at the Taiwan Branch of Titansoft (a leading Agile software company based in Singapore) to share Titansoft’s talent development strategy and practical experience with HR partners.
Compensation Isn’t the Top Priority; Gen Z Values Corporate Culture More
Titansoft recently won the Gold Award at the inaugural Yourator Employer Branding Awards. The reason? Young job seekers really love its “people-centric” core culture. The judging panel—including Lingjing Ding (Founder of Century Ogilvy Public Relations), Liwen Chi (Editor-in-Chief of Manager Today Monthly), and Yingzi Chen (CEO of AAMA Co-Creation Platform Foundation)—all agreed that Titansoft’s plan for its staff were excellent. They specifically highlighted “Salary Transparency” and “Self-Promotion” as standout features that appeal to job seekers.
Tess explained that people aren’t just looking at salary and benefits anymore. They are increasingly interested in how a company is managed. This is what modern talent cares about:
- Being Inclusive: A welcoming and accepting workplace is crucial.
- Respecting Differences: Valuing every employee’s unique qualities and diversity.
- Feeling Supported: Making sure employees feel respected, supported, and cared for, and that their work is recognised.
The result is a strong sense of identity and belonging. When staff feel valued, they work much harder to hit company goals. This helps the company keep great people, attract more talent, and boost performance, a fantastic cycle for everyone.
Titansoft has used Agile development for over ten years. Because of this, they are now seen as a top example for many industries and are often invited to work as consultants for other well-known businesses who want to adopt the Agile approach. Agile is very different from old management styles. It believes in the principle of “Self-Managing Teams“. The main feature is that the team has no manager giving orders. It stresses that anyone can be a leader at the right moment, and anyone can engage in emergent leadership for the tasks of their role, driving team growth.
This setup is perfect for Gen Z employees who like to be direct. They get to be part of decisions immediately, which makes them feel important. Alisha, a Product Developer, joined Titansoft straight from graduation and said: “It’s a feeling of being recognised, which makes you feel the value of your existence.”
New Generation Values Personal Growth: Companies Encourage T-Shaped Talent for a Win-Win
According to the Willis Towers Watson Organisation and Talent Key Report, the “MZ Generation” (those born between 1981 and 2012) now makes up the biggest part of the workforce. Attracting them is the top goal for recruiters. Tess emphasised that this generation of young people highly value being creative and constantly improving their skills. Titansoft’s Agile setting strongly encourages T-shaped talent: a new type of professional who possesses deep knowledge in one area while maintaining curiosity and a thirst for new information and skills.
Because of this, Titansoft offers plenty of resources for staff to learn skills outside their main job. For instance, Titansoft refers to engineers as “Product Developers.” They don’t just write code; they must also help make decisions about the product. All skills that boost product quality are included in their learning plan. Daniel, a Product Developer, shared that Agile development required him to improve his communication skills so he can talk directly with clients and offer ideas, instead of just receiving instructions.
Establish a Common Team Language to Build a Learning Organisation
“It’s really important right now to make sure everyone speaks the same “team language,” no matter their age. We want communication to be clear, which helps people be creative, share ideas fully, making sure meetings are effective,” Tess stated. To make sure everyone is on the same page, Titansoft has specific training that focuses on courses that establish a common language, such as required reading of the book QBQ, learning the ORID Focused Conversation Method, 4DX: The 4 Disciplines of Execution, and the general education course, “PUTEH.”
“PUTEH” means white in Malay. Tess used this to symbolise that all partners joining Titansoft are like a blank canvas. The course quickly lines up everyone’s basic skills, covering things like “Problem Solving,” “User Experience,” “Typing Test,” “Data Application (Excel),” and “Hot Keys Familiarity”.
Since Titansoft has a flat organisational structure, training for key talent development is based on their influence, not their job title or age. “We arrange courses for colleagues with potential, including Positive Leadership, the GROW Coaching Model, and NLP. We hope to help colleagues learn how to use their personal influence effectively.”
Salary Transparency + Self-Promotion: Talent Stays and Moves Up
Titansoft’s unique HR style has successfully brought in great staff who fit the team well, and it has kept their turnover rate low at 11%, better than the industry average. Tess concluded that once you attract talent, the next challenge is keeping them. This is where Titansoft’s industry-renowned practices of “Salary Transparency” and the “Self-Promotion Process” shine.
“Under the Salary Transparency Policy, Titansoft clearly states the exact salary associated with each job grade for developers. This pay scale is openly shared internally, so there are no hushed conversations or disagreements. If an employee wants to apply for a raise, they must enhance their skills to meet the promotion criteria for the next job grade.”
their knowledge and acquire new skills beyond their professional expertise, turning them into T-shaped talent proficient in communication and collaboration.
How does one get promoted when salaries are transparent? Titansoft has made the rules extremely clear. Every employee knows their current job grade and the required conditions for the next one. At the same time, employees are encouraged to pursue “Self-Promotion”, meaning they can start the application process themselves without waiting for a manager’s approval.
The MZ generation likes to be in charge, be creative, and have open talks. Titansoft has built a culture that lets every employee lead, no matter how long they’ve worked there. This naturally encourages everyone to learn on their own and creates a positive workplace.
Tess also mentioned that Titansoft teams up with big companies like AUO, Wistron, and Compal to support the GOLF Alliance by offering free Agile courses and internships there. The company hopes this partnership can keep attracting great people and achieve a win-win for everyone in this era of labour shortage.
T.8ytes by Titansoft 