Geoffrey Lau – Senior Manager, Group Compensation & Benefits
An adventurer who loves sports and new discoveries
I often liken my work at Jebsen to a journey through a museum filled with hidden treasures at every corner. I see each new person I meet as a wealth of knowledge I have yet to gain; every new project an invitation to step forward and embrace a new world of possibilities. As a manager of Group HR at Jebsen, I work closely with the Group’s diverse business lines, which means there is never a shortage of goodies for me to discover.
My love of new possibilities was what first drew me to Jebsen back in 2016. Applying to join the company as Senior Group Compensation & Benefits Executive, I was intrigued by the sheer number of business lines and familiar brands represented here. But what really wowed me was the attitude among the leadership. As my interviewers spoke about the future of the company with such fervour, I was ready to roll up my sleeves and start working right then! I was also impressed by Group HR’s extensive knowledge about the business, which allowed it to deliver real value to every business line. This truly breaks the mould of traditional personnel functions and plants the division firmly in Jebsen’s growth agenda.
The excitement I felt about working here was given a perfect outlet when I eventually joined and helped prepare for Group HR’s digital transformation. On top of my day-to-day compensation and benefits duties, I was responsible for sorting through the data from different functions, and eventually centralise these data into one HR system that allows for more comprehensive, systematic analysis.
With a change project of this scale, potential obstacles were everywhere. From communicating with, and trying to get consensus from multiple stakeholders, to actually handling the overwhelming volume of data, my skills were put to the test every day. Thankfully my natural affinity to exploring new possibilities kept me energised. I enjoyed drilling into the different data available and discovering how I can use them to inform business decisions and new directions. It was indeed like opening a cabinet of curiosities – unnerving because I didn’t know what I would find, but also fascinating for that exact same reason. I embraced the challenge.
I felt the same way about my work in 2018 to launch Jeb Link, a new HR management system designed to streamline HR processes and workflows across the Group. I actively engaged colleagues from each business line, learning the ins and outs of their businesses and applying that knowledge in building the system and promoting its uptake. Each conversation shed some light on what we need in an HR management system, and equipped me to make better decisions. The process also taught me to ask more targeted questions and find new, better ways to support colleagues in every business line.
The theme of discovery is not limited to the office, either. Through Jebsen’s many engagement and sports activities, I have found myself rising to myriad challenges and unearthing my potential in teamwork, physical fitness, grit, and more. An earlier football injury led me to discover running as a way to recover and strengthen my muscles; today, I am a passionate participant in 10k races, half-marathons and the challenging annual Moontrekker race as part of the Jebsen team. I was also part of the Jebsen Dragon Boat Team, meeting colleagues who have since become valuable partners both on the boat and back in the office. The bonds created through sports surely come in handy when we have to communicate about work!
With Jebsen’s breadth of business, long-standing history and amazing mix of people, I know that there will always be something waiting for me to embrace and discover!