Syneos Health Star Spotlight: Setting the Standard for Talent Acquisition Excellence with Yew Siong

Meet Yew Siong (Tan), Syneos Health’s Talent Acquisition Manager for the APAC region. His achievements, such as expanding the APAC Talent Acquisition team and implementing innovative hiring strategies, highlight his commitment to excellence. Tan shared insights into his professional journey, emphasizing values such as collaboration and challenging the status quo — principles that truly resonate within Syneos Health.

Notably, he’s also a proud recipient of the Clinical APAC GM Star Employee award, showcasing his outstanding contributions and collaborative spirit. Get an insider’s peek into Syneos Health’s work environment and discover how Tan not only follows trends but sets them.

1. How has your career progressed within Syneos Health over the years?

I joined Syneos Health in January 2015, based in Singapore. Over the years, I have had the privilege of advancing my career and currently hold the position of Manager, Talent Acquisition Rest of APAC (excluding Japan, China, and India). Throughout my tenure, I have been fortunate to receive promotions, starting with my role as Lead Talent Acquisition Specialist. In this capacity, I actively contributed to the expansion of the APAC Talent Acquisition team, successfully onboarding our first Talent Acquisition Specialists in Korea and Taiwan.

In July 2016, I relocated to Japan, and with the support and guidance provided by my manager, I was promoted to Manager, responsible for leading our talent acquisition efforts in the country. In September 2020, I transitioned into my current role and have been thriving in this role ever since.

2. What opportunities for professional and personal growth have you discovered at Syneos Health, and how have they contributed to your career advancement?

There have been a lot! Starting with supporting hiring needs in Japan from Singapore. After moving to Japan, we continued to push on direct hiring, including social media branding initiatives, promoting internal referrals, and building a passive candidate network with a view of the future. We were able to increase non-agency hiring gradually.

When I moved into my current role at the peak of Covid, we were facing a challenge to hire in Australia due to a labor shortage and competition for talent. Collaborating with business leaders and local leaders to launch new talent attraction strategies helped us bring in talents to close the resource gaps.

3. How has the culture and work environment at Syneos Health supported your career development and helped in achieving your goals?

The collaborative and supportive culture at Syneos Health is unparalleled! Our leaders and colleagues, regardless of their titles, departments, or locations, are united with a shared goal of delivering for our clients. This mindset empowers my team and me to bring in talent to Syneos Health, contributing to the achievement of our objectives.

4. What motivates you the most at work?

People! Although technology boosts efficiency, it’s the people within the organization who truly elevate the quality of our work. Working alongside fantastic colleagues, all rallying behind one mission of delivering new treatments to patients, is what truly drives my motivation at work.

5. Congratulations on being a recipient of the Clinical APAC GM Star Employee award! Can you tell us more about the award’s significance within the Company and its impact on your career?

This award strongly affirms Syneos Health’s commitment to being a people-centered company, emphasizing the significance of our daily contributions. Personally, this recognition holds great weight for me, showcasing the collaborative partnership established between my team and our hiring team.

6. Could you share the specific achievements or contributions that played a pivotal role in winning this prestigious award?

In Talent Acquisition, our primary focus revolves around sourcing top-tier talent for specific roles, a task made particularly difficult by the intense competition for skilled clinical development professionals. Our success in attracting these individuals stems from our commitment to collaboration and the willingness to challenge the status quo. Over the past few years, our approach to talent acquisition has undergone significant evolution, incorporating strategies that engage internal stakeholders and our hiring team.

Fortunately, the enthusiastic support from everyone we’ve approached outside our immediate team has been instrumental, particularly in initiatives like enhancing our social media branding. I’m incredibly grateful to my team for their openness to explore these novel approaches. Beyond the primary objective of onboarding talent into Syneos Health, I take immense pride in the fact that industry professionals are actively discussing Syneos Health and seeking insights from our employees to better understand us.

7. Could you share your thoughts on how awards like the Clinical APAC GM Star Employee program impact the company’s culture and motivate its employees?

The Clinical APAC GM Star Employee Program is a testament to Syneos Health’s recognition of exceptional employee contributions and collaborations. Personally, gaining insights from fellow recipients has been incredibly refreshing, and I believe my colleagues share the same sense of revitalization and motivation to bring their best selves to work every day.

8. In your experience, what advice or motivation would you offer to readers who aspire to achieve success in their careers, and how can they leverage programs like the APAC GM Award to drive their growth and development?

My advice is don’t hesitate to speak up or raise your hand if you have any concerns or ideas. No matter your workplace or industry, there are always opportunities for improvement. Your colleagues likely share the same goal of enhancing our organization.

9. The Asian ERG’s panel discussion, “Decoding Business Success,” has recently featured award winners. Can you describe the topics covered during the panel and share the key takeaways that were discussed?

Four panelists including myself discussed our paths to success, addressing the daily challenges we encounter. The conversations were good learnings for me but most importantly reaffirmed my belief in the Syneos Health Values of Collaboration, Challenging the Status Quo, and Passion are key elements not only for industry success, but also success in life.

10. What is the most significant lesson or wisdom you’ve gained through your professional journey that you’d like to share with readers?

Over nearly two decades, my recruitment experience has been predominantly within the pharmaceutical sector, specializing in the clinical domain. The most profound lesson gleaned from this industry is the paramount importance of teamwork and collaboration over individual efforts. The process of introducing new treatments to patients is long and necessitates the collective involvement of diverse individuals across organizational hierarchies, both internal and external. The seamless collaboration towards a unified goal stands as a critical factor in successfully delivering these transformative treatments to patients.

Be on the lookout for our next employee spotlight series!

If you’re curious about joining Syneos Health and being a part of our diverse and innovative team, check out our current career opportunities here: https://syneoshealth.com/careers.