Towers Watson’s resource center in PH to boost global operations

MANILA, Philippines—Global human resource consulting firm Towers Watson has set up an extensive data storage and analysis center in Manila that will help the company serve its clientele in 34 countries around the world.

In a recent briefing, company officials announced the opening of Tower Watson’s new Global Resource Center (GRC) at the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig which, they said, would play a vital role in the firm’s global operations.

“Human resources is often criticized as a ‘soft skill’ within an organization. But this GRC will help us put the science in HR. We approach HR from an analytical perspective,” Towers Watson managing director for data, surveys and technology Max Caldwell said.

“Most HR departments in companies can be reactive at times. Better information and data puts us in a better position to be more proactive,” he said.

The new GRC is a data storage facility, currently manned by about 120 local employees tasked to manage and analyze the massive amounts of data that will come their way. By 2013, the company said the facility’s headcount would likely grow to around 350.

Workers in the facility will not face the company’s clients directly. Instead, workers will coordinate with other Towers Watson personnel in the company’s different offices abroad.

Data will come from the countless surveys and industry studies that the Tower Watsons organization conducts every year.

In 2010, the company, which was formed following the merger of Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt, surveyed 35,000 organizations, providing data on more than 10 million employees covering 100 countries.

Using this data, Towers Watson said it was able to provide better information on industry trends involving employee salaries, attrition rates and worker satisfaction.

The company said this data had become invaluable for most firms, given the fierce competition to hire the best workers, while still keeping costs at reasonable levels.

“The fight for talent is a major risk factor. Without the right people, an organization cannot grow,” Towers Watson Philippines managing director James Matti said.