IDC Asia/Pacific’s Post

👋 Oliver Demmer – #MeetTeamIIF 💼 Senior Advisor 📍 Munich, Germany 💬 Guided by #curiosity to make a real, positive difference and to help people and our planet, I started my adventure with Business Finland 4.5 years ago. The mission was clear – to help German-speaking companies plant their roots and grow in Finland. My role puts me in the midst of exciting areas like Health and Wellbeing, as well as the Bio and Circular Economy. If you’re looking to speed up your pharmaceutical research or digital health projects, our team is here to connect you with the right people and resources. Imagine tapping into a wealth of health data from 5.5 million Finns or using 13 million biosamples to help your clinical trials soar. What’s more, we’re ready to assist you in finding the perfect place for setting up green, sustainable industrial sites, especially for things like eco-friendly fuels. Plus, we’re all about helping you find the right business partners at no cost to you. So, how did I land here? It wasn’t a straight path. With a background filled with international experience in #science and leading teams and projects, I followed my curiosity towards business development. It was Finland’s lesser-known strengths, like being great for business, having lots of skilled people, and an environment that celebrates #innovation and sheer determination (take a moment to look up the untranslatable term 'Sisu' to see what I mean), that convinced me to join the Invest in Finland team. Starting out, I quickly felt at home with how digitally savvy Finland is. From day one, I had all my work equipment up and running smoothly. Actually, this text is edited by ChatGPT, which wouldn’t have happened if innovative thinking and learning new things and tools were not so highly encouraged and ingrained in our work. Then, when the pandemic lockdown hit us in Germany, Finland was prepared with all the necessary remote work tools. They even sent us masks and gave us access to online mental health support, showing just how much they care about the well-being of their people. Outside of work, there’s always something new to #discover. Whether it’s exploring new places, trying local foods, or picking up a new skill for a DIY project, these experiences keep me growing. And maybe that's why I find Finland, with its stunning nature and the mindset of its people, so appealing. Come see what Finland has to offer – it might just be the perfect place for your next big idea, and a chance for you to fall in love with its landscape and innovative spirit.

Tokyo has moved to a 4-day work week. This initiative aims to address the country's declining birth rates and improve workplace flexibility, especially for women balancing careers and family  responsibilities. This idea might prevent women from sacrificing their careers due to life events like childbirth. 🔔 Across the world, Japanese are well known for their hard work spreading across long hours. But, this over focus on work might make Japan become the first country to disappear from world map (if their current Total Fertility Rate, which is 1.2, continues for few more decades) ▶️ So, before our business leaders glorify 70 hours work week, they should also think about its long-term impact on society/nation at large.

The ranking of countries with the highest perception of having many meetings was based on data from a survey conducted online in January 2024, targeting 6,490 remote or hybrid workers across 13 countries worldwide. According to the findings, India topped the list, followed by Australia in second place, with Japan coming in third. It's surprising to see that there are countries surpassing Japan in terms of perceived frequency and length of meetings. https://lnkd.in/g2ySMXZH

What are the biggest pain points for companies navigating mobility in APAC? Many companies I talk to have to completely tailor their approach when entering APAC, and it's so interesting to learn how Mobility in APAC differs from Mobility in regions like EMEA or the US for example. I had a super insightful conversation on this topic with John Swire & Sons’ GM Manager Bushra Siddiqui on PerchPeek Pods. She shared some key learnings from her extensive experience in APAC mobility and dropped incredible nuggets of gold for navigating local nuances... Here are some key takeaways from our discussion: 🌍 Companies end up making a huge mistake trying to standardize their approach across all the constituent countries. Unlike EMEA or North America, APAC is characterized by significant diversity in regulations, cultures, and market conditions- that standardisation cannot be followed here. 📄 Immigration challenges in APAC are another area where local due diligence by companies is essential. The variations in immigration timelines and requirements can be particularly tricky, especially with the ongoing changes in regulations. 🧫 Cultural nuances are often overlooked in relocation programs, yet they are vital for success in APAC. Particularly when it comes to housing / on the ground set up, things can be Head over to PerchPeek Pod #23: The Evolving Mobility Landscape Of APAC. It is now on Spotify, Apple and all other channels- link in comments below! #GlobalMobility #PerchPeekPods #APAC  #Relocation

What about an OFFLINE REVOLUTION? 👊 🌱 Perhaps a bit much? Well there is already a growing offline countermovement :) Posting this on here seems ironic, but it’s about creating awareness: digital wellness, something Dr Anastasia Dedyukhina spoke about when I organised for her to talk about this topic at Booking.com's Global Wellbeing week, her session happened to be the most popular event. At one of the biggest tech companies in the world, my fellow colleagues were so curious to know how to manage their online / offline time 💚 Steven Bartlett posted recently about the rapidly growing trend of off-grid events and experiences (see my previous post), driven by people craving deeper, more personal connections. He is backing it and looking to invest. We also see Australia leading the way with banning smart phones for the under 16's. A huge step in the right direction and a welcome relief for everyone, not just parents and guardians. It's an area I've always felt very passionate (and concerned) about and thankfully there are initiatives like The Offline Club®, techtimeout & Unplugged who lead the way in disconnecting and embracing real-life connections. I'm a big fan. The offline countermovement is growing and I'm both excited and relieved. How do you feel about this trend? And what do you do to manage your tech time? PS - to keep it human this isn't an AI post :P #OfflineRevolution #DigitalDetox #DigitalWellness #BookingCom #WorkplaceWellbeing #MeaningfulConnections #TheOfflineClub #Unplugged #TechTimeOut

Are you stuck in your career traffic and going nowhere fast? Are you frustrated, angry and swearing at the traffic? You can't control the "traffic" in life, but you can control... 1. Your thoughts. 2. Your actions. Here are my 3 quick tips (in 35 degrees Bangkok heat) to get you moving. 1. Clarify your goals. 2. Create an action plan. 3. Take action on your plan. Take back the driver's seat and control of the steering wheel. Happy Tuesday night. More to come! P.S. The only challenge so far being a digital nomad is the timezone! I must coach at 5 am and 4 pm to suit Sydney time zones 😅, but it's all good. Once it's done...it's playtime. #careerclarity #careerdevelopment

🌊 Ever noticed how a ripple becomes a wave? Briefly put: Just like a breeze over water, change in the workplace sets things in motion. Adapting is key. After living in 5 different countries (FR, LUX, MO, PT, DE), being a digital nomad for 4 years and learning 2 new languages that became into my blood. We are facing a new work environment, and it is important to create new workflows to meet Technologies within OUR needs. Are you ready to ride the wave of New Work, or is that something you would like to get more information about ? 🌊 Check out new-work-wave.life #NewWork #ChangeManagement #Adaptability #Newworkisafeeling #newworkwave #mouga

As we wrap up the first quarter of 2024, and now I'm back home, I'm taking a moment to reflect on working remotely for 3 months from some of the most vibrant places in Southeast Asia - Vietnam, Malaysia, and Northern Thailand. Embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, I've discovered the profound impact of changing environments on my creativity and productivity. Proving that with the right mindset, remote work can break boundaries and elevate performance despite the obvious stereotypes pre-covid. For me, this quarter has been marked by significant achievements with clients both new and old. Despite the miles, there are stronger connections, thanks to the power of technology and a shared commitment to achieving great results. The success stories from this quarter are a testament to the fact that distance is no barrier to effective collaboration and mutual growth. Thanks to all of the non-profits and brands I have had the pleasure to work with so far this year! #RemoteWork #DigitalNomad #ProfessionalGrowth #ClientSuccess #SoutheastAsia

💼 Balance it all: work, study, and travel! Discover ByteLixir's top ideas for earning passive income while managing a busy lifestyle. Learn how to turn small opportunities into big gains without disrupting your routine. 🌍📈Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gWaCszyj #PassiveIncome #WorkLifeBalance #ByteLixir

Market Japan: In Japan? 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 – 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝? – New Survey! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! Better adjust not to lose out. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝟔𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬. A recent annual survey asked people how they value their free time and jobs. The tides are shifting. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬: 🔶 1.8% Focus entirely on work. 🔶 9.7% Focus more on work 🔶 22.9% Equal value on work and leisure 🔶 31.6% Finish work in good time to have fun elsewhere 🔶 34.1% Find purpose in leisure, not job ❗ 𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨-𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 of the respondents 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 that 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, for the 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐰 and 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 since comparable data became available in 2009. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬? Officials conducting the poll mentioned that the coronavirus pandemic and remote working impacted people's choices about how they want to spend their lives, with people valuing their free time away from work more. ⭕ 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭. ➡ It also represents a 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬, including their recruitment process, values, how to attract local talent, and, more importantly, how to keep them. ➡ This shift in work-life balance requires 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 to align with the preferences of the local talent pool, to remain competitive in the Japanese market. Each 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 is different and has 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. ➡ 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 and addressing 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 is crucial 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤! Find the right balance to use it as an accelerator to drive and scale your business in Japan. If you want to dive deeper into this topic or need assistance in navigating the changing work-life balance in Japan, don't hesitate to get in touch with me here on LinkedIn.     #japan #japanbusiness #business #sales #businessdevelopment #automotive #industrialmachinery #ceo #coo #cfo #hr