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She explains why effective rewards must differentiate employers, reflect what employees truly value, and stay aligned with business strategy and what this means for attracting talent in a competitive market.
Meet Sheila Bala (pictured above), Head of Talent Acquisition Malaysia at Standard Chartered Bank.
Armed with experience across global organisations including HSBC and Shell, she brings deep expertise in talent advisory, driving operational efficiencies, and future-ready workforce strategies. She is also known for championing a skills-first agenda, using AI and data to bridge the gap between education and industry, while supporting leadership development and career inclusivity.
Her entry into HR was not planned. She began her career in hospitality before moving into marketing within the education sector. Her first real exposure to HR came when she took on employer branding and graduate recruitment responsibilities for Shell Malaysia. That experience became a turning point, leading her into a long-term career in talent acquisition, where she has remained focused on the intersection of business strategy and human impact.
Over time, she has seen talent acquisition evolve from a functional hiring role into a more strategic business function. From her perspective, effective rewards and employee value propositions now go beyond pay and benefits to include flexibility, wellbeing, career development, and purpose.
As organisations rethink how they compete for talent, Sheila believes total rewards must be viewed as part of a broader talent and business strategy. As she prepares for her session at Total Rewards Asia Summit 2026, Malaysia, she tells Mary Ann Bundukin that she hopes attendees will rethink rewards not as a standalone HR topic, but as a key driver of attraction, engagement, and retention in a competitive market.
Read Sheila's full interview below:
Q What first drew you to HR, and what keeps you passionate about it today?
My entry into the field of human resources was entirely serendipitous. Initially, I embarked on my professional path within the hospitality sector, before transitioning to marketing at an educational institution in Malaysia. The turning point came when I undertook marketing and employer branding responsibilities for Shell Malaysia’s graduate programme. That experience marked my first real step into HR, and from that moment, I have never looked back.
What continues to sustain me in my role within HR is the unique opportunity to operate at the crossroads of business strategy and human impact. I have always been intrigued by how organisations achieve success through their people — not merely by relying on structures, processes, or financial results, but through the calibre of talent that is attracted, nurtured, and retained.
My passion for HR, especially in the realm of talent acquisition, is driven by the field’s evolution into a far more strategic function. It is no longer concerned solely with filling vacancies; it is about shaping the workforce of the future, understanding what matters most to talent, and enabling organisations to remain competitive in a rapidly changing landscape. This dual focus — commercial and profoundly human — makes the work both energising and rewarding.
Q From a talent acquisition perspective, what makes a rewards strategy truly effective in helping organisations stand out in a competitive hiring market?
A rewards strategy becomes truly effective when it goes beyond pay and reflects the full employee value proposition. In today’s market, candidates are looking at the whole experience — fair and transparent compensation, meaningful benefits, flexibility, wellbeing, career development, and a sense of purpose. Current total rewards thinking increasingly emphasises a more holistic and personalised model, especially as employees expect rewards to integrate wellbeing, flexibility, and career progression.
From a talent acquisition lens, the best rewards strategies do three things:
- Differentiate the organisation clearly — they answer why a strong candidate should choose you over another employer.
- Reflect what employees genuinely value — not what employers assume they value.
- Align with the business and culture — because rewards are most powerful when they reinforce the behaviours and outcomes the organisation wants to drive.
A strong rewards strategy helps attract talent, but an effective one also builds trust. Candidates can tell when the offer is thoughtful, relevant, and designed around real workforce needs rather than market benchmarking alone.
That is increasingly important in a market where rewards are becoming a strategic lever, not just a support mechanism.
Q What is one common misconception about total rewards that you’d like to challenge?
One common misconception is that total rewards is simply about salary and benefits. While many people believe total rewards are limited to salary and benefits, the reality is that the concept is far more comprehensive. Total rewards encompass the overall value an employee experiences from being part of an organisation, which includes not only pay and benefits, but also recognition, wellbeing, flexibility, and opportunities for development.
Current frameworks and industry discussions increasingly define total rewards in this more holistic manner, reflecting the wider range of factors that contribute to employee satisfaction and engagement. It is important to challenge the misconception that total rewards are solely about pay, as this limited perspective might cause organisations to overlook the elements that truly drive attraction and retention.
Employees increasingly expect to feel valued in a holistic way. This means they seek not just fair compensation, but also opportunities for growth, flexibility in how and where they work, and reassurance that their employer recognises the various life stages and priorities that shape individuals throughout their careers.
Organisations that understand and respond to these broader needs are more likely to create a stronger and more sustainable talent proposition. By personalising rewards to account for multigenerational needs, organisations can better support employees whether they are just starting out or are well established within the organisation, acknowledging the different stages of life and career progression.
Q Please tell us a fun fact about yourself that people may not know.
Outside of work, I enjoy expressing my creativity and unwinding through two main passions. Firstly, I am a self-described “wannabe” drummer, and you’ll often find me tapping out rhythms and challenging myself to master new drum patterns. Secondly, I love getting lost in the pages of a gripping crime thriller.
For me, both music and stories offer a wonderfully restorative escape from the demands of the working day. Whether I’m quietly exploring a new novel or perfecting a complex rhythm, these activities provide a welcome balance of creativity and contemplation in my life beyond the office.
Q As a speaker at #TotalRewardsMY, what do you hope attendees will take away from your session?
I hope attendees leave with the perspective that total rewards is not just a compensation discussion — it is a talent and business strategy discussion. In a competitive market, organisations cannot rely on traditional approaches alone. Rewards need to be more intentional, more human-centred, and more closely linked to what talent values.
Across current industry conversations, that means balancing competitiveness with equity, personalisation with simplicity, and employee needs with business sustainability. If attendees walk away thinking more broadly about how rewards can strengthen attraction, engagement, and retention — and how to turn rewards into a real differentiator in their talent strategy — then I would consider that a meaningful outcome.
I want to attend the conference: If you're keen to attend this closed-door conference, kindly register your interest here. For speaking opportunities, please write in to Mary Ann Bundukin. We look forward to welcoming you!
I want to sponsor: Engage in meaningful dialogue through dedicated speaking slots, roundtable discussions, and at your booths! If your organisation provides any talent solutions and products that you'd like to showcase, you’ll fit right into this event. To learn how you can sponsor, please reach out to a member of our team now!
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