share on
Faiza Mat Saaid, Director of People Development, Performance & Rewards, Touch 'n Go, believes that “the ability to balance fiscal responsibility with employee engagement will define the success of future leaders.”
Gone are the days when a competitive salary alone could win hearts and minds. Today’s workforce craves more — purpose, growth, and a work experience that fits their life. As expectations shift across generations and regions, organisations are reimagining total rewards as a dynamic, people-first strategy — not just a budget line item.
At the forefront of this transformation is Faiza Mat Saaid, Director of People Development, Performance & Rewards at Touch 'n Go. With nearly two decades of cross-industry experience, Faiza is redefining what meaningful rewards look like — blending data, empathy, and strategy to meet the evolving needs of today’s talent.
Her path to HR was far from conventional. Holding a degree in English Language and Literature and a postgraduate diploma in TESL, Faiza began as an English teacher before pivoting to HR. Since then, she’s held key roles at Sime Darby Plantation, Duopharma Biotech Berhad, Tune Protect Group, and more — earning certifications from AHRI, IFPM, and HRDC along the way.
Now, she leads with one goal: to create personalised, flexible rewards that resonate — and win the war for talent.
Ahead of her session at the #TotalRewardsMY, Faiza sits down with Sabarish Prasad to unpack the power of personalised and flexible total rewards to create a magnetic employee experience that fuels retention and drives business success.
Q How has the role of rewards in talent attraction and retention strategies evolved over the last five years, especially in the APAC region?
In the past five years, rewards strategies in APAC have shifted from purely financial incentives to holistic value propositions. Companies now focus on personalisation, flexibility, and wellbeing. Talents, especially Millennials and Gen Z and even Gen Alpha that’s entering the workforce by virtue of their skills while studying, seek purpose, growth, values and balance, not forgetting the recognition (to a certain extent, fame).
Organisations that offer customised yet meaningful total rewards that meet their personal preferences, including recognition, upskilling, and flexible work, are or rather will be, winning the war for talent.
Q What is one C&B trend that you believe is powerful enough to stay for the long term?
Personalised and flexible total rewards will remain a dominant trend. Employees increasingly expect benefits that reflect their unique life stages and needs, from mental health support to financial planning.
Flexibility in work arrangements and benefits selection is becoming a standard or a baseline, not a perk that’s considered a niche attraction strategy anymore, and will continue to define the future of compensation and benefits.
Q As a seasoned rewards/HR professional, what do you believe are the most important traits for rewards leaders of today and the future?
Strategic thinking, data literacy, and agility are essential. Rewards leaders must align programmes with business goals while understanding workforce trends and analytics. While market trends are used as benchmarking, personally and professionally as a rewards leader myself, I would prefer to introduce impactful programmes based on what employees need in their pursuit of supporting the business goals, not really to what the market has done, even when we have to disrupt the market.
The way I see it, we are setting the market, then. Nevertheless, equally important are empathy and communication skills to craft inclusive and compelling employee value propositions. The ability to balance fiscal responsibility with employee engagement will define the success of future leaders.
Q To end on a lighter note, what are the biggest misconceptions people have about total rewards?
A common misconception is that total rewards are just about fixed salary and bonuses. In reality, they encompass career growth, recognition, wellbeing, flexibility, and culture. Another is that rewards are HR’s responsibility alone, when in fact, they’re most effective when leaders at all levels champion them as part of their engagement strategy. This includes spot recognition, be it monetary or otherwise, that’s done by the business leaders themselves, in a close setting and impromptu manner. The impact could be beyond greater commitment and retention by the team members receiving it.
Q What are you most looking forward to in your speaking engagement at #TotalRewardsAsiaSummitMY?
I’m excited to share real-world insights and learn from peers across industries. It’s a great opportunity to exchange forward-looking practices, challenge traditional thinking, and co-create the future of rewards in Asia. I look forward to meaningful dialogue that bridges business strategy and human capital through innovative, impactful total rewards solutions, with the changing needs of our workforce in line with their preferences.
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 Sabarish Prasad. 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!
share on
