Talent & Culture Strategy at Grab : Fueled with Data-Driven Insights

Introduction

In just over a decade since its founding in 2012, Grab has grown from a simple taxi-booking app into Southeast Asia’s most used super-app—with ride-hailing, food delivery, fintech services, and a rapidly expanding B2B suite. Central to that growth has been Grab’s data-driven, candidate-first talent strategy in Singapore—a strategy repeatedly recognized by industry awards like “Asia’s Best Employer Brand” and LinkedIn’s “Top Companies APAC.”

Yet behind every seamless Grab user experience lies an equally seamless talent-acquisition engine: transparent processes powered by an enterprise-grade ATS, AI-enabled sourcing, and a deeply embedded 4H values framework (Heart, Hunger, Honour, Humanity). This article breaks down Grab’s approach—drawn from Grab’s own “How We Hire” and “Life at Grab” pages—and shows how your ATS product can deliver the same outcomes for any large employer.

Overview of Grab

• Founded: 2012 as MyTeksi in Kuala Lumpur, rebranded Grab in 2016

• Headquarters: Singapore

• Employees in SG: ~8,000 across Engineering, Operations, Finance, People Operations

• Core Services: Mobility (ride-hailing, taxis, bikes), Deliveries (food, groceries, parcels), Financial Services (GrabPay wallet, lending, insurance), Enterprise & Other (advertising, API partnerships)

HR Achievements & Recognitions

• Asia’s Best Employer Brand 2024: Cited for outstanding candidate experience and transparent hiring pathways.

• HR Asia Awards 2022 – Best Recruitment Strategy: Recognized for AI resume-screening and “silver-medallist” talent pools.

Grab’s published metrics underscore these awards: over 500 hires annually in Singapore alone; a 30% reduction in time-to-hire; and a 20% increase in offer-acceptance rates year-over-year. These figures validate the impact of their ATS-powered process.

Key Takeaways: The Foundation of Grab’s Talent Engine

Structured, Transparent Hiring Pipeline

Grab’s four-stage workflow—Application → Recruiter Screen → Role-Specific Assessment → Culture-Fit Interview—is defined in its “How We Hire” guide. Every candidate sees clear status updates and knows exactly what to expect at each step.

Silver-Medallist Talent Pools

Candidates who score in the top 10–20% but just miss an offer enter Grab’s “silver-medallist” community. These pre-screened talent pools are nurtured with targeted communications and re-engagement campaigns, slashing future time-to-fill by up to 30%.

Data-Driven Continuous Improvement

Grab tracks KPIs in real time—Time-to-Fill, Offer Acceptance, New-Hire Retention, and Candidate Net Promoter Score—via live dashboards maintained by People Analytics.

Defining Talent Philosophy

Grab’s core principles in talent management 

Candidate-First Transparency

Grab’s How We Hire page emphasizes openness at every stage:

• Clear Job Briefs: each posting details responsibilities, team structure, and 4H values expectations.

• Real-Time Updates: candidates receive automated emails when they move between stages.

• Timely Feedback: unsuccessful candidates get constructive notes within two business days.

With an AI ATS, it is easier for companies to build branded career portals where JDs, interview itineraries, and feedback forms are unified. Configure email templates to fire on status changes, and set up candidate surveys post-interview.Ready to revolutionize your recruitment? Schedule your free demo today and experience AI-powered hiring excellence!

AI-Enabled Objectivity

Grab’s adoption of AI resume parsing and interview-summary tools reduces manual bias:

• Resume Parsing: keywords mapped to job profiles highlight top matches instantly, cutting recruiter review time by 70%.

• Interview Summaries: AI transcribes and summarizes panel feedback, ensuring consistent documentation.

With an AI-powered ATS, the company integrates AI parsing engines trained on your competency matrix; provide interviewers with mobile-friendly summary capture screens and sentiment-analysis insights.

Culture Alignment via 4H Values

From day-one, Grab weaves its Heart, Hunger, Honour, Humanity culture into job descriptions, onboarding, and performance reviews:

• Heart: empathy for customers and colleagues.

• Hunger: growth mindset and innovation drive.

• Honour: ethical decision-making.

• Humanity: inclusivity and well-being.

An AI-powered ATS embeds value-based behavioral questions in each interview stage; uses scorecards that tie answers back to the company's value; builds dashboards to monitor values alignment across hires and teams.

Talent Acquisition at Grab

Employer Branding

• Authentic Employee Stories: Real team members share their day-to-day experiences and wins, giving candidates an honest look at life at Grab.

• Career & Culture Spotlight: Videos weave in career-path insights and underline Grab’s core 4H values.

• Inclusive & Fresh Content: Diverse voices are featured, and the library is regularly updated to stay engaging and relevant.

Multi-Channel Sourcing

Grab’s recruiters leverage a mix of:

• Digital Platforms: LinkedIn Recruiter, JobsDB, internal referral portals.

• Campus Engagements: University roadshows and hackathons hosted on Grab’s Singapore office campus.

• Community Events: tech meetups, diversity job fairs, and “Women in Tech” conferences.

Automated Screening & Assessment

• Pre-Qualification Questions: Availability, work rights, minimum experience filter out mismatches automatically.

• Technical Assessments: Role-specific coding tests or case studies delivered via integrated assessment modules.

Structured Interview Framework

• Standardized Question Banks: Each role has a bank of questions mapped to technical skills and 4H behaviors.

• Panel Scheduling: Automated calendar invites, SMS/email reminders, and “self-schedule” links reduce no-shows.

Retention Approach at Grab

Silver-Medallist Engagement

Grab keeps former and near-miss candidates connected through targeted email updates and virtual events that showcase new roles, product innovations, and culture highlights.

Onboarding Excellence

New hires at Grab receive pre-start digital welcome kits—team org charts, 4H values overview, and assigned “buddies”—followed by structured first-week immersion activities to reinforce culture and role clarity.

Ongoing Check-Ins

Grab’s People Operations team conducts regular pulse check-ins during the first 6 months to gauge new-hire satisfaction and identify any early-stage support needs.

Talent Development and Training Programs

Transparent Career Pathways

Grab’s “Career Pathways” page clearly maps out progression—from Individual Contributor → Manager → Senior Leader—highlighting the competencies and experiences expected at each stage. Its ATS offers a “Career Ladders” feature where employees can view next roles, log completed development activities, and request mentoring.

Continuous Learning Ecosystem

Grab provides an array of learning opportunities—online courses, internal innovation challenges, and cross-functional projects—to help employees build new skills.

Leadership Academies

Grab runs targeted cohort programs for high-potential employees, focusing on strategic thinking, P&L awareness, and stakeholder management.Its ATS not only manages nomination, enrollment, progress, and feedback collection for leadership cohorts,but also ties outcomes back to performance data.

Employee Experience &Workplace Culture

4H Values in Action

• Heart: “Customer-Hero” awards recognize employees who exceed customer expectations.

• Hunger: Quarterly “Innovation Showcases” where employees pitch new ideas to leadership.

• Honour: Compliance certification required for all frontline managers

• Humanity: Wellness stipends, mental-health programs, volunteer days, and ERGs (e.g., Parents at Grab, Pride, Accessibility).

“It’s All Life” Programs

Grab’s intranet features interest groups—from badminton clubs to Go-Karts—fostering cross-team connections. It builds “Culture Marketplace” where employees can register for events, track participation, and earn recognition points redeemable via its ATS loyalty module.

Performance Management

Continuous Feedback & OKRs

Grab emphasizes frequent coach-style feedback rather than a once-a-year review cycle.An OKR framework aligns company, team, and individual objectives via shared dashboards. Grab’s applicant-tracking system supports integrated feedback collection and goal-tracking workflows.

Merit-Based Rewards

Rewards and equity grants are linked to overall business performance and demonstration of Grab’s 4H values. ATS system provides streamlined workflows for managing bonus and equity distributions, ensuring transparency and consistency.

FAQ

What makes Grab’s talent strategy unique in Singapore?

Grab changes its hiring to match Singapore’s culture. The team works with local groups and uses data to help choose people. This way, Grab can find and keep the best workers.

How does Grab use data in recruitment?

Grab looks at data from every part of hiring. The team checks where people come from, how interviews go, and what workers say. Data helps Grab hire faster and pick the right people for jobs.

What ATS does Grab use for its Singapore talent-acquisition process?

Grab Singapore leverages Workday Recruiting, a cloud-based ATS with built-in AI resume parsing, automated ranking, and interview-summary features to streamline every phase of hiring.

How does Grab’s “silver-medallist” talent pool work?

At Grab, the commitment goes beyond the initial match. If a role isn't the perfect fit initially, Grab's people operation team would add people to its talent pool. It's remarkable that the candidates often find their ideal match and end up coming to work at Grab anyway!

What role does AI play in Grab’s recruitment workflow?

• Resume Parsing: Instantly identifies keyword matches to job profiles

• Candidate Ranking: AI-driven scoring highlights top fits

• Interview Summaries: Automated transcripts and sentiment analysis speed up decision-making

See Also

Moka Recruiting Launches Global Platform To Enhance International Hiring

Transforming Talent Acquisition Through MokaHR’s Cutting-Edge System

Discovering Talent Potential Using MokaHR’s Online Management Platform

Boosting Hiring Efficiency Through MokaHR’s Advanced Recruitment Tools

The Ultimate Guide To Mastering ATS For Hiring Top Talent