Firms must plan for workers as they transform, not treat them as an HR afterthought: PM Wong

SINGAPORE — Businesses must plan for their workers at the same time as they transform their operations, rather than treat workforce issues as an afterthought for human resources departments, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Sept 16.

Firms should also consider how jobs will change, what new skills will be needed and how existing workers can be equipped to take on new and better jobs, he said.

This push for businesses and workers to transform together is one of three important shifts PM Wong said Singapore must make in order to deliver better outcomes for workers and businesses.

The other two shifts are to connect learning more closely to jobs and careers, and to make the skills and employment support system easier to navigate.

A new centre under the newly merged SkillsFuture Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) named Connect by SWDA is where the three shifts will come together, PM Wong said. 

The agency, formed earlier this year by bringing together SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, is meant to connect skills more closely with jobs and careers, and workforce development more closely with business transformation.

Connect by SWDA, which occupies two floors at the Lifelong Learning Institute, is the agency’s flagship careers and skills service touchpoint for individuals and employers, the SWDA said in a factsheet. It is operated by Lifelong Learning Singapore.

Speaking at the launch of the annual SkillsFuture Festival held at the Lifelong Learning Institute, PM Wong said businesses already know they must keep changing to remain competitive, whether by adopting new technology, improving processes or refreshing their business models.

But too often, the workforce dimension comes later and is treated as a matter to be dealt with by the HR manager after business decisions have already been made. “That is far too late,” he said.

“When companies transform, they must think about their people at the same time. How will jobs change? What new skills will be needed. How can existing workers be equipped to take on new and better jobs?” he said.

These questions cannot be an afterthought, PM Wong stressed.

“Our workers cannot be an afterthought in business transformation,” he said. “When a company transforms, its workers should have the chance to transform with it. So the two must go hand in hand.”

“We want businesses to become more productive and competitive. But we also want workers to benefit – through better skills, better jobs and better prospects,” he added.

To achieve this, the Government, through the SWDA, will bring its support for businesses and workers closer together so that companies can transform their operations and their workforce at the same time, he said.

“So don’t just come to the Government for enterprise grants. Talk about workforce grants too,” PM Wong said.

On connecting learning to jobs and careers, PM Wong said the agency must ensure that the skills workers acquire remain relevant and valued by industry by paying close attention to the quality and relevance of the training courses it offers.

Courses must meet high standards, provide substantive training and build skills that open real pathways to better jobs, new roles or stronger career prospects.

But such relevance cannot be determined once and for all, he added, as technology, business models and jobs continue to change.

SWDA will therefore have to continually review and refresh its course offerings, while working with training providers and industry to keep training relevant and up to date, he said.

That said, PM Wong said employers cannot demand graduates to be job ready from day one. 

Pointing out that employers sometimes complain that education institutions are “not up to scratch”, he said: “Education institutions must be responsive to industry needs, but they cannot possibly prepare every student for every specific job.

“They must also equip young people with strong foundations and a broader set of capabilities to think critically, to be able to adapt and learn on a continuing basis.”

Everyone has a role to play, he said, as he noted that employers must invest in its workers and provide job-specific training.

On making the system easier to navigate, PM Wong acknowledged that there are so many schemes, programmes and training providers in Singapore that it can get confusing, even overwhelming.

“We do need to streamline and be more customer-centric,” he said, adding that people should not have to know which agency runs which scheme before they can get help.

SWDA will thus provide a simpler and more coherent journey, tailored to the needs of both workers and businesses.

It starts today with three moves, he noted – a one-stop resource portal for employers; a refresh of the SkillsFuture portal to make course offerings more streamlined and accessible for learners; and the launch of a new portal that will come with six months of free access to premium AI tools like ChatGPT Plus and Google AI Pro, as well as a curated catalogue of over 200 AI courses.

Elaborating on the work of Connect by SWDA, PM Wong said the centre is “more than a place for people to sign up for courses”. 

It is where learning, career guidance and employment support come together, allowing jobseekers to take stock of where they are, understand where opportunities lie and receive tailored advice on the skills and steps they need, he said.

Support will also increasingly be delivered through digital tools, allowing Singaporeans to access personalised guidance beyond the centre, PM Wong added.

Connect by SWDA will also support employers through advice on workforce transformation, job redesign and equipping workers with new skills, he said.

Smaller businesses will receive additional support, including digital tools to help them identify opportunities to transform and funding to offset some costs of job redesign and workforce transformation. 

They could also get support from “larger queen bee companies” – bigger companies that can serve as pathfinders – he said.

PM Wong said the changes were necessary as skills become obsolete faster and careers involve more pivots and transitions.

Businesses, workers, unions and training institutions will thus have to work together as technology reshapes work, he added.

Singapore has an advantage in this area, PM Wong added, citing its longstanding tripartite partnership and “a habit of working together to solve problems”.

SWDA will build on that foundation and work closely with tripartite partners, as well as trade associations and chambers, professional bodies, institutes of higher learning and training providers to reach more workers and businesses, he said.

The work has already started, he said, noting that the Ministry of Manpower and SWDA have launched Alliances for Action to work on issues from supporting career longevity for senior workers, building more flexible work pathways for mature workers, to helping fresh graduates take their first step in the workplace. 

“Every issue is different. But the approach is the same: bring the right people together, understand the problem on the ground, and work out practical solutions collectively,” he said.