To move into leadership positions, HR practitioners in Singapore need to scale up competencies.
Speaking on the sidelines of inaugural Human Resource Leadership Summit, organised by the trade union and the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) on June 2, labour Chief Chan Chun Sing said, “There are different skill sets for different levels and we hope that we can have a clear map so that our HR professionals understand the skill sets required to operate in and also beyond Singapore.”
Chan further went on to explain the need for strong relationship between the company’s HR department and the employees to ensure that the staffer’s welfare and security is taken care of at all times.
The trade union will work in association with organisations such as the ASME and SHRI to develop skill sets that enable HR practitioners to, for instance, understand matters such as the Industrial Relations Act better.
Chan added: “On the whole, we hope that working with SHRI and ASME (Association of Small and Medium Enterprises), we will have a roadmap, a progressive skills ladder for HR professionals, ranging from how they manage a small and medium enterprise with 10 employees to an MNC with thousands of employees.”
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Also series of courses will be rolled out soon to train human resource professionals such that they are better equipped to ensure safety and security of the employees at workplaces. The training modules will cover topics such as industrial relations, changes in the employment act (developed by the labour movement along with SHRI and ASME).
These courses will be introduced by the third quarter of this year and will be conducted over one to two days.
Speaking on the intent behind conducting such training programmes for HR practitioners in Singapore, Chan said, “We want to help HR professionals gain the skills needed to move up in their careers. With better knowledge and expertise they will be able to take care of workers better too.”
As recently, to add on to the initiatives by the labour movement with a vision to encourage Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) in various sectors, NTUC and the Institution of Engineers in Singapore have launched a scheme to help engineers excel in their careers.
The Engineers Progression Pathway was unveiled at the Engineers and Sustainable Development Forum 2015 on June 4. This programme has three-different levels to cater to different needs of engineers. “The first tier helps young engineers improve both their technical and management skills. The second enhances one’s employability, while the third prepares senior engineers to take on leadership roles.”
This programme hopes to groom new leaders in the engineering sector. NTUC further plans to extend this scheme to Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) in Information Technology and Human Resources in the near future.
Through such initiatives led by the Singapore government under the leadership and guidance of labour Chief Chan Chun Sing, the country is well on its progressive path to recognise leaders of tomorrow and groom talent, while upgrading productivity substantially for a bright future.
Also read: Salaries in Singapore to increase 4.5% in 2015: Survey
