Why was the TWG-HC set up
Singapore’s workplaces are changing. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping jobs and how work is done, our workforce is ageing, and employees’ expectations of work are evolving.
These shifts bring new opportunities but also require businesses and employees to adapt. The TWG-HC was set up in February 2025 to recommend how Singapore can strengthen its human capital capabilities across the economy, so that businesses can continue to transform and grow, while employees have better opportunities to build skills, contribute and progress throughout their careers.
What are the TWG-HC’s recommendations
Released in September 2026, the TWG-HC has put forward five recommendations across three interconnected thrusts.
Thrust 1: Unlock better opportunities for Singaporeans
Make it easier for employees to identify workplaces where they can grow, while helping businesses understand how they can create better opportunities for their people.
The Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI) helps employees identify workplaces where they can grow and build meaningful careers, while helping employers understand where they are on creating opportunities and where they can improve.
Thrust 2: Transform work, grow people
Help businesses put people and skills at the heart of transformation, so that business growth creates better jobs and opportunities for employees.
Businesses will be supported to connect their business transformation plans with the workforce changes needed to deliver them. This includes:
- Real-world transformation showcases, drawing on expertise from the Job Redesign Centre of Excellence (JRCoE), to demonstrate how businesses can redesign jobs and build workforce capabilities alongside business transformation
- An ongoing pilot to give SMEs flexible access to strategic HR expertise, based on business needs
The People-centred AI Transformation for HR (PATH) initiative will support businesses to adopt AI in ways that enable better jobs, fairer opportunities and sustainable career pathways.
Businesses and HR professionals will be supported through:
- AI Starter Kits offered through the Workforce Development Grant (Job Redesign+) (WDG(JR+)) scheme, to help businesses adopt AI solutions for priority HR use cases bundled with consultancy, training and funding support. Interested businesses can fill up the SWDA Workforce Transformation interest form to find out more and be connected to relevant consultants.
- AI fluency training accredited by IHRP and aligned to its AI Fluency Skills Badges will equip HR professionals with practical AI capabilities as both an active user and an active partner in organisations’ AI transformation. Interested HR professionals can view the available programmes and sign up through the course directory on OurWorkforce by SWDA or IHRP's website.
- An AI Playbook for HR professionals as part of the AI-Ready SG repository, featuring successful AI use cases across industries. The playbook will be ready in the first quarter of 2027.
- A refresh of the HR Jobs Transformation Map to understand how AI is changing the nature of HR jobs and the skills HR professionals will need. The refreshed map will be ready in the first half of 2027.
Thrust 3: Enable people leaders and HR professionals to lead the future of work
Strengthen the capabilities and professional standards of HR professionals and people leaders, so that they can make better people and workforce decisions as businesses and jobs evolve.
The TWG-HC recommends strengthening professional standards in HR through baseline IHRP Certification requirements. Organisations with more than 200 employees should have at least one suitable HR professional with an IHRP-Certified Professional (IHRP-CP) certification or higher. This is an important first step towards broader professionalisation and higher standards across HR to give businesses and employees greater confidence in the people practices and decisions that shape their workplaces.
The TWG-HC recommends strengthening the pipeline of capable people leaders through:
- IHRP’s body of competencies, role badges and continuous professional development to strengthen practical workforce management and business transformation skills across HR professionals and people leaders.
- A new pinnacle people leaders programme to develop senior HR and people leaders who can shape long-term business and workforce strategies. The programme will be ready in the first half of 2027.
Find out more
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