Welcome Address at IHRP Learning Day
Shawn Huang, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower, Lifelong Learning Institute
Good morning,
Mr Aslam Sardar, Chief Executive Officer, IHRP;
IHRP Board Chairperson Mrs Deborah Ong;
Members and Friends of IHRP certified community;
Ladies and Gentlemen
Introduction
1. It is a great pleasure to be here with all of you at this year’s IHRP Learning Day and to celebrate the 9th year of IHRP’s establishment.
2. Today’s gathering marks a milestone for IHRP and our HR community, and for Singapore as we celebrate 60 years of independence in a few days. As we celebrate the past, it is a good time to reflect and gear up for the future of work.
Investing in Human Capital: A National Imperative
3. As a country with few natural resources, our people are our most valuable asset. As our population ages and as changes in technology and our external environment accelerate, Singapore must invest even more intensively in our people to remain competitive and create a good life for Singaporeans.
4. The Government is committed to help employers and individuals to do this. Just last month in July, MOM together with SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore launched the Career Health SG initiative. Career Health is not just about employability — it is about empowerment. It is about enabling Singaporeans to take charge of their careers and stay resilient and relevant throughout their working lives. It is also about helping businesses stay competitive, in an era when talent and an engaged workforce defines a business’s competitive edge.
5. On this note, I would like to invite you to visit the Career Health SG website, a one-stop portal where employers and individuals can access the tools and resources to start your career health journey. MOM had earlier announced new measures to support business transformation during this year’s Committee of Supply debate. These include the launch of the Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package, backed by over $400 million, to support businesses in redesigning jobs, upskilling workers, and transforming their workforce for productivity-led growth.
6. Building the career health of our workforce is not something any single organisation can achieve alone. It takes all of us, businesses, government, unions and the HR professional community to work together.
7. That is why MOM, together with the National Trades Union Congress and Singapore National Employers Federation, launched the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC) earlier this year. This workgroup is our collective commitment to uplift Human Capital development practices across the economy. The workgroup is exploring the development of national benchmarks for human capital outcomes, new ways to strengthen foundational HR practices and drive strategic HR practices. Some of you might have participated in the focus group discussions. We are refining the recommendations and will be share more in the coming months.
8. Together, we are laying the groundwork for an ecosystem where HR is not merely seen as a support function but regarded as a strategic force for business growth and workforce transformation.
Bridging the Leadership-Action Gap: A Wake-Up Call
9. Today, I am heartened to learn that IHRP has released a significant research study on “Driving the People Agenda of the Future”, where the findings are both revealing and timely.
10. This report found that while 83% of C-suite leaders recognise HR’s positive impact on business outcomes, only half of the organisations translate that belief into meaningful KPIs and leadership accountability. Furthermore, only 53% of leaders feel equipped to advance their people strategy.
11. This reveals an opportunity to better translate our intentions to actions and outcomes. One challenge is having clear measurements and data to help businesses benchmark and assess impact of its HC efforts. The tripartite workgroup is looking at new ways to enable businesses to measure economics mobility and career health of the workforce, taking inspiration from indicators like the American and British Opportunity Index.
12. We can also do more to develop and recognise HR leaders who can effectively drive the people agenda – leaders who can translate HR strategy into business outcomes. The tripartite workgroup is looking at ways to strengthen HR leadership development.
Elevating HR as a Strategic Partner
13. The same report found that 72% of HR functions remain focused on operations, leaving little capacity for strategic impact. If we are to future-proof our economy, we must enable our HR teams to evolve from transactional to transformational roles that can help organisations better manage and support an agile workforce.
14. To support the foundations of this transformation, we will be introducing temporary enhanced funding support for HR certifications, as announced during the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (SERT) press conference in July. More details on the temporary funding support will be released in due course.
15. We need strong HR professionals to better support businesses amidst a volatile economic environment. IHRP’s suite of offerings are important here – from the national HR certification, and Body of Competencies to the Human Capital Diagnostic Tool, and the Job Redesign Centre of Excellence. They provide the infrastructure, language, and pathways for HR to continuously level up with competencies to support business transformation and deliver value —whether through people analytics, AI integration, or shaping fair and inclusive workplace policies.
16. Some firms have started making good progress in this area. Take OCBC for example. OCBC recently launched MOBI, an AI-powered career development platform that enables their employees to take charge of their career development. By leveraging AI, OCBC’s HR is not only able to maintain operational efficiency but also become a more effective partner to employees in their upskilling and reskilling journeys to better support business.
Enabling People Managers
17. While HR professionals are the key drivers, people managers also play a pivotal role in implementing and championing progressive HR practices in organisations. Recognising this, I am happy to know that IHRP and TAFEP have worked together to introduce the People Managers’ Role Badge – an initiative that demonstrates commitment to workplace excellence. This badge equips people managers with essential skills to foster fair and inclusive workplaces, an increasingly necessary skill as the workforce profile changes.
A Call to Action
18. As we move forward, I want to encourage every one of you here—whether you're a CEO, an HR leader, or a people manager—to reflect on the role you play in driving this transformation.
19. How might you raise the accountability of people outcomes in your leaders? How are you equipping your teams to deliver not just operational support, but strategic value? How are you creating workplaces that truly enable people to thrive?
20. We now have the tools, insights, and collective will to do better. Let’s seize the moment.
Closing
21. Let today be a day of learning and inspiration—but also a launchpad for action. The future of work in Singapore will be shaped by how we invest in our people, build inclusive workplaces, and develop a culture of trust and shared growth.
22. Together, we can build a high-performing, high-care workforce—one that keeps Singapore resilient, competitive, and ready for the future.
23. Thank you, and I wish you all a meaningful and energising IHRP Learning Day. And Happy Birthday IHRP!