Opening Remarks at Singapore Human Resources Institute’s 60th Anniversary Celebration and HR Awards ceremony

Minister Tan See Leng, Orchard Hotel

Ms Low Peck Kem, President of Singapore Human Resources Institute, SHRI
Mr Alvin Goh, Chief Executive Officer of SHRI
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Good evening! It is my great pleasure to join you in celebrating the Singapore Human Resources Institute's 60th anniversary. This is a remarkable milestone. SHRI is as old as Singapore itself!

2. Over the decades, SHRI has grown alongside Singapore, supporting our HR professionals and businesses as they adapted to each chapter of Singapore’s story.

3. SHRI has been a key partner for the Ministry of Manpower. The Career Conversion Programme for Human Capital Professionals, which is jointly developed by SHRI Academy and WSG, has helped HR professionals develop new skills and transit into different career paths. We also count on SHRI to elevate the HR profession and raise industry standards in Singapore.  

4. Tonight, I want to pay tribute to many hats that HR professionals wear. You are strategic leaders, people champions, and even global trailblazers. Let me touch on each of these roles. 

HR as Strategic Leaders

5. HR leadership is more critical than ever. Given that we are a little red dot, we have to get and cultivate the best talent, and we depend on HR leaders as critical enablers. Amidst the rapidly evolving economy and business needs, HR must be an offensive strategy. Companies cannot afford to take a reactive stance towards talent or workforce development. Businesses and HR professionals must champion Career Health to stay ahead of the competition. 

6. Workforce development is like preventive health. It works best when done early, consistently, and with intent. Just imagine, if you knew you had a mountain to climb, you would start training early! The same goes for preparing our workforce for the future. 

7. As HR professionals, your role is to champion this cause. You are the bridge between business strategy and the people who make things happen. You can transform how organisations invest in their people. 

8. To support this, MOM and our tripartite partners formed the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC) earlier this year. 

9. One key priority for the workgroup is helping companies evaluate their workforce development outcomes and benchmark their progress. As the saying goes in the consulting world “what gets measured gets done”. To complement efforts that recognize and celebrate HR excellence, like tonight’s awards, we are exploring how objective data can help companies identify what drives impact and areas for continuous improvement.  We hope to share more details later this year – so stay tuned!

HR as People Champions

10. But strategy and data alone are not enough. At the heart of HR is people. HR professionals are people champions. You help workers adapt to technological change, and you are the guardians of fairness and harmony at work. 

11. With the upcoming Workplace Fairness Act (WFA), you will be key in ensuring that your firm’s practices are fair and merit-based, and compliant with the WFA. This is about creating workplaces where everyone, regardless of race, language, religion, gender and age, has a fair chance to succeed.

12. Through the Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment, we will enhance opportunities for workers at all stages of life. HR professionals play an integral role in promoting age-friendly jobs and workplaces. All of you can be agents of change. You can facilitate mindset shifts on both sides. This means helping employees remain open to adjustments in job scope and wages as they progress through their careers. It also means enabling employers to recognise the value of experienced workers and redesigning jobs to leverage their strengths and support their aspirations. 

13. To support HR capabilities, the Government has introduced a temporary enhanced subsidy of $100 for HR certification. It will bring down the cost of IHRP certification to around $160 to $270 for Singaporeans and Permanent residents. Please consider this a small nudge to get certified. You have until 30 Sept 2026 to enjoy these special rates! 

HR as Global Trailblazers 

14. Last but certainly not least, HR professionals can also be global trailblazers. As we encourage more workers and firms to expand overseas, new realities are emerging. Workforces are becoming more diverse and remote working is reshaping cross-border collaboration. These trends mean HR professionals face challenges and opportunities that are increasingly global in nature. SHRI’s theme tonight "The Trailblazer: Beyond Borders" captures this perfectly. It reflects your role in fostering international networks and global perspectives. 

15. To strengthen the regional and global exposure of future Singaporean corporate leaders, we have introduced initiatives like the Global Business Leaders Programme and the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme. The Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development which I mentioned earlier will build on these efforts to boost HR leadership development, preparing Singaporean HR professional to compete and lead globally. 

Recognition of workforce transformation efforts

16. The multi-faceted roles of HR professionals come to life through the organisations and people we celebrate tonight. Tonight, we have both the Singapore HR Awards conferred by SHRI, and the Workforce Transformation Award for Human Resources presented by WSG. The awards recognise organisations which have demonstrated best-in-class HR practices and workforce development initiatives. 

17. Once again, my heartiest congratulations to all awards winners and to SHRI on your 60th anniversary. May you set the standard and inspire more to strive for excellence in HR practices. 

18. Together, let us continue building a workforce that is resilient, highly skilled, and ready to seize the opportunities in Singapore and beyond. 

19. Thank you.