How employers develop their workforce will determine how well they adapt to uncertainty: DPM Gan

[SINGAPORE] In a new era marked by uncertainty and technological disruptions, how employers develop and engage their workforce will determine how well they can adapt to change, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Tuesday (Nov 4).

At the same time, companies face a tighter labour market and rising expectations from workers, as the workforce ages and grows more slowly.

“Employers must do more to engage their people, build trust, raise productivity and maximise the potential of our workforce through skills upgrading and job transformation,” he said at the Singapore National Employers Federation’s (SNEF) Employers’ Summit at Intercontinental Hotel.

This is where SNEF has a role to play: to help employers navigate the uncertainty, rapidly advancing technology and shifting workforce.

He noted that SNEF has been playing its part – together with the government, Singapore Business Federation and the unions – to support employers through the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (Sert), which he also chairs.

“These engagements with employers have strengthened our collective sensemaking of the impact of tariffs and supply chain realignments on businesses, how the government can support them and mitigate the impact on workers as well as jobseekers,” said DPM Gan, who is also minister for trade and industry.

“Through Sert, SNEF is helping firms plan ahead and adapt to a more fragmented and contested global environment,” he added.

To support employers, he said SNEF will be setting up an Advisory, Resource and Consultancy Centre (ARCC), a one-stop centre integrating its advisory, consultancy and transformation services.

The ARCC will provide practical human resources (HR) and legal advice to employers and a virtual resource centre offering case studies and online tools.

The centre will guide firms in navigating government grants and programmes to support workforce transformation.

It will also help employers prepare for the Workplace Fairness Act, promoting fair and progressive practices that strengthen workplace cohesion.

“These efforts will help businesses build stronger teams and prepare for what lies ahead,” said DPM Gan.

He noted that technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation will reshape jobs and skills across every sector.

As new roles emerge and others evolve or disappear, employers and workers would need to be more agile, he said.

Initiatives to help companies reconfigure roles and reskill their teams can turn the technological disruption into a force for renewal, driving growth and strengthening competitiveness, he said.

He outlined four ways SNEF can build on its core strengths to help employers manage disruption and foster workforce agility.

The first is to move from foresight to action, to help employers translate global trends into practical transformation plans, and the second is to help accelerate job redesign.

Fostering fair and trusted workplaces is the third, while the fourth is to develop human capital by partnering HR professionals and organisations.

He noted that SNEF has been a steady hand for employers for 45 years, balancing business needs with workers’ well-being and national interest.

This tripartite partnership has enabled Singapore to respond quickly during crises such as the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic and to emerge stronger, said DPM Gan.

On Monday, SNEF also announced a new Research Advisory Panel, comprising five academics from Singapore’s universities.

SNEF said the panel arose from its identification of a “critical lack of systemic, forward-looking research” from the employers’ perspective. The panel is expected to provide expertise and independent insights to guide SNEF’s research agenda.