share on
The JRCoE will serve as a one-stop touchpoint for enterprises looking to incorporate job redesign and workforce transformation in their HR practices.
Workforce Singapore (WSG), in collaboration with the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), launched the Job Redesign Centre of Excellence (JRCoE) today (Wednesday, 15 November 2023).
Announced by Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng at IHRP’s annual HR event, the People Behind People (PBP) Forum attended by HRO, the JRCoE will serve as a one-stop centre to equip enterprises with the capability to embark on their business and workforce transformation journey through job redesign.
The JRCoE, supported by 21 trade associations and chambers representing 14 industry sectors, will be guided by the Job Redesign Expert Panel (JREP) comprising leaders from the tripartite partners, academics, and industry-recognised professionals from the HR, legal, and business community.
As shared, the JREP will strategically promote job redesign by sharing success stories, offering practical insights, providing thought leadership, guiding enterprises on capability development, and advocating for the benefits and best practices.
Leading up to the announcement in his speech, Minister Tan highlighted three ways HR can play a critical role and act as a key enabler to support business and workforce transformation:
- First, how organisations must Adapt for the future of workforce;
- Second, Augment with technology, and
- Third, Accelerate progressive people practices.
On the first two points, he noted: "Earlier this year, MOM announced a five-year HR Industry Transformation Plan that sets out a roadmap to strengthen the HR profession and raise HR capabilities.
One key strategy was to adopt and leverage technology. Beyond digitalisation of HR processes like payroll processing or appraisal management, I urge HR to also support your organisations in harnessing the potential of technology to improve productivity."
This, he continued, means developing capabilities in job redesign. "Job redesign is needed to make sure that technology is used effectively, with tasks and roles adjusted to fit the changing work environment. This is critical to optimising an organisation’s human capital, meeting employees’ aspirations and improving overall employee retention and engagement.
Thus, the need for the JRCoE.
Next, he touched on the need to accelerate the adoption of progressive people practices, noting an earlier announcement by MOM on an upcoming career health initiative to encourage every worker to take charge of their own “career health”.
Minister Tan said: "To put it simply, career health is about building up the employment resilience and prospects of our workers. And like physical health, we need to actively take care of it. It may seem counterintuitive to help your employees pursue new opportunities' But if I may put it bluntly, if you are not offering your employees new opportunities, your employees may eventually be seeking them with new employers.
"So, it is in the interest of businesses to support your employees in building up their career health. It will help to attract and retain talent, improve employees’ value proposition and enhance your business’s agility," he affirmed.
In line with this, he announced, MOM has initiated an Alliance for Action (AfA) on Widening Access to Talent, in the hopes of bringing businesses and HR leaders together to develop strategies that enable employers to attract and retain a wider talent pool.
The AfA will have three specific sectors to ideate and test the solutions to widen the talent pool for hiring — Manufacturing, information and communications technology, and retail — and will work with key stakeholders in these sectors. These stakeholders consist of Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), SGTech and Singapore Retailers Association (SRA).
On a whole, in her opening address at the event, IHRP Chairperson Deborah Ong shared her desire for collaboration between HR professionals and fostering a positive environment for continuous learning amongst peers. "HR is the intersection of business and workers and has become that important partner to help business leaders reshape strategies, remodel business, and raise workforce competitive.
"There's never been a better time for HR to take a seat at the table,” she added.
Following the launch of JRCoE, a fireside chat was held with Minister Tan and Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon, moderated by Singtel Group Chief People & Sustainability Officer, Aileen Tan.
Some quotes from the chat are as follows:
Minister Tan:
“I think we are going through an era of very rapid change, rapid transformation, and also rapid disruptions.”
“One commonality is the principle of wanting to continually adapt, the principle of wanting to constantly use different modalities, whether it is through acquisitions of knowledge, reading, whether it is through learning through podcasts, through YouTube or through instructional type of infographics and so on, to augment.”
“I think a healthy sense of fear of failure, fear of mediocrity actually helps to dive in movements, innovation, amplification, augmentation, you name it, adaptation.”
Yuen Kuan Moon:
“If you ask any CEO to tell you, especially in the last 10 years, there [have been] a lot of changes because we are going through a period of big disruption.”
“Companies have to adapt much faster, the workforce has to change and re-learn skills, re-train skills much faster.”
Photo: Journalist's own
share on
