Human Resource Profession

Enhancing the Competencies of Human Resource Professionals

Human resource is a strategic, scarce resource upon which Singapore depends for its economic growth and development. Effective management of our precious human resource is key to maintaining Singapore’s competitive edge in a global market. To retain our positioning as a leading commercial hub, our human resource management capabilities and practices must keep pace with the best in the world as well as adapt to socio-economic and regulatory changes in the domestic environment.  The growth of knowledge intensive businesses, shortage of skilled manpower, increasing international mobility of talent, and Singapore’s ageing workforce are but some of the driving forces of change.  In addition, businesses have to find new and creative ways to do business and, at the same time, strive to be the employers of choice. 

There is thus an increasing demand for HR professionals to add value to the strategic growth of the business.  Companies are increasingly seeing HR as a strategic partner and no longer as an administrative or supporting function. They are also recognizing the importance of building the capability of their HR personnel to contribute to their business. Hence the priorities for the HR profession are to better understand the business and its key objectives, more actively engage stakeholders, establish ways to attract and retain talent in the organisation, manage diversity in the workforce, leverage on technology and manage organisational transformation.

There is thus a need to promote HR as a profession that requires important skills which add value to the business.  Against this backdrop, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), together with its industry partners, have developed a national continuing education and training framework for HR professionals, i.e. the HR Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ).