2009 was an immensely challenging year for the HR function in organisations across the world. As jobs were slashed and staff morale declined along with company budgets, employers struggled with the new demands of their roles in a global economic crisis.
Human capital issues and solutions varied by country; in Singapore, there was a renewed emphasis on training. Individual companies set up assessment centers to take stock of employees’ strengths and areas needing improvement. In a number of corporations forced into retrenchments, employees who remained were trained for cross-functional duties.
Government agencies like the Workforce Development Agency, the Ministry of Manpower and the National Employers Federation were also highly committed to the drive to improve workers’ skills in a time of low employment numbers. $600 million was put towards the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR), which addressed training needs for employers in a wide range of industries.
That public funding will most likely dry up as the recovery and the New Year get underway. But does this mean a similar reduction in corporate training for 2010? Not likely, say most education providers. Rather, the recent push for training has highlighted the value and return that quality corporate learning can create. With or without Government subsidies, many organisations look set to continue the trend into 2010.
Rosie Fennell, Director, British Council, says the UK training organisation is currently experiencing record numbers. She expects that demand to continue well into the New Year. “The number of participants attending our programmes this quarter (October to December, 2009) is at a five-year high,” she tells HRM. “It certainly suggests that the overall market for corporate-level training is set to increase substantially as Singapore comes out of recession.”
Where are the gaps?
While the overall impact will be large, training organisations, including the British Council, are likely to see some distinct trends in the New Year. A number of training “hot spots” are set to become apparent as the Singapore economy enters a new phase of growth.
Of course, the development of two integrated resorts will play a role here. Hospitality skills were already tough to come by in Singapore, with most significant players relying on as much overseas talent as their quotas would allow. That market is set to get even tighter as the resorts – with hotels, restaurants, gaming and even theme park arms – stake their local claims.
A lack of local experience means training is becoming more and more likely to be the most viable option for bringing those much needed skills into Singapore venues. Both integrated resorts have invested heavily in this area ahead of their first quarter 2010 openings (see MICE story, page 56); and other players are doing likewise.
Singapore’s healthcare sector is also feeling the pinch when it comes to talent and skills. Several new hospitals and medical facilities are due to come online in 2010. Some existing services will also be expanded and upgraded. That is set to put even further pressure on HR departments as they work to secure the appropriate workforces from both inside Singapore and beyond.
It’s not just the doctors and nurses required. Most jobs in the medical sector – from the cleaning crew to the management roles – require specialised training to account for the unique environment. As the economy recovers, and more staff churn takes place between several different sectors, you can expect healthcare employers to be investing heavily in their training needs.
Soft skills required
General-use skills are also likely to be in demand. The British Council, for example, foresees renewed interest from its corporate clients in a wide range of soft skills training opportunities. “As Sinagpore continues to be the regional headquarters for the vast majority of multinationals operating in Asia, the soft skills needed in such a multi-cultural setting are in high demand,” Fennell says. As such, the British Council is leveraging heavily on its more general offerings.
“Aside from the standard soft skills programmes, such as Presentation Skills and Time Management, managers from these international organisations are also attending programmes such as mentoring, Emotional Intelligence and Project Management,” Fennell says. “These soft skills are essential at all levels within an organisation, but become increasingly important as the scope that managers work within expands.”
Fennell is also predicting an influx of demand from Singapore’s public sector institutions. She says Government bodies invested a great deal during the downturn but are still expected to continue training commitments into the New Year. With the returns now beginning to show, there are no signs of slowing down.
“Training is still a very high priority in the public sector, with huge numbers of employees attending a very wide range of programmes,” she said. Those organisations are often sending staff on a unique set of courses, designed to open up their thinking and expand their minds to create out-of-the-box solutions to common problems. “Creativity and innovation programmes, most notably those that include practical problem solving skills, have seen the greatest growth in popularity,” she said.
Better skills, more engagement
Most training providers say there is a two-pronged advantage to training, particularly as staff churn increases again. Not only does it provide participants with new, improved and versatile skill sets, it can also keep staff more closely engaged to their jobs and organisations. As Singapore recovers from the recession, and employees grow more confident in their ability to find new and different work should the need arise, this second factor is becoming an increasingly important reason to maintain training budgets into the New Year.
Fennell says many of the British Council’s clients have exactly that motivation. “I think over the last six to nine months private sector organisations have battened down the hatches and reduced expenditure as far as possible,” she said. “Now there’s a sense of re-awakening.”
As budgets loosen again, employers are looking for good-value ways of retaining staff and new learning programmes are proving to be the happy medium between extravagent pay claims and refusal to compromise on salaries. “As organisations emerge from the recession, they are keen to get things going again,” Fennell says. “Training is a good way of boosting both morale and productivity.”