Enterprise Singapore teams up to launch human resource initiatives

Singapore

ENTERPRISE Singapore, in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower and other agencies, has launched two new measures and enhanced another to strengthen human resource operations.

Second Minister for Manpower and Home Affairs Josephine Teo said Friday at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) Conferment ceremony and office opening, the three initiatives will bolster human resource operations in three key ways:

* Improve access to self-help human resources;

* Scale up human resource shared services for greater human resource operational efficiency; and

* Promote the use of data and technology for better human resource decision-making.

The first initiative is an online self-help human resource portal for businesses jointly launched by Enterprise Singapore, NTUC Learning Hub and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The portal, which went live in March, has a wide range of easy-to-use and self-help HR resources arranged by enterprise growth stages and functional areas. It is designed to serve as the first point of help to source for best practices and solutions to common challenges.

The second initiative is the enhanced HR Shared Services Scheme (HRSS). The scheme that was piloted in 2015 enabled to date about 150 companies (see amendment note) to tap on trained human resource professionals and outsource the more manual and operational human resource functions including payroll processing and claims administration. Each participating company on average managed to shave 68 man-days over the 12-month pilot.

Following the successful pilot, the scheme has been enhanced with more pre-scoped services and a refreshed list of 22 providers. Ms Teo, who is concurrently Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, noted that with pre-scoped services now offered "at a fixed price" under the enhanced scheme, companies can also do away with the hassle of negotiating prices with service providers.

The third initiative is a new HR Tech pilot to help improve "job fit" for candidates in recruitment exercises and develop individualised training programmes for existing employees of a company.

Enterprise Singapore is running a one-year pilot to help companies familiarise themselves with HR Tech tools and better make use of such technology in their HR activities. Companies will have access to nine pre-scoped and ready-to-go solutions such as artificial intelligence-powered curriculum vitae recommendations. Those participating in the trials can enjoy funding for up to 50 per cent of the project costs.

Amendment note: The previous article stated that HRSS has enabled over 130 companies to tap on trained human resource professionals. Enterprise Singapore has clarified that to date, about 150 companies have in fact, benefited from HRSS.