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The 3 types of learners in Singapore – and how they affect workplace productivity

Sending workers for skills training is just half the picture – employers need to reshape the office, too

    • The learner profiles point to a broader lesson: training transfer is not based on the individual worker alone.
    • The learner profiles point to a broader lesson: training transfer is not based on the individual worker alone. PHOTO: BT FILE
    Published Fri, May 29, 2026 · 07:00 AM

    WHEN workforce capability – the ability of an organisation to achieve its aims by harnessing its employees’ skills – falls short, firms can respond through the 4Bs: build, buy, borrow or bot.

    In other words, they can train existing workers, hire new talent, tap external expertise or automate parts of work. The most common response for many organisations is to invest more in training, send staff for courses, expand the learning calendar and upskill the workforce.

    It is a logical response – and, increasingly, an incomplete one.