Welcome Address by Mr Douglas Foo, Co-chairperson, Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, and Vice President, Singapore National Employers Federation, at the Conference for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices 2018

27 Apr 2018Speeches

Mrs Josephine Teo, Second Minister for Manpower

Ms Mary Liew, President, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)

Mr Heng Chee How, Deputy-Secretary General, NTUC, and TAFEP Co

Chair Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

 

Good morning.

Introduction

1. Welcome to the Conference for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices 2018.

2. Let’s start with some good news. According to the World Economic Forum, Singapore has been ranked number one in Asia for developing human capital.1 However, the report also pointed out two key areas for improvement. One is to boost labour force participation rates among older workers and the other is to get more women into the workforce.

3. So while we have done well today, we need to continue to improve and keep up with the leaders on this journey.

4. The pace of change is relentless and the competition is ruthless. If we want to continue to succeed, we need to Invest in Our Human Capital and Co-create Business Success. In today’s conference, we aim to help you do just that. Workplace Strategy: Getting ourselves ready for the future of work

5. One of the highlights today is the presentation of certificates to the latest group of Human Capital Partners. The Human Capital Partnership (HCP) Programme, which was launched to build a community of exemplary employers has grown to encompass both SMEs and MNCs from a wide range of industries. This morning, you will hear from three Human Capital Partners on their strategies to develop the skills and knowledge of their employees at different career stages.

6. Today, we are also grateful to have Ms Mara Swan, Executive Vice President of Manpower Group, to share with us how leaders need to go beyond the traditional leadership skills in this age of digitalisation.

7. Going digital does not simply mean investing in better computers or the latest apps. We need to recognise the role of culture in helping organisations to adapt and empower employees to contribute effectively. Ms Joanna Barclay, CEO of Culture Leadership Group will tell us how we can create an inclusive work culture that enables us to Co-Create Business Success with our employees.

8. But before you improve on your leadership skills, or refine your organisational culture, you need to know where you stand. TAFEP, in partnership with NUS, has developed a tool that will enable you to benchmark where you stand against your industry peers, as well as across different industries at a national level to see how you fare. Ms Mavis McAllister from NUS will share more about the Fair and Progressive Employment Index later in the afternoon.

Closing

9. The conference today will examine several key issues that can determine how effectively an organisation meets the needs of the future. 

10. At TAFEP, we believe that people are at the heart of it all. Investing in their growth, helping them to succeed, and treating them as partners on the same journey, are all crucial to an organisation’s success.

11. And to those who don’t see the urgency of transforming their organisations, I would like to remind you that tomorrow begins today. The future is already here, let’s start now.

12. Thank you. And have a fruitful conference!