The Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) partnered SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to launch the first-ever SkillsFuture Jobs-Skills Insights (SFJSI) Report for the HR sector, titled “Charting a New HR Course: Success Through Digital Transformation.” The collaborative effort signifies IHRP's pivotal role as a Skills Development Partner (SDP) appointed by SSG for the HR sector.

As digital transformation gains momentum, the SFJSI Report reveals that HR professionals are now required to possess a diverse set of digital skills. Ranging from Big Data Analytics to Human Resource Digitalisation, these skills empower HR professionals to guide their enterprises on how to best utilise technology as a catalyst to empower their workforce to thrive in this digital era.

The SFJSI examines how the skills composition of HR roles is evolving in response to the digital economy’s rapid growth. The Report delves into the strategic role of HR professionals in steering their enterprises towards success, the increasing need for digital competencies, and the transformative impact of Generative AI on HR practices.

With the elimination of manual tasks, HR professionals can now better focus on more strategic roles in collaboration with their organisations’ senior leadership. The evolving role of HR is evident in the recent HR job postings which reflected an increased demand in skills supporting HR Strategy and Workforce Planning (up 130%) and Organisation Development (up 96%).

In addition, Critical Core Skills in Communication, Collaboration and Problem-solving are also highly valued by hirers of HR professionals, as these skills help them build stronger partnerships with their stakeholders. 

2. Digital skills are a pre-requisite for modern HR Professionals

Over the past years, many businesses in Singapore have embarked on digital transformation. This has led to a shift in the expectations on HR professionals. Today, the landscape has transformed significantly – digital skills are now not just valued, but integral, to the HR professional, on par with the evergreen core skills required for HR work.

The top 5 digital skills in demand as HR functions continue to digitalise are Human Resource Digitalisation, Big Data Analytics, Data Protection Management, Data and Information Management and Human Resource Analytics and Insights.

3. High Impact of AI on HR Functions

Demand for the skill “AI Application” has seen an upward trend in HR job postings over the past five years with a sharp 97% increase from 2021 to 2022. As strategic business partners, HR professionals are instrumental in shaping organisation development as the company integrates GenAI into their workflows and processes. Their role is to ensure synergy between human talent development and technology application.

“Being the architects of workforce transformation, HR professionals can tap on the SFJSI’s powerful data to navigate the evolving landscape and champion strategic approaches to succeed in an increasingly digitalised workplace,” said Mr. Aslam Sardar, Chief Executive Officer of IHRP. “The rise of automation, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and remote work challenges the conventional paradigms of talent management, workforce development, and employee engagement. It is imperative for HR to serve as the enabler that synergises technology with the human factor.”

Real-world success stories exemplify this transformative journey. Fei Siong, a food service company, faced numerous challenges in their learning and development (L&D) efforts, owing to a large and diverse workforce as well as manpower and operational constraints. After utilising the IHRP Human Capital Diagnostic Tool (HCDT), they revamped their L&D strategies and enhanced their systems, resulting in a reduction in manhours spent from 3303-man hours to 1670-man hours – a staggering 50% increase in productivity and experienced better internal communication, collaboration as well as employee engagement.

Similarly, BNF Group, an industrial gas supply chain management company, streamlined HR operations and alleviated challenges in recruitment and training of new employees with an innovative approach after conducting HCDT. Leveraging Generative AI, they employed AI solutions to facilitate training processes with the creation of e-learning modules and induction training for onboarding, demonstrating the power of innovation in HR efficiency.

These examples underscore the tangible impact of marrying HR expertise with digital skills. Singapore enterprises who are keen to pursue business innovation and promote workforce adaptability will value a HR team with such capabilities.