The Singapore HR Challenge: An Overview

As HR increasingly shifts to a more strategic role in business, it is an opportune time to launch the Singapore HR Challenge – an initiative by the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) to engage future leaders, people managers, critical thinkers, and contributors of the new workforce. The Challenge is a platform to showcase innovation and creativity as well as promote progressive HR to students. The theme for Singapore HR Challenge 2010 is Managing Diversity: Bridging Communication Gaps

2010 Theme: Managing Diversity: Bridging Communication Gaps

In one of the recent studies conducted by Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI), it was unleashed that ‘Leadership is becoming even scarcer resources than ever before’. Such scarcity for true leaders may trigger complexities in business and baffle employees and employers alike. The study also revealed that companies in Singapore are facing a challenge of improving leadership development. Leadership development also emerges as a key issue because of changing demography, diverse workforce, changing communication styles and nature of leadership itself. This study thus attempted to define leadership in the Singapore’s context, identify leadership issues and challenges of managing diversity as well as to understand the different ways leaders employ to bridge communication gaps. Leadership is something more talked about and less applied.

 

Managing Diversity in Uncertain Times

Though leadership is one of the most extensively researched areas of study, yet it becomes a very challenging task in times of uncertainty. The current economic turmoil has lots of impact on leadership in Singapore with respect to managing diversity through bridging communication gaps.

 

Risks Involved in Managing Diversity

Managing diversity is a challenge and with it comes risks. Leaders have to manage and overcome the risks involved in managing diversity.

 

Understanding the various ways Leaders employ to bridge the Communication Gaps

The increasingly diverse workforce is definitely going to contribute to the organisational silos. As it is something that cannot be eliminated, leaders can try to build communication bridges across such silos to manage diversity. Leaders have to act as linking agents to connect different parts and players of the organisation by helping to articulate various points of views.

 

What is expected of the participants?

• Against this backdrop, participants are required to establish a study based on 2 key challenges selected from above.

• Participants shall interpret, express and study the above challenges mentioned above, by introducing, discussing, analysing and innovating any frameworks, processes, models or solutions to meet these challenges. For example, the participants can discuss the actual merits of an existing policy and introduce new framework or policy.   

• Participants are encouraged to conduct surveys, interviews and organisational field trips to substantiate their analysis and innovations.

• Participants are required to submit their reports for judging and grand finalists will be selected to present their case during the grand final.