The Singapore HR Congress & Business Exposition 2008

Singapore’s unique potential to serve as an innovator of leading practices in regional human capital management has been well demonstrated by the encouraging response to the HR week organised by SHRI. It was held between 5 and 8 May 2008 where participants attended the Singapore HR Congress and Business-Connect Exposition and HR Day. The two-day Congress event attracted some 1,200 delegates from the Singapore HR Community and other parts of the world! About 100 of them also attended the Corporate Exploration Day held on 7 May to visit Philips Inno-Hub as well as National Parks Board who shared about their companies and HR practices. On the HR Day, some 150 participants attended the various workshops and networked with the exhibitors present.

During the week, valuable experiences and knowledge were shared by speakers who are HR advocates in the fields of talent management, leadership and human capital development, among others.

Once again, we would like to extend our appreciation to all delegates, speakers and sponsors who have attended and supported the Singapore HR Congress and HR Day. For the next Congress and HR Day to be held in 2009, we love to hear from you on the topics that you would like to discuss, speakers whom you would like to meet, and the sponsorship and partnership opportunities that you might be keen!

Where is HR heading? What can SHRI do?

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, who graced the Singapore HR Congress 2008 emphasised the quality of human resources as the winning factor of successful enterprises. He also mentioned that “Singapore of today is recognised as having an efficient and skilled workforce and we came in first in the labour market rankings in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007”. To maintain this achievement, SHRI believes that it can work jointly with organisations, professional bodies, business and HR leaders to identify and provide avenues to level up human capabilities in every possible aspect.

“SHRI is advantageously positioned to accomplish two important tasks:
Raise the professional standard of HR practices in Singapore to the world standard and
Make Singapore a regional centre in HR expertise, practices, research and development”

- Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan on SHRI’s contributions towards Singapore’s talent development effort

As revealed from The Future of HR survey, talent management will be the most critical human resources challenge worldwide till 2015.

In her address at the Congress, Mdm Ho Geok Choo, President of SHRI, pointed the need for executives, professionals and workers to develop their opportunity quotient. For the HR people, this would mean having the capability to identify the right types of people for the right kinds of jobs. “Remember the next generation of HR practitioners would not be the administrators or managers but would be harvestors and combined harvestors. They must harness creativity, champion innovation, be flexible blob-thinkers and be mindset change agents,” said Mdm Ho who summed up the qualities of HR people to meet the challenges ahead.

MOS Lee Sharing a Moment with SHRI President Mdm Ho Geok Choo

To read about the top eight challenges facing HR fraternity till 2015, click here >>