New framework to certify skills of HR professionals in Singapore

Speaking at the Asian Human Capital & Leadership Symposium 2016 attended by Human Resources, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say reported how the National HR Professional Certification Framework will “set out comprehensively how HR professionals can bring value to the organisations they serve, now and in future”.

A first attempt at setting a nationwide standard for the fluid profession, the framework is run by government agency Workforce Singapore. It will assess HR professionals for skills that go beyond basic HR functions such as data analytics.

The framework covers over 30 competencies, detailing the functional competencies needed for HR professionals. Minister Lim mentioned, HR professionals will “work with business leaders on strategic workforce planning, identify future skill-sets for businesses and develop the workforce's capabilities and keep them engaged and motivated to achieve organisational goals”. The framework also covers aspects of the foundational competencies such as “the competency to use analytics to generate HR insights for forward-planning”.

Minister Lim spoke about how the framework has what “HR professionals need for them to move from the backroom into the boardroom” such as taking advantage and utilising technology to deliver HR solutions efficiently. Adding on, he commented that the “framework will provide the basis to support and accelerate the professional development of HR professionals”.

Serving as a benchmark to qualify individual HR capability through holistic assessment, the framework details the levels of competencies required from a junior HR professional to a chief human resource officer.

Finally, it also describes the “behaviours expected of HR professionals to not only uphold the integrity and ethics of the profession, but also to adopt a future-oriented perspective so that they can be effective strategic partners to their CEOs in charting the business directions”.

This voluntary programme will kick start with 100 HR professionals from 24 October, where they will undertake a pilot assessment based on the framework. It will then be fully launched in the middle of next year after further refinements.

Photo/123RF