HR Speak

  I have been fortunate to be associated with a few good partners who have provided opportunities for me to speak / share at HR events. It provides me a platform for sharing topics I am passionate about and also to allow me the opportunity for advocacy.

  Last September, the CET East Campus - Life Long Learning Institute (LLI) at Paya Lebar was officially opened and part of the festivities included an Open House by Caliberlink (WDA) and I was invited to share on the HR area and I took the opportunity to share on what it means to be "21st-century HR".

 

  It was very well-received and I had requests to do something similar again. That opportunity presented itself with a HR Capability workshop last month, by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) and SME@SCCCI. It happened during the national mourning for former PM Lee Kuan Yew, so it was poignant the venue @ SCCCI, I found when I arrived, was officially opened by then PM Lee in September 1964 (11 months before our independence).

  I am a firm believer of what Dave Ulrich has been "preaching" the past 2 decades or so - that HR must 'add-value' by being more 'strategic', in addition to tending to the mundane, transactional but necessary day-to-day activities of HR.

  HR has to be more 'business-minded', HR has to not only initiate change but sustain said change and HR needs to a strong advocate to cajole and engage stakeholders to align HR strategy to business strategy - so as to achieve above par business performance and sustainability.

   Imagine business owners, leaders, and "HR" (probably it was Personnel) back then on 9th Aug 1965 - the uncertainty, no turning back, making do and moving forward.

  Today, the business climate is described as VUCA - volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Companies with 21st-century HR will be the ones who succeed and be able to sustain their growth and development of their talent capital.

  Do you have 21st-century HR?