Written by Max Loong

The latest Job Situation Report from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) features the recruitment strategies and initiatives from MOM and Workforce Singapore (WSG) that helped employers overcome hiring challenges throughout the year 2020.

These support measures, complemented with efforts from partners – unions, agencies and employers placed close to 55,000 locals into jobs, traineeships and attachments, for up to 10,000 employers across a broad range of sectors.

In this blog, we share some insights to some of the few recruitment strategies that were effective for employers to overcome obstacles faced in the hiring process.

 

Rethink hiring approaches beyond “plug-and-play”

Employers tend to apply the “plug-and-play” approach where they believe the only way to fill up emerging skill gaps is to hire someone who possess all the full set of required skills, expecting them to be ready to start at full speed. However, the current reality employers face now is the shortage in areas of emerging skill requirements, internally and externally. This resulted in an imbalance in demand and supply, with unfilled vacancies even as wages spike.

Employers need to rethink their approach to hiring. Instead of only looking out to fill in the skill gaps, employers can consider providing opportunities to existing staff for career transition and build capabilities for their workforce. In addition, government schemes can help with training, which allow them to expand the pool of recruits, including mid-career individuals. In many cases, these transitions are not too difficult.

 

Initiatives from MOM and WSG:

Career Conversion Programmes – These help employers access a wider talent pool and defray the costs of hiring and reskilling a mid-career new hire into the company.

https://conversion.mycareersfuture.gov.sg/portal/programlisting.aspx?source=PCP

SGUnited Traineeships and SGUnited Mid-Career Pathway Programme – These give employers and jobseekers the opportunity to assess their fit with the new job role or sector whilst helping the latter build up skills and experience amid a slack labour market.

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/SGUnitedTraineeships-Trainees.html

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/SGUnitedMidCareerPathways-Trainees.html

Capability Transfer Programme – This programme helps companies to build deep capabilities within their local workforce by speeding up the transfer of cutting-edge global capabilities into Singapore.

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/capability-transfer-programme.html

Career Trial – This programme allows employers to provide jobseekers with short-term trial to assess their fit with the job requirements and company culture.

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/career-trial-employers.html

 

Reposition Jobs into Careers

Building Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is as important now more than ever. To attract the best talents to fulfil organisational goals, employers need to know how to attract and retain the talent they need – providing a meaningful Career rather than just another Job.

Jobseekers often have higher aspirations that go beyond remuneration. They desire jobs with clear progression pathways, and which allow them to build a meaningful career with positive impact on society. Many also want better work-life balance. Employers who adapt to these aspirations tend to have better recruitment success.

To improve their appeal to jobseekers, employers can consider:

(i) Redesigning job roles and emphasising their impact to society;

(ii) Articulating their plans to achieve business success; and

(iii) Highlighting how they share gains and invest in people.

By transforming jobs into careers and adapting to current aspirations, not only will employers attract the talent they need, they also retain employees and increase productivity.

 

Initiatives from MOM and WSG:

Enhanced support for Job Redesign under Productivity Solutions Grant – This programme helps make redesigning jobs easier by providing employers with JR consultancy support to complement and drive their business and workforce transformation.

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/productivity-solutions-grant-job-redesign.html

Job Redesign Reskilling Programmes – These programmes help employers to equip existing workers with new skillsets to take on new, enhanced or redesigned job roles within the organisation as they undergo business transformation.

https://www.ssg-wsg.gov.sg/employers/job-redesign.html

Industry 4.0 Human Capital Initiative (IHCI) Enabler Programme – The 8-week-long programme helps companies learn and trial i4.0 technologies, develop accompanying job redesign roadmap and companies’ HR capability to better support their efforts.

https://ihci.sbf.org.sg/

Services Industry Transformation Programme – This programme provides capability building, onsite training and workplace mentorship to companies from the services sector which wish to transform their business through service design and digitalisation.

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/service-industry-transformation-programme.html

Job Transformation Maps (JTM) – Employers, especially SMEs, TACs and workers can tap on these JTMs to prepare themselves for the future of work as technology adoption becomes more pervasive in their sectors.

https://www.wsg.gov.sg/for-employers/jobs-transformation-maps.html

 

Rethinking Job Descriptions

Other than adjusting hiring approaches and attitudes towards hiring, these efforts will not be put well to good use if Job Postings are ineffective.

To get better responses from job applicants while highlighting the organisation’s EVP, employers can rethink on these points when drafting Job Descriptions:

1. Welcoming applicants from other sectors or occupations;
2. Stating upfront training provision to bridge skills gaps;
3. Appropriate years of experience required, especially for entry-level roles;
4. Articulating the responsibilities and impact of the role on the company (or society at large);
5. Highlighting the company’s culture (including any flexible working arrangements) as well as long-term vision and goals.

 

Not sure about how to attract talents with effective Job Descriptions?

Speak to our experienced Recruitment Consultants for expert advice on appealing Job Descriptions and other Recruitment strategies!