Organisations with over 200 employees must have certified HR professional from July 2028, among recommendations from manpower workgroup

The Singapore government has endorsed all five proposals from a manpower workgroup aimed at enhancing human capital and leadership across workplaces. In collaboration with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), and industry partners, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed this plan in a joint press release, alongside the organisations. This commitment ensures Singapore's growth remains focused on its people.

The announcement took place on September 24, during the unveiling of a report by the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC). A key aspect of this initiative is a new requirement for organisations with more than 200 employees to have at least one HR professional certified at the IHRP Certified Professional (IHRP-CP) level or above by July 1, 2028.

Minister of Manpower Kenny Tan emphasized that leaders at all organisational levels—business leaders, human resource professionals, and people managers—must work together to drive enterprise and workforce transformation.

The TWG-HC, established in February 2025, addressed trends like technological advancements and longer working lifespans. It engaged over 1,000 individuals from diverse sectors to inform its five recommendations, targeting more than two million workers, 2,000 enterprises, and the development of 20,000 HR professionals and leaders.

The recommendations include creating the Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI) as a national benchmark in October 2025, assisting SMEs in workforce planning, responsibly integrating AI into HR practices, establishing a baseline for professionalising HR, and nurturing future people leaders through targeted programmes.

The SOI evaluates career mobility across five dimensions—pay, progression, gender parity, retention, and hiring—using verified data from 1,500 organisations with more than 1 million residents. SNEF and IHRP will offer practical guides and pilot models to aid firms in workforce transformation, while the PATH initiative provides AI starter kits and a leadership development programme to help enterprises effectively adopt AI in HR.

The government will recognize equivalent accreditations and provide subsidies to encourage early adoption of the IHRP-CP certification requirement by July 2028. Singapore residents, including those in smaller firms, will benefit from financial support, including an additional S$100 subsidy to reduce certification fees.