Singaporean employers struggle with training and hiring employees to use new technology

Singapore — Because of Singapore’s highly competitive rate of digital transformation initiatives, workers seem to be having trouble adapting to fast-changing technologies.

A survey conducted by Robert half, a global recruitment and job agency, found that 93 percent of Singaporean employers have trouble hiring and training staff to use new technologies.

Unfortunately, Singapore is above the Asia-Pacific and global averages at 88 per cent and 78 percent respectively.

In addition, 92 percent of surveyed employers reported challenges in recruiting employees with appropriate IT skills.

Seventy-three percent of Singaporean employers have increased their training budgets (covering seminars, online courses, and mentoring) for staff as well while the Asia-Pacific average is at 66 percent and global average remains only at 63 percent.

It thus becomes more difficult for organisations to bridge the skills gap in the short term.

“While technology is the driver behind business transformation, it is human capital that will determine its success, highlighting the need for Singaporean business leaders to prioritise change management, upskilling and reskilling their existing workforce, and recruiting the right talent to adapt to new technology,” said Imbert-Bouchard, managing director of Robert Half Singapore.

The study covered 6,075 employers from 13 countries with the latest survey conducted in January 2019.

Singapore came in second place next to the United Arab Emirates in terms of employers having difficulty training employees for new technologies.

Seventeen percent of Singapore bosses reported that they are not confident with their own organisation’s leadership team to implement digital transformation technologies.

The employers stated that lack of management support, lack of management experience, and a lack of communication and technical expertise are the barriers to their organisation’s digital transformation.

The survey also showed that adapting a “hybrid employment model” is necessary to build an “agile workforce.”

Permanent full-time employees may work alongside contracted professionals supporting and training them for specialised technical skills.

“Flexible staffing allows Singaporean companies to quickly onboard the most suitable contacting talent to manage critical projects and share their skills with existing teams. In tandem with a robust professional development program, this can support company goals to build the skilled workforce needed to maximise the opportunities offered by evolving technologies,” Imbert-Bouchard said. –/TISG