Business Leader

As a business leader, your support for various groups in society can make a huge impact for a better Singapore

Upskilling -

• Employers need to do more, individually and collectively, to create a supportive environment for their employees to upskill.
o This includes sending employees for training and being more open to hiring mature mid-career applicants who have made a career switch.
o There are many kinds of learning and upskilling that employers are well-placed to provide: in-house courses tailored to the company’s specific needs; on-the-job training where employees are given more coaching and mentoring; and career planning and rotations to build employees’ skillsets.


• Employers too will benefit when they invest more in training and upskilling of their workers. They will boost their productivity and become more attractive to potential jobseekers.
• Availability and accessibility of skills information in the labour market is important to enable hiring based on transferable skills and experience. To improve the use of such information, we will explore ways of sharing reliable occupation and training data with employers and hirers. At the same time, we will continue supporting businesses to strengthen their human capital development capabilities and equip their workers for new roles as businesses evolve.
• We ask all employers to support fair employment practices, and consider candidates fairly for a job.

Flexible Work Arrangements –

• Together with tripartite partners, the Government is developing a set of Tripartite Guidelines on flexible work arrangements to be released in 2024. These guidelines will require employers to consider staff requests for flexible work arrangements fairly; they are aimed at encouraging better communication and engagement between employers and employees to find mutually agreeable flexible work arrangements.
• Beyond guidelines, we will support employers in building stronger human resource (HR) capabilities to implement flexible work arrangements well. This includes redesigning job roles and processes to be more suitable for flexible work arrangements, rethinking HR policies, and training managers to manage a flexible workforce more effectively. We will also improve job matching for employees or jobseekers who need flexible work opportunities, with employers who wish to tap a wider pool of manpower to meet their business needs.

• Support those who wish to continue working and by tapping into their expertise and experience.

• Industry players can come together with academia to co-design, co-develop and co-deliver education modules for both students and adult learners. This will equip our students with the latest industry knowledge and practices, so they have the relevant skills when they enter the workforce.
• Employers should commit to looking beyond qualifications; instead, they could recognise and reward diverse skills and competencies in hiring and career advancements.

• Over the years, the Government has put in place schemes to encourage businesses to employ persons with disabilities and ex-offenders, support their integration into the workforce, as well as help them secure jobs. We ask businesses to employ these individuals, and facilitate their integration into the workforce.

• Businesses, industry leaders, unions and the Government will need to work together in the transition towards more low-carbon, circular and zero waste business models, to support our agri-food industry on a larger scale, and to build up Singapore’s food security.
• The Government will support businesses to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and seize opportunities in the low-carbon economy. We will also partner businesses to develop, pilot and adopt emerging technologies to drive decarbonisation across various sectors. Read more about how our businesses will be supported in the transition to a more sustainable future.

*16 Feb 2024 Update - Check out the Budget Booklet for a summary of the measures announced at Budget 2024.