In the present uncertain macroeconomic climate, with the recovery from the pandemic still incomplete and inflation fueling mounting fears of recession, businesses need to look to HR professionals as a pillar of organisational success. This was the message delivered at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals Singapore (IHRP) People Behind People Forum earlier today.

“Business leaders today are at a crossroads. Not only must they deal with the urgency to transform, but they must also plan a response to a slowing economy faced with high inflation and rising interest rates,” said IHRP CEO Aslam Sardar. “HR has an important role here as a strategic partner in the re-design of work, so as to create more creative, flexible and responsive models which produce results for businesses.”

Delivering the opening remarks for the forum, Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Defence Zaqy Mohamad emphasised that a strong and strategic HR team is a key enabler in helping businesses transform by driving organisational agility, workforce transformation and the talent agenda.

The emphasis on today's challenging environment and the role that the human factor - talent, the people who manage talent, and the HR professionals who develop and execute ways of enabling talent - was echoed in the keynote speech by Wong Kim Yin, Group President and CEO of Sembcorp Industries, who also together with Sembcorp Chief Corporate and HR Officer Robert Chong shared insights about Sembcorp's talent strategy and its fit with business strategy in a fireside chat moderated by GIC CHRO Deanna Ong.

Drawing over 300 business leaders and HR professionals as well as tripartite partners and representatives of the HR ecosystem, this year's PBP forum reflected the shift away from building HR competencies - that gained momentum over the last two years as HR took the spotlight in the struggle to retain, attract, and care for talent - and towards an overall more strategic role within the organisation.

People Matters is the official media partner for the People Behind People Forum 2022.