SINGAPORE – 2024 is the year HR leaders across Asia Pacific are turning inspiration into action and “sparking change” through greater collaboration.

That’s the clarion call of People Matters CEO and Editor in Chief Ester Martinez to the HR community as she took centre stage at TechHR Singapore 2024.

Ester stressed the value of shifting from “egosystems” where a single MVP led the charge to “ecosystems” where support flowed through a network of collaborators.

“In anything that we aim to do large, any impact that you aspire for, any big transformation, it’s not really going to be just you as a leader. It’s not going to be us just looking up and thinking that some leader is going to ignite us. It’s really going to be the community that is going to help you be successful,” Ester said.

“The majority of our evolution as humankind has been focused on ego-centric systems. Whether you look at imperialism, feudalism, or capitalism, it’s all egocentric systems. There is a leader, and there’s the rest.

“Now, what's happening today? We’re moving today into an eco-centric economy ... It’s not really the decision of one leader, and it’s not really the action of one leader, but it’s the community and it’s the village coming together to make it happen in the industrial environment,” she said.

At this year's conference, People Matters also launched its inaugural SHRPA research report on the state of the HR industry in Asia Pacific.

”As business and HR leaders, tech solution providers, and talent experts, this report is for you,” the People Matters research team said. ”We will dive deep into the peaks and valleys that shape the people and work industry landscape, and discover new shifts to make smarter HR investments.”

TechHR 2024: Moving from inspiration to execution

TechHR Singapore is one of People Matters’ highly anticipated flagship events each year, with the 2024 theme inviting delegates to “move from inspiration to action”.

The idea behind this year's call to action aligns with People Matters' decade-long legacy of providing delegates with a 'sandbox' to test their ideas and experiment with new ways of leading and collaborating with their teams.

Moving from inspiration to action entails three key elements for successful execution, according to People Matters: speed, sustainability and resilience.

For 2024 and beyond, TechHR is set to “explore how businesses are reimagining the way they create value and foster a culture of adaptability”.

With business disruptions only increasing, People Matters aims to help organisations “walk the tightrope” and “navigate paradoxes” and competing forces, such as remote and office work, centralised and decentralised work models, and the need for compliance versus the need for freedom to grow and experiment in the AI era.

“Striking the right equilibrium in people and work strategy and practice is more challenging than ever before,” People Matters said.

This year’s edition of TechHR will also tackle questions on labour market and talent development challenges. “Leadership development, capability building, and institutional capabilities are the way forward to staying relevant and revamping value creation for all,” People Matters said.

Technology as the driving force of change

The TechHR 2024 theme also expands ongoing discourse around generative AI and its business value and implications for institutions and individuals. The conference sees “efficiency and innovation going hand in hand” and welcomes diverse perspectives from the community about how their respective organisations are integrating AI into operations.

“Generative AI is evolving at record speed while CEOs are still learning the technology’s business value and risks. Efficiency is back in the spotlight, but technology is the driving force,” People Matters said, highlighting how emerging tech is “creating long-term structural transformations” in employers’ people and business strategies.

More than a conference – TechHR is an experience

As Asia’s largest HR and Work Tech conference, the TechHR annual event gathers thousands from across the region. Over the years, innovative sessions at TechHR – from interactive masterclasses to out-of-the-box workshops – have transformed the traditional notion of a conference into a unique experience-focused platform.

This year, TechHR Singapore is headlined by industry stalwarts such as Marc Effron, Jason Averbook, Dr CJ Meadows, D N Prasad, Peck Kem Low, and Jaclyn Lee, among other eminent figures in the HR community.