MOM to make 3 ‘strategic shifts’ to better serve Singaporeans: Tan See Leng

SINGAPORE – The rise of artificial intelligence, rapid technological advancements and global uncertainty will reshape jobs, skills and business operations, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.

To prepare for these trends and better serve Singapore and Singaporeans, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will be making three strategic shifts, he said.

The ministry will do more to empower the workforce to access good job opportunities, while building thriving and inclusive workplaces that reflect the changing demographics and strengthening the trust with both workers and businesses, said Dr Tan on April 5 at a dinner to celebrate the ministry’s 70th anniversary.

As the Singapore workforce became more educated, he acknowledged that technological disruptions and global competition have “created new anxieties”.

To alleviate these concerns, Workforce Singapore’s Career Conversion Programmes and the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme are examples of the ministry’s proactive approach in supporting and empowering workers even before they run into employment difficulties.

“And for those who are thrown curveballs in their employment journey through no fault of their own, we introduced the

SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme

to encourage and motivate them to find a well-fitting job,” he added. “And as we speak, preparations are under way. We will roll it out by the middle of this month.”

Speaking to guests of the dinner at Shangri-La Singapore, Dr Tan said: “We are constantly thinking ahead – because a decade from now, I truly believe the world of work will be very different.”

In a global economy where there is intense competition for talent, he stressed that manpower must be an “offensive strategy”.

“Where talent goes, businesses follow. Where talent thrives, investments flow. And where there is growth, talent is not just seeded but sowed,” he said.

“We can always do more, and we can always do better. But I believe that we can be proud of what we have achieved over the past seven decades.”

He added that MOM must ensure that economic growth is not just robust but it has to also be inclusive by creating opportunities for all Singaporeans to participate meaningfully in the economy through good jobs.

Dr Tan highlighted the implications of a “super-aged” society on the workforce, noting that by 2030, around

one in four citizens will be aged 65 and above.

“More of them will have to take on caregiving responsibilities. That is why MOM has been working with employers to adopt flexible work arrangements,” he said.

It is also progressively

raising the retirement and re-employment ages

to 65 and 70 respectively by 2030.

Tripartism – which is the three-way partnership between unions, employers and the Government – is a unique competitive advantage for Singapore, he said, adding that getting employers and unions to work together is one way of ensuring the competitiveness of the workforce.

The dinner was attended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former manpower ministers Josephine Teo, S. Jayakumar, Lee Yock Suan, Lee Boon Yang and Tan Chuan-Jin.

At the dinner, MOM paid tribute to former and current employees, tripartite partners, businesses, unions and community leaders for their contributions in developing the Singapore workforce and workplace.

In the early years, MOM led the formation of the tripartite relationship, quelling industrial unrest and laying the foundation for a harmonious industrial relations landscape, Dr Tan said. “This became the crucial springboard for Singapore’s rapid industrialisation and economic transformation, creating good jobs for Singaporeans.”

Dr Tan, who was appointed Manpower Minister soon after the explosion of Covid-19 cases in migrant worker dormitories in 2020, said: “It was a humbling time... I then came to this stark realisation very quickly that very few of our decisions can please everyone.

“The pandemic uncovered and triggered areas that needed improvements as well as mindset changes that were needed, and I felt strongly that MOM had to innovate.”

He said he was inspired by Mr Tharman, then the coordinating minister for social policies, who encouraged him to “go bolder and push the boundaries”.

“He was a constant source of encouragement. Therefore, we innovated and led by example.”

He added that

MOM’s upcoming foreign worker dormitory in Jurong,

which will open in early 2026, will reflect the higher standards the ministry is working towards: Better living conditions, healthcare and spaces to rest and recharge. 

“I want to thank my colleagues – many of whom patiently guided and put up with this first-time minister who was already past the CPF (Central Provident Fund) withdrawal age, and who perhaps brought a little too much of a maverick entrepreneur’s spirit in pushing everyone,” he said, drawing applause from the guests.

Singapore has come a long way from a nascent nation – where unemployment was in double digits, wages were low and industrial unrest hindered progress – to a nation with one of the best workforces in the world, said MOM in a press release on April 5.

The release cited various statistics on the progress of the Singapore labour market.

As at 2024, Singapore has one of the lowest unemployment rates at less than 3 per cent and a high labour force participation rate of almost 70 per cent compared to other developed countries such as Canada and Britain.

Singapore’s median monthly gross income from employment, including employer CPF, of full-time employed residents has increased from $1,950 in 1996 to $5,500 in 2024.

During the dinner, MOM unveiled a refreshed logo, keeping the three strokes that symbolise tripartism. The current logo has been in place since 1998.

The ministry also launched a commemorative book titled Charting Our Path – its first official anniversary book over the past 70 years – to document its major milestones. It recounts the conditions for industrial peace in Singapore’s pre-independence years and captures how it prepares the workforce with the skills needed to support economic growth.

Through historical accounts, MOM said the book explains the ministry’s efforts to translate economic growth into socio-economic progress for Singaporeans.

In the foreword of the book, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “MOM’s efforts have dramatically improved workers’ lives and the quality of our workplaces.

“All this while keeping our economy lean and competitive, minimising the regulatory and administrative burden on companies, and striving for service excellence in supporting businesses and workers.”