Singapore releases guidebook for local senior workers’ career planning

The Structured Career Planning (SCP) guidebook, which was launched by the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), is intended to allow employers to review current and future capability requirements while supporting their employees’ work, wealth, and wellbeing goals.     

Mayumi Soh of Pinsent Masons MPillay, the Singapore joint law venture between MPillay and Pinsent Masons said: “A deliberate framework for engaging senior employees in conversations on career development will not only allow employers to develop and retain their senior and most-experienced employees, it will also encourage and empower these employees to take ownership of their own careers.”

The SCP guidebook contains implementation rules, toolkits, individual career assessment exercises, sample human resources (HR) policies and case studies.

The SCP guidebook will also provide employers with advice on getting management support; implementing relevant HR policies for retirement, re-employment and employee development; training HR and line managers for the SCP programme; communicating the intent of SCP across the company; conducting the SCP programme; and evaluating and improving on the SCP programme, among other matters.

SNEF encourages employers to engage employees and unions in discussions on re-employment at least six months prior to their re-employment or the extension of their re-employment.

As SNEF observes, many older workers believe that employers are in a better position to determine the skills that they need and hence let their employers determine the types of training they should get. However, some employers may not have a systematic approach to engaging in meaningful career conversations with their workers.