Monday Nov 03, 2025
Skills-first Management and Hiring: How to Do it Right in Singapore (Insights)
At Workforce Singapore’s recent Career Health Summit, keynote speaker Professor Joseph Fuller from Harvard Business School shared how talent is becoming more important than ever, and how the future needs a skill-based management mindset.
Yet, as Professor Fuller shares, our Asian culture leads us to have “a great respect for distinguished institutions”, and about “stature and face”.
This can be a big hindrance to skills-first management and hiring, simply because the process needs leaders to start leaving out traits and credentials that aren’t relevant to jobs and the positions they are hiring for!
Nilay Khandelwal, Senior Managing Director, Michael Page Singapore and India, recently shared that “new collar jobs” have emerged in response to rapid technological advancements, automation, and industry shifts.
“Employers are realising that formal education is not always the best indicator of capability—what truly matters is whether a candidate has the right skills and mindset to perform in a fast-evolving workplace.”
“Industries like tech, fintech, and advanced manufacturing are leading the shift.”
“Healthcare, particularly in areas like medical technology and telehealth, is increasingly hiring based on skills rather than degrees,” he added.
Ultimately, change needs to be led from the top, and if leaders don’t change themselves, employees and workers may not believe they have opportunities themselves for professional development and growth.
In fact, this very aspect is the single top factor for Asian employee satisfaction and belonging, according to research.
This can hurt employers’ bottom lines, according to a Gallup finding that disengagement in employees can cost up the 34% of their annual salary.
Watch this video to learn how to lead from the front when it comes to skills-first management!
- Read the full article here: https://content.mycareersfuture.gov.sg/skills-first-management-and-hiring-how-to-do-it-right-in-singapore
- Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you in your career:
https://www.wsg.gov.sg - Read about the latest career tips and advice | Apply for Jobs | Register for events here:
https://go.gov.sg/podcast-careerscompassbymcf
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