HR Guidebook For Construction Sector-Apr2024 - 240508 - 052035

HUMAN RESOURCE
GUIDEBOOK
CONSTRUCTION
SECTOR
1
2
Change is the only constant
Singapore’s construction sector is dynamic. Technological advancements, regulatory changes, and an
evolving workforce are constantly influencing the sector. As the industry adopts new technologies and
embraces sustainable practices, businesses will also start to see the need and shift in the nature of jobs
within the sector as well.
HR professionals and employers will need to constantly consider their human capital practices and plan
strategically to meet the shifting demands of the construction industry. For instance, consider:
• How strategic job redesign can keep your organisation competitive with industry demands such as
Sustainable Building, Advanced Manufacturing Assembly, Integrated Design and Planning, and
more
• How a structured change management plan can align and adapt your employees to your
organisational strategy
• How a comprehensive employee engagement plan can enhance talent attraction and retention
• How investing in training and development can upskill and reskill your employees, increasing
productivity and better meeting industry needs
• How a systematic flexible working arrangement (FWA) policy can attract talent and increase
employee loyalty and trust in the organisation
• How compliance to legislation can ensure a safe and healthy environment for your employees to
work in
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector 3

How will this guidebook
help you? Navigating this handbook:
This handbook is a comprehensive guide for HR professionals and employers in the INFOGRAPHICS illustrated throughout the
construction sector, offering insights and strategies for navigating human capital guidebook is meant to help you understand better
complexities. From change management to implementing best practices in employee the different frameworks, principles and tools in
engagement, training and development, and flexible work arrangements, this resource each of the human capital plays.
will help guide you in strategies that not only meet the demands of today, but also
position your organisation for success in the construction industry's future landscape.
Use the ACTIVITY FRAMEWORKS found after
Explore each of these Human Resource topics to help you on your journey. each framework or principle to guide you in
applying them to your organisation. You can
choose the Activity Framework(s) that best
addresses your organisational need.
CASE STUDIES are also found at the end of each

human capital play to share best practices and
methods adopted by other organisations within the
industry. You can also consider the practices
illustrated in the case study and apply them to your
organisation

Overview of the Human Capital Plays:
Change Management Employee Engagement Career Progression Pathways
Change Management is a methodology for transiting Employee Engagement considers strategies and Career progression pathways provide a clear and
people within the organisation from one state to another practices to cultivate a positive and committed transparent understanding of the various routes for
state. How does Change Management support workforce that contributes towards organisational professional development. How can organisations
businesses through the transition? Who is usually goals. What are some strategies for organisations design these pathways to align back to organisational
involved and what are their roles? to attract and retain talent, yet foster a positive needs, yet use them to develop employees ?
workplace culture?
Training and Development Flexible Work Arrangements Compliance with Legislation
Training and development consider initiatives to Flexible work arrangements looks how Policies, laws and guidelines that are laid out not only
build your human capital and its capabilities. What organisations can design and implement ensure good governance or corporate practices, but
are some strategies you can adopt to build your adaptable work schedules and environments. also ensures that the safety and security of each
human capital to not only meet the changing needs How can organisations use this to not only employee is taken care of. What are the various
of the industry but also allow you to deliver greater provide employees with flexibility to balance kinds of policies, laws and regulations that
value and better work for the organisation? personal and professional responsibilities, but organisations need to be mindful of?
use this as a strategy to develop organisational
resilience?

5
HUMAN RESOURCE
HANDBOOK
Change
Management
6
contents
Establishing Proper Change Management Strategies 8 Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) 20
from the Start
Feedback Mechanisms 21
Understanding the Agents of Change 9
Coaching and Mentoring 22

Starting Right: Defining the Need for Change 11
Resistance Management 23
Understanding the Tools for Change Management: 13
Communications Plan
Building Your Resistance Management Plan 25
Modes of Communication 15
Preparing for Change Management at All Levels 27
Communications Framework: Deliver It Effectively 16

Change Management Action Plan 28
Planning Your Communications Plan 17

Job Redesign as part of Change Management 29
Communications Checklist 18 Embarking on a Job Redesign Process 30
Understanding the Tools for Change Management: 19 Case In Study: Samwoh Corporation - Becoming a 31
Training and Development ‘Digital and Sustainable’ Construction Company
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 7

Establishing Proper Change Management
Strategies from the Start
As the business environment and society continue to evolve, businesses

HR’s Critical Role in Change Management
must constantly consider how they shape and review their strategy,
management and operations to ensure sustainability, relevance and
HR teams play a critical role in change management because it is
competitiveness in their industries.
responsible for the people side of change. Change can be difficult and
disruptive for employees, and HR can help to minimise the negative
Change management is the process of helping individuals, teams, and
impact and maximise the chances of success. Managing change is a
organisations adapt to change. It is a structured approach to planning,
tough process but it will bring benefits to both employees and businesses:
implementing, and sustaining change.
For Employees
• Enhance employees buy-in and commitment
What is the end goal of Change Management? • Boost morale and wellbeing
• Increase motivation and creativity
1. Garner employees 2. Understand, from the • Enhance employees’ satisfaction
buy in to the rationale ground, what is required in
for change. the change process
Successful
Change For Employers / Businesses
Management…
• Minimise disruption to productivity
• Cultivate a positive organisational culture
• Build trust in leadership
• Align individual and organisational goals closely
3. Work collectively towards
the desired outcomes

Understanding the Agents of Change
Change Sponsor Senior Leadership

In helping your employees understand e.g.: Business Leader, Owner, CEO, MD, etc e.g.: Senior Leadership Team, Management Team etc.
• Champions the change initiative • Instrumental in driving change.
the processes of change, it is • Ensures that the change aligns with organisational • Set the tone for the entire organisation through advocating
important to recognise the various goals the vision, commitment, and active involvement across the
stakeholders and people involved in • Secures necessary resources various levels
• Communicates the importance of the change to the • Advise and provide the necessary resources, support, and
change. rest of the organisation guidance for the change initiative
Particularly in the operational aspects

of Change Management (Change
Management Taskforce, Change Change Advocates
Advocates, HR), it is important to Change Management Individuals appointed and
Taskforce involved in promoting change
consider who we need to be a part of
A dedicated team in charge of positively
the team, why we need the individual executing change management • Appointed by Senior
and how will each of them be activities Leadership to support and
• Responsible for designing, promote change
contributing towards the Change
planning, and executing the • Influence and engage peers
Management process. change management by encouraging buy-in from
strategy. them
• Includes change managers, • Help to build momentum
communication specialists,
and training coordinators.
HR Personnel
Individuals / team responsible for manpower and personnel management
• Involved in the change management process, particularly in areas such as
workforce planning, talent development, and employee communication.
• Align human capital strategies with the goals of the change initiative.

Understanding your agents of change ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this activity to chart out the agents of change in your change
management process. CHANGE SPONSOR
SENIOR
LEADERSHIP
CHANGE
MANAGEMENT
TASKFORCE
CHANGE
ADVOCATES
HUMAN
RESOURCES (HR)

Starting Right: Defining the Need(s) for
Change
It is important that before a comprehensive change

Planning your Change - Guide to Align
management process is done, there needs to be a proper
understanding and alignment of what the change is going
What is / are the change(s) taking place?
to be and the rationale for the change to take place.
Hence, this first step lays the foundation for adopting and
Use this space to define what is/are the changes that will be done.
communicating any change efforts that you will be
undertaking. Once you have established this
understanding, you can also refer to your pointers / plan in What is the current situation and background?
ensuring that your change management efforts are Use this space to list down what are some of the plans, initiatives, actions and measures taken
aligned, or to guide you in answering any questions or in the organisation. It will also be good to consider what was done and why.
concerns people might have.
You can use the template on the next page to help you Why is there a need to make the Why is there a need to make the
align on the purpose and objectives. change? (Challenges) change? (Opportunities)
Based on what is currently done in your Identify the opportunities that businesses can
organisation, why is it not ideal? What are take advantage of should the change happen.
some of the issues and problems seen within How can the changes allow the business
this model? What are the limitations? How address its goals and objectives, while
does the plan not allow the organisation addressing the challenges and limitations
reach its current goals? seen currently?
What is the mission, vision and purpose of the business? How will the
change help to reflect the mission, vision and purpose?
Reiterate what the mission, vision and the purpose of the business is – Why is this organisation
here? Use this as the foundation and base as you reflect and explain the need for change and
examine how these changes align back to the goals and objectives.

Starting Right: Defining the Need(s) for ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Change
Use this activity to begin defining the need for change in your organisation.
What is the mission, vision and

purpose of the business? How will
the change help to reflect the
mission, vision and purpose?
What is / are the change(s) taking

place?
What is the current situation and

background?
Why is there a need to make the change? (Challenges) Why is there a need to make the change? (Opportunities)

Understanding the tools for Change
Management: Communications plan (I)
Develop comprehensive communication plans to keep

Communications Plan (Content)
employees informed about the reasons for change, the
expected impact, and the progress of the change initiative.
Regular updates through various channels help maintain Who is going to receive • E.g.: All staff, team leads, department heads,
transparency and reduce uncertainty. the information? management, etc.
Who?
Developing the Content of your Communications Plan Who is going to deliver • E.g.: CEO, MD, Business Owner, Senior
Consider who you need to address and what are you going the information? Leadership team, etc.
to tell them. Refer to the table for more information on how
you can develop your content tailored to your audience.
Use the Content Plan Activity Framework to help you in

your communications planning.
What? What are you planning to
communicate?
• Outline the content you intend to share with your
intended target audience.
Why are you • Identify and explain the rationale to

Why? communicating this communicate the “What?” with your intended
information? target audience.

Management: Communications plan (II)
Operationalising your Communications Plan

Having the right content will not be sufficient if you do not
Communications Plan (Operations)
execute your plan timely and properly. You might run the
risk of having mistrust, and perceptions over lack of • Timing plays a significant role in the success of
accountability or transparency when not executed Change Management. Communicate as early as
When do you intend
possible once a decision is certain to uphold
properly. Consider the framework when planning. to share the
accountability and transparency, and to prevent
information?
speculation.
When? • Gain feedback to understand the potential concerns

that employees might have to the change.
When do you plan
for feedback to • Set plausible timelines for employees to come back
come? with feedback and plan how much time you will need to
commit to a response.
• Choose the right communication channels to deliver

your message with clarity, relevance and accessibility
to your diverse target audience.
• The best channels allow you to share your message to
What are you your audience at the right time, achieve its intended
What? planning to purpose and build connection and engagement with
your audience.
communicate?
• Choosing the right communication channels will
indirectly help you to build trust, fostering a cohesive
understanding of and positive response to
organisational changes.

Modes of communication
How should you After you have prepared your content, channels and timeline to communicate change, you need to ensure that your approach toward
How? communicate the delivery of the communication allows your audience to hear you clearly, feel your sincerity and resonate with your accountability
change? and transparency. Refer to the table below for the different forms of communication and how they are used.
STATIC INTERACTIVE
Two-way exchange of information, allowing for feedback and

Definition One-way communication where information is presented
engagement
Used to disseminate information For discussions, feedback sessions, and collaborative decision-making
Purpose
Convey announcements, policies and information Ideal for active engagement and real-time interaction
Efficient for delivering consistent messages to a broad audience. Facilitates engagement, collaboration, and understanding
Pros
Suitable for situations where immediate feedback is not essential Allows for quick resolution of queries and concerns
Limited engagement and interaction. Requires more resources and time for managing interactions
Cons
May not be effective for complex or sensitive topics May be challenging to control the flow of information
• Group Meetings
• Intranet
• 1-to-1 meetings
• Emails
• Lunch and learn sessions
• Videos
• Information sessions / Town Halls
• Employee newsletters
Examples • Roundtable Discussion
• Document sharing software
• Collaboration tools
• Internal organisation blogs
• Video conferencing
• Internal social media
• Private messaging
• Posters and other visuals
• Quick poll

Communications framework: deliver it
effectively
To ensure that your message is delivered Strategies for Effective Communication

effectively, it is imperative to plan the
messages, channels as well as timings for
communication Help Keep Tap Repeat,
Follow the principles on this page to guide Visualise Messages Multiple Repeat,
how you communicate your messages to
your employees.
Vision Simple Channels Repeat!
• Paint how the future • Use simple words • Utilise all • Communicate the
will be different from • Be clear, concise communication change frequently
the past. and complete to channels to get the • Incorporate change
• Determine the avoid doubt word out in daily decision
values and culture • Consider different making, problem
that are central to types of messaging for solving and actions
the change different platforms
Identify
Be Seek Walk the
Change
Authentic Feedback Talk
Agents
• Be transparent to • Find influencers • Encourage • Senior management
increase trust across the feedback from and leaders to
organisation to employees demonstrate the
inspire action • Address fears, ideal behaviour
towards new vision anger and concerns expected
openly and honestly

Planning your Communications plan ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this activity to plan your communication content and operations.
Content Operations
Who is going to When do you

receive the intend to share
information? the information?
Who? When?
When do you
plan for
Who is going to feedback to
deliver the come?
information?
What are you

What? planning to
communicate?
What are you
What? planning to
communicate?
Mode
How should you
Why?
Why are you
communicating
How? communicate
change?
this information?

Communications checklist ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Check against the box to assess if your communications plan and

execution has met these goals
Help Keep Tap Repeat,

Visualise Messages Multiple Repeat,
Vision Simple Channels Repeat!
• Paint how the future will be • Utilise all • Communicate the
• Use simple words
different from the past. communication change frequently
• Be clear, concise
• Determine the values and channels to get • Incorporate change in
and complete to
culture that are central to the the word out daily decision making,
avoid doubt
change problem solving and
actions
Identify
Be Seek Walk the
Change
Authentic Feedback Talk
Agents
• Be transparent to • Find influencers • Encourage feedback • Senior management
increase trust across the from employees and leaders to
organisation to • Address fears, demonstrate the
inspire action anger and concerns ideal behaviour
towards new vision openly and honestly expected

Management: Training and development
Design and implement training programmes to equip employees with the skills and knowledge required for the new processes, technologies, or roles.
• Training activities should be tailored to the specific needs of different employee groups, to optimise the time invested in training and development.
• Refer to the Training and Development Play to find out more about Training and Development in your organisation.
Training Objectives Curriculum Design Training Modes Assessment and Evaluation

Training Needs Analysis
AfterTHREAT OF your
diagnosing Identify how training objectives Explore various training Consider having assessment or
Conduct a thorough analysis of SUBSTITUTE
organisation’s capabilities and can be grouped into a methods and modes suitable other forms of activities /
your organisation’s needs to PRODUCTS
competencies, you will be able structured training programme. for addressing the needs. E.g.: exercises to evaluate the
identify what capabilities need to determine the training Detail the design of the workshops, seminars, online effectiveness of the training
to be upskilled. objectives for alignment with curriculum. Outline the topics, courses, mentorship programs, programmes.
your change management modules, and sequence of the or on-the-job training.
This involves assessing current goals. programme. Use assessments to also check
skills, understanding gaps and Tailor methods to if the intended Key
determining the competencies Ensure that the content accommodate diverse learning Performance Indicators (KPI)
required. progressively builds the styles and preferences. are met by the employee.
necessary skills and
knowledge.

Employee assistance programmes (EAP)
Provide Employee Assistance Programmes to support employees dealing with

stress, anxiety, or other emotional challenges related to the changes. Here are
some possible EAPs organisations can adopt:
Counselling Services
Workshop and Training Sessions
Weekly Check-ins with Change Team
Peer Support Programmes
Feedback Mechanisms
Coaching / Mentoring

Feedback mechanisms
Feedback mechanisms help to serve as channels through which stakeholders can

express their thoughts, concerns, and insights, contributing to the continuous
improvement of the change process. This can foster a culture of transparency and
engagement. Implement formal and informal feedback mechanisms to capture the
concerns, suggestions, and sentiments of employees so that it provides insights
into what can be improved in the change process. Here are some ways for you to
collect feedback:
One-on-One Interviews/chats
Suggestion Box / Online Feedback Form
Focus Group Discussions
Town Halls
Engagement Surveys / Questionnaires
Pulse Surveys

Coaching and mentoring
Change Management can be a stressful Strategies to Implement Successful Coaching and Mentoring
experience for employees especially when they
have to adapt to new experiences and detach Select Coaches and Mentors Carefully
away from old ones. Offer coaching and • Select coaches and mentors based on their expertise, experience, and compatibility with the
mentoring support for employees who may need needs of participants.
additional guidance during the change process.
Train Coaches and Mentors for Change Management
This one-on-one assistance can be especially
beneficial for individuals facing challenges or • Provide training to coaching and mentoring skills, emphasising the nuances of guiding
uncertainties. Set up individuals through change.
Establish a framework of diagnosis of need
• Develop a list of questions as a diagnostic toolkit to understand and assess the causes and
factors for concern and worry.
Create a Supportive Environment

• Emphasise the importance of creating a supportive and confidential environment for
coaching and mentoring relationships. Foster trust, open communication, and a safe space
In for individuals to discuss challenges and concerns related to the change.
Session
Monitor Progress and Feedback Mechanisms
• Implement mechanisms for monitoring the progress of coaching and mentoring
relationships. Regularly collect feedback from both participants and coaches/mentors to
assess the effectiveness of the support provided and make necessary adjustments.
Post
Session

Resistance management
In Change Management, there will be employees who

might be resistant and opposed to change, even in
Reasons for Resistance from Employees
Singapore. Prepare for strategies and approaches to
identify, understand, and address resistance from
individuals or groups within the organisation during a People may be afraid of what the
period of change. change will mean for them and their
jobs.
Fear of the
People may be unknown People are generally
1. Understanding Potential Reasons for Resistance to worried about losing
reluctant to change
when familiarity is
Change their jobs or about
Reluctant to built. Understand the
their roles being Job security
With a good understanding of your organisation’s embrace reasons for reluctance
changed. fears
demography, culture and employees’ profile, you can change to develop strategies
anticipate and understand potential resistance and to address the
concerns employees will have. Knowing this potential Possible hesitation.
resistance can also prepare you by considering reasons for

approaches to manage the resistance. People may feel
resistance
like they are losing
People may be
control of their work Loss of Increased concerned that the
or their careers. control workload change will lead to
an increased
workload.
Disruption to
routine
People may be concerned
about the disruption to their
routine and to what they
have been comfortable with.

2. Building a Resistance Management Plan ADKAR, a renowned framework developed by Prosci, provides a
systematic process in understanding how people reach and transition
It is important for any organisation that is undergoing change to prepare a along change. The ADKAR framework can be used to identify and
Resistance Management plan to manage any potential concerns or worries diagnose which stage of change are people resistant to. This allows you
resulting from change. to understand what is needed to transition to prepare for change, and
what kinds of activities will be required to help employees transition from
one stage of change to another.
The ADKAR Process

This focuses on creating a positive The individual demonstrates the
attitude and willingness to actively ability to implement the change
participate in the change process. in their day-to-day activities.
Aware Desire Knowledge Ability Reinforcement
This involves understanding the The individual acquires the The change is reinforced
reasons behind the change, its knowledge and skills required to overtime.
purpose, and the potential implement the change successfully.
impact on both the individual
and the organisation.
Adapted from: https://www.prosci.com/hubfs/2.downloads/webinars/Prosci-Resistance-Management-Worksheet.pdf

Building your resistance management
plan
Bringing it all together, the framework below allows you to consider how you
define and diagnose the resistance that is currently seen, and how you can
develop mitigating factors to address them.
Who? ADKAR What? Why? How? Who? When? Outcome?

(Individual or Group Point of Observations from Root causes Approach to Person responsible Activation period How does success
impacted?) resistance research manage change look like?
Is it an individual At which point – What behaviours, Why is this How you plan to Who should monitor Is there a time What is the
or a group that is Awareness, attitudes, or actions happening? Tip: mitigate the and follow-up to frame to change we hope
impacted? Desire, did you see /hear / Use the 5 Whys resistance that is ensure that the address this to see? Tip: your
Knowledge, anticipate? approach to keep seen? resistance is resistance? outcome measure
Ability, asking why until addressed? It can When is the can follow the
Reinforcement, you arrive at the be an individual or a deadline for ADKAR process
is the resistance root of the group assigned to monitoring? to determine
met? problem. oversee. which is the next
level to be
Problem Diagnosis: Use this frame to identify which stage of the resistance either Intervention Management: The frame here is the solutions space you can use
an individual or a group is at, and uncover the root causes for the resistance. to address the problems and causes you have uncovered. Use this to plan your
strategies and initiatives to mitigate the issues highlighted.

Building your resistance management ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
plan
Use this activity to build your resistance management plan.
Who? ADKAR What? Why? How? Who? When? Outcome?

(Individual or Group Point of Observations from Root causes Approach to Person responsible Activation period How does success
impacted?) resistance research manage change look like?

Preparing for change management at all
levels
Once you have considered and mapped out

your change management purpose, objectives,
Change Management Activity Plan
process and tools to manage resistance,
consider planning how to communicate the
change at different levels / groups in the Target Group Identify the group that you are planning the change management process and activities
organisation, what are the activities you plan to (Who?) for. (E.g. Middle Managers supporting team going through job redesign)
engage (as well as their purpose), and

anticipate possible resistance or challenges Actions to
that may arise as a result of the initiatives Activities Purpose Benefits Challenges
Buffer
proposed.
What are some of the Why have you What are some of the What are some of the How can you mitigate
Complement this Change Management Activity activities you are chosen them? intended positive challenges / and prepare against
planning for this outcomes from the resistance you the challenges /
Plan with the earlier Communications Plan as group? activity? anticipate when this resistance?
you go about engaging your employees at activity is done?
different levels. Use the Activity Framework to E.g.: Structured E.g.: To ensure E.g.: Managers can E.g.: Managers may E.g.: The structured
guide your planning. Training Program managers are effectively support be struggling to adapt training is part of the
tailored to understand well-versed and their team members to the redesigned gradual introduction
the redesigned roles equipped to guide the transitioning to the roles themselves of new job
and responsibilities, team members the new redesigned roles requirements,
competencies, and requirements of the competencies, and
new technologies redesigned roles, technologies for
which is crucial for managers, providing
the organisation’s them ample support
growth and resources for
learning

Change management activity plan ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this activity to create your change management activity plan.
Target Group (Who?) Change Management Activity Plan

Identify the group that you are
planning the change management
process and activities for.
Activities Benefits Challenges Actions to Buffer

What are some of the activities you are
Purpose What are some of the intended positive
What are some of the challenges /
How can you mitigate and prepare
Why have you chosen them? resistance you anticipate when this
planning for this group? outcomes from the activity? against the challenges / resistance?
activity is done?

Job redesign as part of change
management
In some cases, as part of your change management process, you might have
to consider how some of your employees’ roles will have to be redesigned to
fit your organisations revamped purpose and goals. In some cases, you may
consider job redesign as a way to provide opportunities of advancement for
your employees.
The job redesign process is intended to produce the following benefits and
outcomes.
What is the impact of job redesign? What are the benefits of job redesign?
Enlarged Job Scopes: Tasks of similar
Higher productivity
responsibilities are added to the same role
per employee
Enriched Job Scopes: More challenging tasks

are added to existing job scopes
Resources
diverted to Reduction in
Reconfigured Job Scopes: Job roles are higher value Benefits physical work
reviewed, redefined, redesignated and removed work of Job
to calibrate and align with the organisation’s Redesign
strategic goals and priorities
Streamlined work Flexibility in job

processes roles

Embarking on a job redesign process
You can refer to the following steps to help you with the job redesign process.
Be sure to align your job redesign process with your change management Step 5: Evaluate and
goals and processes. gather feedback
Step 4: Redesign the ● Through the job

redesign, were
impacted jobs processes made more
productive or efficient?
Can they be measured?
Step 3: Find solutions ● Communicate plans to ● What are some of the
implement the new
for the gaps solutions to employees.
feedback from
employees on the new
● Carry out necessary processes?
training and onboarding. ● Which areas still see
Step 2: Identify the ● Can the repetitive tasks
resistance to adoption?
productivity and be reduced, automated
or outsourced? ● Are there processes that
efficiency gaps ● Can certain roles be
can be measured to
evaluate the
combined?
effectiveness?
Step 1: Assess the jobs ● Which tasks are ● Do employees need to
and task in your repetitive? relearn new skills?
establishment ● Which tasks are menial?

● Which roles are not
optimised?
● What are the current job
scopes and roles?
● Which of them are aligned
with your business goals?
● Which of them are not aligned
with your business goals?
● Which roles are most
unappealing?

Case in study: samwoh corporation
Becoming a ‘Digital and Sustainable
Construction Company’
BUSINESS CASE
In response to industry upheavals and disruptions caused by digitalisation, manpower scarcity, rising
costs, efforts toward sustainability, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Samwoh embraced the necessary
organisational transformation to adapt to the changing construction landscape. By integrating digital
tools, adopting sustainable practices, and investing in the upskilling of its workforce, the company has
improved its operational efficiency, attracted top talent, and strengthened its reputation.
SOLUTION
1. Defined a clear case for change and communicated it consistently to lower employee resistance
With a clear strategic vision to become a “Digital and Sustainable Construction Company,” Samwoh's
leadership team defined a compelling case for change, emphasising the benefits of change for both
employees and the company. They highlighted how digitalisation could enhance productivity and
efficiency, while sustainability could reduce costs and environmental impact. This helped employees
understand the rationale for change and its positive impact on their work and lives. This was consistently
communicated to employees via regular webinars, town hall meetings, and team building activities. Key
points of contact were in each work group to identify and feedback on ground concerns employees may
have. The HR team was then able to reach out to address potential miscommunications and concerns.
The combination of a top-down and bottom-up approach lowered employee resistance and built support
for the company's transformation.

Case in study: samwoh corporation
Becoming a ‘Digital and Sustainable
Construction Company’
SOLUTION IMPACT
• Strengthened workplace culture
2. Cultivated employee ownership over their own professional development by investing in
• Higher levels of employee engagement and talent retention rates
their learning
• 2023 – SCAL Productivity and Innovation Awards (Bronze)
Recognising the importance of continuous learning, Samwoh dedicates resources • 2023 – WSH Performance Award (Silver)
to support employees upskilling by setting aside yearly budgets for staff
development. Every year, they offer a wide range of training options for employees • 2023 – WSH Culture of Acceptance, Respect and Empathy (CARE) Award
to choose from according to their training needs, interests and career aspirations. • 2023 – Safety and Health Award Recognition for Projects (SHARP)
Additionally, they also empower employees’ to identify and propose courses
• 2023 – WSH Award for Supervisors
relevant to their professional development through regular one-on-one clinical
sessions with HR. This has fostered a culture of employee ownership, • 2022 - SCAL Workplace Safety & Health Innovation Awards
encouraging individuals to take an active role in shaping their skill sets and adding
• 2022 - WSH Performance Award (Silver)
long-term value to the business.
3. Understood and resolved employees’ fears About change

“
By actively listening to employees' fears and frustrations, Samwoh was able to
identify and resolve issues that were hindering change adoption. They held regular
Don’t be afraid to embrace change and learn
meetings and one-on-one discussions with employees to gauge their sentiments continuously to get ourselves future-ready.
and gather feedback. This open communication approach allowed Samwoh to
identify specific concerns, such as unfamiliarity with new processes, fear of the
Most importantly, invest in your people as they
unknown, and more. Once identified, Samwoh took proactive steps to address are the ones who will stay with you and drive
them. For instance, the company implemented a buddy system and mentor
program to provide new hires with guidance and support during the transition
your business to new heights.”
period.

HUMAN RESOURCE
GUIDEBOOK
Employee
Engagement
33
contents
Building Strong Employee Engagement for 36 Understanding Where Your Level of Engagement to 47
Long-term Retention Employees is
The Journey of an Employee 37 Building Your Employee Value Proposition: 50

Communicate
Pre-Employment: Building Your Employee Value 38 Building Your Employee Value Proposition: Measure 53
Proposition
Case in Study: Teambuild 56
Building your Employee Value Proposition: Assess 39 Strengthening Employer Branding Through a
Compelling EVP
Building your Employee Value Proposition: Set Goals 41 Case in Study: Gamuda 59
Value Of A Strong EVP In Increasing Talent Pool And
Market Share
Building your Employee Value Proposition: Design 43
During Employment (Day One) Onboarding: 61
Transitioning New Employees
Designing Work and Rewards 44
Onboarding Checklist: A Sample 62
Designing People Practices and Career Advancement 45

Offer Letter: A Sample 63
Designing Employer Branding 46 Case in Study: Ley Choon Group 64

Developing a Structured Onboarding Programme
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Employee Engagement 34

contents
During Employment (Day One) Developing 66 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Adapting to a 75
On-The-Job Training for New Hires Changing Workforce
During Employment (After Day One) Developing 67 Case in Study: Keller Foundations 76
On-The-Job Training for Advancement Committing to a merit-based culture
During Employment (After Day One) Building a 68

Talent Retention Strategy and Commiting to Your
EVP
During Employment (After Day One) Developing 69

Employee Well-being
Case in Study: AlfaTech Asia 70

Employee Well-being for a Healthy, Engaged,
Productive Workforce
Indicators of an Organisation with a Mental 71

Health-friendly Culture
Flexi-Work Arrangements as part of Employee 72

Well-being
Employee Survey Sample Questions 73
Developing Career Progression Pathways 74

Building strong employee engagement for
long-term retention
Employee engagement is an organisation’s

approach to creating an environment and culture
How do we know when our employees are engaged?
that strengthens the emotional connection an
employee feels with their organisation.
Initiative: Takes initiative to solve problems and
This emotional commitment means engaged contribute to the organisation’s overall success.
Dedication: Dedicated
employees care about their work and their
to their work and take
organisation. They work on behalf of the pride in what they do. Alignment with Values:
organisation's goals. Employee engagement is Strong alignment between
essential for organisations because it can lead to their personal values and the
higher levels of productivity, better customer service, values of the organisation.
reduced turnover, and overall improved business
outcomes. Effective management practices, Enthusiasm:
communication, and a positive work environment Approaches tasks Engaged Job Satisfaction: Satisfied
with their jobs and are less
are often key factors in fostering employee with enthusiasm and Employees likely to seek employment
engagement. a positive attitude.
elsewhere.
Emotional Connection: Productivity: more productive and

Emotionally connected to their can have a positive impact on the
colleagues, supervisors, and the organisation's performance.
overall workplace culture.

The journey of an employee
When considering your strategies for employee

engagement, it is always important to consider them
The Journey of an Employee
from the perspective of an employee – how you will
consider retaining and engaging them at the various
milestones of their tenure. Employees also aspire to
Pre-employ
Pre-employment During Employment During Employment
see how they are engaged so that they are ment (Day 1) (After Day 1)
motivated to contribute to the organisation gainfully.
Conventionally, employee engagement is thought Building your Developing your new Building On-the-Job
about for employees who are present. However, to Employee Value hire onboarding Training for
build strong branding and attract talent, it is also Proposition (EVP) programme development
important to consider how you engage those who
may be potentially your talents too. Developing On-the-Job Building a talent
Training for new hires retention strategy
Consider the following employee’s journey as you
plan your employee engagement plans.
Committing to your
EVP
Developing
Employee Well-being
Developing career
progression
pathways

Pre-Employment:
Building Your employee value proposition
What is an Employee Value Proposition? Reasons for developing a strong EVP

An employee value proposition (EVP) is the unique set of benefits that an Attract and Increase
employee receives in return for the skills, capabilities, and experience they retain strong Employee
bring to an organisation. It is a statement that describes what an employer talent Engagement
offers its employees in exchange for their work.
With a
Your EVP should be clear, concise, and compelling, and it should be aligned
strong
with the organisation's culture and values. Ultimately, EVP comes down to EVP… Improve
Enhance Productivity and
the “give” and ”the get” equation at your workplace. Offer employees greater
Employer Efficiency
value along with tangible and intangible benefits.
Branding
Five steps to develop a strong EVP

You can adopt the following 5-step process in guiding you to assess and
design (or redesign) your EVP to enhance your branding and attract talent to
achieve your goals.
Assess Set Goals Design Communicate Measure

Building your employee value proposition:
Assess
In the initial step of designing an effective employee value

proposition, it is important to conduct a comprehensive assessment
Reasons for developing a strong EVP
of your current EVP. This involves understanding the existing Vision,
Mission and Values, and how they are perceived by your current,
former and aspiring employees – what are the strengths and Assessment Insight (Current EVP)
weaknesses, and what are the perceptions? This understanding will
Our Vision, Mission What is your current vision, mission and values?
form the basis of whether you need to review, refine or redefine your
and Values
EVP to achieve your business goals.
Our EVP (or key How do current employees feel is the selling point for
selling points to wanting to be in your organisation or staying in your
Questions to consider candidates) organisation?
Assess your Vision, Mission Assess Internal Perceptions
and Values of the Organisation Our Incoming Talent Where are your talents and applicants coming from?
Sources & Outgoing
What are your current vision, How do your employees Talent Destination are
mission and values? perceive your organisation?
Does that still resonate with Are these perceptions
your organisation’s business positive or negative? The current perception What are the current perceptions people have on your
goals? about our organisation organisation that can be found from online sources, exit
as an employer is interviews, etc.?
Assess External Perceptions Assess your Talent Pool
of the Organisation within the Organisation
How do former employees Where are our aspiring We want to build / Based on your assessment, do you feel there is a need
perceive your organisation? talents and applicants change our EVP to change your EVP? If there is, how would you refine or
This is based on your exit coming from and what are because it will help us redefine it?
interviews and employee their perceptions of your to…
reviews online. organisation?

Designing your evp ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this activity to design your EVP by assessing insights from your current one.
Assessment Insight (Current EVP)

Our Vision, Mission and Values
Our EVP (or key selling points to

candidates)
Our Incoming Talent Sources &

Outgoing Talent Destination are
The current perception about our

organisation as an employer is
We want to build / change our EVP

because it will help us to

Set Goals
Once the assessment is complete, the next step is to define clear and
strategic goals for your EVP. These goals should be aligned with the 7 Factors to consider when setting goals
overall business objectives and designed to enhance the
employer-employee relationship. Consider aspects like talent acquisition, 1 5
employee engagement, and retention. Set specific, measurable, Desired Brand Image Application Rate
How do the goals set for your EVP align When designing your goals for
achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that will guide the
with the brand image you hope to EVP, how are you also
development of the EVP and serve as benchmarks for success. cultivate? measuring the application
rate?
Build your EVP by matching your business goals with your HR goals
2 Candidate Persona Mapping
When setting goals for your EVP, how 6
The organisation’s business goals Quality of Applications
The organisation’s HR goals are does it align with the profile of
are When designing your goals for
candidates you wish to hire?
EVP, how are you also
E.g. Be a market leader in the E.g. Attract skilled talent in measuring the quality of your
delivery of high-quality sustainable construction (i.e. applicants?
sustainable and innovative individuals with expertise in green
construction services that set building practice, sustainable 3 Talent Segments
industry standards materials) When setting goals for your EVP, how
do you address the unique expectations 7
of different talent segments? Channel / Source
When designing your goals for
EVP, how are you also
measuring the effectiveness of
The desired Commitment to high-quality sustainable and
4 Demographics your communication
organisation's talent What goals have you set in your EVP to channels?
innovative construction services that are
brand image (aligned driven by a diverse team of skilled consider a diverse and inclusive
to business & HR workforce?
professionals.
goals) is:

Use this activity to design your EVP by setting clear and strategic goals for it You can refer to page 41 for reference..
The organisation’s business goals are The organisation’s HR goals are
The desired organisation's

talent brand image (aligned to
business & HR goals) is:

Design
The design phase involves crafting the actual EVP based on the
insights gathered during the assessment and the goals Overview of the 5 components of your EVP
established in the previous steps.
When designing your EVP, examine the 5 areas of your EVP -

Work, Rewards, Career Advancement, People Practices and Work Rewards
Employer Branding. Tailor each of these sections to your target
Design a meaningful work culture through Create a culture of performance and
audience and how each element can showcase your
Work-life balance, Autonomy, loyalty to motivate employees and create
organisation as an attractive workplace to be in.
Recognition, Personal achievement. a sense of appreciation for hard work
Ensure that the EVP is authentic and reflects the reality of the
employee experience within the organisation.
People practices Career Advancement
Foster a culture of collaboration and Facilitate and influence an employee's job

growth by exhibiting Industry Desirability, stability and growth opportunities with
Pride, Purpose and Impact vertical and lateral career progression
Employer branding
Create a targeted, long-term strategy for a desirable brand perception, in terms of

psychological, economical and functional benefits

Designing Work and rewards
Designing Work Designing Rewards

As an employer, you can consider designing and crafting jobs that not only Having a clear rewards and recognition programme allows employees to boost their
benefits your employee by bringing meaning and purpose in what they do, motivation and morale to work in the organisation. Employees will feel that their
but also benefits you in addressing the changing needs of your organisation efforts are acknowledged and their contributions paid off. More organisations are
and industry. aligning their rewards and recognition programmes with employees' specific
competencies, skills, and abilities. This strategy not only motivates continuous skill
However, when designing work, it is not just about the roles and skills, but it development but also ensures alignment with organisational goals, fostering a more
is also important to consider how work also balances with personal life, and engaged and productive workforce. Apart from conventional ways of rewards (i.e.:
provides employees with the feeling of autonomy and accomplishment. This salaries and bonuses), you can consider other creative in their offerings to attract
will contribute towards employee engagement and satisfaction. employees to retain or into the organisation.
Checklist for Designing Work General principles for reward and recognition
Job Design: Are job roles clearly defined, aligned against ● Design a competitive and fair compensation structure that reflects
industry standards and recognises individual contributions.
organisational goals and provide meaning and purpose for Compensation
employees? ● Consider aligning your compensation structure to fit with your
organisation’s strategic objectives and culture.
Recognition: Are job roles defined with clear matrix for
● In addition to the usual benefits (e.g.: health insurance, annual
recognition of effort?
leave), consider other innovative and creative approaches to
motivate employees.
Benefits
Autonomy: Are employees given the flexibility in their roles to ● These include: student loan assistance, corporate social
innovate? responsibility, volunteer leave, time-off bonuses, health savings
accounts, wellness benefits etc.
Work-life Balance: Are employees given the flexibility in their ● Develop a system for acknowledging and rewarding employee
work arrangements to cater for their needs? achievements to enhance motivation and job satisfaction.
Recognition ● These include: spot bonuses, time-off or medals that recognise
values you want to achieve (e.g.:innovation, efficiency, teamwork,
etc.)

Designing People practices, career
advancement and Job Redesign
Designing People Practices Designing Career Advancement

People practices consider how you design initiatives that can help to Another important motivation for employees is the opportunity for them to grow and
support a positive work environment and culture. These aspects are shaped develop in their careers. Considering career advancement opportunities impacts an
by interactions with colleagues and managers and are marked by trust, employee's job security and potential for advancement. These can include
teamwork, and assistance. programmes such as training, expert guidance, assessments, and feedback that
serve as incentives to inspire, attract, and keep employees.
Things to consider when designing people practices
Refer to the Career Progression Pathways play to find out more about how you can
develop career advancement opportunities within your organisation.
Industry Desirability
Most employees are motivated by the ability and
opportunity to make changes. Organisations can offer and
build roles that can motivate employees to create an Designing Job Redesign
impact. It is particularly important if the impact is tangible.
As a way to consider creating opportunities for career mobility and advancement for
your employees, you can also consider how you can factor in job redesign
strategies as part of career advancement. This is also a way for employees to gain
Team work different skills and trades, allowing them to grow professionally and broadly in their
A large part of building a positive environment is building knowledge of the industry. The diversification of roles within the organisation opens
a team culture that allows employees to be supported,
the opportunity for new career paths, enhancing employee development and career
grow and safe. That said, colleagues and supervisors
within the organisation have a direct impact on building progression.
this culture.
Refer to the Job Redesign section for more information.
Great Place to Work

You can also participate in the Great Place to Work
initiative which focuses on three main sentiments:
Purpose, Price and Impact in the minds of employees.

Designing Employer branding
Designing Employer Branding How Employer Branding Works? ● How can you understand what is currently
perceived of your brand?
Employer branding focuses on shaping and ● What actions will you take to restore /
reaffirm your brand promise?
promoting the reputation of your organisation
as an employer of choice for both current and
future employees. It offers psychological,
economic and functional benefits when
Brand Identity Brand Promise Brand Image
employees resonate with your organisation’s
brand. Who are you? What are you going to How do people perceive
communicate to your current your brand to be?
Consider the following flowchart to How you do you hope and potential talents about your
people perceive your commitment? How are you This can be fuelled by both
conceptualise how employee branding works:
brand to be? going to achieve this? current and potential
employees
Platforms to showcase Brand
Promise:
Advertisements,
communications, promotions,
public relations campaigns, etc.
● Do employees’
experiences align with
your promise? Employees shape how
your brand is
Brand Experience perceived. This is
based on their:
● Attitudes
How would you like your ● Behaviours
current employees feel about ● Beliefs
their experience working in the ● Intentions
organisation?

Understanding where your level of
engagement to employees is
An organisation cannot engage its

employees if it does not know what is
Methods to identify employee engagement levels
engaging or disengaging to them in the first
Focus Groups Performance Reviews
place. Measuring employee engagement
helps to gain insight into what employees Focus groups allow for more in-depth Performance reviews provide an opportunity for
think the organisation does well and areas discussions. Focus groups are typically made managers to assess their employees' motivation,
to improve. There are several ways to up of 6-10 employees and are led by a commitment, and overall performance.
moderator who asks questions about employee
measure employee engagement. it is
engagement-related topics.
important to use a variety of methods to get
a complete picture. Organisations should
also consider their own specific needs and
goals when choosing which methods to
use.
Engagement
level?
Surveys HR Data
Surveys are a popular way to measure
engagement and gain direct feedback HR data can provide insights into how engaged
on topics such as job satisfaction, employees are overall and can also be used to
motivation, and commitment to the identify areas where engagement needs to be
organisation. Surveys can be conducted improved. These include absenteeism rates,
online, in person, or over the phone. turnover rates, and employee satisfaction scores.

Designing your evp: to differentiate your ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
organisation
Use this activity to design your EVP by brainstorming ideas to make the different aspects of EVP ( Work, Reward, People Practices, and Career Advancement)
competitive.
The organisation can

make ______ What values are
Ideas and Initiatives
differentiated and embodied here?
competitive by:
Work
Rewards
People Practices
Advancement
Our organisation’s EVP

statement is:

Designing your evp: to define your brand ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
image and experience
Use this activity to design your EVP by defining your brand identity, brand promise, and your brand image and experience.
Brand Identity Brand Promise Diagnosis

Use this space to note down current perceptions and
experiences current and future employees have of your
brand.
Brand Image and Experience

Communicate
Once the EVP of the organisation is fixed, the next step is to communicate it to
people. Communicating with the organisation’s EVP is essential as it is the
5 Characteristics to Decide on a Communication
most efficient way of attracting the right talent and retaining the employees Channel
within the organisation. There are a variety of ways to communicate the EVP,
such as:
1. Intranet
Internal
2. Emails
Communications
Plan 3. Team meetings Content
4. Town Halls Content visibility suitability
1. Professional networking
External Which channel
2. Career website
Communications
3. Social media
to choose?
Plan
Target Usage trends
4. Job/employee review sites
audience
Member
demographics

Designing your evp: checklist for your evp
launch ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this checklist to ensure that you have communicated your EVP internally to your organisation, updated your EVP on your organisation’s platforms, and aligned your
EVP to your business operations.
Check EVP Launch Checklist

Communicate your EVP internally to your organisation
Did you share what your new EVP is?
Did you share why there was a need to rethink your EVP (from a challenge/issue perspective)?
Did you share the opportunities for this new EVP?
Did you define further what the EVP means and how it is aligned back to your business goals?
Updating your EVP – Have you updated your EVP on…

organisation’s career site
3rd-party job sites (Mycareersfuture, Jobstreet, etc.)
Job descriptions across all roles
Recruitment advertising
Website and social media accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, X, etc.)
Aligning your EVP – Is your EVP aligned to

Candidate’s hiring experience
New hire onboarding
Performance appraisal process
Employee offboarding
Institute for Human Resource Professionals

Designing your evp - evaluating your evp ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this template to design your EVP statement by summarising your key selling points as an organisation.
EVP Template
Summarise your key selling point to a prospective candidate or external presence you want to showcase.
Candidate's values, belief, needs and wants. What would attract people to apply to your organisation?
What are the most common values found in your employees?
What are the most common traits your employees have? Or what key traits you would like to see?
What is your total rewards strategy? How does it compare to your competitors?
• Base salary, and any other fringe benefits? Eg, Flexi-pay, healthcare insurance, paid time off
What career advancement or opportunities are there within the organisation?
• What career progression is there, and will employees be exposed to adjacent or horizontal movement within your organisation?
What are your corporate values and mission?
• Your mission statement that aligns with the organisation
What are your organisation's goals, objectives and initiatives?
Any key drivers or initiatives?
What are the top reasons your employee should work for you?
Why is your organisation the best place to work? Work-life harmony? Flexi-work arrangements?
What is your Unique Selling Point to your external stakeholders?
Your product/service's differentiation and your Unique Selling Points (USPs).
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Employee Engagement https://myhr.sg/guest/contentdetails?id=2c44c67a-ee53-483d-8331-e89ba08dc183 52

Measure
Steps to measure and evaluate your EVP

The final step in the EVP design process involves
establishing metrics and methods to measure and
evaluate its impact.
1. Define Key Metrics
S M A R T
Prior to measuring the success of your EVP, you Identify and define the
would already have some clear goals you have set key performance Specific Measurable Achievable Measurable Time-bound
indicators that you want Is the goal Are you able Is the goal Is the goal Does the
at the beginning of what you want to achieve. to measure to evaluate clearly to quantify realistic and aligned with goal have a
Translate these goals to key performance your EVP. Your KPIs have defined so the progress feasible to your specific time
indicators (KPIs) to evaluate your revamped EVP. to be aligned with your that there is and obtain attain? organisation’ frame to
business goals. The no objective s objectives which it has
SMART framework is a ambiguity? results to and goals? to be
Use surveys, feedback mechanisms, and data useful way to define your measure achieved?
analytics to gather insights into how well the EVP metrics. progress?
is resonating with the workforce. Make
adjustments to the EVP based on the feedback 2. Identify Baseline Data
received and the evolving needs of the
organisation and its employees. Continuous Collect baseline data for the identified metrics before implementing any changes to the EVP and document it.
measurement ensures that the EVP remains This provides a starting point for comparison and helps in assessing the impact of your initiatives. You can
measure this by doing a survey. You can also collect qualitative insights, but these are usually harder to track.
effective and aligned with the dynamic nature of
the workplace. 3. Collect Data after EVP is implemented
Collect baseline data for the identified metrics before implementing any changes to the EVP and document it.
This provides a starting point for comparison and helps in assessing the impact of your initiatives. You can
measure this by doing a survey. You can also collect qualitative insights, but these are usually harder to track.
4. Measure and Track Progress
Using the same data collection method, collect data after your EVP has been established. You can determine
a regular time period to monitor and track how current and future employees identify with your brand.

Designing your evp - evaluating your evp ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this activity to design your EVP by measuring the extent to which you have achieved your goals.
What do we hope to achieve What is the Unit of What is the

Short-term goals Long-term goals
from this exercise? (ROI) Measurement? Baseline?
Time to Hire The duration taken to complete the recruitment process from posting a job to the candidate's acceptance of the offer.
Cost per hire The total expenses incurred in the recruitment process divided by the number of successfully hired candidates.
Retention Rate (Quality of hire) A measure of how well new hires are retained within the organisation, reflecting the effectiveness of the recruitment process in selecting
suitable candidates.
Employee Referral Rate A measure of how well new hires are retained within the organisation, reflecting the effectiveness of the recruitment process in selecting
suitable candidates.
Job offers acceptance rate The proportion of job offers extended to candidates that are accepted, indicating the attractiveness of the organisation to potential hires.
Candidate Net Promoter Score A metric gauging candidates' likelihood to recommend the organisation to others based on their recruitment experience.
Recruiter Promoter Score Similar to Candidate NPS, it measures the likelihood of candidates recommending the recruiter to others based on their experience.
Employer Brand Awareness The extent to which the organisation is recognised and known within the job market.
Employer Brand Familiarity The degree to which individuals are acquainted with and have knowledge about the employer brand.
Employer Brand Index A composite metric that combines various aspects of employer branding, often including awareness, familiarity, and attractiveness, to
provide a comprehensive measure of the organisation's employer brand strength.
https://myhr.sg/guest/contentdetails?id=2ad4a565-bb6b-46a6-b87a-e590bba951ee
https://myhr.sg/guest/contentdetails?id=9b7eeca5-ad6f-4c0c-b1cf-8d5748e664ae
Use this activity to ensure that your EVP is consistent by answering these questions.
No. Question
1 How easy it is to find out about the organisation's vision, mission, and values (direct site or other sources?)
2 Is the description easy to follow? Do you understand it?
3 What does the organisation promise to its employees? Has the organisation declared any value proposition for its employees?
4 Is the EVP connected to Vision, Mission, and Values?

How is your experience with the organisation's Careers page? In terms of:
Ease of navigation
5 Information availability
Quality of descriptions
Attraction pitch
6 Does the organisation have its employer brand presence on other channels?
7 Are the handles of other channels provided on the Careers page?
8 How actively is the content updated on other channels?
9 What kind of content is the organisation sharing on other channels?
10 Does it appear from the content type that the organisation is running specific campaigns?
11 How popular are these campaigns/posts?
12 Visitor experience measurement Does the organisation care about visitor/candidate experience – measure/feedback, provide FAQs?
Employee reviews
What do the current/ex-employees say about the organisation?
13 Is there a (mis)match in their identity and image?
What are the major trends?
Institute for Human Resource Professionals - Employer Brand Assessment Survey

Case in study: teambuild
Strengthening employer branding
through a compelling EVP
BUSINESS CASE
Having taken the Human Capital Diagnostic Tool (HDCT), Teambuild recognised that building a compelling
Employee Value Proposition would greatly boost employee engagement, contribute to a positive working
environment, and retain top talent across all levels. As such, the company embarked on a series of initiatives to
develop and strengthen its EVP.
SOLUTION
1. Investing in creating meaningful Work for employees:
• Annual Company Dinners: Teambuild recognises and celebrates employee achievements through annual
company dinners. Long service awards and successful project awards such as certificates and monetary
incentives are given out to employees to cultivate a culture of appreciation and recognition.
• Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) policy: Teambuild introduced FWA options such as staggered work
hours, which allows employees to complete their work day within the timeframe from 7am to 10pm. FWA
options are considered on an application basis, enabling employees to enjoy better work-life harmony.
• Investing in emerging construction trends: The Building Information Modelling (BIM) team wields various
tools for better decision-making and performance across the construction lifecycle. This contributes to
Teambuild’s adoption of Integrated Digital Delivery, which has enabled a more sustainable, cost-effective,
and streamlined approach to construction. The company’s embrace of new trends and tools empowers
employees with critical skills for an ever-evolving construction industry, making work meaningful and
enjoyable.

2. Investing in creating advancement opportunities for employees:
• Seow Kong Cheong Scholarship: A scholarship amount of $250,000 is allocated for bursaries and scholarships,
bond-free, for local employees pursuing degree programs related to the company’s business objectives.
• Employee Education Fund: A $300,000 fund is allocated and regularly topped up to groom local talent, with the
company sponsoring up to $30,000 per employee for educational pursuits.
• Leadership Development: Managers are sent to attend specialised training programmes, with the company
partnering with Harrison Assessment to conduct talent development initiatives.
• Development Scheme for Managers: There is a targeted initiative to ensure key personnel are equipped with the
necessary leadership skills and knowledge to effectively lead their teams and contribute to the company's
long-term success.
• Career mentorship for fresh graduates: The programme offers two tracks: technical training and soft skills
development. The technical training track provides fresh graduates with the foundational skills they need to thrive
in the construction field. Experienced mentors guide them through reading drawings, 3D modelling, and beam
training, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle the technical aspects of their roles. The soft skills training
track emphasises the development of interpersonal and leadership skills. It also provides fresh graduates with
opportunities to gain exposure to different departments, gaining a holistic understanding of the company's
operations and the diverse roles within. This rotational exposure not only broadens their knowledge base but also
helps them identify potential career paths and make informed decisions about their professional development,
fast-tracking their career from an engineer to project manager in 6 years.

3. Communicating initiatives to highlight EVP initiatives IMPACT

• Employee satisfaction and increased productivity
Teambuild effectively communicates its employee value proposition (EVP) through • Strong employer branding: Teambuild was ranked 3 years
• Roadshows: These roadshows provide opportunities for employees to gain insights consecutively from 2021-2023 in the Straits Times Best Employer
into the company's values, career growth opportunities, and work-life balance index. Teambuild was ranked Top 13 in Singapore’s Best Employers of
initiatives. 2023 in The Straits Times Index, the only construction company to
• Quarterly internal newsletter: This serves as a valuable tool for engaging employees make the list.
and disseminating EVP-related information. The newsletter features stories, • Read more about Teambuild’s EVP:
business updates, and recognition of employee achievements, fostering a sense of https://www.teambuild.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Engaged-I
connection and appreciation within the organisation. ssue17.pdf
• Town halls: Conducted biannually, these sessions serve as a vital platform for
sharing the company's direction and progress. Facilitated by leadership, town halls
encourage active participation, enabling employees to pose questions and receive
constructive feedback. “ Building a strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is more
• Social Media Presence: Embracing contemporary communication tools, Teambuild
than just adding benefits; it's fundamentally about
has strategically leveraged both LinkedIn and TikTok to amplify its brand presence.
cultivating an environment where employees genuinely feel
While the LinkedIn account serves as a magnet for executive-level talent, the TikTok
account has been a game-changer in engaging with construction employees.
valued and supported. At Teambuild, we have learned
Launched in May 2023, the TikTok account has rapidly garnered nearly 1000 through experience that the key to a successful EVP lies in
followers, showcasing the organisation's commitment to diverse and inclusive actively engaging with and investing in our employees. Some
communication strategies across all staff levels. of our initiatives include a dedicated team-building activities
fund, education and leadership development programs as
This multifaceted approach ensures that Teambuild's EVP resonates across all levels of well as flexible work arrangements. For companies looking to
the organisation, fostering a culture of transparency, engagement, and inclusivity. bolster their EVP, our suggestion is simple: Actively engage
with and listen to your employees, invest in their holistic
growth, and endeavour to create an inclusive and respectful
workplace.

Case in study: gamuda
Value Of A Strong EVP In Increasing Talent
Pool And Market Share
BUSINESS CASE
As a dynamic entrant to the vibrant Singapore construction market, Gamuda is dedicated to solidifying its
corporate presence and attracting top-tier talents through a compelling employee value proposition. By
providing competitive reward packages and flexible employee benefits, Gamuda is becoming an employer
of choice.
SOLUTION
1. Designing an attractive rewards package:
• Pre and Post-natal Expenses: As part of Gamuda’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, up to
$700 per confinement is claimable for male and female employees.
• Professional Membership Subsidy: $700 per annum is set aside for this subsidy, encouraging
employees to be registered as professional members of various committees, boards, and societies
relevant to the construction industry.
• Employee Education Assistance: This sponsorship covers certification programmes, diplomas, first
degrees or Masters, and post-graduate programmes, capped at $35000, for employees who wish to
further their education.
• Annual Wage Supplement (AWS): Employees are entitled to AWS at the end of the calendar year.
• Flexi-wellness: Flexi-wellness is a holistic scheme that covers various wellness expenses - dental,
optical, health screening, and wellness membership (including physical, spiritual and emotional
wellness).

Case in study: gamuda
Value Of A Strong EVP In Increasing Talent
Pool And Market Share
2. Designing attractive opportunities for career advancement
Gamuda offers sponsorships and scholarships that promote the career

growth of its employees, such as the
• Construction Professional Accreditation Scheme (CPAS) Sponsorship
• Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) Sponsorship
• Singapore-Industry Scholarship
IMPACT
• Strong employer branding, leading to an increased talent pool and
expanded market share of projects in Singapore
• Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability (ACES) Awards 2022:
Top Workplaces in Asia “
• HR Excellence Award 2023 Singapore: Excellence in Women Building success is a collaborative effort between the company and
Empowerment Strategy (Bronze), Gamuda Singapore employees. A robust Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the
framework that nurtures individual advancement and the
organisation's upward trajectory. In fostering a culture of mutual
growth and shared achievement, the EVP becomes the guiding
force that propels the company and its workforce for sustained
resilience. Hence, companies need to invest in cultivating and
fortifying their EVP to ensure enduring success and fulfillment for
all stakeholders involved.

During Employment (Day one)
Onboarding: transitioning new employees
Employee onboarding is the process of integrating new hires into an

organisation and its culture. It is a critical process that can help new Onboarding: A Process of “Knowing”
employees to get up to speed quickly and become productive members of
the team. Knowing your organisation: Orientation
A well-designed onboarding program should include a variety of activities: Orientation is a good time to introduce new hires to the
organisation, its culture, and its mission and values. It is
also a good time to review the organisation's policies and
procedures.
Knowing your Role: Training
New hires should be trained on their job responsibilities and

on the organisation's products or services. Training should
be tailored to the specific needs of the new hire's role.
Knowing your People: Buddy system
Assigning a buddy to each new hire can help them to adjust

to their new role and to learn the ropes more quickly.
Buddies can provide new hires with guidance and support
and can help them to integrate into the team.
Knowing your People: Socialisation
It is important for new hires to feel welcome and included in

the team. organisations can organise social events, such as
lunches or happy hours, to help new hires to get to know
their colleagues.

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Onboarding checklist: A sample
Item/task Action taken by Date of completion

Pre-start email(s) Buddy/ HR
First week
Issuance of employee pass HR
Going through employee handbook with the new hire HR
Orientation presentation HR
Office orientation:
• Tour of the building
• Introduction to different departments HR
• Pantry area
• Washroom facilities
Buddy lunch Buddy
Introduction to the colleagues Buddy
Collection of stationery Buddy
Collection of laptop and set up of password Buddy
Collection of name cards Buddy
Use of office equipment Buddy
Printer ID, telephone setup Buddy
Internal and external mail protocol Buddy
Goal setting meeting Manager
Fire and emergency procedure Safety Officer
Workplace health and safety guidelines Safety Officer
Safety work wear guidelines Safety Officer

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
offer letter: A Sample
Private and Confidential
Dear [Insert Name]
We are pleased to offer you employment with [Firm name] as a [Position title]. You will commence employment on [Date] with a monthly base salary of [$ xx]. If
you are agreeable, please sign this offer letter, scan it and send it back to us. If you have any questions regarding this offer of employment, kindly reach out to me via
[email address].
Yours faithfully,
[Name]
[Position]
___________________________
Acceptance of offer of employment
I hereby accept the offer of employment as set out in this letter.
Name (as in NRIC/Passport):_____
Signature:
Date:

Case in study: LEY CHOON GROUP
Developing a structured onboarding
programme
BUSINESS CASE
To facilitate targeted training and development of new and existing employees, Ley Choon
Group set up an internal training centre with the strong endorsement of senior
management and the addition of a training manager. Initially triggered by the need to retain
and transfer institutional knowledge, the training centre serves an important purpose to
onboard new hires and get them up to speed with the company’s operations and
processes.
SOLUTION
To transition new hires and help them onboard effectively, Ley Choon Group:
1. Started an onboarding programme with classroom learning and on-the-job training
The “Standard Basic Training” programme developed by Ley Choon Training Centre
teaches standard operational and safety procedures to new hires. Classroom learning
involves Singapore’s traffic laws, LTA rules, specific gears to wear, as well as the
operational and safety procedures of various equipment and machinery. Afterwards, they
undergo a three-month probationary period. They will be attached to an experienced
on-site supervisor under the Buddy System to measure their on-the-job competency and
sound application of classroom learning. Employees under probation are indicated with a
sticker on their helmet. At the end of the programme, they are assessed by Trainers from
the Training Center before graduating. This structured onboarding program enables
comprehensive knowledge transfer to new hires, ensuring that valuable information is not
lost in the bustle of day-to-day operations.

Case in study: LEY CHOON GROUP
Developing a structured onboarding
programme
2. Equipping managers with the skills to be trainers
In Ley Choon, the line managers, department heads, and on-site supervisors are the ones spending
the most time with ground employees, and hence in charge of training, assessing, and evaluating new
hires. With help from the training manager, they are now equipped with tools to become effective
coaches and mentors. For example, managers will be undergoing courses on effective coaching so
they can become better mentors and trainers to new hires.
IMPACT
• Clear, structured plans to onboard and transfer knowledge to new hires
• Adherence to the company’s safety procedures and processes – reduced costs and reputational
risk
• Easing the workload of line managers, department managers, and on-site supervisors so they can
ensure quality and timeliness of their daily work
“
No one wants to be thrown into a situation having to pick things up by
themselves. Although L&D may not be something that sees immediate returns,
it is worth investing in as skilled employees will be the most critical capital to
any organisation hoping to achieve long term objectives.”

During Employment (After Day one)
Developing On-the-job training for
advancement
On-the-Job Training (OJT) is also important when considering staff Structuring your OJT for new hires
development or job redesign.
Identify and prepare current Develop OJT roadmap with
As mentioned in the “Change Management” play, in any job employees milestones
redesign process, there is a need to consider how employees are
levelled up to perform and execute their duties well. In such cases,
OJT is seen as a function of Change Management. Assess training needs against job roles
Moreover, if you aspire to develop your employees and allow them
to grow in their careers, OJT becomes important in preparing them
with relevant skills and expertise so that they can advance to the
next stage in their careers. As part of employee engagement, Choose the appropriate OJT method and resource
employees will feel appreciated that they are shown concern and
guidance for growth. Structured OJT Unstructured OJT
● Classroom teaching ● Job shadowing
● Practical sessions ● Learning culture promotion
Similar to the earlier steps when considering OJT for new hires, ● Mentoring / Coaching
organisations will need to identify and prepare current employees, ● Buddy system
as well as develop an OJT roadmap with milestones to develop
employees’ growth.
Prepare training materials
Conduct training / coaching

During Employment (After Day one):
building a Talent retention strategy &
COMMITTING TO YOUR EVP
As a organisation, it is important that you look

at how you continually commit to your EVP to
Strategies to commit to your EVP and retain talent
retain your brand promise to your employees.
Through Reviewing your EVP: Through Communications
Talent retention is an important strategy for you
to consider as it helps to save time and money
● Review Brand Image: Assess and ● Through regular updates: Send out updates and
in the long run.
understand if employees perceptions, newsletters to employees about the organisation's
behaviours and beliefs are aligned with goals, progress, and news. This will help
When an employee leaves, the organisation
your EVP and brand identity. employees feel informed and engaged.
has to go through the process of recruiting and
hiring a replacement, which can be both ● Review your EVP Components: ● Through social media: Highlight employee
expensive and time-consuming. Additionally, Examine your Work (or role), Rewards, achievements and share positive stories about
lost employees can take their knowledge and Career Advancement opportunities, the organisation culture. This will help to create a
skills with them, which can put the organisation People practices and evaluate if positive image of the organisation and to attract
at a competitive disadvantage. employees still find them attractive and and retain top talent.
motivating
By using communications to communicate the ● Through town hall or team meetings: Use
organisation's vision and mission, to recognise these platforms to give employees a chance to
and reward employees, and to create a positive ask questions and to share their feedback. This
and supportive work environment, will help to create a sense of transparency and
organisations can retain their top talent and trust between employees and management.
create a strong and successful workforce ● Through employee surveys: Gather feedback
on employee satisfaction and to identify areas
where the organisation can improve. Employees
will feel that their voices are heard and valued.

During Employment (After Day one):
developing Employee well-being
Supporting employees’ well-being benefits both employers and employees. Employees are more motivated to
achieve both their personal and work goals, which contributes to a more productive and uplifting work
environment. However, workplace stressors such as increased work demands, evolving work processes, blurred
work-life boundaries and poor relationships with colleagues and supervisors can be an invisible load on mental
well-being. If not managed well, these stressors can unknowingly erode employee motivation, productivity and in Some support schemes include
extreme situations, harm mental health.
∙ Mental health support - confidential
counselling, employee assistance
programs, and stress management
workshops
∙ Physical health support - such as on-site
fitness centres, health screenings, and
wellness programs.
∙ Work-life balance support: flexible work
arrangements, paid parental leave, and
childcare assistance

Case in study: ALFATECH ASIA
Employee well-being for a healthy,
engaged, productive workforce
BUSINESS CASE
Investing in employee wellbeing enabled AlfaTech Asia Singapore to enhance employee
productivity, reduce absenteeism, improve retention, foster innovation, strengthen its
employer brand, and achieve a healthy workplace culture. By prioritising employee
wellbeing, AlfaTech Asia’s engaged workforce has driven greater productivity and
innovation.
SOLUTION
1. Designed employee-focused initiatives to drive higher engagement
• Mental well-being: To ensure the mental well-being of its employees, AlfaTech

consolidated mental health resources from the government as well as external
sources in a Resource Book that is readily available to all employees. Employees are
also encouraged to take full advantage of the company's robust wellness and fitness
program, including a ClassPass membership where employees can access various
wellness and fitness classes with a subsidy of up to 80%; as well as a Flexi Benefit
program to allow employees to claim expenses related to mental health support
services.
• FWA: FWA policies in AlfaTech is on an application, case-by-case basis. One of its HR priorities is to communicate effectively to its employees that FWA is an
available resource to tap on, via various channels, including the intranet and the employee handbook. AlfaTech takes into account the physical demands associated
with roles in facilities management and construction. While emphasising the significance of business priorities, the company fosters a culture that prioritises flexibility
when feasible. Such a culture is enabled by the close working relationship and high levels of trust and respect between managers and employees.

Case in study: ALFATECH ASIA
Employee well-being for a healthy,
engaged, productive workforce
IMPACT
• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• High employee engagement with 95% of employees would recommend

AlfaTech as a great place to work; and 91% of employees are proud to
work for AlfaTech.
• 2023 HR Asia: Best Companies to Work For in Singapore
“
A profound commitment to one another, rooted in trust,
establishes the foundation of our workplace—a safe
haven characterised by a family culture. In our shared
journey, we work not just alongside each other but for
one another. Within this collaborative spirit, we cultivate
an environment defined by safety, love, humility, and
empowerment, with a collective dedication to continual
improvement. Together, we empower each individual,
fostering a culture that prioritises both personal and
professional growth, reinforcing our unified pursuit of
excellence.”

indicators of an organisation with a ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
mental health-friendly culture
Yes/ No Indicators
Committed leadership, supportive of hiring persons with mental health conditions
Has identified mental health workplace strategies and recommended processes to adopt
Promotes and supports employee health wellness and work-life balance practices
Build awareness and encourages dialogue about mental health conditions to dispel myths
Trains managers and frontlines supervisors on mental health workplace conditions
Assists managers and employers via an employee assistance programme (EAP) or other referral resources
Provides equal opportunities for all job applicants and values diversity
Keeps the health information of employees strictly confidential
Regards both mental and physical illness as equally urgent and important
Haas corporate insurance coverage for mental health conditions
Supports employees recovering from mental health conditions, including those seeking treatment and planning to return to
work

flexi-work arrangements as part of
employee well-being
It is important to consider employee demographics, working-styles and needs when crafting hybrid
workplace policies. Some ways to gather feedback and data from employees are through Employee
surveys, focus groups, one-on-one meeting, suggestion boxes and data analysis such as attendance
records, employee turnover rates, and employee satisfaction scores.
These are the factors that determine the hybrid model’s potential for place and time flexibility. Read
more about the Guide on Flexible Work Arrangements to learn more about each factor.
BUSINESS JOB ROLES

NEEDS AND TASKS
Factors that
determine the
potential for place
and time flexibility
EMPLOYEE CUSTOMER/CLIENT
PREFERENCE EXPERIENCE

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
employee survey sample questions
Work-life Needs Yes No
I need to send my children to be cared for by others /childcare centres/school.

I need to fetch my children home.
I need to occasionally take care of my parents at home.
I need to take care of my new-born at home.
I wish to spend more time with my family while maintaining my work responsibilities.
I have to attend classes after work.
I prefer working day shifts due to personal health considerations and commitments.
I require occasional time-off to attend to personal needs
I would like to have more time to attend to my personal needs during weekends.
I have health conditions and I am in the midst of recovery.
I am pregnant with some conditions (e.g. morning sickness) and I would need to go for medical checks occasionally.
I would like to start/end work earlier/later.
I need to occasionally attend to my child with conditions at home. E.g. autism, overactive, etc.
I am taking work related part-time studies and may need to complete assignments or have meetings with group mates
for group projects at times.
I liaise with overseas clients or stakeholder at times. Due to time-zone difference, I have to be available after working
hours and have to sacrifice the time spent with my family.
Others (please specify):

Developing career progression pathways
A well-designed and planned career for employees can be a game changer for every employer struggling to retain their workforce. Effective career growth policies can
motivate employees to stay and grow with the organisation, rather than switching to a marginally higher-paying job with slower growth and opportunities. Career pathways
should encompass various career progressions - vertical growth, dual career growth, horizontal growth and career progression outside the organisation.
NEW ENTRANTS EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS
Use the Skills Framework for Built Environment to find Use the Skills Framework for Built Environment to find
out about careers in the sector out about careers in the sector
Plan for vertical career progression within

Understand the career pathways and the attributes needed
the track you are currently in, or for
to take on a particular occupation in the sector
lateral career moves across the tracks
Identify skill gaps that you are lacking in

Understand the skills and competencies required for the job
your current or next job role
role and identify relevant training programmes to help you
become a qualified personnel
Lifelong learning for

skills deepening to
meet existing and
Identify relevant training programmes emerging demands
of the sector
Embark on your career in the Programmes that equip new entrants with the skills and knowledge for specific occupations
Built Environment in the sector at their respective entry levels
Programmes for experienced employees or individual to broaden or deepen specific skills

and knowledge for various occupations in the sector

Diversity, equity and inclusion: adapting
to a changing workforce
The entry of Gen Z and Millennials into the workforce is bringing about a number of To ensure the construction workflows and processes are
changes to work norms and workflows. These generations are more likely to value adapting to this demographic change, organisations must
work-life balance, flexibility, and purpose in their work. They are also more likely to be uptake to new technologies that can be used to create more
comfortable with technology and to expect a collaborative and inclusive work environment. efficient and sustainable projects. To adapt to the needs of
these generations, the construction industry can adopt new
• Work-life balance: Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to prioritise work-life balance technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM),
than previous generations. They are less likely to be willing to work long hours or to Drones, Robotics, 3D printing.
sacrifice their personal lives for their careers. This is leading to a shift towards more
flexible work arrangements, such as remote work, hybrid work, and compressed In addition to adopting new technologies, organisations can
workweeks. also adapt to the needs of Millennials and Gen Z's by:
• Flexibility: Gen Z and Millennials value flexibility in their work. They want to be able to • Offering flexible work arrangements
work when and where they are most productive. They also want to be able to take time
off when they need it, without feeling guilty. This is leading to a shift towards more • Investing in training and development
flexible work policies and practices.
• Creating a collaborative work environment to promote
• Technology: Gen Z and Millennials are more comfortable with technology than previous diversity and inclusion
generations. They expect to use technology in their work and to have access to the
latest tools and resources. This is leading to a shift towards more digitised and
automated workflows.
• Collaboration: Gen Z and Millennials value collaboration in the workplace. They want to
work with others and to learn from each other. They also want to be able to share ideas
and to contribute to the decision-making process. This is leading to a shift towards
more collaborative and inclusive work environments.
By adapting to the changing needs of the workforce, construction organisations in

Singapore can attract and retain top talent and build a strong and competitive workforce.

Case in study: keller foundations
Committing to a merit-based culture
BUSINESS CASE
A diverse workforce fosters innovation, enhances competitiveness, and attracts top
talent. Keller recognised that embracing Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity would create a
culture that drives employee engagement, productivity, and brand reputation, ensuring
its long-term growth and prosperity.
SOLUTION
1. Gender inclusivity in the construction industry
Women are highly underrepresented in the construction industry due to traditional
perceptions of the job being physically laborious and demanding. To foster diversity and
inclusivity, Keller supports an employee-led network called ‘Keller Women in
Construction’ that aims to promote the career development, recruitment, and retention of
women through encouraging professional development, sponsoring educational
programs, and starting a career mentorship program. To further support female
construction engineers, Keller ensures site standards are inclusive by providing nursing
rooms on construction sites for mothers who may need it.
Read more about Keller Women:
https://www.keller.com/how-we-work/diversity-and-inclusion/amazing-women-shaping-o
ur-world

Case in study: keller foundations
Committing to a merit-based culture
2. Supporting employees with hybrid work life strategies
Even though pandemic restrictions have been lifted, Keller continues to embed flexibility
and hybrid work-life strategies as part of its long-term business priorities. This helped
boost talent attraction and retention, especially for the younger workforce entering the
construction. While the younger generation priorities work-life harmony, flexibility benefits
employees across all levels as well – for parents juggling parenting commitments, those
with caregiving responsibilities, and employees who wish to better balance competing
priorities. By signalling a strong culture of trust within the organisation, an inclusive FWA
policy helps attract young talent and retain existing ones.
Read more about Keller Singapore’s hybrid work-life strategy here.
IMPACT
• Talent attraction for younger employees, or that may typically be underrepresented in “
the industry
Tapping into the collective knowledge and diverse
• Ensuring a diverse and inclusive culture for employees in the organisation experiences of our global workforce means we can
• Read more about Keller’s ‘Inclusion Commitments’: look at challenges from many different perspectives,
https://www.kellerasean.com/how-we-work/diversity-and-inclusion and develop new and innovative ideas to tackle
them. We’re passionate about recognising and
nurturing talent, and giving everyone an equal
opportunity to succeed on merit.”

HUMAN RESOURCE
GUIDEBOOK
Career Progression
Pathways
78
contents
Designing Career Progression Pathways to Build 80 Case in Study: Gamuda Singapore 89
Employees Forging Regional Excellence through Strategic
Human Capital Development
A 7-step guide to Career Progression Pathways 81
Communicating your Career Pathway Framework 82
Modes of Communication 83
Planning your Communications Plan 84
How to Write a Career Development Plan 85
Built Environment Career Pathways: 86

For New Entrants and Experienced Professionals
Built Environment Career Pathways: Career Pathway 87

Examples
Built Environment Career Pathways: Skills and 88

Competencies
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Career Progression Pathways 79

Designing career progression pathways to
build employees
A common perception deterring local employees

Benefits of defining clear career progression pathways
from entering the construction industry is that such
jobs are usually laborious and there is potentially Creating employee
no room for growth.
ownership:
Job scopes can expand and be enriched by job
redesign, affording employees continual Employees are more
likely to take ownership
opportunities to reskill and upskill. Employees who Increasing loyalty:
know they have a career path will be assured that of their professional
jobs in the sector have the potential for growth and development when
Engaging employees: Employees are more
they have a clear,
development.
likely to commit to their
transparent career path
organisation when they
Designing effective career progression pathways is Engaged employees laid out.
Retaining employees: are more likely to be
see that it offers
not just about individual growth; it's a strategic
long-term opportunities
investment that cultivates organisations. These invested in the
Providing clear career for their growth and
pathways contribute to organisational resilience, organisation’s success
paths reassures development.
ensuring a dynamic and skilled talent pool. By when they see the
aligning personal aspirations with strategic employees that they mutual dedication to
business needs, organisations can achieve a have a stake in the their professional
harmonious synergy, driving mutual success and organisation, aligning development.
creating a culture of continuous development. their personal growth
with the organisation’s
mission.

A 7-step guide to career progression
pathways
To begin helping employees better identify a progression path, here is a

7-step guide to developing career pathways for the organisation.
Identify short and long-term business goals: Do you need to transform your business
model? Are you looking to expand?
1
Develop an organisation structure/chart 2
Identify job roles and skill sets: Does the organisation 3

have the necessary skilled people in place? Can current
employees be upskilled to bridge the gaps?
4 Map out career pathways by looking at job levers and job types: What
are the progression paths within the organisation? What kind of training
and support are needed for each stage of the pathway? Are there any job
roles that require to be redesigned to meet the business goals (refer to Job
5 Redesign)?
Developing individual development plans with defined competencies:

Understand your employees’ career aspirations and development goals. Work with
6 them to plan how the organisation can help them achieve their goals and how their
progression may align with organisation objectives.
Put together a training and development plan: A clear career map will help the organisation and
7 employee plan for the training and development necessary for the latter’s professional advancement.
Create opportunities for learning: Trained employees need opportunities to apply their learning so it can be
reinforced and refined. This is also a chance for employers to assess if the individuals are ready to progress to.

communicating your career pathway
framework
Communication of the career pathway framework is important as employees

need to be aware of what is expected and how they may progress in their Communications Plan (Operations)
careers. By clearly communicating the career pathway framework, both
employers and employees can assess and bridge the competency and skill • Once the framework is formalised,
gaps before moving on to the next level in the firm. When do you communicate it as early as possible once a
intend to share decision is certain to uphold accountability
the information? and transparency, and to reassure employees
of their career trajectory in the organisation.
Communications Plan (Content)
When? • Gain feedback to understand the potential
concerns that employees might have with
When do you regards to their career pathway.
Who is going to • E.g.: All staff, team leads, department plan for
receive the heads, management, etc. feedback to • Set plausible timelines for employees to come
information? come? back with feedback and plan how much time
Who? • E.g.: HR, Senior Leadership Team,
you will need to commit to a response.
Who is going to
deliver the Management, etc • Choose the right communication channels to
information? deliver your message with clarity, relevance
and accessibility to your target audience.
• Outline the career pathway framework • The best channels allow you to share your
What are you
What? you intend to share with your target message to your audience at the right time,
planning to
audience. achieve its intended purpose and build
communicate? What are you
What?
connection and engagement with your
planning to
audience.
communicate?
• Identify and explain the rationale to • Choosing the right communication channels
communicate the “What?” with your will indirectly help you to build trust, fostering
Why are you intended target audience. For
Why? communicating example, career pathways are
a cohesive understanding of and positive
response to your career pathway framework.
this information? designed for employees’ personal and
professional development.

Modes of communication
How should you After you have prepared your content, channels and timeline to communicate change, you need to ensure that your approach toward
How? communicate the delivery of the communication allows your audience you hear you clearly, feel your sincerity and resonate with your accountability
your framework? and transparency. Refer to the table below for the different forms of communication and how they are used.
STATIC INTERACTIVE
Two-way exchange of information, allowing for feedback and

Definition One-way communication where information is presented
engagement
Used to disseminate information For discussions, feedback sessions, and collaborative decision-making
Purpose
Convey announcements, policies and information Ideal for active engagement and real-time interaction
Efficient for delivering consistent messages to a broad audience. Facilitates engagement, collaboration, and understanding
Pros
Suitable for situations where immediate feedback is not essential Allows for quick resolution of queries and concerns
Limited engagement and interaction. Requires more resources and time for managing interactions
Cons
May not be effective for complex or sensitive topics May be challenging to control the flow of information
• Group Meetings
• Intranet
• 1-to-1 meetings
• Emails
• Lunch and learn sessions
• Videos
• Information sessions / Town Halls
• Employee newsletters
Examples • Roundtable Discussion
• Document sharing software
• Collaboration tools
• Internal organisation blogs
• Video conferencing
• Internal social media
• Private messaging
• Posters and other visuals
• Quick poll

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Planning your Communications plan

Use this activity to plan your communication content and operations.
Content Operations
Who is going to When do you

receive the intend to share
information? the information?
Who? When?
When do you
plan for
Who is going to
feedback to
deliver the
come?
information?
What are you

What? planning to
communicate?
What are you
What? planning to
communicate?
Mode
How should you
Why?
Why are you
communicating How? communicate
change?
this information?

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
How to write a career development plan

Use this activity to write a career development plan for your employee.
Name:
Title:
Tenure:
Current situation What professional development activities are you already participating in?
What is your 12-month career goal? (Using SMART – Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound)
Career goals
What knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) will you need to achieve the abovementioned goal?
Skills gap analysis:
Skill gaps by manager: What is the KSA highlighted by your manager?
(Areas for improvement)

What action will you take to address these gaps?
Actions
When will this be reviewed again?

Evaluation
Review by:
Date:
Feedback:

Built Environment Career Pathways:
for new entrants and experienced
professionals
NEW ENTRANTS EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS
Use the Skills Framework for Built Environment to find Use the Skills Framework for Built Environment to find
out about careers in the sector out about careers in the sector
Plan for vertical career progression within

Understand the career pathways and the attributes needed
the track you are currently in, or for
to take on a particular occupation in the sector
lateral career moves across the tracks
Identify skill gaps that you are lacking in

Understand the skills and competencies required for the job
your current or next job role
role and identify relevant training programmes to help you
become a qualified personnel
Lifelong learning for

skills deepening to
meet existing and
Identify relevant training programmes emerging demands
of the sector
Embark on your career in the Programmes that equip new entrants with the skills and knowledge for specific occupations
Built Environment in the sector at their respective entry levels
Programmes for experienced employees or individual to broaden or deepen specific skills

and knowledge for various occupations in the sector

Built Environment Career Pathways:
career pathway examples Engineering/Technical roles
Management roles
Denotes vertical progression
Denotes lateral progression

Digital Delivery roles
There are a total of 8 different specialisations in the Built Environment sector based on emerging and future trends in the industry. In the SkillsFuture’s Skills Framework for
the Built Environment, they are outlined as Architectural Consultancy and Design, Engineering Consultancy and Design, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management,
Project Management, Digital Delivery Management, and Facilities Management.
Consider a sample of career pathways in the Built Environment that your organisation could adopt:
Engineering Consultancy and Design Project Management Digital Delivery Management
Director/Managing Director/Chief Executive/General Manager
Principal Civil and Structural Engineer Principal Mechanical/Electrical Engineer Project Director Chief Digital Officer
Senior Civil and Structural Engineer Senior Mechanical/ Electrical Engineer Senior Project Manager Lead (Digital Delivery)
Civil and Structural Engineer Mechanical/Electrical Engineer Project Manager Specialist (Digital Delivery)
Assistant Civil and Structural Engineer Assistant Mechanical/Electrical Engineer Assistant Project Manager Assistant Specialist (Digital Delivery)
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-news-and-publications/media-releases/skillsfuture-built-environment-career-map.pdf

Built Environment Career Pathways: Skills
and competencies
For each role in the organisation, list down the competencies, experience, and skills needed so that employees may undergo the necessary training for either lateral or
vertical progression. Your list will make it easier to identify overlapping skills and skills gaps for employees who want to progress laterally or vertically in the organisation.
Here is a sample of the technical and generic skills and competencies for each role, which can be adapted according to your organisation’s business priorities.
Role Technical Skills Generic Skills
• 3D Modelling • Leadership
• Computational Design • Computational Thinking
Senior Civil and Structural Engineer • Design for Maintainability • Teamwork
• Engineering Drawing Interpretation
• and Management
• Analytics and Computational Modelling • Interpersonal Skills

• Building Information Modelling Application • Creative Thinking
Senior Mechanical/ Electrical Engineer • Design for Manufacturing and Assembly • Teamwork
• Design for Maintainability
• Building Information Modelling • Leadership

• Design for Manufacturing and Assembly • Communication
Senior Project Manager • Design for Safety • Problem Solving
• Integrated Digital Delivery Application
• Workflow Management
• 3D Modelling • Leadership
• Applications Integration • Digital Literacy
Lead (Digital Delivery) • Business Innovation • Resource Management
• Change Management

Case in study: gamuda Singapore
Forging Regional Excellence Through
Strategic Human Capital Development
BUSINESS CASE
Industry 4.0 stands as a catalytic force, reshaping the landscape of
human capital development with a greater focus on skills, competencies
and learning methodologies to empower the workforce in the digital era.
As a regional infrastructure and property development company,
Gamuda’s presence extends across nine markets—Malaysia, Taiwan,
Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, Vietnam, Bahrain, and
Qatar. In their commitment to contributing positively to the advancement
of Singapore’s socio-economic development, they conduct a spectrum of
short, medium, and long-term education, training, and development
initiatives, designed to equip and future-proof their employees to be part
of Singapore’s nation-building workforce.
SOLUTION
1, Personalised Support for Employees Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
Gamuda actively identifies talents and nurtures their competencies,
fostering a culture of continuous growth and development. A structured
and customised development plan outlines specific timelines, goals, and
objectives. Employees are informed of these milestones, promoting
transparency, clarity, and alignment. In this collaborative partnership,
employees work closely with the Human Capital Development team to
ensure the timely achievement of all set goals and objectives.

Case in study: gamuda Singapore
Forging Regional Excellence Through
Strategic Human Capital Development
2. Empowering Employee Growth Through Strategic Job Rotation

Employees are equipped with comprehensive resources and tools to actualise
their career aspirations. Each talent is positioned in a pertinent role and paired with
a suitable mentor, ensuring optimum exposure and on-the-job training. This
approach guarantees that employees acquire the essential skills to excel in their
current and future roles
IMPACT
With a clear career progression pathway, Gamuda’s employees:
• Work effectively and efficiently
• Demonstrate a high drive to deliver
• Achieve higher productivity and levels of innovation
• Are more resilient to change
• Have greater loyalty to the organisation
“
Dedicating resources to foster career
progression is an investment that strengthens
the resilience and adaptability of an
organisation. This strategic commitment
safeguards survival and positions the company
to thrive in the dynamic business landscape.”

HUMAN RESOURCE
GUIDEBOOK
Training and
Development
91
contents
What is a Culture of Training and Development? Why 93 Assessing and Evaluating Training 102
is it Important?
Designing Training and Development Programmes Assessing and Evaluating Training: Modes of 103
94
for Success Evaluation
Training Evaluation Form 104

Developing Training Needs Analysis: Understanding 95
Gaps in your Organisation
List of Courses for Accreditation 105
Conduct a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to Diagnose 96
Gaps
Case In Study: Ley Choon Group 106
Training Needs Analysis 97 Investing in Training and Development for a Skilled
Workforce and Safe Environment
Developing a Robust Training Programme to Address 98

your Training Needs
Developing Training Objectives 99
Designing Curriculums for Training 100
Deciding on Suitable Training Methods 101
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Training and Development 92

What is a culture of Training and
development? Why is it important?
The construction industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, materials,

and methods being introduced all the time. Versatile employees who are highly
adaptable to these emerging trends and roles will be highly valued in the coming
years. Additionally, the general trend towards more integrated and collaborative
working in the construction industry means that employees need to be able to work
effectively with people from different disciplines, such as architects, engineers, and
project managers.
Training and development are also crucial to lifelong learning, and to remain
updated on the latest trends and developments. Especially in a sector that is
constantly changing, the jobs’ roles and responsibilities inadvertently change to
meet the industry demands and business goals. Therefore, the ability to adapt to
these changes will ensure employees are constantly developing new skills and
knowledge, increasing their competitiveness and creating opportunities for career
advancement.
Some emerging trends:

Integrated planning and design (IPD): IPD is a collaborative
approach to the design and construction of buildings and
structures.
Sustainable construction: Sustainable construction is the

practice of minimising the environmental impact of designing
and building structures.
Advanced manufacturing assembly (AMA): AMA is the

process of constructing components of a building off-site and
then assembling them on-site.

Designing Training and development
programmes for success
As expound in the Change Management play, when planning for training and development initiatives and programmes, you will need to consider the following five areas
to develop training solutions towards achieving your business goals.
Check out the following diagram to recall the five different components to consider in planning for training and development.
Training Needs Analysis Training Objectives Curriculum Design Training Modes Assessment and Evaluation
Conducting a thorough After diagnosing your Identify how training objectives Explore various training Consider having assessments
analysis of your organisation’s THREAT
organisation’s OF
capabilities and can be grouped into a methods and modes suitable or other forms of activities /
needs to identify what SUBSTITUTE
competencies, you will be able structured training programme. for addressing the needs. E.g.: exercises to evaluate the
capabilities need to be PRODUCTS
to determine the training Detail the design of the workshops, seminars, online effectiveness of the training
upskilled. objectives for alignment with curriculum. Outline the topics, courses, mentorship programs, programmes.
your change management modules, and sequence of the or on-the-job training.
This involves assessing current goals. programme. Use assessments to also check
skills, understanding gaps and Tailor methods to if the intended Key
determining the competencies Ensure that the content accommodate diverse learning Performance Indicators (KPI)
required. progressively builds the styles and preferences. are met by the employee.
necessary skills and
knowledge.

Developing Training needs analysis:
Understanding gaps in your organisation
Lateral transfers across teams or projects may mean employees need to

A training needs analysis is usually done when there is a performance gap in
quickly pick up new equipment, machinery, and tools. Having structured,
the organisation, whether in the present or predicted in the future. If the
comprehensive courses on safety procedures, operational processes, and
performance gap is due to a gap in the knowledge, skills, and abilities of
storage methods helps ease employees into their new project team.
employees, then training will be an effective solution to improving
performance. These are some common causes of gaps in an organisation:
Promoted employees may need different skillsets than they were previously
trained in. For example, a foreman advancing to a project manager needs to
have good communication and interpersonal skills or learn new digital tools for
resource management. Identifying the skills needed and upskilling employees
enhances the overall performance of the team and organisation.
Employees working for the organisation for the first time may need to learn
about the structure, processes and culture of the organisation. Those in the
industry for the first time may need to learn the industry guidelines and safety
legislation to adhere to. Those in Singapore for the first time may need to
learn about traffic culture in Singapore, since road safety is a big public
concern.
Organisations adapting to emerging trends may need to pick up new skills,

such as Green Building Strategy Implementation, Design for Manufacturing
and Assembly, Building Information Modelling Application and more.
Determining the strategic direction and identifying the required skills
employees need helps to close the skill gap, enabling transformation.
Job redesign can cause training gaps due to a mismatch in the skills required
for the redesigned jobs and skills employees currently possess. This can
happen due to automation, new technologies or changes in work processes.
Without training, this can lead to inefficiency and safety hazards, hindering the
benefits of job redesign.
95
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Training and Development

Conduct a training needs analysis (TNA) to
diagnose gaps
In instances where performance issues stem from a lack of Knowledge, Sources of data to understand existing state
Skills, or Attitudes (KSAs), a TNA highlights the specific areas that require
training interventions. Conversely, if employees possess the necessary KSAs
but are hindered by external factors, a TNA unveils these roadblocks, Review current KPIs vis-à-vis desired KPIs based on
prompting corrective measures to optimise performance. The benefits of a new strategy
well-conducted TNA include:
Review training records of employees

Strategic Training Investments: A TNA ensures that
training resources are directed towards areas of
genuine need, maximising the return on investment.
Discuss with hiring managers on existing team
competencies
Benchmarking Training Effectiveness: By
establishing baseline performance levels and KSAs
prior to training, a TNA facilitates the evaluation of Conduct 360 feedback of employees
training outcomes by demonstrating its actual impact on
performance.
Motivated Training Participants: When employees

can see how training helps them perform better and
develop professionally, their motivation increases – they
learn better.
Alignment with Strategic Goals: A TNA aligns training

activities with the organisation's strategic plan, ensuring
that training investments help achieve long-term
objectives.

Training needs analysis ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Use this activity to conduct a training needs analysis of your employees.
Employee Skills Inventory

is a useful component in projecting availability of needed skills in the future, identifying potential internal applicants for vacancies, and identify employees with specific skills
needed for short term projects.
Career aspirations in
Basic HR information Skills they possess Skills capable of learning
organisation
Permanent employees
Contract employees

Developing a robust training programme
to address your training needs
Once you have diagnosed the knowledge, skills and attitudes Difference between Public-run and Customised programmes
gap, and identified where the training needs are, you will
have to consider matching the right training programmes to Public-Run Programmes Customised Programmes
address the gaps and training needs. Required skills are standard and can be Required skills are highly specific to the
Skill Needs effectively taught in a generic training organisation's industry, processes, or
As much as it is important to decide on the training setting technology
outcomes, curriculum design and training modalities for your
If budget is a primary concern, public-run Can be considered if there is budget for
training initiatives, it is also important to consider if there are
programmes are often fixed costs and a tailored program and believes the
available public-run programmes which you can send your Budget may be more cost-effective for a smaller customised content will provide
employees to achieve your training needs and goals. number of employees significant value
Sometimes, it might be a case where you have to consider
customising a programme internally within your organisation, If there is an immediate need, some If organisations can plan ahead and
or engage a consultant to help you with this. Urgency and public-run programmes are readily have the time to create a customised
availability available and can be enrolled and taken programme that aligns precisely with its
quickly objectives.
You can consider the following table of factors to determine
the right modality for engaging your training solutions.
If the number of participants are small - If you are planning to train a large group
Number of just a small number to onboard and train. of participants who are going to
participants undertake the same function
Confidential Public-run programmes are more If the training involves proprietary

-ity / general, more suitable where information or highly industry-specific
Industry- confidentiality and industry-specific knowledge that cannot be addressed in a
knowledge are not critical public setting.
specific
Knowledge

Developing training objectives
A training outcome is a clear statement of what a learner is

expected to be able to do, know about, and how well they Job role and scope
should be expected to achieve those outcomes. Develop a
set of clearly defined training outcomes by categorising Conceptual Procedural Dispositional Skills
them according to these four competencies: knowledge knowledge knowledge (Doing it):
(Knowing what): (Knowing how): (Knowing for): Performing the act
• Conceptual knowledge Knowing facts and Knowing how to do Having related
concepts something values and attitudes
• Procedural knowledge
• Dispositional knowledge
• Skills Cognitive
Remember: Retain and recall information, concept knowledge of certain ideas
With this, use Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop a set of
training outcomes. It represents a classification of Understand: Understand information, appreciate meaning, translate knowledge into another context,
educational activities across three domains of training. The interpret, compare, contrast facts, order and infer causes, predict consequences
knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) correlate with the
three domains in Bloom’s Taxonomies. Apply: Use information, skill, methods in new situations, solve problems using skills and knowledge
Analyse: See patterns, recognise hidden meanings, organise parts
Evaluate: Compare and discriminate between ideas, assess the value of theories, make choices based
on reasoned arguments, verify the value of evidence, recognise subjectivity
Create: put elements together to form a new idea, reorganise elements into a new pattern or structure,
generalise from given facts, relate knowledge from several areas, predict and draw conclusions

Designing curriculums for training
Once you have determined what your training outcomes are, you will 2. Training modules
have to consider how you translate these training outcomes into a Knowing your training outcomes, consider what are the modules or training sessions
suitable training programme to be executed and conducted. that will best address the training outcome is asking for.
When designing curriculums for training, consider the following areas. If you are designing customised programmes, it is useful to consider the following
process as you assess your training programmes to address your training needs:
1. Learners’ Profiles
It is important to understand who your learners are and what their
learning styles are like. Knowing your learners is important to identify
1. Identify Based on your training outcomes, list down what are the relevant and
the right methods of training to help them understand the skills and respective modules required in order to address the need stated in the
knowledge you need for them. Take for instance this diagram training outcome. Ideate and list down as many as possible.
developed by Smith and Ragan:

Once you have ideated and listed all the possible training modules and
sessions to address your training outcomes, you will need to prioritise and
consider which are the modules that are essential and critical to your
2. Prioritise business needs. Consider prioritising them into buckets (essential, important,
good-to-have, etc). This will be important as you go about designing the
training programme as-is.
After you have prioritised and shortlisted your modules and sessions, it is
time to arrange them in such a way that there is an order to how knowledge,
skills and attitudes are trained.
3. Organise
As a general rule, you will need to ensure that there is progressiveness in
skills adoption (i.e. one skill/knowledge has to be trained before advancing to
a higher-order one).

Deciding on suitable Training Methods
When designing training, it is important to consider having a diversity of training

methods, yet tailoring to your training objectives and needs. Having this diversity
helps to break monotony and routine. You can consider the following:
Options for Training:

Direct Indirect Interactive Independent Experiential
Instruction Instruction Instruction Study learning
● Lecture
● Guided Discussion
● Demonstration
● Brainstorming
● Presentation ● Case study ● Discussion ● Self E-learning ● Roleplay
● Interactive lecture ● Problem solving ● Debates ● Independent ● Games ● Case Study
● Didactic ● Concept ● Brainstorming learning ● Skills practice ● Role Play

questioning formation ● Interviews ● Assigned projects ● Field trip
● Skills Practice
● Demonstration ● Others ● Others ● Others ● Experiment
● Others ● Stimulation
● Others

Assessing and evaluating training
In any training program, it is important to evaluate it to know whether the time and money spent in training has been spent wisely. The Kirkpatrick Model is a popular
method for evaluating the effectiveness of a training, e-learning, or educational program. This analytic tool helps L&D professionals assess training programs based on
four criteria: reaction, learning, behaviour, and results.
LEVEL 1: LEVEL 3:
REACTION BEHAVIOUR
LEVEL 2: LEVEL 4:
LEARNING RESULTS
External validation: has

What did the participants feel about training transfer taken place?
the project or program? • Appraise performance before
• Measure of learner satisfaction or and after the program or
reaction to the program. post-training evaluation 3
months after program.
• Post- program satisfaction survey.
Internal validation: were the objectives met? Has the program made a difference?
• Assess what participants learned – knowledge • What has been the impact on the organisation?
gained, skills improved, attitudes changed. This includes cost savings, improved individual/
team performance, the capacity to learn and
• Test of knowledge and skills, pre- and post- tests.
develop in line with organisational objectives.
https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/learning-and-development/best-way-to-use-kirkpatrick-model

assessing and evaluating training: modes
of evaluation
These are the various modes of evaluation that can help you assess the effectiveness of training on each level.
What is it? How to do it?
Needs Assessment: Used to gather feedback about Potential learners provide feedback about how much they know about content
knowledge and skills gap. or their ability to perform specific behaviours.
Assessments
Competency Assessment: Used to gather information about KSAs are specific and relate to a job role independently without error.
KSAs of a group. Aggregated results can reflect strengths and areas for improvement
Post-event Evaluation: Used to gather opinion data from Questions typically focus on satisfaction with the quality of the instructors,
learners after a training event. courseware, learning environment, and content.
Evaluations
60 to 90 days after training, a follow up survey is sent to confirm whether
Follow-up Evaluation: Used to assess transfer of learning learning has been applied on the job, whether performance improved, and
qualify the value of improved performance.
Pre- and Post- Couse Knowledge and Skills Tests: Used to Pre-course tests can be used to measure knowledge gain; post- course tests
determine knowledge before and after a course. can also be used to allow learners to “test out”.
Knowledge Checks: Used during the course to check 1 or 2 questions are administered at the end of each course section or module.
Tests
knowledge acquisition. Results can be reviewed to improve modules that are not enhancing knowledge.
Certification Tests: Used to assess knowledge acquisition and These tests go through a rigorous development process to ensure they are valid
skill proficiency and reliable predictors of performance.

Training Evaluation form ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Evaluate your training programme
Determine the key metrics of your training programme:
Performance improvement
Revenue and profit

Level 4: Results Operational efficiency
What has been the impact
on the organisation? Employee retention
Capacity for training and change
Have the key metrics been met? Yes No
Mode of evaluation: ________________

Level 3: Behaviour
Has training transfer
taken place? Has training transfer taken place? Yes No
Mode of evaluation: ________________

Level 2: Learning
Were training objectives
met? Were training objectives met? Yes No
Level 1: Reaction Participant feedback:

What did the participants
feel about the program?
https://www.tal.sg/tafep/-/media/tal/tafep/resources/publications/files/2019/ts-imple
mentation-guides/implementation-guide-for-fwa.ashx

List of courses for accreditation
Source What is it? Links
All courses related to the ‘Built Environment’ as updated by ● https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/portal/en/training-exchan

SkillsfutureSG ge/course-directory.html?fq=IsValid%3Atrue&fq=Course_Supp_Per
iod_To_1%3A%5B2023-12-10T00%3A00%3A00Z%20TO%20*%5
D&q=built%20environment
● https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/skills-framework/built-environment
Programmes and accreditation related to the construction ● https://www.scal.com.sg/

industry
Certifications related to Green Building ● https://www.sgbc.sg/sgbc-certifications
Programme listing of all programmed offered by the Building ● https://www.bcaa.edu.sg/sfw

Construction Authority
● https://www.bcaa.edu.sg/home

Case in study: ley choon group
Investing in training and development for a
skilled workforce and safe environment
BUSINESS CASE 2. Developing a curriculum that is digestible and relevant to employees
To facilitate targeted training and development of new and existing

Ley Choon prioritises ease of understanding for both student and trainer. By collaborating
employees, Ley Choon Group set up an internal training centre with the
with experienced employees who have hands-on experience in their fields, the company
strong endorsement of senior management and the addition of a training
ensures that training materials reflect real-world challenges and day-to-day experiences of
manager. Initially triggered by the need to retain and transfer institutional
the workforce. For example, the Foreman Training developed in-house by the Training
knowledge, the training centre serves an important purpose to onboard
Centre aims to address knowledge and skill disparities among both novice and seasoned
new hires and get them up to speed with the company’s operations and
foremen, enhancing work quality and safety performance. A proficient foreman, as a result,
processes.
can effectively oversee projects and maintain a high standard of quality and safety on the
work site. The training program adheres to a consistent training framework, beginning with
SOLUTION classroom instruction and progressing to on-the-job training, during which trainees are
paired with seasoned on-site supervisors through the Buddy System. This arrangement is
1. Conducting Training needs analysis designed to evaluate their on-the-job competence and practical application of the
knowledge acquired in the classroom. Upon completion of the program, trainers from the
A comprehensive training needs analysis was diligently carried out before Training Centre conduct assessments before the trainees graduate. These strategies
developing the curriculum. The team engaged with stakeholders at every bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, ensuring that the
level, from senior leadership to individual supervisors and foremen, to training has a tangible impact on employee performance.
gain a holistic understanding of the organisation's vision and objectives,
while concurrently identifying areas of weakness and skill gaps within
each division. For example, concerns surrounding embossing safety
emerged during discussions with foremen, prompting the development of
targeted training modules coupled with improved safety procedures. The
analyses also revealed a need for modules targeting critical core skills
such as procedures management and team building. This meticulous
approach to needs assessment ensures that the academy's training
programs directly address the unique challenges and deficiencies faced
by different teams within the organisation.

Case in study: ley choon group
Investing in training and development for a
skilled workforce and safe environment
3. Ensuring knowledge transfer to the workplace
Finally, Ley Choon measures knowledge transfer through assessing

the application of skills and competencies three months post-training.
On-site trainees under probation are indicated with a sticker tag on
their helmet, while a buddy system has them tagged them to a buddy,
ensuring that they comply with safety requirements and technical
procedures on site. Post-training, they are assessed by their on-site
supervisor and called back to the training centre for a competency
evaluation before graduating from the program. On the other hand,
office employees are evaluated based on their application of skills
learnt in the classroom, such as design thinking, to value add to
business operations. This empowers both on-site and office employees
to retain classroom knowledge by applying their learnings to real-world
problems and challenges.
IMPACT
“
• Effectively preserve and transfer valuable institutional knowledge No one wants to be thrown into a situation having to pick
(60-70% of knowledge preserved)
• Targeted training for specific business needs (Fewer on-site
things up by themselves. Although training and
accidents and traffic summons for drivers) development may not be something that sees immediate
• Structured onboarding of new hires
• Lifelong learning to keep employees updated on the latest
returns, it is worth investing in as skilled employees will
construction trends and development be the most critical capital to any organisation hoping to
achieve long term objectives.”
HUMAN RESOURCE
GUIDEBOOK
Flexible Working
Arrangements
108
contents
What are Flexible Working Arrangements (FWA)? 110 Understand Employee Needs: Workforce Profiling 119
Why is it Important? Understand Employee Needs: Employee Survey 120

111
Sample Questions
What is the Right Hybrid Mix for my Organisation? 112 Draft: Sample FWA Policy 121
Factors to Consider in Implementing Your Hybrid 113 Draft: Sample Request Forms 122
Model
Business Needs 114 Review and Evaluate FWA Policy 123
Job Roles and Tasks 115 Putting FWA into Action: Communicate your FWA 124
Policy
Employee Preferences Case in Study: Keller Foundations 125

116
Setting the Foundations for a Long-term,
Sustainable Hybrid Work-Life Strategy
Customer/Client Experience 117
Putting FWA into Action: 118

Appoint a FWA Champion
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Flexible Working Arrangements 109

What are flexible working arrangements
(fwa)?
Job-sharing: This allows two or more employees to
Flexi-load share one job, with each employee working a
Post-pandemic working norms have transformed FWAs in the construction reduced number of hours.
industry. Before the pandemic, FWAs were often seen as unfeasible due to
the long hours and tight deadlines required for construction projects.
However, pandemic restrictions forced many organisations to rethink working
Tele-working and home-working: This allows
arrangements, and employees experienced the benefits of flexible working.
employees to work from any location, including their
Whilst the construction industry is exploring the viability of a 5-day work Flexi-place homes, using technology to stay connected to their
week, it is now constrained by project timelines, especially for on-site colleagues and clients, such as email, video
operations. However, companies are already making efforts to shift to this conferencing, and instant messaging.
model for off-site employees where possible. This will improve employees’
work-life harmony, and also improve the level of trust and working
relationship between employer and employee. Flexible working
Part-time work: This allows employees to work a
arrangements are more than just telecommuting – it encompasses other
reduced number of hours per week or per month.
hybrid modes as well.
Staggered hours: This allows employees to start
and finish their shifts at different times, within a
5-day work certain window.
week
Compressed workweek: This allows employees to
work a longer number of hours per day, but fewer
Flexi-time
days per week. This could look like redesigning a
6-day work week to become a 5.5-day schedule with
alternating Saturdays.
6-day work week Flexible working Flexi-hours: This could look like flexible breaks,
arrangements which allow employees to take breaks at times that
are convenient for them, rather than having a fixed
break schedule.

Why is it important?
Employees Employers
Improved trust between

Improved mental health and higher Talent attraction
employer and employee
productivity
The construction industry has been
Employees who have access to FWAs
Research shows that giving employees facing a shortage of skilled employees.
are more likely to stay long-term, as
more control over their work hours and FWAs can help attract employees with
they can balance their personal and
allowing them to work in a way that best caregiving responsibilities or female
professional lives more effectively. It
suits their needs and preferences employees, who can leverage FWAs to
signals that the organisation cares
reduces stress and improves mental balance their work and personal lives
about its employees’ well-being,
health. This boosts morale, empowering and participate more fully in the
making employees feel trusted and
higher productivity in their work. workforce.
increasing their loyalty to the
organisation.

What is the right hybrid mix for my
organisation?
Before deciding on a hybrid workplace strategy, you will need to

determine these:
Who • Which roles could be remote?

(Roles/Tasks) • Which roles could accommodate flexibility?
When • Must working hours remain 9am to 6pm or could it

(Schedules) be flexible as long as agreed deadlines are met?
Where • Where would site locations be?

(Locations) • How would this impact the use of leave?
• What technology or infrastructure would be

needed?
How • What would be your communication and change
(Outcomes plan?
and Policies) • What processes could be re-engineered or
eliminated?
• How would performance management systems be
adjusted?

Factors to consider in implementing your
hybrid model
To come to a decision on the hybrid workplace best suited to meet your

organisation’s needs, consider these 4 factors to accelerate the effectiveness
of your work environment.
JOB ROLES AND TASKS

BUSINESS NEEDS
Factors that determine

the potential for place
and time flexibility
EMPLOYEE PREFERENCE CUSTOMER/CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Business needs
Business Needs
This is usually determined by the external hiring environment.
Even before the pandemic, hiring for the construction industry has been a
difficult task due to the long hours and demanding nature of the job. Amid a
labour crunch and stiff competition for talent, with employees job hopping to
adjacent industries in Manufacturing or Logistics, it is more critical than ever
for organisations to rethink work-life strategies as business imperatives for
talent attraction and retention.
Research has indicated that employees’ desire for flexibility is so strong that
39% are willing to forgo 10% to 50% of their bonuses in exchange for flexible
working arrangements. While it may be difficult to implement work-from-home
39%
policies due to the on-site nature of the job, construction organisations can
get creative with the different types of hybrid working arrangements to better 39% of employees surveyed are willing to forgo 10%
achieve work-life harmony for their employees. to 50% of bonuses in exchange for flexible working
arrangements
https://www.uobgroup.com/uobgroup/newsroom/2022/half-of-singaporeans.page?path=data/uobgroup/2022/243&cr=segment

Job roles and tasks
Job Roles and Tasks
Unconstrained
Focus Energy
The form of flexibility your organisation can offer is
Being able to work undisturbed for stretches Sustained energy and motivation regardless
limited by the core job roles and tasks needed to of time of time or place
meet client, customer and business needs. When
• Employees can complete ‘focus’ tasks at • Productivity is determined by the ability
thinking about these critical tasks, consider:
any place or time as long as there are to self-sustain energy and motivation.
minimal interruptions, and if they start ‘Energy’ tasks can be done at any place
• What are the drivers of productivity? early enough to meet deadlines. or time where employees feel energised.
• How are these drivers affected by changes in

place or time of work? PLACE
Coordination
• Can these roles and tasks be redesigned for Cooperation
Coordination work such as scheduling,
more flexibility? Creative work and/or innovation, which
project management, and mentoring
requires idea generation, brainstorming and
The table outlines the 4 drivers of productivity along • These tasks are best completed when all troubleshooting
the axes of constraint, for place and time flexibility. members are present. With virtual
• Tasks that require ‘cooperation’ in the
meeting tools, locations are flexible if no
workplace, such as product development
specialised equipment is required. They
or innovation, may necessitate a shared
can be completed at any time, provided
Constrained
physical location, such as a creative hub

that managers receive downstream work
or an office, and shared work hours.
promptly.
Constrained TIME Unconstrained
https://hbr.org/2021/05/how-to-do-hybrid-right

Employee preference
Employee Preference Learn about employee preferences via
It is important to consider employee demographics, working styles and needs

when crafting hybrid workplace policies. Consider the following employee
Annual surveys on employee
demographics and the mix in your organisation: well-being
1 2 Regular townhalls with senior

Life-stage and care-giving Living situation and access to
management
responsibilities a conducive remote-work
arrangement
Employees at different life stages
or with responsibilities may Employees may need allowances Coffee chats with employees across
require more flexibility in their to set up necessary infrastructure seniority levels.
working arrangements. in their working environment.
3 4
Tenure with the organisation Stage of learning
Employees with longer tenure may Junior employees or those
need less in-person time as they developing new expertise may be
already understand the keener on being mentored and
organisation’s tacit culture and built coached and may need more time
a strong social network with others in-person

Customer/client experience
Customer and Client Experience

The impact of a hybrid arrangement on external stakeholders and
clients is also very important. As construction projects adhere to fixed
schedules with predetermined deadlines, balancing the demands of
contractors and vendors on deadlines with the needs of employees
would enable the achievement of both business priorities.

Putting fwa into action:
appoint a FWA champion
The appointed FWA champion should

preferably be a member of the UNDERSTAND
organisation’s senior management
(e.g. Director or equivalent). 1 • Perform profiling to understand the demographics of the workforce
organisations with a flat hierarchy • Understand the needs of employees through one-on-one discussions
could appoint an employee who can with employees, surveys or focus group discussions
influence decision-making for FWAs
and implement the FWAs strategies in
the organisation. Their key duties
include:
DRAFT
• The policy should include the purpose of FWAs, types of FWAs to be offered to
employees, guidelines of eligibility, application and usage, and any other special
2
requirements pertaining to organisation’s policy that employee should take note of.
REVIEW
• Make adjustments where necessary to meet business and employee needs
3 • This can be done by seeking regular feedback from supervisors and employees
• Fine-tune the policy and usage guidelines

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
UNDERSTAND EMPLOYEE NEEDS:
Workforce profiling
Workforce profiling refers to mining information within an organisation, especially its existing employee records. It provides organisations with an indication of the areas of
priority for work-life programmes and can yield information on trends and changes which could be used to adjust work-life programmes. Some questions may include:
How many employees are/have No. of employees Proportion of workforce
Near retirement?
Young parents?
Parents of more than one child?
Single parents?
Elderly parents?
Dependants with healthcare needs?
Men or women?
Married or single?
Pursuing further education?
• Which part of the business has greatest difficulty recruiting employees?

• What could be the reasons?
• What are the existing health problems and costs?
• What is the absenteeism rate?
• How much medical leave is being consumed?

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
UNDERSTAND EMPLOYEE NEEDS:
employee survey sample questions
Work-life Needs Yes No
I need to send my children to be cared for by others /childcare centres/school.
I need to fetch my children home.
I need to occasionally take care of my parents at home.
I need to take care of my new-born at home.
I wish to spend more time with my family while maintaining my work responsibilities.
I have to attend classes after work.
I prefer working day shifts due to personal health considerations and commitments.
I require occasional time-off to attend to personal needs
I would like to have more time to attend to my personal needs during weekends.
I have health conditions and I am in the midst of recovery.
I am pregnant with some conditions (e.g. morning sickness) and I would need to go for medical checks occasionally.
I would like to start/end work earlier/later.
I need to occasionally attend to my child with conditions at home. E.g. autism, overactive, etc.
I am taking work related part-time studies and may need to complete assignments or have meetings with group mates for group projects at
times.
I liaise with overseas clients or stakeholder at times. Due to time-zone difference, I have to be available after working hours and have to sacrifice
the time spent with my family.
Others (please specify):

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Draft: sample fwa policy
1. Introduction
Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) offer employees greater flexibility to Any request made must include: The types of FWAs, the changes that the
manage both their work and personal commitments while offering the employee is seeking to their terms and conditions (e.g. hours of work), the
organisation a smart and efficient way to achieve business goals. date from when the proposed change came into effect and its duration,
reasons for request and ways to stay contactable etc. The supervisor shall
1.1 Purpose This policy aims to ensure that staff and supervisors are aware of
evaluate and inform the outcome of the request within 21 days of application.
the types of FWAs available in the organisation and understand the roles and
responsibilities involved in the application and approval process. However,
employees should understand that the availability of such arrangements is 3.3 Usage Rules [To select the relevant rules]
subject to the organisation’s operational requirements and individual
circumstances. • Staff is required to seek permission or discuss with their supervisor before
starting FWAs
• Supervisors who approve the FWAs for their staff should ensure that their
2. Types and definitions of FWAs Offered department is adequately covered and the needs of internal and external
The following FWAs are offered to staff. Should a staff wish to apply FWAs that stakeholders can be satisfied without adverse impact on the organisation
are not available on the list, you may wish to discuss with your supervisor to • Staff must possess the appropriate equipment to allow the job to be
explore alternative arrangements. [To list the FWAs and its definition from 3 – performed away from the principal place of employment
Definition of Types of FWAs]
• Staff must work in their regular office hours, have a contact telephone
number and be available to remain contacted for the regular business day
3. Guidelines of Eligibility Application and Usage • Staff will comply with all applicable IT, security, privacy and confidentiality
3.1 Eligibility FWAs are only offered to staff that have passed their probationary policies and procedures
period. [Optional: Due to the job nature, the FWAs on e.g. telecommuting shall • The organisation’s operational needs shall take precedence over FWAs
not be made available to xx department.]
• The organisation reserves the right to withdraw or refuse staff requests to
3.2 Application All FWAs requests must be made [by email or letter/by filling in FWAs at any time
an application form that is available from HR department/line manager/name of
individual/the intranet]. https://www.tal.sg/tafep/-/media/tal/tafep/resources/publications/files/2019/ts-imple

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
Draft: sample request forms
Request for FWA form Form after Evaluating Request for FWA
To be completed by Employee To be completed by Supervisor
1. Details on FWA option requested:
1. Details on mutually agreed FWA options:
Starting time of work:
Starting time of work:
Ending time of work:
Ending time of work:
Working days:
Working days:
Working location:
Working location:
Other information:
Other information:
2. Reasons for request:
2. Duration of FWA
Start date:
3. Duration of FWA
End date:
Start date:
3. Mutually agreed ways to stay contactable:
End date:
4. Ways to stay contactable:

4. [Applicable if Supervisor decides not to approve the request for FWA]
Reasons for rejecting staff’s request:
Name: Signature: Name: Signature:

ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK
review and evaluate fwa policy
Use this form after evaluating request for FWA to document outcome of evaluation.
Pointers for Supervisors to Consider When Evaluating FWA Requests
• Can the required work deliverables and standards be met under the proposed FWA?
1. Suitability of Job for Proposed • Does the proposed FWA allow the employee to interact with his/her supervisor and/or peers?
FWA
• Is there mutual agreement on how the employee’s performance will be evaluated on the proposed FWA?
2. Suitability of Employee for • The performance evaluation and development plan sample form can be downloaded from
Proposed FWA https://www.tafep.sg/performance-evaluation-development-plan
• Is there mutual agreement on the expected work deliverables and standards?
• Is the proposed FWA likely to affect the compensation, benefits, and/ or overtime of the employee?
3. Compensation, Benefits and • If so, does the employee understand and accept any changes that are likely to result due to the proposed FWA?
Overtime
• Is the proposed alternative workplace location safe for the employee?
• Is there mutual agreement on the extent of provision of work tools, equipment (e.g. laptops), and reimbursement of work-related
4. Safety and Equipment expenses (e.g. broadband subsidies)?

Putting fwa into action:
communicate your fwa policy
Communicate FWAs policy to

Sample illustration of the FWA application process
employees on the eligibility criteria,
application process, expectations
on responsible use of FWAs,
evaluation criteria (for supervisors’
use, and timeline for supervisors to STEP 01 STEP 03
respond to such applications. This Employee submits a request Communicate outcome of FWA
can be done via emails, staff for FWA using the FWA application within 21 days
request form
meetings, or intranet portals.
If FWA request is rejected, the supervisor
will inform employee of the reasons for
rejection and where possible, discuss
alternative arrangements.
START
STEP 02 STEP 04
Supervisor evaluates FWA request Implement FWA
using the FWA evaluation form
https://www.tal.sg/tafep/-/media/tal/tafep/resources/publications/files/2019/ts-implementation-guides/implementation-guide-for-fwa.ashx

Case in study: Keller foundations
Setting the foundations for a long-term,
sustainable hybrid work-life strategy
BUSINESS CASE 2. Redesigning job scopes and streamlining processes

Singapore is well-known for its ‘hustle culture,’ characterised by long
For office employees whose roles required their physical presence, such as the
working hours and a relentless drive for success. With the workforce
receptionist and the personal assistant supporting senior management, the company
increasingly struggling to juggle work-life commitments raising children or
redesigned their job scopes and implemented job sharing using technological enablers.
taking care of the elderly, Keller Foundations (S E Asia) Pte Ltd (Keller
Individual job scopes were broken down into tasks that could be completed remotely. For
Singapore) recognises the effect a hustle culture can have on employees’
example, landline calls could now be taken from home or redirected with the use of virtual
mental health, morale and productivity. To support employee welfare,
conferencing tools. Additionally, job sharing enabled the receptionist and personal
Keller Singapore offered flexible and hybrid working arrangements as part
assistant to take turns and cross-support each other’s in-office tasks. With this, the
of its larger work-life strategy to meet the needs of its diverse workforce.
work-from-home requests were fulfilled for both roles.
In doing so, Keller Singapore continues to create a loyal and engaged
For on-site employees, the company compressed a 6-day work week to 5.5 days, with
workforce that is aligned with its business goals.
alternating Saturdays off. Through implementing the 5S method, Keller revolutionised
on-site operations, bringing about enhanced efficiency, improved work-life balance for
employees, and customer satisfaction, all at once.
SOLUTION
1. Creating a formal FWA policy aligned with business objectives
Flexible working arrangements at Keller Singapore are laid out in a

centralised policy communicated to employees via the intranet, employee
handbook, and other communication channels. Coming out of the
pandemic, employees were used to working from home. To embed
flexibility into a long-term work-life strategy, there was a need to create a
comprehensive policy defining the eligible criteria and available hybrid
work options to employees. Factors for eligibility included the
department’s work demands, whether work could be completed remotely,
and employees’ performance. In practice, these arrangements were
bound by mutual agreements between managers and employees.

Case in study: Keller foundations
Setting the foundations for a long-term,
sustainable hybrid work-life strategy
3. Building a culture of trust IMPACT

Flexible work arrangements are formalised in company
• Workplace of the Year Award for Best Work-life Harmony Award 2022. The high-profile awards are in
policy and enabled in practice because of the high their second year and are run by employee tech company EngageRocket in partnership with the
levels of trust built between managers and employees. Institute for Human Resource Professionals, which is backed by government and trades unions.
Trust is anchored in a performance-based culture • Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) Culture of Acceptance, Respect and Empathy (CARE) Award 2023.
cultivated by Keller Singapore. At the start of the year, Presented by the WSH Council and supported by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the WSH CARE
managers draw up mutually agreed key performance Award was introduced in 2022 to recognise organisations with exemplary safety & mental well-being
indicators and goals, and outcomes are tracked initiatives and highlights them as employers of choice.
consistently with frequent and regular check-ins with • Better productivity for employees
employees. With good consistent performance, • Increased employee engagement and welfare, leading to higher talent retention rates
managers trust employees to complete their tasks
remotely with minimal supervision. Furthermore,
transparent processes and open communication
between business leaders, HR leaders, managers, and
employees also facilitate this process. Policies are
endorsed by senior management and made accessible
to all employees, while managers have frequent, open
conversations with their team members. It is
communicated that while flexible work arrangements
would be implemented to the best of Keller Singapore’s
ability, it is not an entitlement and business priorities
would still take precedence. Thus, a culture of trust
empowers Keller Singapore to embed flexibility in its
“
work-life strategy.
Flexible work-life strategies are built on trust, respect, and open
communication.”

HUMAN RESOURCE
GUIDEBOOK
Compliance to
Legislation
127
contents
Staying Updated with the Legal Landscape in 129
Singapore
What Legislation do I Need to be Aware of? 130
Pre-hiring 131
Upon Hiring 132
After Hiring / Business as Usual 133
Migrant Worker Engagement 136
Migrant Worker Engagement: NGO-backed Activities 137
Case Study: Failing to secure - A Fictitious Case 138

Study on Construction Safety Lapse
Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Compliance to Legislation 128

Staying updated with the legal landscape
in Singapore
One of the most important aspects for any business

to remain sustainable and relevant is if the
5 Key Components of an EVP
organisation remains up-to-date with the latest
regulations, advisories and laws and is aware of
how it should operate within the legal climate.
Sustainable Business Operations and Management
Compliance to legislation Sustainable Business

ensures that the Operations
following and practices
good business Management
are met and helps to sustain
While you may be a seasoned HR professional
your business operations by ensuring that things are done correctly.
possessing a comprehensive understanding of the
standard laws, regulations and practices on
employment, workplace and health, manpower
Prevent disputes, Ensure Safety and Provide confidence Ensure Quality
management and so on, the legal landscape is
risks and legal Security of to both employees Assurance
constantly changing, and policies are ever-evolving
claims employees and and stakeholders
to adapt to the changing needs of the industry.
Public
Legal compliance When organisations Legislation often
helps to identify and Compliance with adhere to the includes standards
mitigate risks of safety and health respective laws, and codes that help
non-compliance, such regulations can regulations and organisations
as financial penalties, provide employees guidelines, the understand what are
lawsuits, employment with the assurance organisation’s the best practices for
debarment and that they are able to reputation is the sector.
reputational damage. complete their tasks protected, allowing Conforming to these
E.g.: Employment safely and efficiently employees to feel standards helps to
laws, TAFEP without having to assured that they ensure that
worry about being in are working for a organisations attain
danger. credible satisfactory levels of
E.g.: WSH Council organisation, quality and
stakeholders will performance.
have confidence
based on your
business practices.

What legislation do i need to be aware of?
Broadly, there are three themes of policies, legislations and

guidelines all HR professionals and business owners should
Legislation: A Process Map
be familiar with when it comes to human capital
management:
After Hiring / Business

Laws and Regulation Relating to Pre-Hiring Upon Hiring
as usual
Employment and Labour
E.g.: Fair employment practices, Employment Act, • Employment Standards, • Key Employment • Tripartite guidelines
Immigration laws, etc. Practices and Laws for Terms
• Workplace Safety
Hiring
• Singapore and Health Act
Laws and Regulation Relating to • Fair Employment Employment Act
• Personal Data
Workplace Environment Practices (by Tripartite
• Resources for Protection Act
Alliance for Fair and
employment and
E.g.: Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Progressive Employment
payslip
guidelines Practices)
• Foreign Employee
• Equal Employment
Dormitories Act
Opportunity (EEO) and
Other Complementary Laws and Regulation
Anti-Discrimination Laws • Personal Data
Protection Act
E.g.: Personal Data Protection Act, Best HR • Employment of Foreign
Practices Manpower Act
• Legislation for Work
Passes
• Personal Data Protection
Act

Pre-hiring
At the pre-hiring stage, HR professionals will mostly be concerned over hiring

practices, employment guidelines and rules and laws for hire. You can consider
the following resources attached to guide you.
Laws, regulations, guidelines and best practices Description

TAFEP’s Employer’s Journey (Starting out) TAFEP provides a series of links and resources that are meant to help you depending on which stage of
https://www.tal.sg/tafep/getting-started/starting-out the journey you are in.
“Starting Out” provides you with guidelines and advisory on how you can:
• Comply with employment laws
• Get advice on employment matters
• Benchmark your organisation
Guidelines and examples on job advertisements, job application forms, job interviews, grievance
handling, performance management, dismissals, and retrenchments are also provided as references.
“Being Fair” provides you with a guideline and framework on how you can ensure fair employment
practices when hiring.
Employment of Foreign Manpower Act: The Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) regulates the employment of foreign employees and
protects their well-being. Find out what it covers and your key responsibilities as an employer under the
https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/employment-of-fore Act.
ign-manpower-act
Legislation for work passes: Find links to the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), Immigration Act and other legislation
related to work passes and foreign manpower.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/work-passes

Upon hiring
Once the relevant candidates have been identified, HR professionals will need to
know the key employment terms, laws and other necessary operations that can
help them to formalise the hiring process. Check out the resources below:

Key Employment Terms (KETs) Key Employment Terms (KETs) is important in defining the essential aspects of employment, fostering clarity,
legal compliance, and effective communication between employers and employees. Check out the following
resources to guide you in defining your KETs:
• Key employment terms:

https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/contract-of-service/key-employment-terms
• Sample of KETs for construction industry:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/-/media/mom/documents/employment-practices/kets/guide-to-kets-for-construction-
sector.pdf
• Sample of KETs and payslips:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-act/templates-and-resources-for-kets-and-pay-s
lips
Singapore Employment Act The Employment Act is Singapore's main labour law. It provides for the basic terms and working conditions for
all types of employees, with some exceptions. Learn more about the advisories and policies that govern both
https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/employment-of-f employers and employees.
oreign-manpower-act
Foreign Employee Dormitories Act: Understand the regulations and guidelines in place to ensure the well-being and proper housing conditions for
foreign employees, especially those living in dormitories.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/foreign-employe
e-dormitories-act

After Hiring / Business as Usual
Safety, Health and Data Protection
As an employer, you will need to remain updated to understand policies and

guidelines that provide a safe and conducive environment for your employees to
operate in. It is good to constantly keep yourself updated with the relevant best
practices and measures that can allow you to reaffirm your commitment as a
progressive and exemplary employer. Check out some of these relevant resources by
the various governing bodies to help you.

Legislation for workplace safety and health Find out what are some of the legislations that govern workplace safety and health, particularly on policies that
govern workplace injury
https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/workplace-safet
y-and-health
Codes of Practice for workplace safety and health You can also use the link provided by the WSH Council to find out what are some of the case studies or Codes
of Practice when it comes to workplace safety and health.
https://www.tal.sg/wshc/resources
Personal Data Protection Act Singapore takes the protection of personal data with great importance to uphold individuals' privacy rights and
foster trust in the digital economy.
https://www.pdpc.gov.sg/
As HR, you manage significant amounts of personal data as you keep records of employee’s information.
For Business Owners:
https://www.pdpc.gov.sg/Business-Owner Check out the existing guidelines and best practices by referring to the Personal Data Protection Commission’s
(PDPC) website, particularly in the section for Business Owners for more information on safeguarding personal
data.

Remaining Progressive and Exemplary
Learn and explore other forms of best practices and measures you can take to ensure that
you remain competitive as an employer. Learn what are some of the progressive and
exemplary practices that can help you foster a safe and inclusive culture for your
employees to thrive in.
Check out some of these relevant resources by the various governing bodies to help you:
Tripartite guidelines A list of standards, guidelines and advisories formulated by tripartite partners – National Trades Union
Congress (NTUC), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) –
https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/about-us/tripartism/t to provide frameworks, benchmarks and recommendations for employers to follow in response to changing
ripartite-guidelines trends in the economy and workforce or to crises that hit Singapore.
Click on the link to find a series of best practices and guidelines you can explore and follow.
TAFEP’s Employer’s Journey (Starting out) TAFEP provides a series of links and resources that are meant to help you depending on which stage of the
https://www.tal.sg/tafep/getting-started/starting-out journey you are in.
“Being Progressive” provides you with guidelines and advisory on how you can adopt employment practices
that create and sustain an inclusive workplace, as well as promote the well-being of employees.
“Being Exemplary” provides you with resources on how you can execute best practices in manpower
management and employee experience.

Change of Employer (COE) Without Consent Period
In July 2022, the MOM announced changes to the COE without a consent
period. Prospective employers can hire transfer Work Permit holders
during the 40-21 days before the Work Permit expires, without the need
for consent from the current employer. Prospective employers can also
hire transfer Work Permit holders at any time during the Work Permit
duration, with the consent of the current employer. This applies to all
business sectors. The current employer can retain the WPH for up to 30
days. During this period, the WPH is open to looking for alternative
employers without consent from the current employer. If there is no
mutual agreement from the employer, the WPH will enrol in an
engagement scheme, and industry associations (The Singapore
Contractors Association Ltd, Association of Process Industry,
Association of Marine Industries) will facilitate the job matching within 30
days.
As changes are progressively rolled out, organisations are encouraged to

check in regularly to remain up to date via the relevant MOM news
sources.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-wor
ker/sector-specific-rules/hiring-existing-worker-in-construction-sector

MIGRANT WORKER ENGAGEMENT
Integrating migrant workers into the organisation and community allows them to
assimilate socially and lawfully, and helps improve their productivity and attitude
to work. Not only does it ensure that they are valued members of society, but it
also helps change perspectives about migrant workers among locals, promoting
inclusive and accepting environments. These are some ways to facilitate the
integration of migrant workers, through government-mandated protocols,
organisation-implemented activities, and NGO-backed activities.
Initiatives Description
Settling-in-Programme The SIP is a 1-day orientation programme, complemented by e-learning in Onboard Centres for first-time
migrant workers to educate them on safety precautions and living in Singapore. The topics covered include
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work- their conditions of employment, information on working safely and living in Singapore, and relationship and
permit-for-foreign-worker/sector-specific-rules/settlin stress management.
g-in-programme
Migrant workers in the construction sector can attend the SIP at the Migrant Worker Onboarding Centre.
Project DAWN Jointly set up by Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Government psychologists, the Institute of Mental Health
(IMH), the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) and HealthServe, Project DAWN is an extensive undertaking to
https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/ enhance the mental health care support system for migrant workers.
2020/1106-new-taskforce-to-enhance-mental-health
-care-support-for-migrant-workers DAWN, an acronym for depression, awareness, wellbeing and normalisation, will raise awareness of mental
health issues. The project will equip frontline officers, dormitory operators, employers and non-governmental
organisations (NGO) with the necessary skills to screen, identify and counsel distressed migrant workers.
Mental heatlh Support This playbook is designed to give actionable guidance to organisations to support employees’ mental
well-being at the workplace. It is an extension of the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at Workplaces.
https://myhr.sg/guest/contentdetails?id=f716885f-3a and includes initiatives that have been successfully rolled out in organisations in various sectors.
98-477a-9859-3f0e7c5e1597

MIGRANT WORKER ENGAGEMENT:
NGO-backed activities
Many volunteer-run organisations focus on building the significance of migrant

workers in society. Their work has successfully provided migrant workers with a
safe space through a combination of efforts and support. Employers may
consider collaborating with community partners or NGOs to elevate their
appreciation for migrant workers.
Sama Sama

Case Study: Failing to secure - A Fictitious
Case Study on Construction Safety Lapse
The following case is fictional based on a real case. All names and details of
events have been anonymised. Any resemblance to the actual case is purely
coincidental.
BACKGROUND DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT

In 2016, a seemingly routine task turned into a life-altering catastrophe when Horizonal Builders, subcontracted by PacificSEAP for facade-related works,
Raj Malhotra, a 31-year-old Indian national, fell 5.5 meters to the ground while appointed Michael Anderson to supervise the installation of ceiling panels.
working on a project for the Singapore Institute of Engineering. The incident left Investigations by the Ministry of Safety and Building Integrity (MSBI) revealed
Mr. Malhotra permanently paralysed, confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his critical lapses in safety measures:
life. The aftermath of the accident not only impacted the life of the worker but
also brought legal repercussions for Horizonal Builders, the construction ● Lack of Instructions: Horizonal Builders failed to provide proper instructions
company responsible for the worksite. to the supervisor, who then improvised a method for installing ceiling
panels based on personal observations.
● Safety Equipment Neglect: Mr. Malhotra, without using any safety harness,
climbed above the ceiling panels to align them into position. This lack of
safety measures proved disastrous when a ceiling panel dislodged and
caused his fall.
● No Permit-to-Work: The supervisor did not obtain a permit-to-work, a
requirement for tasks more than 3 meters above ground, neglecting an
independent safety evaluation.
● Inadequate Training: Horizonal Builders did not ensure that its employees,
including Mr. Malhotra, were adequately trained for their tasks or provided
with necessary safety equipment.
Case Study: Failing to secure - A Fictitious
Case Study on Construction Safety Lapse
Consequences: Lessons Learnt:

The consequences of this tragic incident were profound: The fictitious case of Horizonal Builders offers crucial lessons for the
● Permanent Paralysis: Raj Malhotra faced irreversible spinal cord construction industry:
injuries, leading to permanent paralysis and a drastic change in his ● Thorough Training and Instructions: Employers must provide
quality of life. comprehensive training and clear instructions for all tasks, ensuring
employees understand and adhere to safety protocols.
● Legal Ramifications: Horizonal Builders faced a fine of S$250,000 for
breaching safety regulations in the Workplace Safety and Health Act. ● Permit-to-Work Compliance: Strict adherence to permit-to-work
Additionally, Michael Anderson, Mr. Malhotra's supervisor, was jailed requirements is essential for tasks conducted at significant heights,
for nine weeks. ensuring independent safety evaluations are in place.
● Reputation Damage: The incident tarnished Horizonal Builders' ● Safety Equipment Enforcement: Companies must enforce the use of
reputation, raising concerns about its commitment to ensuring the safety equipment, including harnesses and helmets, to mitigate the
safety and well-being of its employees. risk of accidents and injuries.
● Continuous Safety Oversight: Regular safety audits and oversight are

crucial to identifying and addressing potential hazards, fostering a
culture of safety within the organisation.
The fictitious case of Horizonal Builders serves as a

reminder of the human cost and legal consequences
associated with safety failures in the construction
industry. It highlights the need for a collective
commitment to prioritising the safety and well-being of
employees in every construction project.
Institute for Human Resource Professionals
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HR Guidebook For Construction Sector-Apr2024 - 240508 - 052035

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HR Guidebook For Construction Sector-Apr2024 - 240508 - 052035

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HUMAN RESOURCE

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector 3

CASE STUDIES are also found at the end of each

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector 4

Change Management Employee Engagement Career Progression Pathways

Training and Development Flexible Work Arrangements Compliance with Legislation

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector 5

Coaching and Mentoring 22

Communications Framework: Deliver It Eﬀectively 16

Planning Your Communications Plan 17

Communications Checklist 18 Embarking on a Job Redesign Process 30

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 7

As the business environment and society continue to evolve, businesses

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 8

Change Sponsor Senior Leadership

Particularly in the operational aspects

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 9

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 10

It is important that before a comprehensive change

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 11

What is the mission, vision and

What is / are the change(s) taking

What is the current situation and

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 12

Develop comprehensive communication plans to keep

Use the Content Plan Activity Framework to help you in

Why are you • Identify and explain the rationale to

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 13

Operationalising your Communications Plan

When? • Gain feedback to understand the potential concerns

• Choose the right communication channels to deliver

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 14

Two-way exchange of information, allowing for feedback and

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 15

To ensure that your message is delivered Strategies for Eﬀective Communication

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 16

Use this activity to plan your communication content and operations.

Who is going to When do you

What are you

How should you

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 17

Check against the box to assess if your communications plan and

Help Keep Tap Repeat,

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 18

Training Objectives Curriculum Design Training Modes Assessment and Evaluation

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 19

Provide Employee Assistance Programmes to support employees dealing with

Workshop and Training Sessions

Weekly Check-ins with Change Team

Peer Support Programmes

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 20

Feedback mechanisms help to serve as channels through which stakeholders can

Suggestion Box / Online Feedback Form

Focus Group Discussions

Engagement Surveys / Questionnaires

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 21

Create a Supportive Environment

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 22

In Change Management, there will be employees who

resistance can also prepare you by considering reasons for

Human Resource Guidebook Construction Sector - Change Management 23

The ADKAR Process

Aware Desire Knowledge Ability Reinforcement