ACCA Singapore recently welcomed leaders and representatives from its list of Approved Employers for the first face-to-face partner’s engagement and networking event since the Covid-19 pandemic. Held at Bridge+ CapitaSky, the event saw more than 130 Approved Employers and partners in attendance.
A key focus was to recognise existing and newly inducted ACCA Approved Employers for their support in building up a strong network and pipeline of finance talents in Singapore.
Daniel Leung, ACCA Singapore country manager, spoke of the ‘privilege of working at ACCA Approved Employer companies’ in both Singapore and London. ‘I can personally attest to the prestige that comes with the ACCA brand,’ he said, thanking Approved Employers for their continuing support.
Focus on talent
At the same time, the event also provided a platform for attendees to learn more about how they could leverage ACCA’s network and resources to reach their organisations’ goals.
‘We look at the hot topics in the business world and provide guidance as to what we can expect in the future’
Leung shared that ACCA’s reach was not only wide – with 250,000 members in 181 countries – but it also extended into close relationships with governments, international agencies, employers and future talents. This, Leung said, made ACCA ‘the ideal partner’ for employers.
Lyesin Wong, business development manager at ACCA Singapore, also took the opportunity to share some of the resources available, from ACCA Career Navigator to Professional insights.
‘ACCA is all about talent. We are here to support your talent strategy, but we also do a lot of work on professional insights. This is where we look at the hot topics in the business world right now and provide guidance as to what we can expect in the future.’
Success story
Attendees were also given a behind-the-scenes look into the life of prominent Singaporean business leader Kwek Leng Beng, during a ‘fireside chat’ between his biographer, Peh Shing Huei, and See Mun Sek ACCA, assurance partner at Baker Tilly Singapore.
Peh described not only Kwek’s impeccable work ethic, but also how his examples translated into practical advice that business owners, leaders and finance executives could adopt.
He shared an anecdote of how, as a young man being groomed to take over the family business, Kwek received a rude awakening when his father told him that he had to start from the ground by doing sales.
‘As a newly qualified lawyer returning from the UK, Kwek initially thought that perhaps he would be tasked to take care of the back-end part of the business,’ Peh shared. ‘The lesson his father wanted to teach him was that sales were the lifeblood of business.’
‘Employers are really trying to optimise their structures and find that right balance’
Reflecting on how Kwek’s stories related to her own professional experience, See said that she now felt a greater appreciation of her job, and the privilege that accountants had in using audit to gain a comprehensive and valuable understanding of how businesses worked, across industries and sectors.
Maintaining engagement
Other speakers at the event included Aprilyn Chan, director of accounting and finance at Randstad Singapore, who provided insights into the latest job trends of 2024.
She noted that post Covid-19, employees were increasingly demanding flexibility – for example, in working-from-home arrangements. On the other side of the fence, however, employers were trying to get staff back into the office.
‘A lot of employers do feel that it is important to also have their people in the office, to create a culture and to ensure productivity,’ Chan said. ‘So, they are really trying to optimise their structures and find that right balance.’
‘Employers are being forced to think hard about how to offer their staff career development’
Another trend that she noted was how career development and growth had become a key priority for Singaporeans. ‘After three or four years, many workers will start to say, “I need something new; I need something more exciting”,’ she said. ‘Employers are thus being forced to think hard about how to offer their staff career development and progression opportunities, and how to keep them engaged.’
Also acknowledging the challenges faced by employers was Jacklyn Lim, senior specialist, modern services at e2i, who discussed some of the resources offered by Singapore’s National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to help companies successfully navigate these new waters.
She described several grants available to employers to help attract new talent, as well as NTUC’s Company Training Committee Grant, aimed at enhancing capabilities and introducing innovative and productive processes into their workflow.
‘It’s a win-win for all,’ she said. ‘Businesses enjoy higher productivity and reduction of human errors, while workers’ jobs are made easier, and their wages increased as a result of greater cost efficiencies.’
