Career health: the basis of future-ready workforce strategy

Singapore’s workforce is leading the charge in global digital transformation, with growing emphasis on lifelong learning, adaptability, and well-being. As ‘Career Health’ becomes a shared responsibility, People Matters recently hosted an online session to explore what career health looks like from the employer's perspective. Forward-thinking leaders explored how Singapore Inc. could champion career sustainability and skills resilience, redefining talent strategies to nurture, future-proof, and empower people in an ever-evolving world of work.

The conversation highlighted how career health sits at the intersection of personal ambition, organisational transformation, and macro-economic change. While career success might seem personal, it has far-reaching implications. It impacts how long people stay in roles, how industries retain talent, and how companies remain competitive in an age of disruption.

To share valuable insights on the topic, Prashantan Moodley, vice president HR, Asia Pacific & Japan, TD SYNNEX and Erin Koh, workforce sustainability lead, CapitaLand Investment joined the conversation with Mint Kang, senior editor, People Matters, Southeast Asia. Here are some key takeaways from the webcast session.

What does 'career health' really mean? According to Prashantan Moodley, career health can be best understood through the lens of sport. Think of football or basketball. A healthy player is passionate, understands his role, has the right coach, trains regularly, and plays to win. That’s what a healthy career looks like, he said.

Career health begins with engagement, an employee’s passion for his work and belief in the company’s mission, he said, adding. “The duty of the company is to ensure that it puts the building blocks in place, to ensure that we develop the individuals, we coach and mentor them, and we give them the experience that they are looking for.”  

Moodley emphasised that career health is a shared responsibility between the employee and the employer. The key for an employee is to recognise when he lacks clarity in his role, or when the support system, like leadership or development, just isn’t there, he said.

On the flip side, career health can break down when those building blocks are missing. A lack of guidance, poor leadership, or limited growth opportunities can create what he calls “an unhealthy environment”. This deteriorates not just performance but also overall mental well-being.

He also flagged external disruptions like AI and digital transformation as new sources of anxiety. There’s a general willingness to adapt, but uncertainty around what the future holds causes nervousness, he explained. That kind of disruption, if not managed well, leads to unhealthy friction in the system, added Moodley. Career health isn’t just about personal ambition or skill, rather it’s about structure, support, and strategic clarity.

While career health is often discussed in broad terms, the signs of an unhealthy career can be subtle and easily overlooked. As Erin Koh insightfully pointed out, many employees may not even realise they are stuck — repeating the same tasks, using the same skills for years, and slowly disengaging without consciously knowing why. 

This is especially true for those in “accidental careers”, where individuals find themselves in roles they never actively chose, creating a misalignment between personal purpose and organisational goals, she said, adding the problem becomes more pronounced when employees aren’t exposed to new tools or platforms, leading to stagnation in a fast-moving world. In Singapore, this challenge is particularly visible among mid-career PMETs and mature workers. 

As industries evolve — think communications professionals now needing to pivot from press releases to TikTok — those unprepared to adapt face real risk of being left behind, according to her. Unlike physical health, career health lacks regular ‘check-ups’, making it a hidden yet growing concern. As emphasised in the discussion, tackling this requires joint responsibility: individuals must be open to change, while employers need to actively guide, equip, and support their people to remain future-ready.

Koh shared how CapitaLand has taken a structured, forward-thinking approach to support workforce transformation. Through its GOAL framework — Global, One Culture, Agility, and Learning — it ensures that system-level strategies align with the behaviours and processes needed to thrive in a fast-evolving landscape, she said.

The ‘Global’ pillar emphasises international mobility, enabling employees to rotate across regions for broader exposure and longer-term career growth, she said. Meanwhile, ‘One Culture’ promotes a shared identity and purpose, reinforcing how each role contributes to the company’s larger mission, she added.

A critical enabler is agility, particularly as the company integrates AI and digital capabilities. The company partnership with Microsoft, including use of enterprise-grade tools and its internal AI, supports workforce-wide upskilling and boosts productivity, she informed.

CapitaLand’s internal talent marketplace — including Flex Teams, FlexPro, and Internal Gigs — democratises opportunities, she added. Employees can bid for cross-functional projects, returning retirees contribute as mentors, and staff even offer skills tied to their passions. These initiatives unlock hidden talents and foster a culture of lifelong learning and adaptability, essential for workforce transformation in today’s globalised, tech-driven world, according to Koh.

Moodley emphasised that personalised employee development is a key differentiator in his company, especially in the competitive tech distribution sector. The company is placing people development at the core of its strategy, guided by a personalised, employee-centric approach. Using the 70:20:10 learning model, 70% experiential learning, 20% mentoring/coaching, and 10% formal training, the company aims to empower employees to take ownership of their career growth. A major cultural shift is toward employee empowerment, where individuals can independently navigate their development journey. 

To support this, the company is leveraging generative AI tools and recently integrated LinkedIn Learning. This tool maps skills, career paths, and personalised learning plans by analysing employee profiles. The goal is for employees (referred to as co-workers) to author their own development paths using curated, data-driven plans. The approach is grounded in industry best practices but with a strong focus on intentional, individualised growth.

Koh highlights a crucial fourth element in workforce development: leadership enablement. At CapitaLand Investment, leaders play a vital role in structured career conversations, which are essential for employee growth. To support this, CapitaLand Investment runs masterclasses for HR to stay current and conducts career coaching workshops for line managers. These workshops introduce tools like Singapore’s job transformation maps and internal talent marketplaces to aid career discussions. 

Koh emphasised the need for alignment between organisational initiatives and managerial support. Additionally, career navigation workshops are offered to employees, using tools from WSG to empower self-directed career planning and development.

Moodley emphasised that the most critical relationship in the workplace is between an employee and his line manager. According to him, managers are key to diagnosing employee well-being, retention, and growth. Frequent, intentional check-ins — ideally quarterly — are essential for assessing confidence, resilience, and agility. 

Managers must offer clarity, support current performance, and prepare employees for future roles, he said. Beyond daily tasks, line leaders should initiate career conversations, showing pathways to future roles and long-term development. When employees understand their career trajectory, including ‘destination roles’ two or three steps ahead, they become more inspired, energised, and committed to the organisation.

Meanwhile, Koh highlighted the growing impact of technology on traditionally stable roles, noting that while such jobs may seem secure, automation and AI can quickly shift their requirements. At CapitaLand, they proactively use job and industry transformation maps to anticipate skills needed for future business directions. Koh stressed on the importance of aligning employee skills with where the business is heading. For example, recognising the rise of automation, they upskilled staff in RPA and developed ‘citizen developers’. Rather than simply upskilling in current roles, Koh advocated rethinking job design to close skill gaps and remain future-ready.

Before addressing skills gaps, companies must first evaluate whether current roles align with future business needs. Roles once considered stable, like HR or technical maintenance, are being disrupted by technology, requiring new competencies like AI, automation, cultural fluency, and supervisory skills. Koh stressed on the importance of rethinking job design rather than simply adding skills. Moodley stressed on the growing ambiguity in roles and the need for adaptability, resilience, and a continuous learning mindset. 

Both agree that workforce transformation must be a joint responsibility – employers must offer visibility into strategic direction and needed skills, while employees should take ownership of their development and seek support when needed. Career conversations, access to internal opportunities, and career sponsors play a vital role in future readiness. A resilient workforce strategy must be tied to business goals, supported by ecosystem partnerships, and include systems to empower individuals for sustainable and relevant growth in an evolving workplace.