This new era of dynamic changes in technology requires constant upgrading of job skills. However, despite efforts to upskill the global workforce by 2025, nearly 60 per cent of workers will still require further training to remain relevant. In Singapore, this figure is even higher at 70 per cent.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has warned that this skills gap will persist. And in a WEF panel discussion in January, our President, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, noted the looming global skills mismatch, which occurs when people cannot find jobs despite completing tertiary education.
He called on both employers and governments to invest in training for workers right now and not wait till workers are displaced by new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).
Yet, employer support for upskilling or re-skilling is not guaranteed. Up to 11 per cent of the global workforce – especially those in roles losing relevance – face the risk of becoming unemployable.
What causes them to fall into the irrelevance trap? More importantly, what measures could prevent their downfall?
Don’t resist change, but adapt
With disruption intensifying across economic, geopolitical, consumer and technological domains, business leaders are accelerating transformation efforts to adapt to the new environment. Research suggests that up to one-third of large organisations are transforming at any given time, leading to job creation, redesign or elimination.
I spoke to a range of professionals who have been involved or affected by this. Janice has experienced four large-scale transformations as a process re-engineering director driving the changes, which involves redesigning existing business processes to improve efficiency.
She said: “Since the 2000s, organisations have pursued massive transformations. However, such ‘revolutionary’ approaches often had high failure rates. Today, companies are opting for smaller, frequent steps forward.”
Janice has this advice for workers: “While employees may face constant change, these shifts can be seen as opportunities to refresh their skills.”
As an executive coach working with leaders worldwide to remain agile amid all the changes, I have observed their efforts to keep teams intact and protect jobs. However, when pressures mount from all directions, leaving no-one behind is not always an option.
Ricky, a seasoned head of sales at a global IT company, told me: “Skill sets don’t become completely obsolete, but they must be regularly updated to stay relevant. Those with a growth mindset and a commitment to lifelong learning will find the workforce more rewarding.”
He added: “For those who resist change, tough decisions become inevitable.”
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While employees must take ownership of their upskilling, leaders set the tone.
Poor leadership during times of change can leave employees frustrated and disengaged.
Celeste, a middle manager in financial services, echoed the frustrations of some workers when she told me: “Another reorganisation? All these changes are so poorly communicated that we’ve lost sight of the purpose. The flip-flop decisions and lack of follow-through aren’t helping.”
When leaders are ill-prepared to guide change, the consequences extend beyond missed business targets. Change fatigue and loss of meaning in work become real concerns.
On the other hand, well-equipped leaders can inspire and empower their teams.
Lam, a team leader at a cyber security company, said: “My manager excelled at communicating early and clearly. That transparency reduced suspicion, and once we believed the change was achievable, we became more committed. Having a say in the process strengthened our motivation to learn and adapt.”
Trust and psychological safety
For change initiatives to succeed, leaders must create environments where employees feel safe to make mistakes, learn and grow. This demands that leaders themselves be equipped with the right competencies to foster such a culture.
Two critical competencies stand out: trust and psychological safety. For example, Janice noted: “Trust is the biggest factor. Employees need time to adjust to new job roles, learn new skills and become proficient. It’s easier to follow a leader they trust.
“When trust in leadership erodes, defensive behaviours emerge and organisations break apart from within.”
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Beyond trust, employees must feel safe to take risks. Research has defined employee psychological safety as a shared belief that taking interpersonal risks at work is safe.
Through research, I found that organisations that encourage open communication and learning without fear of failure foster continuous innovation.
A McKinsey study found that 85 per cent of executives admit fear of failure stifles innovation, with fear of criticism ranking as the top concern.
In Singapore, this aligns with our cultural fear of losing face. To drive meaningful change, leaders must acknowledge these emotional responses and address them – not just with logic, but with empathy.
My research also highlighted how a leader’s response to mistakes can intensify or reduce fear of failure. That is why organisations must foster a no-blame culture balanced with a sense of healthy accountability, so employees feel safe to experiment and learn new skills. Clear communication, active listening and leading by example are essential.
Encouraging structured reflection on mistakes helps teams develop a fail-forward mindset, turning setbacks into learning opportunities. Additionally, leaders must be able to inspire a compelling vision, as studies on organisational creativity suggest that progress in meaningful work strengthens resilience, enabling employees to persist through challenges like skill acquisition.
Embracing skills evolution
While many professionals recognise the need to stay relevant, some remain hesitant, constrained by self-limiting beliefs such as “I’m too old to learn new skills”, or “My education should have prepared me for life”.
But the reality is clear: Skills evolution is unavoidable.
Industrial revolutions are accelerating at an unprecedented pace. The first lasted 80 years, the third 50 years, and now, while we are still in the fourth, experts predict the fifth industrial revolution is already under way.
Technological advancements will continue to reshape industries and jobs, making adaptability more critical than ever.
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Trying to navigate these rapid transformations can be overwhelming. However, when leaders build learning ecosystems and cultivate organisations centred on continuous development, the burden of adaptation becomes a shared effort.
Once employees no longer struggle in isolation, but instead become part of a collective movement towards progress, then the vision of leaving no person behind can become a reality.
Yeo Chuen Chuen is the founder of ACESENCE Agile Leadership and the author of Leaders People Love, an agile leader’s guide to creating great workplaces and happy employees.
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