Written Answer · 2026-08-04 · Parliament 15
Whole-of-Government Guiding Principles to Manage Workforce Transitions Due to Organisational Transformation and AI Adoption
Nominated MP Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in a written question whether the Public Service Division (PSD) has established whole-of-Government principles to guide agencies in managing workforce transitions arising from organisational transformation and AI adoption, including how to balance retraining, redeployment, workforce restructuring, the preservation of institutional knowledge and operational resilience. Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing, replying for the Prime Minister, said the Public Service continually reviews its organisations, functions, operating models and workforce requirements. Most transformation efforts and workforce changes are made progressively through reskilling, job redesign, redeployment and natural attrition; more significant restructuring is undertaken only where necessary, in response to fundamental changes in an agency's operating environment, mission or operating model. The governing principle is to support affected officers with care and practical assistance: as a fair and responsible employer, agencies prioritise reskilling and redeploying affected officers within their agency or elsewhere in the Public Service, and where redeployment is not feasible provide transition support such as financial support and employment facilitation. He said this approach maintains capabilities, institutional knowledge and operational resilience while the Public Service transforms to stay effective, responsive and future-ready.
Why it matters
The Public Service has set its workforce principle for the AI transition: reskilling and redeployment come first, restructuring only where necessary, and financial support only when no redeployment is feasible.
Key Points
- • The Public Service continually reviews agencies' organisations, functions, operating models and workforce requirements; most transformation and workforce changes are made progressively through reskilling, job redesign, redeployment and natural attrition
- • More significant restructuring is undertaken only where necessary, in response to fundamental changes in an agency's operating environment, mission or operating model
- • The principle is to support affected officers with care and practical assistance: prioritise reskilling and redeployment within the agency or elsewhere in the Public Service, and provide transition support such as financial support and employment facilitation where redeployment is not feasible
- • The Government says this approach maintains capabilities, institutional knowledge and operational resilience while meeting future needs
The Government frames Public Service transformation as a continuous, progressive process and positions itself as a "fair and responsible employer": workforce changes driven by AI adoption are absorbed first through reskilling, job redesign, redeployment and natural attrition, large-scale restructuring is an exception used only where necessary, and officers who cannot be redeployed receive transition support. The reply did not point to any dedicated principles or framework document specific to AI adoption.
Nominated MP Kenneth Goh's concern is that AI adoption is reshaping public-sector jobs and that agencies may take divergent approaches to cutting, restructuring and retraining; he wants PSD to have explicit whole-of-Government principles that also weigh the preservation of institutional knowledge and operational resilience, rather than efficiency-driven headcount reduction alone.
As an early adopter of AI within Singapore, the Public Service is setting the tone for workforce adjustment as "progressive absorption, internal first" rather than efficiency through layoffs: reskilling and redeployment are the default, with financial support only as a backstop when redeployment is not feasible. The Government also signals that it will not craft a separate workforce framework for AI, relying instead on existing organisational-transformation principles — treating public-sector AI transformation as part of routine organisational evolution.
"As a fair and responsible employer, agencies will prioritise reskilling and redeploying affected officers, whether within their agency or elsewhere in the Public Service."
Participants (2)
Original Text (English)
SPRS Hansard · Fetched: 2026-09-04
3 Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Public Service Division has established whole-of-Government principles to guide agencies in managing workforce transitions arising from organisational transformation and AI adoption, including how agencies should balance retraining, redeployment, workforce restructuring, the preservation of institutional knowledge and operational resilience.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister) : The Public Service continually reviews our organisations, functions, operating models and workforce requirements so that we can meet changing needs and priorities of Singapore and Singaporeans well. Most transformation efforts and workforce changes are made progressively, through reskilling, job redesign, redeployment and natural attrition. More significant restructuring is undertaken only where necessary, in response to fundamental changes in an agency's operating environment, mission or operating model.
In all organisational transformation and workforce transition efforts, the principle is to support affected officers through the changes with care and practical assistance. As a fair and responsible employer, agencies will prioritise reskilling and redeploying affected officers, whether within their agency or elsewhere in the Public Service. Where redeployment is not feasible, we are committed to providing transition support to the affected officers, such as financial support and employment facilitation assistance. This approach ensures that capabilities, institutional knowledge and operational resilience are maintained even as we strive to meet future needs.
The Public Service's purpose is to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. To do this well, agencies must continue to transform and ensure that the Public Service workforce remains effective, responsive and ready for the future, while supporting public officers through change.