Creating a strong team means investing in skills — but not all employees get the same access. In many SMEs, women are underrepresented in technical training, leadership pathways, and digital fluency. This is often unintentional, but it has real impact.
A gender-inclusive skills development plan ensures that everyone on your team — regardless of role or gender — has fair access to learning, progression, and contribution. And in 2025, with Singapore’s workplace fairness laws in effect, it’s not just good leadership — it’s expected, especially when connected to your payroll and accounting services.
Here’s how SME leaders in Singapore can build a plan that promotes skills, equity, and sustainable growth.
Without intentional planning, learning and promotion opportunities often tilt in favour of:
A gender-inclusive approach corrects this by making sure women — especially those returning to work, in support roles, or on flexible schedules — get fair access to skill-building.
Look at who’s been offered training in the past 12–18 months. Ask:
Use your payroll or HR data to spot patterns. Even a simple Excel breakdown by role and gender can reveal trends.
Define your company’s learning priorities — but make sure they’re broad and accessible. For example:
| Focus Area | Inclusive Application |
| Digital Tools | Offer training for both admin and operational staff |
| Financial Literacy | Include junior and mid-level staff, not just managers |
| Leadership Development | Open to high-potential employees, not just long-timers |
Set goals like:
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Make training work around real schedules:
Flexibility makes learning accessible to everyone, not just those with open calendars.
Make sure your development plan connects to:
Why it matters: If skills development doesn’t influence real outcomes, employees won’t prioritise it — and inclusion won’t stick.
Include skills development in your HR tracking:
If one group consistently lags, don’t assume lack of interest — check access, timing, and relevance.
Let your team know:
Promote success stories from women in your team who’ve upskilled or advanced — it normalises inclusive progress.
Building a gender-inclusive skills development plan isn’t about quotas — it’s about fairness, efficiency, and business resilience.
When your whole team grows, your company grows. And when learning is accessible and equitable, you build a workplace that attracts, retains, and promotes great people — no matter their gender.
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Here are some articles you might find helpful:
How SMEs Can Address the Women’s Skills Gap and Build Inclusive Growth
How to Build an FWA Policy for SMEs in Singapore
Tripartite 2025 Guidelines for Flexible Work Requests in Singapore
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