Learning to thrive: How SPH Media is upskilling its workforce for the future

Staying ahead in today’s media landscape requires more than just keeping pace. It demands innovation, adaptability, and a steadfast commitment to journalistic integrity. SPH Media exemplified this approach through its dynamic talent development initiatives, led by Maureen Wee, its Head of Human Resources.

In an interview with HRM Asia, Wee shared insights into the media organisation’s strategies that prioritise adaptability and collaboration. They foster “multidisciplinary engagement”, where employees from diverse backgrounds learn and work together. “Journalists might learn basic coding, while multimedia producers hone their writing skills,” she said, adding that this cross-training fosters innovation crucial for navigating the changing media landscape.

Central to SPH Media’s talent development strategy is a commitment to continuous learning and development. Wee highlighted the provision of learning mechanisms that empower employees to take charge of their own growth. This includes both structured training initiatives and agile on-the-job learning opportunities, ensuring that teams remain equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to meet the evolving demands of the industry.

Furthermore, diversity is not just respected but celebrated at SPH Media. Emphasising the importance of creating inclusive environments where diverse perspectives thrive through collaboration and exposure, Wee explained, “Respect diversity in their various forms and enable safe spaces to meld a variety of perspectives and ideas, which hopefully, can lead to bigger outcomes.”

“Respective diversity in their various forms and enable safe spaces to meld a variety of perspectives and ideas, which hopefully, can lead to bigger outcomes.” – Maureen Wee, Head of Human Resources, SPH Media

Lastly, mentorship and coaching play integral roles. SPH Media strengthens these programmes “to support the personal and professional growth of employees,” she said. “The core purpose is to offer support and enable employees to navigate their career paths to achieve personal excellence.”

Beyond embracing innovation, SPH Media remains unwavering in its commitment to upholding journalistic integrity. Wee stressed that while creativity is celebrated in content development, rigorous adherence to journalistic principles remains paramount. The media organisation’s award-winning teams from news titles and lifestyle media serve as a testament to this balance, she added, producing content that captivates audiences while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

“This is a balance that we do not compromise,” she declared. “We pursue innovation to present our stories with creativity and energy as needed for our different audiences across platforms, and we do this while remaining true to the spirit of our mission which is to be the trusted source of news on Singapore and Asia, to represent the communities that make up Singapore, and to connect them to the world.”

Looking ahead, Wee acknowledged the key trends shaping the media landscape, including data-driven decision-making, AI integration, and multimedia storytelling. She said, “Data will continue to drive decisions and our media professionals across the organisation will continue to be guided by metrics for us to better serve and respond to our various audiences and stakeholders. AI and its related technologies continue to provide interesting options, and we will explore ways to leverage them to streamline processes in the way we work.”

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“Multimedia storytelling will continue to be integral in the way we tell our stories. Our journalists will need to develop skills in video production, podcasting, interactive graphics, and other multimedia formats to create compelling and engaging content across platforms.”

Wee highlighted that the media organisation will continue to adapt and invest in talent development to equip their workforce with the skills to meet these challenges. And by prioritising a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptation, SPH Media ensures it remains a trusted source of news in the ever-evolving media landscape, she concluded.