SUSS Human Capital Insights Series: The Ethics of Excellence: Addressing HR Malpractice

Synopsis

The “human” in Human Resources has always been defined by an ethical mandate, yet the shift toward automated processes and formulaic compliance has intensified the risk of HR Malpractice. Malpractice today is often a byproduct of algorithmic bureaucracy where administrative convenience supersedes professional judgment. This neglect ranges from the unfair evaluation of job applicants to “surprise” retrenchments that fail to engage tripartite partners for responsible separation. Ms. Low argues that such practices represent a failure of HR’s fiduciary duty to recognise and reward true human capital value fairly. This webinar will examine why HR must be held to the same ethical standards as the medical or legal professions, asserting that leaders bear a heavy responsibility when institutional efficiency is pursued at the cost of human dignity. Ms. Low draws on her career to challenge modern practitioners to balance high-tech capability with high-touch ethics, urging them to reclaim their role as moral stewards for the collective social good.

Speaker

Ms. Low Peck Kem is the Chief HR Officer and Advisor (Workforce Development) for Singapore's Public Service Division. She is responsible for enhancing HR capabilities across the public sector. Her extensive career spans quality engineering and manufacturing, as well as senior HR leadership roles at Agilent Technologies and the Ministry of Manpower. A global HR luminary, Peck Kem is the first Asian CIPD Chartered Companion and was recently inducted into the 100 Global HR Leaders Hall of Fame 2025. She currently serves as President of Singapore Human Resources Institute and President of the World Federation of People Management Associations. She was also the immediate past President of the Asia Pacific Federation of Human Resources Management (APFHRM).

Moderator

Dr. Charissa Tan leads the Bachelor of HRM Programme at SUSS. A Chartered Psychologist with a PhD from the University of Nottingham, she specialises in occupational health, employee well-being, and flexible workforces. Charissa held senior regional roles at Federal Express and served as an Industrial-Organisational Psychologist for MINDEF. An award-winning educator and HR Director, "Rising Star," she is a frequent media commentator and advisor on workplace mental health and strategic HR practice in Singapore.

Leading Human Capital, Shaping Tomorrow's Economy

The SUSS Human Capital Insights series provides thought leadership on the key trends and strategic imperatives reshaping Asia's human capital landscape. The series is organised by the SUSS Human Resource Management Programme, which offers undergraduate and post-graduate degrees, from the Bachelor of Human Resource Management—Singapore's first and only full-time bachelor's degree in HRM offered by an Autonomous University—to the Master of Human Capital Management. Our programmes are designed to equip HR professionals with the applied industry knowledge and strategic acumen needed to lead, innovate, and thrive in the future economy.

Learn more at: https://www.suss.edu.sg/academics/schools-college/nshd/human-resource-management-cluster