This course is designed to help HR professionals develop sound negotiation skills which are essential for various HR functions such as compliance, salary discussions and more.

Introduction

HR professionals negotiate every day: discussing employment packages with candidates, addressing employee concerns, securing management support and implementing workplace changes. These conversations require sound preparation, clear communication and the ability to balance organisational priorities with employee needs.

This practical one-day workshop equips participants to approach HR negotiations with greater confidence and structure. Participants will learn to identify underlying interests, handle objections, manage emotions and work through disagreements while maintaining professional relationships. Case studies and role plays reflect familiar situations in Singapore’s diverse workplaces, including salary negotiations, flexible work discussions and employee disputes.

Generative AI is woven through the workshop as a supporting tool. Participants use it to explore interests, prepare questions, rehearse responses and assess options while applying their own judgement, empathy and professional discretion.

Course Details: 

Learning Objectives

• Prepare for HR negotiations by clarifying objectives, interests, alternatives and decision boundaries.

• Use questioning, active listening and persuasion to explore concerns and communicate proposals.

• Manage emotions and adapt their approach to different communication styles and cultural expectations.

• Apply negotiation techniques to salary discussions, employee disputes and workplace changes.

• Address resistance, overcome impasses and establish clear, workable agreements.

• Use Generative AI responsibly throughout negotiation preparation, communication, problem solving and reflection.

Outline

1. Understanding Negotiation in HR

• The role of negotiation in employee relations, stakeholder management and workplace decisions.

• Common HR negotiations: compensation, policy changes, performance expectations and employee concerns.

• Balancing organisational needs, employee interests, fairness and ongoing relationships.

Activity: Discuss common HR negotiation challenges, then use AI to surface possible interests and compare them with participants’ own analysis.

 

2. Preparing for a Constructive Negotiation

• The negotiation process: preparation, discussion, bargaining, agreement and follow-up.

• Distinguishing stated positions from underlying interests.

• Setting objectives, identifying the best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), and defining areas of flexibility.

• Understanding power, decision authority and the boundaries set by organisational policies and applicable requirements.

Case study: Prepare a salary negotiation for a key IT hire; use AI to test assumptions and anticipate the candidate’s questions.

 

3. Communicating and Influencing Effectively

• Using active listening and purposeful questions to clarify needs and test assumptions.

• Presenting proposals with clear reasoning and relevant evidence.

• Recognising verbal and non-verbal signals without jumping to conclusions.

• Responding to objections, managing expectations and making conditional concessions.

Paired practice: Present a proposal and respond to objections; use AI to refine open questions and compare phrasing.

 

4. Managing Emotions and Cultural Differences

• Using emotional intelligence to remain composed during sensitive discussions.

• Responding constructively to frustration, defensiveness and resistance.

• Adapting communication to different cultural expectations and individual preferences in Singapore’s diverse workplaces.

• Building trust and avoiding assumptions or cultural stereotypes.

Role play: Handle an employee–manager disagreement; use AI to explore different perspectives, then assess its suggestions for empathy and cultural assumptions.

Outline

5. Resolving Disagreements and Closing Negotiations

• Identifying the causes of impasses and reframing issues around shared interests.

• Generating alternatives and evaluating practical trade-offs.

• Knowing when to pause, seek approval or involve an appropriate third party.

• Confirming agreement, documenting commitments and arranging follow-up.

Case study: Work through a disagreement over flexible work arrangements; use AI to generate options and test whether they are workable.

 

6. Applying Negotiation Skills to HR Situations

• Negotiating employment packages while managing expectations and internal approval boundaries.

• Handling employee concerns, performance discussions and policy changes.

• Using role play to practise responses, concessions and agreement terms in realistic HR situations.

• Checking AI suggestions for accuracy, bias, confidentiality and alignment with organisational policy before use.

Scenario practice: Negotiate an HR policy change; use AI as a rehearsal partner to test responses to stakeholder objections.

 

7. Putting the Skills into Practice

• Combining preparation, communication and problem-solving in an HR negotiation.

• Reviewing the quality of the outcome and its effect on working relationships.

• Identifying personal strengths and specific actions for future negotiations.

Integrated role play: Negotiate an HR issue with feedback; use AI to support a brief post-exercise reflection and personal action plan.

Methodology

• Lectures

• Group Discussions

• Case Studies and Role-Playing

• Interactive Activities

 

Who Should Attend

• HR managers and executives, HR business partners, employee relations specialists, talent acquisition professionals, and managers or team leaders who handle workplace negotiations.

Trainer

Michael Giam is an international business professional with decades of senior management experience working in highly complex and cross-cultural business environments. Michael’s international breadth of experience spans both in public institutions and private corporations focusing mainly on business fundamentals and human capital to establish clear and achievable strategic business goals.

From a Senior HR Business Partner to Senior Vice President, Michael has worked for several MNCs including CWT Distribution Limited (Singapore), International Data Corporation (USA), the Millennium & Copthorne International Hotels Group (Singapore), Marriott International (in China) and Melco China Resorts (Holding) Limited (Macau). In his tenure at CWT, Michael was appointed by the CEO as the Management Representative to lead in corporate culture development and change. He has developed, implemented and coached several action programs that were necessary in the development of a learning culture within the organization and beyond. In 2003, Michael was selected by the industry to become one of the Executive Committee Members representing the Singapore hospitality industry to provide value-added initiatives and plans to the local government in enhancing the skills and value of the local workforce. He is active in helping the community, especially those unemployed and in poverty to reskill them and bring them back to the workforce.

In recent years Michael worked in China for Marriott to open new properties and some of its flagship hotels. Michael also worked for the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Malaysia as their Asia Pacific Director of Operations responsible for organizing and managing industry-related MICE activities. In his tenure, he has also developed good relationship with key stakeholders and decision makers in many national oil companies and international oil and gas corporations. Michael also worked as an independent consultant handling several pre-opening and restructuring projects. This include assisting the GM in opening the first Wyndham flagship hotel in Singapore; worked as an interim General Manager to open an exclusive club for arts & culture professionals in Guangzhou; developed and implement a comprehensive strategic Customer Service Excellence Program for United Overseas Bank in China as well as providing professional HR service & consultation to the new rebranded Hotel Jen in Singapore.

Michael has always been interested to develop the next generation of talents and leaders. Since 1995, Michael has served as an adjunct faculty for several local and foreign universities as well as some adult learning institutions on topics including Human Resource Management, Coaching & Counselling, Business Contract & Maritime Law, Organizational Behavior, Customer Service Training and many others.

Michael received his MBA from an Australian University and holds an Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (Facilitated Learning). He is a registered Practicing Management Consultant (PMC), a recognized SkillsFuture Mentor for SMEs in Singapore and also a Certified Senior Professional with IHRP Singapore.

Administrative Details:

Scheduled Dates

• 18 November 2026  (Face-to-Face)  (1st Run) - Confirmed

• 23 April 2027  (Face-to-Face)  (2nd Run)

Online/Virtual

• Available for in-company customised training

Duration / Venue

• One day

• 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

• Hotel Grand Pacific Singapore  (1st Run)

Certification

A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded at the end of the course.

 

Cost

• S$ 566.80 w/GST (S$520.00) for Community/Corporate Subscriber

• S$ 599.50 w/GST (S$550.00) for Non-Subscriber

Funding

• Grants/Subsidies/SkillsFuture Credit are not applicable.

IHRP CPD Hours 

• 7

(Please refer to the IHRP website)

Refreshment

• Coffee & tea with snacks during the morning and afternoon breaks

• Lunch will be provided

Past Participants:

Past Participants' Comments

Past Participant Organisations