Introduction
With workforce analytics gaining traction, integrating an HR Management System (HRMS) and payroll solutions is critical, especially in Brunei where digital adoption is on the rise. With an estimated population of 466,330 in 2025, the country’s internet penetration is ranked one of the highest at 98%. This translates to almost 72,500 households with internet access at home in 2025.
This blog explores how MSME business owners and HR leaders can benefit from Brunei’s PENJANA Scheme through financial funding – aimed at accelerating digital adoption and the implementation of HR analytics in the workplace. These initiatives can drive workforce efficiency, along with actionable steps and checklists for easy implementation to help businesses stay ahead.
What is Brunei’s PENJANA Scheme?
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The Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) recently introduced the Productivity and Efficiency Joint-Funding for Digital Adoption (PENJANA) Scheme.
This initiative is designed to help local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) adopt digital solutions to boost productivity. By leveraging digital technologies, MSMEs can enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service delivery, enabling them to stay competitive in the growing digital economy.
Solutions include:
- Accounting
- Digital Point of Sales (POS) System
- eCommerce
- ePayment
- Human Resource Management System (HRMS)
- Customer Service Management
Leveraging the PENJANA Scheme offers significant benefits to businesses – including aligning the company’s overall objectives with Brunei’s strategic goals for digital readiness and economic growth. HRMS solutions, in addition to helping businesses manage and streamline HR processes throughout the employee lifecycle, can help to improve productivity by up to 20%.
Next-gen HRMS platforms like BIPO HRMS include business intelligence and data analytics capabilities to analyse workforce trends, visibility and oversight of employee count and cost per employee across global locations in a single view.
How the PENJANA Scheme Benefits Businesses
1. Access to Digital Tools and Resources
HR leaders can leverage funding support from the PENJANA scheme to adopt digital solutions that improve HR processes, such as payroll automation, employee engagement platforms, and HR management systems.
2. Cost Savings
By lowering the cost to adopt digital tools, MSMEs can free up funds to invest in other areas like training, marketing, or improving their products. The PENJANA scheme also reduces the risk of trying new technologies, making it easier for businesses to adopt digital solutions without heavy upfront expenses.
Over time, the cost savings (and efficiencies) from adopting such digital tools can lead to better growth opportunities and a stronger market position.
3. Enhanced Workforce Productivity
By integrating digital HR solutions supported by the PENJANA scheme, HR leaders can streamline administrative tasks, automate repetitive processes, and improve overall workforce productivity, allowing HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
4. Improved Data-Driven Decision Making
With digital solutions, particularly those that are complemented and/or supported by data (HR) analytics, HR teams can gather valuable insights from employee data, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions about recruitment, performance, and retention strategies, aligned with organizational goals.
5. Alignment with National Digital Transformation Goals
This initiative gives HR leaders the tools to drive efficiency and improve talent management, and contribute to Brunei’s broader digital transformation agenda, fostering innovation within their organisations and help to drive economic growth.
The Role of HR Analytics in Brunei’s Dynamic Workforce
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HR analytics is key in shaping Brunei’s workforce. It provides valuable insights to help businesses address challenges like skills gaps, workforce planning, and productivity. Through Brunei’s PENJANA scheme, which supports MSMEs in adopting digital solutions, HR analytics enables companies to make informed decisions about talent management, talent attrition and development.
Adopting such an approach ensures Brunei’s workforce remains adaptable, competitive, and agile to address changes in the global economy.
Key Benefits of HR Analytics
1. Optimised Workforce Performance
HR analytics helps identify skill gaps, assess training needs, and track productivity, leading to better alignment of talent with business goals.
2. Data-Driven Decision-Making
HR analytics empowers leaders with actionable insights, enabling them to make informed decisions on hiring, workforce planning, and performance management.
3. Enhanced Employee Experience
By analysing feedback, engagement levels, and workforce trends, organisations can create tailored programmes to improve employee satisfaction and retention.
4. Cost Efficiency
Organisations can use analytics to uncover inefficiencies in recruitment, payroll, and resource allocation, reducing costs while maximising ROI.
5. Proactive Talent Management
Predictive analytics helps anticipate turnover, forecast talent demands, and identify high-potential employees for leadership pipelines.
6. Improved Compliance and Risk Mitigation
Analytics ensures adherence to labour laws and regulations by monitoring compliance metrics and identifying potential risks early.
7. Strategic Workforce Planning
Organisations can forecast future workforce needs, model different scenarios, and plan for contingencies to stay agile in changing market conditions.
8. Measuring ROI on HR Initiatives
Analytics provides metrics to assess the effectiveness of HR programmes, from recruitment campaigns to training sessions, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives.
By leveraging HR analytics, businesses can transition from reactive to proactive strategies, driving efficiency, productivity, and employee engagement across the organisation.
Checklist for Leveraging HR Analytics
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Here’s your 10-step checklist of practical steps to effectively leverage HR analytics, ensuring accurate data, actionable insights, and measurable results for improved business performance and workforce management.
1. Define Clear Objectives
Identify specific goals you want to achieve with HR analytics, such as improving retention rates, optimising recruitment, or enhancing workforce productivity.
2. Ensure Data Accuracy
Regularly clean and validate HR data to ensure it is accurate, up-to-date, and reliable for analysis.
3. Invest in the Right Tools
Use robust HR analytics platforms or tools that integrate seamlessly with your HR systems to gather and analyse data efficiently.
4. Train Your HR Team
Provide training for HR professionals to interpret analytics, use data visualisation tools, and derive actionable insights.
5. Focus on Key Metrics
Track metrics that align with your business objectives, such as turnover rates, time-to-hire, employee engagement, and training ROI.
6. Leverage Predictive Analytics
Use predictive models to forecast future trends, such as employee turnover, talent shortages, or workforce demands, to plan proactively.
7. Protect Employee Privacy
Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and implement measures to safeguard sensitive employee data.
8. Promote Cross-Department Collaboration
Share HR analytics insights with other departments to align strategies and improve decision-making across the organisation.
9. Monitor and Adjust Strategies
Continuously review analytics outcomes to assess the effectiveness of HR initiatives and refine strategies as needed.
10. Communicate Insights Clearly
Present findings in a simple, visual, and actionable format, such as dashboards or reports, to help leaders make informed decisions quickly.
What’s Next for HR Leaders in Brunei?
As Brunei’s economy evolves, HR leaders play a crucial role in shaping the future by adopting HR analytics and aligning with the objectives of the country’s PENJANA scheme.
Investing in tools like HR Management Systems, payroll solutions, and business intelligence software from a vendor like BIPO can help streamline operations, ensure compliance, and boost workforce performance.
The PENJANA scheme is a unique opportunity for businesses to adopt modern technologies and practices that build a strong, adaptable workforce. For HR leaders, the priority is embracing these changes swiftly to stay ahead in a dynamic business environment.
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Stay ahead of the curve with BIPO! Connect with our in-country experts to learn how our HR Management System, Global Payroll Outsourcing, and Employer of Record (EOR) services can simplify workforce management and position your organisation for success in Brunei.
