2025年亚洲招聘市场脉搏：塑造亚洲人才市场的力量

Inside the forces that have shapedAsia’s staffing market in 2025 As hiring demand softens, leaders face growing risks of widening skill gaps 2025 so far has been a year of profound andoften unpredictable volatility. As economicheadwinds continue to intensify, businessesacross Asia have been forced to adaptquickly, reassessing priorities, tighteningbudgets, and in many cases, rethinkingtheir workforce strategies. When we firsttouched on economic outlook in our 2025Salary Guide, a majority of respondents We’ve seen organisations take meaningfulsteps to equip their workforce with theskills needed to thrive in a more digital,AI-enabled environment. Training initiativesfocused on AI tools have gained traction,and the results speak for themselves: 63per cent of professionals now report usingAI in their roles. Leaders are not standing Survey findings by location Although there is a lot of uncertainty in thejob market today, one thing is for certain:sustainable growth cannot be achievedwithout the right skills in place. Whether thatmeans hiring strategically or investing in thedevelopment of existing talent, organisationsmust continue to prioritise capability as acorepillarof resilience. For professionals, The findings from this survey reveal ashifting landscape. Hiring activity hasslowed, and some organisations are activelyconsidering headcount reductions. Yet, thisapproach has not resolved the underlyingissue of skill shortages that continues tohinder growth and innovation. At the sametime, job insecurity is rising sharply. Across Methodology To facilitate comparisons with the 2025 Hays AsiaSalary Guide, a mini pulse survey was conductedin June 2025. This survey garnered over 2,000responses, representing approximately 22 per cent This pulse report aims to provide leadersand professionals with the tools they needto navigate this evolving landscape. Fromworkforce planning and internal mobility toAI training and career resilience, our goal is Survey respondents included working professionalsand hiring managers from China, Hong Kong SAR,Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand whowere asked targeted questions based on key trendsidentified in the 2025 Hays Asia Salary Guide survey. One encouraging development has beenthe growing recognition of the need to adapt Insights were drawn from the data to evaluate shiftsin perception and priority regarding hiring practices,salary policies, and business objectives for theremainder of 2025. Surveyfindings Survey findings Economic confidence is flagging Skill shortages remain an issue 58% of respondents in Asia expressed pessimismover the wider economy, up from 41 per cent of organisations today continue toexperience moderate to extreme skill This growing sense ofpessimism is reflected in howorganisations have adjustedtheir hiring trends. So far, only28 per cent of organisations Concerns among professionals are rising 34% of professionals in Asia do not feelsecure in their current roles. 29% At the same time, 39 per centof organisations have alreadyreduced headcount, indicatinga more cautious approach to are dissatisfied with theircurrent job. of professionals have stayed withtheir current employer. Survey findings Professionals are revising their salary expectations When we asked how professionals expected their salaries to change in late 2024, In addition, more professionals have reporteda reduction in salary than previously expected. of professionals were confident ofreceiving a raise in 2025. As of June 2025 when this pulse survey was conducted: 6% have experienced apay cut this year. have already received a raise. 12This number is expected to increase as % of organisations look toreduce salaries over the rest expect to receive a raiselater this year While it may be challenging for organisations to continue providingemployees with regular raises during periods of economic uncertainty, thismakes it all the more critical to invest in alternative retention strategies.Professionals value clarity about their future and the stability of their roles, and Open and transparent dialogue about business challenges, strategic direction,and individual contributions can help build trust and reduce anxiety. Additionally,reinforcing job security through clear career pathways, internal mobility, and Survey findings Professionals are still considering changing jobs Main reasons professionals are changing jobs of professionals havealready found a newemployer in 2025. While career progression remains a priority for most job leavers, the desire forgreaterjob securitynow ranks second, surpassing the need for aligned benefits. Work-life balance is now key to retaining talent Among professionals who chose to remain with their current employer:41% citedgood work-life balanceas the number onereason, ranking above salary packages (36 per cent) Main reasons professionals are staying with employers Survey findings AI adoption has continued to grow 63%