The role of human resources (HR) professionals in Hong Kong SAR continues to evolve beyond traditional functions.
HR experts are increasingly tasked with aligning their strategies with overarching business objectives, directly contributing to the organisation's vision and success. This evolution enables HR professionals to adopt a more strategic and collaborative role in talent management and business growth, leading to a heightened demand for specialised skills.
Download the 2025 Job Market and Salary Guide report to find out more about the key trends influencing the job market, in-demand specialised and soft skills as well as the latest salary benchmarks to attract human resources professionals.
the role of strategic HR management as jobs shift from administrative to advisory
The demand for HR professionals who can act as strategic business partners (BP) is rising. HR professionals are now expected to serve as trusted advisors to various stakeholders, providing critical insights on workforce planning, employee engagement, and organisational culture, all of which play a vital role in enhancing business performance.
There is a growing trend among employers in Hong Kong to hire talent acquisition talent to support succession planning, as companies focus on ensuring business continuity and preparing for future challenges.
While the overall demand for learning and development talent has decreased, there is a heightened expectation for them to develop and implement robust skills development programmes aimed at building a strong leadership pipeline. Companies are prioritising leadership skills development not just to prepare the next generation of business leaders but also to improve employee experiences and company culture as they navigate a different labour environment.
Employers are also increasingly looking for HR candidates with strong communication skills, especially those who excel at handling difficult conversations. The ability to navigate difficult conversations, such as performance management, job changes, and layoffs, while maintaining employee morale, is highly valued. Professionals with these soft skills will be essential as transformation continues to impact skills and workforce demands.
cautious senior talent and eager juniors shape hiring trends in 2025
Middle to senior candidates will remain cautious about job switching in 2025, as they value job security and find it more challenging to secure jobs that are aligned with their values. On the other hand, junior candidates are more open to opportunities and can easily find jobs, albeit entry-level roles.
As the overall number of job seekers decreases, companies are faced with increased talent scarcity. Even though there is always a strong preference to hire local candidates, we are also seeing Chinese companies having a preference for mainland Chinese talent to double-hat HR management and payroll responsibilities across Greater China.
We expect employers to keep offering competitive salary increases of 15% to 20% for high-calibre mid to senior HR professionals specialising in organisational development (OD) and business partnering (BP). For junior to middle-level HR roles, the anticipated salary increase is slightly lower, ranging from 10% to 15%.
download randstad hong kong’s 2025 job market and salary trends report
Our 2024 Job Market and Salary Trends report cuts through the complexity to deliver actionable insights and expert analyses for companies in human resources.
In our report, you can find the salary benchmarks for around 50 human resources jobs, ranging from HR generalists to specialist roles like learning and development, and compensation and benefits. Download the report to find out whether your company is offering a competitive salary to attract the best talent Hong Kong has to offer.
The report examines key talent expectations as well as current industry trends and salary benchmarks in the following industries:
- Accounting and finance
- Banking and financial services
- Business support
- Construction, property and engineering
- Human resources
- Insurance
- Legal
- Life sciences and healthcare
- Luxury and retail
- Supply chain and logistics
- Sales and marketing
- Technology
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