The human resources industry is expected to grow steadily in 2022, with an increasing talent demand for specialised HR professionals who are capable at driving organisational change.
The COVID-19 crisis has created new challenges for organisations, testing our HR leaders’ agility and adaptability to changes as well as employees’ resilience levels. HR professionals had to step up to ensure smooth business operations while prioritising the workforce’s health and safety. And since the beginning of the pandemic, every senior company executive we've met has expressed their deep gratitude for their HR departments.
The role of the HR professional has evolved significantly and it creates a clear shift in the perception of the profession from administrative work to strategic partners. HR professionals have had to take on new work responsibilities, such as managing remote employees and candidates, as well as developing new HR strategies for the future of work.
In the new normal, HR professionals are increasingly expected to develop and drive impactful strategies that can fulfil the organisation's and employees' expectations.
2022 HR trends and talent market insights for HR and business support
specialised HR professionals are in-demand
Human resources specialists would be expected to lead the charge in facilitating the shift towards hybrid or remote work for the organisation. As a result of this transition, we see an increase in talent demand for HR business partners, compensation and benefits (C&B), learning and development (L&D), HR transformation and talent acquisition.
To attract and retain talent, C&B professionals will need to go beyond base salary, commissions and bonuses and look at the overall remuneration package instead. Many candidates are looking for new, more flexible employee benefits that not only cater to their lifestyle, but also their desire for better work-life balance.
In 2022, C&B and L&D specialists can expect to receive a salary increment ranging from 15% to 20% when they switch employers due to the additional job expectations.
HR professionals in leading the organisational change
To lead by example, HR professionals must adapt to change and use digital technologies to boost their own work productivity. This could involve leveraging data and HR analytics to measure employee sentiment, using more online channels to recruit and engage job candidates, and implementing new technology to automate routine administrative work.
HR teams with limited resources can also engage recruitment firms for consultancy services and gain access to more HR technology solutions.
download the digital copy of the hong kong SAR 2022 job market outlook and salary snapshot report
key highlights in the human resources and business support industry outlook in 2022
- evolution of job responsibilities and required skills for human resources & business support in 2021.
- anticipated job mobility of professionals across industries and different levels of seniority.
- salary snapshots for more than 45 different human resources jobs & business support.
read more on 2022 Hong Kong SAR's labour market and talent trends in other industries:
- banking and financial services
- insurance
- legal
- technology
- accounting and finance
- sales and marketing
- life sciences
- property
- sourcing and supply chain
- contracting
If finding exceptional talent for your business is a key challenge or if you want to take your workforce ready for the future of work, please get in touch with us for your talent strategies. You can also check our key areas of expertise in human resources recruitment.