Guide
APAC’s Business Leader Pulse Check: Workforce and Hiring Report
Global HR
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Key takeaways
- More APAC companies are turning to artificial intelligence solutions to stay competitive, and there is a growing trend toward global hiring due to local talent shortages.
- Companies across APAC keep the remote work model due to its flexibility and cost-saving benefits.
- There is a notable move from aggressive recruitment to retaining talent through competitive salaries, career advancement opportunities, and improved company culture.
In our annual market research, “APAC's Business Leader Pulse Check: Workforce and Hiring,” we gathered insights from 1,000 business decision-makers in leadership roles across four key markets: Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and India. Senior executives from each location shared their opinions to ensure the relevance of the results.
Download the report to understand the evolving talent landscape in these key APAC markets.
Who will benefit from this report?
- Business leaders and investors looking to gain a competitive advantage in a global market
- Tech and AI-solution sellers who need to find opportunities for automation and AI integration
- HR professionals and talent managers who want to optimize their strategies for attracting and retaining talent across borders
APAC workforce and hiring report overview
This report highlights emerging trends in APAC markets regarding workforce models, talent acquisition, and human resources management. One of the main findings is the growing dominance of hybrid work models, with the majority of organizations in all four markets adopting this approach. India still opts for hybrid work but has more fully office-based organizations. This fact and our other findings show the different regional preferences for workplace flexibility.
A notable trend across all markets is the strong intention to hire talent overseas, driven by local skill shortages and the increasing need for specialized expertise. Hong Kong and Singapore have the strongest demand for global talent.
However, global hiring does bring specific challenges, pushing organizations to explore cross-border solutions. Most notably, businesses encounter even more obstacles in managing payroll for international staff, particularly navigating local labor laws and ensuring tax compliance.
As for human resources management, the most common challenge remains to stay competitive in terms of benefits and compensation packages to attract and keep top performers.
Here are the key findings from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and India, showing current and future hiring trends and workforce challenges:
- Hybrid work models dominate in all four markets, with Australia leading the way, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore
- Global hiring intentions are exceptionally high, with Hong Kong (94%) and Singapore (93%) topping the list
- The biggest HR challenges include compliance with local taxes and labor laws for overseas staff in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia, while India struggles with accurate payroll processing across different currencies
- Talent retention strategies vary among the four states: Competitive salaries are the priority in Hong Kong and Singapore, career growth opportunities are at the top in Australia, and work-life balance is what matters the most in India
FAQs
What are the benefits of hiring international workers?
Working with a global talent pool means getting better and faster access to in-demand skills. You can use this opportunity to drive innovation and stay competitive as you adapt to a global market. If you want to scale your operations, you can always turn to your global team to drive market expansion across different regions.
What are the benefits of employing a diverse workforce?
A diverse workforce is a needed by any company that wants to expand its reach into a new market. The mix of knowledge and perspectives can keep your team creative and ready to generate new ideas to solve problems or build new products.
Once you have multiple cultures, opinions, and skills on your team, you can make accurate decisions and build an inclusive company culture. Diversity also strengthens brand reputation and can help your company provide better customer experiences and support.
Why is global workforce development important for companies?
Global workforce development gives companies the knowledge and legal framework to compete globally. It helps businesses scale operations, adapt to different markets, and build more agile, future-ready teams.
When faced with talent shortages, global workforce development also provides access to a larger talent base, giving your organization enough time and resources to build the cultural understanding and skills needed to meet demand across different regions.
What is a globalized workforce?
A globalized workforce refers to having team members from various countries and regions who can work together regardless of their location. It also implies a mix of different cultural, linguistic, and professional backgrounds that can bring their touch to how your company works, the products you sell, and how you interact with customers. It’s also a great option if you need to adapt to a new market or reach a wider, international customer base.
