SALARY SURVEY 2013 - Robert Walters Singapore

HONGKONGHONGKONGHUMANRESOURCES&BUSINESSSUPPORTHONGKONGHUMANRESOURCES&BUSINESSSUPPORTHUMANRESOURCES&BUSINESSSUPPORTRobertWaltersGlobalSalarySurvey2013 276Ourhumanresources&businesssupportspecialistdivisionrecruitsforbothpermanentandcontractplacementsacrossmajorsectorswithinthecommerceandindustryandfinancialservicessectors.Werecruitarangeofprofessionals,includingcompensationandbenefitsspecialists,talentmanagementspecialists,HRgeneralists,recruitmentspecialists,traininganddevelopmentprofessionals,administrationmanagers,officemanagers,personalassistantsandteamadministrators.MarketOverviewHumanResourcesJoblevelsremainedhighdespiteoverallmarketuncertainty.Overall,thereweremorevacanciesthancandidatesandalackofprofessionalsavailablewithaproventrackrecordinareassuchascompensationandbenefits,talentmanagementandbusinesspartnering.However,therewashighdemandacrossmostindustriesforcompensationandbenefitsspecialists.Theseprofessionalswerebeinghiredtodesigncompetitivecompensationstructuresaspartoftalentretentionplans.HRbusinesspartnerswerealsosought-afterasfirmsneededindividualswhowereabletoaddvaluetotheirbusinesses,helpincreaseproductivity,generaterevenueandretainkeytalent.Asbanksgrewtheirretailbankingsectors,morehumanresourcesprofessionalswererequiredinthisspacetosupporttheirexpansion.Hiringactivitywasrelativelyhighwithinthecommercialsectors.Inparticular,wesawmoredemandinthetelecommunications,chemicals,hi-techandretailluxurysectors.Amajorityofhireswereforreplacements,andemployersexpectedcandidatestostarttheirnewjobwithminimaltraining.Professionalswithexperienceintheseindustrieswerethereforesought-after.Manymultinationalscommercialorganisationsembarkedonlarge-scaleHRtransformationprojects,shiftingtoasharedservicesmodel.Thisledtodemandforbusinesspartnerstoensurethesmoothexecutionofprojects.Withhighlysought-aftercandidatesreceivingmultiplejoboffers,companiesofferedsalaryincrementstoretainkeyemployees.Professionalschangingjobstypicallyexpected,andreceivedsalaryrisesof20-25%.BusinessSupportRecruitmentactivityin2012remainedsteadyincomparisonto2011.Followingasimilartrend,morepeoplemovedjobstowardstheendofquarteroneafterbonuseswerepaidout.However,therewasasteadystreamofreplacementhiringthroughouttheyear.Anotabletrendwasaninfluxofsmallerhedgefundsandforeignlawfirms.Thesebusinessestypicallysoughtofficemanagerswhocouldtakeonadditionalresponsibilityandassistwiththesettingupoftheiroffices.Organisationsinthecommercialsectorsrecruitedinhighernumbersthanin2011withanincreaseddemandfromlawfirms.Retailluxury,informationtechnologyandtelecommunicationsbusinesses,aswellasprofessionalservicesandmediafirmsrecruitedinlargenumbersaswell.Thesecompanieshiredexecutivesecretaries,personalassistantsandreceptionists.AnincreasingnumberoffirmssoughtlegalsecretarieswithaudiotypingskillsandfluencyinMandarin.SkillsindemandincludedfluencyinEnglish,CantoneseandMandarin,aswellasadvancedMicrosoftOfficeskills,calendarmanagementandtheabilitytomanagecomplextravelarrangements.Employerswereincreasinglydemandingaboutthepersonalityofthecandidatetheywereconsideringrecruiting.Specifically,theysoughtindividualswhowouldfitinwiththeorganisation.Candidateswerecautiousaboutmovingrolesasmanywereconcernedaboutleavingexistingrelatioshipswiththeirsupervisors.Theywerelesslikelytomovewithinfinancialservicesfirmsbecauseofgeneraleconomicuncertainty.Professionalswhowereseekingnewrolesmotivatedbyahighersalaryandtheseniorityofthelinemanagertheywouldbeworkingfor.Businesssupportstaffwhomadecareermovestypicallyreceivedasalaryincreaseof10-15%.Outlookfor2013Whileemployersarelikelytoremainrelativelyreluctanttorecruitandkeentokeepbudgetslean,therewillbepocketsofhiringincertainareas.ThesewillincludesmallerhedgefundsorassetmanagementfirmsthatconsidersettingupofficesinHongKong,especiallyiftheEurozonecrisiscontinues.Thiswillleadtodemandforofficemanagerswithsetupexperience.WeexpectthatHRbusinesspartners,talentmanagementandcompensationandbenefitsspecialistswillbesought-after.Companieswillbekeentoretainkeytalentwithinamarketwherethevolumeofvacanciesoutstripsthenumberofjobseekers.Professionalswiththesenicheskillsetsarelikelytoreceivesalaryincrementsof20-25%whenmovingjobs.Whilstrecruitmentlevelsinthecommercialsectorsforbusinesssupportemployeeswillnotbehigh,thereshouldbeasteadystreamofrolesavailable.Candidateschangingjobsarelikelytoreceiveincrementsof10-15%.Overall,salarylevelswillremainstableorrisemarginallyinlinewithinflation.