Demand for experienced candidates with third language proficiency as more companies move into the Eastern Seaboard
In 2023, more multinational companies expanded into the Eastern Seaboard by setting up new plants. The year also saw significant relocation of production and manufacturing facilities from China to Thailand, notes Rungnapa Charoenrungsiri, Senior Manager of the Human Resources division, Bangkok and Eastern Seaboard at Robert Walters Thailand.
“This has led to a demand for candidates with ‘plug and play’ skillsets, as companies seek out talent who can pitch in immediately. On top of that, there’s been a rise in demand for talent with Chinese proficiency,” says Rungnapa. “These candidates can typically command higher salaries and offers.”
Read on to find out more about Rungnapa’s expectations of the labour market and hiring trends for Human Resources professionals in Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard in 2024.
Diversity, language skills to influence hiring
In 2024, Rungnapa foresees that companies will continue to look to diversity as one of the key targets in hiring. This, combined with the need for talent with the right experience and language proficiency, is expected to stretch out hiring timelines.
“Companies will need time to find candidates with the right skillsets and diversity. Furthermore, most candidates with third language proficiency tend to be junior candidates with less than five years of experience, so companies may have to choose between experience or language ability when filling a position,” she discloses.
Demand for business partnering, tech and employee relations skills
In the year ahead, Rungnapa believes more plants will be established on the Eastern Seaboard as multinational companies continue to expand in the region. More companies are also adopting new technologies and automation, so there will be increased pressure on candidates to upskill as companies eventually adjust their organisational structure.
“Unions have also become more cooperative, so companies will likely place a stronger emphasis on engaging with unions through strategic communication,” adds Rungnapa.
The most in-demand roles for 2024 are HR managers, employee relations managers and assistant managers or supervisors for recruitment. Candidates with skillsets in HR business partnering, human resources information system (HRIS) and data analysis, and employee relations communication will be highly sought after.
Keep candidates happy and proud of the company
Candidates who accept offers in the Eastern Seaboard are aware that they are typically signing on for longer stints, due to the need to stay and travel in the region. Therefore, Rungnapa notes that candidates here tend to prioritise location, work culture, management style and benefits. “Human Resources candidates tend to have strong integrity, and most of them want to work with companies that share the same values,” she elaborates.
“We’ve often heard from candidates that they are not looking to move jobs because they are happy with their company’s culture, and they have opportunities internally to grow and advance their careers. Some of them also feel their salaries are competitive against market rates, so they are proud of what they have and are committed to the company,” Rungnapa divulges.
As such, she advises that companies continue to focus on developing a positive culture, providing competitive compensation and internal career development opportunities to attract and retain talent in 2024.
Salaries to rise reasonably
Candidates in the Eastern Seaboard prioritise location and work-life balance, so Rungnapa comments that candidates based here are open to negotiating on salaries if they are given the option to work near their homes or families.
“As such, candidate expectations here are fairly reasonable, with increments coming in at around 10 – 20%,” she notes.
Find out more
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