Hiring in Sales & Marketing (Healthcare): Dynamic market driven by an aging population, digital push, and preventive care

The healthcare industry entered new stages of development, and demographic changes, consumer behavioural shifts, and the deployment of digital transformation projects contributed substantially to hiring volumes in 2025.

Thailand officially transitioned into a ‘super-aged society’ as the elderly population surpassed the youth population. Investors capitalised on this change, which led to the rapid expansion of hospitals, elderly care businesses and senior wellness services. From what Natiya Saul has seen, the labour market saw healthy competition for talent with both clinical and tech expertise – especially for senior leadership roles.

“Hospitals, wellness centers, and aesthetic businesses all sought more talent,” adds the Director at Robert Walters Thailand.

Demand also grew in segments supporting expansion and specialised services.

Another area that saw considerable growth was the preventive wellness and aesthetic sector, which benefited from mid- to high-income consumers. Competition for talent here has intensified, particularly for experienced senior management candidates.

Read on to find out more about the labour market and hiring trends for Thailand’s Sales & Marketing professionals in 2026, specifically within the healthcare sector.

Ageing population, preventive care shapes hiring

The existing trends in the hiring market are expected to persist in 2026, with Natiya explaining, “These macro trends are not short-term fluctuations, but part of a structural transformation in Thailand’s healthcare ecosystem.”

In the year ahead, businesses will continue to integrate AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics into healthcare. As the population gets older, there will also be sustained investment into elder care infrastructure and the necessary workforce to support it. Preventive and personalised wellness is expected to go mainstream, leading to the creation of new roles and a need for interdisciplinary talent. To cope with these changes, employers will put in more effort on upskilling, diversity and flexible work policies to build the workforce they need.

In hiring, demand is expected to be high for experienced, or senior-level talent across multiple domains. Many organisations are already on the hunt for tech-savvy healthcare executives, while the aging and wellness care space needs candidates who can demonstrate strategic leadership. Remote or hybrid work models will become increasingly commonplace for senior professionals, especially in private hospitals and multinational medtech firms.

Top skills and positions in demand

Roles that will see the most hiring activity on the market in 2026 are business unit leads, product managers and strategic key account managers. The most in-demand skills are agility, stakeholder engagement, and the ability to use AI for data analytics and interpretation.

“While AI will replace some positions that skew heavily towards data support and analysis, human skills are still the most important differentiator within commercial practice. The ability to make decisions, engage others, and form relationships is still what matters most in business,” relates Natiya. 

The nature of work will change for many industry professionals, so learning how to use AI to enhance work output is advised.

Clinical data managers, for example, will be able to clean, analyse and visualise clinical trial data more quickly and reliably. Field-based medical sales representatives will start to use AI-driven customer relationship management (CRM) systems and virtual engagement platforms, reducing the need for certain in-person visits. Meanwhile, regulatory documentation and compliance analysts can use AI to automate and improve accuracy for document reviews, regulatory submissions and compliance tracking.

Be clear about expectations in hiring

More candidates are expected to stay put as recent industry layoffs have shaken confidence. Job movers will cling to the familiar, pulling back from offers due to cold feet and taking up counteroffers from existing firms. At the same time, businesses will also dole out fewer counteroffers to retain talent.

Job stability is thus the biggest lever for companies looking to retain talent in this time. A strong product pipeline and enticing career development pathways also help employees feel engaged and eager to stay on. Lastly, compensation also supports retention.

For companies looking to attract talent in the coming year, Natiya highlights the importance of clearly defining the job and its expectations. She states, “The hiring team should be aligned on all key performance indicators, but it’s just as essential to be clear on any business expectations that are outside of, or beyond the job description.”

Once the job description is in place, companies should reference market intelligence reports or consult with experts to allocate hiring budgets as is relevant by market standards. If compensation packages are strong to start, less negotiation is needed, which streamlines hiring processes and increases odds of being first to secure preferred candidates.

When evaluating candidates, Natiya recommends hiring based on potential, sharing,  “Look for talent with skills across multiple domains and functions. Chances are, they are highly agile and can adapt fast to meet what’s required of the role.”

Wage growth dips slightly

Salaries are expected to go up in 2026, though at slightly lower rates than before. Job movers will find increments falling between 20 – 25%.

This comes as companies focus more on retention and fill fewer vacant positions. Furthermore, employers will likely allocate more headcount and budget towards junior-level roles than senior-level positions.

Find out more

Request access to our 2026 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends in the Sales & Marketing industry in Thailand.