NEWS
Robert Walters Thailand Salary Survey 2011
Local salary levels on the rise -- increased hiring activity and war for talent
28 April 2011

Bangkok | The Robert Walters Thailand Salary Survey 2011 found that the FMCG, banking and trading sectors were responsible for some of the most significant increases in recruitment activity within the Thailand market.

"Following strong recovery from the global financial crisis, Robert Walters experienced high levels of activity in the Thailand recruitment market, especially within the banking and finance sectors, as they looked to fill roles that were made redundant or put on hold during the crisis," James Vessey, Country Manager of Robert Walters Thailand said. "As the demand for talent remains strong, Robert Walters anticipates salaries to continue rising in 2011."

"Experienced English-speaking professionals will be invaluable to organisations in Thailand. Experienced candidates with niche skill sets who are looking to switch jobs should be able to command salary rises of approximately 20-30% due to the limited talent pool. Competition for top talent is expected to continue and companies will be placing increased emphasis on employee retention strategies."

Compiled by a dedicated research division, the Survey is based on the analysis of permanent, interim and contract placements made across each of the Group's geographies and recruitment disciplines during 2010. In its 12th year, the Survey is the most comprehensive review of global recruitment market conditions and salary levels available.

Some of the top regional findings from the Survey include:

Singapore: In the midst of abundant job opportunities, the Singapore market again experienced a war for talent and companies struggled to retain their top employees. While a number of professionals moved off-shore to take advantage of market growth in mainland China and Hong Kong, the local talent pool remained intact. This was mainly due to an influx of professionals from Asia, Australia and Europe as well as Singapore nationals who returned to the country.

Malaysia: Hiring activity increased at the start of 2010 and maintained throughout the year. Robert Walters anticipates a surge in recruitment activity due to a number of state and government-initiated projects being implemented. There is a large emphasis on tourism and infrastructure development as the country seeks to continue attracting foreign companies to establish hubs and especially shared services operations in Malaysia.

Mainland China: Recruitment activity increased in the first half of 2010 and peaked between April and June, before maintaining this momentum during the second half of the year. Salary rises are likely to be around 10% across various industries and roles in mainland China, while top-tier candidates may be able to command increases of approximately 15-30%.

Hong Kong: Robert Walters saw greater demand for middle management roles as organisations sought talent with the ability to add value to their organisations, gain market share or differentiate their businesses from competitors. Robert Walters also anticipates a higher demand for revenue-generating roles within the financial services and commercial industries, as well as marketing positions to help organisations differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Sector-specific findings for Thailand include:

Accounting & Finance

Senior English-speaking finance and accounting professionals with good audit skills and CPA certifications will be in demand. Robert Walters also expects those with managerial, internal audit and financial analysis skills to be highly sought-after.

The FMCG, IT and pharmaceutical sectors are likely to continue to hire due to increased competition among businesses in these sectors, which will lead to a higher demand for talented candidates at the junior level.
Salary rises for candidates who move on to new roles are likely to range between 10-15% for the majority of candidates, with those who possess more niche skills commanding increases of 20-25% in their total compensation package.

Banking & Financial Services

Robert Walters anticipates a demand for business development, strategic planning, process improvement and IT professionals, due to ongoing innovative system improvements.
Salary rises for candidates who stay in their existing roles will most likely range between 8-15%. Candidates who move on to new roles can expect to receive a salary increase of 20-30% due to the limited talent pool.

Human Resources

HR professionals who specialise in compensation and benefits and organisational development will continue to be highly sought-after as competition for talent intensifies due to business growth and the improving economy.
Robert Walters anticipates the FMCG, banking and trading sectors to be particularly strong recruiters.

Experienced English-speaking HR professionals with a consulting background will be invaluable to organisations in Thailand. Skilled and experienced candidates should be able to command salary rises of approximately 20-30%, including additional benefits that make up their total compensation package.

Information Technology

Robert Walters expects to see most recruitment take place across the banking, IT services, telecommunications and tourism sectors in 2011.

Project management skills are expected to be the most sought-after to cater for projects implemented as part of continued expansion plans.

Thailand lags behind in technology compared to other developed countries in the region, and key skills which are in high demand will continue to command a huge salary increase or premium.

Sales & Marketing

Robert Walters expects strong demand for marketing (including digital marketing) and managerial sales candidates. Export manufacturing is the single fastest growing sector in the Thai economy and this will further fuel the demand for skilled and savvy sales engineers.

With an increasing number of people accessing digital platforms, Thai organisations are likely to develop more marketing channels to reach out to their end customers. As such, candidates with digital marketing experience are growing in demand.

Robert Walters also expects sectors such as FMCG, chemicals, manufacturing, IT services and electronics to continue hiring as a result of business growth.

Source : Robert Walters