POLL
Skills shortages are an ongoing challenge for Asian nations, as for most countries around the world. The majority of employers (94%) report that shortages potentially could hamper their operations. Some 45% of the employers polled, up from 38% last year, said the shortages would affect them “without a doubt”. However, 68% are willing to hire or sponsor qualified overseas candidates in skill-short areas, while 52% said they have used flexible staffing approaches over the past 12 months. In response to talent mismatches and skills shortages, employers are looking for increasingly flexible solutions to their workforce needs by using contract workers. As it becomes harder to obtain approval to employ greater numbers of permanent staff, reliance is growing on the use of contract staff. Basil Le Roux, managing director of Michael Page Japan, revealed that contract employees account for approximately 30% of the Japanese workforce and that, within gaishikei, they are increasingly being recognised as an important source of candidates. Jonathan Sampson, regional director of Hays in Japan, said: “Last year, we saw more than half our client employers use temporary staff, while almost a quarter of those responding to its survey were using contract staff on an ongoing basis”. In turn, Robert Walters found in its survey that mobile technology and online gaming firms were quick to recruit hands-on developers to complete projects on schedule. When comparing employees at global firms with those at domestic organisations, the recruitment firm found
Contract employees account for approximately 30% of the Japanese workforce. Basil Le Roux
that wages at Japanese firms tend to reflect employee tenure. Moreover, the trend towards globalisation has resulted in a growing number of these enterprises shifting to a Western business model based on performance. Expat packages are largely disappearing, according to Hays. Instead, employers are offering local packages that include different incentives, such as career advancement opportunities and broader responsibility. Global firms, meanwhile, may offer a wider range of benefits, in order to accommodate a more diverse workforce. In the nearly two years since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Hays has seen the job market in most sectors return to pre-disaster levels. However, because many foreigners did not come back to Japan after having departed in the wake of the triple disaster, the dearth of talent has grown. This has led to an increased effort to attract Japanese expats back to Japan, so
“Last year, we saw more than half our client employers use temporary staff”. Jonathan Sampson
that they might add their international experience to the push for growth and help offset the shortage of specialist staff. Firms in Japan are also being forced to look for solutions besides raising salaries. The results of the Robert Walters survey show that the healthcare sector was another area of strong activity in Tokyo and Kansai. Government relations concerning medical devices led to consistently high demand for experienced regulatory affairs and quality assurance professionals. However, firms faced strong competition for qualified workers as experienced professionals often received multiple job offers. As Asian markets continue to outperform those of some Western countries, Hays’ Jonathan Sampson is optimistic about the outlook for the remainder of 2013. He expects the market in Japan to continue to be extremely strong for qualified professionals across all sectors, with demand exceeding supply in many. In addition, employers will need to be creative in attracting the right resources to ensure their business operations are unaffected. Further, Michael Page believes that the job market here will remain buoyant, with Japanese firms increasingly looking abroad for bilingual candidates as well as the global economic conditions gradually improving. For the complete surveys, please visit: www.hays.co.jp/en/salary-guide/index.htm (Hays) www.michaelpage.co.jp/ salaryandemploymentforecast (Michael Page) www.robertwalters-japan.com/salarysurvey (Robert Walters)
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