The tenth edition of our annual Hong Kong Employment Outlook analyses Hong Kong’s latest employment trends and explores the prospects of the local talent market for 2026.
This year’s findings are based on insights from our subject matter experts and a survey with Hong Kong business executives and professionals, drawing on the perspectives of 281 business leaders and professionals across a diverse range of sectors.
Conducted between 12 and 25 January 2026, the survey gathered insights from 281 Hong Kong business executives and professionals on employment trends and career opportunities in Hong Kong.
Respondents represented organisations within a wide range of sectors, with 60% headquartered in Hong Kong. Among the respondents, 41% held senior leadership positions (15% C-level and 26% department head or equivalent).
Employers are cautious, amid economic uncertainty, cost pressures, and ongoing automation and restructuring efforts.
22% of respondents expect headcount decreases– a significant rise compared to previous years. Only 19% are expecting increases in headcount, representing the lowest in recent years, and this figure continues to decrease across most sectors, as employers prioritise hires in sales and fee-earning roles, reflecting a focus among employers on revenue generation.
As AI projects move beyond their experimental pilot phases, AI literacy is crucial to remain competitive for employees and organisations alike.
AI adoption is accelerating in Hong Kong, with 24% of organisations widely deploying AI in 2026, three times higher than in 2025. As a result, understanding and applying artificial intelligence has become the most crucial skill for employees across all sectors and seniority levels.
Identifying quality AI solution providers amid a crowded market remains a key challenge for Hong Kong organisations, alongside concerns on data privacy & cybersecurity, limited internal expertise on AI solutions, and aligning AI with existing business processes.
Employees are taking a cautious approach to job hunting.
13% of respondents reported securing new employment in 2025, maintaining a similar level to the last two years across major industries including IT, the public sector, consumer markets and financial services. 75% of those who made a career change also saw a salary increment, up 9% from 2024.
21% of respondents are thinking about changing careers in 2026, down from 28% last year. With 63% respondents who stayed with the same employer seeing a salary increment, the workforce is seen to be adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to finding a new role.
As organisations look overseas for talent, local employees seek stability and engagement.
Overall, 36% of respondents feel comfortable to continue working for their current employer. Employee intention to stay is increasing within consumer markets (57%) and financial services (41%), whereas retention in the public sector may wane (21%).
Since 2023, compensation package, career progression, and work flexibility have remained the top drivers for employees who intend to switch jobs. With rising workloads and pressure from workforce reductions and role consolidation, junior staff are prioritising a convenient work location over organisational culture.
Work flexibility, career progression, and job satisfaction continue to stand out as the top three non-monetary factors that employees prioritise when considering new opportunities. However, job satisfaction has seen a significant decline, dropping from 47% last year to just 38% this year.
This report explores shifting employee priorities, highlights the growing emphasis on work flexibility, stability, and work-life balance, and provides employers with actionable insights to better attract talent in a ever-competitive market.
While hiring the right talent remains a challenge, only 3% described the current conditions as “extremely challenging”, a significant drop from 11% in 2025, as organisations pivot to strategically seeking overseas talent to address skill gaps, especially in sales & marketing, technology/IT, operations & supply chain, and research & development.
Our report analyses these evolving priorities and provides employers with actionable insights to better attract, integrate, and retain high-calibre talent to support international expansion and align with Hong Kong’s focus on innovation and global competitiveness.
With rising medical costs, organisations face pressure to manage increasing employee expectations.
40% of respondents from C-level, department head level, or HR expect their organisations to make changes to benefits offered to staff in 2026, with nearly a third planning to enhance or rebalance benefits, in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the market.
This report dives into the easily-overlooked tax implications that such medical or retirement solutions offered in the market may have amid uncertain economic environment and cost pressures.
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