The human resources sector in Singapore shows measured optimism heading into 2025, with organisations maintaining steady hiring momentum from the previous year. While employers demonstrate cautious optimism about economic growth, recruitment activities in the first half will primarily focus on replacement roles within HR teams.
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industries and key trends influencing human resources in 2025
The industry continues to evolve with significant structural changes across the region. International banks are increasingly relocating HR functions to regional markets such as Malaysia, the Philippines and India, leveraging diverse talent pools and optimising operational costs. This shift aligns with a broader trend of consolidating country-specific teams into regional functions, though organisations often prioritise talent from other markets before Singapore for these value-added regional roles.
Driven by digital transformation and changing priorities, the technology industry has experienced significant rightsizing since 2023, leading to leaner human resources teams. This has driven greater demand for contract professionals to support specific projects including recruitment drives and employee retention strategy development.
The evolution of HR priorities has shifted focus areas within the sector. While traditional specialisations like employee relations as well as diversity and inclusion see reduced demand, organisations are strengthening their operational capabilities in areas such as payroll management. HR generalists and operations professionals remain highly sought after for their versatility and transferable soft skills in managing cross-functional responsibilities.
A noteworthy trend emerges in smaller organisations with fewer than 300 employees, where investment in learning and development capabilities continues to grow. These roles focus on building workforce resilience through targeted training programmes, particularly in support of digital transformation initiatives.
talent expectations and salary trends in 2025
Candidates searching for new job opportunities increasingly prioritise organisational culture and management styles that align with their personal values.
HR professionals, particularly those in middle to senior management, demonstrate a stronger focus on job security in the current market. These experienced workers are being more selective in career moves, typically considering new opportunities only when faced with significant workplace challenges or job satisfaction issues.
In contrast, younger HR professionals, especially Gen Z workers, show greater appetite for career mobility. For employers looking to attract this younger pool of talent, being willing to invest in training and development programmes will cater to their strong desire for diverse workplace experiences and growth development.
Workplace flexibility continues to influence talent attraction, with flexible work arrangements remaining a key consideration for candidates. Organisations offering hybrid arrangements, particularly a minimum of two days working from home for suitable roles, are better positioned to attract skilled talent.
Salary expectations have notably decreased since their peak in 2021, with candidates now anticipating a competitive salary increment of 10% to 15% when switching employers. This shift reflects a broader anticipation of the economic conditions and general hiring appetite in the industry.
hiring expectations for human resources talent in singapore
In the current cautious labour market, many job seekers are willing to explore opportunities in different industries. However, hiring managers still prefer candidates with prior experience in the same or similar fields, as familiarity with industry processes and requirements are essential skills to have.
When hiring, employers typically seek candidates with strong written and verbal communication skills, which are critical for business partnering and stakeholder management.
In addition to technical knowledge and relevant experience, hiring managers are assessing candidates’ personality fit. Employers often favour talent who are grounded and experienced, as these traits contribute to a positive workplace culture.
download singapore’s 2025 human resources job market outlook and salary guide report
From generalist HR to learning and development; compensation and benefits to organisational development, learn more about employers’ hiring expectations and salary ranges for human resources roles and other key industries in Singapore in our annual report.
Randstad’s 2025 Job Market Outlook and Salary Guide examines key talent expectations as well as current industry trends and salary benchmarks in the following industries:
- Accounting and finance
- Banking and financial services
- Insurance
- Legal
- Manufacturing
- Sales and marketing
- Supply chain
- Technology
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