Recruiting in China

Prospects for job seekers on the Chinese mainland are expected to remain favorable in the second quarter of this year, according to the Q2 2013 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released on March 12.

Among the 4,023 interviewed employers, 21 percent expect to increase their staffing levels in the second quarter, while only 3 percent plan to decrease the number of employees. And 41 percent of Chinese employers plan to "wait and see," with no intentions to change hiring levels in the quarter ahead.

The Manpower Group research reveals Chinese employers expect to grow staffing levels in all six industry sectors and all nine regions. Opportunities for job seekers are expected to improve by modest margins for the second consecutive quarter and China's net employment outlook of more than 18 percent is 3 percentage points stronger on a quarterly basis and remains relatively stable year-on-year.

"China's recovery remains on track, but we're not seeing clear signs that the current growth is on solid footing. The momentum of the current labor market is partly driven by increased infrastructure construction," said Zhang Jinrong, managing director of Manpower Group China. "For instance, the Ministry of Railways will invest 650 billion yuan ($104.39 billion) in 2013."

"But we're also seeing other signals that sustainable growth is being aggressively pursued. For instance, many enterprises in the coastal regions continue to search for the skills they need, and many are moving their search inland for management-level talent and technicians," he said. "A moderate recovery brings opportunities for companies to develop business and renew their search for talent. Also, it is probably a good time for companies to recalibrate their human resource practices to cope with the disappearing demographic dividend."

For instance, companies should consider implementing improved training systems and explore ways to increase employees' working productivity to prolong the demographic dividend and drive long-term stable development, he said.

Globally, Manpower Group's hiring confidence index reveals that second-quarter hiring plans are strongest in Brazil, Taiwan, Turkey, India and Panama while those in Italy, Spain, Greece and the Netherlands are the weakest worldwide.

Within the Asia Pacific region, employers in Taiwan report the most aggressive hiring plans while those in Australia have the most cautious.