30% of Hong Kong companies expect to hire more staff in second quarter: survey

ManpowerGroup Greater China also finds city’s net employment outlook index for second quarter is 11 per cent, compared with 25 per cent globally

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Residents check for job opportunities at a career fair in Tsuen Wan. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 3:12pm, 19 Mar 2025Updated: 3:47pm, 19 Mar 2025

Nearly one-third of Hong Kong companies expect to hire more people in the next three months, while the transport, logistics and automotive industry is likely to cut staff amid the recent trade war and geopolitical tensions, a survey has found.

Human resources solutions company ManpowerGroup Greater China shared its findings on Wednesday after surveying 525 Hong Kong businesses in January.

According to the survey, about 30 per cent of businesses planned to hire more staff in the second quarter of this year. Another 19 per cent anticipated a headcount reduction and around 50 per cent of polled companies forecast no change.

ManpowerGroup also calculated Hong Kong’s net employment outlook index for the second quarter of 2025 at 11 per cent, lower than the global level of 25 per cent.

The figure is calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity from the percentage anticipating an increase.

Hong Kong’s transport, logistics and automotive sector was the only industry with a negative net employment outlook index between April and June, meaning companies in the field are more likely to cut staff than hire more people.