Hays has released the 2025 Hays Asia Salary Guide based on a survey of 8,790 skilled professionals and 3,670 employers from Malaysia, China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.
The guide compiles salary overviews based on real data contributed by working professionals and experts across 15 different specialisms including engineering, life sciences and technology. The guide also analyses labour market trends such as staffing levels, job mobility insights and top Employee Value Propositions across Asia.
The guide shows 2024 marked a year of uncertainty, during which organisations had to balance a need to streamline headcounts with ongoing skill shortages brought about by disruptive technology such as AI and automation. As of this survey, confidence levels among working professionals and leaders in Asia remain cautious, with 41 per cent of respondents expressing pessimism over the economic climate for the next two to five years.
Sentiments around future economic growth were most negative in China (63 per cent) followed by Japan (56 per cent) and Hong Kong (41 per cent). In contrast, Southeast Asia showed higher levels of optimism, led by Malaysia (30 per cent) and followed by Thailand (27 per cent) and Singapore (22 per cent).
Even so, headcount projections show a modest increase, with 46 per cent of organisations in Asia planning to grow their workforce in 2025, compared to 44 per cent in 2024. This increase was most prevalent in Japan, with 56 per cent of organisations expecting to increase headcount this year – a 10 per cent increase from 2024.
This comes in response to increasing concern over critical skill gaps within the workforce. 62 per cent of organisations in Asia experienced moderate to extreme skill shortages in 2024. Of these, Japan and Thailand both faced the most trouble with talent deficits (71 per cent).
“Businesses are signalling a willingness to address these shortages this year; 27 per cent of organisations chose employee recruitment as a HR investment focus in 2025,” said Marc Burrage, Managing Director for Hays Asia. “A further 32 per cent were committed to improving employee retention, underlining a need to reduce lost knowledge, hiring expenses and missed revenue opportunities.”
According to Hays, organisations have cause to be concerned over turnover. While the economic downturn of 2024 saw more working professionals prioritising job security, that sentiment has shifted for 2025. 62 per cent of professionals in Malaysia are looking, or are planning to look for a new job this year, over double the number of professionals who switched jobs in 2024 (24 per cent).
Professionals in Malaysia displayed among the highest desire to switch careers within Asia, surpassed only by Japan (66 per cent) and followed closely by Thailand (61 per cent). Intentions to change jobs among professionals across Asia average out at 55 per cent, over double last year’s rate (25 per cent).
When pressed on their reasons to leave, 43 per cent of professionals in Asia highlighted a lack of future opportunities at their current workplace, up from 35 per cent in 2024. These were followed by a lack of job security (22 per cent), low salary (15 per cent), a desire for greater challenges in their roles (15 per cent) and poor work-life balance (15 per cent).
“Working professionals in Asia are more motivated than ever to find upward mobility in their careers. Leaders need to rethink their approach to leadership pipelines, upskilling programs, and internal mobility, ensuring they offer clear pathways to advancement that today’s workforce demands,” said Marc.
Working professionals in Malaysia were in the top percentile for salary increments in 2024, with 73 per cent having received a raise, just behind Thailand (80 per cent). And while increments are generally followed by increased responsibility, professionals in Malaysia seem to be affected the most.
According to the survey, 58 per cent of professionals in Malaysia saw their workload or scope of responsibilities increasing as a result of higher remuneration. In comparison, only 53 per cent of professionals in Thailand and Singapore perceived the same increase, while professionals in Japan saw the fewest increases in workload (31 per cent).
“47 per cent of professionals in Malaysia do not believe their pay is aligned with their responsibilities, the highest in Asia,” said Marc. “Organisations may wish to conduct salary reviews, align pay structures with the evolving responsibilities and contributions and ensure these processes are communicated transparently to employees.”
