More Hong Kong employers have opted to hire contract workers in recent years, a leading recruitment consultancy firm has said, pointing to an economic slowdown and uncertain conditions as driving factors.
Vivian Tsang Yuen-wa, associate director of tech and transformation at Robert Walters, said in a recent interview that she believed contracting could provide a solution to the manpower shortages seen in some sectors and the city’s rising unemployment levels.
According to the Robert Walters Hong Kong Contractor Pay Guide 2025, released on September 18, 64 per cent of 400 employers polled planned to hire contract workers during the year, up from 62 per cent recorded in 2024.
“If you make a comparison to the past three to four years, then there are more and more employers that are considering hiring contractors,” Tsang said, adding the trend was mostly due to the current economic slowdown and uncertainty.
“I think contractors do provide a lot of agility for employers in their workforce planning. When it comes to economic instability, I think it is more difficult for clients to get headcounts for full-time permanent staff, especially for multinational conglomerates and investment banks.”
The flexibility of contract workers made it easier for companies to scale up or down their operations, she said.