The country posted an 83-percent activity level, ahead of Indonesia (75 percent), Malaysia (74 percent), Singapore (58 percent), and Thailand (51 percent).
The activity metric reflects both hiring and workforce reductions among employers.
State of hiring:
Across Southeast Asia, 93 percent of companies hired at least one employee in 2024. The Philippines performed even better:
94 percent of PH employers hired candidates.
87 percent hired permanent full-time employees.
49 percent brought in permanent part-time workers.
44 percent onboarded contractual/temporary full-time staff.
26 percent took in contractual/temporary part-timers.
Notably, the Philippines and Indonesia posted the biggest gains in contractual/temporary full-time hiring. Jobstreet attributes this to business expansions, demand for workforce flexibility, and evolving skillset requirements.
“As the job market continues to evolve while remaining resilient, Jobstreet by SEEK stays committed to connecting candidates with hirers and delivering valuable insights like this report that empower hiring managers and assist jobseekers in preparing for better, meaningful opportunities,” said Dannah Majarocon, managing director of Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines.
Layoffs surge too:
Increased workforce mobility came with tradeoffs across the region:
34 percent of companies either laid off employees, downsized, or chose not to replace resignations.
The Philippines and Indonesia had the highest workforce reductions, a trend tied to their greater reliance on flexible staffing.
Singapore and Thailand reported the lowest job cuts.
Still, Jobstreet pointed out that employment growth remained steady in national labor stats, suggesting laid-off workers may have found new roles.
What’s ahead:
As companies look toward 2025, temporary and contract work is poised to grow further:
37 percent of Southeast Asian firms plan to hire more contract/temporary staff.
In the Philippines, that figure jumps to 46 percent for H1 2025 — the highest in the region.
Who's hiring:
Among the most active companies on Jobstreet by SEEK’s platform are Procter & Gamble, Meralco, McDonald’s, Ayala Corp., and SM.
The report gathered insights from over 7,000 HR professionals and employers across the region between September and October 2024. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
