In mid-2025, leaders, founders, and global teams in the human resources space are facing a workforce landscape shaped by multiple competing forces, including the normalization of remote work, economic caution, accelerated technology, and shifting employee expectations.
This report aims to take a closer look at the dynamics of the international recruitment market, covering where top remote talent is moving, which skills are paying better salaries, how layoffs are reshaping team structures, and what opportunities exist in an uncertain environment.
The current situation differs not only in the “phenomenon itself” but also in the “underlying causes”. This is no longer merely an issue of adapting to the post-pandemic era, but rather requires making wise and forward-looking decisions under the new global normal. In this process, flexibility, trust, and AI literacy have become fundamental prerequisites.
Based on the latest market data, expert analysis and emerging workforce trends, this report aims to help global employers understand where the market is going and guide them to stay ahead of the curve.
- “Human-machine collaboration”: AI fully assists job seekers to get offers more efficiently
By 2025, artificial intelligence has moved from the conceptual level to the practical field, and officially become an indispensable “intelligent assistant” for contemporary job seekers. It acts as an “efficiency engine” and “strategic brain” behind job seekers, significantly improving efficiency and comprehensively empowering individual competitiveness.
AI tools can scan massive recruitment websites, corporate websites and industry databases in an instant, accurately match the target positions, skills and experience of job seekers, filter out irrelevant information, and compress the job search work, which would take days, to minutes.
AI-powered resume optimization tools leverage semantic analysis to intelligently evaluate job fit, offering keyword optimization suggestions, content restructuring plans, and achievement quantification guidance. They even generate customized resume versions and cover letter drafts tailored to specific role requirements, significantly boosting application success rates and making your “golden ticket” more impactful.
Advanced AI tools can integrate market salary data, benefits packages, and company reviews to help job seekers evaluate offer competitiveness and provide negotiation strategy recommendations. Additionally, by analyzing individual backgrounds and career goals, AI assists in career path planning and opportunity assessment, enabling more data-driven and rational decision-making.
- Skill orientation: Focus more on the key competencies of employees, rather than academic qualifications and seniority
With the proliferation of degrees and the fading of the halo, companies are gradually shifting from valuing degrees to “skills-based hiring”.
Many enterprises are prioritizing skilled professionals in critical roles across AI, supply chain, and manufacturing sectors, aligning talent recruitment with business transformation goals. In AI-intensive positions, the demand for formal degrees has decreased by 7%-9% (2019-2024), replaced by micro-certifications and hands-on competencies. Forty percent of Hong Kong companies plan to enhance Learning & Development (L&D) programs by 2025 to upgrade existing talent skills and redevelop internal competencies. Meanwhile, cross-functional hiring is gaining momentum, allowing employees to acquire diverse skills through lateral transfers, with “wavy career paths” (Squiggly Careers) replacing traditional ladder-based promotions.
However, 73% of enterprises struggle to accurately define “key skills”, particularly in emerging fields like AI and cloud computing. Therefore, companies need to establish clear definitions for these essential competencies, starting with roles that drive transformative change and identifying the required skills for those positions. When skill gaps are identified, organizations can either enhance existing employees’ capabilities or recruit new talent with the necessary expertise.
In addition, companies are advised to build dynamic skill databases (such as the Eightfold AI platform) that integrate recruitment and internal mobility systems, prioritizing candidates’ “transferable skills” (such as complex problem solving).
- Restructuring of Employee Value Proposition (EVP): Authenticity is competitiveness
Job seekers no longer blindly trust corporate marketing claims but actively verify commitments. While compelling Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) remain crucial for attracting top talent, many companies fail to deliver on their promises, leaving potential candidates wary of companies that talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Trust issues are widespread, with 34% of new hires departing within six months after joining due to unfulfilled EVP commitments – such as nominal flexible work arrangements. By 2025, organizations must ensure EVP authenticity through data-driven candidate/employee experience tracking and customized EVP implementations to honor their promises.
It is equally important to address employees’ individualized needs. Since different staff members have varying requirements and expectations for Executive Vice President (EVP) roles, companies should develop tailored work experiences based on employee profiles, such as flexible working hours and compensation structures, to meet diverse demands. For instance, Hong Kong job seekers prioritize: bonus benefits (80%), medical insurance (75%), and flexible work arrangements (73%).
Companies are advised to showcase corporate culture through employee storytelling videos and real workplace scenarios (e.g., Spotify’s “Day in the Life” column). Implement Executive Vice President (EVP) policies throughout the entire recruitment and onboarding process, such as incorporating hybrid work policies into employment contracts. Additionally, conduct annual EVP audits (integrating employee feedback and external reputation) to translate cultural values into measurable behavioral standards (e.g., “Remote work ≥3 days per week”).
- Hybrid work mode: Enter the “Hybrid 360” era
Hybrid work is no longer limited to location choices, but has evolved into a framework for all-dimensional flexibility. “Remote-first” is no longer a trend, but the norm. Candidates now see location flexibility as a basic requirement, not an extra perk. 73% of job seekers prefer hybrid or remote positions.
Currently, 76% of enterprises have adopted hybrid work models. The “return to office” policy in 2024 has led to 43% of tech professionals voluntarily leaving their positions. Hybrid work arrangements are no longer confined to the binary discussion of “home-based vs. office” work models, but now encompass dimensions such as working hours, compensation, and organizational structure, aligning with the diversified needs of future workplaces. Companies must provide flexible work arrangements to attract and retain talent.
Enterprises should avoid rigid hybrid work policies, otherwise it may lead to brain drain. At the same time, enterprises should also pay attention to the potential challenges of hybrid work mode to team collaboration and corporate culture cohesion, and take corresponding measures to solve them.
It is recommended that enterprises adopt the window working method: arrange work according to individual efficient hours (for example, night people choose the core period of 19:00-23:00); or adopt the four-day working system: some pilot enterprises report that the efficiency of employees in the four-day working system can generally increase by 28%.
- Employment growth and decline trend from 2025 to 2030
According to the World Economic Forum’s projections, structural transformations are expected to drive net employment growth of 7% (78 million jobs) between 2025 and 2030, with new positions accounting for 14% (170 million) and displaced jobs representing 8% (92 million).
In terms of job growth: The technology sector (big data, fintech, AI/machine learning, software development) and green transition-related roles show the most significant percentage increases. Frontline positions (farm workers, delivery drivers, construction laborers, sales personnel), nursing (caregiving, social work), and education (teaching) will see the largest absolute growth.
Regarding job declines: Document/secretarial roles (cashiers, administrative assistants) face the most notable absolute reduction, while postal workers, bank tellers, and data entry specialists experience the fastest percentage decreases.
Skill instability has emerged as a major concern: By 2030,39% of workers are projected to have their existing skills altered or phased out. The fastest-growing competencies include artificial intelligence/big data, cybersecurity, technical literacy, creative thinking, and curiosity/lifelong learning. Skill gaps are seen as the biggest obstacle to corporate transformation. By 2030,59% of the workforce will require training, yet many may lack access to such opportunities, jeopardizing their career prospects.
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“The future belongs to organizations that view talent strategy as a continuous evolution process (rather than a fixed plan).” —— Guanghui International 2025 Talent Trends Report
Data source depth: integrated Korn Ferry, PwC, Robert Walters and other institutions 2025 trend report.