Based on a survey of 400 senior hiring decision makers including CFOs, Financial Services leaders and CIOs in Singapore, the Robert Half Employment Report provides invaluable insights into the hiring intentions and concerns about staff retention in the first half of 2015. The report also highlights the key challenges that the leaders are facing when finding skilled professionals and profiles business confidence and optimism in Singapore's economic outlook in the first half of 2015. For more information, visit our website: http://www.roberthalf.com.sg/employment-report-h1-2015

1. EMPLOYMENT
MARKET TRENDS
IN SINGAPORE
Robert Half
Employment Report
For First Half of 2015
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

2. ©Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
ABOUT THE REPORT
This bi-annual report provides insights into the hiring plans across finance,
accounting, banking and financial services, and IT for the first half of 2015.
BANKING &
FINANCIAL SERVICES
COMMERCE
& INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

3. For this report, we polled:
OPINIONS THAT MATTER
150 CFOs and finance
hiring decision makers
150 senior financial services leaders
100 CIOs/CTOs
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

4. BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
Employment Trends for

5. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
52% 39%
2% 7%
Adding
permanent positions
Only filling
vacated positions
Forecasting decreases
and reducing headcounts
Freezing
headcounts
BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
Hiring Projections

6. BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
Confidence Levels
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
How optimistic are leaders about their companies’ business growth trajectory in Singapore?
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
96%
An overwhelming 96% of leaders
said they are confident of their
companies’ growth prospects.
Confidence all round
ECONOMIC CONFIDENCE
88%
88% of leaders expressed
confidence in Singapore’s
growth prospects.
Counting on Singapore

7. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
Opportunities abound for
financial services professionals
with the relevant experience this
first half of the year.

8. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
In the first half of 2015, demand is in the favour of
experts with experience in:
BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
Most Sought After Talent
Operations
support
Accounting/
Finance
Risk
Revenue-generating/
Business development
Compliance

9. Challenged to
find skilled talent
100%
All banks and financial services
companies are facing a challenge
finding skilled talent.
Skilled talent in short supply
Concerned about
losing top talent
100%
At the same time, companies are
also concerned with retaining
quality talent.
Retention of talent a priority
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
Hiring Trends

10. COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Employment Trends for

11. COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Hiring Projections
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
53%
Ramping up
permanent hiring
39%
Replacement
2%
Anticipating slowdown
in recruitment
6%
Not taking
any action

12. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
CFOs and finance leaders
are feeling optimistic about
growth, and have confidence in
Singapore’s economic prospects.

13. 89%
©Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
How optimistic are leaders about their companies’ business growth trajectory in Singapore?
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
Nine out of 10 surveyed expressed
that they are confident of business
growth in their companies.
Positivity is in the air
ECONOMIC CONFIDENCE
The same number of respondents
also conveyed confidence in
Singapore’s future growth.
The future looks bright
89%
COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Confidence Levels

14. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
Demand for finance and accounting professionals
is healthy across companies in all sectors, especially
for those with the following skills:
COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Most Sought After Talent
Internal Audit
Business/
Financial analysis
TaxTreasury
Cost accounting
Accounting

15. Challenged to
find skilled talent
94%
Concerned about
losing top talent
89%
With the influx of hiring happening
in early to mid 2015, a major
challenge for companies everywhere
is employing skilled talent.
Skilled talent wanted
Retaining existing employees is
on the minds of employers and
hiring managers too.
Preserving quality talent
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Hiring Trends

16. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Employment Trends for

17. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Hiring Projections
50%
Increasing headcount
of permanent staff
42%
Filling up
vacated positions
2%
Expect a decline
in hiring
6%
Freezing
headcounts

18. 84%
©Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
How optimistic are leaders about their companies’ business growth trajectory in Singapore?
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
95% of CIOs surveyed are
confident of business progress in
their companies.
Good news on the horizon
ECONOMIC CONFIDENCE
Confidence in Singapore is strong
with 84% of CIOs expressing
confidence in economic growth.
Singapore will thrive
95%
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Confidence Levels

19. IT professionals are sought after across companies
in all sectors. Top skills in demand include:
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Most Sought After Talent
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
Security
Software
development
Applications
development
Project
management
Networking
Data/Database
management

20. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
The IT sector has always
been a hotbed for talent,
and this first half of the
year’s no different.

21. Challenged to
find skilled talent
98%
Concerned about
losing top talent
95%
Technology as an industry moves at
breakneck speed so finding the
right fit for the company has been a
concern for 98% of CIOs.
Finding the right fit
A desire to retain existing top staff
have 95% of CIOs losing sleep too.
Retention is key
© 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Hiring Trends

22. © 2015 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
We hope this report has
been useful and invite
you to contact us for
help with any of your
recruitment needs.
For more information, please visit:
roberthalf.com.sg/employment-report-h1-2015