Retail in Asia

In People

Job vacancies in HK retail industry quadruple in 10 years

Hong Kong’s retail industry has been facing a tightening manpower situation in recent years, a new report said on Tuesday.

From 2003 to June 2013, the number of persons engaged in the retail industry increased 27.2 percent from 208,000 to 264,800, according to the Report of Hong Kong Task Force on Manpower Development of the Retail Industry. Over the same period, the number of vacancies has more than quadrupled to about 8,100 in June 2013 and the vacancy rate of the sector stood at a relatively high level of 3 percent.

The first report by the retail industry labour task force set up in March estimates that the retail manpower demand in Hong Kong will grow at an annual rate of 1.4 percent on average from 305,900 in 2010 to 341,900 in 2018, higher than the 1.1 percent average annual growth rate of the economy.

Given the gap in salary level between the retail industry and all industries, the report suggests the retail employers to enhance the compensation package, including the remuneration level and working conditions, to attract and retain staff in the retail sector. It also advises the Retail Industry Training Advisory Committee to work with employers, education and training institutions to promote to the public the progression and continued learning opportunities for retail workers.

To download the full report, click on the PDF attachment.