The Thai job market is expected to be stable next year, with senior-level candidates still in high demand, according to Robert Walters Thailand, a recruitment consultancy.
Executives are wanted because many people in these positions are expected to retire soon, said Punyanuch Sirisawadwattana, country manager of Robert Walters Thailand.
"Every business sector has high demand for mid-senior candidates," she said.
Ms Punyanuch did not provide an outlook for lower-level workers, as the company mainly targets middle- to high-level employees.
Robert Walters Thailand recently published its 2025 Salary Survey, providing insights into developments in the labour market and salary structures next year.
Conducted in September 2024, the survey gathered input from 500 professionals and companies in Thailand on hiring, salary expectations, and talent retention for the upcoming year.
In addition to salary, job seekers considered bonus schemes, flexible working hours and remote working arrangements, and extended health insurance benefits as essential remunerations, the report showed.
"Professionals value excellent compensation and benefits, inspiring colleagues and company culture, and flexible working arrangements with the employer," Ms Punyanuch said.
According to the client sentiment in the country, the biggest challenge in sourcing talent is salary and high benefits expectations, followed by a lack of candidates and lack of industry experience.
The report found that 70% of talented individuals expect a pay rise in 2025.
For those securing positions that require training or elements of onboarding, the rise is likely to be up to 15%, according to the survey.
Employees who remain in their current positions should anticipate pay growth of 2-4% in 2025.
With talent attraction being increasingly competitive, and employees seeking to change jobs in 2025, companies are not only putting resources into higher salaries but also investing in retention and employee engagement.
The study also found Thailand has job title inflation, a practice where companies offer inflated or exaggerated job titles that may not accurately reflect the position's responsibilities, seniority or salary.
"Some companies think job seekers are looking for a high position, so they devise inflated titles such as manager even though the position has no personnel under their supervision," said Ms Punyanuch.
According to the report, 36% of young employees expected to be promoted within 18 months of working in the company, and 49% of companies said they have inflated the job title before and believe it works.
Even though high job titles may be attractive to employees, workers believe that leading a team and accomplishing a project is what truly reflects seniority.