With the competitive job market gearing up for 2025, both employers and employees are reassessing their priorities and expectations, leading to significant shifts in the recruitment process. It's no secret—one of the top factors influencing job choices remains salary, but workers are also voicing greater demands for other benefits.
Nguyễn Thanh Sơn, Human Resources Manager at B.L. Harbert International, notes from years of recruitment experience, “Each worker has their own goals, and aiming for higher income is completely normal.” Yet he emphasizes the importance of workers aligning their expectations with their skillsets and the nature of the positions they seek.
Pushing against the backdrop of rising living costs, Salaries are expected to range widely depending on the industry, with workers expressing desired monthly salary brackets between 7 and 15 million VND based on specific roles and responsibilities. For general labor or temporary positions, this figure tends to hover around 5-8 million VND.
Vũ Quang Thành, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Employment Service Center, explains, “Workers with specialized skills, particularly in IT or finance, are typically seeking salaries ranging from 10-20 million VND, contingent on their capabilities and job requirements.”
According to the recently released Labor Market Report 2025 by Navigos Group, Vietnamese workers overwhelmingly prioritize salary, career advancement, and work-life balance when considering new job opportunities. “A staggering 78.92% of surveyed employees indicated salary as their top priority,” the report revealed.
Understanding these priorities is key for employers. With today's competitive job market, companies need to understand unique demands of each labor segment. Aligning recruitment strategies with these insights will offer businesses the edge required to attract and retain top talent.
Interestingly, this salary focus is accompanied by growing desires for job satisfaction, stability, and opportunities for professional development. Factors such as company culture and opportunities for career growth are increasingly becoming important. “Workers are not only searching for high salaries but also for environments conducive to personal growth and recognition of their efforts,” says Nguyễn Thu Trang, Brand Director at ManpowerGroup Vietnam.
This sentiment reflects the broader trend of returning to the basics when selecting jobs—workers are eager to find roles offering clear career paths and stability.
The shift has led many companies to reassess their compensation packages and the additional benefits they offer. To attract talent, employers are advised to provide varied employee benefits, such as high-quality health insurance and career coaching sessions, enhancing their appeal to job seekers.
Thành highlights the importance of ensuring job compensation meets realistic expectations; “Many companies are eager to pay salaries commensurate with skills and demonstrated job performance,” he concludes.
Further, hiring professionals like Vũ Thị Thùy from Viettel Post, note the expectations of workers extend beyond salary: most potential employees are looking for local job opportunities, clear paths for promotion, and reasonable working conditions.
This emphasis on job security and advancement opportunities is not unfounded—many workers are still reeling from the economic instability caused by the pandemic. The demand for higher wages largely anchors on basic financial needs and rising living costs, positioning salary as the cornerstone of job satisfaction.
Navigos Group's findings not only accentuate this trend but also delineate how environmental factors and corporate rewards contribute to worker satisfaction. For the future, companies may need to innovate continually, adapting not only to fluctuated salary demands but also to broader socio-economic changes.
Today’s employment dynamics indicate employees are seeking roles where their contributions are valued and rewarded, and businesses must balance these expectations to thrive. Understanding labor market needs and adapting recruitment policies to meet them will remain pivotal for organizations as we move toward 2025.
While traditionally, much of this discourse has centered around salaries alone, it is clear from current trends and expert views, the dialogue about employee satisfaction is far more expansive. Factors such as quality of life, workplace culture, and professional development opportunities will likely shape the future of work like never before.
With firms operating under increasing pressure to adapt, innovative approaches to workforce engagement and talent management will not only define successful hiring strategies but also shape lasting employer-employee relationships. Adapting to these changing expectations, especially as we approach 2025, could prove to be the difference between firms merely surviving or truly thriving.