How is COVID-19 shaping the

future of work?
Objective
“RGF International Recruitment Market
Pulse Survey” was conducted with the
objective of sharing the latest insights and
perspectives on market changes driven by
Covid-19 related to business and
organization.
The responses were collected from our
valuable clients and partners of RGF
Executive Search and Professional
Recruitment via an online survey across
Asia by covering key markets - the total
responses was 3200+.

Basic Information
• Answer collection period
April 28 to May 8, 2020
*April 29 to May 15, 2020 for Greater China
• Participants
Clients of RGF Executive Search and RGF
Professional Recruitment
About
• Total responses
Country and Market Total Responses
This Report
Greater China 286
Japan 406
India 475
Singapore 688
Malaysia 365
Vietnam 238
Philippines 129
Thailand 110
Indonesia 519
GRAND TOTAL 3216

Notes
• Please refrain from forwarding or
making secondary use of the results of
this survey. Contact
• Due to presentation in percentile,
decimal points were rounded up and marketing@rgf-irb.com
therefore may not add up to the full
• Aya Tanimizu for Japan & India
amount.
• Hui Juan Quek for SEA
• Data used excluded those who did not
• Carol Qian for Greater China
respond to certain questions.
 Table of Contents

01. Philippines Market

Page 5 - Page 7 Page 7 - Page 9 Page 10 - Page 11

02. Asia Region

Page 14 - Page 18 Page 19 - Page 23 Page 24 - Page 28

Philippines Market
 Executive Summary

100+%
Employers answered that
COVID-19 had an impact on their
business

Employers who anticipated

negative revenue growth in Q2 Within
6months
85% is the most common response
for the estimated duration of
the impact by Covid-19

94% 67%
Employers are
planning to continue
flexible work even
after post Covid-19
Employers answered
that they have

52%
implemented Flexible Employers are
Work Arrangement accelerating online
measures interviews driven by
Covid-19
 Estimated Business Impact
Driven by COVID-19

1-1: Impact on current business operation

Overall, 95% of employers answered that they saw the impact of Covid-19 on their current
business operation. Less than 5% of employers answered it has positively impacted their
business.

How would you rate the impact of COVID-19 on your current business operations?
 1-2: Estimated Revenue Impact on Q2, 2020

What is your estimated negative impact on your revenue for the 2nd Quarter of 2020?

While there is a high degree of uncertainty about

the business impact of Covid-19, 86% of
companies said they expect to see a negative
revenue impact in the second quarter of 2020 in
Philippines.

1.6% of the overall responses made predictions of

a positive revenue impact, and more than the 20%
of employers said they were in a situation where
they could not predict the degree of the impact.

Among the companies with a negative revenue

forecast, the most common response as to the
degree of the impact was a 51-75% decrease in
revenue, which accounted for 29% of the total
number of responses.
 1-3: Prediction of the duration of COVID-19 impact

The most common response for the prediction of the duration of the Covid-19 impact was
“within 6 months", which accounted for about 35% of the total responses. The next most
common responses were “within 1 year" and "more than 1 year".

We can see the trend that every company is anticipating it to be a relatively long-term battle,
considering the ongoing community quarantine by the Philippines government and the
recovery period after the deregulation.

How long do you estimate the impact on your business to last?

The rise of "new ways of working"

in the wake of the COVID-19
 2-1: Adoption to Flexible Work

In response to the Philippines government‘s community quarantine made in March, 2020, and in
order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19, the utilization of work from home, which had been
promoted by companies until now, has accelerated rapidly. 95% of employers indicated that they
have introduced flexible work arrangements as of early May in the Philippines. The usage of
flexible work is expected to continue even after the post-Covid-19 period – 68% of companies
showed their intention to continue to use flexible working even after the end of Covid-19.

Have you implemented your flexible work Do you feel you will continue to implement flexible
arrangements? work successfully in the future, post-COVID-19?
■ Yes

In terms of the types of flexible work arrangements, more than 82% of the total respondents
have implemented work from home measures, and 37% of the companies have implemented it
for all employees. 23 % of companies said that they are providing more options to their online
infrastructure such as digital communication tools and applications in order to further adopt
work from home measures. In addition, 28% of the companies have implemented flexible
working hours to respect the diversity of employees under the work from home environment.

How have you implemented your flexible work arrangements?

 2-2: Assessment on Productivity when working from home

With the increasing use of flexible working, improving the productivity of employees who work
from home is likely to be a challenge for companies now and in the future - 67% of the
employers indicated that employees who work from home are less productive than working in
an office. Regarding the extent of the decline in productivity, the majority of respondents said
that productivity has declined by between 25-50% comparing to working in an office.

To address this challenge, the most common measure is more effective communication -
Companies with regular and open updates to employees accounted for 57% of the total, and
companies with more frequent video calls within their teams accounted for 49% of the total.

What is the impact on staff productivity when working from home?

What are some of the measures you are implementing to help increase productivity?
 Employers’ focus in recruitment
and organizational management
to transit into the new era

3-1: Headcount and Recruiting Plan

In overall, as of early May, companies in the Philippines have been cautiously watching the status of the
Philippines government‘s community quarantine in the wake of the spread of the Covid-19 with regard to
their headcount and recruitment plans. 29% of companies indicated no change in their current
headcount plans, while about 35 % of employers indicated a slowdown in the hiring process currently or
hiring postpone until the Covid-19 is over. Amidst the high level of uncertainty, companies have started to
prepare for the post-Covid-19 period – 17% of companies are shifting to conduct online interviews and
34% of employers are reviewing and revising their hiring plans.
What changes have been made to your hiring plans and headcount management due to COVID-19?
 3-2: Measures taken by Employers
The Philippines government's community quarantine to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 made
in March has created opportunities for companies to further adopt technological enhancements
and diverse and flexible work, and employers have been taking measures to address these new
ways of working.

The most common measure is to conduct online interviews, at 53% of the total responses.
Following online interviews, 32% of employers have been implementing flexible work arrangement,
and 31% of employers have been developing business continuity plan.

What measures are you or your employer preparing and practicing in relation to recruitment
and organization management as a result of COVID-19?
Asia Region
 Estimated Business Impact
Driven by COVID-19

1-1: Impact on current business operation

In Asia, 95% of employers indicated that their business operations have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 and
only 3% of companies answered that it has positively impacted their business though the levels of impact differ by
market and industry as of early May, 2020.

To see by-country comparison, although the majority of the responses indicated negative impact in each country, the
top 3 countries with the highest % responding “extremely impacted” are Vietnam, India and Singapore. On the other
hand, Japan is considered to have a relatively lower negative impact compared with the other countries – Less than
20% of companies answered “extremely impacted”. According to the survey responses, the Hospitality industry
including Food and Beverage and Travel seems to be the most impacted by Covid-19 with 77% employers answering
“extremely impacted”.

How would you rate the impact of COVID-19 on your current business operations?
▼Asia Region All
How would you rate the impact of COVID-19 on your current business operations?
▼By Market in Asia

▼By Industry across Asia

 1-2: Estimated Revenue Impact on Q2, 2020
As of early May, 80% of companies in Asia said their Q2 revenue forecast was negative growth, while less than 5% of
companies overall were expecting revenue growth. The most common response as to the degree of negative
revenue impact was between “26 to 50% decrease”, accounting for 27% of the total responses.

By country, when looking at the % of negative and positive growth responses, Japan was the least affected by Covid-
19's impact in the second quarter, followed by Greater China. Applying the same criteria above, as a by industry
comparison, the Hospitality industry including Food and Beverage and Travel predicted the largest revenue impact
by Covid-19‘ in Q2. On the other hand, the sector with the least revenue impact was the Technology industry.

What is your estimated negative impact on your revenue for the 2nd Quarter of 2020?
▼Asia Region All

▼By Market in Asia

What is your estimated negative impact on your revenue for the 2nd Quarter of 2020?
▼By Market in Asia

▼By Industry across Asia

 1-3: Prediction of the duration of COVID-19 impact
Across Asia, 35% of employers predicted “within 6 months” as duration of the Covid-19 impact, which was the most
common response although there has been uncertainty in each country and industry. The next most common
responses were “within 1 year", with 27% of the responses.

To compare by country, Indonesia predicted relatively shorter duration of the Covid-19 impact – over 20% of
employers indicated “within 3 months”. Employers in Japan, Singapore and Greater China estimated relatively longer
duration of the impact with 20%+ of answers of “more than 1 year”.

How long do you estimate the impact on your business to last?

▼Asia Region All

▼By Market in Asia

▼By Industry across Asia

The rise of "new ways of working"
in the wake of the COVID-19

2-1: Adoption to Flexible Work

Although the status of lockdown and government measures differs from country to country, 94% of companies in
Asia reported that they have adopted flexible work, resulting in an acceleration of the "new way of working" which
respects the diversity of the working environment and utilizes technology. 60% of companies indicated that they are
planning to continue the usage of flexible work even after the end of Covid-19 in Asia.

Regarding flexible work arrangement, more than 85% of the total respondents in Asia answered that they have
introduced work from home, with 46% of work from home for all employees

▼Asia Region All

Have you implemented your flexible work Do you feel you will continue to implement flexible
arrangements? work successfully in the future, post-COVID-19?
■ Yes
 ▼Asia Region All
How have you implemented your flexible work arrangements?

Although Greater China has entered the Post Covid-19 phase earlier than any other country in Asia, it was also one
of the countries reporting the lowest willingness to continue with flexible working (47%), perhaps reflecting
companies’ realistic perceptions of the revival of the office work option.

By industry, the Technology industry was the most willing to continue with flexible work after the end of Covid-19,
with 75% of companies indicating their intention to do so.

▼By Market in Asia

Have you implemented your flexible work arrangements?

Do you feel you will continue to implement flexible work successfully in the future, post-COVID-19?

How have you implemented your flexible work arrangements?

▼By Market in Asia
How have you implemented your flexible work arrangements?

▼By Industry across Asia

Have you implemented your flexible work arrangements?

Do you feel you will continue to implement flexible work successfully in the future, post-COVID-19?
 2-2: Assessment on Productivity when working from home
Across Asia, 70% of the employers answered that employees who work from home are less productive than working
in an office. In terms of the extent of the decline in productivity, the majority of respondents said that productivity
has declined to 50-75% of normal productivity levels when in the office. Along with the acceleration of flexible
working across Asia, we see the opportunity for employers to improve the productivity of employees who work from
home for now and the future.
What is the impact on staff productivity when working from home?
▼Asia Region All

▼By Market in Asia

▼By Industry across Asia

As a measure to improve employee’s productivity in a flexible work environment, mainly for work from
home/remote working, effective communication is considered as the most important measure by Asian employers.

52% of companies indicated that they’ve focused on more frequent video calls within their teams, and 46% of
companies focus on measures related to company-wide regular and open updates to employees.

The third most common response was the clear goal and KPI setting between reporting managers and subordinates,
accounting for 35% of the total responses.

What are some of the measures you are implementing to help increase productivity?
▼Asia Region All

▼By Market in Asia

 Employers’ focus in recruitment
and organizational management
to transit into the new era

3-1: Headcount and Recruiting Plan

As of early May, while government measures such as lockdowns to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak
differ from country to country, Asian companies are taking a cautious approach to their headcount and recruitment
plans as economic activities slow down and recover gradually.

31 % of employers said they have not changed their current headcount plans, 30% are considering a hiring freeze for
new headcounts, and 26 % are considering postponing hiring until the Covid-19 is over.

▼ Asia Region All

What changes have been made to your hiring plans and headcount management due to COVID-19?
To see country-by-country comparison, regarding the headcount planning, the majority of respondents said no
change to their headcount plans in most countries, while 40% of companies in Greater China, which has
entered into the Post Covid-19 phase, said they have been considering headcount reduction.

In terms of recruitment plans, the top responses in each country were to revise recruitment plans, freeze hiring
for new head count, and postpone hiring until the end of the Covid-19.

▼ By Market in Asia
What changes have been made to your hiring plans and headcount management due to COVID-19?
When looking at headcount plans by industry, with the exception of the Hospitality industry including Travel,
Food and Beverage, and Entertainment, the most common response was that there are no changes to current
headcount plans. In the Food and Beverage industry, which is heavily impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown,
more than 40% of companies said they are considering downsizing their organizations.

Regarding hiring plans, the top responses in each industry were hiring freeze for new head counts, to revise
recruitment plans, and to postpone hiring until the end of the Covid-19.

▼ By Industry across Asia

What changes have been made to your hiring plans and headcount management due to COVID-19?
 3-2: Measures taken by Employers

The top recruitment and organizational measure that companies would like to consider and prepare for as a result of
Covid-19 was conducting online interviews, which received the greatest response from every country in Asia.

It can be said Covid-19 and its lockdown experience has led to the further utilization of technology and respect for
diverse working styles in Asian countries as well as a reminder to companies of the importance of having a solid
business continuity plan in the event of an emergency such as Covid-19.

What measures are you or your employer preparing and practicing in relation to recruitment
and organization management as a result of COVID-19?

▼ Asia Region All

▼ By Market in Asia
What measures are you or your employer preparing and practicing in relation to recruitment
and organization management as a result of COVID-19?

▼ By Market in Asia