Event · Recap
HR and talent leaders from ESF, Octopus, The ISF Academy and Baker McKenzie met in Hong Kong to compare notes on hiring technology, sector reputation, inclusion and day-to-day best practice.
Key facts
- Organizer: Senior HR Forum
- Format: 3 talks, 1 panel, networking
Hiring in Hong Kong has rarely felt harder, or more crowded with new tools. That was the backdrop for the Hong Kong session of Talent Acquisition Trend 2024, the latest edition of a Senior HR Forum series on hiring.
The afternoon followed a simple arc. It started with the technology behind screening, moved to a sector that worries about its appeal, and then turned to inclusion. It ended with practitioners comparing what actually works. The speakers came from education, transport payments, law and HR services, so the room heard more than one industry’s view.
Sessions at a glance
- Employment Background Check Technologies: Integration, Automation & AI. The session explored how background checks connect with hiring systems, and where automation and AI fit into the screening workflow.
- Exploring Talent Acquisition Trends in Hong Kong’s Education Sector: Debunking the Myths of Diminishing Appeal. Kunal Mulchandani, Head of Talent & Employee Relations, English Schools Foundation (ESF). The session examined common assumptions about whether teaching and school roles in Hong Kong still attract candidates.
- Strategic Talent Acquisition: Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Hong Kong’s Evolving Workforce. Gary Chun, Senior Manager, Human Resources & Administration, Octopus Holdings Limited. The session looked at how diversity, equity and inclusion can shape hiring strategy as the local workforce changes.
- Panel: Talent Acquisition Latest Best Practices. Chaired by Charles Caldwell, Director of Human Resources, with Ada Yeung, Head of Human Resources, The ISF Academy, and Canny Lai, Talent Manager, Baker McKenzie. Panelists traded approaches to hiring that are working in their organizations today.
The afternoon closed with networking over coffee and conversation.
Why it matters for HR in Hong Kong
The themes in the room reflect wider data. Michael Page’s Talent Trends 2024 report (July 2024) found that 65% of Hong Kong organizations struggle to find the right talent, against an Asia Pacific average of 40%. The same survey found that 76% of Hong Kong employees feel their workplace lacks inclusivity. For HR teams, that makes better tools, a stronger employer story and fairer hiring a single agenda, not three separate projects.