Catching-up with Ben Elms (Randstad)

This week's Catching-up is with Ben Elms, Managing Director at Randstad Hong Kong.

Ben, could you introduce yourself?
I relocated to Hong Kong from the United Kingdom back in 2012 to expand my recruitment experience in Asia, mostly motivated and attracted by the city’s energy and growth opportunities that Asia has to offer. 

Because of its proximity to other hubs in Asia Pacific and its diversity and inclusion, Hong Kong is an obvious choice for me as an expat. 

I joined Randstad in 2016 as a Senior Manager to grow and deepen our recruitment capabilities in Sales and Marketing. I grew the ranks through the years and was promoted to Regional Director to oversee our talent recruitment services across 12 disciplines. Today, I’m the Managing Director at Randstad Hong Kong looking after approximately 60 employees in both recruitment and operations. 

Hong Kong presents a wealth of opportunities, both for my career growth as well as for talent. Every day, I am still as excited as I was back in 2012 about what Hong Kong has to offer me next. 

How do you look back at the port visit of Clipper Stad Amsterdam in Hong Kong? 
It was obviously very exciting for us given that it is Clipper’s first time in Hong Kong. We have a long history with the Clipper Stad Amsterdam, which dates back to our founder, Frits Goldschmeding. 

Our goals of giving job seekers career chances and skills development are highly connected with our principles. About 130 people were employed to build the Clipper Stad Amsterdam, and now it travels around the world to promote messages about employment and sustainability. 

While the preparations for its arrival in Hong Kong were not without difficulties, it was wonderful to see our clients and employees enjoying themselves on the Clipper. Furthermore, we take great pride in seeing our Randstad flags flown high during the Clipper’s open days at Central Pier. This, in our opinion, is a strong testament to both Randstad’s dedication to Hong Kong and the bond between Netherlands and Hong Kong. 

I’m thankful to my colleagues, particularly the marketing team, for enabling us to build these valuable memories and establish deeper connections with our clients. 

How’s the recruitment industry doing post-COVID? 
The macroeconomic climate following COVID has generally been conservative, as organisations focus on cost control and new strategic initiatives to remain competitive both locally and globally.

In addition, changes in roles and responsibilities have been brought about by rapid technological advancements such as the mass introduction of AI, which has forced organisations to assess the skills, capabilities and gaps in their workforce. 

Today, we see employers having higher hiring standards, particularly when it comes to productivity and innovation. To improve internal processes and outcomes, many companies expect talent to bring with them a network of clients or prior relevant expertise and knowledge. 

At the same time, talent also has changing expectations of their employer. During the COVID years, “work-life balance” was the most important EVP for employees and job seekers in Hong Kong. With the global work from home experiment happening at that time, many employees found it difficult to disconnect from work, especially when social interactions and activities were limited to their home. 

However, now that we have returned to our normal lives, many Hongkongers are laser-focussed on their finances. With inflation and the rising cost of living, worries about financial stability amid the economic climate, as well as the after-effects of salary freezes during COVID, it is not surprising that Hongkongers are prioritising salaries and benefits. Companies that are hiring this year will need to make sure that they are making competitive salary offers and employee benefits that are aligned with the employee’s needs.