Stable retailers favor full-time hires despite weak market, says HR expert

Macau’s retail sector is showing cautious hiring patterns, with stable businesses opting for full-time staff even as overall demand remains subdued, according to MSS Recruitment executive director Jiji Tu.

She told the Times that weaker consumer spending, online shopping trends, and currency pressures have dampened hiring momentum, though companies with steady performance continue to secure permanent staff.

Her comments come as Chinese-language newspaper Macao Daily News reported that retail job openings in Macau are expected to rise by 5% in the coming months, led by luxury brands targeting high-income customers.

According to the report, some large retail chains and duty-free stores have reported layoffs, but luxury retailers, which rely on higher-income customers, are preparing long-term recruitment plans for the final quarter of this year and early 2026.

Job postings are expected to roll out from mid-September.

However, Tu said retail hiring in Macau has slowed.

“This is largely due to a weak retail market in Macau, driven by reduced consumer spending power as a result of China’s weak economy, online purchasing habits, a strong U.S. dollar relative to the RMB, and unattractive pricing for products purchased in Macau,” Tu told the Times.

She added that companies are now more cautious about hiring decisions.

“If business is stable, companies will opt for full-time employees. However, if business fluctuates seasonally, they may hire part-time staff during peak season.”

Turning to employee behavior, the HR expert observed that job mobility has eased.

“The job market is now more stable, with less job hopping among retail employees. The main driving force behind this stability is the balance between supply and demand.”

Official data shows a slight increase in unemployment in Macau, with the overall rate reaching 2.0% from May to July 2025, largely due to new graduates entering the labor market.

Local graduates increasingly prefer clerical jobs over casino roles, seeking regular hours and broader experience. “Graduates generally always prefer clerical jobs that do not require shift work,” Tu said. “However, many graduates are also interested in working in the gaming industry.”

According to the latest Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) survey, wholesale and retail trade accounted for 14.1% of employed workers.

Of the 372,700 individuals employed in the second quarter, 321,500 held full-time positions. However, the number of people engaged specifically in wholesale and retail trade dropped by 2.8% in Q2 to 66,899.