New ASEAN Study Reveals Businesses Are Rethinking Hiring and Investment as Growth Priorities Shift

New Reeracoen Group x Rakuten Insight survey of 3,630 consumers and business leaders across six ASEAN markets highlights selective hiring as the dominant workforce strategy alongside a sharpened focus on operational efficiency and AI investment.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ASEAN businesses are reshaping how they hire, invest and prepare for growth as they navigate an increasingly complex economic environment, according to a new regional study by Reeracoen Group and Rakuten Insight.

The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026, published by Reeracoen Group, a leading Asia-based recruitment and HR solutions group, in partnership with Rakuten Insight, an online market research subsidiary of Rakuten Group, Inc., surveyed 3,630 consumers and business leaders across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in June 2026.

Capability building through targeted hiring and investment

The report reveals that while businesses continue to hire across the region, they are adopting a more selective approach as organisations focus on strengthening long-term capability rather than expanding headcount. Across the six markets, 32% to 47% of businesses are hiring selectively, while 7% to 16% are actively expanding their workforce. This suggests businesses are increasingly prioritising precision hiring and capability building over broad workforce expansion.

Indonesia: 47% Malaysia: 36% The Philippines: 39% Singapore: 32% Thailand: 33% Vietnam: 47%

This approach is also reflected in businesses' investment priorities. Operational efficiency ranks as the top business growth priority across the markets at 35% to 43%, while AI and technology rank among the top three at 24% to 33%.

Six markets, six stories

The ASEAN Survey also shows that ASEAN's growth is shaped by distinct market strengths rather than a single regional trend.

Singapore: Highest focus on AI and technology investment intent (33%); Indonesia: Leads in business confidence (66%) and career mobility (29%); Malaysia: Strongest domestic market focus (75%); The Philippines: Combines resilient business confidence (65%) with cautious consumer spending (89%); Thailand: Leads in investment growth (28%); Vietnam: Highest consumer optimism (48%) and hiring expansion (16%).

Consumer and workforce behaviour

Beyond hiring and investment, the survey highlights broader shifts in how consumers and workers are responding to economic pressures. Income diversification has become the preferred financial response to strengthen their financial position in several markets. In Indonesia, 71% of consumers are seeking additional income, followed closely by 70% in the Philippines—the top financial action in both markets, ahead of saving or cutting spending.

AI is also beginning to influence career decisions. In Vietnam, 39% of consumers considering a career change cite AI and automation as a primary motivator, ahead of income growth and work-life balance—the only ASEAN market where technology ranks as the leading career-change driver.

Kenji Naito, Group CEO, Reeracoen Group, said:

"In twenty years of building recruitment businesses across Southeast Asia, I have never seen talent strategy matter as much as it does right now. The companies that will win the next cycle are not the ones that wait for certainty — they are the ones investing in their people, their processes, and their readiness today. This report gives leaders the evidence base to make those investments with confidence."

Cheryl Ng, Country Director, Singapore, Rakuten Insight, added:

"Understanding both sides of the equation—what consumers feel and what businesses do—is essential. A consumer sentiment study alone would tell you that ASEAN is worried. A business survey alone would tell you that ASEAN is cautious. Together, they reveal something more important: ASEAN is adapting. That is the story this report exists to tell."

For the full six-market findings, including country-by-country profiles and a Leadership Playbook of eight strategic priorities for regional expansion, download The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026.

Download the report: https://www.reeracoen.sg/en/events/client-the-great-restructuring-ASEAN-consumer-business-pulse-survey-2026?utm_source=apac_pr&utm_medium=cta&utm_id=asean-whitepaper-2026

About Reeracoen Group

Reeracoen is a leading Asia-based recruitment and HR solutions group, connecting talent with forward-thinking organisations across the region. With 9 offices across 6 major Asian markets, Reeracoen combines deep local market expertise with cross-border recruitment capabilities to support sustainable business growth.

Beyond recruitment, Reeracoen provides market intelligence, workforce insights, salary research, and employer advisory services, helping organisations make informed talent and business decisions in an evolving regional economy.

Reeracoen's commitment to service excellence has been recognised through multiple industry awards, including Best Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Agency (2025, 2026), Client Service Excellence Award (2026), Best International Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Agency (2024), and Best Executive Recruitment Agency (2024).

For more information, visit www.reeracoen.sg.

About Rakuten Insight, Inc.

Rakuten Insight, Inc. is a wholly owned online market research subsidiary of Rakuten Group, Inc., a global leader in internet services headquartered in Tokyo.

Established in 1997 as AIP Corporation and integrated into the Rakuten Group in 2014, Rakuten Insight operates a research panel focused on 12 major Asian markets and the United States, with a panel network spanning 60 countries and regions.

With offices in 11 countries and regions, the company provides market research for more than 500 leading companies worldwide. Rakuten Insight Singapore serves as a regional hub providing multi-lingual and multi-functional operational support for clients across Southeast Asia.

For more information, visit https://insight.rakuten.com.