Demand for sales professionals and remote work are among 10 talent trends foreseen for Japan in 2022, according to global recruitment firm Hays plc. And a pronounced increase in hiring is anticipated across most, if not all, sectors.

“If 2020 was turbulent, 2021 was about achieving stability,” said Grant Torrens, managing director of Hays Japan. “As we move into 2022, businesses are optimistic about the Japanese economy recovering to pre-covid levels.”

Digitalisation and digital transformation skills are also a priority and employers are showing a preference for candidates with the ability to reform and align models to adapt to business developments., Torrens said.

Overall, here are the top 10 talent trends for Japan in 2022:

1. Spotlight on cyber and information security
2. The continued rise of the data centre sector
3. Financial services and insurance return to growth
4. Huge appetite for sales roles across sectors
5. Relaxing of requirements in life sciences
6. Businesses are strengthening corporate services teams
7. Remote hiring set to increase for non-client facing roles
8. The rise of office decentralisation and shared services
9. Engineering and supply chain companies hiring more junior talent
10. Focus on sustainability

Torrens called out the trend of remote work and noted that more candidates are seeking such jobs. However, the ability to offer flexibility depends largely on the needs of a particular industry.

“We do see employers becoming more open to flexible working patterns, and as a result they’re increasingly looking for candidates who demonstrate practical and emotional capabilities to work remotely effectively,” he said.