Companies in the Philippines plan to either increase or maintain their headcounts this year suggesting a growing optimism, according to a study from Michael Page Philippines.

The data showed that 35% of companies are looking to increase their headcounts while 45% plan to maintain the status quo in 2021.

According to the report, there is a strong demand for technology professionals at all levels where companies have adjusted to the rapidly evolving business landscape, often bringing in external skills sets to accelerate these changes.

In view of the economic demands, the sectors earmarked for highest hiring activity are e-commerce, financial services, healthcare & life sciences, technology & telecommunications as well as fast moving consumer goods (FMCG).

Olly Riches, Managing Director of Michael Page Indonesia & Philippines, said, "We are seeing positivity increase across the board with regards to recruitment and hiring in the Philippines. While the country's e-commerce and logistics sectors aren't as developed as other Asia Pacific markets, the traditional consumer markets have remained robust and are assisting in the economic recovery."

The data from Michael Page also found that 76% of employed technology professionals in the Philippines anticipate looking for new opportunities in 2021 while another 20% is open to new ones.

"Companies are looking for technology hires with proven capabilities via third-party assessment, as well as those with solid experience working on different projects,” Riches said.

As a viable option to bridge skill gaps arising from their move to business recovery in 2021, 56% of companies in the Philippines cited their continued investment in employees by upskilling the workforce with training while 56% turned to the use of automation for basic processes.

Filipino professionals have also been empowered with the wealth of information available to them when considering a new job offer, Michael Page added, with 1 in 3 of the study's respondents claiming they did extensive research on the company before applying for a job.