MANILA, Philippines — Majority of human resource (HR) practitioners in the country have a positive outlook for jobs in e-commerce as they cited the need to hire more people to support the growing sector, according to a study by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
In a statement, the DTI said 75 percent of HR practitioners covered by the study said the e-commerce sector is thriving and would require additional talent.
The baseline study also showed the E-commerce Job Outlook Index at 86.7 percent, reflecting a positive business outlook.
The E-Commerce Job Outlook is a forecast on the rate of employment growth or decline in occupation in the sector.
For the study, DTI tapped Acquisition Apps Inc./Tangere, a market research startup that came up with a diffusion index similar to the Purchasing Managers’ Index.
The findings were based on key informant interviews with e-commerce merchants, intermediaries, training institutions, and professional organizations from Jan. 10 to Feb. 10, and an online survey among HR heads or managers of companies engaged in e-commerce from March 1 to 11.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the study was conducted as the Philippines was named as the fastest growing internet economy in Southeast Asia by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Co. in its e-Conomy Southeast Asia report released last year.
“One of the key strategies of the e-Commerce Philippines 2022 Roadmap is to make available a talent pool of digitally skilled workers. Skills mismatch has often been cited as a perennial problem in various industries and if we are to achieve maximum growth for the e-commerce sector, we must understand the e-commerce workforce ecosystem and identify the demand requirement so we can supply relevant skills,” he said.
Among the findings of the study is the differences in the needs of e-commerce enterprises in terms of talent, with micro, small and medium enterprises requiring more of those in the areas of content creation and technical skills like website development and software developers, while large companies are looking for digital talents on business intelligence and strategy.
The study revealed most companies are in need of a digital marketing specialist (52 percent), followed by social media specialist (38 percent), account manager (26 percent), content strategist or writer (20 percent), data analyst or business intelligence (20 percent), and quality assurance specialist (20 percent).
Soft skills such as communication, persuasion, critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability, however, are considered important and what HR practitioners are looking for in applicants.
Trade assistant secretary Mary Jean Pacheco who serves as DTI E-Commerce lead, highlighted other key findings based on the interviews such as the expected increase in digital talent requirements in the next five years due to consumer behavior and businesses’ need to keep up with current trends.
She also cited the differences in the motivation for getting into e-commerce with smaller companies driven by the will to survive and bigger companies fueled by their intention to have omnichannel coverage.
In addition, Philippine companies are competing for talent among themselves and with foreign companies. While there is enough supply of digital talent for those willing to provide higher pay, talent quality is an issue.
Based on the interviews, the study also found that given the agile nature of digital platforms, new features are being added and old ones are being discarded in almost six months.
While problems in sourcing digital talent are considered minor, bigger issues seem to occur after candidates are hired.
Despite recruiters being open to non-degree holders, they prefer college graduates for entry-level jobs.
The study also revealed that Facebook and job websites like LinkedIn are being used as major platforms for sourcing talent.
“Trust that we shall keep our eyes on the ball. DTI will collaborate with DOLE and TESDA to prepare our workforce and improve hiring success by providing employers with productive and engaged digitally skilled talents to improve their businesses and ultimately contribute to e-commerce growth,” Lopez said.