Luxury retailers in Macau are struggling to fill vacancies with many forced to gamble on promoting inexperienced staff from Hong Kong and the mainland.
As more and more shops open, the demand for qualified employees has escalated and the retail sector is finding it hard to compete with salaries offered in the gaming and hotel sectors.
Mathew Gollop, managing director of ConnectedGroup, a recruitment company specialising in fashion and luxury retail, said the situation was complicated and there were no immediate solutions.
He said the huge demand for staff had forced companies to promote people to positions before they were ready. He said in many cases the employees were found to be out of their depth and were either transferred back to Hong Kong, dismissed or quit.
'For example, we have seen retail supervisors being promoted to store managers,' Mr Gollop said. 'This provides an opportunity for career progression, but it can also result in a situation where the person is not well enough equipped to handle the job. Promotions and pay increases can fill the gaps in the short term, but it creates long-term problems.'
Research carried out using ConnectedGroup's database of clients revealed that about 30 per cent of Hong Kong's frontline luxury retail staff had relocated to Macau. Many were enticed by promotions which, when combined with the cheaper cost of living and accommodation in Macau, resulted in significantly more disposable income.
