46% of Vietnamese businesses struggle to attract talent: study

A recent study by Anphabe, a leading HR consulting firm in Vietnam, showed that 46% of Vietnamese businesses face challenges in attracting talent with the right skill sets, often due to cultural barriers and a fear of innovation.

The findings were shared by Thanh Nguyen, CEO and chief happiness officer of Anphabe, during the launch of a global online training initiative in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.

According to the report, nearly half of Vietnamese companies are struggling to attract talent for various reasons, including limited access to data and technical infrastructure, as well as insufficient investment capital.

“This highlights not only a skills gap but also a lack of a comprehensive competency ecosystem between employee capabilities and business needs,” Thanh explained.

In this context, companies must develop more holistic capability-building programs. The rapid rise of AI is reshaping the labor market, increasing the urgency for adaptable, wide-reaching learning models.

Anphabe’s research shows that in just the past two decades, a range of new professions have emerged - such as data analysts, full-stack engineers, media channel managers, and data engineers - illustrating the accelerating shift in skills demand.

However, Thanh noted that most current training programs lag behind market realities. Traditional models are often costly, rigid, and difficult to measure for effectiveness. Additionally, 86% of employees reportedly forget most of what they learn within just 30 days.

“The challenge isn’t only about what to learn, but how to learn. Businesses must design learning programs that are short, practical, and engaging - where employees can immediately apply what they’ve learned on the job. That’s the key to thriving in the modern era,” she noted.

Thanh stressed that skills are becoming the new currency in the labor market. With AI accelerating workplace transformation, she predicts that by 2030, 70% of job-related skills will have changed.

Despite growing interest in upskilling, there’s a clear disconnect between employee demand and company support. While 64% of workers express a desire to learn new skills to stay competitive, only 22% of businesses have made significant investments in online learning platforms.