Cathay takes flight with renewed focus on talent

By attracting and developing diverse talent from across the world while upholding its values, Cathay is well-poised to soar to greater heights as it rebuilds global connectivity from its Hong Kong hub.

As Cathay progresses on its rebuild journey, attracting and retaining top talent is central to its growth strategy. Cathay as a Group plans to grow its workforce by around 5,000 additional employees in the coming year to power its next phase of growth.

Ambitious talent drive

“We remain committed to our purpose of moving people forward in life through the power of travel and connection,” said Patricia Hwang, Cathay Director People. To source new recruits, Cathay is marketing itself widely across key regions. “We’re actively recruiting from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and other countries through various channels,” explained Hwang.

One such initiative was a large-scale cabin crew recruitment fair held last August in the strategic Greater Bay Area market. As a result, Cathay has already onboarded over 100 new hires to its team and has drawn interest from over 2,000 applicants across the Chinese Mainland. An ambitious target of hiring approximately 4,000 employees from the Chinese Mainland by 2025 will bolster the airline’s expanding network around the world, said Hwang.

As Cathay looks to the future following the immense pandemic challenges, its rebuild journey brings promise with passenger flights reaching 70% of pre-Covid levels. This places the Group on track to restore full network strength while capturing new growth.

Aside from cadet pilots, cabin crew and other customer-facing roles, Cathay is hiring for positions including IT professionals, engineers, cargo logistics managers and others to enable its strategic network growth. “Our goal is to fully rebuild our flights. The new recruits will be instrumental in helping us achieve this,” commented Hwang.

Going the extra mile

Engagement of existing employees is a priority given the competitive talent landscape. Cathay brings colleagues together through events like its signature Cathay Fiesta celebration.

Marking one of the largest employee gatherings organized in nearly a decade, this year’s Cathy Fiesta on December 8 saw a massive turnout of 7,000 employees and guests participating onsite. Meanwhile, over 1,000 participants also joined online to experience the fun together.

“It was an opportunity to thank our great employees for their hard work and contributions throughout the year, and for our global family to connect after so long apart during the pandemic,” remarked Hwang. Interactive activities such as the Cathay’s Got Talent show, where employees from different departments and regions showcased their incredible abilities, as well as lucky draws, and live performances by local Hong Kong artists Dear Jane and AGA allowed colleagues to bond in a fun and inclusive atmosphere.

Cathay makes certain to acknowledge top performers who power its operations through vibrant recognition programs. A flagship event is the highly esteemed Annual Niki and Betsy Awards Ceremony, where Cathay celebrates employees’ exceptional contributions with gusto and gratitude. To date, over 9,000 long-serving employees have proudly called Cathay their home for over a decade.

Talent is top priority

Cathay announced its 2023 employee rewards package aimed at retaining top talent amid strong competition. In September, all eligible Hong Kong employees received a special appreciation reward of up to six weeks of eligible pay. Looking forward, in January 2024 they will have a 3.8% average salary increase along with another month’s eligible pay as a discretionary bonus. In April 2024, a further reward for Cathay’s strong performance will be received from the newly launched profit-sharing scheme for the years 2023 to 2025.

Wide-ranging benefits such as a significant discount on airline tickets for employees and their families, up to two days per week working from home for office employees as part of its Work Your Way programme, as well as flexible work schedules for both customer-facing personnel and ground crew also enhance work-life integration.

Looking ahead, Hwang said cultivating Cathay’s employee-centered culture will remain front and centre, “Through progressive policies, thoughtful support for our employees, and cultivating the best and brightest talent worldwide, we strive to become globally recognized as a top employer and benchmark for exceptional customer service.”