Skip to main content
Opens in a new tab External site
New York Maintains Rank as the Lowest Risk City in the World to Recruit, Employ and Redeploy Talent, According to Aon Hewitt
People Risk Index helps organizations assess talent management risks to improve success of business operations

SINGAPORE, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year, New York is the lowest risk city in the world for recruiting, employing and relocating employees, according to rankings released today by Aon Hewitt, the global human resources business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON). New York retained its title as the world's lowest risk city due to its world-class educational institutions, training facilities and availability of a large pool of qualified and experienced talent. New York's demographic risk is the second lowest due to its large working age population and high workforce productivity.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100719/AQ37264LOGO)

Aon Hewitt's 2013 People Risk Index measures the risks that organizations face with recruitment, employment and relocation in 138 cities worldwide by analyzing factors as demographics, access to education, talent development, employment practices and government regulations. According to the index, New York, Singapore, Toronto, London and Montreal retained their ranks as the top five lowest risk cities in the world. Conversely, Luanda, Angola; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Sana'a, Yemen; and Damascus, Syria represent the highest risk locations of the 138 cities for employers.

"The way businesses now recognize and manage people risk has changed significantly over the last few years," said Richard Payne, Talent and Rewards practice leader for Aon Hewitt in Asia Pacific. "Driven by a need to do more with less, business leaders have to be more innovative around how they invest; this has had an impact on how they think about talent sourcing and work force planning. Aon Hewitt's People Risk Index enables businesses to make informed decisions – to balance operational requirements with people risks."

The 10 Lowest Risk Cities

The Aon Hewitt 2013 People Risk Index showed minimal differences from the 2012 rankings among the top five cities. Singapore remains the only city outside of Europe and North America that is ranked among the top five, while Hong Kong is among those ranked as the 10 lowest risk cities. Of note, two European cities moved up the ranks to be among the top 10 in 2013 – Copenhagen and Zurich. This can be attributed to the many pro-business employment policies in these two cities, their open door policy towards talent and continued focus on developing and improving the education and talent development infrastructures. Furthermore, the increased risk in the euro zone cities exacerbated by the ongoing debt crisis has reduced the relative risk in European cities outside of the euro zone.

"Pro-business employment policies have a significant impact on people risk," Payne added. "Where government policies support a more flexible approach to talent immigration, employment practices and the provision of social welfare, these cities are able to attract and retain a talent supply critical for businesses."

Trends from the Highest Risk Cities

The top 10 highest risk cities to employers were: Luanda, Angola; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Lagos, Nigeria; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Tripoli, Libya; Karachi, Pakistan; Baghdad, Iraq; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Sana'a, Yemen; and Damascus, Syria.

The lack of a stable and transparent government continues to be an obstacle to implement and enforce business-friendly employment practices in these cities. Furthermore, the lack of government investment in developing and improving the education and talent development infrastructure increases an employer's risk in finding skilled talent, as the current infrastructure is unable to support employers' workforce demands.

"There is a silver lining for these high risk cities - they will continue to experience population growth in the next decade which will increase the size of the labor pool," said Payne. "However, if the education and talent development infrastructure do not improve, these cities will face a surplus of low skilled workers and a shortage of highly educated professional talent."

Despite the challenging business and people environment, organizations are still expressing interest in these high risk locations due to the abundant natural resources and high economic growth potential. "Africa presents many opportunities if employers are able to identify and mitigate the people risk in these cities effectively." Payne added.

To find out more about the 2013 People Risk Index, and to obtain a copy of the 2013 People Risk Index Ratings, please visit http://www.aonpeoplerisk.com

Sign up for News Alerts: http://aon.mediaroom.com

Follow Aon Hewitt on Twitter @AonHewitt

About Aon Hewitt's People Risk Index
The results of Aon Hewitt's People Risk Index are based on in-depth research conducted over a six-month period by the Aon Hewitt's Regional Talent & Rewards Analytics Center in Singapore. Data from more than 100 statistical sources provide the quantitative basis for the ratings, which were augmented by the assessment of Aon Hewitt's local and regional human resources experts from around the world.  The 138 cities were selected based on population size, rate of population growth, level of business investment and geographic spread among the cities covered.  

Aon Hewitt's People Risk Index assigned ratings relative to risk for 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad areas: Demographics; Education; Government Support; Talent Development; and Employment Practices. Each of the 30 factors has a scale from 1 (minimal risk) to 10 (extreme risk). Employment Practices area has 10 factors that are weighted by 50%. Thus, the overall ratings are from 25 to 250, where 25 is minimal or no risk and 250 is extreme risk.

About Aon Hewitt
Aon Hewitt is the global leader in human resource solutions. The company partners with organizations to solve their most complex benefits, talent and related financial challenges, and improve business performance. Aon Hewitt designs, implements, communicates and administers a wide range of human capital, retirement, investment management, health care, compensation and talent management strategies. With more than 29,000 professionals in 90 countries, Aon Hewitt makes the world a better place to work for clients and their employees. For more information on Aon Hewitt, please visit www.aonhewitt.com.

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services. Through its more than 65,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to empower results for clients in over 120 countries via innovative and effective risk and people solutions and through industry-leading global resources and technical expertise. Aon has been named repeatedly as the world's best broker, best insurance intermediary, reinsurance intermediary, captives manager and best employee benefits consulting firm by multiple industry sources. Visit www.aon.com for more information on Aon and www.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon's global partnership and shirt sponsorship with Manchester United.

Note to the Editors

Please refer to the tables contained in the document below.

  • Table 1:  10 Lowest Risk & 10 Highest Risk Cities Globally.
  • Table 2: People Risk Rankings by Area of Risk.
  • Aon Hewitt 2013 People Risk® Index; 2013 rankings for 138 cities.

     Table 1:  10 Lowest Risk & 10 Highest Risk Cities Globally 

10 Lowest Risk Cities

Ranking[1]

City

Rating[2]

1

New York

67

2

Singapore

70

3

Toronto

72

4

London

73

4

Montreal

73

6

Los Angeles

74

7

Copenhagen

76

7

Hong Kong

76

9

Zurich

77

10

Boston

78

10

Chicago

78

10

Vancouver

78

10 Highest Risk Cities

Ranking[1]

City

Rating[2]

129

Lagos 

179

130

Dhaka

180

130

Tripoli 

180

132

Karachi           

181

133

Baghdad         

186

133

Luanda

186

135

Port Moresby 

190

136

Addis Ababa   

191

137

Sana'a

198

138

Damascus      

204

[1] Out of 138 cities worldwide in People Risk Index 2013
[2] Based on a rating of 30 factors across 5 categories of risk

Table 2: People Risk Rankings by Area of Risk

Aon Hewitt's People Risk Index assigned ratings relative to risk for 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad areas: Demographics; Education; Government Support; Talent Development; and Employment Practices.

Each of the 30 factors has a scale from 1 (minimal risk) to 10 (extreme risk). Employment Practices area has 10 factors that are weighted by 50%. Thus, the overall ratings are from 25 to 250, where 25 is minimal or no risk and 250 is extreme risk.


 

 

Ranking

2013

City

Rating

2013

Demographics

Government

Support

Education

System

Talent

Development

Employment

Practices

1

New York

67

16

17

9

9

16

2

Singapore

70

21

12

12

9

16

3

Toronto

72

24

14

7

14

13

4

London

73

22

18

10

9

14

4

Montreal

73

26

14

7

12

14

6

Los Angeles

74

19

18

11

10

16

7

Copenhagen

76

29

12

10

11

14

7

Hong Kong

76

19

15

16

10

16

9

Zurich

77

30

12

11

10

14

10

Boston

78

23

18

9

11

17

10

Chicago

78

20

19

11

12

16

10

Vancouver

78

27

14

7

15

15

               

 

Ranking

2013

City

Rating

2013

Demographics

Government

Support

Education

System

Talent

Development

Employment

Practices

129

Lagos

179

25

38

45

36

35

130

Dhaka

180

24

32

47

43

34

130

Tripoli

180

27

43

32

39

39

132

Karachi

181

26

42

42

37

34

133

Baghdad

186

23

40

41

42

40

133

Luanda

186

23

40

46

40

37

135

Port Moresby

190

26

40

50

40

34

136

Addis Ababa

191

29

39

49

38

36

137

Sana'a

198

31

44

41

44

38

138

Damascus

204

32

50

39

43

40

Aon Hewitt 2013 People Risk® Index

For comparisons to the 2012 People Risk Index, please visit www.aonpeoplerisk.com.


 

Country

City

Rank

Overall

Rating

(25 – 250)

 

Country

City

Rank

Overall

Rating

(25 – 250)

United States

New York

1

67

 

France

Paris

36

91

Singapore

Singapore

2

70

 

United Kingdom

Manchester

37

92

Canada

Toronto

3

72

 

Germany

Frankfurt

37

92

United Kingdom

London

4

73

 

Austria

Vienna

37

92

Canada

Montreal

4

73

 

New Zealand

Auckland

40

93

United States

Los Angeles

6

74

 

Germany

Berlin

40

93

Denmark

Copenhagen

7

76

 

United States

Detroit

42

94

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

7

76

 

Japan

Tokyo

43

95

Switzerland

Zurich

9

77

 

Japan

Osaka

44

100

United States

Boston

10

78

 

Ireland

Dublin

45

102

United States

Chicago

10

78

 

Israel

Tel Aviv

45

102

Canada

Vancouver

10

78

 

South Korea

Seoul

47

106

United States

San Diego

13

80

 

Spain

Madrid

48

107

United States

San Francisco

13

80

 

Spain

Barcelona

49

108

Sweden

Stockholm

15

81

 

Oman

Muscat

50

111

Netherlands

Amsterdam

16

82

 

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

51

114

United States

Dallas

16

82

 

Chile

Santiago

52

115

Norway

Oslo

16

82

 

Saudi Arabia

Riyadh

53

116

United Arab Emirates

Dubai

19

83

 

Czech

Prague

54

117

United States

Houston

19

83

 

China

Beijing

55

118

Australia

Melbourne

21

84

 

China

Shanghai

56

120

United States

Miami

21

84

 

Bahrain

Manama

57

123

United States

Philadelphia

21

84

 

Poland

Warsaw

58

124

United States

Seattle

21

84

 

Italy

Milan

59

127

United States

Atlanta

25

85

 

China

Hangzhou

60

128

United States

Washington DC

25

85

 

Portugal

Lisbon

60

128

Australia

Sydney

27

86

 

China

Guangzhou

62

129

Belgium

Brussels

27

86

 

Poland

Krakow

62

129

United States

Denver

27

86

 

Italy

Rome

64

130

United States

Phoenix

27

86

 

Brazil

Sao Paulo

65

131

Qatar

Doha

31

87

 

South Africa

Johannesburg

66

133

United States

Minneapolis

32

88

 

Hungary

Budapest

67

135

Australia

Perth

33

89

 

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

67

135

Finland

Helsinki

34

90

 

China

Shenzhen

67

135

Taiwan

Taipei

34

90

 

China

Tianjin

70

138

 

Country

City

Rank

Overall

Rating

(25 – 250)

 

Country

City

Rank

Overall

Rating

(25 – 250)

India

Mumbai

71

139

 

Tunisia

Tunis

106

156

Mexico

Mexico City

72

140

 

China

Chongqing

106

156

China

Nanjing

72

140

 

Romania

Bucharest

108

157

Philippines

Manila

74

141

 

Morocco

Rabat

108

157

China

Wuhan

74

141

 

Greece

Athens

110

158

India

Bangalore

76

142

 

Bulgaria

Sofia

110

158

Thailand

Bangkok

76

142

 

Peru

Lima

112

161

Russia

Moscow

78

143

 

India

Jaipur

113

162

China

Xiamen

78

143

 

Sri Lanka

Colombo

114

163

China

Dalian

80

144

 

Viet Nam

Hanoi

114

163

India

Delhi

80

144

 

Namibia

Windhoek

114

163

China

Suzhou

80

144

 

Egypt

Cairo

117

164

Panama

Panama City

83

145

 

Kenya

Nairobi

118

166

China

Shenyang

83

145

 

Algeria

Algiers

119

167

Jordan

Amman

83

145

 

Kazakhstan

Almaty

119

167

Indonesia

Jakarta

86

146

 

Serbia

Belgrade

119

167

China

Wuxi

86

146

 

Ghana

Accra

122

168

China

Chengdu

88

147

 

Ukraine

Kiev

123

169

India

Chennai

88

147

 

Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar

124

170

Colombia

Bogota

90

149

 

Iran

Tehran

125

173

Philippines

Cebu

90

149

 

Zambia

Lusaka

126

175

China

Harbin

92

150

 

Cambodia

Phnom Penh

127

176

Uruguay

Montevideo

92

150

 

Venezuela

Caracas

128

177

India

Hyderabad

94

151

 

Nigeria

Lagos

129

179

India

Pune

94

151

 

Bangladesh

Dhaka

130

180

India

Ahmedabad

96

152

 

Libya

Tripoli

130

180

China

Hefei

96

152

 

Pakistan

Karachi

132

181

Turkey

Istanbul

96

152

 

Iraq

Baghdad

133

186

Russia

St. Petersburg

96

152

 

Angola

Luanda

133

186

China

Xian

96

152

 

Papua New Guinea

Port Moresby

135

190

China

Changchun

101

153

 

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa

136

191

China

Changsha

101

153

 

Yemen

Sana'a

137

198

Botswana

Gaborone

101

153

 

Syria

Damascus

138

204

Argentina

Buenos Aires

104

154

         

India

Kolkata

104

154

         

Media Contact(s):
Romy Serfaty
+852.9459.0100
Romy.serfaty@aonhewitt.com

Maurissa Kanter
+1.847.442.0952
maurissa.kanter@aonhewitt.com

SOURCE Aon plc

Media Resources

Access international media contacts, the full library of Aon media releases, and a media kit with fact sheet and executive bios, via links below.

Media Contacts
Media Releases
Media Kit
Featured Updates