Vietnam's economic and labor market landscape in 2026 is witnessing landmark changes, where old rules on operations and human resource management are gradually being replaced by more stringent standards. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups (Startups), the pressure to survive not only puts on the shoulders of executives but also directly threatens the position of Marketing personnel.
The intersection of new legal policies on Social Insurance (Social Insurance), the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the requirement for a generation of multitasking personnel has created a completely new set of competency standards. At Tan Phat Digital, we believe that in order to avoid being "eliminated", marketers can no longer rely on individual execution skills but must transform themselves into strategists with systematic thinking, understanding of data and capable of actual financial management.
1. Impact of Social Insurance policy 2024 and pressure to optimize human resources
Changes in the Social Insurance Law 2024, effective from July 1, 2025, have created a significant push on the human resource cost structure of SMEs and Startups. When each employee becomes a larger investment for businesses, the requirement for performance and the ability to contribute multi-dimensionally becomes a prerequisite.
New cost structure and change in recruitment thinking
The 2024 Social Insurance Law officially adjusts the basis for calculating benefits and contribution levels from "base salary" to "reference level". This means that businesses face a more stable and transparent, but also more burdensome, roadmap for increasing insurance costs. The employer's compulsory social insurance contribution rate is currently maintained at 17% of monthly salary. For small businesses with limited cash flow, each newly recruited Marketing position must bring a surplus value higher than the insurance and salary costs that the business spends.
Furthermore, expanding the number of participants in compulsory social insurance to include those working under labor contracts of 1 full month has narrowed cost gaps. This change pushes businesses to move towards a "lean but high-quality" human resources model, where a "Fullstack" Marketing employee will be given priority over a highly specialized but fragmented team.
Employee benefits and long-term commitment
The positive side of the new Social Insurance Law is creating long-term peace of mind. Reducing the minimum social insurance payment period to enjoy pensions from 20 years to 15 years opens up the opportunity to enjoy social security sooner. However, from the Marketer side, this guarantee also comes with an implicit expectation from the business: commitment and the ability to self-manage work to compensate for time off without interrupting the company's Marketing flow.
List of key changes in social insurance policy in 2026:
Minimum payment period for retirement: Reduced from 20 years to 15 years left. (Increased stability and long-term commitment).
Basis for calculation of contributions/benefits: Change from Base salary to Reference level. (Personnel costs increase, requiring Marketers to prove higher ROI).
Participants: Expand from 3-month contract to 1-month contract. (Freelance personnel become more expensive, priority is given to multi-functional In-house personnel).
Maternity benefits: Additional benefits for men and voluntary participants. (Requires the ability to plan and hand over system work).
One-time withdrawal of social insurance: Limited to new participants from July 1, 2025. (Encourage personnel to stay in the formal labor market longer).
2. AI revolution and Prompt Engineering capabilities in Marketing
In 2026, AI has become an indispensable "colleague". With a huge contribution expected to contribute to Vietnam's GDP, AI is redefining labor productivity. For Marketing personnel at SMEs, not mastering AI means eliminating yourself from the game.
From AI Awareness to AI Integration
More than 61% of Vietnamese businesses have applied AI. The difference between an average Marketer and an "indispensable" Marketer at Tan Phat Digital lies in the ability to integrate AI into the strategic process instead of just using it for petty "writing". Marketers 2026 need to learn how to operate "AI Agents" - AI agents capable of performing automated multi-step tasks such as competitor research, creating variant content and optimizing bids in real time.
Prompt Engineering: The communication language of the future
Prompt Engineering has become a foundational skill. An effective "Prompt" includes core components: Instruction, Context, Input Data and Output Indicator. Practicing this skill requires Marketers to have the ability to think logically. Instead of empty requests, they will know how to fully provide roles, customer pain, and content models (like AIDA) so that AI creates the most accurate results.
Roadmap to master AI for Marketers 2026:
Understand the principles: Understand how large language models (LLMs) work.
Practice multi-step (Multi-step Prompting): Break down large tasks into linked command chains.
Build a Prompt Library: Standardize business workflows.
AI criticism (Human-in-the-loop): Bring brand "fingerprints" and real Insight into AI-generated content out.
3. Fullstack Marketing competency framework: The rise of multitasking personnel
In the Startups and SMEs environment, the Fullstack personnel model has become a trend. A Fullstack Marketer is not someone who knows a little bit of everything, but someone who has the ability to actually fight in all areas of responsibility.
Pillars of Fullstack Marketer:
Content & Creative: Create multi-channel content (SEO, Short videos, AI images).
Digital Performance: Master the advertising platform and optimize conversion rate change.
Technology & Automation: Set up CRM, Email Automation and Chatbot systems.
Data & Analytics: Read and understand indicators from GA4, Facebook Insights to adjust strategy.
Fullstack Marketing competency framework by level:
Level Fresh:
- Insight.
Able to integrate Digital and Content, proficiently use AI.
Create a one-page Marketing plan for short-term campaigns.
Senior level:
Responsible for the performance (KPI/ROI) of key channels.
Optimize conversion funnels change, set up complex Automation flows.
Negotiation with partners, manage budget and Brand Performance.
Manager level:
Provide strategic vision, create long-term brand assets.
Convince management of resources, demonstrate overall ROI.
Build Brandformance strategy, team management and data culture.
4. Planning Skills and Lean Strategic Thinking
In small businesses, the ability to self-plan becomes a vital skill. A 2026 Marketing plan must ensure realism, flexibility and aim towards the ultimate business goal.
Real Marketing planning process:
SWOT analysis: Take advantage of the flexibility of small businesses.
Identify target customers (ICP): Sketch a detailed portrait to touch the right "pain" pain".
SAVE model (Solution, Access, Value, Education): Alternative to the traditional 4Ps to focus on solving customer problems.
SMART goals: All activities must be aimed at revenue, leads or retention.
Budget management: Balance between Brand Awareness and Performance.
5. Data Analysis and Marketing Financial Management
The biggest difference of personnel at Tan Phat Digital is the ability to talk in numbers. Marketing personnel cannot be laid off if they prove investment effectiveness.
Financial concepts Marketers need to master:
P&L (Profit & Loss): Understand how Marketing costs affect net profit.
ROI & ROMI: Index measuring overall and specific investment effectiveness for Marketing.
Important financial indicators to protect position:
CAC (Cost Per Acquisition): Total Marketing & Sales costs / Number of new customers. Measure attraction effectiveness.
CLV (Customer Lifetime Value): Simple average value x Purchase frequency x Engagement time.
CLV/CAC ratio: "Survival" index, should be greater than 3.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Revenue from advertising / Advertising costs report.
CPL (Cost Per Lead): Control input costs of the sales funnel.
6. Product Marketing: Connecting products to customer pain
Marketers not only advertise but also participate in product positioning. Customers don't buy features, they buy solutions. Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy now needs to focus on:
Understanding Customer Pain Points: Research to tell customers what they can save.
Flywheel model: Turn old customers into referrals to reduce Marketing costs.
7. Systems Thinking and Critical Thinking
The ability to think deeply helps Marketers cannot be replaced by AI.
Systems Thinking: Sees connections (for example, a drop in sales may be due to a clogged Sales process, not just Ads).
Critical Thinking: Analyze data to eliminate junk information, evaluate results from AI and asking "Why?" to go deep into the essence.
8. Attitude and Professional Ethics
Finally, attitude is the shield that protects your career. Marketers need to maintain a growth mindset, be ready to pivot quickly, and commit to ethics: using transparent data, humane messages, and being honest about business results.
Road of action for Marketers who "cannot be eliminated"
To lead SME and Startup businesses to go further, Marketing personnel need to do:
Proactively update policies:Understand the Social Insurance Law to maximize Optimize legal personnel costs.
Master AI like instinct: Free up manual labor for intelligence.
Think like a business owner: Prove effectiveness with ROMI and P&L.
Practice Fullstack multitasking: Flexibility in all stages from planning to execution exam.
2026 Marketing Personnel are the most important factors in the operating system, the people who understand customers the most and are most realistic in bringing profits to the business.
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