highlights.

  • 21% had changed employers in the last six months 
  • 77% want to be able to travel internationally for work
  • 67% are willing to relocate to another market for a substantially higher salary

18 NOVEMBER 2019 - 39% of local respondents said that they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied at work, and another 9% said that they are unhappy at work. 21% had changed their employers in the last six months.

Natellie Sun, Managing Director at Randstad Hong Kong said, “In a candidate-short market like Hong Kong SAR, good talent are frequently approached by recruiters and hiring managers. If the employee is not particularly happy in their role, they will be easily wooed by other employers, even if they offer just a slight increase in salary or benefits. Companies that want to retain their people need to make sure that they are doing all they can to provide their staff with a positive experience, such as offering them with good training programmes or comprehensive wellness benefits. When an employee is happy, they are less likely to say yes to offers from other employers, even if they come knocking.”

25% said that they are either applying or looking for new job opportunities, and another 38% said that they would be open to changing their jobs if an opportunity is presented to them.

opportunity to work in other markets 

According to the Randstad Hong Kong Workmonitor’s 2019 Q3 results, having the opportunity to work overseas is an important factor for employees.

78% would consider relocating to another market if that means that they can improve their career growth and work-life balance. 78% of respondents are open to the idea of relocating for work if it means that they can progress in their careers and have a good work-life balance. 67% would relocate for a substantially higher salary.

“The opportunity to work in different markets and be exposed to new work and people can be very exciting. It helps talent gain new perspectives, learn more about other cultures, and interact better with stakeholders from different backgrounds. Being able to work in companies based outside of Hong Kong SAR is very tempting, especially if the other markets are perceived to have a higher quality of life, well-regarded education system and more opportunities to have purposeful careers.”

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workers want to continue calling hong kong SAR home  

While Hongkongers are not as willing to relocate to another market when compared to Malaysia and Singapore, 77% of them want to be able to travel internationally for work. 79% also said that they like working with people from other cultural backgrounds.

“As the leading financial hub in Asia Pacific, it is important for us to have a diverse workforce. When people from different cultures and backgrounds come together to work, they are able to gain different perspectives, find creative ways to improve efficiencies and drive innovation through collaboration,” Sun adds.

82% of respondents think that it is a positive thing that their employers hire foreigners if the local talent pool cannot provide the required skills or knowledge to do the job.

Sun continues, “There is a prevalent skills gap in our local talent landscape. Companies tend to import talent to fill these gaps for business continuity and to drive innovation. When we work together with foreign experts to spearhead new business initiatives in our city, more investments will flow in and more businesses will expand their presence to ensure competition,”

“Despite recent political unrests which may have resulted in more people re-thinking about moving to Hong Kong SAR for work, businesses are confident that growth opportunities remain present. As a bustling regional business hub, Hong Kong SAR has been consistently rated the top place for expats across several renowned indices, retaining its appeal as a metropolitan city for professionals.” Sun concludes.

The 2019 Randstad Workmonitor Q3 survey was conducted from July 18, 2019 to August 5, 2019.

media contact

Rena Tan, regional marketing and communications director
rena.tan@randstad.com.sg

 
Alistar Lien, regional senior PR & communications specialist
alistar.lien@randstad.com.sg
 

about the randstad workmonitor

The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in 2003, and now covers 34 markets around the world. The study encompasses Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The Randstad Workmonitor is published four times a year, making both local and global trends in mobility visible over time.

The Workmonitor’s Mobility Index, which tracks employee confidence and captures the likelihood of an employee changing jobs within the next 6 months, provides a comprehensive understanding of sentiments and trends in the job market. Besides mobility, the survey addresses employee satisfaction and personal motivation as well as a rotating set of themed questions.

The study is conducted online among employees aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimum sample size is 400 interviews per market. The Dynata panel is used for sampling purposes. The third survey of 2019 was conducted from 18 July until 5 August 2019.

about randstad

Randstad is the global leader in the HR services industry. We support people and organisations in realising their true potential. We do this by combining the power of today's technology with our passion for people. We call it Human Forward.

Our recruitment services range from regular temporary Staffing and permanent placements to Inhouse Services, Professionals, and HR Solutions, including Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Managed Services Programmes and outplacement.

Randstad has active operations in 38 markets around the world and has top-three positions in almost half of these. In 2018, Randstad had on average 38,820 corporate employees and 4,826 branches and Inhouse locations. In 2018, Randstad generated revenue of €23.8 billion. Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. Randstad N.V. is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam, where options for stocks in Randstad are also traded.

Hear what our leaders have to say about #HumanForward or learn more about our Human Forward brand promise.

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