51% of local respondents in Hong Kong SAR said that they are not satisfied with their employers, the lowest in the region. At 73%, respondents in mainland China are the most satisfied.
Randstad Hong Kong today releases the latest survey results of the Randstad Workmonitor survey, which highlights the greatest concerns and challenges candidates are facing in the employment market. The survey was conducted in October across 34 markets around the world, with a minimum of 400 respondents in each market.
employees feel strongly motivated to change jobs, even during a global pandemic
In a year like 2020 where stress runs high, Hongkongers have taken action to address their work dissatisfaction. One in three respondents has changed their jobs between April and October of 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
the top three reasons cited for changing jobs are:
1. their personal desire for change (44%)
2. for better employment conditions (41%)
3. personal ambition in the management field (27%)
Natellie Sun, Managing Director of Search & Selection, Randstad Greater China said, “There is always a combination of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors when it comes to changing jobs, such as career progression opportunities, salary satisfaction and culture fit. However, the pandemic adds new factors to the list, such as the employers’ response to COVID-19 as well as the organisation’s financial health and responsibility to keep everyone employed through difficult and uncertain times.”
“With digital transformation speeding up in 2020 to enable business operations and remote working, more higher-value jobs are being created. We are already seeing an increasing number of roles in digital sales & marketing, financial technology and green financing. People are attracted to these jobs as they tend to pay more and have more growth opportunities due to higher skills requirements,” Sun said.
compared to neighbouring markets, hongkongers feel the least supported by their employer during the pandemic
The stress of daily commutes and office tensions were traded for expanded family responsibilities and work intrusions into personal lives. Job and family duties that were previously segregated were suddenly combined to create one long and continuous work day, often within the same confined spaces.
42% did not feel supported by their employer mentally and emotionally during the pandemic. In comparison, only 16% of respondents in mainland China and 27% of respondents in Singapore shared the same sentiment.
Sun said, “Working from home may sometimes cause greater stress than being in the office. Without social interactions and mental health support during a lockdown, there is a risk in employees detaching themselves from the job. While HR teams should explore and ideate fun initiatives that can be conducted virtually to foster a positive and encouraging culture, senior executives and managers have an equally important role to play in addressing the challenges that employees face. Whether it is a work issue or a health problem, being able to take prompt actions to address such workforce-related challenges shows that the employer cares about supporting the worker.”
The global health crisis has brought the world to a standstill and significantly shifted the priorities that people once held about their careers and lives.
Survey respondents cited that they expect their employers to provide support through initiatives after the pandemic:
top 3 employees expectations post-pandemic
1. salary protection (57%)
2. improved health insurance (46%)
3. training programmes (38%)
“Employees no longer just look at their employers for career development support. They also want their managers to tell them when to take a break from work and provide guidance on finding a balance between work and family as progress in their careers. Simple actions such as regular casual discussions or updating the corporate insurance package for wider coverage are highly appreciated by the workers, which will further enhance your ability to attract and retain great talent, particularly during these unusual times,” Sun concludes.
want to know more insights about the employment market?
Randstad conducts the Workmonitor survey to explore the changes in candidates’ expectations and challenges twice a year to help employers manage their talent attraction and employee engagement strategies.
Besides Workmonitor surveys, our specialist consultants at Randstad Hong Kong regularly prepare market maps and surveys to keep ourselves up-to-date with the latest talent movements and workforce trends. Connect with us if you want to know more about what’s happening in your space.