51% of respondents are not satisfied with their employers, lowest in the region

18 FEBRUARY 2021, HONG KONG SAR - One in two respondents said that they are dissatisfied with working with their employers, the lowest in the region. At 73 percent, respondents in mainland China are the most satisfied.

Randstad Hong Kong today releases the latest survey results of Randstad?s 2020 2H Workmonitor survey, which highlights the greatest concerns and challenges job seekers face 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 are taking action to address their work dissatisfaction.
One in three respondents has changed their jobs between April and October in 2020. The top three reasons cited are:

1. personal desire for change (44 per cent)
2. for better employment conditions (41 per cent)
3. personal ambition in the management field (27 per cent)

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 switching employers, such as career progression opportunities, salary satisfaction and culture fit. 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 commitment to keep their workers employed through difficult and uncertain times.”

“As digital transformation accelerates to enable continued business operations and remote working through 2021, more higher-value jobs will be created. We are already seeing an increasing number of roles in digital sales & marketing, financial technology and green financing. And people are attracted to these jobs as they are perceived to have more growth opportunities or offer a higher remuneration 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. Previously segregated, job and family duties were suddenly combined to create one long and continuous work day. The survey highlighted that 42 per cent of local respondents did not feel supported by their employer mentally and emotionally during the pandemic. In comparison, only 16 per cent of respondents in mainland China and 27 per cent 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 their employees face. Being able to step up to show support or take prompt actions shows the employees that the organisation cares about their well-being.”

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 such as salary protection (57 per cent), improved health insurance (46 per cent) and training programmes (38 per cent) after the pandemic.

“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 they progress in their careers. Simple actions such as having regular casual discussions or updating the corporate insurance package 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.