According to the latest Randstad Workmonitor, 86 per cent of employees around the world prefer to work in a multi-generational team as they believe an age-diverse team can help promote innovation. More than eight in 10 said that they are already working in a multi-generational team. A multi-generation team is defined to be made up of coworkers with a decade or more difference in age.
employees in asia prefer their direct managers to be their age or older
Almost seven in 10 employees around the world said that they prefer that their direct managers be their age or older. This sentiment is higher in Asia, with 82 per cent of the respondents saying that they would rather work with a manager who is older than them. This is a reflection of a typical Asian culture where people tend to value status and seniority at the workplace over learnability and competence.
In Hong Kong SAR, 86 per cent want to work with a manager who is older than them, which is the highest compared to Singapore, Malaysia, mainland China and the global average.
Natellie Sun, Managing Director, Randstad Hong Kong said, “It might be an easier decision to promote someone who is older rather than someone who is slightly younger who demonstrates leadership qualities. As business leaders, we have the difficult task of deciding who deserves a promotion and eventually, it really boils down to the individuals’ competence and the ability to navigate in today’s complex and competitive world. Companies that want to succeed need to look at their talent pool to identify and nurture people who have the ability to lead and are constantly curious about how they can increase efficiencies in all aspects of the business, and sometimes, the best person for the role may not necessarily be the older employee.
managing an age-diverse team proves to be tough in asia
The notion of respect in the Asian culture can be witnessed in the workplace as managers tend to treat colleagues differently based on their age. Seven in 10 respondents across Asia said that their direct managers treat their colleagues from various generations differently. This sentiment is the highest in Hong Kong SAR (8 per cent) and mainland China recorded the lowest (67 per cent).
An age-diverse workforce can be challenging as leaders may feel overpowered by an experienced and mature coworker as compared to a younger executive who may request for more autonomy at work.
asians more concerned about meeting immediate deadlines than long-term goals
Less than four in 10 employees around the world are concerned about their future accomplishments than their immediate tasks. Employees and job seekers in Asia are also more likely to prioritise their daily tasks as compared to achieving future goals (71 per cent).
“While meeting deadlines is important to many employees as a form of instant gratification, having a long-term goal is still a must-have for career progression. It provides people with a direction of where they want to be and what they need to do to attain those goals. Long-term achievements also encourage people to adopt a lifelong learning attitude at work and speak to their managers regularly on how the company can support their career development paths.” Sun added Randstad’s Workmonitor is a quarterly research on global employment trends. The 2018 quarter two research was conducted between April and May 2018. A minimum sample size of 400 interviews is required in each market.
randstad workmonitor 2018 Q2 results
“I prefer my direct manager to be my age or older.” (%)
“My direct manager treats colleagues from various generations differently.” (%)
“I am more concerned with my daily work than any future accomplishments.” (%)
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about randstad workmonitor
The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in the Netherlands in 2003, then in Germany, and now covers 33 markets around the world. The last market to join was Portugal in 2014. The study encompasses Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The Randstad Workmonitor is published 4 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 Survey Sampling International (SSI) panel is used for sampling purposes. The second survey of 2018 was conducted from 23 April until 14 May 2018.
about randstad
Randstad is a global leader in the HR services industry, with Asia-Pacific operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong SAR, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Our offices in Southeast Asia have been supporting people and organisations in realising their true potential, helping find the best permanent and contracting talent in accounting & finance, banking & financial services, construction, property & engineering, corporate & secretarial support, human resources, information technology, legal, life science, sales, marketing & communications and supply chain & procurement.
Human connection is at the heart of our business. Our personal approach, supported by state-of-the-art technology, is what sets us apart in the world of work. We express this with a new brand promise: Human Forward.
Hear what our leaders have to say about #HumanForward or head over to our website and learn more about our Human Forward brand promise.