In Hong Kong SAR, 2 in 3 local employees said that working unnecessary or excessive overtime has led to poor work-life balance. This is followed closely with an overwhelming workload (60%).
These latest workforce data and insights are captured in Randstad’s Reimagine Work white paper. The white paper is supported by data from an independent workforce survey commissioned by Randstad Hong Kong to help business leaders and HR professionals focus their resources on talent management initiatives that matter.
Read on for more insights on the new talent expectations to effectively attract skilled employees to work for you.
Work-life balance has always been a very complex and challenging topic for HR practitioners to tackle.
Flexible work is a good start to meeting talent expectations about work-life balance. However, work flexibility is neither the be-all and end-all solution, nor can it solve existing organisational challenges, such as a culture of distrust or overworking.
flexible work itself is not the answer to work-life balance
Even though flexible work arrangements give employees more autonomy to carve out personal time, it does not guarantee that they will have a healthy work-life balance.
66% of respondents said that ‘unnecessary or excessive overtime’ had led to poorer work-life balance. This is followed by ‘overwhelming workload’ (60%) and ‘unreasonable bosses and unsupportive colleagues’ (52%).
It is clear that many employees are sacrificing their time to catch up on an overwhelming amount of work, which could be alleviated through better communications, delegation and hiring of new headcount.
The survey also revealed that the top three reasons why employees in Hong Kong SAR dislike hybrid work are the inability to communicate or work effectively with their bosses and colleagues. They also feel lonely and isolated due to lack of social interactions with colleagues and fear that they will miss out (FOMO) on work and promotion opportunities.
On its own, flexible working hours alone doesn’t resolve the underlying issues that are deeply entrenched in the organisation, such as poor communication, the culture of presenteeism and isolation.
With more job opportunities in the market, talent in Hong Kong SAR has the upper hand to choose employers that offer a friendly and supportive environment that makes them look forward to work, no matter where they are. Having a good environment to work in also proves beneficial for the mental health of employees.
people we work with play a big role in our work-life balance
1 in 3 survey respondents said that working with friendly bosses and co-workers is an important part of the work environment. To further support this, 52% of Hongkongers said that working with unreasonable bosses and unsupportive colleagues are the reason why they do not have a healthy work-life balance.
People come to work because they are excited to see their colleagues. They get the opportunity to connect with new colleagues and deepen their relationships through shared interests, values and by overcoming challenges together. They can communicate with each other on the same page, which makes it much easier for them to collaborate.
These interactions contribute to the formation of a stronger and more closely-knitted workplace community that job seekers want to be a part of.
work-life balance is all about having enough quality time
When asked how Hong Kong SAR employees define work-life balance, 29% of them said it is about having enough personal time to do the things they like with the people they care about.
39% of respondents also said that the two best parts about hybrid work is that they have more personal time and can spend more time with their families.
People are starting to realise that the perfect job is not about getting the biggest pay cheque, especially if they are not passionate about their work or fully committed to the company.
Employees want to have a manageable workload, the ability to work flexibly with the colleagues they enjoy working with, and having enough time to spend with their family and friends - this is the work-life equilibrium that employees desire to have.
download the full white paper - reimagine work: managing changes in talent expectations
Randstad’s ‘reimagining work: managing changes in talent expectations’ white paper gathers insights from three surveys - randstad employer brand research, randstad workmonitor and talent expectations survey - to understand what type of work-life support job seekers and employees expect from their employers.
The talent expectations survey is an independent survey commissioned by Randstad that reveals insights on the latest talent trends around work-life balance, work arrangements and work environments through surveying more than 1,200 respondents across Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia and Singapore with a minimum sample size of 300 per market. This survey was conducted between July and September 2022.
Reach out to our specialised consultants for the latest talent trends or want to know more about the latest market insights. Through market mapping and conversations with our clients and candidates, we can inform you of the latest trends that you can turn into actionable strategies to attract and retain talent.
Alternatively, if you are a job seeker seeking a better work-life balance, explore your career options and apply for a job that fits your skills and expectations.