2 in 5 Gen Zers, aged between 18 and 25 years old, said that they have left their jobs because they were not provided with enough work flexibility in terms of working location and hours.
Randstad released the results of their latest Workmonitor survey for Hong Kong SAR. The bi-annual survey highlights the workforce’s latest sentiments and perceptions of the local job market.
The Workmonitor survey report revealed a significant gap between the youngest and oldest age group towards work flexibility. In comparison to Gen Z workers, only 19% of respondents aged between 45 and 54 years old say that they have quit their jobs because of the lack of flexibility at work.
The new generations of workers joined the workforce under very different circumstances as compared to the previous generations. Millennials, for example, are changing the definition of and moving away from traditional working styles. They reply to emails from their smartphones while commuting and tend to use text messages to chat with their colleagues instead of emails or face-to-face conversation. Some of them would even join video conferences and take notes all on their phones!
While these new technologies help employees be more efficient, it is critical for companies to redefine how work flexibility should look like. For a happier and more balanced workforce, employers can offer more flexibility to let their staff choose when and where they want to work.
32% of respondents would reject a job if it didn’t provide flexibility around where they work
With remote work and hybrid work arrangements becoming the new normal in the workplace, employers have to offer employees enough flexibility and freedom in terms of work styles.
The survey report showed that a number of respondents would decline interviews or job opportunities if the prospective employers don't have a flexible working arrangements option.
While 55% of respondents value the importance of being given the option to choose where they work, 16% lower than the global average (71%).
Only 41% of respondents said that their employers gave them the option to choose where they want to work from.
Compared to other markets, Hongkongers may still prefer to work in the office as their home is not a conducive environment for working, be it size or noise level. However, the concept of work from anywhere may become more common in Hong Kong SAR, as more employees desire individual focus time in libraries or cafes.
Having the option to work remotely prevents distractions from colleagues or workplace chit-chats, which hamper productivity especially on work-intensive days.
35% of respondents said they wouldn't accept a job if it doesn't provide flexible working hours
As opposed to being able to work remotely, there is a higher expectation on flexible working hours in Hong Kong SAR.
65% of respondents said that they want to have the flexibility to choose their working hours. 57% of respondents said that they get the option from their employers to choose when they want to work.
Without sticking to the parameters of the standard 9-to-6 office hours, some workers have discovered that they are more productive at other hours of the day. With flexible work arrangement, they get to personalise their schedules for their family, friends and themselves.
For example, parents can start work earlier while their kids are at school and pick up their children after school instead of hiring help to do it for them. People who work on global projects also have the flexibility to start work later as they might have stayed up late to attend calls with other countries.
A flexible working environment fosters a positive company culture.
Rather than let the stipulated office hours decide when they should work and rest, workers can plan their time more efficiently to meet deadlines, as well as find a work-life balance that best suits their personal lives.
When companies provide their employees option for flexible work options to their employees, they enable their workforce to find a work-life balance that suits their personal lives, while maintaining a highly-productive and focussed team to drive competition in the business world.
gain deeper insights into the hongkong workforce
The latest 2022 Randstad Workmonitor study was conducted between 21 February 2022 and 13 March 2022 with 1,000 locally-based respondents who are employed and aged between 18 and 67 years old in Hong Kong SAR.
An organisation’s ability to attract and retain highly-skilled talent depends on their agility to meet changing talent expectations. Randstad conducts workforce research regularly to keep pace with the changes, complemented by the in-depth insights from our local recruitment specialists across key industry functions in Hong Kong like banking and financial services, accounting and finance, life sciences, property development, manufacturing and supply chain, technology and more.
Employee expectations have shifted as the talent landscape changes over time. To attract the best and most diverse talent, HR leaders and employers should constantly improve the employee’s experience by understanding and addressing the new demands.
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