Hong Kong workers spend much less time and money on training than their counterparts in other developed economies because they lack support from their bosses, according to a survey.
Despite vigorous government efforts to promote life-long learning, 44 per cent of 480 respondents in a Chinese University survey said they had not taken part in training after work in the past six months.
The average number of hours Hong Kong employees spent on training was a third less than those in the US, and half of the respondents spent less than $100 a month on improving skills.
The survey also found that as work experience increased, people spent less time on training.
Psychology Professor Winton Au, in charge of the survey, said it had nothing to do with the age of the workers but rather their attitudes. The main factor behind the indifference to training was the lack of support from colleagues and bosses, Dr Au said.
Fifty-eight per cent of the respondents said they were seldom or never praised for taking up training and seventy-six per cent did not receive a salary rise after training.
