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Employee dissatisfaction could hurt the economy as staff seek greener pastures

Hong Kong workers are more likely to be secretly searching for another job and to recommend competitors' products to friends and family than those on the mainland, a survey has found.

But the authors admitted mainlanders' enthusiasm for their employers could be because the economy was far less advanced and had not suffered big downturns since it started rapidly growing in the 1990s.

And with Hong Kong's economy expected to surge forward in the next year, Winnie Yeung, director of customised research for AC Nielsen, said firms should move now to reduce the cynicism of workers.

'Maybe it is because all of their time is dedicated to expanding business, but at the moment, employers are not doing a good job fulfilling the needs of their employees,' Ms Yeung said.

'While it is a given that financial incentives will increase employees' motivation and dedication, our survey found there were other things they could do, like improve training, and offer performance appraisals and clear opportunities for career progression.'

Workers' lack of faith in their employers would eventually hurt Hong Kong's economy, with many choosing to pursue options in other parts of the Asia-Pacific region, especially the mainland, where more international firms were choosing to base their operations.

The results of the survey, entitled 'Are your employees your workers or your ambassadors?', were based on the opinions of just more than 600 full-time workers in Hong Kong and on the mainland.

Among other key findings, only 38 per cent of Hong Kong employees were sure they would stay in their job, with one in three considering a change. On the mainland,  50 per cent said they were happy to stay with their present company, with only 20 per cent  actively seeking another position.

More than one-third of Hong Kong employees preferred other companies' products and services,  compared to just more than 10 per cent on the mainland. One in 10 Hong Kong employees admitted they would never buy their own products. Far more mainland workers expressed a commitment to their employers, saying they approved of their companies' corporate cultures and communication strategies.

More workers on the mainland were also satisfied with their options for career advancement and development, and said they received satisfactory performance appraisal and recognition.



A third of HK workers are secretly job-hunting