EditorialDepartures from Hong Kong civil service show not only industry needs talent
- Increase in resignations among government employees is worrying and recruitment measures must pay off for crucial team
A high staff turnover is normally an issue of concern in a company. It could mean there is something wrong internally, or the grass is greener elsewhere.
In any case, it is not conducive to a company’s operations and development. And, should the same happen in the 180,000-strong civil service, the impact may be far more serious.
Concern has been raised after 3,734 government employees resigned in 2021-22, up from 1,863 the previous financial year. Of particular note is that those in their 30s who quit have more than tripled over the past five years to almost 1,300.
That single age group accounts for most resignations. However, a sharp increase has also been seen among those aged between 40 and 49 in recent years.
Civil service chief Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan described the surge in resignations as “normal within the abnormal”, and referred to the increase in staff turnover across some industries in recent years. True as this may be, it does not make the trend among government employees less disturbing, and departures must not be greeted with either indifference or inaction.
Indeed, the civil service brain drain has been an issue of concern for some time. What is worrying is that it shows no sign of easing.