Most Hong Kong employees prefer to work from home, but only about half of them are offered the chance to do so. According to findings published in PwC’s Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2022, 89% of Hongkongers would rather work either completely or mostly remotely. However, only 45% are given work-from-home options.
Globally, the survey found that 89% of respondents prefer to work from home, while 54% are actually given this option. The survey was conducted by asking over 52,000 employees across 44 countries and territories about their feelings and perceptions regarding job security amid the challenges they face because of the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 1,000 respondents were from Hong Kong.
The survey also found that Hong Kong employees are more likely to ask for promotions and raises (90%), compared with their global counterparts (73%). It also stated that in Hong Kong, 57% of employers tackled skills shortages by increasing wages, while 48% of them resolved the issue by upskilling workers.
Half of Hong Kong employees admit they do not get many chances to learn new technical or digital skills that are needed for their careers. In addition, 45% of Hong Kong employees say there is no opportunity to work with and learn from colleagues with digital skills.
Michael Cheng, People & Organisation Advisory Digital Lead Partner of PwC Hong Kong, recommended that employers in the city provide employees with “more digitalised tools and trainings, and take a more holistic approach to addressing retention risk such as pay and career development for those who cannot work remotely or in a hybrid format”.
There are companies in the SAR that appear to be taking strides in this direction. In June, Hong Kong conglomerate New World Group launched family-friendly measures by which employees could work for four-and-a-half days in the week and use one of those days to work from home. The pilot programme began in July and will run till September, after which it will be evaluated.
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