Despite the potential health and safety implications, 71% of respondents in Hong Kong said that their employers wanted them to work from the office. This according to research from Randstad in their 2021 Workmonitor survey in Hong Kong, which highlights the latest sentiments and perceptions of the local job market.
Once it is possible, 85% of respondents said they would head back to their workplace. This sentiment is even more apparent in respondents aged between 55 and 67, with 92% of them saying that they would like to return to the office. The respondents’ inclination to return to the workplace could be attributed to their fear of job loss during a period when the job market is sluggish. 12% of Hongkongers are extremely afraid about their job security, with 9% of respondents in mainland China having the same fears.
Natellie Sun, Managing Director, Search & Selection at Randstad Greater China said, “It is a catch-22 situation for Hongkongers. Although they do not feel safe in the office when herd immunity is not met yet, there exists a sticky issue of presenteeism. Afraid of losing their jobs amid the pandemic, employees may feel that physically working from the office could more explicitly show their hard work and dedication to the company. However, such unhealthy work habits could lead to serious health and safety issues as well as impact overall workplace productivity.”
In terms of advice for HR, Sun shared, “Companies should communicate their business updates and policies more regularly to their workers to make them feel more engaged and assured about their job security. Employers should also learn to trust their employees to take accountability for their own work, be it remotely or at the office. Workers should build trust with their employers as well. Employees can learn how to take initiative to speak with their managers about the challenges they face or the new learning opportunities they want to explore at work.”
One in two local respondents said they would feel unsafe in their workplace until others around them are inoculated against COVID-19. This view is more pronounced among men. 55% of male respondents have echoed this statement as opposed to 46% of female respondents. Furthermore, 48% of respondents said they wanted to continue working from home until the COVID-19 vaccine has been widely distributed to the population.
Sun added, “Employers need to acknowledge their employees’ safety concerns and take into account operational and health risks when planning for their safe return. For a start, firms could drive internal engagement to raise awareness and incentivise their staff to receive the vaccine. Employers could also revise their employees’ insurance plans to include COVID-19 and vaccine care. Companies that operate in a high-risk environment such as retail, hospitality or commercial aviation should also arrange frequent swab tests for their employees so that everyone can feel safer at work.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
