A new study by Instant Offices has revealed that 72% of employees in Hong Kong feel unhappy at work. The study compared several APAC jurisdictions to determine which places have the strongest culture of overworking and compared countries by average working hours, annual leave and workplace happiness.
The results are hardly surprising considering the fact that Hong Kong’s employees work some of the longest hours on average each week and have one of the lowest amounts of annual leave days globally with only seven days. These factors rank Hong Kong third overall in the title of the world’s most overworked places.
However, it was rival Asian hub Singapore that pipped Hong Kong to the title that no one should want. Singaporean employees reported working an average of 45 hours per week and an average of seven days annual leave. It is unsurprising that only 27% of Singaporeans feel happy at work.
China came in second with Malaysia and Thailand rounding out the top five.
In order to combat the effects of overworking, there are several preventive measures that leaders can turn to including educating managers on how to spot burnout and overworking, creating a culture of unplugging after work and on weekends, encouraging open conversations about work-life balance and offering more flexible and agile working options.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
