Majority of HK finance staff admit to working during holidays
With the Chinese Year of the Ram upon us, Chinese New Year a fading memory and Easter approaching fast, take a moment to identify what kind of holidayer you are. Perhaps you try to only check your emails once a day, or you expect workers to be ever-contactable, maybe even you refuse to pick up your work phone once the public holiday or your annual leave has begun. A recent poll carried out by eFinancialCareers has found that if you’re based in Hong Kong, you’re more likely to be unable to put down the phone and move away from the paperwork.
Their researched showed that almost half of Hong Kong professionals admit to checking work emails constantly over their holiday, compared to 33% in Singapore. In comparison, the majority of those in Singapore (43%) say they don’t monitor their emails, but will just allow colleagues to call them if there’s something particularly urgent. One in 10 Hong Kong professional is also expected to be fully working and on call throughout their holidays, compared to 6% in Singapore.
Neil Clark, Director, eFinancialCareers stated, “The number of people who appear never to switch off from work is quite remarkable and it shows how committed many financial services professionals are to their careers. But taking a real break is crucial for long-term career satisfaction and sustainability”
Regardless of your industry, to help avoid burn-out, set clear boundaries with colleagues and line managers before public holidays and taking annual leave.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
