66% of respondents have poor work-life balance because of unnecessary and excessive overtime:

66% of respondents have poor work-life balance because of unnecessary and excessive overtime: randstad hong kong.

HONG KONG SAR, 26 OCTOBER 2022 - Two in three respondents said that working unnecessary or excessive overtime has led to poor work-life balance. This is followed closely with an overwhelming workload (60 per cent). Randstad - the world’s leading human resources solutions agency - today released the Reimagine Work White Paper in Hong Kong SAR. This white paper aims to help businesses gain insights into changing talent expectations to engage with today’s talent in a meaningful way.

Benjamin Elms, Managing Director at Randstad Hong Kong said, “Work-life balance has always been  a very complex and challenging topic for HR practitioners to tackle. Flexible work is a good start to meeting talent expectations on work-life balance, but it’s not the be-all and end-all solution, nor can it serve as a magic bullet for existing organisational problems. With our new white paper, we want to help business leaders and HR professionals focus their resources on talent management initiatives that would truly benefit their company.”

“what are the top situations that lead to poor work-life balance for you?”

flexible work itself is not the answer to work-life balance

Even though flexible work arrangements give employees more autonomy to carve out personal time, it does not mean that they are fully enjoying a good work-life balance.

“what do you dislike the most about hybrid and remote work?”

Elms explained the factors, “On its own, flexible work doesn’t resolve the underlying issues that are deeply entrenched in the organisation, such as poor communication, a culture of presenteeism and the feeling of isolation. With more job opportunities in the market, talent in Hong Kong SAR has the upper hand to choose employers that offer a friendly and supportive environment that makes them look forward to work, no matter where they are.”

work-life balance is all about having enough quality time

When asked how employees in Hong Kong SAR define work-life balance, 29 per cent of them said it is about having enough personal time to do the things they like with the people they care about.

“How do you define work-life balance?”

Elms said, “People are starting to realise that the perfect job is not about getting the biggest pay cheque, especially if they are not passionate about their work or fully committed to the company. For Hongkongers, it’s important that they also get to have fun after work. Having a manageable workload, being able to work flexibly with the colleagues they enjoy working with, and having enough time to spend with their family and friends - that is the work-life equilibrium that employees desire to have.”

it’s the people who make work enjoyable

One in three respondents said that working with friendly bosses and co-workers is an important part of the work environment.

To further support this data, 52 per cent of Hongkongers said that working with unreasonable bosses and unsupportive colleagues are the reason why they do not have a good work-life balance.

“What’s the most important thing to you when it comes to your work environment?”

Elms said, “People come to work because they are excited to see their colleagues. They get the opportunity to connect with new colleagues and deepen their relationships with one another through shared interests, values and challenges. They are able to communicate with each other on the same page, which makes it much easier for them to collaborate with one another. It is these interactions that forge a stronger and closely-knitted workplace community that job seekers want to be a part of.”