An overwhelming 87 per cent of candidates polled in Hong Kong say flexibility is a top consideration when weighing up an offer from a potential new employer, according to recruiting experts Hays.
The latest poll conducted by Hays reveals only six per cent of candidates in Hong Kong were unsure about how they would rate flexibility as a job hunting consideration.
Dean Stallard, Regional Director of Hays in Hong Kong says the poll results are a symbol of the generational change that is influencing the way candidates want to work in 2017.
“Candidates are expecting greater flexibility around their hours of work which in turn, has increased their work-life balance expectations along with the ability to choose options such as ‘active-desking’ or to work from home for example,” says Dean.
Widens pool of potential talent
The introduction of flexible working practices has become more popular as it not only allows an organization to retain critical skills, but it can also widen the pool of potential talent to include candidates that need such flexibility to remain in the workforce.
As Dean adds further, “the promotion of a modern work environment with new technology and constant challenges is becoming more important in attracting candidates with a greater need for flexibility. These candidates will be attracted to employers that can satisfy their interest for variety and modern technology as this will be more conducive to the alignment of flexible working practices.”
The poll was conducted across five key Asian employment markets with candidates across the region also showing a strong preference for flexible working practices.
A significant 89 per cent of those polled in Malaysia rate flexible working practices as ‘very important’ when considering an employer and another seven per cent as ‘important’ – a collective 96 per cent.
Eighty-one per cent of those polled in Singapore rate flexible working practices as very important when considering an employer and 16 per cent as important. In Japan, those results were 84 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.
Candidates in China were a little less focused on flexibility with 76 per cent rating the benefit as very important when considering an employer and nine per cent as important.
Those unsure about how flexibility would influence their job-hunting decisions were very much in the minority with those in China outnumbering the rest of the region at 16 per cent.
Only three per cent of Singaporeans were unsure how flexible working practices would influence their view of a potential employer with four per cent in Malaysia and five per cent in Japan reported respectively.