Half of workers open to quitting over weak career support: survey

60% of Gen Z and 54% of Gen X respondents said they would leave if their long-term progression wasn’t acknowledged.

One in two employees in Hong Kong would consider quitting their job if they felt their managers did not support their career development, according to a survey by Randstad.

The sentiment is even stronger amongst younger and mid-career professionals, with 60% of Gen Z and 54% of Gen X respondents saying they would leave if their long-term progression wasn’t acknowledged.

Despite the expectations, 50% of Hongkongers said their employers did not implement any new career development initiatives in the past 12 months.

Training gaps were especially pronounced amongst Baby Boomers (59%) and Millennials (56%), the generations most likely to say they had received no development opportunities.

Demand for skills development is growing fast, particularly in tech. Nearly 49% of respondents want AI training, a 20 percentage-point increase from the previous year. Other popular upskilling areas include leadership and management, IT, and digital literacy.

Benjamin Elms, Managing Director at Randstad Hong Kong, noted that whilst employees understand the value of AI, many lack the confidence to apply it effectively. “AI is already reshaping work across industries like retail and aviation… It’s crucial for employers to foster curiosity in AI learning, encouraging employees to explore its boundaries and apply it to their work.”

The report also underscored a generational shift in the way workers view upskilling responsibility. 44% of Gen Z believe it is their own responsibility to develop soft skills, whilst Millennials and Gen X are more likely to see it as the employer’s job, especially when it comes to AI and tech.

Though 53% of workers said their employers have provided some form of future-proofing opportunities, the remaining responses suggest that initiatives may be falling short.

Elms warned that companies relying on outdated, linear career models risk losing talent: “Linear career growth is becoming less relevant… Employers should focus on developing a range of skills for their employees, rather than following traditional career paths that may soon be disrupted by technology.”

Randstad’s Workmonitor surveyed 750 respondents in Hong Kong between October and November 2024 as part of a global study across more than 30 markets.