Hongkongers struggle to upskill amidst pandemic: survey

Meanwhile, 12% of local workers fear losing their jobs.

One in two Hong Kong workers cited difficulty in acquiring new skills in their current jobs to adapt to the pandemic, HR solutions company Randstad’s 2020 2H Workmonitor survey revealed.

Conducted in October 2020 in 34 markets worldwide, the study found that workers from the Asia-Pacific region “struggle the most” with 52% of respondents sharing the sentiment, higher than the 40% global average.

Whilst 12% of Hong Kong workers are scared of losing their jobs, one in four (25%) don’t renew skills and competencies regularly.

“Digital transformation has significantly changed the way traditional industries operate — this has a direct impact on the workforce as the fundamental knowledge and skills required for these new solutions are different from what the existing workforce is equipped with,” said Natellie Sun, managing director of search and selection at Randstad Greater China. “To close the skills gap, employees must proactively upskill and re-skill themselves to ensure they stay relevant and employable, and be more prepared for whatever crisis that may arise in the future.”

Further, 73% of respondents expressed confidence in their transferable soft skills necessary to secure a new job at a different company or industry, the lowest rate recorded in the region.

More than half of respondents (51%) said the upskilling and reskilling should be a shared responsibility between them and their employers. On the other hand, 28% said the responsibility solely lies on employers.